Kingsmead Primary School

Inspection report
Unique Reference Number Local Author ity Inspect ion number Inspect ion dates Report ing inspector 100250 Hackney 384348 910 November 2011 Jane Wotherspoon HMI

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

Type of school School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Nu mber of pupils on the school roll Appropriate author ity Chair Headteacher Date of prev ious school inspection School address

Telephone number Fax number Email address

Primary Community 311 Mixed 244 The governing body Alison Laverick Louise Nichols 13 May 2008 Kingsmead Way London E9 5PP 020 8985 5779 020 8985 9775 [email protected]

Age group Inspection date(s) Inspection number

311 910 November 2011 384348

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The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisor y Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, wor k-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council childrens services, and inspects ser vices for looked after children, safeguarding and child protecti on. Further copies of this repor t are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email [email protected]. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial e ducational pur poses, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email aler ts about new publications, including survey repor ts and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to Subscribe. Piccadilly Gate Store St Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: [email protected] W: www.ofsted.gov.uk Crown copyright 2011

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Introduction
This inspection was carried out by one of Her Majestys Inspectors and two additional inspectors. Inspectors observed 14 lessons taught by eight teachers, plus further observations of interventions, a session for parents and carers being taught with their children, and two assemblies. Inspectors spoke informally with parents and met groups of pupils, key members of staff and the Chair and Vice Chair of the Governing Body. They observed the schools work, and looked at key policies for safeguarding pupils, development plans, data on pupils attainment and progress, teachers planning documents, and examples of pupils work. Inspectors analysed inspection questionnaires from staff, pupils and 65 from parents and carers The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the schools work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas. What the schools tracking information shows about the attainment and progress of pupils in other year groups and whether previous improvements to standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are sustainable. How well assessment is used during lessons to modify tasks and meets pupils needs, whether there is sufficient challenge to extend learning for those potentially more able pupils, and how well marking helps pupils know how to improve. The impact of the changes in the leadership on developing capacity to sustain further improvement. The extent to which improvements in the Early Years Foundation Stage are helping to create a better foundation for improvement in Key Stage 1.

Information about the school

Kingsmead Primary School is average in size. It serves an ethnically diverse community. The number of pupils from minority ethnic groups is very high, with pupils from Black African and Black Caribbean groups making up almost half the schools population. The remaining pupils come from a wide variety of ethnic groups. Two thirds of pupils learn English as an additional language, with 47 different languages currently spoken in the school. The number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well above average, at 60%. The number of pupils identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities, including moderate learning difficulties, speech, language and communication difficulties, and behavioural and emotional difficulties, is above average. Since September 2011, the school has entered into informal arrangements with a local primary school for the headteacher to become executive headteacher of both schools. The school has received a number of national awards, including the Quality Mark for Basic Skills, Arts Mark gold, the International Schools Award and Healthy Schools status.

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Inspect ion grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please tur n to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

Inspection judgements
Overall effectiveness: how good is the school? The schools capacity for sustained improvement Main findings
Under the inspirational leadership of the headteacher and senior staff, Kingsmead Primary School has gone from strength to strength since its previous inspection. Every aspect of the schools provision has improved. Pupils attainment has risen to a level that is above average and their achievement over time, from mostly low starting points, is outstanding. The provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage enables children to make a very positive start which is built on as pupils move up through the school. The rich, stimulating curriculum in the hands of skilled teachers inspires pupils learning and makes a significant contribution to their outstanding personal development. The school provides a welcoming ethos and promotes a calm, orderly environment in which pupils feel exceptionally safe. Parents report a high level of satisfaction and confidence in the way the school cares for their children. As one wrote: The school is fantastic, my children love coming to school, its like a little family, all the staff are friendly and everyone has such a positive attitude towards everything. All staff are highly motivated and committed to making a difference to the lives of the pupils. Expectations are high and there is no sense of complacency. Systems are so well embedded that recent changes to leadership roles have not resulted in any loss of drive or energy in the schools pursuit of excellence. Accurate self-evaluation, based on a wide range of information from regular monitoring, is used to set challenging targets. Meticulous analysis of pupils performance ensures that none can slip behind. The work of the inclusion team to identify precisely the needs of pupils and to provide effectively targeted support for them and their families is instrumental in breaking down any barriers to pupils successful learning. Almost all pupils, including those with special educational needs, make huge strides in their learning in English and mathematics. Although the proportion of pupils attaining the levels typically expected by the end of Year 6 is above average, the proportion attaining at higher levels is broadly average. The school is aware that there is scope to increase this proportion through targeted teaching that ensures a consistently high challenge. Pupils develop into mature young people who show a strong awareness of the emotional needs of others. They demonstrate the skills for learning and personal qualities that will enable them to make the most of opportunities in the future. The school is at the hub of the community and the sense of community feeling within the school and the immediate locality is exceptionally strong. Relationships are harmonious. Pupils friendships with others from a wide range of backgrounds and

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Inspect ion grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please tur n to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

heritages give them a strong insight into other cultures. They develop a thorough knowledge of global communities but their knowledge of people and places in the United Kingdom is less well developed.

What does the school need to do to improve further?

Build on improvements in pupils attainment to increase the proportion attaining at the higher levels by the end of Key Stage 2, by ensuring teachers consistently challenge those pupils who could attain more. Strengthen pupils learning about people and places in the United Kingdom by making the planned changes in the curriculum for history and geography, including developing links with schools in the United Kingdom.

Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils

The schools own data on pupils rates of progress show some slight variations from year to year but attainment is rising steadily as pupils move through the school. Any differences in the achievement of pupils from different ethnic groups, between boys and girls, or those from different social circumstances, are minimal. Comparisons with similar groups nationally are favourable. Pupils have a very good understanding of their own learning. They are clear about how their teachers marking helps them to identify what they need to do to improve their work and they are knowledgeable about their targets. They are keen to make the most of the opportunities presented to them. One pupil told inspectors she liked discovering new things and others expressed positive views about topics, such as that on migration, that helped them to learn about other cultures. Pupils use their well-developed computer skills frequently in other subjects. Music makes a strong contribution to the life of the school; pupils singing in assembly is uplifting, and their instrumental playing is highly competent. The standard of art work is such that the National Gallery has chosen to put it on display. In lessons, pupils show a high level of concentration, especially in responding positively to opportunities to work in groups to solve problems, to talk to their partners and to learn from each other. It is rare for pupils not to give 100% effort, so strong is their commitment to learning. Pupils are polite, friendly and welcoming to visitors. At times, behaviour is exemplary and the vast majority of pupils conform to the schools high expectations. A small number need support and guidance to behave well. Pupils show an acute awareness of how to keep themselves safe when, for example, they are out in the community, using computers or climbing the challenging equipment at playtime. Playground buddies are proactive in helping younger pupils to keep safe. Pupils take advantage of health-promoting activities such as cycling club, and the take-up of healthy meals at breakfast club and lunchtime is high. Active playtimes and sporting opportunities contribute much to pupils high level of understanding of healthy lifestyles. Pupils have a strong voice in the school through the school council and through looking for learning a practice in which pupils observe lessons and feed back to teachers on the learning taking

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Inspect ion grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please tur n to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

place. Their insightful feedback is well received by teachers. Pupils take part in a number of activities that help them improve the local community; an example is designing and painting murals on the Kingsmead Estate to improve the environment.

These are the grades for pupils outcomes

Pupils achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning Taking into account: Pupils attainment 1 The quality of pupils learning and their progress The quality of lear ning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress The extent to which pupils feel safe Pupils behav iour The extent to which pupils adopt healthy lifesty les The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community The extent to which pupils develop wor kplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being Taking into account: Pupils attendance 1 The extent of pupils spir itual, moral, soc ial and cultural development 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1

How effective is the provision?

Teachers lesson planning is detailed and exemplifies thorough preparation that gives thoughtful consideration to the needs of pupils. Teachers enthusiasm engages pupils interest. The most skilful teaching builds successfully on pupils responses in a step-by-step approach that develops their skills and knowledge systematically. Questions check pupils understanding at different points in the lesson and tasks are adapted accordingly so that pupils are able to make links in the learning. Support staff make an excellent contribution to pupils learning. In a small number of lessons observed, teachers talked for too long. On a few occasions, opportunities were missed to challenge more able pupils. Teachers plan interesting activities that make links between subjects within a theme. These provide a coherent experience for learning that enables pupils to transfer skills between lessons and between one theme and the next. Pupils recall of the many interesting and exciting things they have learnt is testament to the memorable experiences provided. Teachers exemplary marking is consistently helpful in identifying next steps in learning. More importantly, pupils respond to the marking and so learn to improve their own work. A significant strength is that th e quality of marking is consistent across all subjects.
1

The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4 is low

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Inspect ion grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please tur n to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

Staff customise the curriculum by selecting and adapting termly themes to be relevant to the needs and backgrounds of pupils. The school constantly reviews the balance of learning opportunities and has identified the need to make some adaptations to the historical and geographical elements. A number of highly successful programmes of one-to-one interventions are tailored to pupils individual needs. A very successful strategy to improve the quality of pupils writing is the fortnightly tutorial in which pupils in Year 4 and Year 6 receive highly individual feedback and support to edit and improve a piece of writing. A variety of special projects, supported through various partnerships, promote pupils enjoyment as well as key academic skills and personal qualities. For example, the Kingsmead Eyes project allowed pupils to combine photography, video, writing and speaking to convey their views of their culture and identity. A wide range of after-school activities, visitors, including a poet in residence, and visits, including residential visits to other parts of the country, add breadth to pupils experiences. Staff know pupils and their families well. Effective liaison with parents and carers ensure that pupils make a positive start to school and that movement between classes each year runs smoothly. The family support worker provides highly effective support for families to break down barriers to pupils learning. For example, work to engage Traveller families has resulted in significant improvement in outcomes for their children. Targeted support for pupils who have special educational needs or those whose circumstances make them vulnerable to underachievement enables pupils to take part in all the school offers. Programmes of support are evaluated carefully to ensure they have the desired impact. Strategies to raise attendance and reduce persistent absence are highly effective. The free breakfast club has encouraged punctuality.

These are the grades for the quality of provision

The quality of teaching Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning The extent to which the curr iculum meets pupils needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships The effectiveness of care, guidance and support 1 1 1 1

How effective are leadership and management?

All staff share a strong sense of purpose and are ambitious for success. Leaders and managers take action to ensure that the quality of teaching continues to improve. A strong commitment to professional development and coaching and mentoring has helped to raise teachers aspirations. Staff are highly motivated and there is a strong team spirit. Opportunities from informal arrangements with a local school are viewed by staff as beneficial in developing leadership and teaching skills. Leaders constantly review and adjust improvement plans as a result of rigorous and systematic monitoring of the quality of provision. Robust systems to track the performance of

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Inspect ion grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please tur n to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

individuals and groups of pupils identify quickly any potential underachievement and ensure all groups have equal chances to succeed. Any gaps in performance are tackled rigorously and the impact is seen in how well all groups of pupils achieve. Members of the governing body ask increasingly challenging questions of the schools leaders, to hold them to account for pupils achievement. Governors knowledge of the schools strengths and weaknesses stem from regular visits to school and from their link roles with year groups. They provide effective support in surveying parents and carers views. Members of the inclusion team liaise very effectively with parents by being available at the school gate each day. Through the Parents and carers to school week and involvement in projects, parents and carers are supported to help their children learn. Ocean Maths is a highly successful programme in which parents and carers learn alongside their children. One parent said, It really helps me to help my child. I can get lots of ideas of how to help at home. The school is conspicuous in celebrating the diversity of the community. It has undertaken a very comprehensive audit of its community and has a detailed action plan which is evaluated regularly to demonstrate its contribution to community cohesion. Its success can be seen in the highly cohesive school community and the strong links with local and global communities. National links are not so strong. High quality practice to ensure pupils are kept safe is embedded through a raft of policies that are kept regularly updated. All staff are highly trained for their roles, and robust systems ensure the suitability of adults to work with children. Systems to support vulnerable pupils start before needs escalate. Strong links with social services, including providing training for social workers in educational matters, ensure the school is able to meet pupils needs quickly. Well-developed partnerships with external agencies, including the Traveller support group, and effective multiagency work support vulnerable pupils and families.

These are the grades for leadership and management

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambit ion and driv ing improvement Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning The effectiveness of the governing body in challenging and support ing the school so that weaknesses are tackled decisively and statutory responsibilities met The effectiveness of the schools engagement with parents and carers The effectiveness of partnerships in promoting learning and well-being The effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures The effectiveness with which the school promotes community cohesion 1 1

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Inspect ion grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please tur n to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money

Early Years Foundation Stage

Children make exceptional progress from starting points that are mostly lower than expected for their age, especially in language and mathematical learning. By the time they start Year 1, most children have reached age-related levels, with strengths in their personal, social and emotional development, and physical and creative development. Childrens levels of concentration are unusually high for their age and many sustain activities that interest them for a long time. The outdoor areas are spacious and well resourced to provide extensive opportunities for physical activity and for children to learn to take risks in a safe environment. Strong relationships between adults and children ensure children feel safe and comfortable and, as a result, they flourish. Childrens individual learning journeys provide a comprehensive and high-quality record of their learning over time, which is shared with parents. Adults perceptive observations identify the next steps children should take in learning. Staff know children exceptionally well and know how to support those that learn more slowly and challenge those that learn more quickly. Activities are carefully chosen to match childrens needs and to support their development. Hence there is a strong focus on developing childrens language for learning and the use of pictures and actions to reinforce key words. Activities are planned very carefully to make a coherent experience across the areas of learning although, just occasionally, opportunities for children to develop their own interests are constrained. Visits to childrens homes before they start help to smooth the transition to school and begin to forge the strong partnerships with parents and carers. The leaders focus closely on analysing childrens progress to evaluate the quality of provision and to develop detailed plans for further improvement.

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage
Overall effectiveness of the Ear ly Years Foundation Stage Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage 1 1 1 1

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Inspect ion grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please tur n to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

Views of parents and carers

The proportion of parents and carers responding to the inspection questionnaire was lower than average. Those that did respond expressed a strong level of satisfaction with the schools work. There were very few additional comments.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsteds questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Kingsmead Primary School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to recor d how strongly they agree d with 13 statements about the school. The inspection team received 65 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 244 pupils registered at the school. Statements My child enjoys school The school keeps my child safe The school informs me about my childs progress My child is making enough progress at this school The teaching is good at this school The school helps me to suppor t my childs learning The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year gr oup, changing school, and for children w ho are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) The school meets my childs particular needs The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns The school is led and managed effectively Overall, I am happy with my childs experience at this school Strongly agree Total % 49 75 40 37 31 36 32 30 62 57 48 55 49 46 Agree Total 15 24 25 30 28 29 30 % 23 37 38 46 43 45 46 Disagree Total 0 1 2 1 1 1 0 % 0 2 3 2 2 2 0 Strongly disagree Total % 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

31

48

28

43

34 37 26 31 39

52 57 40 48 60

28 24 28 31 24

43 37 43 48 37

2 2 3 0 1

3 3 5 0 2

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a par ticular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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Glossary
What inspection judgements mean
Grade Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Judgement Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate Description These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils needs. These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

Overall effectiveness of schools

Type of school Nursery schools Primary schools Secondary schools Sixth forms Special schools Pupil referral units All schools Overall effectiveness judgement (percentage of schools) Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate 43 47 10 0 6 46 42 6 14 36 41 9 15 30 14 10 42 48 50 44 41 19 31 39 3 3 5 6

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 08 April 2011 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Sixth for m figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondar y schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: Attainment: Capacity to improve: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training. the standard of the pupils work shown by test and examination results and in lessons. the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement. the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school. how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners. inspectors form a judgement on a schools overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be. The schools capacity for sustained improvement. Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils. The quality of teaching. The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships. The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

Leadership and management:

Learning:

Overall effectiveness:

Progress:

the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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This letter is provided for the school, parents and carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsteds main findings from the inspection of their school.

11 November 2011 Dear Pupils Inspection of Kingsmead Primary School, London E9 5PP Thank you for your polite and friendly welcome when we inspected your school. It was a pleasure to meet you and to see all that you do. We listened carefully to what you had to say. We have judged that Kingsmead Primary School is an outstanding school. We think that staff look after you exceptionally well and make sure you have just the right kind of support when you need it. Some of you told us about the many interesting things that you learn and the many things you do in the community. We think that work is very strong and it helps you to understand a lot about different people all over the world. However, we think you could learn more about people and places in the United Kingdom. You said that you think you are doing well at school, and we agree. During your time at Kingsmead, you make outstanding progress so that by the time you leave, you are really ready to move on to the challenge of secondary school. We think that some of you might be able to achieve even higher levels and so we have suggested that teachers focus on challenging you more in lessons. We saw some fascinating lessons and you told us about your teachers marking and the next steps that you have to do as a result. Your very positive attitudes to learning, your good behaviour, and your willingness to work hard are important factors in your learning. The school has improved a great deal since the last inspection. We think that it can carry on improving in the future and we are sure that you will continue to play your part. We wish you all the best. Yours sincerely

Jane Wotherspoon Her Majestys Inspector

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Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspect ions', which is available from Ofsteds website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquir [email protected].