Weston Park Primary School

Weston Park Primary School Denton Road, London, N8 9WP

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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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This is a good school

 The headteacher’s enthusiasm and strong leadership are bringing together an effective team, including governors, which is focused on ambitious targets for improvement.  The quality of teaching is consistently good. Leaders and managers at all levels are involved in sharing good practice so that teaching continues to get better.  Systems for tracking pupils’ progress are effective and used consistently by leaders and managers across the school.  Pupils achieve well and their attainment in mathematics at the end of Year 6 is high.  The curriculum is broad and enriches pupils’ learning through a wide range of activities, including the management of the tuck shop for all pupils by Year 5 pupils.  The school is a welcoming place, relationships are good and parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school and their involvement in the education of their children.  Pupils feel safe, behave well and enjoy coming

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough pupils, including the most able, are making more than the expected progress, especially in English.  Teachers do not use assessment information consistently to plan tasks and activities for reading and writing that challenge all pupils and give opportunities for them to use and apply their skills across subjects.  Marking is not always linked to pupils’ targets and pupils do not have enough opportunities to respond to their teacher’s suggestions for improvement.  Monitoring and evaluation activities do not focus well enough on the key priorities for improvement.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in all classes, visiting 14 part-lessons and observing all teachers.  Discussions were held with the headteacher and other leaders and managers, representatives of the governing body and the local authority, and pupils.  The inspection team looked at a range of documents, including the school’s development plan, minutes of meetings of the governing body, safeguarding arrangements and work in children’s books.  Inspectors took account of the views of parents and carers at the beginning and end of the school day, as well as those of the 58 parents and carers who contributed to the on-line Parent View survey.

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Inspection team

Jennifer Barker, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Gareth Williams Additional Inspector Sibani Raychaudhuri Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized one-form entry primary school, with two classes in Reception.  The headteacher and the Chair of the Governing Body have changed since the previous inspection.  The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding, which provides additional resources for looked after children and pupils eligible for free school meals, is below average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and who speak English as an additional language is broadly average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is very low, but is broadly average for those supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs. An increasing number of pupils have difficulties across the autistic spectrum.  A few pupils attend an off-site specialist dyslexia school for two half days a week.

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Information about this school

 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?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching, especially to raise achievement in English, by:  ensuring that teachers use assessment information consistently to plan work for all groups of pupils more precisely so that a greater proportion of pupils make more than the expected progress  improving the quality of marking so that pupils are given clear feedback on how well they are doing which is linked to their own targets and next steps for improvement, with opportunities to respond to this and make corrections  developing a range of resources and activities that involve pupils more fully in lessons and to use and apply their skills across different subjects.  Ensure that the monitoring and evaluation undertaken by leaders and managers, including governors, are sharply focused on the key priorities in the school development plan, with clear milestones for review that are linked to the impact of teaching and any intervention strategies

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achieve well in lessons and, as a result, their progress across the school is good. Children start school in the Nursery with a range of skills and experiences that are typical for their age. They make good progress throughout their time at the school and their attainment is above average in English and mathematics when they leave at the end of Year 6.  Standards are particularly high in mathematics and many pupils make better progress than expected from their starting points, with some reaching very high levels.  Standards in English are above average, but pupils’ progress in reading and writing is less secure across the school. These aspects are taught well, but there are missed opportunities for pupils to apply their skills purposefully across a range of subjects. As a result, not enough pupils make better progress than that expected of them.  The most-able pupils are not challenged well enough in all classes. Tasks and activities do not

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The achievement of pupils is good

always involve them in extending their ideas through collaboration and finding out information for themselves. Consequently, the progress for this group is variable across the school.  The linking of letters and the sounds they make (phonics) is taught effectively through a structured programme, with interventions in place for those at risk of underachieving. As a result, younger pupils make good progress in reading, use their skills to break down unknown words and read with fluency and understanding. Older pupils read well, but they have fewer opportunities to use their reading skills in lessons or to extend them through reading more challenging texts.  Support staff are deployed well by teachers, and ensure that pupils remain on task in whole- class teaching and when working in groups. As a result, the learning and progress of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are good. They are not better than this as

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The achievement of pupils is good

sometimes there is an over reliance on the support available, and tasks and activities are not broken down enough to enable these pupils to develop their skills of working independently.  Pupil premium funding is used effectively to provide enrichment opportunities for pupils eligible for this support, including a breakfast club and a wide range of trips and visits. Additional specialist provision is also in place for pupils with specific learning difficulties, which they attend for two half days a week. These pupils are already making better progress as a result, and this link provides access to specialist assessment and the development of appropriate support in lessons.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is consistently good across the school. Occasionally it is outstanding, but there is not enough outstanding teaching to enable pupils to make the rapid and sustained progress necessary to raise standards even further.  Teachers plan lessons that engage and interest pupils well. They have good subject knowledge and use a range of ways during lessons to check pupils’ understanding. Misunderstandings are picked up, as seen, for example, in a mathematics lesson when a teacher explained a clock face again to the pupils, getting them to think about what was wrong and to discuss this in pairs and work it out for themselves. They then fed their ideas back to the class.  Assessment information is used well in the regular meetings held to discuss pupils’ progress. Any pupils falling behind are quickly picked up, and teachers focus on these pupils in lessons to ensure they catch up. However, teachers do not always plan tasks and activities that engage

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The quality of teaching is good

and challenge pupils, or ensure that the work is matched to their starting points and targets for improvement. As a result, the most-able pupils are not sufficiently challenged, with missed opportunities for collaborative work in learning for themselves.  Children’s behaviour and attitudes to learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage are good. Activities are well planned, both indoors and outside, and some high quality learning takes place through children’s interaction with adults and the opportunities for writing and using numbers through role play. For instance, the setting up of an emergency call centre provided excellent opportunities for speaking and listening, as well as recording information in pictures and marks and developing children’s imagination and social skills.  Teachers mark work regularly and make positive comments as well as suggestions for improvement. However, these are not linked well enough to individual pupils’ targets and next

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The quality of teaching is good

steps for learning. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to respond to these comments, or to correct their work and practise their skills.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is generally good. Pupils are eager to learn and have positive relationships with adults. They get on well with each other and discuss their work well in lessons. When teachers speak for too long before engaging pupils in activities, however, a few pupils become restless. Parents and carers are in agreement that behaviour is good at the school.  Older pupils enjoy taking responsibility, for example as peer mediators and in running the school tuck shop. This also prepares them well for the future as it develops their financial skills in working out budgets. They enjoy taking part in a wide range of activities at break times, including the use of a climbing wall, scooters, small bikes and skipping.  Pupils know about different types of bullying, such as cyber bullying and racist name calling, and understand that these are wrong. School logs and records confirm the pupils’ views that bullying

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

is infrequent and that, if they do have a concern, adults sort it out quickly. As a result, they and their parents and carers are very confident that the school is a safe place.  The school’s approaches to improving behaviour are effective. A number of pupils who have transferred from other schools with a range of challenging behaviours are guided and supported well and make good progress. Opportunities for pupils to think and reflect on their behaviour, for instance in an assembly, and of their own role in taking responsibility in changing their behaviour towards others, are continuing themes across the school.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are included fully in the life of the school and close links with families ensure these pupils are well supported.  Attendance is average overall. Leaders’ sharp focus on improving attendance and their work with the families of those who are most often absent are having a positive effect.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s high expectations, and the robust systems for tracking pupils’ progress used by all staff, are driving improvement. The consistent quality of good teaching and the increasingly effective governing body put the school in a strong position to improve further.  Monitoring and evaluation through the analysis of pupils’ work and lesson observations are linked to improvements in teaching. Leaders at all levels, including the headteacher, are good role models for improving professional standards in teaching through coaching, mentoring and sharing good practice, and the linked targets set for performance management.  Funding through the pupil premium is used well to provide a range of enrichment activities for pupils, including a breakfast club and a variety of school trips. The innovative links with a school for children with dyslexia provide effective specialist teaching off site for some of these pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum emphasises the development of basic skills, particularly in mathematics, with strengths in Key Stage 1 and at the upper end of the school where pupils are placed in groups according to their ability. Pupils have good opportunities to develop their social skills across the curriculum through discussion of their work and during the Wednesday afternoon sessions when they learn together with pupils from different age groups.  Displays around the school and in classrooms show the broad range of opportunities for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, including strengths in enhancing their cultural understanding through the study of music and different faiths and cultures, such as Buddhism. There are strong links to a school in India, with reciprocal visits by staff, which enrich a wider understanding of the world.  The governance of the school  Despite recent changes to the governing body, governors have an accurate view of the school

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The leadership and management are good

and are in the process of reviewing policies, updating the website and undertaking further training to increase their capacity further. They are fully aware of the way the pupil premium funding is being used to support pupils and know from the data that gaps with other groups of pupils are narrowing. Termly reports ensure that governors know about the progress of different groups of pupils, but opportunities for challenge and review are not linked closely enough to the key priorities in the school development plan. The governors ensure that there is a close match between how well staff are paid and pupils’ achievement. Governors have ensured that the procedures for safeguarding pupils and promoting equality of opportunity are fully in place.

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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 102130 Local authority Haringey Inspection number 402873

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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 287 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Peter Baran Headteacher Nic Hunt Date of previous school inspection 13−14 May 2008 Telephone number 020 8347 5000 Fax number 020 8348 5500 Email address office@westonpark.haringey.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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