Essendine Primary School

Essendine Primary School Essendine Road, London, W9 2LR

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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.  This is a good and rapidly improving school, well led by the headteacher, and supported by governors who challenge the school effectively.  All leaders and managers have a shared ambition for raising standards.  Teaching is improving rapidly, with some of a very high quality. As a result, pupils progress well in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils’ progress is regularly checked and a range of additional programmes and support is in place for those who begin to fall behind, so that they quickly catch up.  Pupils are polite, courteous and respectful. Good relationships in lessons and around the school contribute well to rising standards.  Pupils are enthusiastic about their work across a wide range of subjects. They enjoy the range of experiences and activities which contribute to their good progress.  Marking systems are used well by teachers. They link to pupils’ targets and next steps for

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

improvement, with opportunities for pupils to respond to teachers’ comments and practise their skills to improve their work.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough pupils make outstanding progress.  Teachers and support staff do not work together well enough to plan and modify tasks and activities, particularly for lower achieving pupils to accelerate their learning.  Teachers do not always use assessment effectively in lessons in order to extend work for the most able so that achievement is rapid.  Home learning activities are not always appropriate or linked to extending learning across subjects.  Communication with parents and carers is not systematic enough so that they are clear about how well their children are doing.  There are not enough opportunities for parents and carers to be involved in understanding the curriculum and how they can help their children with homework tasks.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in all classes, visiting 20 part lessons, observing most teachers.  Discussions were held with the headteacher and other leaders and managers, members of the governing body, an officer from the local authority, and pupils.  The inspection team looked at a range of documents, including the school’s website, self- evaluation and development plan, minutes of meetings of the governing body, safeguarding arrangements and work in children’s books. They also heard pupils read.  Inspectors took account of the views of parents and carers at the beginning of the school day, as well as those of the 12 parents and carers who responded to the Ofsted on-line questionnaire, Parent View. A number reported finding it difficult to use the technology to complete the questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Jennifer Barker, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jan Gough Additional Inspector George Long Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The current headteacher took up the post in June 2012, following the retirement of the previous headteacher in December 2011. The deputy headteacher acted as headteacher in the interim.  The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding, which provides additional resources for looked after children, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children of service families, is well above average. There are no children who are looked after or come from service families in this school.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is well above average and the proportion who speak English as an additional language is also higher than average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is above the national average, as is the proportion of those supported through

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Information about this school

school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  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 achievement so that more pupils make outstanding progress by:  ensuring teachers regularly assess pupils’ learning during lessons, adapt tasks and challenge the highest achieving pupils to extend their learning  developing the skills of teachers and support staff so that low attaining pupils and those with disabilities and special educational needs have tasks and activities that are modified and linked more closely to individuals’ starting points and the development of vocabulary in different subjects  planning home learning tasks that are always appropriate, linked to pupils’ targets and extend independent learning across subjects.  Ensure that opportunities for communication with parents and carers are systematic and effective, so that they have a greater understanding of what pupils are learning about and the progress they are making, in order to help their children more effectively.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and understanding below the expectations for their age. The majority of children make good progress and achieve in line with their peers nationally.  The trend in attainment at the end of Year 6 is broadly average in reading and mathematics, but lower in writing.  Good teaching seen across Key Stage 1 ensures that there has been rapid progress in English and mathematics since September 2012. Staff are well trained in delivering phonics (the linking of letters and sounds) systematically. Regular and accurate assessment shows that pupils are using these skills well and making good progress in reading and writing, giving them an effective start for the future.  Good progress continues across Key Stage 2. Pupils have daily teaching sessions to improve their grammar and spelling. They are involved in correcting and assessing their own and others’

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The achievement of pupils is good

work, and this improves their writing overall.  Additional funding for pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium is used well for staff training, the development of information and communication technology (ICT) with additional laptops and learning programmes, and additional teaching support so that group sizes are reduced. Consequently, these pupils reach standards above those of other pupils in the school in English and mathematics, as measured by their average point scores at the end of Key Stage 2.  A range of additional support programmes for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs ensures their literacy, numeracy and social and listening skills develop well. However, teachers and support staff do not regularly use information to plan suitable tasks for these and other low attaining pupils to ensure they make rapid progress in lessons. Teachers do not always use assessment during lessons to adapt tasks, particularly for high attaining pupils, to ensure

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The achievement of pupils is good

they make outstanding progress.  Pupils who are from ethnic minorities and speak English as an additional language are making good progress across the school. The strong emphasis from when they enter Nursery and throughout the school on developing their speaking and listening skills, particularly through interaction with adults, ensures they make good progress in English and mathematics.  The good progress made by all groups of pupils shows that discrimination is not tolerated and there are equal opportunities for all pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is rapidly improving, with a high proportion of good and better teaching and some that is outstanding. This was seen in all subjects, including music and physical education which is taught by specialists. As a result, progress is accelerating and pupils have many opportunities to use their reading, writing and mathematics skills across subjects.  The range of teaching activities ensures that there is a good pace in lessons. Teachers interact well with pupils and good questioning and well-focused discussions contribute to good and better progress. In a series of lessons about the Titanic, pupils were involved in role play, watched video clips of passengers and explored the different feelings and experiences of first and third class passengers when boarding the ship and when it hit the iceberg. As a result, pupils’ progress in writing was good, with meaningful opportunities to write in a range of styles,

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The quality of teaching is good

in this case, a message in a bottle.  High quality teaching in mathematics is led expertly by teachers who have good subject knowledge. Consequently, pupils are enthusiastic about mathematics, are making good and better progress with some working at very high levels. This ensures they are well prepared for their future.  However, although overall teaching is good and improving, not enough pupils make outstanding progress. Teachers do not always use assessment in lessons as effectively as they could in order to extend the highest achieving pupils. Opportunities are missed for pupils to research and develop ideas further through home learning, as tasks are not linked well enough to the work pupils are doing across subjects.  Marking is developing well and the links between pupils’ targets and teachers’ comments ensure that pupils are clear about what they have to do next in order to improve. Opportunities to

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The quality of teaching is good

respond to marking are regular and, as a result, pupils correct their mistakes and sort out misconceptions.  Generally, lower achieving pupils and those with disabilities and special educational needs are supported well in class. However, although there are opportunities for teachers and support staff to discuss planning, tasks and activities are not always modified and broken down well enough from pupils’ starting points. For instance, opportunities to use support such as writing frames and vocabulary lists are missed. This hinders pupils from making even better progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 This is a welcoming school, with harmonious relationships between staff and pupils across all cultures. Pupils know how to behave well through a whole school approach, developed with them and focused on ‘being responsible, safe, resilient and respectful’. A consistent approach to rewards and sanctions has contributed to the rapid improvements in behaviour around the school and attitudes to learning in lessons.  The development of playground equipment and activities and the interaction with adults ensure that pupils play well together. Rewards, including trips and opportunities for pupils to have tea, provided by other pupils, are valued.  Pupils attend regularly and enjoy their lessons, engaging in the wide range of activities which involve them in discussing their work. They feel safe and trust that adults will help them if they have any problems.  They understand a range of different kinds of bullying and say there is no racism in school. They

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

know how to keep themselves safe from cyber bullying, and the school provides support through additional training, for example for safer cycling.  However, behaviour is not outstanding as opportunities to deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe are less well developed.

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The leadership and management are good

 The excellent dynamic and hands-on approach of the headteacher has led to rapid improvements in teaching and raising achievement across the school. Her deep understanding of the curriculum and precise analysis of next steps for development planning have quickly changed the culture through a cycle of continuing development to one where ambition and commitment to pupils’ progress are the main focus. As a result, leaders and managers at all levels, including governors, focus well as a team on improving teaching and raising standards.  Local authority support has been particularly helpful in developing the skills of middle leaders and the teaching of mathematics, so that the school is one that is self-improving.  Parents, carers, staff and pupils commented on the dramatic improvement in behaviour since the arrival of the headteacher, and in particular the much calmer entry to the school in the mornings

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The leadership and management are good

following changes in procedure. The use of texting for day-to-day communication is helpful to parents and carers. However, some raised concerns about the lack of regular contact with the school concerning the progress of their children, clear links to homework across subjects and support in how to help their children at home.  Shared planning across subjects is having an impact on raising standards overall, particularly in writing. Improved teaching ensures that there are high quality models of best practice to share through peer support and regular discussions at staff meetings. Salary progression is closely linked to improving teaching, with targets for teachers related to the progress of pupils.  The curriculum is vibrant and creative and, from when children enter school in the Nursery, provides many opportunities for children to link their learning across subjects. Consequently, they not only have meaningful opportunities to develop reading and writing skills through

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The leadership and management are good

discussions and role play, but also enriched experiences through visits and visitors. Pupils were keen to tell inspectors what they had learnt about Victorian history and the development of engineering and science through a visit to Tower Bridge.  As a result of the many experiences pupils have during their time in the school, pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development is a strength of this school.  The governance of the school:  Governors were rigorous in their search to appoint the current headteacher. They are impressed by the ‘tremendous amount that has happened in a short space of time’, which confirms they made the right decision. A recent review of their work has led to improvements in the quality of governance, and their ability to support and challenge the school. They bring a range of skills to their roles and responsibilities and visits are closely focused on the development of teaching and the progress of pupils. These, together with reports to

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The leadership and management are good

governors, ensure they have an accurate picture of how well the pupils are achieving, including the impact on the use of the pupil premium in raising achievement. Visits linked to health and safety ensure that safeguarding procedures are in place and building work is about to take place to improve the entrance to the school. They are involved in the management of the performance of the headteacher and ensure that salary progression for all staff is related to the quality of teaching and its impact on raising achievement.

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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 101111 Local authority Westminster Inspection number 404749 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 472 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Julie Mahmoud Headteacher Diane Buckle Date of previous school inspection 10−11 March 2011 Telephone number 020 7641 4382 Fax number 020 7641 4319 Email address office@essendine.org.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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