Krishna Avanti Primary School

Krishna-Avanti Primary School Camrose Avenue, Edgware, HA8 6ES

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Consistently good teaching in the Nursery and Reception means that children achieve well.  Standards are significantly above average in Key Stage 1.  The school has successfully closed the gap between girls’ and boys’ achievement with the help of the girls’ improvement group.  Good teaching makes sure that all pupils are actively involved in their learning.  Pupils and teachers alike make good use of the latest technology to enhance learning.  Teaching assistants play an important role in helping pupils to make good progress.  Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding in class and around the school and they say they feel completely safe.  Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning.  Excellent systems and procedures help the school to run smoothly.  The headteacher, senior leaders and governors have been successful in moving teaching to consistently good and raising pupils’ achievement.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The curriculum is based around the school’s values and takes account of pupils’ interests and views.  Governors have a good understanding of the work of the school and support and challenge leaders effectively.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Teachers do not always use the assessment information they have about pupils to set work at exactly the right level for them.  At times instructions are not clear enough for pupils to know exactly what is required of them.  Pupils do not have enough opportunities to use and apply their numeracy skills in solving real- life problems.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 12 lessons or parts of lessons, some of which were joint observations with the headteacher or deputy headteacher.  The inspector heard pupils read and, with the headteacher and deputy headteacher, looked closely at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector looked at a wide range of school documents, including development plans, policies, self-evaluation reports, monitoring files, safeguarding and curriculum materials, evidence of the school’s partnership work and information for families.  Meetings were held with pupils, including those from the girls’ improvement group. Discussions were held with senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers, the Chair of the Governing Body and another governor, and representatives from the Avanti Trust.  The inspector took account of the 143 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and spoke with several parents and carers outside school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector considered the staff questionnaires that were completed.

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Inspection team

Nick Butt, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Almost all pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, the largest group being Indian.  The vast majority of pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (which provides additional funding for children in local authority care, those known to be eligible for free school meals and pupils with a parent or carer in the armed services) is below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average.  There are no data as yet to calculate floor standards because the school does not have Year 6 pupils.  The school houses two Reception classes from the Avanti House School, which is a free school.

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Information about this school

 Krishna-Avanti Primary School converted to become an academy school in September 2012. When its predecessor school, of the same name, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good. It was the first voluntary-aided Hindu school in the United Kingdom. It is now part of a family of Hindu schools under the Avanti Trust which adopts a universal and inclusive approach towards spirituality.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make teaching outstanding by:  using assessment information about pupils’ learning to set tasks at exactly the right level for them  making sure instructions are clear to all pupils before they commence their tasks.  Raise achievement in mathematics by giving pupils plenty of opportunities to use and apply their numeracy skills in solving real-life problems.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Provision has improved considerably in the Nursery and is now good. Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage because they are set a wide range of interesting and stimulating activities that fire their curiosity and enable them to make good progress.  Children joining the school when it opened in September had a wide range of abilities broadly in line with those expected. Their abilities were above expectations in some specific areas such as recognising letters and counting.  Almost all Year 1 pupils are on course to meet the required standard for the national reading check. This is because phonics (the sounds that letters make) are taught well throughout the Early Years Foundation Stage and Year 1, and children quickly pick up how to sound out unfamiliar words. Older pupils speak with confidence about the authors they enjoy and read with expression and intonation.  Pupils achieve well in Key Stage 1 and are on track to reach standards that are significantly

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The achievement of pupils is good

above average in reading, writing and mathematics. The school identified in September that girls were not doing as well as boys and introduced measures to accelerate girls’ progress.  A girls’ improvement group was set up so that leaders could take on board girls’ views about what would help them to achieve better and acted upon their suggestions, such as purchasing girl-friendly resources. Teachers have also encouraged girls to be more active in lessons and to answer questions. As a result there are now no significant differences in the achievement of boys and girls.  The school identified that some pupils in Years 3 and 4 had gaps in their knowledge and understanding and has provided considerable support to help them catch up. Latest data show that these pupils have made above-expected progress and standards are on course to be above average.  New approaches to writing have had a positive impact. An emphasis on speaking, listening and

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The achievement of pupils is good

drama prepares pupils well for writing through immersing them in the topic and boosting their enthusiasm. They are confident to take a leading role in assemblies.  The school has identified that while pupils have lots of opportunities to practise their skills in mathematics, they have not used and applied them so much to solve real-life problems. Pupils’ workbooks show that this is beginning to be tackled, but is at an early stage of development.  The specific support requirements for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are identified promptly and effective support programmes tailored to their individual needs help them to make good progress.  The pupil premium has been spent on one-to-one and small-group support from teachers and teaching assistants. This has benefited eligible pupils and enabled them to keep up with their peers so that there are no gaps in attainment.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers make sure that pupils are actively involved in learning. For example, in one Year 4 lesson pupils were acting out different moral dilemmas to focus on empathising with a character.  There is good use of the latest technology by both adults and pupils. Pupils use electronic tablets and laptops for independent work.  Teachers use questioning well to assess pupils’ understanding and to extend their thinking. In a Year 2 lesson pupils were undertaking some interesting research to answer the question, ‘Do all runner beans grow at the same rate?’  Teachers mainly set work at the right level for pupils, but sometimes they do not make enough use of assessment information to plan tasks that are precisely matched to pupils’ abilities. When this happens learning slows.  Lessons are conducted at a brisk pace and pupils are given enough time to work by themselves or with a partner to find things out for themselves. This promotes their independence and

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The quality of teaching is good

enables them to practise new skills.  The school has provided considerable support for teaching assistants, who play a valuable role in pupils’ learning with individuals and small groups. There is a strong partnership between teachers and support staff.  In Nursery and Reception the rich learning environment encourages children to make rapid progress. A focus on developing early literacy and numeracy skills prepares children well for future learning. For example, in Reception, children were enjoying arranging pictures and sentences that told the story of a traditional tale in the right order.  Occasionally teachers do not make their instructions clear enough to ensure that pupils fully understand what is required of them. When this happens teachers have to clarify the tasks once pupils have begun to undertake them and this wastes time.  The marking policy is applied consistently and books show that teachers have high expectations

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The quality of teaching is good

of pupils. Pupils take a pride in their work and present it neatly. They comment on their own and their classmates’ work, know what levels of attainment they are working at, and what they must do to move on to the next level.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ behaviour is impeccable, both in lessons and around the school. They are very keen to learn and work with enthusiasm. They are very considerate towards one another and friendly and welcoming to visitors.  Pupils like to talk about their learning. They are proud of their achievements. They undertake new tasks with confidence and are not afraid of making mistakes. Girls in particular have become much more active in their learning and play a full role in lessons.  Pupils appreciate that their views are valued and acted upon. The school council has a real voice and helps to shape policies. Pupils say that bullying is not a problem and they have every confidence in staff to support them if they have a concern. This view is shared by parents and carers, who strongly agree that pupils behave well.  Pupils know about the different types of bullying and how to keep safe on the internet. The school’s philosophy and ethics programme teaches pupils values for life and has a very positive

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

impact on their behaviour. It encourages them to embrace qualities such as self-discipline, courage, honesty, empathy and integrity.  Pupils understand the school’s behaviour policy that is supported by coloured cards, and rate the school’s leaders using the same system. They say they feel very safe in school and have an excellent understanding of keeping safe in different situations.  Pupils contribute to the work of the school as monitors and buddies, and through the school council and the girls’ improvement group. They work with parents and carers to raise funds for the school and to support charities. They have links with a school in India and with a local Jewish school and celebrate one another’s festivals.  Attendance is above average, reflecting pupils’ great enjoyment of school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Since its formation in September 2012 the senior leadership team has made an outstanding contribution to putting new systems in place and moving teaching to good. Senior leaders work very well together and communicate their clear vision for the school effectively to pupils, staff and the wider community.  Inclusion is a particular strength. The school makes sure that all pupils are treated equally and have the same opportunities to succeed. The work with girls this year is evidence of its commitment to this goal. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated. The inclusion manager keeps meticulous records of the progress of disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and those who are eligible for the pupil premium, to make sure that they do not fall behind the others.  Leaders have tackled a range of challenges since the school converted to an academy and have dealt robustly with any underperformance they have identified.

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The leadership and management are good

 Highly effective tracking systems enable staff to monitor the progress of individuals and groups and intervene promptly if anybody is at risk of underachieving. As a result of this process gaps in pupils’ knowledge in Years 3 and 4 have been closed successfully.  The school has engaged parents and carers very well and keeps them well informed. The many responses to Parent View confirm parents’ and carers’ high opinion of the school and satisfaction with their children’s progress.  A rigorous programme of checking the quality of teaching and the coaching of staff has helped teachers to improve their practice and has forged the team of teaching assistants into an efficient and effective unit who support pupils well.  Staff are held fully to account for pupils’ progress and are given challenging targets to meet.  The curriculum is based around the school’s values and takes account of pupils’ views and

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The leadership and management are good

interests. For example, based on an idea from Year 2 pupils, the whole school was involved in making a birthday cake for Lord Caitanya which was shared with parents and carers and covered a wide range of different subject areas. Reception children showed an interest in space and went on to share their work with Year 3 pupils.  The curriculum is enriched with clubs and visits including the London Wetland Centre, Lord’s Cricket Ground and the Bank of England. Regular visitors to the school enhance pupils’ learning. A focus on outdoor learning, such as growing vegetables, promotes healthy living.  The Avanti Trust provides a good level of support for the school. A very strong partnership with the sister school, Avanti House, benefits pupils and staff alike.  Safeguarding is very strong and all procedures are rigorously applied to keep pupils safe.  The governance of the school:  Governors have a good knowledge of the achievement of pupils and the quality of teaching

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The leadership and management are good

and visit regularly to check the work of the school. They ask searching questions and meet monthly to keep abreast of all developments. They understand how the school manages teachers’ performance and sets targets to improve teaching. They know what the school is doing to reward good teaching and to tackle underperformance. Pairs of governors look after key areas of the school improvement plan to hold leaders to account for the pace of progress. Governors know how the pupil premium is spent and are informed about its impact.

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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 138688 Local authority Harrow Inspection number 412236

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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 Academy converter School category Non-maintained Age range of pupils 3–9 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 180 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Yuvraj Rana Headteacher Pauline Edwards Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 020 8381 3344 Fax number 020 8952 9871 Email address kapsharrow@avanti.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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