St Mary's Bryanston Square CofE School

St Mary’s Bryanston Square CofE Primary School Enford Street, London, W1H 1DL

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Pupils do not make consistently good progress across the school. In 2013, the progress of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals was well below that of their peers in school.  Many groups of pupils do not attain at the higher Level 5 in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teaching has not been good enough to ensure that all pupils make good progress.  Teachers have not had enough opportunities to see examples of outstanding teaching beyond the school.  Pupils do not always have opportunities to correct or improve their work after it has been marked.  Subjects other than English and mathematics do not consistently develop pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills.  The school’s monitoring of information about how well pupils are doing is not able to show the full extent of children’s progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage, and for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs.

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Leaders and managers, including members of the governing body, do not monitor the impact of additional government funding provided to support those eligible for free school meals rigorously enough to ensure that achievement is rising.

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The school has the following strengths

 The new headteacher has identified the right priorities designed to rapidly improve progress.  The school’s strategies for improving reading means pupils currently in the school are making good progress in their reading.  Pupils are safe and secure, and behave well in class and around the school, and are keen to learn.  The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is well developed.  Pupils who join the school at different times and pupils who speak English as an additional language are helped to catch up quickly and effectively.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 16 lessons, 10 of them jointly with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. In addition, inspectors observed the teaching of sounds and letters (phonics) and listened to pupils reading.  Inspectors looked at the work in pupils’ books and around the school.  Inspectors read the school’s policies and documentation relating to safeguarding, how the performance of teachers is led and managed, and pupils’ attainment, progress, attendance and behaviour.  Inspectors met with pupils and talked to them about their work. Meetings were held with senior and middle leaders, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  The 42 responses from the online questionnaire (Parent View), as well as the school’s own surveys, were taken into account.  Inspectors also considered the 25 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Narinder Dohel, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jill Thewliss Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized primary school.  Children join the school in the Nursery and Reception classes.  The main groups of pupils are of White British and African heritage. The remainder come from a wide range of other ethnic backgrounds. The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and those who speak English as an additional language are above national averages.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is above the national average. The proportion supported at school action plus or by a statement of special educational needs is also above the national average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which is additional funding provided to schools for children in the care of the local authority, those known to be eligible for free school meals and pupils with a parent in the armed forces, is above average. There are no

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Information about this school

children from service families or in the care of the local authority currently in the school.  The school provides a breakfast club and after-school provision.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The current headteacher joined the school in January 2014.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that all teaching is good or better by:  setting work that is at the right level so that all groups of pupils are fully engaged  making sure that pupils know how to improve their work and are given time to do this  providing teachers with more opportunities to see outstanding practice.  Improve standards and consistency of progress in writing and mathematics by:  providing more opportunities for extended writing  making sure that pupils are set challenging work in mathematics and less-able pupils develop skills and strategies to help them solve problems.  Improve the leadership and management of the pupil premium funding by ensuring that:  leaders have a good understanding of assessment information and use this to ensure that pupils make accelerated progress in writing and mathematics and attain at the higher levels  assessment systems demonstrate the full range of progress made by children in the Early

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

Years Foundation Stage and pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs  the curriculum provides consistently strong opportunities for pupils to develop their writing and numeracy skills  school plans concentrate on the impact of spending decisions on closing gaps.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of the school’s use of pupil premium funding should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and governance may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ achievement requires improvement because not all pupils make rapid progress and reach the higher standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Years 2 and 6. Attainment and progress overall in reading, writing and mathematics has remained similar to national averages, though progress in writing in Key Stage 1 and in mathematics in Key Stage 2 is good.  In 2013, there were some significant gaps in the attainment of those who are eligible for the pupil premium and their peers in reading, writing and mathematics. The attainment of pupils eligible for the pupil premium in reading was approximately 10 months below that of their peers and one year below in writing and mathematics.  Progress this academic year is improving and closing the attainment gap between these groups across the school. However, some gaps remain, particularly in writing and mathematics in Years 4 and 5.  Progress in writing is limited during some lessons because pupils are not given enough time or

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

opportunities for extended writing. In mathematics, it is limited because in some lessons some pupils find the tasks too difficult or too easy.  Those pupils who are most able achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics.  Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and abilities below those typical for their age. Effective teaching in Nursery and Reception means that most children make good progress. As a result, attainment at the end of the Reception Year is usually in line with the national average. However, the school’s assessments are not recorded precisely enough to allow leaders and staff to know whether some children may be making better progress in some areas of their learning than others.  In some year groups, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, as well as those eligible for the pupil premium, do not make as much progress in their reading, writing and

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

mathematics as their classmates. This is also because assessment information is not developed enough to provide an accurate picture of their achievements.  Those who speak English as an additional language and pupils who join the school at different times frequently make better progress and attain better than their peers because of the extra support they receive.  Pupils’ progress has begun to accelerate because teaching of reading across the school and writing in Key Stage 1 is improving. In classes where teaching is consistently good, pupils are beginning to make more rapid progress and are quickly making up for lost time.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching has not been strong enough over time to ensure that pupils make consistently good progress in writing and mathematics.  There are still inconsistences in the quality of teaching. In some classes, teachers do not provide pupils with enough information or opportunities within lessons to improve their work.  In some lessons, work is not always set at the right level. This means that some pupils are left waiting while others struggle to keep up. More often, this is in mathematics.  The headteacher and senior leaders regularly visit lessons and check the work in books. However, this is not yet resulting in pupils consistently making rapid progress.  All teachers create a positive classroom environment for pupils to learn in. Pupils are mature in their approach to working together to solve problems and provide feedback.  Reading is taught consistently well throughout the school. This is evidenced through the better

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

results in reading right across the school. Pupils have good attitudes to reading. They enjoy reading and can talk about favourite books and types of books. Pupils enjoy both fiction and non-fiction, and understand the difference between the two.  Teaching assistants have a clear understanding of their role and work confidently with pupils. As a result, they make a positive contribution to pupils’ progress by building their confidence to solve problems and contribute to lessons. In a debating session, pupils were taught to develop the skills to present an argument that they did not agree with.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, there are a good range of activities on offer. Children receive effective guidance in speaking, reading and writing. Teaching assistants receive training in phonics, thus ensuring that there is consistency in the teaching of all phonics groups.  An after-school homework club, and individual support given by learning mentors and support

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

staff, helps pupils with their homework.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. St Mary’s Bryanston Square is a caring, welcoming and inclusive school, and pupils’ behaviour embodies the values that the school promotes. Pupils’ conduct around the school, and their attitudes to each other and to teachers and other staff, are exemplary. Pupils were observed being cooperative and helpful, for example, when helping each other with spellings in a Year 2 class.  Pupils generally have highly positive attitudes in lessons. Pupils are keen to learn, and describe lessons as ‘fun’.  Behaviour is not outstanding because, in a very few lessons, a few pupils lose interest in learning when work is too easy or too difficult for them. Additionally, pupils report a few instances of bullying and racist remarks, but are confident that these are dealt with swiftly.  Pupils are aware of bullying in all its forms. And are clear about the difference between bullying

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

and occasional arguments. Pupils gave examples of how quickly and effectively any incidents are handled.  The school records show that behaviour is improving further. There are fewer incidents logged this year than last year. There have been no exclusions.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel safe in their school. The online survey Parent View and the school’s own surveys support this view.  Overall, attendance shows a slight increase this year and is similar to the national average. Breakfast Club provides an enjoyable and positive start to the school day and is used to help children to be punctual.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage enjoy their learning and make good progress in their personal and social development.  Parents, carers, staff and governors are overwhelmingly positive about the school and the behaviour of the pupils.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because actions taken to improve teaching and raise standards have not yet had a consistent impact across the school.  The leadership team and middle leaders have already begun to improve the teaching of mathematics and have had a good impact on improving standards in reading. However, the school’s tracking and plans for spending pupil premium funding do not clearly demonstrate how the gap will be closed between those who are eligible and other pupils in the school.  The recently appointed headteacher has very quickly built positive relationships with senior leaders and identified clear priorities to ensure consistency of teaching and outcomes for all groups of pupils.  The school is well placed to make the necessary improvements. The school is a cohesive community focused on raising standards while maintaining the strong culture of pupils’ spiritual,

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The leadership and management require improvement

moral, social and cultural development. The school works well with the local authority and the diocese, who have worked in partnership to support the planned improvements. Therefore, the capacity to improve is strong.  Parents and carers who were spoken to, and those who responded to the online survey, Parent View, are positive about how the school addresses any concerns they may have. The school works well with parents and carers to help them develop the basic skills of their children at home, for example the production of a film which is given to parents and gives a range of ways to help their children.  There are also very strong links with the wider community, including the church.  There are good procedures for appraising the performance of teachers. Training and improvement priorities are linked to pupils’ progress and school improvement plans, although, at present, teachers have few opportunities to see outstanding practice by other teachers beyond

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The leadership and management require improvement

the school.  The curriculum provides an interesting range of subjects and topics. Pupils enjoy the additional trips and activities, such as to nearby museums, as well as further afield. Opportunities such as these contribute well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Discrimination of any sort is not tolerated. The school is strongly inclusive and there is a firm commitment to equality of opportunity.  Leaders make good use of the primary sports funding. The school is using specialist coaches to provide additional provision while supporting the training of staff. This is increasing pupils’ participation in sport and their well-being.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is very supportive of the new headteacher. Governors have ensured an effective induction and a smooth transition between headteachers. Governors are provided with a great deal of information and have a clear understanding about the quality of teaching.

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The leadership and management require improvement

They are clear about how performance management is linked to the school’s priorities, attainment and progress of pupils, and how it is being used to make pay awards or, if required, address any underperformance. Governors are well trained and know about published data on the school, and receive updates from the headteacher on pupils’ progress and attainment. Safeguarding arrangements meet statutory requirements. Although governors know how the pupil premium is spent, as yet, they do not track carefully enough whether and how the use of this money is having an impact on raising standards.

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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 101136 Local authority Westminster Inspection number 431317

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 230 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Len Clark Headteacher Emily Norman Date of previous school inspection 25 February 2009 Telephone number 020 7641 4130 Fax number 020 7641 5438 Email address office@bryanston.net 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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