Ivy Road Primary School

Ivy Road Primary School Inspection report

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108606 Unique Reference Number North Tyneside Local Authority 324802 Inspection number 12–13 March 2009 Inspection dates Margaret Shepherd 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 3–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 181 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 Rosemary Dodd Chair Mrs Susan Watts Headteacher 17 October 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Ivy Road School address Forest Hall Newcastle upon Tyne Tyne and Wear NE12 9AP 0191 2008346 Telephone number 0191 2008454 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 12–13 March 2009 Inspection dates 324802 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 11 Inspection Report: Ivy Road Primary School, 12–13 March 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school serves an area with social and economic circumstances that are lower than usual. There is a higher proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals and more pupils move in and out of the school than usual. Pupils are predominantly White British. There is a larger proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities than nationally but a lower proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational need. The school has gone through a considerable amount of staffing turbulence over the past three years. There have been three different headteachers and many staff changes, including deputy headteachers and governors. This year three new teachers joined the school. All teachers moved to different age groups at the beginning of the academic year.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Ivy Road Primary School, 12–13 March 2009

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory and improving school with some good features. Since the last inspection there has been an exceptionally high number of staffing changes leading to an unsettled period for the school. This has now stabilised and the headteacher has worked very effectively to establish systems that ensure pupils make steady progress. Under her leadership the staff are working hard together to improve provision and the new systems are working. Capacity for improvement is therefore good. Achievement is satisfactory. Standards in the national tests in Year 6 have been very variable over time, ranging from significantly higher than average to below average. Standards in Year 2 are also variable. There has been some very uneven progress by pupils as they moved through the school. The inspection judges that progress is now at least satisfactory and in several year groups pupils are making good progress. Standards are broadly average in both key stages,

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Grade: 3

although reading standards are lower than writing and mathematics. Boys do not achieve as well as girls, partly because the curriculum does not match their needs closely enough. The curriculum is satisfactory in other respects and provides good opportunities for enrichment. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Staff are beginning to use the new tracking systems to inform their planning more effectively but do not yet target the needs of different groups consistently. Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good because the school provides good quality care, support and guidance. Parents appreciate this provision. A typical comment was, ‘My daughter comes out of school every day full of enthusiasm about what she has learnt during the day’. Pupils’ behaviour is good and some is exemplary, particularly in assembly. They have a good understanding of keeping safe and healthy. Contributions to the school community are

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Grade: 3

good, with older pupils relishing their role in supporting younger ones. The school council works well. Contributions to communities outside of school are not as strong but are satisfactory. Pupils’ preparation for economic well-being is satisfactory. Older pupils’ understanding of the world of work is good and basic skills are satisfactory. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Leadership and management are satisfactory and there are clear signs that the leadership team is developing well. The headteacher has a very clear educational vision and the determination and the skills necessary to improve provision. This has ensured that there has been satisfactory improvement since the previous inspection. Many coordinators and governors are new to their roles, but they are all keen to take up their responsibilities and play their part in improvement.

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Grade: 2

The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage is good. Children enter the Nursery at a lower level than is typical for their age and leave Reception with average standards. Children achieve well because staff provide a good balance across the different areas of the curriculum, with exciting activities to stimulate children’s imagination, for example, making Incy Wincy Spiders or investigating the flow of sand through flowerpots. The outdoor provision is good for physical and investigational activities but not as effective in other areas of the curriculum. There is a very good balance between tasks that adults support and those chosen by children to carry out independently. Children’s personal development is very good and is a result of staff’s sensitive 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Ivy Road Primary School, 12–13 March 2009 attention to their care and welfare. The combination of new and established members of staff

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Grade: 2

works very well. Together with the effective leadership and management of the headteacher, the team have a very clear view of how to improve and a determination to do so.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Increase the consistency of progress in different subjects and between year groups as pupils move through the school. ■ Improve boys’ achievement and match the curriculum more closely to their needs.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Extend teachers’ use of the new tracking systems to target the needs of all groups of pupils more closely. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory and standards are broadly average. The national tests in Year 6 show that standards have been very variable over time, ranging from significantly higher than average to below average. Standards have been falling in Year 6. This is due to inadequate progress over the past two years. Inspection of lessons and scrutiny of work shows that pupils are now making good progress in this year group, which is compensating for the previous weaknesses. Progress in the rest of Key Stage 2 is at least satisfactory and for some pupils it is good. National assessments in Key Stage 1 are also variable over time. Standards rose in 2008 and are now broadly average. Writing and mathematics standards are higher than reading. Girls’ achievement is better than the boys in both key stages. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and more able pupils make satisfactory progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are good. Pupils enjoy coming to school and have very positive attitudes towards their learning. They appreciate how teachers’ marking helps them to understand what to do to improve. Their behaviour is good and at times it is exemplary, particularly in assembly where pupils, including the very youngest, show high levels of respect. Attendance is satisfactory. Pupils make good contributions to the school community, with an active school council helping in decision making. Pupils are sensitive to each other’s needs, with older pupils enjoying their roles in helping younger pupils. Contributions to communities outside of school are satisfactory. The school is working towards matching the internal community contributions to the external communities. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe and healthy. Their economic

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Grade: 2

well-being is satisfactory due to their level of basic skills, but older pupils get a very good understanding about the world of work, particularly through very effective links with the local university. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Ivy Road Primary School, 12–13 March 2009

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory with some good features. All staff manage behaviour very well and this produces a calm context for pupils’ learning. All teachers create good relationships with pupils and use praise effectively, which helps learners to succeed. Teachers deploy support staff well to give individual guidance to pupils, both in whole class sessions and in group work. In some cases whole class sessions are too long, which reduces pupils’ concentration levels. Teachers all use the new marking systems very well and give pupils time to consider their comments in lessons. This ensures that pupils have a good understanding of what to do to improve their work. Staff provide a range of criteria at the beginning of lessons to outline what pupils will be learning but they do not use them consistently enough as the lesson progresses. Teachers plan opportunities for pupils to talk effectively but do not always

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Grade: 3

check that the boys are playing a full part in the discussion. Features of the good teaching include a fast pace and imaginative use of resources.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory with good enrichment opportunities. It meets statutory requirements and there is an effective balance between subjects. The school has worked well to extend the development of writing in other subjects but the reading curriculum does not match pupils’ interests well enough or consider boys’ needs. The school’s analysis of the new data collection systems is beginning to have an impact by identifying the curriculum needs of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and providing targeted support. The curriculum for personal development is good. It is particularly effective in giving pupils opportunities to consider their own and other’s feelings and to prepare older pupils for the world of work. Pupils thoroughly enjoy the whole school theme days and special occasions, such as the Comic Relief assembly. There are a good range of interesting clubs that pupils appreciate.

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Grade: 2

All elements of care, support and guidance are good, which parents appreciate. The school lives up to one of its key principles of providing a happy and caring environment for learning. Pupils say that they feel very safe and can go to any adult with a problem. The school takes its responsibilities for safeguarding pupils seriously and the systems meet requirements. The new marking system is working well to provide pupils with clear guidance of how to improve their work. This matches the good quality personal guidance. Recent additional provision of the breakfast club is supporting pupils effectively at the beginning of the day.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher works very effectively to encourage and support all members of staff, who are keen to play their part in improving the work of the school. There is clear evidence that this is having a positive impact and demonstrates 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Ivy Road Primary School, 12–13 March 2009 good capacity for future improvement. The school’s promotion of community cohesion is satisfactory and staff are working hard to extend their work in this area. The headteacher has an extremely clear educational vision for the school. She sets up very efficient and effective systems to improve provision, such as the termly assessment and tracking arrangements of individual pupils, which staff are beginning to use. The school now has a good understanding of its strengths and weaknesses and is systematically working to tackle the short comings. Although many coordinators are new to their roles, they are enthusiastic and ready to take up

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Grade: 3

their monitoring responsibilities. This is also evident in the governors, who have begun to create links across to key members of staff. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Ivy Road Primary School, 12–13 March 2009 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Ivy Road Primary School, 12–13 March 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?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 2 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Ivy Road Primary School, 12–13 March 2009

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 3 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? 2 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 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 3 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Ivy Road Primary School, 12–13 March 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

16 March 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Ivy Road Primary School, North Tyneside, NE12 9AP Thank you very much for giving Mrs Richardson and me such a warm welcome when we visited your school for the inspection. We really enjoyed talking to you and looking at your work. We are writing to tell you about what we found out about your school. You go to a satisfactory school that is working well to make it an even better place for you to learn. Your headteacher is introducing new ways for your teachers to work and they are all using these new systems well. We agree with you that the new marking system is effective in helping you to understand what you need to do to improve your work. The standards that you reach at the end of Year 6 have changed a lot over the past few years but you now all make at least satisfactory progress as you move through the school and some of you make good progress. Your writing and mathematics standards are better than your reading standards. Your curriculum

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

is satisfactory and it is good for personal development. Here are some things that we think your school could do better. All the staff could help you all to make good progress in every class as you move through the school in every subject, with the boys achieving as well as the girls. Your teachers are assessing your progress every term now and they could use this information to make sure the work matches different groups better. The staff in the Nursery and Reception provide very interesting things to do in lessons and the children make good progress in both classes. Your personal development is good. We were impressed with your behaviour, which is very good indeed in assembly. The older pupils look after the younger ones really well and you have a good understanding of how to keep safe and healthy. All your staff work very well together to look after you. We wish you all the best for your future lives and we hope that you will all continue to work

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

hard and look after each other around the school and in your classes. Yours sincerely Margaret Shepherd Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Ivy Road Primary School, 12–13 March 2009

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