Nightingale Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Short inspection of Nightingale Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 3 May 2017, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in November 2011. This school continues to be good.

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the previous inspection. You became headteacher in 2013, having previously been assistant headteacher. You provide inspirational leadership and strive to maintain and improve the quality of education in the school.

The business manager joined the leadership te...am in 2013 and a new deputy headteacher was appointed in 2014. The partnership between you and the other senior leaders is highly effective. Leaders are determined to provide an education for all pupils which raises their aspirations and enables them to succeed.

Staff share your vision and your commitment to improving further the outcomes for all pupils. The very positive response to the staff questionnaire shows support for the school's aims and aspirations. Staff morale is high and they show real commitment.

They are held to account for pupils' progress, as well as being supported well both professionally and personally. Work to improve the teaching of reading led by middle, as well as senior, leaders shows the positive impact of professional development at the school. Leaders and governors evaluate thoroughly the school's performance to identify strengths and weaknesses.

Improvement plans are detailed and focus on key areas, which currently include raising standards in reading and enabling pupils to work in greater depth. Governors know the school well and are highly effective. They are supportive, but challenge leaders where they believe the school can achieve even more.

Staff and pupils are clearly proud of their school and staff enjoy working there. Relationships are excellent. Staff demonstrate the school's values and this encourages pupils to do likewise.

Pupils' enthusiasm is reflected in above-average attendance and very positive attitudes to learning. They say they are taught well, as one pupil put it, 'If we get stuck, teachers help us.' They talk about the books they are reading and how much they enjoy subjects.

These include English; mathematics, which they said was exciting; history; physical education and music. Pupils also enjoy and learn from the range of clubs which they can join and the visits to places of interest. Safeguarding is effective.

The leadership team, supported fully by the governing body, has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. Records are detailed and of high quality. Policies are reviewed regularly.

The child protection policy provides very clear guidance on all aspects of safeguarding, including how to spot a child who may be at risk, for example from female genital mutilation or radicalisation. Thorough training ensures that staff understand their responsibilities. They know what the school expects them to do if they have any safeguarding concerns.

Records show that senior staff take action quickly when necessary. The school's child welfare officer works in close partnership with outside agencies to support children and their families who are currently experiencing difficulties. Parents have access to good information on safeguarding.

The school website gives detailed information and provides parents with links to other useful websites. The school works closely with parents to tackle difficult subjects such as radicalisation and extremism. Parent governors and local faith leaders have been fully involved in promoting these links with parents.

Pupils spoke about how they are taught to keep themselves safe in different circumstances, mentioning, for example, fire safety and the Year 5 cycling course. They understand risks when using the internet. For example, they explained why it is important not to give any personal information to people they meet online.

Assemblies, personal, social and health education and religious education lessons are all used to develop pupils' understanding of issues such as racism and homophobia. Pupils trust adults to look after them and know what to do if they have any concerns. They say that there is little bullying and that, if it does happen, it is dealt with quickly.

As one pupil said, 'The headteacher doesn't like bullying.' School records show that incidents of bullying, racist or homophobic behaviour are rare. Inspection findings ? Current information shows that pupils make good progress and are generally working at the standards expected for their age.

This includes different groups of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and/or those for whom English is an additional language. Pupils who joined the school later than usual are also doing well and catching up. ? Senior staff analyse the attainment and progress of different groups and of individual pupils to identify where rates of progress need to be improved.

This information is shared with teachers to help raise expectations of what pupils can achieve. ? This data shows that in 2016 most pupils made at least the expected progress. Progress was more rapid for younger age groups; and faster in writing and mathematics than in reading.

The results in the key stage 2 reading tests were disappointing. ? The school's work to develop reading skills is now more effective. Good use of professional development has improved both teaching and pupils' rates of progress, particularly in reading.

• Support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is more consistent than in the past as a result of new methods introduced by the school. The school's information shows that these pupils are now making more rapid progress from their starting points than other groups. ? The strong emphasis on developing speech and language skills in Nursery and Reception helps children to learn to read and write, and to enjoy books.

The good start in the early years is built on in key stage 1. Pupils learn to use their knowledge of phonics to read unfamiliar words and become more fluent readers. ? A thorough review of how reading is taught, particularly in the older year groups, has resulted in more work on comprehension and understanding vocabulary and this has helped to raise standards in reading.

• A good range of books designed to appeal to different groups of pupils encourages them to want to read. A 'core text' for each topic is carefully chosen to support literacy. This year, current books range from 'The very hungry caterpillar' with the youngest pupils to more challenging books such as 'Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone' and 'Frankenstein' for older pupils.

• Basic skills in literacy and numeracy are being used and practised in other subjects. Staff know, though, that there is still more to do to increase the challenge for pupils through both questioning and activities so that they deepen their understanding of the books and topics they are studying. ? The school is a lively community and the curriculum celebrates its diversity.

Leaders check very carefully to ensure that the curriculum meets pupils' needs. Topics studied enable pupils to build up a range of knowledge, skills and understanding. ? The curriculum introduces pupils to British culture while at the same time recognising, respecting and celebrating what other cultures bring to the school.

British values are promoted and, for example, pupils could explain about democracy in terms of how they vote for their own 'Pupil Parliament'. ? Pupils have opportunities for a good range of experiences outside the classroom, for example a visit to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre when studying 'The tempest', as well as regular visits to the local library. ? Religious education is very inclusive in approach.

It teaches children about the main world religions and the attractive displays show how the school celebrates both Christian festivals and those of other religions. Next steps for the school Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that: ? teachers plan and teach lessons which give pupils more opportunities to work in greater depth in different subjects, but particularly in reading. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Greenwich.

This letter will be published on the Ofsted website. Yours sincerely Grace Marriott Ofsted Inspector Information about the inspection At the start of the inspection, I agreed with the school to prioritise the following areas: ? The impact of the school's action to raise standards in reading. ? Attainment and progress in key stage 2, particularly for pupils who have special educational needs.

• How well the curriculum meets the needs of different groups of pupils. I carried out the following activities to explore these areas during the inspection. I held meetings with you, other leaders, several staff, the chair of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.

I observed learning and reviewed pupils' work with you and senior leaders. During our visits to lessons, I spoke to pupils about their learning and listened to them read. I considered the responses of 15 parents to the online survey, Parent View, the school's information about parental views and spoke to a number of parents after school.

I also considered 20 responses to the staff questionnaire. I met formally with a group of pupils from Year 2 to Year 6. The documentation scrutinised included: the school self-evaluation; assessment and behaviour information; the single central record of pre-employment checks; and records relating to safeguarding, including incident logs; teachers' performance management information; information about the work of the governing body and pupils' attendance information.