Heston Primary School

Heston Primary School Heston Road, Hounslow, TW5 0QR

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected N/A This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 The quality of teaching is not consistently good across Key Stages 1 and 2. This results in underachievement of current pupils, in some year groups.  The current attainment and progress of boys’ writing are below national expectations.  Systems for monitoring teachers’ performance and pupils’ progress have not been regularly or consistently applied by senior leaders.  New systems for assessing pupils are not sufficiently understood by all staff to be effective in monitoring the progress of pupils.

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The school has the following strengths

 The new headteacher has successfully managed the amalgamation of two schools into a new building. She has created a warm, welcoming and safe environment.  The headteacher and the governing body have a good understanding of the areas for improvement and a clear plan of how to achieve them.  Parents and carers are fully supportive of the new school and appreciate the improved communication.  Good teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage ensures all children get off to a good start and most achieve above national expectations in all areas of learning by the end of Reception.  Pupils’ behaviour is good and they display positive attitudes towards learning and each other.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 19 lessons or part lessons, seeing all teachers who were present. These observations included some intervention groups led by a teacher and higher-level teaching assistant and joint observations with the headteacher and two assistant headteachers.  Meetings were held with: the headteacher; three members of the governing body; the senior leadership team; the Early Years Foundation Stage coordinator; curriculum leaders, including the coordinators of English and mathematics; the special educational needs coordinators; a group of parents and carers; and members of the school council. They also held a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority and talked informally to parents and carers at the start of the day.  Inspectors took account of the 40 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and the 27 questionnaires completed by staff. They also scrutinised the results of surveys undertaken by

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Information about this inspection

the school for parents, carers, staff and pupils.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ books, the school’s records on progress and attainment and the school’s records on monitoring and improving the quality of teaching, including information on the performance management of teachers. They also considered the local authority’s review of the school’s work, the minutes of the governing body meetings and the school’s development planning.  Inspectors heard pupils read and looked at records for reading progress.

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Inspection team

Penny Spencer, Lead inspector Additional inspector David Hogg Additional inspector Janice Thomas Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Heston Primary School opened in September 2011, in a new building, with a newly appointed headteacher following the amalgamation of Heston Infant and Junior Schools.  A new governing body was formed in November 2011, following a period of interim governance during the amalgamation.  The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The school provides for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage through two part-time Nursery classes and two Reception classes.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is much higher than the national average. The main ethnic group is Asian, with most pupils of Indian or Pakistani heritage. Few pupils are at the early stages of learning English, except in the Early Years Foundation Stage where approximately half of the children are not fluent in English.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action, school action plus or with a statement of

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Information about this school

special educational needs is lower than other schools nationally.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding provided to schools by the government) is lower than average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching and improve its impact on pupils’ achievement by: – ensuring teachers make consistently good use of assessment information to plan lessons that are more closely matched to pupils’ needs – increasing the level of accountability by teachers for the progress of their pupils – having a consistent approach to setting targets for pupils, linking them closely to National Curriculum levels, in order for pupils to understand exactly how they can move forward in their learning – ensuring all marking shows clear next steps for improvement and by building in regular opportunities for pupils to respond.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Enhance the effectiveness of leaders and managers, including governors, by: – embedding the performance management system fully in the school’s work to ensure good or better teaching is firmly established – sharpening the monitoring systems to accelerate the progress of all pupils – ensuring newly implemented policies are regularly monitored and evaluated to measure the impact on outcomes for pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve boys’ writing skills by: – developing curriculum opportunities that excite and engage boys in writing – sharing good practice, seen in intervention groups, more widely among teachers.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Currently, although most pupils in Year 6 are making good progress in reading and writing and are on track to achieve at expected levels, attainment and progress in mathematics are below expectations.  School data for other year groups, including recent assessment tests, show progress declining, with too many pupils making less than expected progress over the year. Progress for all groups of pupils in some year groups is inadequate in writing and mathematics. This is especially so for boys, in writing, where a high proportion are working well below the expected levels.  Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills which are broadly in line with the expectations for their age. As a result of good teaching they make good progress and most children move into Year 1 with skills and understanding above national levels.  Attainment in 2012, the first year of the new school, at both Key Stages 1 and 2, was in line

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

with previous years and above the national average. Progress was mostly good and at the end of Year 6 there was little difference between groups of pupils. In Year 2, boys did not achieve as well in writing.  Pupils’ skills in reading are good. Pupils certainly see the value of reading. Pupils at all levels who read to inspectors were keen and enthusiastic and could talk about their favourite books or authors. Younger pupils showed a good understanding of how to link letters and sounds when decoding the words of their book.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make progress in line with their peers. However, an inconsistent approach to the identification of pupils’ needs and monitoring of progress between pupils in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 makes tracking more difficult.  Pupils from all minority ethnic groups who speak English as an additional language make good progress. Inspectors observed a small group of pupils developing a solid understanding of the

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

difference between questions that required a literal response and those that required pupils to infer the answers from the text, because the work was precisely matched to their needs and the teaching was clear and to the point.  The majority of parents and carers who responded both to the survey carried out by the school and Parent View think their children are achieving well. However, this was not borne out by the inspection team.  Pupils who are in receipt of funding from the pupil premium make progress in line with all other pupils. The funding benefits their education by providing extra resources, and opportunities to take part in extra-curricular activities, such as school visits.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 While there are some examples of good teaching this is not yet a consistent feature of the school’s work.  The quality of teaching is good in the Early Years Foundation Stage and teachers use observations effectively to plan activities that match the needs of the children. Strong practice and an exciting, stimulating environment inside are not matched in the outside area leading to lost learning opportuniites.  Teachers do not make sharp use of assessment information to plan lessons that will challenge all groups of pupils and, as a result, many pupils spend time working on tasks that are too easy or too hard. In a Year 2 mathematics lesson some pupils were observed losing concentration and not completing the task because they did not fully understand what to do, while more-able pupils quickly finished and had no extension task to extend their understanding.  In lessons where teaching is good the pace of learning is rapid and pupils are challenged to

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

think for themselves. This was observed in a Year 6 literacy lesson where the teacher worked with a small group, skilfully drawing out ideas that enabled pupils to make rapid progress.  Pupils are not always as engaged in their learning as they should be. They sometimes have to listen to lengthy introductions and explanations from the teacher and do not begin their tasks quickly enough.  Disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language make good progress, especially during intervention groups. This was observed in an outstanding session where pupils were being challenged to identify and classify adverbial clauses in sentences. Strong structured questioning and good visual prompts ensured that by the end of the session all pupils were confident and had achieved their learning objective.  Teachers do not use the marking policy consistently, and the next steps needed to improve their

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

work are not always clearly identified for pupils. Where these are identified, pupils are not always given opportunities to respond and improve their work.  Targets are not closely linked to National Curriculum levels and are inconsistently reviewed and evaluated, so pupils do not always know if they have been achieved.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is generally good. They are eager to learn, willing to take part and keen to be involved in their learning.  Pupils are courteous, polite and get along with each other.  Observations in the playground and lunch hall confirmed the pupils’ own views that behaviour is good and people play together well.  Any incidents of poor behaviour are dealt with robustly and consistently by staff who have embraced the new behaviour policy, set up when the school opened.  Pupils who spoke to inspectors said there was no bullying and were aware of different types of bullying including cyber bullying. In response to the schools own survey, the school has established ‘worry boxes’ in Key Stage 2 and ‘bubble time’ in Key Stage 1. There is to be an anti- bullying focus this term, on what bullying means and its implications for pupils.  Parents and carers who responded to the online survey and who spoke to the inspectors were

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

very positive about the steps the school takes to keep their children safe and ensure behaviour is good. Staff also agree overwhelmingly that behaviour is good.  The school is proactive in teaching pupils how to be safe on the road and about ‘stranger danger’.  Attendance is in line with national averages and punctuality is good.  All safeguarding procedures are fully in place and rigorously applied.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 New leaders and teachers are developing their understanding of how a primary school works and how key stages relate to each other. Strategic deployment of staff into different key stages is having some impact but has not been in place long enough to have maximum effect.  Performance management procedures are in place but targets for teachers are not yet sufficiently linked to school improvement priorities or their performance to move teaching forward rapidly.  Training and partnerships with other primary schools and the local authority have enabled all staff to moderate work more effectively and come to a shared consensus on levels of attainment. However, this process is not consistently applied by staff when planning appropriate work for pupils.  New approaches for lesson observations, work scrutiny and marking that were introduced last year have not yet been rigorously evaluated or regularly monitored by senior leaders, so their

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The leadership and management requires improvement

impact on achievement and the quality of teaching has been limited.  The amalgamation of two very different institutions into one organisation with a shared vision has been successfully managed by the headteacher. Her vision for the future of the school is clearly communicated to the school and the wider community.  She has created a calm, purposeful environment where pupils are happy and keen to learn. Systems and policies for behaviour, safeguarding and child protection that have helped to create this atmosphere have been implemented successfully and staff have been proactive in making them work.  Although writing, especially boys’ writing, was identified as a school priority in the school development plan, actions for improvement, including the introduction of a specific programme, have been slow to be organised.  Middle leaders are confident that they can make a difference and are developing their skills

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The leadership and management requires improvement

accordingly but the impact of their leadership is not yet evident.  Curriculum design is not consistent across the different key stages and many topics are taught in isolation. However, the school has plans to review the curriculum in the near future, when National guidance is received to address this issue.  The local authority has supported the school and the amalgamation by providing a consultant to work alongside the headteacher, as a critical friend and advisor.  The governance of the school: – requires improvement because most governors, although keen and enthusiastic, are inexperienced and have not had sufficient time to develop their understanding of how to challenge the school effectively – recognises how much has been achieved so far but realises that the school is still in its early stages of development – has strong presence within the school community and has forged good links with parents and

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 136191 Local authority Hounslow Inspection number 400271

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 456 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Harjit Singh Ponaich Headteacher Laura Khalil Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 020 8572 5597 Fax number 020 8572 3923 Email address office@heston-pri.hounslow.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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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School details

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.

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School details

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

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School details

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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School details

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School details

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

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