Brentfield Primary School

Age group Error! Reference source not found.Error! Reference source not found. Inspection date(s) 21–22 June 2012 Inspection number Error! Reference source not found.Error! Reference source not found. Brentfield Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 101496 Local authority Brent Inspection number 376573 Inspection dates 21–22 June 2012 Lead inspector John Anthony

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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 Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 535 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Penny Witham Headteacher Paola Riddle Date of previous school inspection 28–29 November 2007 School address 41–43 Meadow Garth London NW10 0SL Telephone number 020 8965 5326 Fax number 020 8543 0316 Email address admin@brentfield.brent.sch.uk Reference source not found.Error! Reference source not found. 2 of 12

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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 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

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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 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.

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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.ofsted.gov.uk Reference source not found.Error! Reference source not found. 3 of 12

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line Parent View survey in planning the inspection. The inspection team observed 24 lessons taught by 15 teachers. They held meetings with the Chair of the Governing Body, staff and groups of pupils. Inspectors observed the school’s work, scrutinised pupils’ work, and looked at strategic and curriculum planning, records of pupils’ progress, other school documentation and monitoring records of teaching and learning. Inspectors met informally with parents and carers, and analysed the 112 questionnaire returns from parents and carers, as well as 38 from staff and 65 from pupils.

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Information about the school

This is a larger than average inner city primary school, serving a culturally diverse community. The proportion of children known to be eligible for free school meals is nearly three times the national average. Most pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds. Within this, just over half are from Black African or Black Caribbean heritages, about one fifth are Asian or Asian British, and just over one tenth are from other White backgrounds. Three quarters of pupils speak English as an additional language, over four times the national average, and this is increasing year on year. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with statements of special educational need is about average; these are mainly speech, language and communication needs and/or mild learning difficulties. The school meets the government’s current floor standard,which sets the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress. The school runs a daily breakfast club and an after-school

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Information about the school

The school has received an Arts Council England award and an Activemark, and holds Healthy School status. Reference source not found.Error! Reference source not found. 4 of 12

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Information about the school

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 This is a good school where teaching is good and pupils achieve well. This is also the view of most parents and carers. The school is not yet outstanding because the quality of teaching does not consistently ensure all pupils achieve as well as they could, and the working partnership with some parents needs strengthening.  Achievement is good and pupils enjoy learning. Children’s skills and abilities on entry to the Early Years Foundation Stage are often very low, but overall the early focus on developing competency in language skills prepares them well for Key Stage 1. However, learning activities in the Nursery are not consistently linked closely enough to developing early literacy and numeracy skills. Pupils make good progress through Key Stages 1 and 2 and, by the end of Year 6, they reach average standards of attainment.  Pupils told inspectors, ‘We get a good education’ because ‘this place is a very

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Key findings

good place to learn’. Lessons are well-planned and the school has a very well organised system for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress. Teachers are often effective at meeting the very varied needs of pupils. However, the quality of feedback to pupils is not always sufficiently explicit. This means that pupils are not always aware of how well they are progressing towards their targets, and the needs of higher ability learners in literacy are not always met.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They are attentive during lessons, enjoy positive relationships with each other and with staff and understand how to keep safe.  Leaders and managers are committed to moving the school forward at a good pace and, with the support of the governing body, have worked successfully to lead improvements in teaching. Good procedures are in place for managing performance. The well-planned curriculum and provision for pupils’ spiritual,

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Key findings

moral, social and cultural development enhance pupils’ learning experiences. A mutually supportive working relationship has been established with most parents, although a small minority feel that the school does not communicate well with them or respond well to their concerns. Reference source not found.Error! Reference source not found. 5 of 12

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Key findings

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, and further raise attainment by:  providing a greater degree of challenge for higher ability learners in literacy  improving the quality of feedback to pupils, both in marking and in discussions during lessons, so that they are fully aware of how well they are progressing towards their targets  integrating the development of literacy and numeracy skills in the Nursery more closely with the other areas of children’s learning and development.  Develop closer links with parents by keeping them more regularly up to date with information, and involving them more in discussing how the school could better respond to their concerns.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ achievement is good. Most parents and carers agree, the words of one echoing many of the views expressed saying that her child was ‘doing very well’ and she ‘hadn’t expected this level of help.’ From starting points that are often well below those expected for their age, and with many more children than is usual speaking English as an additional language, pupils make good progress to reach overall standards of attainment that are broadly in line with those expected for their age by the time they reach the end of Key Stage 2. On entry to the Nursery, the focus is rightly on familiarising children with early language and number skills but opportunities to develop these skills across all areas of learning are not always capitalised on. In Reception, children make good and, at times, very good progress because basic skills are regularly reinforced across all areas of the curriculum. Teaching promotes the rapid acquisition of phonics skills (the linking of letters and

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Achievement of pupils

the sounds they make) and children make good and sometimes exceptional progress in reading.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils continue to make good progress in Key Stage 1, especially in mathematics. Lessons typically build on what pupils have learned earlier; for example, in a Year 1 mathematics lesson, pupils confidently recited the five-times table before moving on to other work. Pupils’ reading skills, although a little below average, nevertheless represent good progress for all pupils during this key stage.

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Achievement of pupils

In Key Stage 2, past data shows that boys have tended to progress more slowly than girls. However, the school has identified many of the underlying issues and taken concerted action. For example, it has enlisted the help of parents, and made good links with a local mosque to help focus boys’ attention on learning. Current school progress data for Key Stage 2 shows that the gap between boys’ and girls’ attainment has noticeably narrowed. This was evident in the generally positive Reference source not found.Error! Reference source not found. 6 of 12

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Achievement of pupils

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Achievement of pupils

performance and good learning seen in lessons, which demonstrated that activities appeal equally to boys and girls. For example, in a Year 6 lesson, pupils were helped to understand the importance of collecting scientific evidence. Because boys and girls listened to each other’s points of view, and had good discussions in groups, they were able to reflect upon and consider the questions raised, and all made good progress. By the end of Year 6, attainment in mathematics is above average, while attainment in writing is broadly average, and is average in reading. This difference is mainly due to higher ability learners not always being challenged enough in literacy- based lessons, although this is being tackled. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress in their learning throughout the school. A similar picture emerges for pupils from a wide range of different ethnic backgrounds,

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Achievement of pupils

many of whom are at an early stage of acquiring English. This is because of good levels of support and well-targeted interventions within the classroom.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching is good and makes a telling contribution to pupils’ good achievement. This is a view echoed by most parents and carers. However, teaching is not yet outstanding because of some inconsistencies.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers know their pupils well, and they generally use this detailed knowledge to set appropriate targets and engage pupils in their learning. Pupils are often encouraged to be independent and enthusiastic learners. Pupils say this is because teachers have high expectations of pupils and manage their classes well. One said, ‘If you don’t understand something, the teacher will let you say what you know, and will then explain it until you understand it.’ Teachers plan their lessons effectively to cater for the needs of pupils of differing abilities but this does not always translate into practice and at times there is not enough challenge for the more able pupils in literacy lessons. Conversely, in some other lessons, there are clear examples of good and better teaching where pupils’ thinking is extended and their understanding challenged. For example, in a Year 3 science lesson where mathematics was used to

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Quality of teaching

help pupils understand why shadows change size, pupils made good progress because the fast pace of learning was combined with high expectations and good extended questioning. There are some excellent examples of marking of pupils’ work which outline clearly the next steps for improvement. This is often supplemented by further verbal feedback in the lesson. Good practice is also evident when teachers regularly set and review challenging targets for pupils. However, these features are not always evident and pupils are not always aware of how well they are progressing or what they need to aim for next. Teaching is often good in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Teaching is at its best when children’s early literacy and numeracy skills are reinforced across all areas of learning. This good practice is more prevalent for the Reception children.

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Quality of teaching

The teaching of reading is effective at developing and improving pupils’ skills. Teaching assistants are often used to great effect to support phonics teaching, particularly for younger children; an outstanding phonics lesson was observed in a Reference source not found.Error! Reference source not found. 7 of 12

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Quality of teaching

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Quality of teaching

Reception class. Teachers promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, encouraging them to work well independently and in groups. For example, in a good Year 4 information and communication technology (ICT) lesson, pupils shared responsibility and took it in turns to access programmes, paying attention to internet safety. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs benefit from good teaching from both teachers and teaching assistants. These pupils’ needs are clearly identified and met. Equally good support is on hand for pupils who are only at an early stage of acquiring English which enables them to tackle challenging work and move towards higher-level learning.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school, and evidence clearly indicates that this is typical behaviour over time. Pupils have very good relationships with each other and with staff. Although a very large majority of parents and carers said that behaviour of pupils is good, a few expressed concerns about bullying. Most said that the school deals well with bullying, and pupils agreed, saying that although sometimes pupils get ‘over-excited’, incidents of bullying or misbehaviour are rare. This is because ‘most of the children are friends with each other’ and teachers manage behaviour effectively. Pupils are keen and eager to learn, want to do well and are encouraged to take responsibility. As one pupil said, ‘We work as a team, we respect each other.’

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils are aware of the different types of bullying, whether based on disability, race, or differing lifestyle choices. Pupils say they feel safe in school and parents agree. A good discussion in Year 6 with a visiting speaker on how to keep safe helped pupils to understand how being respectful towards others is to be advocated as a way to avoid confrontation, and how body language can influence perceptions.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The school has been particularly successful in improving attendance and ensuring that pupils are punctual. From a situation of below average attendance two years ago, attendance is now well above average, and there are very few persistent absentees.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher provides the school with strong and effective leadership and is well supported by a collaborative working relationship shared throughout the school. The school’s self-evaluation is accurate and informs development planning that is clear about how improvements are to be made. Monitoring of these plans is rigorous and has identified strategies that are improving teaching and closing the attainment gaps between differing groups. The monitoring of teaching is effective and has a positive impact on bringing about improvements. Outcomes are linked to continuing professional development for teachers and teaching assistants, which has also led to improvements in the quality of teaching and of pupil achievement. Members of the governing body are very active in the school, monitoring the school’s work Reference source not found.Error! Reference source not found. 8 of 12

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Leadership and management

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Leadership and management

effectively, and challenging the school leadership to continue to improve. This contributes to ensuring that pupils experience a varied curriculum which is designed to lift attainment, promote good progress and underpin good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils benefit from a broad range of opportunities in music, art, drama and sport, the school having very recently topped the 2012 Inspiring Brent PE and Sports awards by a wide margin. The school’s breakfast and after-school clubs provide a bright, sociable setting for many pupils to start and end the day. Safeguarding procedures meet all statutory requirements. The school has a strong commitment to ensuring equality of opportunity and tackling any form of discrimination, as demonstrated, for example, in the employment of a Somali full-time liaison teaching assistant to cater for the needs of the Somali community. Issues from the previous inspection have been

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Leadership and management

tackled successfully, especially in strengthening curriculum planning for non-core subjects, and tightening up target-setting. These successes and the continuing rising attainment clearly indicate that the school has the capacity to improve further. Reference source not found.Error! Reference source not found. 9 of 12

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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 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data 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. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Reference source not found.Error! Reference source not found. 10 of 12

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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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

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and 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 governors and 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.

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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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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning. Reference source not found.Error! Reference source not found. 11 of 12

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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 Brentfield Primary School, London NW10 0SL

Thank you very much for welcoming us to your school. On behalf of the team, I would like to thank you for completing the questionnaires, and especially thank those of you who met with us to tell us all about the many exciting things that you do, and how proud you are of your school. We think that you that you go to a good school. These are some of the things that stand out.

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Inspection of Brentfield Primary School, London NW10 0SL

 Your teachers and all the staff who look after you make sure that you have a good education. You tell us that they help you to learn and that you are happy to come to school. You work hard and, as a result, you are making good progress in your lessons.  You tell us that you feel very safe in the school and that you and your friends help each other because you work as a team. We agree that your behaviour is good. You also tell us that there is little bullying in the school. You are very proud of your achievements in music, drama, art, and sport.

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Inspection of Brentfield Primary School, London NW10 0SL

We have asked your headteacher, staff and members of the governing body to help you to learn better by:

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Inspection of Brentfield Primary School, London NW10 0SL

 providing you with more challenging work in literacy, especially for those of you who can make faster progress in your learning  giving you more feedback on your learning to help you achieve your targets  ensuring children’s early language and number skills are reinforced in all the learning activities that children take part in.

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Inspection of Brentfield Primary School, London NW10 0SL

We have also asked the school to keep those who look after you at home better informed about how you are learning and to discuss with them any concerns they have. You can play your part by continuing to work as hard as you currently do.

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Inspection of Brentfield Primary School, London NW10 0SL

John Anthony Reference source not found.Error! Reference source not found. 12 of 12

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Inspection of Brentfield Primary School, London NW10 0SL

Lead inspector Reference source not found.Error! Reference source not found. 13 of 13

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Inspection of Brentfield Primary School, London NW10 0SL

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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