Crane Park Primary School

Crane Park Primary School Norman Avenue, Feltham, Middlesex, TW13 5LN

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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 Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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

 Pupils’ achievement over time has not been good enough, particularly in mathematics.  Teaching is inconsistent across the school. There is not enough that is good or better to make sure that pupils develop basic skills in writing and numeracy.  Pupils do not always behave as well as they should. There are occasions when a few find difficulty managing their own behaviour.  Not all teachers use information about pupils’ learning to plan and adapt work to make sure pupils can make good progress.  Pupils do not study subjects other than English or mathematics to any depth. There are not enough times when pupils use their literacy, numeracy or information and communication technology (ICT) skills when learning other subjects.  Middle leaders are new to their roles and are not involved enough in checking the quality of teaching or helping other teachers to improve their work.  School leaders and governors have not

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

challenged weaker teaching and low achievement vigorously enough until recently.

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The school has the following strengths

 New leaders and governors have taken decisive and rapid action to reverse the decline in standards since the previous inspection. Teaching is improving and pupils’ rates of progress are increasing.  Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage. They settle quickly because staff have created a safe and stimulating environment for them.  Pupils feel safe in school because they know that adults care for them.  Staff morale has improved and is now good. Staff work closely together and they have responded very well to the support provided by the local authority.  School leaders have a clear understanding of the strengths of the school and know where improvements need to be made. Their plans for development show that they can improve further.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 19 lessons or parts of lessons, many of which were jointly carried out with senior leaders, and they looked at work in pupils’ books. They listened to pupils read in Years 2, 3 and 6 and they attended an assembly.  Meetings were held with school leaders, members of the governing body, groups of pupils and representatives from the local authority.  Inspectors considered a range of documentation including the school’s plans for improvement, minutes from governors’ meetings, information regarding pupils’ standards and progress as well as documents showing how the school keeps pupils and staff safe.  The views of parents were taken into account by analysing the 18 responses to the online survey Parent View and by speaking informally to parents during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Joy Considine, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Aileen Thomas Additional Inspector David Morris Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much larger than the average-sized primary school with provision for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage in the Nursery and Reception classes.  The proportion of pupils who are from minority ethnic backgrounds and who speak English as an additional language is much higher than usual.  The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for pupil premium funding is above average. This is additional funding provided by the government to support those pupils who, at this school, are known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is broadly average. The proportion who are supported with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The school met the government’s floor targets, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in 2013.  There is a specialist unit, The Ace, for up to 32 pupils who have autism.

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Information about this school

 The school is in a period of redevelopment as it expands to take three classes in each year group. There is a significant building project underway to provide additional classroom accommodation for pupils in September 2014.  There have been significant changes to the leadership team and the governing body since the previous inspection. Since September 2013, the school has been led by an interim headteacher prior to the new headteacher (currently the deputy headteacher) taking up the position in April 2014.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good or better and so improve pupils’ achievement by:  making better use of information about pupils’ progress to plan work that builds on what pupils already know and can do  making sure that all pupils respond to teachers’ marking by correcting and improving their own work  teaching pupils to write, spell and punctuate their work to a higher standard and to present their work neatly and carefully  ensuring that pupils understand how to multiply and divide larger numbers so that they solve mathematical problems more quickly and efficiently.  Improve pupils’ behaviour by:  ensuring that all staff implement the school’s policy for behaviour consistently and insist on high standards of behaviour at all times.  Develop the role of middle leaders by:  improving their skills so that they are more effective in checking and supporting the work of

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

other teachers  improving planning in their particular area so pupils study all subjects in greater depth and use literacy, numeracy and ICT skills effectively when learning other subjects.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ achievement requires improvement because it is not consistently good across the school. At the end of Key Stage 2 in 2013, pupils’ attainment in the national tests was below average in reading and mathematics and was broadly average in writing.  Over the past three years, too few pupils, particularly disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and those who are White British, have made the progress expected of them. Pupils’ achievement is now improving in all subjects. During this academic year, pupils of all abilities, including those who speak English as an additional language, have made good progress and their attainment is catching up rapidly. More able pupils work hard and are on track to meet their challenging targets.  Pupils enjoy reading. Younger pupils confidently use letters and sounds (phonics) to read unfamiliar words. However, some have reading books that are too easy for them and this slows

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

their progress. By the end of Year 6, pupils read fluently and talk enthusiastically about their favourite books.  Pupils’ progress in writing requires improvement. Pupils write at length but work in their books shows that their handwriting, spelling and punctuation are not always as good as they should be. Their work is often poorly presented and they do not regularly use their skills in English lessons or other subjects and this prevents them from making better progress.  In some classes, pupils make good progress in mathematics. For example, in a Year 4 class, pupils were absorbed in finding fractions of metric measures, such as 5/6 of 5400 kilogrammes, using their knowledge of multiplication and division. Some older pupils struggle to solve word problems because they do not understand how to multiply and divide larger numbers and this slows their progress.  Gaps in the achievement of different groups of pupils are closing, showing that the school

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

promotes equality of opportunity. Pupils supported by the pupil premium funding were about a year behind other pupils in English and mathematics in the national tests in 2013. They are now catching up quickly with other pupils because their progress is regularly checked.  The leader for special educational needs has reorganised provision for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, including those from the ACE unit. These pupils now achieve as well as their classmates because they receive targeted help, in class or in small groups, from skilled teaching assistants.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage start school with skills that are below those expected for their age. They make good progress because staff provide experiences that develop their skills and so, by the time they start in Year 1, most have reached the expected levels of development.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Although teaching is getting better quickly, it has not been good enough over time for pupils to make consistently good progress.  Not all teachers make enough use of information about pupils’ progress when planning lessons, and so there are times, particularly in mathematics, when the work set for pupils does not build on what they already know and this slows their progress.  Teachers’ marking and feedback to pupils, although effective in some classes, lack consistency across the school. While most teachers provide helpful comments to pupils about what they have done well and what they need to do to improve their work, too few teachers make sure that pupils use this information to correct and improve their work. As a result, pupils continue to repeat their mistakes.  Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. Staff understand how young children learn. They plan a range of activities, some of which are led by adults and others that children

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

choose for themselves. This allows children to develop resilience, independence and confidence when faced with new learning.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are supported well in class. Skilled teaching assistants help them by explaining to them how to do their work. Often they are taught in small groups to help them to overcome a specific difficulty, such as spelling or subtraction, to help them to catch up with their classmates.  When learning is best, teachers expect pupils to work hard. For example, in a Year 6 mathematics lesson, pupils developed their understanding of how to simplify algebraic equations using brackets. This was challenging but, because the teacher demonstrated the activity effectively, pupils made good progress.  Relationships between staff and pupils are good and this inspires pupils to join in the lively discussions that take place in most classes. However, there are times when teachers waste time

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

repeating what pupils already know and understand. Pupils become fidgety and bored and do not make enough progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. This is because a small minority of pupils struggle to manage their own behaviour. When the pace of learning slows, they fidget and start to chat among themselves.  Just occasionally, the behaviour of a few pupils in the playground becomes boisterous and they forget to follow the new rules agreed by staff. This is because not all staff follow the school’s guidelines and so pupils do not always understand the expectations for their behaviour.  Pupils are friendly and they get on well together regardless of background. They say they are treated fairly and that discrimination is not tolerated. Racial harmony is a strength of the school. Pupils understand different types of bullying, including cyber bullying, but say it rarely happens. School records show a reduction in the number of incidents of poor behaviour and there have been few exclusions. Pupils’ attendance is broadly average.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The school provides a welcoming environment for pupils. As a matter of priority, school leaders improved classrooms and corridors by removing old furniture, books and equipment and refurbishing the building. There is a planned programme of maintenance to improve other areas of the school. Pupils are now proud of their school and say, ‘Its much better now and we can’t wait for the new library to open.’  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. All visitors to school are carefully checked and the school site is safe, despite the extensive building works. All staff have been trained to look out for signs that pupils are having problems and they fully understand their role regarding pupils’ safety and welfare.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because, until recently, school leaders have failed to challenge important weaknesses in teaching and pupils’ achievement.  The interim headteacher, senior leaders, governors and the local authority have worked in close partnership to reverse the downward trend and to establish a harmonious school community. On joining the school, the interim headteacher carried out a thorough review of all aspects of the school’s work to identify what most needed to be improved. In consultation with staff and governors, he implemented actions for development that are already improving pupils’ achievement.  The new leadership team quickly tackled weaknesses in teaching. They visit classrooms formally and informally and they provide support and training for teachers to improve their skills. All teachers have performance targets related to pupils’ progress. They know that their progression

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The leadership and management requires improvement

on the salary scale is linked to their performance in the classroom.  Middle leaders have been trained to lead the development of key subjects but are not yet involved in checking the work of other teachers. They do not provide guidance to teachers about how some aspects of their work, for example subject planning, may be improved. Consequently, pupils do not study subjects other than English and mathematics to any depth and there are too few occasions when pupils use and apply literacy, numeracy and ICT skills when learning other subjects.  Pupils learn a range of subjects and enjoy the visits that extend their learning. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about their visit to the Globe Theatre and how it gave them a clearer understanding of Shakespeare and life in the 16th century. Displays of pupils’ work show some delightful paintings linked to a topic on Africa that contribute well to pupils’ spiritual, moral,

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The leadership and management requires improvement

social and cultural development.  Pupils enjoy sports and understand how it contributes to healthy lifestyles. The school’s links with a local football club have been extended using the additional primary sports funding to provide training for staff. They are more confident in teaching all aspects of physical exercise.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  Governors have quickly responded to the challenge of recruiting both school leaders and governors to fill unforeseen vacancies. They have worked closely with the local authority to ensure a smooth transition when the new headteacher takes up her post in April. They reviewed their skills and attended training to help them to improve their roles. Governors are fully aware that pupils’ progress is not good enough and have been fully supportive of the interim headteacher as he introduced rapid changes. They know that he has successfully addressed weak teaching through training and development and understand how salary decisions are related to teachers’ performance. They receive high quality information about the school’s progress and are confident that it is improving. Governors are well organised and ensure that all finances, including the pupil premium funding, are managed well. They provide

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The leadership and management requires improvement

an effective balance of support and challenge to school leaders and ensure that all arrangements to keep staff and pupils safe are in place.

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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 132263 Local authority Hounslow Inspection number 432348

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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 Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 480 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Val Blackwell Headteacher Andy Lucas (interim) Date of previous school inspection 18 October 2010 Telephone number 020 8894 9047 Fax number 020 8890 4486 Email address office@cranepark.hounslow.sch.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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