Greenway Primary and Nursery School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Accelerate the progress of middle-ability pupils, particularly in mathematics, by:
  • using assessment information with more accuracy to ensure that the extra help given to pupils is having the desired impact on outcomes
  • sharpening action plans so that the impact of improvement work on pupils’ outcomes can be checked by leaders and governors
  • checking regularly that the improvement work being carried out in mathematics is improving teaching and learning in all classes.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• School leaders and governors have very successfully changed the school from a first school to a primary school. A great deal of thought and consideration has gone into ensuring that pupils in Years 5 and 6 have an exciting range of age-appropriate extra-curricular activities and can take responsibility for different aspects of the life of the school.
• Pupils are well prepared for secondary school. Over the last two years, outcomes at the end of key stage 2 have improved as leaders and teachers have become more proficient in their teaching and assessment of pupils in Years 5 and 6.
• Leaders ensure that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. On a display in the school hall, there are examples of where classes have demonstrated respect, democracy and the rule of law. The British ‘institution’ of Wimbledon from 1922 is another example of how pupils are taught about and understand British heritage. Pupils enjoy the additional roles they are given, for example as learning ambassadors. They are mindful of the responsibility they have for themselves and their classmates.
• The primary physical education (PE) and sport premium effectively supports the development and enrichment of PE. The school employed a sports apprentice who has clearly had an impact on pupils’ participation in PE. Two thirds of pupils are now involved in inter-school competitions. Teachers say they are more confident in how to teach sports, for example lacrosse. Inspectors observed one such lesson where pupils were enthusiastically learning the skills for the first time, carefully guided by PE staff and the teacher.
• Additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is spent effectively to ensure that this group of pupils achieves as well as they can. Much has been put in place to remove the barriers that some pupils have to learning. Leaders know the pupils extremely well and work well with their families to ensure that support for them is appropriate.
• The school’s curriculum is well developed and offers many opportunities for pupils to learn through fun and exciting themes. Pupils regularly go on visits, and visitors to the school enhance the curriculum. The range of extra-curricular clubs is extensive and much valued by pupils.
• Leadership of special educational needs is good. As a consequence, funding for children who have SEN and/or disabilities is increasingly well targeted and is making a difference. Leaders work very effectively with external agencies to ensure that the right support is given to ensure that the can-do attitude to learning is as successful as it can be. Pupils’ needs are well addressed because all adults are trained in such aspects as communication and autistic spectrum disorder. Evidence shows that pupils who have complex needs are much more ready to learn and enjoy their learning than they might otherwise be because of the pastoral support that the school provides.
• The school’s own survey of parents shows that they are very happy with the education the school provides, its nurturing environment and the committed teachers. Inspectors spoke to numerous parents during the inspection, who were overwhelmingly supportive of the school and its leaders. ‘It’s the best place,’ said one parent. Parents also have the opportunity to be part of the parent forum where such aspects, for example, as transition from one school to another are discussed.
• The school has taken advantage of expert support from the local authority to assist in the drive to strengthen teaching and learning in mathematics. The impact of this work is already apparent in the improvement in teaching in a number of classes.
• Leaders provide additional support for targeted pupils, particularly middle-ability pupils who are making slower progress than their classmates. While this is appropriate, assessment information is not used well enough to identify whether this additional support is resulting in an acceleration of progress.
• In some cases, leaders’ action plans are not specific enough about the impact of improvements on outcomes for pupils and on improvements in teaching. This means that it is difficult for governors and leaders to measure the impact of this work and gauge its success.

Governance of the school

• Members of the governing body are wholly committed to improving the outcomes of pupils at Greenway. Their enthusiasm, wealth of knowledge and diverse skills are clearly of benefit to the school and its local community.
• Governors are ambitious for all pupils to achieve well. They make regular visits to the school and link with leaders and staff to check on how well pupils are doing. Minutes of governing body meetings demonstrate that governors are not afraid to ask challenging questions.
• Governors are well informed about the role they play in rewarding staff for good performance, and take this aspect of the school’s work very seriously. They employ an external improvement adviser to guide them in the process of the performance management of the headteacher.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Recently, the school has changed the system for the keeping of records to safeguard pupils. These are now maintained electronically, are well organised and fit for purpose. Leaders keep records of safeguarding training and also accurate safer recruitment information about staff.
• The school teaches pupils well about keeping themselves safe while using mobile phones and the internet. Pupils demonstrate that they can put this into action to keep themselves and others safe. They are able to share any concerns with staff.
• Pupils feel safe at Greenway. Staff know them well as individuals and relationships between pupils and staff are very good. Pupils know who to go to if they have a concern and trust staff to help them if they are worried about anything.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers plan lessons that are interesting, fun and that ensure pupils think carefully about what they are learning. As a result, pupils are keen to work, enjoy their learning and support each other well. When asked what helps them to learn, one pupil said ‘encouragement’. This is emphasised in the school’s golden values.
• There are many good examples of teachers using probing questions to both check on pupils’ understanding and to extend their thinking. For example, in one Year 3 lesson pupils had been reading about the imagined land, Narnia. Their task was to describe their new setting as they ‘walked into the closet’. Adults challenged pupils to think about the descriptive words they use.
• The effective use of teaching assistants to provide support to pupils, especially those who have SEN and/or disabilities, is clearly evident. Teachers ensure that teaching assistants have a good understanding of what is being taught and how to guide pupils in their learning. ‘You described this really well, but could you have used two time connectives?’ said one teaching assistant to a pupil. As a result of such support, pupils are making good progress and work with an appropriate degree of independence.
• Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and of the standard of work they expect pupils to produce in each lesson. Presentation of work and handwriting is of good quality in the vast majority of classes and in most subjects.
• The majority of teachers regularly and effectively check pupils’ understanding during lessons, and use this information along with work in pupils’ books, or test results, to plan work that matches the needs of most pupils. However, a minority of teachers do not ensure that middle-ability pupils make as much progress as others.
• The teaching of phonics is effective. Younger pupils use their phonics knowledge well to make sensible attempts to decode ‘tricky’ words in their reading and to spell accurately when writing. Pupils in key stage 2 read well. They ‘thoroughly enjoy reading’ and are articulate about what types of books they enjoy as well as their aspirations in reading. ‘I want to read 50 books in the next year,’ wrote one pupil. Pupils use their understanding of phonics to develop increasing accuracy in their spelling. Teachers encourage pupils to check spellings with a dictionary should they need to or to explore different words using a thesaurus.
• Writing and mathematics skills are developed well through other subjects like geography, history and science. During the inspection, an example of effective cross-curricular work was seen in Year 1. Pupils used a map of their school to go and find where plants grow the best. They drew plants, collected and recorded the information, and discussed whether the daisies would be in the shade all day. ‘No, they won’t because they will be in the sun some time,’ said one boy.
• Teachers create emotionally safe learning environments in their classrooms. Inspectors saw many examples where pupils were reminded that getting things wrong is part of the learning process. As a result, most pupils are developing the ability to correct their own mistakes. ‘Self-marking’ stations, for example, in key stage 2, are used regularly by some pupils who clearly enjoy the responsibility.
• The enriched and varied curriculum enhances pupils’ personal development across a range of subjects. For example, pupils develop their geographical skills while raising money on a toy tombola for a Thai orphanage that the school links with. Trips to such places as Wimbledon, the local church or the Southbank, to name but a few, are regular. Pupils love the opportunities that they have and this aspect of the school’s work is a strength in developing pupils’ enthusiasm for learning.
• Currently, teachers are all taking part in a project to improve the quality of teaching and learning in mathematics because the progress pupils make is slower than that made in reading and writing. In a number of classes, improvement is apparent. Evidence in pupils’ books shows that teachers use questions well to deepen pupils’ learning. Teachers also prompt pupils, for example, about exploring different and more efficient ways to find answers to problems. Understandably, different teachers improve their practice at different rates. School leaders appreciate the importance of keeping a careful check on teaching so that improvements are consistent across the school.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils really enjoy coming to their ‘fabulous’ school, as one young pupil told inspectors. The school’s motto of ‘Learning to learn, learning to care, where everyone counts’ is clearly evident. Inspectors saw many examples of pupils helping each other, with older pupils taking care of younger ones or pupils marking each other’s work. ‘Well done, you persevered,’ wrote one pupil in her classmate’s mathematics book.
• The many ways that the school celebrates individual pupils’ achievements and attitudes emphasise to pupils, staff and parents alike just how important these aspects are. For example, the week prior to the inspection was sports week. Pupils who were nominated to be ‘stars of the week’ were often rewarded for their sportsmanship or teamwork.
• Pupils are extremely well prepared with the attitudes and behaviour for learning which they will need in the future. For example, philosophy lessons are developing pupils’ reasoning and debating skills well. Pupils spoke with enthusiasm and insight about the discussions they have in class as a result of the questions posed. For example, they agreed that we are all different but deserve to be treated equally well. They went on to give a number of examples of how the school models this to them on a regular basis.
• Pupils know what bullying is. They say that it happens very rarely and have great confidence in staff, if it does, to sort it out very quickly. Pupils also appreciate that while they may not have ever experienced bullying it is important to learn about it so that they are well prepared to deal with it if it happens in the future.
• Pupils are encouraged to have a sense of responsibility and commitment as citizens within their own school community. Such thought-provoking questions as ‘Is it okay to lie?’ are regular features in the school’s newsletter for discussion at home. The school has placed great emphasis on this type of questioning which clearly spills over into lessons. ‘Should we reduce the amount of meat we eat?’ was a question posed by a pupil when writing a balanced argument.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• The school’s positive behaviour system is well understood, and all adults have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. The vast majority of pupils respond accordingly, always trying to do their best and fully understanding the ‘ladder of consequences’ that the school has put in place to help pupils appreciate the impact of any poor behaviour. There are, therefore, very few recorded incidents of poor behaviour.
• Pupils are polite, courteous and highly respectful of each other and adults. On numerous occasions, pupils greeted inspectors confidently and held doors open for them. ‘You’re welcome’ was a common response.
• The school’s breakfast club is very popular. Pupils show good table manners and enjoy playing games, reading and spending time with their friends. Pupils are set up for the day and look forward to their learning as a consequence.
• Individual pupils’ needs are met very well. Where there is potential for pupils’ behaviour to be challenging, measures are put in place to address this and to provide suitable support. For example, in the Meadow Room.
• The vast majority of pupils attend school regularly and on time. The school monitors pupils’ attendance carefully and works closely with families to tackle absence when necessary.
• On a few occasions, pupils talk when the teacher is talking or do not pay sufficient attention to what the teacher is saying. This tends to be when pupils are keen to get on with their work and are kept waiting by the teacher.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Attainment in Year 6 is rising; unvalidated assessment information for 2017 in reading and writing was above the national average, and in mathematics was broadly in line with it. In key stage 1, attainment continued to be well above the national average, as it has been since the previous inspection.
• Children enter the Nursery or Reception with skills and abilities that are at least typical for their age. A third of the children that left the Reception class in 2017 exceeded the expectations for their age. The majority of children make good progress throughout their time in key stage 1.
• At the end of key stage 2 in 2017, not enough middle-ability pupils made the expected progress in mathematics. Pupils currently make largely good progress over time, although there are a few classes where some pupils’ progress is not as good.
• The proportion of pupils who achieved the expected standard in the phonics screening check in 2017 was above the national average; it has risen consistently for the last three years.
• The most able pupils in the school attain well. At the end of key stage 2 in 2017, the proportion of pupils who attained the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics was higher than for this group nationally.
• Progress for the majority of disadvantaged pupils currently in the school is good and compares favourably with their classmates.
• Provision for the pupils throughout the school who have SEN and/or disabilities is good and is enabling pupils to make good progress.

Early years provision Good

• Children get a good start to their education in the early years, and make good progress from their varying starting points. The proportion who achieve a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year has been above the national average for several years. As a result, children are well prepared for the move into Year 1.
• Leadership of the early years provision is effective. The leader has a clear understanding of the strengths of the provision and the areas that need to be developed. For example, last year children’s physical development was below that in other areas. Through careful planning, teachers were successful in ensuring that provision for developing children’s physical skills was improved.
• The early years leader works very closely with the teacher in the Nursery. Both are committed, well-informed early years practitioners. They plan well to meet children’s needs in an exciting learning environment. Staff use information from their observations and assessments to plan learning in response to children’s interests and abilities.
• Adults are adept at knowing when to intervene and when to stand back and allow children to discover things for themselves. The teacher was listening to children talking about their ‘shape walk’ from the morning. ‘What type of shape did we see outside?’ asked the teacher. ‘It was a 3D shape because it took up more space,’ replied one child.
• Children are provided with a wide range of suitable activities to choose from. They are given appropriate opportunities to learn to take risks safely such as building towers from blocks or climbing on the play equipment.
• No opportunity is missed to develop children’s language and communication. As a result, children in both early years classes are confident, articulate and curious learners. ‘I am giving the plants a drink, but it doesn’t matter whether it’s clean or dirty water. Plants don’t mind,’ said one Nursery child.
• It was a joy to watch children playing together, often supporting each other in their learning. Children behave very well because the rules are clear and all adults have high expectations.
• Children’s progress and experiences during their time in early years are clearly seen in their learning journals. The books show a good record of independent and adult-led activities in all areas of learning.
• Appropriate welfare requirements are in place to ensure the safety and well-being of the children in the early years provision. The safeguarding of children is given high priority. As a consequence, children in the early years are safe.
• Parental participation in their child’s learning is developing. For example, some parents contribute to the learning journey of their children. However, this is not yet routinely the case. The school is keen, however, to explore further opportunities to work with and involve parents in their children’s learning.

School details

Unique reference number 117276 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10031412 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 351 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Elizabeth O’Reilly Headteacher Katharine Ellwood Telephone number 01442 866249 Website www.greenway.herts.sch.uk Email address admin@greenway.herts.sch.uk Date of previous inspection November 2011

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• Since the previous inspection, Greenway changed from a first school to a primary and nursery school.
• Part of the reorganisation involved reducing the number of pupils to be admitted to the school. This number will continue to diminish until the school is a one-form entry primary school in every year group. Currently, there are different numbers of classes in several year groups.
• Most pupils are of White British heritage. The vast majority of pupils speak English as their first language.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, including those who have a statement of special educational needs and those who have an education, health and care plan, is below the national average.
• The school meets current floor standards. These are the minimum standards, set by the government, for pupils’ progress and attainment.
• Children are admitted to the Nursery in the academic year in which their fourth birthday falls. There is only one intake per year, with all children starting in September.
• From September 2017, children will enter the Nursery class in one intake. The school will also provide for the full 30-hour offer of childcare in the Nursery.
• The school runs its own breakfast and after-school club.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other leaders including the inclusion manager, middle leaders, and governors, and also a group of pupils. The lead inspector telephoned the school’s improvement partner.
• Inspectors gathered a range of evidence to judge the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Inspectors observed learning in 20 lessons, or parts of lessons, some jointly with the headteacher or deputy headteacher.
• Together with the English and mathematics subject leads, inspectors looked in detail at a range of pupils’ books. Inspectors heard some pupils read and spoke with pupils throughout the inspection about their learning.
• The lead inspector scrutinised a range of documentation including, the school’s checks on the suitability of adults to work with children, and other documentation regarding safer recruitment of staff. Inspectors scrutinised the school’s own self-evaluation document, plans for improvement, minutes of governing body meetings, and documentation regarding child protection.
• One of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and an Ofsted Inspector returned to the school on 15 November 2017 to complete the inspection. They visited lessons; observed breaktimes; scrutinised documents associated with leadership and management and the personal development and welfare of pupils; and held meetings with the school’s leaders, a representative from the local authority, pupils and governors.

Inspection team

Ruth Brock, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Sean Powell Ofsted Inspector Sue Pryor Ofsted Inspector Brenda Watson Ofsted Inspector Lesley Daniel Ofsted Inspector Tim Bristow Her Majesty’s Inspector