The Stewart Bilingual School

P R O T E C T – I N S P E C T I O N School report La Petite Ecole Bilingue 90 Oxford Gardens, London, W10 5UW

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate 4

Pupils’ achievement Good 2 Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Good 2 Quality of curriculum Good 2 Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Inadequate 4 Leadership and management Inadequate 4

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This school is inadequate because

 The proprietor has failed to ensure that all the necessary checks are undertaken on staff and others associated with the school.  Visitors accessing areas of the building used by the school are not supervised properly.  The school’s single central register where checks on staff and others are recorded is not completed correctly.  In their responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire, teachers have raised some concerns which they would like the proprietor and headteacher to consider. Some of their concerns have to do with their ability to teach pupils effectively.  There is a lack of clarity in the executive role of the headteacher and her ability to make decisions.  There is an accommodation issue which affects pupils’ privacy.

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The school has the following strengths

 The proprietor and headteacher have ensured that pupils’ achievement is good. This is the result of good teaching and a good curriculum.  The proprietor and headteacher have ensured that pupils' personal development is outstanding.

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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

 The school was given one day’s notice of the inspection.  The inspector visited 12 lessons, spoke with the proprietor, staff, pupils, parents and carers, reviewed pupils’ written and other work and evaluated school policies and other documentation.  The inspector, with the headteacher, checked the school’s single central register and supporting documentation relating to the safeguarding of pupils.  The evidence from 12 staff questionnaires, 14 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View online questionnaire and other parental communication was taken into account.

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Inspection team

Paul Armitage, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school opened September 2012. It is located in a substantial house in Ladbroke Grove in West London. It is a bilingual school, teaching in English and French in equal measure. The proprietor runs three other schools and a nursery, one of which is in Paris.  The school is located in the same building as Oxford Gardens Nursery. This caters for children aged 18 months to three years.  The school is registered for 70 boys and girls, aged from three to 11 years. The present number of pupils on roll is 58, one of whom attends part time. There are 45 children in the Early Years Foundation Stage. The ages of the current pupils are three to eight years.  None of the pupils has a statement of special educational needs and none is disabled. A small minority of pupils receive additional support for language development in both English and French.  About half the pupils are native English speakers and half are French speakers but a large

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Information about this school

minority are bilingual when they come to school. There are also a small number of pupils with other native languages such as Russian.  The school follows the English Early Years Foundation Stage programme.  The school uses additional facilities outside school. This includes a local park for recreation, the library for reading and the community centre for art, music, physical education, ballet, and whole-school events such as concerts.  The present headteacher was only recently appointed.  The school aims to ‘provide a bilingual education in a warm, homely and supportive environment where an exciting, broad and varied curriculum offers an intellectually challenging learning experience that is enriched through the arts, music and sport’.  This is the school’s 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 that:  family members and domestic staff living in domestic accommodation at the school’s address are properly checked and details of the checks are entered onto the single central register  visitors to the domestic accommodation are fully supervised when present in accommodation used by pupils  the child protection policy is improved by ensuring that it contains a clear outline of the school’s recruitment procedures and the recording of the results of those checks in the single central register (paragraph 7).  Ensure that the first-aid policy includes guidance on how to deal with different first-aid situations, including the handling of bodily fluids (paragraph 14).  Ensure that it can be verified that all the required security checks on staff have been undertaken (paragraph 19(2)(a)).  Ensure that all the appropriate checks on staff have been completed to confirm identity, medical fitness and, where appropriate, qualifications and the right to work in the United

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

Kingdom (paragraph 19(2)(b)).  Ensure that all staff, where appropriate, have an enhanced criminal bureau check (paragraph 19(2)(c)).  Ensure that it can be verified that all the required security checks on foreign nationals have been undertaken (paragraph 19(2)(d)).  Ensure that, in future, the checks specified in 19(2)(b) are completed before a person’s appointment (paragraph 19(3)).  Ensure that, in future, the single central register shows that all checks have been made and that the entries are signed and dated (paragraph 22(3)).  Ensure that the toilets and washing facilities provided are suitable for pupils (paragraph 23A(1)(a).  Ensure that separate toilet facilities for boys and girls aged eight years or over are provided except where the toilet facility is provided in a room that can be secured from the inside and that is intended for the use of one pupil at a time (paragraph 23A(1)(b).

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Provide accommodation for the medical 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 that suitable drinking water facilities are provided and that these are readily accessible at all times when the premises are in use and are in a separate area from toilet facilities (paragraph 23F(1)(a)).  Ensure that cold water supplies that are suitable for drinking are clearly marked as such (paragraph 23F(1)(c)).  In relation to the information for parents, carers and others, provide particulars of the school’s policy on admissions and provide details of the number of staff employed at the school, including temporary staff, and a summary of their qualifications (paragraph 24(1)(b).  In relation to the complaints policy, ensure that there is provision for the establishment of a

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

hearing before a panel appointed by the proprietor of at least three people who have not been directly involved in the matters detailed in the complaint (paragraph 25(f)).  In relation to the complaints policy, where there is a panel hearing, ensure that one person on the panel is independent of the management and running of the school (paragraph 25(g).  In relation to the complaints policy, ensure that parents and carers can attend the panel hearing and, if they wish, be accompanied (paragraph 25(h).  In relation to the complaints policy, ensure that the complaints procedure provides for the panel to make findings and recommendations and that copies of the findings and recommendations are provided to the complainant and, where relevant, the person complained about and that they are available for inspection on the school premises by the proprietor and the headteacher (paragraph 25(i)).

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Pupils’ achievement Good

Pupils’ achievement is good. This is due to good teaching, a good curriculum, pupils supporting each other well and their very positive attitudes to learning.

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Pupils’ achievement Good

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children make good progress in all areas of learning. The good progress is particularly evident in the development of their bilingual communication skills, literacy and numeracy. The vast majority of parents and carers are quick to praise the school for the way in which children quickly develop academically and socially.

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Pupils’ achievement Good

Older pupils progress equally well. The inspector saw examples of pupils’ good progress in mathematics; for example, the confidence shown with numbers up to 1,000, the use of approximations and the use of decimals when weighing or counting. There continues to be good development of oral language skills, although competence in writing and handwriting is slightly less good. This is the main reason why achievement overall is not outstanding. However, in art, achievement is outstanding.

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Pupils’ achievement Good

Pupils who initially struggle with their language development in speaking either French or English almost always do well. The combination of good teaching support as well as the interaction with their peers is enough to enable them to succeed well.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Outstanding

Pupils’ behaviour and personal development are outstanding. Comments from parents and carers speak of once reserved and fearful children now taking initiatives and even speaking in public. There are many examples of developing confidence, one of which was younger children building a short wooden walkway and then wobbling along it, just maintaining their balance. At first they needed help but third time around, they did it by themselves. Another example was older pupils’ willingness to tackle successfully a book they had never read before despite its complex sentence structures and ideas.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Outstanding

Behaviour is outstanding; teachers are gentle but firm in ensuring that this is so. In consequence, pupils quickly understand how to behave. The values are reinforced from time to time; for example in assembly. The pupils themselves made a presentation during the inspection about working together and respecting one another.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Outstanding

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Each subject provides pupils with excellent opportunities for reflection and developing understanding of themselves and others. For example, a study of Africa developed pupils’ awareness of the way people live there and enabled them to make comparisons with their own way of life. It also enabled them to consider moral issues linked to health and the distribution of wealth. As French education is secular there is no religious education taught in the school. Nevertheless, the pupils study religions and understand the meaning of festivals including Diwali, Christmas and Chanukah. An excellent opportunity for reflection was provided when staff introduced a ‘compliment tree’ on which pupils hung labels praising others.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Outstanding

Pupils are also developing a sound understanding of French, British and broader European cultures through much of what they study but also from visitors to school and visits to places outside. For example, a parent or carer recently came to explain her job and a visit was made to a local ecology centre. All these issues are presented to pupils without bias and in a balanced way and pupils are strongly encouraged to form their own views as part of their developing independence.

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Quality of teaching Good

The quality of the teaching is good and leads to good achievement. The teachers are very committed to their pupils. This is evident in the care they show in planning their lessons well, providing excellent resources and then presenting their topics in a lively, interesting and challenging way. Teachers know their subjects very well. The small classes mean that teachers have a very good understanding of the needs of each pupil in their class. As a result, they almost always target work well and in consequence, the pupils do well. Just occasionally, teachers do not notice quickly enough if a child does not understand or if their attention is slipping. This is why teaching is not outstanding.

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Quality of teaching Good

Marking is thorough. It is good throughout the school but especially good in the Early Years Foundation Stage so that it is easy to see how well the children are doing. For older pupils, attainment records are also kept indicating what pupils can do. Teachers have been judging the performance of pupils by reference to the school’s aims but this has included some reference to the expectations of the French and English National Curricula. The teachers' judgements are accurate and give a good account of pupils’ attainment. The school intends to introduce more formal links to the national systems in the next academic year as well as moderation of assessments.

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Quality of curriculum Good

The quality of the curriculum is good. It is the strength of the curriculum that provides teachers with the necessary guidance to ensure pupils’ good achievement. It covers all the areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage and independent school requirements for older pupils. In addition to a strong emphasis on literacy in French, English and mathematics, pupils experience a wide range of subjects which are well presented to them. Additional teachers are brought in by the school to ensure that this wide range of subjects is available to pupils. As a result, ballet, art, physical education, music, drama and other subjects are firmly part of the curriculum. Personal, social and health education plays a strong role in helping to promote pupils’ personal development.

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Quality of curriculum Good

There are good schemes of work. In the Early Years Foundation Stage the scheme tightly reflects British government requirements. There are also schemes for Years 1 to 3 influenced by the French and English National Curricula. During the summer, staff plan to evaluate them after their first year of operation and then to produce the schemes for Years 4 to 6. These actions are appropriate. The current French and English curricula were developed separately in the initial round of planning prior to the opening of the school. However, there are elements in both curricula that could be brought closer together so as to provide a more coherent experience for pupils and also to free up time to put to good purpose. A good example for rationalisation is the teaching of mathematics. The absence of these improvements to date is the reason why the curriculum is not outstanding.

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Inadequate

The quality of pupils’ welfare, health and safety is inadequate and not all the regulations are met. There are a number of reasons for this. First, in relation to some staff working at the school, it is not possible to verify that all the required checks have been undertaken. It follows from this that their names and details have not been entered onto the register. Second, in relation to staff who work regularly at the school, all the required checks have not been undertaken and consequently the single central register lacks all the required information. An example of the missing information is the absence of overseas checks on staff who have lived overseas. Third, the house where the school is located is shared with the proprietor’s family and their domestic staff who occupy the upper levels of the house. They, and their visitors, have free access to the school as there is no security barrier between the family accommodation and the areas of the building used by the

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Inadequate

school. Currently, those in permanent residence in the family accommodation have not been security checked and consequently, their details are not entered in the register. The exception regarding the checks is the proprietor’s husband who, as the registered provider of Oxford Gardens Nursery, has been checked but even so, his details are not in the register. There are no suitable supervision arrangements in place for visitors to the family accommodation to ensure that they are never left alone when in locations used by the school. Where entries have been made on the register, they have not been dated and signed by the person who has made the entry.

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Inadequate

The designated teacher in charge of safeguarding has been trained in safeguarding to the appropriate level as have a number of other staff but not all staff have been trained.

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Inadequate

The school has the required range of policies including those for first aid, health and safety, anti- bullying and child protection but not all provide the necessary information. The child protection policy does not adequately cover the safe recruitment of staff and the first-aid policy does not provide guidance on how to deal with different medical incidents; for example, dealing with bodily fluids. There is a policy relating to the safe collection of pupils after school but recently, this was not enforced properly. The school immediately revised arrangements to ensure rigour so that supervision arrangements are now good. There are an appropriate number of staff trained in first aid. Risk assessments, including those for fire and for visits outside school, are undertaken properly. Fire evacuations are undertaken regularly and are recorded. Admission and attendance registers are completed properly. Pupils have a good understanding of healthy eating. The meals

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Inadequate

provided by the school are wholesome and are generally enjoyed by pupils.

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Leadership and management Inadequate

The leadership and management of the school are inadequate and the proprietor has failed to ensure that all the regulations are met.

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Leadership and management Inadequate

The proprietor, supported by the new headteacher has, in a short period of time since its opening, established a school which provides a good curriculum and good teaching. As a result, pupils achieve well. Parents and carers are happy with the school. All those who completed Ofsted’s Parent View online survey said they would recommend the school. However, while ensuring the high quality of pupils' academic education and personal development, the proprietor has neglected many of the requirements necessary to ensure pupils' welfare, health and safety. As a result, the pupils are not safeguarded properly and so are at risk.

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Leadership and management Inadequate

There is currently no adequate development plan with very precise actions. The headteacher has already identified a plan as a necessity.

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Leadership and management Inadequate

Much of the accommodation is good. However, the toilets are not to the required standard because they do not provide privacy. They consist of toilet pans alongside one another with no doors or suitable partitions. There are no separate toilets for boys and girls which is necessary given the age range for which the school is registered.

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Leadership and management Inadequate

Most of the classrooms are spacious enough to provide opportunities for a wide range of activities but a few are small so that pupils often work elsewhere in the school. This works satisfactorily but is not ideal, particularly for the youngest class. There is also no suitable accommodation for looking after sick pupils.

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Leadership and management Inadequate

There are a number of other failed regulations which relate to accommodation, information for parents and carers and the complaints procedure which are listed with other failed regulations at the beginning of this report. It is clear that staff, parents and carers value the new headteacher as someone who has a good understanding of the issues facing the school and is beginning to address them.

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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 138599 Inspection number 420265 DfE registration number 207/6001 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. Type of school Bilingual primary school School status Independent school Age range of pupils 3–11 years Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 58 Number of part time pupils 1 Proprietor Anne Henderson-Stewart Chair None Headteacher Shelagh Morpeth Date of previous school inspection Not applicable Annual fees (day pupils) £8,100 Telephone number 0208 960 2725 Fax number None Email address lpebl.admission@gmail.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

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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.

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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

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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