Coppermill Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Continue to develop middle leaders so that they all become effective in their respective roles.
• Enhance the curriculum, taking full account of science as a core subject, to ensure that pupils achieve highly across the full range of subjects.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since the school was last inspected, the headteacher, well supported by her senior leadership team, has made significant improvements. For example, the team responded promptly to the outcomes for reading by restructuring teaching. Leaders have demonstrated strong and effective leadership. They have created a culture where staff are encouraged to use research and take risks, always with a focus on learning. Actions have been taken which are based on a secure analysis of their pupils’ needs. Leaders review and analyse all aspects of the school’s performance regularly to ensure that everything they do has a positive impact.
• Leaders have high expectations of themselves and others. They are reflective and seek to improve continuously. Leaders set challenging targets which focus on improving pupils’ progress. They pinpoint priorities for the school, based on their analysis. Leaders form effective action plans, which support key areas for development. They monitor these plans rigorously.
• Leaders make sure that staff receive high-quality training to develop their skills. Many leaders, especially in subjects other than English and mathematics, are new to their roles. They are well supported by members of the senior leadership team. Teachers attend regular staff training sessions. Leaders ensure that performance management targets are specific and focus on pupils’ learning. Leaders encourage other teachers, for example by coaching them in their roles. Newly qualified teachers spoke positively about the support provided by the school. Several teachers are undertaking further qualifications. These strategies help staff to develop their leadership potential, and strengthen school leadership. Leaders know that they need to continue to develop middle leaders so that they are increasingly effective.
• Subject leaders are passionate about their subjects, even those recently in post. Leadership in mathematics and English is particularly strong. This is reflected in the school’s performance in the national assessments. They have an accurate and detailed understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in each year group in reading, writing and mathematics. Senior leaders work closely with subject leaders to review pupil progress and plan a range of strategies to address underachievement for individuals. Consequently, pupil progress is strong across the school in English and mathematics. The school knows that more secure evidence is necessary to make similar judgements about progress in other subjects.

• Leaders review the curriculum constantly to ensure that it is meeting the needs of all pupils. For example, they are developing the outdoor learning experiences for their pupils, making greater use of the immediate environment. Pupils study a wide range of subjects, which helps them to develop both academically and personally. However, study in some subjects, including science, requires further development.
• Pupils enjoy learning. A wide variety of enrichment activities enhances their learning. These include yoga, Bollywood dance, climbing, gardening and karate. Leaders are committed to ensuring that pupils develop a strong understanding of the school’s values.
• The school’s values and curriculum support pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well. Pupils have a good understanding of other religions and faiths through religious education lessons and visits to different places of worship. Assemblies and personal, social and health education help prepare pupils for life in modern Britain and reinforce fundamental British values.
• Leadership for those pupils with SEND is strong. Leaders sharply evaluate the spending of funding for pupils who have SEND, and ensure that it is spent effectively. This enables teachers to focus on pupils’ individual needs. Staff are very experienced and knowledgeable about all aspects of SEND provision. Pupils in this group make excellent progress, because of effective teaching and support.
• Leaders analyse and review the use of pupil premium funding to make sure that it is making a difference to the pupils it is meant to support. Disadvantaged pupils receive personalised support in and outside of lessons, and can attend breakfast and after-school clubs. This is leading to improved progress for disadvantaged pupils.
• Leaders also ensure that the sports premium funding is used effectively. Specialist coaches work at breaktimes and lunchtimes to develop pupils’ skills and promote physical activity. They lead extra-curricular activities. Consequently, the range of sports clubs has increased, as has pupils’ participation in them. The school participates in a number of local sporting competitions.
• Parents speak with much enthusiasm about the school staff. Comments such as: ‘I could not be happier with the progress my child has made’ and ‘My children love coming to school’ are typical of their views. An overwhelming majority of parents would recommend the school to others.

Governance of the school

• Governors play a crucial strategic role in the improvement of the school, for example being involved in the development of the school’s improvement plan. They have an in-depth understanding of the needs of the pupils and what is needed to improve the school further. Individual governors have a responsibility for a specific aspect or part of the school. They focus on school priorities. Governors check on all aspects of the school’s performance and are analytical in the questions they ask school leaders. Governors monitor finances closely and evaluate the impact of spending. Governors have willingly undertaken training so that they are well informed about school performance measures and current safeguarding practice.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have a strong understanding of the specific needs of the community, the challenges facing families and the risks pupils might face.
• School staff have a deep understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities and are up to date in their training. This includes understanding the ‘Prevent’ duty and the signs that a pupil may be at risk of female genital mutilation. Records, such as the child protection register and single central record, are meticulously organised. The school promptly refers cases that cause concern and follows these cases through. Leaders are relentless in ensuring that pupils get the support they need.
• Pupils say that they feel safe in the school. They know about ‘stranger danger’ and being safe in the event of a fire. The school ensures that all pupils know the appropriate behaviours necessary to stay safe online. Workshops have been organised for parents to raise their awareness of the dangers of the internet, and how to stay safe online.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers have consistently high expectations of pupils’ learning and behaviour throughout the school. Pupils know what is expected of them, because teachers structure learning well. Lessons are not disrupted by poor behaviour and pupils make good progress.
• Teachers are aware of the needs of different groups of pupils and work hard to ensure that their needs are met. Teachers provide appropriate additional support so that pupils with SEND can fully engage in lessons.
• Class routines are well established. Teacher explanations of what they wish pupils to learn are clear. Interesting lessons are planned. Teachers seek to make learning challenging, relevant and meaningful. Talk is emphasised in all lessons. This gives pupils many opportunities to discuss their learning. As a result, pupils are motivated to learn. For example, in history, pupils learn about ancient Greece as they discuss democracy, comparing differences between then and now. However, there are inconsistencies, especially when some work is less challenging.
• The teaching of English and mathematics is particularly strong. Pupils are challenged to improve. Where there is excellent practice, pupils make rapid progress. For example, in mathematics, the use of targeted questions, clear explanations and allowing thinking to be developed enable all pupils to apply what they have learned. In English, teachers emphasise key features of grammar, including vocabulary. The concept of visualising or ‘making a movie in your head’ is especially effective in helping pupils make sense of a difficult text. Such strategies support the high-quality writing produced. Planned resources support learning, but are not consistently accessed to support learning, for example in science.
• Teachers receive targeted training which develops their strong subject knowledge. A consistent approach to teaching phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) has led to well-established routines in each class.
• Teachers give effective feedback to pupils, especially in English and mathematics. They tell them how well they are doing and where they can improve. Pupils also work together to think how work can be improved and offer suggestions. This helps pupils to further develop their writing skills using, for example, more powerful adjectives.
• Throughout the school, the deployment of teaching assistants is effective. They skilfully ask questions and provide explanations to support learning. Pupils supported on a one-to-one basis are helped extremely well.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• The school strives to support pupils’ well-being in a number of ways. For example, bereavement counselling was arranged when needed. Participation in activities such as ‘The Copper Mile’ provide daily physical activity for pupils. Additional support is provided in a range of ways. For example, the emotional literacy support assistant supports pupils with social and emotional needs through the ‘circle of friends’ strategy. The play therapist works with identified pupils to accelerate their learning.
• Pupils are highly motivated. They are articulate and talk confidently about the school. They are proud of their achievements: ‘We have gone to way deeper depths than we did before’ is typical of their responses.
• The school’s curriculum promotes pupils’ personal, social and health education well. This provides opportunities for pupils to discuss a full range of issues. This includes topical ones such as Brexit. Pupils have firm views when asked what they think. Pupils understand democracy and have a strong voice in the developments in the school. This includes their roles as school councillors and acting as ‘ambassadors’. They are proud of their roles as ‘eco warriors’. This provides them with opportunities to lead on projects, for example the campaign to reduce plastic waste. It also enables older pupils to make younger ones more aware of their environment.
• Pupils in key stage 2 enjoy their responsibilities as digital leaders. As part of the digital leaders’ club, they are taught how to solve problems. During the inspection, pupils provided technical support effectively to one class.
• The school council further supports the school’s focus on increasing the participation of pupils in making decisions about their school. Undertaking these varied roles teaches pupils leadership skills and how to take responsibility, and increases self-confidence.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils fully understand the school’s high expectations of their behaviour. Their conduct is often impeccable. Pupils are very polite, courteous and respectful. They have very positive attitudes to learning.
• Pupils say they feel safe and know someone to approach if being bullied. Incidents of bullying are rare. Pupils are aware of the reflection room where they can ‘work through their actions’.
• The school has put in place very strong systems for checking and promoting high attendance and punctuality. This includes celebrating the class with the highest attendance each week and those who have achieved the highest attendance each term. Attendance is above the national average and the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent is low.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Outcomes across the school are good. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, make very good progress in English and mathematics. They are well prepared for the next stage in their education.
• Most Year 6 pupils reached at least the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics in 2018. Work seen in a sample of books shows high rates of progress across the school in English and mathematics. Current assessment information shows that progress in English and mathematics is strong. However, there is a lack of secure evidence to show that progress across the curriculum is strong.
• Overall progress by the end of key stage 2 is well above the national average in writing and mathematics. Progress in reading is above the national average.
• Foundations are laid by the end of key stage 1 as a basis for pupils’ strong progress in key stage 2. By the end of Year 2, most pupils reach the expected standards. Over time, an above average proportion of Year 1 pupils have met the standard in the national phonics screening check.
• The proportions of disadvantaged pupils attaining the expected and higher standards at the end of key stage 2 are above national averages. Disadvantaged pupils make strong progress, at least similar to that of others in their classes, with the help of targeted support.
• Pupils with SEND make strong progress as a result of the excellent support they receive. Pupils who speak English as an additional language and disadvantaged pupils achieve well.
• Teachers ensure that pupils develop literacy and numeracy skills from a young age. Pupils apply what they have learned in different contexts. Leaders’ recent emphasis on improving standards in reading has resulted in improvements. Assessment information shows outcomes more closely match those in writing and mathematics.

Early years provision Outstanding

• Leadership of the early years is exceptionally strong, demonstrating ambition for

children’s development. Practice is planned carefully according to the needs of each individual. Teaching is highly effective. As a result, the proportion of children who achieve a good level of development exceeds the national average.

• Transition arrangements from the Nursery Year to the Reception Year, and from there to Year 1 are managed very well. This helps children move smoothly from one year group to the next.
• Teachers are very aware that additional support is necessary for specific groups. This includes boys and those pupils for whom English is an additional language. All adults are very skilled in their use of questions to prompt and support children.
• Children are highly motivated to learn and participate in activities. They are used to the class routines. They collaborate constructively with each other. For example, children dress up to create a story while the teacher encourages the development of their language. They are very interested in, and curious about, what they are learning. They behave excellently.
• Children make very good progress in all areas of learning from very low starting points. Children in the Reception Year build on their experiences in the Nursery and make rapid improvement. In the Reception Year, there is a strong focus on reading, writing and number. This enables children to extend these skills very effectively.
• Most-able children are introduced to a new sound during their phonics lesson. Teachers model sounds very well. Very effective teaching enables them to use this sound when they construct full sentences. Less-able children are supported well. They are challenged to sort out sounds to make sense of words.
• Children in the Nursery Year are very happy. They enter with low language levels and personal and social development. However, they make rapid improvement because of how quickly adults support them and the wide range of activities that are planned for them. They enjoy their work on ‘The Gruffalo’, drawing and describing what he looks like, so that their comments can be recorded.
• Adults have secured a safe, stimulating and very caring environment, with children treated in a sensitive and appropriate way. Adults respond positively to children. In turn, they react positively towards adults and with each other. Children know their routines well.
• Excellent relationships exist with parents. For example, they are invited to attend weekly family reading sessions to encourage a love of reading. Phonics workshops help parents better understand teaching methods and provide helpful hints to support their children. The school works hard to engage with all parents.

Bricks, play

School details

Unique reference number 103078 Local authority London Borough of Waltham Forest Inspection number 10058967 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 285 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Jennifer Burr Figen Bektaşoğlu 02085206267 www.coppermillprimary.co.uk/ admin@coppermill.waltham.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 25 April 2018

Information about this school

• Coppermill Primary is a one-form entry school with Nursery provision.
• The school has two additional classes in Years 1 and 6.
• The school is part of a soft federation of five schools.
• The largest groups of pupils are White British and Pakistani.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is high and well above the national average.
• The school was in the top 20% of all schools for the proportion of children with SEND and with an education health and care plan.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in parts of 31 lessons.
• Senior leaders accompanied inspectors to the majority of these. They looked at work in pupils’ books and listened to key stage 1 and key stage 2 pupils reading.
• Meetings were held with groups of pupils, school staff and three members of the governing body. A telephone conversation was held with the local authority’s director of children’s services.
• Inspectors took account of the 187 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire Parent View, and written contributions from three parents. Inspectors also talked with parents as they brought their children to school at the start of the day.
• Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including planning and monitoring documentation, records related to behaviour and attendance, and documents related to safeguarding.
• Inspectors took into consideration the 31 responses to the staff questionnaire.
• Inspectors took into consideration the 77 responses to the pupil survey.

Inspection team

Rick Barnes, lead inspector Sean Flood David Bryant

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector