Perivale Primary School

Perivale Primary School Federal Road, Perivale, UB6 7AP

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 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

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils’ achievement has improved over the last three years and is now good because teaching is good and lessons are more interesting, enjoyable and practical.  Senior leaders, including governors, have secured these improvements and sustained the momentum for further improvement.  Standards are rising in reading, writing and mathematics. A higher proportion of pupils are reaching the higher levels in mathematics than was previously the case.  Pupils enjoy coming to school, behave well, and feel valued and safe. Pupils say that the school helps to develop their confidence and it is a comfortable and homely place.  The highly effective leadership of the headteacher has created a vibrant place where pupils want to learn and succeed.  Significant improvements have been made in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in communication between the school and parents and carers.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There are not enough pupils achieving the higher levels in reading and writing.  Pupils’ handwriting and spelling are not yet good enough.  Sometimes pupils are not given enough time to work independently without the teacher.  Newly appointed team leaders about to be appointed do not yet have a training programme in place to develop their skills.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 22 lessons and 17 teachers. Teaching assistants were observed with small groups. Five lessons were jointly observed with the headteacher and deputy headteacher.  Inspectors took account of the 12 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View). Inspectors spoke to a number of parents and carers during the course of the inspection and took into account the school’s recent survey with parents and carers and analysed 18 staff questionnaires.  Discussions were held with two groups of pupils, staff and governors, and a telephone conversation was held with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors looked at a number of documents, including the school’s learning improvement plan, governing body reports, the school’s own data on pupils’ current progress, documents relating to safeguarding and records relating to behaviour and attendance.

p.2

Inspection team

Sharona Semlali, Lead inspector Additional inspector Andrew Markham Additional inspector John Collins Additional inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is almost double the size of an average primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is slightly lower than that found nationally. This is additional funding to support, among others, pupils entitled to fee school meals.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is high. The main languages are: Arabic, Tamil, English, Gujarati and Urdu.  Most pupils are from a wide range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The main ethnic groups in the school are pupils of Indian, Pakistani and Any other Asian heritage.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs supported at school action is low.  The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is slightly lower than that found in the rest of the country.  The school currently meets the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum

p.3

Information about this school

expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  There have been significant changes to the senior leadership team and to the teaching staff since the previous inspection.  The headteacher was appointed in April 2011 and the deputy headteacher started in September 2012.  The school has achieved the Healthy Schools award and the Get Set Olympic and Sustainable Level 3 awards.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The Hungry Caterpillars runs a breakfast and after-school club for pupils.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the achievement of the more able pupils in reading and writing by: - consolidating the various initiatives to improve reading to ensure that there is a consistent approach that builds pupils’ skills as they progress through the school - ensuring that there is a consistent approach across the school to the teaching of handwriting - ensuring that teachers’ assessment supports pupils in improving their spelling.  Improve the quality of teaching from good to outstanding by ensuring that lessons are not too teacher-dominated and that pupils have frequent opportunities to work independently.  Improve the impact of leadership and management by enhancing the skills of newly appointed team leaders, once appointed, through training to enable them to contribute fully to ensuring that pupils achieve at a high level in all subjects.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage. They join with skills that are well below the levels typical for their age. By the time they leave at the end of Year 6 attainment is broadly average in reading and writing and is slightly above average in mathematics. This shows they achieve well from their starting points.  The school has had a strong focus on improving mathematics. As a result, pupils now have good opportunities to develop their investigation skills in a practical way and through using different types of software programs, for example, to improve their mental calculations. They enjoy the challenge of solving different types of problems. This was seen in a successful Year 2 lesson, for example, where pupils were asked to investigate and develop their understanding of the mathematical terms, ‘array’ and ‘groups of’ through a practical and exciting way.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make a good start in developing their writing skills,

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

for example, by playing and manipulating dough to make letters of the alphabet. They are also very proud of having their own writing books. Throughout the rest of the school pupils sustain their good progress through being encouraged to write about things that are meaningful and are of great interest to them. However, the presentation of pupils’ handwriting and their spelling are not always of a high enough standard.  Pupils also make good progress in reading, aided by the school’s recent emphasis on developing a ‘reading culture’. As part of this initiative pupils in Years 3 and 4 are piloting a reading project to help improve their comprehension skills. Here, pupils use a small laptop device called a ‘neo’ to complete a fun and competitive quiz about the book they have read. Their parents and carers are shown how they can help to develop their child’s reading in a workshop session. So far these

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

pupils are doing extremely well in developing their skills in understanding what they have read.  Pupils acquire a good knowledge of letters and sounds and use this to read any unfamiliar words. Most pupils use the school’s library and attend their local public library too. At the time of the inspection children in the Nursery were reading ‘We are going on a Bear Hunt’ and the outside climbing frame was changed into a cave in which the children loved exploring and acting out the story.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language, disabled pupils, those with special educational needs, those eligible for the pupil premium and those who join the school at different times make good progress in all subjects because of the quality support that they receive. This includes good individual and small-group support as part of the emphasis on developing reading skills. These groups are effectively closing the gaps with all pupils nationally.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 A lot of work has been undertaken to improve the quality of teaching, which is now good overtime. As a result, pupils thoroughly enjoy learning.  Teachers carefully use the information that they have about the pupils to inform their planning. This makes sure that pupils are doing work that is at their correct level.  Teachers are good at using questioning to probe pupils’ thinking. This was seen in a Year 6 lesson, for example, where pupils were actively engaged in describing a ‘recent vacation event’ with their partner. The teacher’s skilful questioning helped them to think more deeply about the answers they were giving to each other.  Pupils are encouraged to be actively involved in their learning through, for example, discussing their answers and views in pairs and small groups. This was seen in a Year 1 science lesson where the pupils were asked to discuss which where the best surfaces to race a car and talk

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

about ‘What is a fair test?’ However, occasionally pupils are not given enough time to work independently because teachers’ explanations are sometimes too long.  Although marking in pupils’ books is very detailed and clearly lets them know how well they are doing and what they need to do to make further improvements in most areas, there is not enough emphasis on highlighting spelling errors and how to improve spelling.  The teaching of handwriting is not fully effective because of the lack of a whole-school approach. Consequently, standards of presentation are not always good enough.  Disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language benefit from having high-quality help and assistance by experienced teachers and teaching assistants who work with them in smaller groups. Work is carefully matched to their abilities and needs. This was demonstrated in an outstanding Year 6 lesson

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

where the teacher worked in partnership with the teaching assistant enabling all pupils to fully understand the importance of a ‘subject’ and a ‘verb’ in a sentence.  Pupils eligible for the pupil premium benefit from having small-group and individual tuition with experienced teachers in mathematics and literacy. This helps them to make as much progress as other pupils.  Children enjoy learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage because teachers have: - created stimulating, bright and fun areas for learning - ensured that these areas are rich in language and number - linked activities closely to the curriculum being followed - given the children the time to independently explore their own ideas.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well and are proud of their school. They are very polite and friendly. Pupils respect other people and act sensibly around the school. Most parents and carers and pupils are positive about their behaviour.  Behaviour in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good too. Children play well together and are good at sharing their toys and resources.  A consistent behaviour system is in place and pupils clearly understand it.  Pupils play an active part in helping out and taking on responsibilities. They chose and elected their own head boy and head girl who meet and greet visitors, chair the school council meetings and have just helped the senior leadership team to decide ‘what a good teacher is’. Other roles pupils have include playground and reading buddies; they help to improve reading skills and to make sure that individuals are not alone and enjoy their playtimes.  Pupils feel safe and most parents and carers agree that their children are safe. They have a

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

good understanding of the different ways of keeping themselves safe such as how to use the internet and cross the road safely.  Pupils clearly understand what is meant by bullying and do not feel that it is an issue in school. They explained to inspectors that they were learning about ‘anti-bullying’ and exploring reasons why people try to bully others. School documentation shows that bullying is rare but when it does happen it is typically in the form of name calling.  Pupils enjoy coming to school. They are keen and eager to learn. The school regularly checks how well all pupils are attending every day, which has helped to improve their attendance.  The Hungry Caterpillars breakfast and after-school club offers a healthy meal to pupils. Children enjoy attending and making different friendships there.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 The excellent leadership of the headteacher has been a key factor in improving the quality of teaching and raising achievement. Senior leadership has been further strengthened this term by the appointment of a new, experienced deputy headteacher.  Together, these senior leaders promote shared values very effectively, for example ‘diversity and harmony’. This is seen throughout the school by the way in which children from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds play and work together.  The structure of the leadership team is changing, with an emphasis on developing more shared leadership. New team leaders are in the process of of being appointed and will undertake a joining programme , but as yet there it is not in place to support them in helping to ensure that pupils achieve their best in their subjects.  The quality of teaching has significantly improved. Teachers and teaching assistants have

p.5

The leadership and management are good

challenging targets that are linked to improving the quality of their teaching. Senior leaders have helped to improve teaching by working alongside the teachers. Teachers have had the opportunities to watch outstanding practice in other schools. Newly qualified teachers are given good support. The senior team closely checks the quality of teaching on a regular basis.  The school has significantly improved and changed the curriculum, although there is not yet a whole-school approach to the teaching of handwriting. Pupils find the curriculum to be more fun, interesting and meaningful. For example, older pupils studied different types of chocolate using their different senses for a ‘Willy Wonka’ topic; also pupils enjoy ‘privilege time’ on Fridays where they attend a club of their choice as part of their reward. School photographs show how the curriculum is giving pupils more exciting and practical experiences. The curriculum teaches them

p.6

The leadership and management are good

how to live healthily and the school has gained three awards in recognition of this aspect of its work.  Following a successful focus on mathematics, the school is now promoting the development of a ‘reading culture’ through a variety of initiatives.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well, for example, through ‘thinking time’ in assemblies and through the strong emphasis on different cultures in the displays and resources all around the school.  Communication with parents and carers has dramatically improved. A fortnightly newsletter is given out to them. A parents’ and carers’ forum has been set up. They meet every half term to give their opinions on how the school can be improved. Also, parents and carers are invited to attend and request workshops on a variety of topics every week, so they can further support their children with their learning. This helps to strengthen good relationships between the

p.6

The leadership and management are good

different groups of parents and carers from a variety of communities.  The school does not tolerate any form of discrimination. It has helped to promote equality of opportunity by recruiting staff that reflect the local community and some of the parents and carers of the children are employed by the school. It has also ensured that pupils from all backgrounds achieve well.  All safeguarding procedures and practices are fully in place to help pupils stay safe in school.  The local authority provides light touch support for this good school.  The governance of the school: The governing body has a clear view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. It fully understands the data and information that it has about the school and provides the right balance between supporting the school and holding leaders to account for its performance. Members of the governing body come into the school regularly to find out how well the school is

p.6

The leadership and management are good

doing. This is then reported back to the full governing body. It has kept a close eye on the quality of teaching as this has been the main area for improvement. Governors only allow teachers to be rewarded financially if their pupils make good progress. Governors are not afraid of tackling any weaknesses, as they have had to do so in the past. The performance management of the headteacher is firmly in place. Governors have an excellent understanding and overview of the budget. They are fully involved in deciding how the funding for the pupil premium is going to be spent and assess whether it is making any difference for the pupils.

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 101906 Local authority Ealing Inspection number 404790

p.8

School details

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

p.8

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 465 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Philip Young Headteacher Sarah Wilson Date of previous school inspection 15–16 September 2010 Telephone number 020 88105267 Fax number 020 89979619 Email address admin@perivale.ealing.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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

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’.

p.9

School details

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

p.9