Ivybridge Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Increase the rates of progress pupils make, especially in their reading by:
  • ensuring that work is more closely matched to pupils’ abilities and needs, especially for the most able disadvantaged pupils
  • ensuring that the most able readers, including those who are disadvantaged, are consistently challenged by the content of the texts and books that they read
  • making sure that pupils reflect regularly on their reading and understand what they need to do next to improve their reading
  • checking on the quality of the teaching of reading and providing staff with appropriate feedback that develops their skills in this area.
• Improve communication with parents by:
  • ensuring that there is a consistent and welcoming approach to all parents, regardless of the concerns they express
  • devising more creative and informed methods of engaging with parents from
  • different backgrounds involving other parents and members of the community to develop links between the school and those parents who feel marginalised.
• Analyse pupils’ attainment and progress in subjects other than reading, writing and mathematics so that pupils can be supported to do as well in them as they do in writing and mathematics.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher and other senior leaders know the school well. Plans for improvement have rightly identified as priorities the progress of the most able pupils in reading, the consistency of some aspects of teaching and the need to find more creative and effective methods to communicate with the different parental groups.
• The senior leadership team has a good understanding of where teaching is most effective because leaders make regular visits to classrooms to check on its quality. Senior and subject leaders work closely and successfully with those staff who require additional support to improve specific features of their teaching.
• Checks on the progress that pupils make in reading, writing and mathematics are systematic and thorough. Senior leaders meet regularly with teaching staff to make sure that the progress of different groups of pupils is on track. Where some pupils’ progress is at risk of slowing down, additional support or a change in teaching strategies is implemented promptly. This approach has seen increasing proportions of pupils reaching national average standards in reading, and above them in writing and mathematics.
• Fundamental British values are well developed. Pupils are able to talk confidently about the importance of respecting others and getting on with each other.
• The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is a strength. Pupils work and play together well. They have a well-developed understanding of different faiths and beliefs. This understanding is often as a result of the school encouraging pupils and families to share their different celebrations, cooking and rituals.
• Many activities and visits are planned over the school year to provide pupils with an extensive range of educational and social experiences. For example, pupils in Year 6 go to Dorset for a residential visit. During the inspection, the fire and rescue service visited pupils in key stage 1.
• The effective use of pupil premium funding has ensured that most disadvantaged pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. In some cases, their progress exceeds that of others in the school. The primary physical education and sport funding has also been used effectively. Pupils enjoy a wide range of physical activities.
• Although the monitoring of pupils’ progress is thorough, senior leaders agree with inspectors that not enough emphasis has been placed in the recent past on developing the reading skills of the most able disadvantaged pupils. The school has recently rectified this.
• Leaders check on the quality of teaching regularly, but do not focus sufficiently on the teaching of reading when compared with the results in writing and mathematics. Consequently, teachers do not always receive the specific feedback they need to improve this aspect of their practice.
• The curriculum is effective in providing pupils with skills and understanding in a broad range of different subjects, for example science, history and geography. Pupils are taught this range of subjects through ‘themes’. However, pupils’ progress is not analysed rigorously enough across all these subjects, thus making it difficult for teachers and leaders to know whether pupils are making the progress expected of them.

Governance of the school

• Governors know the school well and provide robust challenge to the leadership team. They are supportive of the work of the school and regularly visit lessons and other activities.
• A small number of parents told inspectors about their frustrations regarding how the school communicates with them. For example, they feel that the school does not provide enough information in their home languages or explain how some of the school’s routines work in enough detail. The governing body is aware of these concerns but has not done enough to ensure that the school is seen by these parents as approachable.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have received good-quality training and are provided with up-to-date information on safeguarding. Together these have generated a culture in the school where pupils’ safety and welfare have a high priority.
• Safeguarding is managed well. All staff have been suitably briefed on the recent changes to government guidance and talked confidently to inspectors about their knowledge and understanding about what to do if they have concerns.
• Staff recruitment checks are carried out thoroughly. The record of staff checks is monitored by the headteacher and chair of governors to check that it is up to date and accurate.
• The school has effective procedures in place to keep pupils free from harm, for example, in reducing the risks of radicalisation, dealing with extremist views and when pupils use the internet.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers are enthusiastic and keen to support pupils to learn as much as they can. They use skilful questioning to extend pupils’ thinking. For example, in a class in Year 6, a teacher asked pupils what the moral of a story was and its implications for the characters in the story.
• Teachers use their knowledge of pupils’ prior learning to provide work that challenges them to learn even more. Pupils are encouraged to correct and learn from any mistakes they make in their writing and mathematics.
• Teaching assistants are well trained and are a key factor in the good progress pupils make. For example, they supported lower attaining pupils in Year 4 effectively while they were learning about time.
• Teachers’ subject knowledge is used to good effect in English and mathematics, where clear instructions and relevant information help pupils to learn quickly.
• As a result of good behaviour management and positive relationships with adults, pupils are absorbed in their work and demonstrate high levels of concentration.
• Pupils who speak English as an additional language are supported well during lessons because teachers have received specialist training. These additional skills enable pupils to discuss their learning with their classmates and help them to write and read more fluently.
• In key stage 1, pupils are taught to use their phonics skills in reading but their use in writing is not as frequent as it could be on some occasions, leading to some pupils not making as much progress as they could do.
• Some teaching is less effective, especially for the most able disadvantaged pupils. Work is not always matched with enough precision to provide the challenge they need. Some pupils struggle because they do not know what is expected of them or understand the work. These inconsistencies slow pupils’ learning down.
• Pupils are not provided with enough guidance to choose books that will challenge them in their reading. In addition, some parents and pupils told inspectors that they were not taking reading books home. This lack of additional reading practice results in pupils not making as much progress as they could do.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• The atmosphere of the school provides a calm and peaceful environment for pupils to feel safe, work alongside each other amicably and learn effectively.
• In lessons, pupils concentrate and become absorbed quickly in their work.
• Pupils are extremely polite and courteous. They talk confidently to adults, work well together in groups and pairs, and are equally happy to work independently.
• Pupils from different ethnic backgrounds, faiths and cultures work and play very happily together. Pupils told inspectors that bullying was extremely rare and that if it did happen, they trusted adults to sort out any problems quickly.
• The school works tirelessly with other agencies to ensure that pupils from the most vulnerable families are looked after extremely well.
• Pupils know how to stay safe, both in the real world and online. If worried, they are confident that the adults who work in the school would help.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very positive. They are highly motivated and respond well to instructions and requests from staff. Pupils work together and share equipment in a mature manner.
• Pupils move confidently around the school and in the playground. They are polite and courteous, both to adults and each other.
• Pupils’ attendance is a strength. It has increased to be in line with the national average because of the tenacious work of the attendance officer. Relationships with external agencies are very strong and effective. Consequently, parents are encouraged both to bring their children to school on time and to bring them regularly.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils make good progress in all year groups from low starting points when they join the school.
• At the end of the early years, children in Reception are ready for Year 1 and make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics as they move through Years 1 and 2.
• A higher than national proportion of pupils join and leave the school during the school year. The joining pupils settle in quickly and make good progress.
• Pupils who are at the school for most or all of their primary education make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. By the end of Year 2, the attainment of this group of pupils is above average.
• Pupils in key stage 2 made good progress in writing and mathematics. The provisional information available for 2016 indicates that pupils’ attainment in these subjects at the end of Year 6 was above average. Pupils made slower progress in reading, however, although it was in line with national expectations. Senior leaders have already identified reading as a priority. As a result, the school has had a stronger focus on reading since the start of this school year. It is too early to tell what impact the school’s strategies are having.
• Pupils who speak English as an additional language receive effective support as soon as they start at the school and they begin to make good progress early on.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress throughout the school. They are well supported by well-trained staff. Teachers provide activities that are well matched to their needs.
• Most pupils’ reading is fluent and confident. They confidently use their phonics skills effectively when they discover a challenging word in their reading. The most able pupils are not challenged sufficiently by the books they are reading.
• Leaders use the school’s funding for disadvantaged pupils well. They make good progress and their attainment is at least in line with pupils nationally. However, the school recognises that the learning activities provided for the most able disadvantaged pupils are not challenging enough to ensure that they make the progress of which they are capable.

Early years provision Good

• Children enjoy their time in the Nursery and Reception classes. They settle in quickly and make good progress in all areas of learning. By the time they leave the Reception Year, they are well prepared for Year 1.
• Children develop good collaborative skills and work together well. The staff provide effective guidance and support in the indoor and outdoor learning areas, and children respond well to instructions, suggestions and questions.
• Staff assess children’s achievements accurately and skilfully. As a result, children’s next steps in learning are well planned and provided for. This information is shared with parents, who spoke highly of the work of the early years team in helping children settle in quickly.
• Children learn to identify letters and words quickly. Those who are at the early stages of learning English are well supported to gain an understanding of phonics as quickly as their classmates.
• Pupil premium funding is used effectively. Consequently, disadvantaged children make good progress in their reading, writing, speaking and number work.
• Learning activities are mostly well planned and stimulating. They excite and interest children. The level of challenge of the activities is not as precisely planned as it could be, however. As a result, children’s work can either be too challenging or too easy. This is particularly the case with early phonics work. In particular, most-able children are not being sufficiently challenged and often do the same work as their peers. This means that they are not able to make the more rapid progress of which they are capable.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 102512 Hounslow 10019238 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 Gender of pupils 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 390 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Debbie Squires Caroline Mackay Telephone number 0208 8912727 Website Email address www.ivybridgeprimaryschool.net head@ivybridge.hounslow.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 24 November 2011

Information about this school

• Ivybridge Primary School is larger than most primary schools.
• The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is higher than average.
• The school has a higher than average proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language.
• The numbers of pupils who arrive and leave the school at different times during the school year are larger than seen nationally for a school of this size.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is higher than average.
• The early years provision includes one part-time Nursery classes and two full-time Reception classes.
• There is a breakfast club and after-school provision, which are run by the governing body.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• The inspection was converted from a short inspection to a full section 5 inspection at the end of the first day in school.
• Inspectors carried out a series of short, focused visits to classrooms and longer lesson observations in each year group. Many of these were with the senior leaders.
• Formal and informal discussions took place with senior leaders, including governors, subject leaders, parents and five representatives of the local authority.
• Documentation relating to the school’s website and safeguarding, including the single central record, was scrutinised.
• The school’s self-evaluation, plans for improvement and the school’s analysis of pupils’ attainment and progress were assessed.
• Pupils’ work in different subjects was analysed jointly with the senior leadership team and subject leaders.
• Pupils’ behaviour in lessons, as well as before school and during break- and lunchtimes, was observed by inspectors.
• Inspectors took into account the 14 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, the 21 responses from staff and the 23 responses from pupils to questionnaires about the school.

Inspection team

John Seal, lead inspector Roger Easthope Sean Flood David Robinson

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector