La Petite Ecole Bilingue

School report La Petite Ecole Bilingue 22 Vicar’s Road, London, NW5 4NL

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate 4

Pupils’ achievement Adequate 3 Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Quality of curriculum Adequate 3 Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Inadequate 4 Leadership and management Inadequate 4

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This school is inadequate because

 The provision for welfare, health and safety is not sufficiently robust to ensure the safety of all the pupils.  The proprietor and leaders have not ensured that all the required checks have been made on the suitability of staff.  Pupils do not make as much progress as they are capable of when learning in English and subjects in English, as a result of an adequate but not good curriculum.  The proprietor and leaders do not have an accurate view of what the school needs to do to improve and have not had sufficient impact on the quality of teaching and learning.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils are happy at the school and they behave well.  The teaching is good in French, and in the Early Years Foundation Stage where the children are developing well and their learning needs are being met effectively.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 The school requires improvement and must take action to meet schedule 1 of The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010, as amended by The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements. The details are listed in the full report.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out with one day’s notice.  The inspector observed 12 lessons taught by nine different teachers. The inspector looked at pupils’ work and heard pupils read.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, teaching staff and pupils. Documentation and policies, including those relating to safeguarding, welfare, health and safety were examined. Records of pupils’ progress were examined.  Inspectors took account of the views of 22 parents and carers recorded in Ofsted’s online ‘Parent View’, as well as returns from staff questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Jill Bainton, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 La Petite Ecole Bilingue is an independent day school for pupils aged from three to 11 years. It is a bilingual school open to parents and carers who wish their children to have a secular, bilingual, French-English education. It is located in Kentish Town, London.  It is registered for 165 pupils aged three to 11. There are currently 51 pupils aged three to 10. They are taught in six separate classes. There are 18 children in the Nursery and 21 in the Reception class. There are currently no pupils with a statement of special educational needs and none is disabled.  The school aims to ‘provide bilingual education and for pupils to be confident in both English and French’.  The school provides after-school care for children from 4.00 pm to 6.30 pm Monday to Friday. It uses additional provision, including a local swimming pool and park for physical education (PE).  The school was registered in September 2012 and this is its first inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 The school must meet the following independent school standards.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

- Ensure arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils with regard to the guidance issued by the Secretary of State (paragraph 7). - Ensure that the admission and attendance registers are maintained in accordance with the Education (Pupil Registration)(England) Regulations 2006 (paragraph 17). - Ensure that no member of staff: is barred from regulated activity relating to children in accordance with section 3(2) of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (ISA barred list) or: carries out work, or intends to carry out work, at the school in contravention of any direction made under section 142 of the 2002 Act, or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in such a direction (A List 99 check) (paragraph 19(2)(a)). - Ensure that for all appointments from 1 September 2003, appropriate checks have been carried out and completed to confirm each member of staff’s: identity; medical fitness; where

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

appropriate, qualifications; and for appointments made from 1 May 2007 the additional check on their right to work in the United Kingdom (paragraph 19(2)(b)). - Ensure that an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check is made and a certificate obtained for all staff appointed to the school (paragraph 19(2)(c)). - Ensure that the checks in 19(2)(b) are completed before a person’s appointment apart from where exemptions apply (paragraph 19(3)). - Ensure the single central register contains all the required information (paragraph 22(3)). - Provide accommodation for the medical examination and treatment of pupils (paragraph 23B(1)(a)). - Provide accommodation for the short-term care of sick and injured pupils, which includes a washing facility and is near to a toilet facility (paragraph 23B(1)(b)). - Ensure that the complaints procedures and policy provide a panel of at least three people who have not been directly involved in the matters detailed in complaints (paragraph 25(f)).

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

- Ensure there is one person on the panel who is independent of the management and running of the school (paragraph 25(g)). - Ensure the procedure allows for parents and carers to attend the panel hearing and be accompanied if they wish (paragraph 25(h)). - Ensure the procedure stipulates that a copy of the findings and recommendations is provided to the complainant and, where relevant, the person complained about and is available for inspection on the school premises (paragraph 25(i)). - Ensure the complaints procedure provides for written records to be kept of all complaints, indicating whether they were resolved at the preliminary stage or whether they proceeded to a panel hearing (paragraph 25(j)). - Ensure that the complaints procedure provides that all correspondence is kept confidential (paragraph 25(k)).

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Pupils’ achievement Adequate

Overall, pupils’ achievement is adequate. The school immerses the pupils in both languages through teaching lessons in English and French with either morning or afternoon lessons taught in the same language. The school is at an early stage of development and pupils have joined the school at different times with widely differing abilities both in their spoken and written English. This has had an adverse impact on the achievement of some pupils in acquiring skills in both languages.

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Pupils’ achievement Adequate

The children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are making at least expected progress and some are making good or even better progress. Overall, the children are making consistently better progress than older pupils.

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Pupils’ achievement Adequate

Most pupils’ achievement is good in the subjects taught in French, as the majority of pupils are native French speakers. Their literacy and numeracy skills are good and their progress is carefully monitored following the French system. The school has effective tracking systems and substantial data to confirm this.

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Pupils’ achievement Adequate

Pupils’ achievement in learning English is adequate overall. The progress of pupils who speak English at home is good; they are significantly ahead of their classmates who do not. Pupils’ achievement in lessons varies according to their previous knowledge of English. Of the pupils who read to the inspector, those who speak English at home demonstrated confidence and competence and an interest in books. Other pupils were less confident. The school has limited information about the progress made by pupils when they are being taught in English, especially for those who have joined very recently.

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Pupils’ achievement Adequate

Staff teaching in English have adapted the curriculum to an adequate standard but it does not provide sufficient guidance or variety of experiences to enable them to support pupils in making more than adequate progress. The teachers are talented and individual lessons are good but they are inhibited by the weaknesses in the curriculum and this adversely affects achievement overall, over time.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Good

Pupils’ behaviour and personal development are good. They are not outstanding as there are too few planned opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in becoming less reliant on the directions and control of teachers.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Good

Pupils behave well. They get on well with each other and respond well to adults; an example was seen during the choir session where pupils worked together in a confident, friendly manner. Most pupils have positive attitudes to learning and their attendance is very good. They are generally polite, courteous and work well together in small groups or pairs. They are adamant that there is no bullying at the school. Pupils confirm that they are happy at school and enjoy being with their friends. The staff provide good role models and there is an atmosphere of calm in the school.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Good

There is good support for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils are tolerant of each other and through the French curriculum have the opportunity to learn about major world faiths even though French education is secular. Children learn about English and French institutions and services through the citizenship programme that is based on the French curriculum for citizenship. This is supplemented with added units covering English institutions, planned activities in the Early Years Foundation Stage and through educational visits. Pupils have taken part in a range of visits, including The Victoria and Albert Museum and Brick Lane in relation to a topic in India, where they had an Indian meal. The school does not promote any particular political views and balanced views are presented. Healthy eating is promoted through the wholesome school lunch cooked on the premises and there are regular opportunities for exercise.

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Quality of teaching Good

The quality of teaching is good overall. The teaching is good in the Early Years Foundation Stage and children are making expected progress in line with their developmental needs in both English and French.

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Quality of teaching Good

In the teaching in French there are well-planned lessons based on the French National Curriculum. In these lessons there are organised purposeful activities, which meet the learning needs of the pupils. The pace in lessons is good, the staff keep the pupils focused and use targeted questioning to effectively check learning during lessons. The French teaching supports the pupils in making the progress they are capable of and their progress is carefully monitored using the French assessment systems, which are thorough.

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Quality of teaching Good

The teaching in English is mostly good as teachers work hard to help pupils achieve. For those pupils who also speak English at home, teaching is good as it builds on their previous knowledge. The relationships between staff and pupils are positive and pupils confirm that they enjoy learning in English. For other pupils, the quality of teaching in individual classes is good. However, overall, staff do not have access to a good or better curriculum and this prevents pupils’ achievement over time from being good. Some more confident pupils who have more advanced English skills, both written and spoken, make good progress.

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Quality of teaching Good

Resources are adequate and used well but the information and communication technology equipment is still in the process of installation.

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Quality of curriculum Adequate

The quality of the curriculum overall is adequate. It is adequate rather than good because the curriculum taught in English provides only adequate opportunities and challenge in what is taught over time. Despite this, each member of staff uses a range of their own materials to create suitable activities for each lesson. As a result, the curriculum in English provides adequate attention to the development of basic skills as well as adequate learning experiences in the required range of subjects, including mathematics and science, and pupils respond positively to these.

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Quality of curriculum Adequate

The curriculum taught in French is well documented using the French National Curriculum and clear schemes of work are in place which show progression at each stage of the pupil’s time at the school according to their age. The breadth of the French primary curriculum includes all the areas of learning of the English National Curriculum. In line with the French philosophy of education, reading and writing skills are not formally taught until children reach the age of six years. The children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in both French and English using an appropriate curriculum. The areas of learning taught in the French nursery system correspond to those of the Early Years Foundation Stage. A suitable well-planned balance of activities led by adults or chosen by children is in place.

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Quality of curriculum Adequate

There is no planned provision or policy for the pupils’ personal, social and health education, but it is suitably embedded within the life of the school. In PE there are suitable arrangements in place to provide pupils with weekly swimming lessons at a local pool and games at a local park or in the school hall. Ballet is taught weekly. The pupils have enjoyed a range of visits to places of interest including the Natural History Museum, London Zoo and Kentish Town City Farm.

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Inadequate

Arrangements for the welfare, health and safety of the pupils are inadequate and not all the regulations are met. The school’s implementation of safeguarding procedures is not sufficiently rigorous. There is a suitable safeguarding policy which is available to parents and carers on the website. The designated person responsible for safeguarding is trained at the appropriate level but the rest of the staff have not all received appropriate training in child protection. Not all members of staff have been checked for their suitability to work with children and the information recorded in the required single central register of staff appointments is incomplete and is not maintained with sufficient rigour.

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Inadequate

The school has devised and implemented a suitable range of policies which take account of recent Department for Education guidance, including those for the prevention of bullying, health and safety, and the management of behaviour. The school produces risk assessments for a range of activities, including visits outside school. The fire procedures are suitable. A fire risk assessment has been carried out and it is planned to review it annually; all fire equipment is checked and fire drills take place and are recorded termly. Nearly all staff are trained in first aid, including paediatric first aid. Accidents are recorded and procedures meet requirements. Pupils are well supervised at all times.

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Inadequate

The attendance and admission registers do not comply with the regulations. The school holds all the required information about the pupils but it is not recorded in a central admission register and the attendance registers are not completed to the required standard.

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Leadership and management Inadequate

The quality of leadership and management is inadequate. The proprietor has not ensured that all staff have had a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check and some of the staff have not been trained in safeguarding. Staff appointment procedures are inadequate with much of the required information not obtained.

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Leadership and management Inadequate

Effective support has not been put in place to address the lack of a coherent curriculum for the teaching in English. The quality of teaching has not been checked and as a result there are no formal records of lesson observations or of feedback to staff to help them improve their teaching, especially for the younger, less experienced members of staff. Pupils’ achievement has not been monitored in the English teaching and no formal records are kept. There are no formal plans for improvements and although the leaders have some idea of the deficiencies in teaching, limited help has been provided to staff. Staff are not formally appraised. Staff who responded to the questionnaire confirmed that they had not received sufficient support in their teaching and only limited opportunities for professional development.

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Leadership and management Inadequate

The premises and accommodation are suitable, apart from a lack of facilities for pupils who may be ill. The quality of information for parents and carers meets the regulatory requirements. Parents and carers receive regular reports on their child’s progress. The complaints procedures do not fully meet the regulatory requirements. Parents and carers are generally positive in their view of the school but express some doubts as to the effectiveness of the leadership.

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Leadership and management Inadequate

The proprietor has failed to ensure that all the independent school regulations are met.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding A school which provides an exceptional quality of education and significantly exceeds minimum requirements. Grade 2 Good A school which provides a high quality of education that exceeds minimum requirements. Grade 3 Adequate A school which meets minimum requirements but needs to improve the quality of education it provides. Grade 4 Inadequate A school where minimum requirements are not met and/or the quality of education has serious weaknesses.

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School details

Unique reference number 138777 Inspection number 420269 DfE registration number 202/6002 This inspection was carried out under section 162A of the Education Act 2002, as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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School details

Type of school French/English Bilingual nursery and primary school School status Independent School Age range of pupils 3–11 years Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 51 Proprietor Anne Henderson-Stewart Headteacher Charlotte Beyazian Date of previous school inspection This is the school’s first inspection Annual fees (day pupils) £8,500 Telephone number 020 72842620 Email address education.kt@lpebl.com guidance 'Complaining about inspections', 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

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School details

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School details

inspects to 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,

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School details

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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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