School Improvement

• How We Have Improved
• Headteacher and Chair of Governors response to Ofsted report of June 2008
• Ofsted Report June 2008
• Croydon Advertiser Report July 2008
• HM Inspector's Monitoring Visit Letter
• Ofsted Report March 2007

 

How We Have Improved

Following a challenging period for the school, South Norwood is now firmly looking forward to a successful future with a stimulating, practical, engaging and progressive learning culture, where our children become lifelong learners, with positive attitudes and dispositions.

In this section of the website, you will be able to follow our progress from the Ofsted in March 2007, to the HMI Monitoring Visit in November 2007, leading to our successful Ofsted Inspection in June 2008.

Although judged a ‘satisfactory’ school overall, to be judged ‘good’ for 70% of the different strands is incredibly positive and demonstrates the rate of progress that has been made and the potential to build strongly upon this success.

Please do read through the Reports yourself, but a few quotes from the Ofsted Inspection in June 2008 follow, just to give you a taste of how much we have achieved:

“…the school has made good improvements in all aspects of its work because of the headteacher’s very strong, determined and clear leadership and the commitment of the staff.”

“Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are now good.”

“There are excellent systems for monitoring the progress of individuals and groups of pupils.”

“The school knows it strengths and weaknesses accurately because of effective evaluation. This involves parents and other stakeholders, and focuses on the impact of provision on improving pupils’ standards and personal development.”

“Governance is good. Governors have significantly improved their strategic role and appropriately hold the school to account.”

“Parents appreciate the good provision (in Reception) and one commented, ‘My son’s progress is fabulous, the teachers take great pride in looking after the children.’ “

“Pupils enjoy learning and their rates of progress have started to increase quickly, especially in mathematics.”

“Good lessons provide pupils with imaginative, engaging teaching that motivates them to learn and meets their differing learning abilities.”

“Parents appreciate the special provision that has recently been introduced for gifted and talented pupils.”

 

Headteacher and Chair of Governors response to Ofsted report of June 2008

Headteacher: Mrs D Williams B.Ed (Hons)
Deputy Headteacher: Mrs C Hopgood

Friday 11th July 2008

Dear Parents/Carers

Attached you will find the Report for the Section 5 Ofsted Inspection that took place on 24th and 25th June. The most important piece of information that you will want to know is that yes, we are now out of the Ofsted Category of ‘Notice to Improve’ and have been judged overall to be a ‘satisfactory’ school.

What I would like to draw your attention to (on pages 9 and 10 of the Report), is the number of “goods” (‘2’ in Ofsted speak) that we have been given. Nineteen ‘2s’ out of a possible twenty seven (this includes the main categories as well as the subcategories) calculates as 70% good! We could not however, be judged as ‘good’ overall as the ‘Achievement and Standards’ section was judged to be a ‘satisfactory’ overall. Within the next year however, I am confident that this would comfortably be judged as ‘good’ when progress across the school is consistent.

I am told that to come out of Category and not to have any serious weaknesses identified, is quite unique. There are obviously areas identified for development, but that is an integral part of being an improving school.

On behalf of all of the staff at South Norwood, I would like to thank you for the loyalty and support that you have shown over the last year or so. It has been a challenging, yet immensely rewarding time and from the constant smile I have on my face, you will know that I am truly delighted with the outcome. There is such a momentum of improvement now, the school will go from strength to strength.

Della Williams
Headteacher

Response from Sue Takwani, Chair of Governors

The smile on my face is just as big!! What wonderful news to end the school year with! As a parent, I feel very proud that my children are benefiting from the sheer hard work and commitment that Mrs Williams and her staff have put in to making the necessary improvements since the last Ofsted Inspection. So much has been done in a short space of time and the Ofsted Inspectors have acknowledged this by awarding so many ‘2s’. Once you have read the report, I am sure you will feel extremely glad that you have continued to support the school throughout this difficult time.

As Chair of Governors, I feel just as proud that governors have given up so much of their time and put in so much effort to transform an inadequate Governing Body into a good one. This doesn’t mean that we will now become complacent. Our monitoring and support is so effective now that we know exactly where the school’s strengths and areas for development lie and will continue to work with the rest of the school team to ensure that South Norwood Primary provides your children with the highest standard of education.

 

 

    

    Download the full Ofsted Report June 2008 (PDF)

 

NOISY BUNCH: Headteacher Della Williams is treated to the children trying out the school's sensory garden. Pictured are (l to r on the cymbals) Rahnee Prescod, Alfie Wells, Jarrell Omoregie, (l to r bongos) Rezunic Wright, Amy Grove, Megan Lovelace, (l to r jumping) Moses Booth, Sophie Malley, Sameena Hussain, Whyney Fulcott, (l to r tubular bells) Maria Williams, Samuel Owusu Boateng, Rachael Azeez and Megan McManus

Pic by Kevin Shaw

Failing South Norwood school turns itself around

07:00 - 18-July-2008

A school judged as inadequate a year ago and given a “notice to improve” has turned itself around. In March 2007 Ofsted inspectors said standards at South Norwood Primary were “exceptionally low.” The Crowther Road school was given a year to improve and another inspection this June found it had done just that.

As a result the notice to improve, which meant the school was just one stage away from being placed in special measures, has been lifted. Headteacher Della Williams said: “We're really excited. Now we can go from strength to strength. “Often when a school comes out from this category there are still some weaknesses but we don't have any.”

The 2007 Ofsted report blamed a “high turnover of teachers and inadequacies in teaching” for the school's problems. The report also said attendance was “below average” and that too many pupils arrived late for school. It concluded: “Standards have fallen since the last inspection and Year 6 results in 2006 were exceptionally low in English, mathematics and science.”

But the latest report, which is made pubic today (Friday), said: “The school has made good improvements in all aspects of its work.” It judged the school in 27 different categories and in 19 of these rated it as “good”. However, it was judged to be “satisfactory” overall because results are not yet at a high enough standard.

Mrs Williams found a host of problems when she joined the 368-pupil school in September 2006. She said: “I noticed very quickly changes needed to be made. The teaching had not been good enough for a number of years. “If you do not have consistent good or above teaching children do not reach their potential. “We had not been very stable for a few years and we were given 12 months to turn it around.”

Improvements included the appointment of several new teachers, more teacher training, extra literacy support sessions before school, visiting artists and musicians to boost art and music learning and a successful book week.

Mrs Williams said: “Now the pupils are making good progress. It's been a really holistic approach, not just literacy and numeracy but developing the whole child. “It's a much more positive atmosphere and we are now really a school. “Parents have been very loyal are very happy and the children are happier and learning more.”

The latest improvement is a new outdoor sensory classroom which has an amphitheatre, a story telling area and a music area. The classroom will also be a great benefit to the school's 12 autistic pupils.

Next on the agenda, Mrs Williams hopes to introduce modern languages and improve before and after school activities. And she thinks the school's next Ofsted report will be even better. She said: “It's quite unusual for a school to come out of a notice to improve with 70 per cent of categories rated as good. “The next report will be in three years and no doubt by that time we will have outstanding factors.”

 

Download the HMI Monitoring Visit Letter (PDF)

 

 

    Download the full Ofsted Report March 2007 (PDF)