School report

Green Mount Primary School
St Vincent’s Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight PO33 3PT
Inspection dates

4–5 May 2016

Overall effectiveness

Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Good

Outcomes for pupils

Good

Early years provision

Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection

Requires improvement

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils
This is a good school
 Leaders are ambitious. Everyone in the school is
expected to aim high and continuously improve
their learning or work. The areas for improvement
identified in the last section 5 inspection report
have been tackled successfully.
 Leaders have taken effective action to ensure that
most teaching is at least good. Leaders deploy
strengths in teaching well to support further
improvement where this is needed.
 Pupils, including those supported by the pupil
premium, make good progress. (The pupil
premium is additional government funding for
pupils entitled to free school meals and those
looked after by the local authority.) When pupils’
progress dips, leaders take swift action to provide
effective support for pupils and improve teaching.

 Pupils in the resourced provision, and those in the
main school who have special educational needs
or disability, are supported well to make good
progress.
 The roles of middle leaders and their influence on
pupils’ achievement is well developed.
 Pupils behave well. During lessons, most pupils
work hard and persevere. Pupils are kept safe at
school and feel safe.
 Teachers provide a wide ranging curriculum,
including experiences which introduce pupils well
to life in modern Britain.
 Children in Reception Year are provided with a
good start to their school education, particularly in
reading, writing and mathematics.
 Governors have a good knowledge of teaching
and pupils’ achievement. They regularly support
and challenge leaders to ensure that all pupils
succeed.

It is not yet an outstanding school because
 The most-able pupils are not consistently
challenged and supported well, to achieve the
learning they are capable of, particularly in
mathematics
 Teachers do not ensure that teaching assistants
support pupils’ learning consistently well.

 The school’s assessment systems do not yet help
leaders to readily compare rates of progress made
by different groups of pupils.
 Governors do not monitor leaders’ routine record
keeping closely or the before-and after-school
clubs.

 Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?
 Improve teaching, to ensure that the most-able pupils achieve the learning they are capable of,
particularly in mathematics, and teaching assistants are highly effective throughout the school in all their
roles supporting pupils’ progress, by:
– ensuring that teachers provide the most-able pupils with suitably challenging work promptly,
particularly in mathematics lessons, supporting them well to achieve success
– ensuring that teachers provide effective support and guidance to teaching assistants about their work
with pupils, during lessons and when leading interventions, including when challenging the most able
in mathematics.
 Improve leadership and management by ensuring that:
– leaders develop the school’s new assessment systems to provide reliable, timely information
comparing rates of progress for different groups of pupils, including those supported by the pupil
premium and others, and pupils who have special educational needs or disability
– governors routinely check leaders’ records of incidents, accidents and pupils’ behaviour to identify any
patterns, and include the before- and after-school clubs in their routine monitoring of the school’s
effectiveness.

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 Inspection judgements
Effectiveness of leadership and management

is good

 The headteacher and deputy head promote a clear and ambitious vision of the best possible achievement
for every pupil. Pupils, parents and staff are overwhelmingly confident in senior leaders and value their
constant care for pupils, staff and families.
 Senior leaders check teaching and pupils’ progress regularly. Leaders examine pupils’ work closely, to
gauge rates of progress, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational
needs or disability. As a result, leaders’ evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement is
accurate. The school’s improvement plans are sharply focused on identified areas, with clear timescales
and staff responsibilities. This approach has ensured the school’s success in addressing improvements
identified in the last section 5 inspection report.
 The headteacher holds teachers firmly to account for their pupils’ progress, through regular meetings and
performance management. Teachers receive the training they need to meet their own targets for
professional development and to support the school’s priorities.
 The leadership of the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is a strength, in the specialist
resourced provision and in the main school. By monitoring closely the impact of additional teaching and
support on pupils’ progress, the SENCo ensures that this is well matched to pupils’ needs. Teachers value
the expert guidance they receive from the SENCo, and parents spoke highly to inspectors of her impact
on their children’s well-being and progress.
 Subject leaders are supporting teachers well to implement the revised national curriculum. Leaders have
devised reliable frameworks to ensure full and timely coverage of requirements in English and
mathematics, and in other subjects. The English and mathematics leaders make regular checks on
teaching and advise staff appropriately about how to improve their impact on pupils’ progress.
 Leaders have worked intensively with teachers to develop reliable methods to assess and record pupils’
attainment within the revised national curriculum, so that this can be analysed. However, the new system
does not yet assist leaders to check rates of progress for different groups of pupils. A small minority of
parents told inspectors they wish for fuller reports on their children’s progress than they currently receive.
This is a priority for the headteacher in developing the new assessment system.
 Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is promoted well. In assemblies and through the Friday
‘Big Think’, pupils are encouraged to reflect on ideas and values, and to understand the consequences of
the choices people make. Clear behaviour policies, applied consistently by staff, help pupils see the
consequences of their own actions. Pupils have valuable opportunities to serve on the school council, as
‘playground buddies’ and to help pupils younger than themselves. Recent class topics included
‘democracy and the rule of law’, when key stage 2 pupils explored the legacy of the Magna Carta. This
approach supported pupils well, to understand the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of
law, mutual respect and tolerance.
 The school’s broad curriculum ensures that pupils experience life in the wider United Kingdom.
Religious education topics include the major religions represented in modern Britain. Interesting visits
are made to cultural venues in mainland cities, where pupils encounter the wider national population
and aspects of British art and history. The headteacher seizes opportunities for pupils to participate in
local cultural events. This term, pupils will take part in an Island celebration of the anniversary of
Shakespeare’s death.
 Leaders ensure that pupil premium resources are used wisely, promoting the achievement and well-being
of disadvantaged pupils. Additional help for learning is provided, and support to take part in educational
visits. As a result, gaps between the achievement of these pupils and others have been reduced
significantly since the last section 5 inspection, and continue to close.
 Additional government funding for sport is used effectively. Regular teaching by a qualified sports coach
directly improves physical education (PE) lessons while developing the skills of school staff to teach PE
well. Pupils’ participation in sport has been increased through additional after-school sporting activities,
currently tennis, handball and athletics. Also, Year 5 pupils are coached to assist at inter-school sporting
events and at lunchtimes, developing their leadership skills.
 The local authority has supported the school’s improvement well. Coaching for subject leaders and
teachers has led to significant improvements in middle leadership and teaching. High levels of challenge
and support from advisers have supported leaders to ensure that the school improved.
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  The governance of the school
– Governors are committed to the success of the school and hard-working. Governors possess a suitable
range of skills, for example in business, finance and information communication technology.
– Governors ensure that they are well informed about teaching and pupils’ attainment, including in the
resourced provision. Nominated governors meet regularly with subject leaders and the SENCo to
discuss pupils’ achievement and leaders’ progress in achieving the aims of the school’s improvement
plans. In governing body meetings, governors ask challenging questions about reports presented by
senior and middle leaders. School staff told inspectors how they value the increasingly high profile of
governors around the school and trust governors’ oversight.
– Governors ensure sound financial management, including in the use of the pupil premium and
government sports funding. Governors require clear reports from leaders about the impact this
spending has on pupils’ learning, well-being and participation
– Governors regularly check the safety and security of the site, safeguarding procedures and the central
record of staff employment checks. With senior leaders, governors have recently undertaken training
in a national initiative designed to prevent children and families becoming radicalised.
– Governors respond to parents’ views, for example taking over the school crossing patrol when funding
ceased. However, governors do not routinely check leaders’ records of incidents and accidents in
school, to identify any patterns, or include the before- and after-school clubs in their regular
monitoring.
 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The required policies and protocols are securely in
place. Staff training is prompt on induction and regularly updated. As a result, all the staff inspectors
asked were clear about how they should respond to any concerns. Leaders work well with external
agencies when any concerns for children or families arise. Pupils inspectors spoke with were conf ident
that any member of staff would listen to their worries. Parents told inspectors that senior leaders are
readily available every day, and easy to approach with concerns. The school’s website prominently
displays the names of specially trained staff and easy electronic links to local authority children’s
services.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

is good

 Teachers throughout the school know individual pupils’ progress well, particularly disadvantaged pupils
and those who have special educational needs or disability. Pupils’ daily work is carefully reviewed by
teachers to inform planning for following lessons. Helpfully, parents are welcomed into the classrooms
each morning, to check teachers’ feedback with their children and assist them to respond.
 In key stage 1, teachers use assessment information well to organise the teaching of phonics (letters and
the sounds that they make). Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are engaged by daily phonics sessions with clear
structure and a brisk pace, led well by teachers and teaching assistants. A sharp focus on the
achievement of disadvantaged pupils is accelerating their progress.
 Teachers show good subject knowledge when explaining mathematical concepts to pupils, and use
questions well to check pupils’ understanding before moving on. Throughout key stages 1 and 2 most
pupils are challenged well to master mathematics skills by solving mathematical problems.
 Teachers regularly plan challenging activities for the most-able pupils in mathematics. However, these
pupils are not always given the teaching or support they need before embarking on the activity provided.
In some cases, inspectors saw the most-able pupils having to complete mathematics work at the general
level of the class, where they were already competent, before moving on to suitably challenging tasks.
This slowed the most-able pupils’ progress.
 Teachers ensure that pupils have frequent opportunities to write at length and from their own ideas,
including in lessons other than English. Pupils, including the most able, benefit from topic work, which
stimulates their interest and motivation to write. In key stage 1, pupils are expected to write in every
phonics session, rehearsing the skills they have learned that day.
 Regular assessments inform the teaching of reading, particularly in key stage 1. Staff often listen to pupils
read, particularly disadvantaged pupils. Pupils who read to inspectors, including disadvantaged pupils,
were able to enjoy books appropriate for their age and use phonics skills well to unpick difficult words.
 The SENCo ensures that pupils who have special educational needs or disability receive effective
additional support to help them learn well. These pupils’ achievement is assessed before and after each
period of support, to gauge its impact and to inform planning for the pupil’s next steps. This helps
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 accelerate pupils’ progress. Relevant training is provided to teaching assistants delivering this support,
helping them understand exactly the methods they should use.
 Additional support for pupils who have fallen behind in their learning is overseen by teachers. These
programmes have variable outcomes for pupils, as teachers’ supervision of teaching assistants providing
them varies. Similarly, in lessons, teachers’ direction to teaching assistants is not consistently clear. This
sometimes limits the impact teaching assistants have on pupils’ learning, including the most able.
 Throughout the school, teachers ensure that pupils learn in a positive and encouraging environment.
Teachers’ feedback to pupils about their work consistently supports pupils to celebrate their successes
and learn from their mistakes. This helps pupils enjoy school and engage well in their learning.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare

is good

Personal development and welfare
 The school’s work to promote pupil’s personal development and welfare is good.
 Pupils throughout key stages 1 and 2 show resilience in their approach to learning. They respond with
confidence to teachers’ feedback about their work and try hard to improve. The school’s five ‘Bs’ – ‘Brain’,
‘Book’, ‘Board’, ‘Buddy’, ‘Boss’ – promote an independent approach to learning, before relying on the
teacher or ‘Boss’. The sixth ‘B’ – ‘Beyond’ – encourages pupils, including the most able, to aim high.
 Pupils work well together during lessons and play happily at social times. The consistent example of
courtesy and care from all the adults shows pupils successfully how to care for one another.
 Pupils are taught well how to keep themselves safe. Bullying is extremely rare. Pupils are aware of
different kinds of bullying, including racist name calling, and the importance of reporting this. Pupils are
taught regularly about how to keep safe online. If problems occur between pupils during social times
these are resolved by staff, but pupils told inspectors this is not always done swiftly at lunchtimes. A
small minority of parents responding to Parent View expressed concerns about the school’s care for
pupils. Most are confident that this is done well.
 Pupils’ active play, and extended sports activities, support their fitness well. The school’s policy ensures
that PE lessons include brisk activity as well as skills development.
 The before-and after-school clubs provide a happy environment and a healthy snack, including for
disadvantaged pupils. One pupil told inspectors the morning club ‘is really good because you get to
socialise and get some downtime before school starts’. Although leaders closely manage the before- and
after-school care, governors do not oversee this provision.
Behaviour
 The behaviour of pupils is good.
 Pupils behave well around the school. They are courteous to one another, staff and visitors. Pupils wear
their uniform with pride and take care of the school and the equipment they use.
 Staff consistently apply the school’s clear behaviour policies during lessons, so that pupils’ learning is not
disrupted or time wasted. Pupils understand the rewards and sanctions which apply and are highly
motivated to show that ‘it’s good to be green’.
 Senior leaders apply exclusions in a measured and reasonable way. For some pupils, attending alternative
provision for a period of time helps improve behaviour. Leaders maintain good contact and support
successful transition back into Green Mount. In the resourced provision, all staff are suitably trained and
supervised to manage pupils’ emotional and behaviour needs sensitively and successfully. Reliable
records are maintained of any incidents, which leaders swiftly follow up. However, governors do not
routinely check these records to identify any patterns.
 Most pupils attend school regularly and arrive punctually every morning. A happy atmosphere pervades
the school as families arrive to be warmly greeted by staff. A number of pupils with special educational
needs or disability experience relatively high levels of absence due to regular medical appointments on
the mainland. Teachers help these pupils to catch up with their learning when they return to school. For
the small number of pupils where persistent absence is a problem, the family liaison officer works closely
with parents and external agencies to overcome problems affecting pupils’ attendance.

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 Outcomes for pupils

are good

 Pupils’ achievement has improved steadily over the last three years.
 In 2015, a higher proportion of Year 6 pupils than nationally attained the expected level in reading,
writing and mathematics for the second consecutive year, so pupils were well prepared for the next stage
in their education. These pupils made good progress, particularly in reading and writing. Furthermore, in
reading, spelling and grammar the proportions of pupils who attained the higher than expected levels
were above the national figures. In writing, this proportion improved to be just below the national figure.
In mathematics, however, fewer pupils made good progress and the proportion who attained the higher
than expected level was well below the national figure.
 At the end of key stage 2 in 2015, gaps between the attainment of disadvantaged pupils at the school
and other pupils nationally narrowed to less than a term in reading and writing. In mathematics, the gap
between the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and others nationally widened slightly, but remained less
than two terms. In the school, these gaps were less than one term in all subjects.
 Pupils in Year 2 in 2015 made good progress from their starting points. Despite higher proportions of
pupils with special educational needs or disability compared with 2014, the proportion who attained the
expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics increased. Having narrowed significantly in 2014,
gaps between the attainment of disadvantaged pupils in the school and others nationally widened
marginally in 2015 in reading, writing and mathematics. This was linked to the additional needs of a high
proportion of the disadvantaged pupils. Now in Year 3, these pupils are making good progress.
 Current pupils in key stages 1 and 2 are making good progress towards attaining at least the standards
now expected for their ages in reading, writing and mathematics. However, the proportions of pupils on
track to attain above expectations for their ages in mathematics vary. Pupils’ work books show that gaps
between the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and others continue to close. Disadvantaged pupils are
frequently working in line with their peers and some are achieving more highly.
 Due to the effective support they receive, pupils who have special educational needs or disability make
good progress in the main school and in the resourced provision.
 Key stage 1 pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, make good progress in phonics. Outcomes in the Year
1 national phonics check have been at least in line with national figures over the last three years. In Year
1 now, a higher proportion of pupils are on track to succeed in this check than nationally in 2015 (the
latest available national figures). Over time, the gap between the phonics achievement of disadvantaged
pupils and others at the school has been consistently wider than the national gap, often related to pupils’
special educational needs or disability. In the current Year 1, teachers’ assessments show disadvantaged
pupils are making better progress than others, narrowing this gap significantly. Most disadvantaged pupils
in Year 2 unsuccessful in the phonics check in Year 1 are on track to be successful this year.

Early years provision

is good

 Most children enter Reception Year with knowledge and skills typical for their ages. However, a higher
proportion than nationally start at the school with special educational needs or disability, and others enter
with little pre-school educational experience. A growing proportion of children speak English as an
additional language.
 Inside and out of doors, the deputy headteacher ensures that children experience a full range of
activities, reflecting all the areas of the early years curriculum. Practical difficulties with the use of large
equipment in the outside space are overcome through regular use of the school hall and playground.
Children engage readily, well supported by all the adults who work alongside them, questioning,
explaining and encouraging. This promotes children’s progress well. Children are encouraged to use their
imagination, for example sharing an imaginary picnic during an inspector’s visit to the classroom.
Teachers ensure that all children, including the most able, are challenged and supported to achieve well.
 The deputy headteacher ensures that a clear focus on reading, writing, phonics and mathematics
supports children to develop their basic skills securely. In phonics, teachers are ambitious for all the
children to be more than ready for the learning they will undertake in Year 1. Inspectors saw the mostable children using their phonics skills adeptly in their writing, including disadvantaged children.
 Children behave well. They co-operate with each other and learn to respect others’ feelings. Children are
kept safe and taught well how to keep themselves safe, in the sun for example. Inspectors saw children
checking the safety of a small platform they had built, before standing on it. Parents are delighted with
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 their children’s progress and the quality of information they receive from staff. They are rightly satisfied
that their children are well cared for by staff.
 The deputy headteacher’s expertise as a specialist leader in the early years, and regular checks with
teachers in other settings, ensure that adults’ assessments of children’s progress are accurate. The
proportion of children achieving a good level of development by the end of Reception Year rose sharply in
2015, to above the national average. Current assessments indicate that this figure is likely to rise again in
2016, reflecting continual improvement in teaching and children’s achievements, including for
disadvantaged children. Children are therefore increasingly well prepared for Year 1 and beyond.

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 School details
Unique reference number

118177

Local authority

Isle of Wight

Inspection number

10012224

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

Primary

School category

Community

Age range of pupils

4–11

Gender of pupils

Mixed

Number of pupils on the school roll

327

Appropriate authority

The governing body

Chair

Alistair Calder

Headteacher

Richard May

Telephone number

01983 562165

Website

www.greenmount.iow.sch.uk

Email address

admin@greenmount.iow.sch.uk

Date of previous inspection

5–6 March 2014

Information about this school
 Green Mount is a larger-than-average sized primary school.
 Almost all pupils come from a White British background. The proportion of pupils for whom English is an
additional language is below average.
 The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is above the national average.
 The proportions of pupils receiving school support for special educational needs, or with a statement of
special educational needs or an education, health and care plan, are above the national average.
 The school has local authority resourced provision (ARP) on site, attended by six pupils with special
educational needs and disabilities relating to autistic spectrum disorders and speech, language and
communication disorders. The ARP also provides outreach support.
 The school runs a breakfast club and after-school club on the site.
 In 2015, the school met the current floor standard, which sets out the government’s minimum
expectations for attainment and progress.

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 

Information about this inspection
 Inspectors observed teaching throughout the school and in the resourced provision, including joint
observations with the headteacher and deputy head. Inspectors looked at pupils’ work during lessons
and on display around the school, and examined a sample of pupils’ work from Years 1 to 6.
 Meetings were held with the headteacher and deputy head, a group of staff, subject leaders, the SENCo,
the early years leader and the phonics leader. A meeting was held with the chair of the governing body
and two other governors. Telephone conversations were held with a representative of the local authority
and with the leader of alternative provision, currently attended by pupils of the school.
 Parents’ views were considered through the 34 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and in
conversations with parents at the start of each day. The views of school staff were considered through
the 39 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. Inspectors also talked with pupils and staff around the school.
 Inspectors observed morning breaks and lunchtime and visited the before- and after-school clubs.
 Inspectors considered a range of documents, including: leaders’ evaluation of the school’s effectiveness
and the school’s improvement plans; information about pupils’ achievement, attendance and behaviour,
and leaders’ checks on teaching; governing body records and local authority reports. The school’s
safeguarding records were examined, including the central record of recruitment checks on staff.

Inspection team
Siân Thornton, lead inspector

Her Majesty’s Inspector

Douglas Brawley

Ofsted Inspector

Linda Jacobs

Ofsted Inspector

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 Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures set out in the
guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a
copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use
the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and
when and as part of the inspection.
You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools
in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main
Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted.

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