St Paul's CofE Primary School

St Paul's Church of England Primary School St Paul's Road, Brentford, TW8 0PN

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils, including those who need extra help, make good progress from their starting points and achieve well.  Since the last inspection, leaders, managers and governors have maintained good teaching and pupils’ good achievement.  Enjoyable activities in lessons, interesting topic work, and well-selected outings and visits underpin pupils’ positive attitudes to learning.  Extra sessions for selected pupils successfully boost academic results for pupils at risk of not doing well.  Pupils behave well. Their attitudes are friendly and caring. They have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe from harm.  Leaders, managers and governors accurately evaluate the quality of the school’s work and identify where further improvements can be made.  The school is improving because priorities for action are carefully applied to secure lasting enhancements, for example to the teaching of

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

reading, and letters and the sounds they make (phonics).

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 At times, pupils’ progress in developing fluent and neat handwriting slows because opportunities for them to practise their handwriting skills are not as well planned as other aspects of the school’s work.  Opportunities for children in Nursery and Reception to develop their learning in the outdoor spaces are restricted.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes. They visited 21 lessons taught by 11 teachers.  Groups of pupils, staff, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority held discussions with inspectors.  Inspectors looked at work in pupils’ books, and tracking data showing pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school’s development plans and records relating to safeguarding pupils were also seen.  The inspectors took account of 89 responses to the online Parent View survey and other comments received from parents and carers.

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Inspection team

Madeleine Gerard, Lead inspector Additional inspector Noureddin Khassal Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 St Paul’s Church of England is slightly larger than the average sized primary school.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in two part-time Nursery classes and, because of increased numbers, for the first time this year in two Reception classes.  More pupils than the national average speak English as an additional language.  Fewer pupils than average are supported through school action.  The proportion who are supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above the national average. Most of these pupils have specific learning difficulties or behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is similar to the national average.  The school meets the current government floor standards which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress.  There have been a number of teaching staff changes recently.

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Information about this school

 The school manages breakfast and after-school clubs.  The headteacher and senior leaders provide support to other local Church of England primary schools.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 By January 2013, ensure strategies are in place to enable pupils to systematically develop neat and fluent handwriting skills as they progress through the school.  By January 2013, improve the consistency with which children in the Early Years Foundation Stage have opportunities to learn and develop their skills in the outdoor spaces.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 All groups of pupils make good gains as they progress through the school. From entering the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills below those expected for their age, pupils’ attainment is broadly average by the end of Year 6.  Progress in handwriting skills is good but in some classes it is not as consistently good as it could be. In these classes, although pupils’ work is careful, presentation is not always neat because opportunities to practise fluent handwriting skills are more limited.  Children in the Nursery and Reception work and play well together and share resources readily. They enjoy working with staff. For example, children in a Reception class were observed practising writing their names with an adult. They confidently selected their own name card and concentrated hard as they copied the letters.  By the end of the Reception Year, attainment is close to average and improving, particularly in

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The achievement of pupils is good

reading and writing. Regular sessions on letter sounds (phonics) for children in Reception and for pupils in Years 1 and 2, help them to make good progress in reading and spelling. Daily independent reading in Years 3 to 6, and interesting books to choose, foster enthusiasm for reading in older pupils.  Pupils often achieve well because they are motivated by the demanding work they are given. Pupils in a literacy lesson observed thought carefully to include features of good quality writing and rich vocabulary when describing their experiences in an imaginary rainforest. In a mathematics lesson, pupils worked quickly in order to complete tasks within the limited time the teacher set.  Pupils known to be eligible for additional funds, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs keep up with their peers and do equally well. Pupils speaking English as an additional language develop their English and skills in other subjects quickly because they

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers use the information they have on pupils’ progress carefully to set work at the right level for pupils’ abilities. This also enables them to identify those who need additional support.  Teaching assistants usually contribute well to pupils’ learning in lessons, particularly during group and independent work. Occasionally, though, teachers’ planning is less clear how other adults should guide selected pupils’ learning during whole class teaching.  Relationships in lessons are warm and encouraging. Teachers plan frequent pair work and group activities that strengthen pupils’ social and teamwork skills.  Resources, including computers, are used skilfully to make explanations of new learning clear. For example, in a mathematics lesson, pupils enjoyed using models to compare flat and solid shapes.  Lessons usually set a good pace for pupils’ learning. Teachers set short time limits for activities

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The quality of teaching is good

to motivate pupils to start work as soon as possible in order to move on to the next task quickly. Just occasionally, teachers talk to the whole group for too long.  Feedback from teachers when they mark work makes it clear to pupils how to improve their literacy and numeracy skills. Together with personal targets, this helps pupils move rapidly up to the next level in their work. At the end of lessons, teachers encourage pupils to discuss the progress they have made and take responsibility for checking they have successfully completed tasks.  Daily reading, writing reviews of favourite books together with whole-school themed book days effectively promote the pleasure of reading. Writing regularly at length and a focus on problem- solving in mathematics help pupils achieve well in literacy and numeracy.  Pupils’ handwriting skills are not consistently promoted throughout the school. This means pupils’ presentation of their work is not always as neat as it could be.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are set work at the right level and receive individualised support from well-qualified staff and specialist therapists. Staff work with determination to provide the additional guidance they need to develop their literacy and numeracy, as well as personal and social skills.  English sessions for pupils speaking English as an additional language are adapted well to their language needs. They help them quickly develop skills in reading and writing. Extra funds for pupils at risk of underperforming are used effectively to enable them to benefit from additional English and mathematics teaching in small groups. Staff organise good opportunities for them to take responsibility for choosing activities for themselves, picking resources and tidying them away afterwards. However, opportunities to select activities in the outdoor spaces are not always

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils from diverse backgrounds get on well together. Their behaviour and attitudes make a good contribution to their own learning in lessons and the friendly atmosphere around the school. Sometimes, pupils need reminders from staff about the behaviour that is expected. They respond quickly when they are given additional guidance.  Parents and carers consider behaviour and safety to be good. In the online survey, almost all parents and carers were confident that their child feels safe at the school and most agreed that their child is happy there.  The inspection found that incidents of bullying are rare. Pupils say that there is some name- calling that is dealt with quickly by staff, as the school’s records confirm. Anti-bullying events, visitors from the local emergency services, and road and bicycle safety workshops all help pupils to develop a strong awareness of how to keep themselves safe from harm.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Older pupils enjoy helping the younger ones, for example as reading buddies. At the breakfast and after-school clubs, pupils are cheerful and welcoming and are quick to make new friends with pupils in other classes. Here, pupils’ social skills are also promoted well because there is a good variety of board games and other activities for them to share together.  Attendance is improving, although it remains broadly average overall. Celebration of the class with the highest attendance, and certificates for individual pupils with the best attendance each term and over the year help to underline the importance of regular attendance to the whole school community.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders, managers and the governing body and staff work closely as a team. They secure good quality teaching, interesting subject work for pupils to do and a wide variety of out-of-school activities, visits and clubs. For example, the school choir sings regularly in the local community and pupils in Years 5 and 6 have recently painted River Thames pictures in the open-air.  Monitoring of teaching and accurate evaluation of the school’s performance help the school’s leaders to identify the most appropriate priorities for improvement. Well-targeted training and other effective professional development for staff have helped maintain good teaching and pupils’ good achievement since the last inspection.  Increased phonics teaching and more opportunities for pupils to spend time reading and writing independently are successfully raising pupils’ achievement. The development of pupils’ handwriting is not as effective in training pupils to develop fluency and skills as they move up

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The leadership and management are good

through the school.  Leaders, managers and the governing body have managed the increase in the number of children in Reception classes effectively. Careful planning, including home visits by staff before children join the school, helps children in the Early Years Foundation Stage enjoy their time at school. However, learning activities in the outside areas are less consistently well planned to help children build their skills at an appropriate rate.  Senior leaders and governors ensure that extra money is used wisely to secure additional high quality teaching to develop pupils’ key skills. This is successful in helping all pupils at risk of not performing well to make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. All groups of pupils achieve well, reflecting the school’s success in tackling discrimination to ensure equality of opportunity.  The local authority provides light touch support for this good school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  benefits from a good awareness of the school’s strengths and areas in need of development to work closely with the school’s senior leaders on development planning  fulfils its role in managing the headteacher’s performance well  ensures statutory duties are met and manages the school’s finances well.

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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 102524 Local authority Hounslow Inspection number 402891

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 275 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Glenn Greene Headteacher Sandra James Date of previous school inspection 27 November 2007 Telephone number 020 8560 3297 Fax number 020 8758 9623 Email address office@stpauls.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

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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School details

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

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