Greystones Primary School

Greystones Primary School Inspection report

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107098 Unique Reference Number Sheffield Local Authority 324526 Inspection number 8 January 2009 Inspection date Philip Cole Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 5–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 431 School (total) 0 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Susanna Bradbury Chair Mr Dave Markham Headteacher 5 July 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Tullibardine Road School address Sheffield South Yorkshire S11 7GL 0114 2663413 Telephone number 0114 2686235 Fax number

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5–11 Age group 8 January 2009 Inspection date 324526 Inspection number .

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. 2 of 10 Inspection Report: Greystones Primary School, 8 January 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors. The inspectors evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: achievement and standards in writing at Key Stage 2 and the achievement of different groups in school. Evidence was gathered from national published data, the school's own assessment and evaluation records, observations of lessons, pupils' completed work and interviews with pupils, staff and two governors. The views of parents were also taken into account through the parents' questionnaire. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail but on the whole inspectors found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

This is a large school serving a suburb close to the centre of Sheffield. The pupils come from a range of social and cultural backgrounds. Most of the pupils are White British but there is a significant minority from different minority ethnic backgrounds, mainly Pakistani. Very few pupils are at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is below average. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average overall, but the proportion with a statement to support their needs is above average. Many of these pupils have hearing impairment and their needs are met by the hearing impaired unit based in the school. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) consists of Reception classes that admit children in September and January each year. The school has achieved the Quality Mark for Basic Skills, Healthy Schools, Gold Artsmark, Charter Standard for Football and Gold Schools Sports Partnership Sheffield awards. It is

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Description of the school

currently working towards Eco School status.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Greystones Primary School, 8 January 2009

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Grade: 2

This is a good school that is improving and has outstanding features. 'Fabulous school with a great sense of community' sums up the views of parents. They are delighted with the high levels of care, the range of excellent clubs provided and particularly the quality of teaching that enables their children to make such good progress. Many enthuse about the headteacher, his approachability and how he leads by example, for instance with the walking bus and his commitment to community events. Pupils share their parents' enthusiasm and talk eagerly about the exciting visits that underpin so much of their learning, the very well-attended clubs and not least their lessons. They feel safe and secure and really appreciate that the school listens and acts on their suggestions. For example, they are proud of the improvements made to the dining room and of their designs for a new school uniform. Attendance is above average and reflects pupils' outstanding enjoyment of school. Behaviour

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Grade: 2

is excellent and everyone gets on exceptionally well together. Pupils have an excellent understanding of what they need to do to keep fit and healthy and out of harm's way, which reflects the outstanding provision made for these key aspects of their personal development. They are very conscientious in fulfilling their responsibilities around school, such as manning the phones during lunchtime, being buddies in the playground, managing the tuck shop and taking their turn on the school council, the membership of which rotates throughout the year. They enjoy celebrating the different cultures and ways of life of pupils in school and in the broader community, reflecting the school's good commitment to community cohesion. Their active involvement with the wider community through activities such as carol singing around the local area and improving an allotment close to the school reinforces the school's good links

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Grade: 2

with local people. Pupils are developing a very good sense of social responsibility through their recycling programme. Their outstanding personal development supports their learning extremely well. Together with well developed basic skills this ensures that they are well placed to face the future. Overall, all pupils, including those from minority ethnic backgrounds, achieve well and make good progress from their starting points. Currently, children start in the Reception class with skills below those expected for their age. This is a declining picture from previous years, when children's skills and abilities on entry to school were largely as expected for their age. By the end of Year 6 pupils reach above average standards. Standards in Year 6 have been above average for several years. In 2008, unvalidated results indicated that standards in English dipped to be in line with the average because fewer pupils attained the higher Level 5. The school is

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Grade: 2

tackling this issue well by placing a stronger focus on guiding pupils to improve their writing, which was the weaker aspect of English. The school's pupil progress tracking records indicate that pupils are on course to attain above average standards in 2009 with a significant proportion of pupils looking likely to reach Level 5. The quality of teaching is good and is improving as teachers make increasingly effective use of assessments of pupils' progress to inform planning. Teachers make it very clear to pupils what they will be learning and what will be expected of them by the end of each lesson. This enables pupils to work successfully and purposefully. Teachers use questions well to challenge pupils to think clearly and to check pupils' understanding. Skilful teaching assistants often provide excellent support to targeted pupils, and this helps to ensure that pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, particularly those with hearing impairment, make excellent

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Grade: 2

progress. Teachers often make comments on pupils' work. However, the helpfulness of the 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Greystones Primary School, 8 January 2009 comments is variable and teachers are not always consistent in ensuring that pupils respond to what has been suggested. As a result, the impact of teachers' marking is less effective than it could be in helping pupils to improve their work. The curriculum is excellent and now benefits from well planned cross-curricular links that make learning more relevant and fun for pupils. Excellent enrichment is provided through visits, including residential visits for Year 2 pupils as well as two further opportunities in Key Stage 2, visitors, provision for modern foreign languages, themed weeks and the extensive range of well attended out-of-class activities for pupils in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The provision made for pupils with hearing impairment is excellent and ensures that their needs

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Grade: 2

are fully identified and met both in class and through well targeted sessions in the unit. The excellent provision made for supporting pupils' personal development, together with the school's first-rate arrangements for safeguarding pupils, demonstrate the exceptional levels of pastoral care seen in the school. The school's academic guidance and support for pupils are good. Assessment information is used extremely well to set challenging whole school targets, track pupils' progress and to provide extra support for those who need it. This information is not always used as effectively to identify the specific targets that would help individual pupils to take the next steps in their learning, although pupils do appreciate the guidance provided by the more general year group targets found in each class. The headteacher leads from the front and is well supported by an increasingly effective and professional leadership team and a very strong and committed governing body. This reflects

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Grade: 2

the school's strong commitment to developing leadership skills and the determination to achieve excellence. The school accurately evaluates its performance, based on a wide range of evidence, including the views of all stakeholders. It uses this information well to ensure that all pupils succeed and to promote equality of opportunity. Rigorous budgeting underpins plans for improvement, which the school successfully implements. This has ensured that there has been good progress since the last inspection and, together with good leadership and management, it ensures that the school is well placed to make further improvement.

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Grade: 1

Over the last two years the EYFS leader, together with her staff, has thoroughly reviewed and very successfully improved the quality of provision in the Reception classes. This has led to a marked improvement in children's achievement. In the past few years, children entered with skills below those expected for their age and made good progress to reach the expected goals for their age by the time they moved into Key Stage 1. However, in 2008, children made excellent progress from similar starting points to reach securely above the levels expected for their age. This represents outstanding achievement and reflects extremely effective leadership and management and outstanding provision. Children's needs are quickly and carefully identified through the excellent induction arrangements that enable full account to be taken of information from pre-school settings and parents as well as the staff's own rigorous initial and ongoing assessments. This information is

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Grade: 1

used to underpin the planning of challenging activities. A great effort is made to ensure that children who start in January are able to reach the same levels as those who start in September. These children are provided with additional targeted support and this is extended into Year 1 to ensure that their learning is consolidated. There are excellent activities from which children can choose what they want to do. These activities are structured carefully and supported 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Greystones Primary School, 8 January 2009 sensitively by skilled staff. This high quality provision is very successfully extended into the outdoor areas available for each class. The outstanding commitment to providing excellent care, guidance and support for children reflects the same high standards found in the rest of the school.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Provide pupils with clear and consistent guidance on how they can improve their work and ensure that pupils understand what they need to do to take the next steps in their own learning. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Greystones Primary School, 8 January 2009 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Greystones Primary School, 8 January 2009

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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needs of learners?

Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well being? 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

1 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 1 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 1 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 1 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Greystones Primary School, 8 January 2009

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 The behaviour of learners 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education 1 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Greystones Primary School, 8 January 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for making the inspectors so welcome when we inspected your school. We enjoyed talking to you about what makes your school so good. You told us about all the exciting things you do both in and out of class and about how helpful all the adults are in school. We agree that all the staff are very caring and that your lessons are interesting and taught well. This helps to make sure that you make good progress. At the end of Year 6 many of you reach standards that are above average compared with children in other schools. The support that is given to those pupils who need extra help, especially those of you who have difficulty hearing, is excellent. Staff have worked very hard to improve provision in the Reception classes and this has paid off extremely well, enabling children in these classes to make outstanding progress. We were extremely impressed with your behaviour, with how well you all get on together and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

with the efforts you make to improve the school and the local area, such as the allotment. You also have an excellent understanding of what you need to do to keep fit, healthy and out of harm's way. A major reason why your school is so good is because you have good leadership teaching, and support. The head teacher, staff and governors all work extremely hard to make this the best school they can. It is no surprise to us that your parents are delighted that you come to this school. To make the school even better and to enable you to build on your already good achievement, I have asked the school to do the following:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ To provide you with clear and consistent guidance on how you can improve their work and ensure that you understand what you need to do to take the next steps in your own learning You can of course help by acting on the suggestions that the teachers make. 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Greystones Primary School, 8 January 2009

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