Queen's Park Primary School

Queen’s Park Primary School Droop Street, London, W10 4DQ

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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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  School leaders, backed by a strong team of teachers and other staff, have ensured that standards in writing are above average and that standards in reading and mathematics are at least average and rising over time.  Most teaching is good. Pupils are clear about what they are expected to learn and work is set at the right level to meet their needs.  The way subjects are taught is exciting and well planned and meets the needs of all pupils very well.  Extra mathematics and literacy activities are provided for pupils who need extra support and this is contributing to rising standards.  Pupils enjoy school. Their behaviour in lessons and around school is good. Their attendance is improving and now average.  Support staff, who work with pupils in need of additional help, are making a strong contribution to rising standards.  The governing body holds the school robustly to account for its performance and its

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The proportion of outstanding teaching is not high enough.  Although test results in mathematics have improved overall, not as many pupils are exceeding national expectations as they are in English.  In mathematics, teachers do not always set harder work for groups of pupils and individuals as soon as they are ready within mathematics lessons.  Not enough opportunities are provided for pupils to find things out for themselves and to work on their own.  There are missed opportunities for pupils to reflect and act on their teachers’ marking and guidance to make the necessary improvements.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 18 lessons, three of which were joint observations carried out with the headteacher. Inspectors also carried out a series of short visits to other lessons across the school, observed two assemblies and listened to children read.  Meetings were held with staff, pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and other members, and a representative from the local authority. Inspectors took account of the 13 responses to the on- line Parent View questionnaire as well as the views of parents they met.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation, including national test results and the school’s own information about pupils’ achievement, the school’s self-evaluation, improvement plans, safeguarding policies and records and documents relating to performance management.

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Inspection team

Lesley Leak, Lead inspector Additional Inspector George Long Additional Inspector David Gutmann Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 This is an average-sized primary school.  Just under 60% of pupils are known to be eligible for additional funding through the pupil premium. This proportion is much higher than the national average.  The majority of pupils attending this school are from ethnic minority groups and speak English as an additional language. Many of these pupils do not speak English before they come to school.  The proportions of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is about 10%. Just over 12% of pupils are supported at school action plus, or have a statement of special educational needs. These proportions are high compared to national averages.  The school meets the current government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The current headteacher took up his post shortly before the inspection took place.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Secure outstanding teaching by:  making sure that all pupils are given more opportunities to respond to teachers’ marking and feedback  giving pupils more chances to work on their own and to find to find things out for themselves.  Bring mathematics up to the same level as in writing by ensuring that teachers enable pupils to move on to harder work as soon as they can in lessons, so that they gain a better mathematical understanding more quickly.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the school with skills well below those normally found for their age and make good progress by the time they leave Reception. The proportion reaching or exceeding the expected level of skills development by the end of the Reception Year has risen and is now slightly below the national average.  Overall, attainment is broadly average at the end of both key stages, with a particularly sharp rise seen in test results in 2012. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils achieve standards above those found nationally in English, especially in writing, as a result of good teaching. For example, pupils made especially good progress in a Year 3 English lesson, where they wrote powerful descriptive words that reflected all of the five senses, in setting the scene for a story.  Pupils’ progress throughout the school has improved since the last inspection. Pupils’ work and the school’s current records of their progress show that many pupils exceed national

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The achievement of pupils is good

expectations. Pupils’ progress in reading and mathematics is on a rising trend.  Although the results of the phonics check for six-year-olds in 2012 demonstrate broadly average reading skills, this situation is improving and pupils are achieving higher standards.  There is an improving picture of progress for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, many of whom consistently reach standards that exceed national averages, as a result of the school’s carefully planned and well delivered additional help and support.  The achievement of pupils from minority ethnic groups has improved over time since the last inspection, with those for whom English is an additional language regularly exceeding national expectations in English and mathematics, as a result of the school’s highly effective support.  Pupils eligible for support under the pupil premium initiative are making more progress in English

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The achievement of pupils is good

and mathematics when compared with similar pupils nationally. This is because funding has been properly spent on meeting the needs of identified pupils through additional support and other small group activities in English and mathematics.  Average point score data show that pupils eligible for free school meals are closing the gap rapidly with others and doing better than similar pupils nationally.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The school has worked successfully to improve the quality of teaching since the last inspection and has raised teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve. Teaching over time is now good with some outstanding elements, especially in English.  The quality of teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage has improved since the last inspection. The outside area has been developed and pupils benefit from high quality learning experiences. The school has developed many good opportunities for pupils to increase their language and numeracy skills. For example, some children thoroughly enjoyed enacting the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and, through the activity, they not only improved their counting skills but they learned about measuring as well.  The teaching of reading and writing is consistently effective and leads to good achievement, particularly for those pupils who speak English as an additional language. Teachers are highly

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The quality of teaching is good

successful at developing pupils’ skills across a range of different subjects. They ensure there is a good range of opportunities to write for many purposes, such as the recently successful current affairs project, where pupils wrote letters to the Prime Minister, giving their views on cruelty to animals.  The teaching of reading is improving because of the way that phonics (the sounds that letters make) is closely linked to writing, alongside a strong emphasis on reading for meaning. Pupils are developing their vocabulary and improving their spelling more quickly. Many parents have been trained by the school on how to help their children read at home and any pupils who are falling behind in their reading are given extra support at school.  The teaching of mathematics is improving because teachers set work that is better matched to the abilities of all their pupils and any pupils who are falling behind are given additional support.

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The quality of teaching is good

As a result, gaps in their achievement are narrowing, particularly for the more able pupils.  Teachers deploy additional adults well. Adults who support pupils with disabilities and those with special educational needs, as well as those for whom English is an additional language, make a strong contribution to pupils’ learning and progress because they are well briefed on how to get the best out the pupils in their charge.  Marking and assessment of pupils’ work are regular and consistently good. Teachers frequently provide useful guidance about how pupils can improve their work, but sometimes pupils do not respond to this. Pupils are not yet as good as they could be at finding out things for themselves and working independently.  In mathematics, teachers do not always use their checking of pupils’ understanding, during lessons, to make sure pupils who are ready to move on in their learning, progress as fast as they

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour in lessons and around school is consistently good. Pupils say they are happy and that they feel safe.  Pupils have good social skills. They participate enthusiastically in activities and are confident, articulate speakers. Always very respectful and considerate to each other, they learn well together.  Pupils are fully aware of all forms of bullying. They say it is uncommon but that when it does happen the school deals with it swiftly. Pupils take responsibility for the way they behave and consider their actions carefully. They are appreciative of the school’s efforts to support them with this and say that knowing they can meet confidentially with the school’s counsellor, to talk through any problems they may be experiencing with relationships, helps them a lot.  Weekly assemblies are used effectively by the school to encourage and reinforce good behaviour, such as treating one another respectfully and knowing right from wrong.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school has a clear behaviour policy, of which pupils are fully aware and, as a result, exclusions are very rare.  Pupils enjoy school and as a result their attendance is now average and improving.  Nearly all the parents who responded to the on-line survey agree that their children feel safe in school, that the school ensures that pupils are well behaved, and that it deals effectively with bullying.

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The leadership and management are good

 The previous headteacher, together with her middle leaders and senior staff, has led and managed the school well over time. The team has established good systems which have resulted in pupils’ better learning and progress. A strong team of teachers work well together as a result of good training and support to raise standards for all pupils.  The new headteacher, who had been in post for twelve days at the time of this inspection, is in the process of identifying and building on the school’s strengths as well as recognising areas for development to move the school further forward.  Middle leaders have shown teachers and other adults how to plan for activities which meet the needs of all pupils. This has led to improvements in the quality of teaching.  The Early Years Foundation Stage is well led and managed. Pupils enter the Nursery class with skills well below those usually found for their age and, as a result of better teaching, make good

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The leadership and management are good

progress in many areas including social, mathematical and language skills.  Central to the picture of improvement is the school’s clear view of its own strengths and weaknesses and the investment in the accurate assessment of pupils’ achievement. Pupils who are at risk of falling behind are given good quality extra support and help by well trained staff who are carefully briefed on how to meet their needs.  Systems for managing the performance of staff are rigorous and appropriately linked to checking the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress.  The school’s policies on reading and writing have ensured that high standards in writing are sustained over time and that standards in reading are rising.  The way subjects and topics are taught is exciting because of the variety of resources and cultural activities which are used to enhance learning. The pupils say how much they enjoy the music and art classes, as well as the wide range of interesting clubs on offer after school, and

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The leadership and management are good

the many chances to participate in exciting educational visits and trips.  There are many opportunities for pupils across the school to participate in activities that promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Pupils’ communication skills are strong and the pupils enjoy talking with each other about important issues. They are taught about different faiths in religious education lessons and they have good opportunities for moral and spiritual reflection in assemblies.  The local authority has judged it correctly that it did not need to provide this good school with additional help and guidance since its last inspection.  The governance of the school: – The governing body has strengthened its membership since the previous inspection. Members know how well their school performs in comparison with other similar schools and pay close attention to the way leaders check on the quality of teaching. The governing body has had

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The leadership and management are good

relevant training to enable it to keep the school’s performance under constant review. Its members are very clear about what is going well and where the school could do better. They know how the pupil premium is being used and are rightly proud of the difference it is making in narrowing the gap in pupils’ achievement. This demonstrates the school’s effective promotion of equal opportunities, and its determination to tackle any form of discrimination. The governing body has developed strong links with parents to find out their views of the school and to widen parental engagement. The school fulfils all is statutory duties including those relating to safeguarding. The governing body holds leaders to account for the management of staff, to ensure that any pay rises and promotions are linked to good teaching, and for managing its finances so that the budget is balanced.

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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 101120 Local authority Westminster Inspection number 400455

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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 320 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Christian Percy Headteacher Jonathan Smith Date of previous school inspection 11–12 May 2010 Telephone number 020 76415860 Fax number 020 76415826 Email address head@queenspark.co.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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