Townsend Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching so that all groups of pupils make good progress and that differences in achievement are diminishing, by ensuring that:
  • teachers plan and adapt the learning so that it meets the needs of all ability groups
  • the most able pupils, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, move on to more challenging learning as soon as they are ready
  • teachers have higher expectations for the most able boys in key stage 1
  • in the early years, teachers plan activities that are well matched to children’s needs and interests
  • teachers understand what they need to do to improve their practice so that all groups of pupils achieve and learn well.
• Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that:
  • leaders track the progress of different groups of pupils so that any patterns of underachievement are identified and tackled swiftly
  • leaders, including governors, use assessment information effectively to evaluate the impact of their work to raise standards and improve the quality of teaching. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• The standard of education the school provides has declined since the previous inspection. Some groups of pupils do not achieve the standard of which they are capable in reading, writing and mathematics. This is particularly the case for children in the early years, disadvantaged pupils and for the most able boys in key stage 1.
• Leaders monitor the quality of teaching regularly and identify weaker teaching quickly and accurately. They are passionate about tackling these areas and raising aspirations for pupils’ achievement. However, leaders do not always provide teachers with effective guidance to help them improve their practice. Consequently, teachers are unclear about what they need to do to ensure that all pupils make good progress and achieve well. This has reduced the impact of leaders’ work to improve teaching.
• Teachers make accurate assessments of pupils’ learning. Leaders and teachers meet regularly to plan additional support for individual pupils who are underachieving. However, the impact of this approach is variable. This is because leaders do not always check whether additional support is helping pupils catch up with their peers.
• Leaders are aware that there are differences in how well groups of pupils achieve. However, their actions to diminish these differences are not always well focused. This is because they do not check carefully on the progress of different groups. As a result, additional support is not always prioritised where it is most needed and leaders are unclear whether their actions are raising standards for underachieving groups of pupils.
• Leaders spend the pupil premium funding on a wide range of strategies with the aim of improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. However, this work is not effective. Leaders are not methodical in tracking the progress made by disadvantaged pupils. Consequently, they are unable to evaluate clearly whether these strategies are enabling disadvantaged pupils to achieve as well as their peers nationally.
• Leaders were disappointed with the standard pupils achieved in reading at the end of key stage 2. They have acted swiftly to make improvements to the teaching of reading so that it supports pupils to acquire the reading skills expected for their age. The clear impact of this is already evident in Year 5 and Year 6.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make progress that is at least in line with their peers with similar starting points. This is because leaders have a thorough understanding of the individual needs of these pupils. They use additional funding effectively to ensure that these needs are fully met. For example, the school has employed a speech and language therapist to help pupils acquire the language and communication skills they need to access the learning alongside their peers in class.
• Leaders have ensured that the primary physical education and sport premium is used well. Pupils take part in a wide range of sporting activities, both during and after school. For example, all pupils in Year 5 take part in judo lessons.
• The curriculum provides pupils with a range of opportunities that enrich their learning and experiences. This has recently included a Year 6 trip to Cambridge University to raise pupils’ aspirations for their future education. Pupils also benefit from high-quality music and Spanish lessons taught by specialist teachers as well as a range of extra-curricular clubs including chess, sewing, art and table tennis.
• The school’s work to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. Leaders are uncompromising in their work to support pupils’ personal development. Together with staff, they have created a positive climate for learning, which celebrates and values the unique strengths of every child. As a result, relationships in the school are warm and positive. Pupils behave respectfully and understand the importance of treating others equally. This means they are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Governance of the school

• The governors are committed to the school. They use their skills and experience well to question leaders about the school’s effectiveness. They are ready to challenge senior leaders to ensure that staff have high aspirations for all pupils. For example, records of meetings show governors challenge leaders regarding the action being taken to improve outcomes for the most able pupils.
• However, leaders do not always provide governors with sufficiently detailed information on the progress made by different groups of pupils, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Consequently, governors have been unable to hold leaders to account fully for the differences in achievement between groups of pupils. This has reduced the impact of the governors’ work to maintain the good standard of education at the school and make the best use of the pupil premium funding.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have ensured that staff know what to do if they have any concerns about the well-being and safety of a pupil. They check that staff follow procedures correctly and that they report concerns promptly. Staff attend regular training to ensure that they keep up to date with statutory guidance on their roles and responsibilities related to safeguarding. This includes recognising signs that pupils may be at risk of involvement in gangs or female genital mutilation. Staff are also fully aware of their duty to report concerns about pupils who may be at risk of radicalisation.
• Leaders meet regularly to monitor and evaluate whether the most vulnerable pupils are receiving the right level of help and guidance to promote their well-being and safety. They have built effective partnerships with parents and external agencies, and in particular the local authority’s early help service, to ensure that vulnerable pupils have access to the support they need at the earliest possible stage.
• Leaders have made sure that the curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to acquire the skills and knowledge they need to keep themselves safe. For example, older pupils attend workshops run by the community police. This helps pupils understand the risks they may face when they travel to school and what actions they can take to keep safe.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching is variable, particularly for younger pupils in the school.
• Teachers make accurate assessments of pupils’ skills and understanding in reading, writing and mathematics. However, they are not always clear about what they want pupils to learn next. Consequently, pupils often complete activities which do not build on what they already know or can do. Where teaching is weaker, there is too much emphasis on pupils finishing a task, rather than completing it well. This means that pupils move on to new learning before they have had an opportunity to learn from their mistakes or misconceptions.
• Teaching does not sufficiently challenge the most able pupils, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds. They often complete activities that are too easy, which do not stretch their knowledge and understanding. This is particularly the case for younger pupils.
• In some year groups, pupils’ work in mathematics books is untidy. Teachers do not provide pupils with clear guidance on how to record their calculations or challenge pupils to think about the best way to set out their work. Pupils practise their calculation skills regularly. This approach helps pupils with lower prior attainment develop a secure understanding of key concepts. However, pupils have insufficient opportunities to apply their knowledge to solve more complex calculations or problems. This slows the progress that pupils make in mathematics, particularly those pupils with high and middle prior attainment.
• The quality of the teaching of reading varies across the school. Staff do not always provide younger pupils with tasks or texts that build on their existing phonics or comprehension skills. Pupils in key stage 1 told inspectors that they would like more challenging books to read. This contributes to pupils’ inconsistent progress in reading.
• Teachers in upper key stage 2 have raised their expectations quickly, following disappointing outcomes in the 2016 reading test. Teachers provide pupils with clear guidance so that they know which strategies will help them work out the meaning of unfamiliar words. This ensures that pupils are confident reading more challenging texts that extend their vocabulary and comprehension skills. However, these improvements are not evident in all year groups.
• In Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6, improvements in the teaching of writing are being consolidated. Pupils respond positively to teachers’ high expectations and take pride in their writing. Teachers provide pupils with clear guidance to help them develop and apply their grammar, punctuation and spelling skills. The impact of this was evident in the good standard of writing inspectors saw in pupils’ books in these year groups.
• Teaching assistants provide effective support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff are skilled in breaking down a task into small steps to help pupils understand what they need to do. Relationships between adults and pupils are warm and positive. As a result, pupils approach their learning with confidence and are keen to do their best.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development is good.
• Pupils enjoy school and are eager to learn. They work together collaboratively during lessons and show genuine interest in each other’s viewpoints. However, there are occasions when pupils lose interest in their learning. This is usually the case when they find their work too easy. Nevertheless, pupils’ learning in lessons is rarely disrupted by poor behaviour.
• Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe in school and that everyone takes care of each other. One pupil told inspectors, ‘We are like brothers and sisters at this school.’
• School records show that there are few incidents of discriminatory behaviour, including bullying and the use of racist language. Pupils agree that this type of behaviour is rare and that staff take action quickly if it does occur. One pupil told inspectors, ‘I have never met a bully in this school.’
• Staff have ensured that pupils are clear about the action they can take to keep themselves safe in different situations, including when they use the internet. For example, pupils understand what to do if they are worried about something they see online or on their mobile phone.
• Leaders and staff are highly skilled in supporting the emotional and social needs of pupils. They are quick to identify pupils who need additional care and guidance to help them achieve well and enjoy school. This includes working sensitively with parents to make sure they are fully involved in the school’s work to meet the needs of their child.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils are courteous to each other, staff and visitors. During visits to classrooms and the playground, pupils greeted inspectors politely and welcomed them to the school.
• School records show that there are few incidents of poor behaviour and that staff manage these appropriately when they occur. Adults encourage pupils to talk about how they can manage their own behaviour. This includes helping pupils to find their own solutions when they have disagreements. During playtimes, staff join in with games and help pupils develop the skills they need to play together well.
• Pupils say that they behave well in school and that staff help them sort out any issues quickly. The vast majority of parents who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, agreed that the school makes sure that pupils are well behaved.
• Leaders and staff promote good attendance through newsletters, rewards and assemblies. They form positive partnerships with parents to ensure that pupils attend school regularly. Consequently, pupils’ attendance is improving and is above the national average. This is the case for all groups of pupils, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Work in pupils’ books and school assessment information shows that the achievement of different groups of pupils is variable, particularly for younger pupils. This is as a result of inconsistent teaching.
• Leaders and teachers recognise that some groups of pupils are not achieving as well as they should. However, insufficient emphasis is given to monitoring the progress made by different groups of pupils. Consequently, leaders and teachers do not always identify which groups of pupils need additional support to help them catch up quickly.
• The school is not making effective use of the pupil premium funding. Disadvantaged pupils, including those that are the most able, do not achieve as well as other pupils nationally at the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2. In some year groups, work in pupils’ books shows that disadvantaged pupils are making faster progress and a greater proportion are working at the standard expected by their age. However, this positive picture is not evident in all year groups or subjects.
• Provisional outcomes in the 2016 key stage 2 statutory assessments indicate that pupils’ achievement in reading and mathematics has declined considerably when compared to previous years. The proportion of pupils who achieved the expected standard and the high standard was much lower than the national average.
• In the 2016 key stage 1 assessments, the attainment of boys was significantly below that of girls, despite them having broadly similar starting points. This is because boys with middle and high prior attainment made slower progress in reading, writing and mathematics. School assessment information shows that there are still significant differences in the achievement of boys and girls throughout the school.
• The most able pupils do not consistently achieve the standard of which they are capable. This is particularly the case for the most able boys in key stage 1. In 2016, the proportion of boys who achieved the high standard in the reading and writing assessments was significantly below the national average.
• Pupils’ attainment in the Year 1 phonics screening check has improved considerably over the last three years and is now above the national average. Disadvantaged pupils do as well as other pupils nationally. However, this positive picture is due to girls’ attainment being significantly higher than boys. Although improving, the proportion of boys who achieve the required standard has been well below the national average for the last two years.
• In key stage 2, pupils are making stronger progress in writing. In 2016, the progress of Year 6 pupils was above the national average and a greater proportion of pupils achieved the expected standard than nationally.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve well. Teachers plan carefully to meet their needs. This ensures that the progress they make is at least in line with other pupils nationally who have similar starting points.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• Leaders have not made sure that children are receiving the best possible start to their education.
• Leaders have an accurate understanding of what needs to be done to improve the quality of the early years provision. They recognise that changes in staff have had a negative impact on how well pupils learn and achieve. Leaders have recently taken action to address this. However, their work is at too early a stage to have secured clear improvements in the early years provision.
• Teaching is not always well matched to children’s needs or interests. This is because teachers do not consistently use assessment information to plan activities that motivate children to learn. As a result, children spend too much time moving between activities looking for something that challenges or interests them.
• Although staff have put in place routines to support learning and positive behaviour, not all children understand or follow them. As a result, some children are not acquiring the skills and attitudes they need to learn and achieve well.
• Staff do not provide sufficient opportunities for children to develop their language skills. Although adults question children about their learning, they do not challenge pupils to explain their ideas fully or use grammatically accurate sentences.
• Last year, the proportion of children who achieved a good level of development, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, was above the national average. This represents good progress from children’s starting points. However, inconsistent teaching means that the current children are not making the strong progress needed to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding expected for their age. As a result, they are not being well prepared for their learning in Year 1.
• Staff have established warm and positive caring relationships with children to ensure that they feel secure and happy in the provision.
• Leaders have ensured that all statutory safeguarding and welfare requirements are fully met.

School details

Unique reference number 100814 Local authority Southwark Inspection number 10023621 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 Maintained Age range of pupils 3 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 232 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr Toby Davies Headteacher Mrs Anne Stonell Telephone number 020 77032672 Website www.townsendprimary.co.uk Email address sbm@townsend.southwark.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 23–24 January 2013

Information about this school

• Townsend Primary School is an average-sized primary school.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards. These are the minimum expectations for the progress and attainment of pupils by the end of Year 6.
• A much higher proportion of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium than is the case nationally; the proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is also much higher than the national figure.
• The school has a much greater proportion of pupils whose first language is not English than found nationally.
• The school provides a breakfast club.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited lessons and observed learning in every year group. The majority of these visits were carried out jointly with the headteacher.
• Inspectors scrutinised work in pupils’ books and the school’s assessment information on the progress and standards achieved by pupils.
• A range of documentation related to safeguarding and behaviour was scrutinised by inspectors. This included the school’s single central record of pre-employment checks, the school’s records of poor or discriminatory behaviour, as well as records of the support provided to the most vulnerable pupils in the school.
• Inspectors held meetings with leaders to evaluate the impact of their work to improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement. Inspectors also evaluated leaders’ records of the monitoring of teaching and meetings with staff to review pupils’ achievement.
• A meeting was held with representatives from the governing body as well as the school’s improvement partner from the local authority. Inspectors also reviewed records of the work of the governing body.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read and spoke to them about their enjoyment of reading. They also met formally with two groups of pupils to discuss their behaviour and learning in school. Inspectors also spoke informally to pupils during lessons and in the playground.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school, including at playtimes and lunchtimes.
• Inspectors spoke to parents in the playground after school. The 53 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, were also taken into account. Responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil questionnaires were also reviewed by inspectors.

Inspection team

Sarah Murphy-Dutton, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Milan Stevanovic Ofsted Inspector Ogugua Okolo-Angus Ofsted Inspector