INSPECTION REPORT CHURCHILL GARDENS COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL. Pimlico. LEA area: Westminster. Unique reference number:

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1 INSPECTION REPORT CHURCHILL GARDENS COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL Pimlico LEA area: Westminster Unique reference number: Headteacher: Stephen E Pye Reporting inspector: David Tytler 8990 Dates of inspection: January 2003 Inspection number: Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996

2 Crown copyright 2003 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary 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.

3 INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL Type of school: School category: Age range of pupils: Gender of pupils: School address: Postcode: Infant and junior School with a 30-place facility for children with speech and language difficulties. Community 3 to 11 years Mixed Ranelagh Road Pimlico London SW1V 3EU Telephone number: Fax number: Appropriate authority: Name of Chair of Governors: The governing body Debbie Scully Date of previous inspection: 8 December 1997 Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 3

4 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTON TEAM Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 8990 David Tytler Registered inspector What sort of school is it? How high are standards? a) The school s results and achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 9446 Helen Griffiths Lay inspector How high are standards? b) Pupils attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Wendy Thomas Team inspector English Religious education English as an additional language David Pink Team inspector Geography History Mathematics Educational inclusion 8696 Abul Maula Team inspector Art and design Information and communication technology Physical education Science How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 4

5 7336 Lindsay Howard Team inspector Foundation stage Design and technology Music Mary Last Team inspector Special educational needs Speech and language The inspection contractor was: Cambridge Education Associates Ltd Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to: The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division The Office for Standards in Education Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 5

6 REPORT CONTENTS PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7 Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents and carers views of the school Page PART B: COMMENTARY HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11 The school s results and pupils achievements Pupils attitudes, values and personal development HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT? 13 HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS? 14 HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS? 16 HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS 17 HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED? 18 WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 19 ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE 20 SPEECH AND LANGUAGE 20 PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 22 PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 27 Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 6

7 PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL Churchill Gardens is an Edwardian school in Pimlico on the edge of the largest council estate in Westminster. With 264 pupils on roll, the school is similar in size to most primary schools and caters for pupils from a wide range of backgrounds with many differing needs. In addition, 20 pupils attend the Nursery on a part-time basis and 20 children attend full-time. There are 30 children in the Reception class. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well above the national average. Around 80 per cent of the pupils speak English as an additional language, with nearly threequarters of these at an early stage of language acquisition. A fifth of the school s pupils are refugees. The proportion of pupils having special educational needs, including Statements of Special Educational Needs, is above the national average. The percentage having a Statement of Special Educational Needs is well above average. Most of the statements are found in the school s three speech and language classes, which cater for pupils from the school and other parts of the borough and neighbouring local education authorities. The number of pupils who join and leave the school at other than the usual times is also very high. The attainment of pupils on entry is well below that expected nationally for children of their age. The school has taken part in a range of local and national projects, including the Excellence in Cities Initiative and also receives funding from the Ethnic Minorities Achievement Grant. HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS Churchill Gardens is a very successful school. It provides a high quality education for all its pupils. The consistently good, and often very good, teaching enables all pupils to achieve well from a low baseline of attainment on entry. Standards in English and science are currently in line with what is expected nationally for pupils aged 11. Standards in mathematics are close to national expectations. The school is very well led and managed. When account is taken of the quality of teaching and the good progress pupils make in their personal and academic development, the school provides very good value for money. What the school does well The headteacher provides inspirational leadership and a vision for the future of the school, which is shared by all in the school. Teaching is consistently good, enabling all pupils to achieve well. Pupils have very positive attitudes to their work and maintain high levels of behaviour. The good relationships between pupils and teachers are based on mutual respect. Pupils personal development is very good. Good arrangements for supporting pupils personal and academic development meet the needs of all pupils, ensuring that they are able to take advantage of the many good learning opportunities available to them. The Nursery and the Reception class are a strength of the school, giving children a flying start to their education. The very good provision in the speech and language classes, and for the many pupils who have English as an additional language, enables these pupils to play a full part in the life of the school and to make substantial gains in their learning. The school makes good use of translation and interpreters to ensure that parents are kept well informed. What could be improved The use of literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum. Learning in history and geography. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors action plan. Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 7

8 HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION The school was last inspected in December 1997 and it has made very good improvement since then. It has raised attainment, particularly in science and has improved the provision for pupils personal development. The spiritual development of pupils is now good. The quality of teaching has also improved significantly. All those involved with the school are determined to see further improvement and the school is well placed to succeed. STANDARDS The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests. compared with Performance in: all schools similar schools English E C D A Mathematics D B E D Science C D D B Key well above average A above average B average C below average D well below average E As the table shows, in 2002, results in the National Curriculum English and science tests for 11-yearolds were below the national average and well below in mathematics. In comparison with similar schools, standards were well above average in English, above average in science and below in mathematics. A comparison of these results with those achieved by the same pupils at the end of Year 2 indicates that they have made rapid progress in English and science and steady progress in mathematics. Standards in the current Year 6 match what is expected nationally for children of their age in English and science and are close to national expectations in mathematics. Whilst the results achieved by 11-year-olds have fluctuated in recent years, they show an underlying trend of improvement in all three subjects, but particularly in English and science. The results of the National Curriculum tests for seven-year-olds in 2002 were well below the national average in all three subjects. In comparison with similar schools, results were well below the average in reading, matched it in writing and were below in mathematics. In recent years, test results in reading, writing and mathematics have improved steadily. Inspection evidence shows that standards in English and mathematics are now below national expectations, as opposed to well below on entry to the school. Pupils throughout the school achieve well. The school set and achieved challenging targets for the percentage of 11-year-olds to achieve the standards expected for their age in English and mathematics. Equally challenging targets have been set for Standards in information and communication technology and design and technology match national expectations by the end of Years 2 and 6. Standards in history, geography and music are below. Standards in art and design and design and physical education match national expectations by the end of Year 6. No judgements were made on attainment in these subjects in Year 2. Standards in religious education meet the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils having English as an additional language or having special educational needs achieve well in relation to the targets set for them. Children enter the Nursery class with levels of attainment well below those for their age in all areas of learning. They make very good progress in the Reception class and are on course to meet the Early Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 8

9 Learning Goals in many areas of learning by the time they enter Year 1. They are unlikely to meet them in all areas of communication, language and literacy. Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 9

10 PUPILS ATTITUDES AND VALUES Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school Very positive. Pupils are enthusiastic learners and work hard. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils respond very well to their teachers skilful management and most behave very well in their lessons and assemblies. Their behaviour is good around the school, in the playground and while on visits. Very good. Pupils enjoy the many opportunities they are given to show initiative and take responsibility. The high quality of relationships between all adults and pupils is based on mutual respect. Attendance Attendance is improving significantly but remains below the average for primary schools. Unauthorised absence remains high. TEACHING AND LEARNING Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 2 Years 3 6 Quality of teaching Very good Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. Satisfactory means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses. The consistently very good teaching in the Nursery and in Reception enables children to achieve very well. The consistently good teaching throughout the main school enables pupils of all needs and backgrounds to achieve well. Examples of outstanding teaching were seen in the Nursery and in a number of junior lessons, with some very good lessons in all year groups and most subjects. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. The good or better teaching was characterised by a brisk pace, a range of activities, which engaged and maintained the pupils interest and work that matched the needs of pupils. There were several examples of very effective team teaching. In lessons otherwise judged to be satisfactory, the pace was sometimes slow and pupils were not given enough time to reflect on what they had learnt. The teaching of English and mathematics is good throughout the school, although pupils do not have enough opportunities to use the skills they learn in other subjects. The skilled support assistants work closely with teachers and make an important contribution to the quality of children s learning OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL Aspect Comment The quality and range of the curriculum Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good overall, and very good for the under-fives. The curriculum is relevant to the needs of pupils and their experience is widened through a range of high-quality after-school activities and good links with the community Good. As a result, they make good progress in line with their Individual Education Plans. Provision for pupils with English Very good. The outstanding leadership ensures that pupils from a Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 10

11 as an additional language Provision for pupils personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development How well the school cares for its pupils How well the school works in partnership with parents wide range of ethnic backgrounds achieve well. Very good. Their moral, social and cultural development is very good their spiritual development good. Very well. Good arrangements support pupils personal and academic development. Well. Most parents respond well to the school s efforts to involve them in their children s learning. HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED Aspect Comment Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The school s evaluation of its performance Very good, with some excellent features. The headteacher has a clear vision for the school and in this has the unstinting support of his deputy, key staff and teachers. Well. The governing body ensures that all statutory duties are met. Governors have a good knowledge of the school and use that information to inform their strategic planning. Very good. The monitoring of teaching and learning is regular and effective in raising the quality of teaching and learning. Other aspects of school improvement are reviewed and adjusted regularly by the school and governors. The strategic use of resources The school makes very good use of all the resources available to it and applies the principles of best value in all that it does. The school is well staffed with teachers and support staff. The accommodation is satisfactory although the limited hall space is hampering standards in physical education. The school is generally well resourced, with extremely good resources in information and communication technology (ICT). PARENTS AND CARERS VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved Parents value all aspects of the school s work but say particularly: their children enjoy school and make good progress; they are kept well informed on their children s progress; the school is well led and managed; the school is helping their children become mature and responsible; the school works closely with the parents teaching and behaviour are good. Parents have no significant concerns. The inspection team agrees with the positive views of the vast majority of parents. Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 11

12 PART B: COMMENTARY HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? The school s results and pupils achievements 1. Pupils enter the Nursery after their third birthday with attainment that is well below that expected of children of a similar age. More than nine out of ten children have English as an additional language and most enter the Nursery with no spoken English. As a result of the consistently very good teaching, children make very good progress in the Nursery. They enter the Reception class in the September or January after they are four. Again, the consistently good teaching enables children to make good progress and they are on course to meet many aspects of the Early Learning Goals. It is unlikely, however, that they will meet targets in all areas of communication, language and literacy by the time they enter Year Curriculum planning and the consistently good teaching enable pupils to continue to achieve well in Years 1 and 2. In the National Curriculum tests for seven-year-olds in 2002, results were well below the national average in writing, reading and mathematics. However, given their very low starting point, particularly in literacy and numeracy, these pupils made satisfactory progress. In comparison with similar schools, results were below average in reading, average in writing and were well below in mathematics. The recent improvements in teaching have seen matching improvement in the achievement of pupils in the current Year 2, who benefited from a writing project when they were in Year 1. Despite this advance, standards in English are below what is expected nationally for children of their age. Whilst this suggests a decline since the last inspection, the school is now larger than it was then and a greater percentage of pupils enter the school with little or no spoken English. Science is not tested in Year 2 but teachers assessments indicate that standards match national expectations. 3. In the National Curriculum tests for 11-year-olds in 2002, pupils attained standards that were below the national average in English and science and well below in mathematics. However, when compared with similar schools, standards were well above the average in English, and above in science. They were, however, below average in mathematics. Attainment is affected by a number of factors, including the very high number of pupils having English as an additional language or having special educational needs and the high rate of pupil mobility. When comparing the results in 2002 with those of the same pupils when they were in Year 2, it can be seen that they have made rapid progress in English and science and steady progress in mathematics. 4. In 2002, the school introduced a range of strategies, including the analysis of the performance of different groups of pupils, to enable it to achieve its challenging targets for the percentage of pupils to achieve the national expectations for children of their age. Equally challenging targets have been set for As a result of the consistently good teaching available to all pupils and their positive attitudes to learning, standards in the current Year 6 are in line with national expectations in English and science and close to them in mathematics. Given the low starting point and the high proportion of pupils having English as an additional language, including a significant number of refugees, these results represent good achievement and overall improvement since the last inspection, particularly in science. In 2002 the school met challenging targets in English and mathematics. 6. The use of the National Numeracy Strategy has a positive impact on teaching and learning in mathematics although standards in this subject, which relies on regular and consistent teaching, are depressed by the high rates of pupil mobility. More use could be made of the pupils mathematical skills in other subjects. The good standards in science result from good quality teaching throughout the school coupled with the pupils enthusiasm for the subject, particularly when carrying out their own investigations. Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 12

13 7. In English, teachers have a good understanding of the National Literacy Strategy and implement it well. Pupils develop their spoken English as they move through the school and, as a result, the quality of their writing improves, so that by the time they are in Year 6, they achieve national expectations, with some good attainment. There are not enough opportunities, however, for pupils to use their literacy skills in other subjects. The good provision and pupils positive attitudes ensure that pupils having English as an additional language and those with special educational needs achieve well. Pupils in the school s three classes for pupils having specific speech and language difficulties achieve very well as a result of the very good teaching they receive. 8. Standards in ICT are close to national expectations in Year 2 and match them in Year 6, which represents a considerable improvement since the last inspection. This is largely due to the outstanding resources in ICT, which give very good support to pupils learning in all subjects. 9. Standards in religious education throughout the school are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Recent improvements in the curriculum in history and geography have yet to make an impact on standards, which are below national expectations. Whilst standards in music are also below the national expectations, they have risen as a result of the consistently very good teaching, which, if maintained, should lead to at least average standards throughout the school in the coming year. Standards in art and design and physical education match national expectations by the end of Year 6. No judgements were made on attainment in these subjects in Year 2. Pupils attitudes, values and personal development 10. Pupils attitudes to learning, their personal development and behaviour, which were judged to be good at the last inspection, are now very good. Relationships with each other and with all adults in the school are also now very good. Whilst attendance has improved significantly, it remains just below the average for primary schools. Parents at the pre-inspection meeting and those who replied to the inspection questionnaire said that their children liked coming to school and felt very strongly that behaviour was very good. 11. In its mission statement, the school aims to recognise achievement, raise expectations and realise pupils potential within a caring environment. Pupils attitudes reflect the school s aims very well. They are keen to come to school and punctuality is good for the majority of pupils. They know right from wrong and are thoughtful of others. They are keen to participate in extracurricular activities. Their attitudes to learning are very good. They are well motivated, show great interest in their lessons and concentrate very well. In a Year 6 lesson on writing stories, for example, pupils worked purposefully and tried hard to present their work well. In a Year 4 English lesson, pupils showed confidence in answering the teacher s questions and a high level of maturity in discussions. 12. Pupils are eager to do well in response to the teachers very good use of praise and encouragement. They know how to respond appropriately in a place of worship and listen very well in assemblies. They are capable of good independent learning and can review their own and others work well. In a Year 4 science lesson on night and day, pupils were helped to find things out for themselves and were thrilled by their discoveries. Pupils with English as an additional language, of whom a significant number are refugees, play a full part in lessons. 13. The school functions well as an orderly community. Pupils know the school rules well and feel they are treated fairly. Pupils respond very well to teachers high expectations of behaviour. As a result, behaviour is consistently very good in classes, at play times, at lunchtimes and around the school. Boys and girls play well together. On a Year 5 visit to the British Museum, the class travelled on public transport, showing consideration to others and maintaining a very good standard of behaviour in the museum. Pupils are exceptionally friendly and polite to visitors and to one another. They are always careful to hold doors open and to talk to visitors very courteously. Teachers offer very good role models of courtesy and fairness. Relationships among pupils and between pupils and adults are very good, and sometimes excellent. Bullying is Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 13

14 rare and pupils are confident that if it does occur it will be dealt with quickly and effectively. There were three fixed-term exclusions last year. Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 14

15 14. Pupils personal and social development are very good. There are many opportunities for them to take responsibility and they take their tasks very seriously. They appreciate the rewards system and approach the School Council with maturity. Pupils understand the value of other cultures through music, religious education, geography and art and design and show respect for the feelings and beliefs of others. 15. Although the school has improved its attendance rates, attendance last year was below average and unauthorised absence was above average. This is due to a small number of families with attendance problems. Punctuality is good for the majority of pupils although, some problems are caused by the lateness of buses bringing pupils to the school s specialist speech and language classes. Registration takes place quickly and effectively and ensures a calm start to sessions. HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT? 16. The consistently good, often very good and sometimes excellent teaching is a strength of the school and has improved significantly since the last inspection. As a result, all pupils, including those with special needs, and the high number having English as an additional language make good progress in their learning and achieve well. The consistently very good teaching in the speech and language classes enables pupils to achieve very well. (NB: Details can be found elsewhere in the report.) No unsatisfactory teaching was seen. 17. Teaching in the Nursery and Reception classes (the Foundation Stage) is consistently good and some of it is outstanding. All aspects of teachers work are of high quality. They have extremely high expectations of what children can achieve and their behaviour management skills are excellent. As a result, children learn very well. The effort they put into all aspects of learning is exemplary. 18. In the outstanding excellent Nursery lesson, which covered personal and creative development, children, including one from a speech and language class, smiled with pleasure as they sang Humpty Dumpty to the teacher s xylophone accompaniment for the first time. Children gradually joined in, moving up and down to the sound, learning to recognise the up and down scales, with some recognising the march rhythm. 19. A very good mathematics lesson in Reception was typical of the vast majority of lessons in the Foundation Stage. The lesson was well planned and well resourced and provided very good opportunities for the children to learn independently, making their own choices under the watchful eye of the teacher. Whilst their attainment was below national expectations, the lesson enabled them to make good progress in counting up to ten. 20. In Years 1 to 6, the consistently good, often very good and sometimes excellent teaching, enables pupils of all needs and backgrounds to achieve well. Some very good lessons were seen in all year groups and in most subjects, and several examples were observed of very effective team teaching. In two very good lessons, the co-ordinator for English as an additional language worked very closely with the class teachers to produce very good examples of team teaching. Both teachers were able to work effectively with their specific groups, not least because of the positive attitudes and good behaviour of all pupils, who listened carefully to each other. The teaching of literacy and numeracy skills is good, although more use could be made of these skills in other subjects of the curriculum. Learning in mathematics is particularly affected by the high levels of mobility, which seriously interrupt the regular teaching required for pupils to make good gains in their learning. 21. In the good and better lessons, teachers planning is very effective and they use a good range of methods and activities, which engage and hold the pupils interest. The EAL teacher, for example, ensures that all the pupils, including the refugees amongst them, have the pictorial and verbal support they need to ensure that they can take a full part in the lesson and make good progress in learning. Pupils respond very well to the high quality behaviour management skills of teachers, who make their high expectations of behaviour and of what pupils can achieve clear. Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 15

16 22. While most lessons are taken at a brisk pace, teachers usually check what pupils are learning through the good use of open-ended questions and in the review session at the end of lessons. In lessons otherwise judged to be satisfactory, the pace was sometimes slow and pupils were not given enough time to reflect on what they had learnt. 23. The good and better lessons were underpinned by teachers knowledge and understanding which were good in Years 1 and 2 (Key Stage 1) and very good in Years 3 to 6 (Key Stage 2). Good use was made of the skilled support staff and resources in Key Stage 1 and very good use in Key Stage 2. The use of homework was satisfactory throughout the school and built on what pupils had learnt in the classroom. 24. The outstanding science lesson in Year 4, in which pupils investigated night and day around the world, was very well planned and managed and taken at a brisk pace, making good use of all the resources available. The teacher made very good use of the session at the end of the lesson to review what had been learnt. Different tasks had been set for groups of varying ability and all pupils were delighted at what they had learnt and were able to explain how they had arrived at their conclusions. They had all made extremely good gains in their knowledge and understanding. 25. A very good mathematics lesson in Year 2 was typical of the high quality teaching seen throughout the school during the inspection. The teacher used a good range of resources to interest pupils, including a puppet to lead the class counting in tens and the interactive whiteboard to show examples of two digit multiples of five. All pupils were able to explain what had gone wrong when the teacher had made deliberate mistakes. The teacher managed behaviour very well and had very good established routines, which enabled pupils to move about the classroom with confidence. The high quality teaching resulted in high quality learning. 26. A notable feature of nearly all lessons was the teachers skilful use of the school s extremely good resources for information and communication technology. The interactive whiteboards in each classroom were used very well by all teachers to support pupils learning and were an important factor in gaining and keeping pupils interest as they too used the boards. Teachers also made good use of the digital cameras in each classroom when, for example, recording work or when showing how it could be improved. HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS? 27. The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum for pupils, offering a good range of learning opportunities. The National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy are well established and enable pupils to make good progress. The curriculum is enriched by a good range of after-school clubs, which vary from term to term. The pupils greatly enjoy these opportunities and the clubs are well attended. All subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education are taught and appropriate time is allocated to them. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage (the Nursery and Reception classes) is of high quality as a result of a thorough overhaul to ensure that it is particularly relevant to the needs of the children, many of whom enter the school with little or no spoken English. A similar high-quality curriculum is offered in the school s three speech and language classes, where it is carefully matched to the specific needs of pupils. 28. All statutory requirements are fully met and the school has appropriate policies for sex education and drugs awareness. At present, there is no school nurse, but in the past a school nurse has been involved in these initiatives. The provision for pupils social and health education (PHSE) is satisfactory and its improvement is a priority of the school. Drugs awareness is taught in the context of healthy lifestyles, through science and PHSE. The ICT provision has been improved significantly since the last inspection and most lessons benefit from the teachers confident use of the interactive white boards and digital cameras in each class. Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 16

17 Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 17

18 29. The curriculum is enriched by regular educational visits. Pupils are regularly taken to museums, art and design galleries and other places of interest and they take part in sporting competitions with other local schools. There are good links with the local community. The Rotary Club organises a visit to a country park for some of the pupils. Several local business communities and government departments provide volunteers to help pupils with reading. 30. The school has good links with a local secondary school and has recently worked on procedures for transferring pupils from Year 6 to Year 7. The formal arrangements are good, particularly for those pupils who have special educational needs. The school works closely with other local primary schools. Teachers meet regularly to discuss curriculum issues and to share good practice. 31. Careful curriculum planning ensures that pupils with special educational needs cover the same range of subjects and make similar progress to other pupils in the school. Activities are adapted very well to ensure pupils success and understanding. The role of the support staff is of the highest quality and their encouragement, guidance and intervention are well-planned within the curriculum and are a significant factor in the pupils success. The curriculum meets all necessary requirements and annual reviews of the pupils Statements of Special Educational Needs are well organised. Personal development of pupils, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 32. The personal development of pupils is very good. The provision for pupils moral, social and cultural development has improved since the last inspection and is now very good; that for spiritual development is now good. 33. Acts of collective worship provide pupils with opportunities to reflect on their experiences and those of others. During the inspection week, the theme for collective worship was recycling. Pupils were encouraged to think about the impact of their actions and the importance of recycling. Pupils are encouraged to show respect for others and respond well to this. They show respectful attitudes to the feelings and beliefs of others. This was evident in a Year 3 lesson when the pupils were preparing to visit a church. The teacher took care to emphasise that pupils should be sensitive to the way other people worship and that they should react politely, even if they found things strange. 34. The school makes very good provision for pupils moral development and is successful in promoting good attitudes and behaviour in pupils. All classes display school rules, which are well understood by pupils. The school s strategies for managing behaviour are applied consistently and pupils understand the system of rewards and sanctions. The school s Mentions Assembly is a very positive experience and makes the school s values clear to all pupils. Pupils understand the difference between right and wrong. They show respect for their teachers, each other and for school property. When they are out on school visits, they know that they are expected to behave well and their response is a credit to the school. 35. In lessons and in other school activities, the school makes very good provision for pupils social development. There are many opportunities for pupils to work in pairs and in small groups. They respond very well and are co-operative and friendly. Pupils of different backgrounds and cultures get on well together and the school is successful in promoting racial harmony. Pupils enjoy working together in the good range of extra-curricular activities provided by the school. Pupils enjoy taking responsibility, for example through being playground friends. The School Council also offers good opportunities for taking responsibility and pupils are proud to be members of it. 36. Provision for pupils cultural development is very good and the school regularly celebrates the diverse cultures represented in it. Last summer, for example, there was a special week celebrating various cultures around the world, including their cooking. Music is now a strength of the school and pupils are offered a rich range of experiences. They sing with enthusiasm and Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 18

19 enjoy the opportunities for music-making in their lessons. The school provides a good range of visits and visitors to enrich pupils cultural experiences. Pupils enjoy visiting galleries and museums. Students from a local secondary school work on drama projects with pupils. The school regularly organises different cultural events, drawing on the rich diversity of the community. HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS? 37. This is a very inclusive school where all pupils are helped to make the most of the curriculum opportunities offered. All pupils, including those with English as an additional language, pupils with special educational needs, refugees and pupils in the speech and language classes all receive effective guidance and support. Gifted and talented pupils are identified in mathematics, drama, art, music and sport. Extra provision and monitoring are available to enable these pupils to take advantage of the extra opportunities offered. A very good, careful analysis is made of the achievements of different language groups in each year to ensure that there is no overall underachievement. 38. The school is a very caring community which has a warm and friendly atmosphere. The care provided for pupils has improved since the last inspection. High quality procedures ensure the health, safety and welfare of pupils and arrangements for child protection are now very effective. A full policy and guidelines have been adopted, including cause-for-concern and awareness sheets. The headteacher, who is the designated person responsible for child protection, and the leader of the Foundation Stage (the Nursery and Reception classes) have both been trained recently and all staff are very watchful and aware. Teachers, nursery nurses and classroom assistants were trained last term and training is planned for all other non-teaching staff. Relationships with social services are very good. 39. The school now has a fully effective health and safety policy with all statutory procedures in place. Three members of staff are fully trained in first aid. Accident books are properly kept and the medical room has recently been refurbished, although the school does not at present have a school nurse. Risk assessments take place each term and are undertaken for trips and visits. Fire and electrical equipment is checked regularly. The newly-appointed site manager has very good procedures for health and safety. Teachers follow good practice in physical education, science and design and technology. Supervision at play and lunchtimes is of high quality and security is very good. The Internet safety policy is effective. 40. A comprehensive policy underpins the very good procedures for promoting good behaviour and eliminating bullying. School rules are clear and communicated to parents through the home/school agreement. Good behaviour and hard work are rewarded through a variety of stickers and through the Mentions Assembly each week, in which any child or adult can nominate another for any act of kindness or a particular piece of work. 41. All pupils have very good opportunities to take on responsibilities. All pupils in Years 1 to 6 can be nominated for membership of the School Council, which has a high profile in the school and has a very good impact on pupils social and personal development. The views of younger children are sought before each weekly meeting and a wide variety of issues, including the accommodation and discipline, are debated. The clerk to the governors acts as clerk to the meetings. The buddy system ensures that new pupils are paired wherever possible with a pupil of the same culture or language. 42. The many extra-curricular activities and lunchtime drop-in clubs make very good contributions to personal development, as do assemblies and circle time. Older pupils take part in the police citizenship day. Year 6 leavers are presented with a year book, to which they all make a contribution of their memories of life in school. The school song (written by the music specialist) is printed in the school brochure and pupils have recorded it on compact disc. As part of the Excellence in Cities initiative, learning mentors have been appointed to support pupils with particular problems and provide valuable help to them and to others through lunchtime and afterschool clubs. Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 19

20 43. Pupils personal development is monitored very thoroughly in the Nursery and in Reception and well in the rest of the school through class records and annual reports. Despite the high mobility rates of pupils, teachers know pupils well, are concerned for their welfare and support them very well. Pupils with special educational needs, including those with statements and those with language and communication difficulties, receive very good guidance from teachers and support staff. 44. Arrangements for supporting pupils with special educational needs form part of a consistent approach, which is very well managed and co-ordinated. Decisions are taken through a shared and informed view by teachers and other staff, who work highly effectively as a team. All staff in the school work to agreed policies and practices. 45. The monitoring of attendance is satisfactory. Registers are checked each week by the administrative staff and absence figures notified to class teachers. The education welfare officer visits every half term. The school has a number of very good schemes to promote good attendance, including competitions and awards for good attendance and punctuality for classes and individuals. It is possible, however, for pupils to be absent for up to a week before carers or parents are contacted. Although the school has worked hard to change parents attitudes, a small number of families still do not support the school in its drive to promote good levels of attendance. 46. Assessment procedures in English, mathematics and science are well established. Arrangements in the other subjects are being developed. At present, procedures are being trialled and will be reviewed to establish a coherent and manageable system. The school carefully analyses test results to identify any variations in the results of pupils by gender or ethnicity. The school has begun to track the progress of individual pupils. This information is being used to set targets for pupils. A large proportion of pupils leave or join the school at other than the usual times. The school has begun to use assessment data to compare the results of these pupils with those who have had all their primary education at Churchill Gardens. These procedures will enable the school to provide evidence of the value added to pupils attainment. The school has begun to analyse pupils performance in National Curriculum tests to identify any areas of strength or weakness and to use this information to adapt and improve teaching strategies. Teachers are beginning to involve pupils in assessing their own progress and in setting targets for improvement. 47. Good arrangements are also made for pupils having English as an additional language, including those who are classified as refugees. Assessment procedures for pupils having special educational needs are very good. From the time they enter the school, pupils achievements are identified, measured and recorded. Although some records remain over-descriptive, there are clear improvements in the recording of what pupils know, understand and can do. Records track pupils achievements over time and are used to identify tasks which build consecutively into clearly defined success. Despite high staff turnover and changes in requirements for assessment and reporting, the staff have maintained high standards in their recording and in the completion of pupils files. (NB: Separate sections on EAL provision and the school s speech and language classes are included in this report.) HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS? 48. The high number of parents who responded to the inspection questionnaire and attended the preinspection meeting were very supportive of the school and value all that it does for their children. All felt that their children liked school, that they were making good progress and that teaching and behaviour were good. Parents from all the communities represented in the school felt very strongly that they are kept well informed about their children s progress and can approach the school at any time with problems. Inspection findings support these positive views. Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 20

21 49. The school continues to have good links with parents. The information it provides for them is very good. The prospectus and governors annual report are very attractively presented, highly informative and written in a clear and readable style. Summary documents are translated into the main languages of the school. Newsletters are frequent, lively and friendly. Parents are told what is to be taught each half term to enable them to help pupils with their learning. The documentation for pupils entering the Nursery and Reception classes provides parents with very good information and is translated into the most common languages used by parents who have English as a second language. 50. Reports are clear, offer good information about pupils progress and give parents and pupils the opportunity to comment. The home/school agreement has been signed by nearly all parents. Homework diaries are used well as a means of dialogue between home and school by some parents. A very few parents feel that a homework timetable would be useful. There is a suggestion box for parents in the foyer. 51. A good range of consultation meetings is held each term, at which translators are present. In addition, all teaching staff are available at the beginning and end of the day for informal consultation. The school has held well-attended meetings on literacy, numeracy and ICT and is currently running an ICT course for parents. The newly-appointed home link advisor is working hard to establish even better links with parents through coffee mornings and clubs and the school aims to set up a number of clubs for parents. Parent governors are active members of the governing body. 52. At present, there is no parent/school association, although one is planned. A small number of parents help in school on a regular basis and more assist on trips and visits. Parents help regularly with the summer community fair and with sponsored events. Concerts and events at school are well attended. HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED? 53. The headteacher is the inspiration who pushes the school forward in its drive to raise standards and provide a high quality of education for all its pupils, who come from a wide range of different backgrounds and have complex, often demanding, needs. The deputy head, teachers and governors, all of whom give the headteacher their unwavering support, share this undoubted commitment to improvement. The consistency of approach can be seen in all aspects of the school s work, which is underpinned by a clear set of specific aims designed to promote the academic and personal development of pupils. The school s overt commitment to social inclusion includes a clear approach to ensuring racial equality. 54. The school s success depends to a very large extent on the work done by all the staff, particularly the deputy head, in carrying out their responsibilities for the leadership of subjects and other areas of its provision. In many cases, their contribution is outstanding, going beyond what is expected of them. Many have only recently taken on their roles and have played an important part in moving the school forward. In some cases, however, these very significant improvements are too recent to have had an impact on standards. 55. The governing body carries out all its legal responsibilities and has a good understanding of the school s strengths and weaknesses. Governors use this knowledge well in planning future developments. 56. A particular strength of the school is the way the headteacher has approached staff development after a period of considerable change. He, subject leaders and local authority consultants have monitored teaching and learning, particularly in English, mathematics and science. A similar programme is planned for other subjects. The monitoring that has taken place has been very effective in raising the quality of teaching, which is now consistently good throughout the school. Churchill Gardens Community Primary School - 21