Khalsa Primary School

Age group 3−11 Inspection date(s) 6−7 October 2011 Inspection number 381738 Khalsa Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 134778 Local Authority Slough Inspection number 381738 Inspection dates 19−20 October 2011 Reporting inspector Nasim Butt

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

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Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 433 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Hardip Singh Sohal Headteacher Jasminder Grewal Date of previous school inspection 19−20 November 2008 School address Wexham Road Slough Berkshire SL2 5QR Telephone number 01753 823 501 Fax number 01753 522 055 Email address office@khalsa.slough.sch.uk 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 Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report 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 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, 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 alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by four additional inspectors. The inspectors observed 25 part lessons taught by 18 teachers and undertook six joint observations with school staff. They held meetings with staff, pupils and members of the governing body. Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documentation including the school’s self-evaluation records, pupils’ attainment and progress tracking information, minutes of meetings held by the governing body, and the school improvement plan. They considered responses to questionnaires completed by 122 parents and carers and those completed by pupils and staff.

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Introduction

The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school’s work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.

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Introduction

 The impact of school leaders in raising attainment and accelerating progress in mathematics and English.  Whether teaching meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and provides challenge for the more-able.  How well teachers use assessment information and individual learning targets to help pupils make more progress in lessons.  The effectiveness of middle leaders in monitoring and evaluating the quality of provision and outcomes in their curriculum area.

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Information about the school

This is an oversubscribed Sikh faith school which first opened in September 2007. The school is larger than average in size and comprises mainly Sikhs of Indian origin. Pupils come from a number of surrounding boroughs and a very small minority belong to other minority ethnic groups. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. Most pupils speak English as an additional language and a few are at the early stages of learning the language. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average. Most of these pupils have moderate learning difficulties. The Early Years Foundation Stage provision comprises two Reception classes and morning and afternoon nursery sessions.

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Main findings

Khalsa Primary is an outstanding school. Excellent care, guidance and support coupled with a highly effective curriculum are having a remarkable impact on pupils’ personal development which is excellent. The pupils are a great credit to the school and behave exceptionally well, demonstrating levels of self-discipline and maturity well beyond their years. Good progress has been made since the last inspection because leadership has embedded high expectations of what pupils can achieve. There is a strong focus on raising pupils’ achievement and developing them personally through enhancing confidence and self-esteem. Pupils make good progress, and sometimes outstanding progress, throughout the school so that, by the end of Year 6, their attainment in English and mathematics is above average. School leaders have been successful in creating a culture where academic learning and pupils’ personal development are valued equally. This results in good achievement

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Main findings

both in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stages 1 and 2. Key elements of the Sikh faith underpin pupils’ outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. As one parent commented, ‘Great school, my son enjoys coming every day. I wish when I was younger I could have attended a school like this.’

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Main findings

The school knows that the quality of teaching and learning is at the heart of improved performance. School leaders’ quest for high quality teaching is evident in the continual and largely successful review of classroom practice based upon close monitoring and evaluation of outcomes. As a result, pupils progress well in lessons which, in the main, are lively, interesting and well paced. Occasionally, teachers do not take sufficient account of assessment information to consistently challenge pupils to achieve as well as they can. As a result, on these instances, more-able pupils and those in the Early Years Foundation Stage do not always make maximum progress. Additionally, when marking pupils’ work, teachers do not always link pupils’ individual learning targets in literacy and numeracy explicitly enough to inform the next steps in pupils’ learning. School leaders are aware and appropriate coaching and modelling

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Main findings

of good practice is in place to remedy this.

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Main findings

Effective self-evaluation has successfully enabled senior school leaders, including the governing body, to identify clearly the key priorities for improvement. For example, the strategies put in place to raise attainment across all key stages have had the desired impact, especially in writing and mathematics. However, self-evaluation at middle leadership level is currently not sharp enough. Senior leaders are aware, and are training subject leaders to take greater responsibility for monitoring the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress in their curriculum area. Attainment in writing was identified as an area for improvement at the last inspection. As a result of concerted action, attainment in writing is now above average in both key stages. In addition, the gaps in attainment and progress between key groups have been closing fast. These are convincing examples of the school’s good track record in bringing about

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Main findings

demonstrable improvements that show every sign of being sustainable, and a strong indication of the school’s good capacity for sustained improvement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that all teachers take more account of assessment information to consistently challenge pupils to achieve as well as they can, particularly the more-able and those children in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Ensure that marking is linked more explicitly to pupils’ individual learning targets in literacy and numeracy to inform the next steps in pupils’ learning.  Sharpen self-evaluation at middle leadership level by ensuring that subject leaders take greater responsibility for monitoring teaching and pupils’ progress in their curriculum area.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Pupils enter Key Stage 2 with attainment that is broadly average and achieve above average outcomes by the end of Year 6. This is evidence of pupils’ good achievement. Pupils’ above average attainment in English and mathematics is rising as shown by the fact that current Year 6 pupils are on track to achieve better outcomes than last year’s group. Pupils have highly positive attitudes and behave exceptionally well in lessons and around the school. Pupils are very diligent, take great care with their work and listen very attentively to teachers’ explanations. As a result, the vast majority make consistently good and sometimes outstanding progress in lessons. This was evident, for example, in a Year 6 mathematics lesson when pupils used prices of items from a music store to work out, in pairs, what they could buy and in what quantities for £10,000. Year 3 pupils, most of whom speak English as an additional language, demonstrated impressive levels of focus and

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

concentration when they used their previous day’s planning to write a story with a familiar setting. A high level of enjoyment was evident when Key Stage 2 pupils worked in groups to make parachutes of different dimensions using paper and string and then tested and evaluated their predictions. The impact of the school’s mostly skilled and engaging teaching assistants is that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those at the early stages of learning English are also fully involved, really enjoy their learning and so achieve well.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Pupils feel extremely safe in school and have a very well-developed understanding of how to stay safe out of school. Safeguarding booklets for older pupils enhance their wider awareness of personal safety and some are trained to act as mentors for younger pupils. Pupils’ excellent adoption of a healthy lifestyle is evident in their enthusiastic uptake of a variety of sports clubs and their very impressive understanding of what constitutes a well-balanced diet. The uptake of the school’s very healthy meals cooked on site is high. Pupils contribute well to the community through participating in local events and by raising funds for a variety of causes, for example natural disasters in Japan and Pakistan. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted very strongly through Sikh studies and daily assemblies in which, for example, pupils reflect sincerely on how values such as friendship and trust make them better citizens. Pupils’ good academic progress and

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

their many strong personal qualities, including their above-average attendance and excellent punctuality, prepare them well for their future lives.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

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 learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress The extent to which pupils feel safe 1 Pupils’ behaviour 1 The extent to which pupils adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community 2 The extent to which pupils develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being Taking into account: Pupils’ attendance 1 The extent of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1

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How effective is the provision?

The large majority of teaching has a good impact on pupils’ progress because it is focused on what the class as a whole and different groups need to learn next. This, coupled with good questioning and assessment strategies, ensures that most pupils make good progress. Effective deployment of teaching assistants ensures that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language are kept involved, motivated and learning effectively. However, occasionally the needs of some individuals, for example more-able pupils, are not catered for fully in such a way that they can consistently make rapid progress. In addition, marking does not always focus sharply enough on the next steps that pupils need to take to reach a higher level of attainment. Nevertheless, pupils make good progress, and achieve well in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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How effective is the provision?

The curriculum makes a very impressive contribution to pupils’ outstanding personal development. For example, personal, social and health education has been very successful in developing pupils’ social and emotional skills as demonstrated by their outstanding behaviour. Creative links to pupils’ learning experiences outside the school result in high levels of enjoyment in the classroom. For example, Year 2 pupils found their numeracy lesson really relevant when the various activities and events they had enjoyed in the previous week’s trip to Bay Pond in Berkshire were used to deepen their knowledge and understanding of tally charts. Pupils’ learning experiences are further enriched as a result of the highly effective partnerships with local schools. For example, Year 5 pupils’ knowledge and understanding of

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How effective is the provision?

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4 is low experimental science has been enhanced as a result of regularly accessing high quality laboratory facilities and teaching in a local grammar school.

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How effective is the provision?

Many features of the care for pupils are highly impressive. Each pupil is known very well as an individual and pupils’ personal development is monitored very closely. Preparation for the transition from Reception to Year 1 and from Year 6 to secondary school is very good. Very effective arrangements are made for pupils who require additional support in literacy and numeracy resulting in these pupils making consistently good progress. A few early learners of English were seen enjoying their learning and making good progress as a result of the high level of care coupled with well-tailored provision.

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How effective is the provision?

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 curriculum meets pupils’ needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships The effectiveness of care, guidance and support 1

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How effective are leadership and management?

The school has experienced a period of turbulence in recent years in relation to staffing but timely intervention by the effective governing body has stabilised the situation. School leaders are proactive and have been successful in embedding a culture of continuous improvement within the school community. As a result, impressive improvements have been made in the quality of provision and pupils’ outcomes over the last academic year. Most teachers are inspired by the vision and clear sense of direction. As one teacher remarked, ‘The staff do a great job and work very hard and effectively together to create a wonderful school.’

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How effective are leadership and management?

School self-evaluation has improved at senior leadership level and most areas of underperformance are tackled effectively. For example, the school has developed effective practical plans based on individual pupils’ progress to ensure that it achieves challenging targets. The tracking and monitoring of pupils’ progress by senior leaders is good, although this aspect is less well developed at the level of subject leadership. The drive to improve teaching is at the centre of the work of the headteacher and her senior team. As a result, the quality of teaching has improved and attainment in English and mathematics has risen sharply.

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How effective are leadership and management?

The governing body supports the school and holds school leaders to account effectively, for example through the challenging questions raised by the effective pupil progress committee and in the strategic analysis of key aspects of provision. Its handle on financial management is secure. The school adopts excellent and very effective practices across all areas of its work in safeguarding. Some local schools have benefited from this exemplary practice, for example by adopting the school’s comprehensive approach to risk assessments. Equality of opportunity and overcoming discrimination are actively promoted across all areas of the school. Pupils from a non-Sikh background are given frequent opportunities to make a significant contribution to the school and to partake in the wide range of programmes and activities which are organised throughout the year. Gaps in attainment between different groups have been closing rapidly. For example,

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How effective are leadership and management?

the below average proportion of pupils on free school meals and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are now making good progress in line with all other groups. The school understands its context extremely well and leaders have been highly successful in creating a thriving community with a very strong sense of shared values. The school’s faith context has been used admirably well to establish strong links with local schools, for example frequent visits to the schools on-site Gurdwara, and equally impressive links with schools in rural Wiltshire and India. These links deepen pupils’ experiences of other communities and make a highly effective contribution to outstanding community cohesion.

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How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for leadership and management The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning The effectiveness of the governing body in challenging and supporting the school so that weaknesses are tackled decisively and statutory responsibilities met The effectiveness of the school’s engagement with parents and carers 2 The effectiveness of partnerships in promoting learning and well-being 1 The effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures 1 The effectiveness with which the school promotes community cohesion 1 The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children get off to a good start when they enter Nursery. In a matter of weeks, children have settled down exceptionally well because of the very strong care and support, coupled with good teaching. Good planning ensures that the needs and interests of the children are met well. By the end of Reception they reach broadly average standards having made good progress across all six areas of learning. The children participate in an interesting range of activities, both those led by adults and ones that they choose themselves. As a result, they grow in confidence. The children listen carefully, and many enter confidently into conversation. However, sometimes adults miss opportunities to further develop children’s thinking and speaking skills by asking stimulating questions based on the activities that children themselves have chosen. Though their development is soundly assessed and recorded, the school recognises that developing a more robust tracking system is a key priority to ensure

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Early Years Foundation Stage

that children’s progress is evaluated more sharply. School leaders have a clear focus on raising attainment and accelerating progress and have already promoted key improvements in practice which have led to much better outcomes in targeted areas, especially literacy and numeracy. Good links with parents and carers support children’s well-being and promote learning. Safeguarding procedures and practices are robust.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage Overall effectiveness of the Early 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

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Views of parents and carers

Just under one-third of parents and carers responded to the questionnaire, which is slightly below the average found in most primary schools. Of these, the overwhelming majority were very supportive of the school and very happy with their child’s experience at the school and with what it provides for them. The very small number of parental concerns related to the school not meeting their child’s particular needs. Inspectors have judged pupils’ progress to be good and the learning needs of the large majority of pupils are well met. However, inspectors consider that the learning needs of the more-able pupils are not always well catered for. Further detail about pupils’ progress is provided in the report.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Khalsa Primary School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school. The inspection team received 122 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 433 pupils registered at the school.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Statements Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Total % Total % Total % Total % My child enjoys school 95 78 27 22 0 0 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 85 70 37 30 0 0 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school informs me about my child’s progress 54 44 58 48 6 5 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 59 48 58 48 3 2 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The teaching is good at this school 70 57 48 39 2 2 0 0 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 62 51 51 42 6 5 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 81 66 40 33 0 0 0 0 The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 49 40 55 45 3 2 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school meets my child’s particular needs 55 45 58 48 7 6 0 0 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 67 55 47 39 0 0 0 0 The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 48 39 62 51 4 3 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school is led and managed effectively 53 43 61 50 2 2 0 0 Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 75 61 45 37 2 2 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

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 particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate 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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 43 47 10 0 Primary schools 6 46 42 6 Secondary schools 14 36 41 9

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Sixth forms 15 42 41 3 Special schools 30 48 19 3 Pupil referral units 14 50 31 5

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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 form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: 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.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s 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 school’s 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.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Khalsa Primary School, Slough SL2 5QR

Thank you for helping us when we visited your school. We really enjoyed talking with you, watching your lessons and looking at your work. I am very pleased to inform you that Khalsa Primary is an outstanding school. It gives the right balance of attention to your personal development and well-being, and to ensuring that you learn well. As a result, you grow into highly mature and sensible young people who are well prepared for secondary school and your future lives. We were particularly impressed with your excellent behaviour which the school is rightly proud of. You told us that you enjoy school a lot. This is reflected in your above average attendance. You work very hard and show great willingness and enthusiasm for learning.

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Inspection of Khalsa Primary School, Slough SL2 5QR

The care and support your school gives you are very impressive. In addition, your school does much to ensure that you are kept safe. Your attainment in English and mathematics by the time you leave school in Year 6 is above the national average. You are making good progress because teaching is good and the curriculum is very stimulating. To make sure that you are always helped to learn as much as possible, we have asked the adults to do these things.

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Inspection of Khalsa Primary School, Slough SL2 5QR

 Ensure that all teachers take more account of assessment information to challenge all pupils to achieve as well as they can, particularly those of you who are capable of learning more.  Ensure that when teachers mark your books there is a stronger link with your literacy and numeracy targets to help you make even better progress.  Closer monitoring (checking) of the quality of teaching and your progress by teachers who have responsibility for a curriculum area.

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Inspection of Khalsa Primary School, Slough SL2 5QR

All of you can help by continuing to work hard and meeting your challenging targets.

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Inspection of Khalsa Primary School, Slough SL2 5QR

Nasim Butt Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s 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 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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