Dairy Meadow Primary School

School report Dairy Meadow Primary School Swift Road, Southall, Middlesex, UB2 4RP

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Achievement has improved and standards are now rising to above the national average by the time pupils leave the school. From starting points which are below those expected for their age, pupils make good progress.  The good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes ensures children are well prepared for more formal work in Year 1.  The school has worked quickly to improve attainment in reading and writing.  The headteacher has been very successful in improving the quality of teaching since the previous inspection.  The recently created leadership team are passionate to drive forward pupils’ achievement and enjoyment of school.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive good support so that they can achieve well.  Teachers manage their classes well and they make very good use of additional adults to help all pupils do their best work.  Teaching is good. Teachers use the

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

information they have about the pupils to plan work which challenges them well.  The school’s very caring atmosphere promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school is a happy and calm community.  Behaviour is good, and this is greatly valued by the pupils and their parents. Pupils say that they feel safe in school.  The members of the governing body work extremely hard and know a lot about the school because they regularly visit and talk to teachers, parents and pupils. They check the school’s information and ask challenging questions.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Leaders who are new in post have not yet had sufficient time to develop a thorough understanding of the quality of teaching and so do not yet take sufficient responsibility for the achievements of pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 31 lessons or parts of lessons. Two of these were jointly observed with the headteacher.  Inspectors heard pupils read and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors examined the 14 responses to the online Parent View survey, two of which were sent to Ofsted via e-mail. They also took into account the outcomes of 18 staff responses from a staff questionnaire.  A discussion was held with a member of the local authority’s advisory staff.  Two formal discussions were held with groups of pupils.  Inspectors examined records of pupils’ progress and other school documentation, including safeguarding information.  The lead inspector held a discussion with three members of the governing body.  Inspectors held discussions with parents and carers of pupils at the school and with members of the school staff.

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Inspection team

Tim McLoughlin, Lead inspector Additional inspector Sibanu Raychaudhuri Additional inspector Gill Walley Additional inspector James Waite Seconded inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school, with two forms of entry in all year groups.  The school has undergone a number of changes of teaching staff since it was last inspected, including the headteacher, who has now been at the school two years.  Most pupils come from Indian and Pakastani backgrounds, although a number of different ethnic groups are also represented.  A large number of pupils speak English as an additional language, with a significant number in the younger classes at the early stages of learning English.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is below average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average.  Many of the pupils are supported by the pupil premium, additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and looked-after children.

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Information about this school

 The proportion of pupils joining or leaving the school at times other than the usual start of the year is greater than average.  The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop the role of the phase leaders so that they:  hold a secure and detailed view of teachers’ performance which is related closely to pupils’ achievement  share best practice so that teaching improves.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Across the school, pupils typically make good progress, so that by the end of Year 6 standards in English and mathematics are better than the average and improving rapidly. An above-average proportion of pupils now reach the higher levels in English and mathematics. Attainment at the school is rising in all subjects.  When children join the school in the Nursery class their skills and knowledge levels vary, but overall they are below those expected for their age. The activities provided and support from the adults around them mean they make a good start to their learning, and they enter Year 1 able to read and write and with a grasp of number so they are able to access the more formal work in Key Stage 1.  Children make a good start with their reading skills because of the good teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make) in the Early Years Foundation Stage. This creates a solid foundation

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The achievement of pupils is good

for further learning. Pupils enjoy reading and read widely and often.  Pupils in Key Stage 2 have worked hard to improve their writing skills over the past two years and are now more able to write confidently and clearly in a variety of ways. For instance, in Year 4 pupils had written a letter to the Minister of State for Education setting out their arguments against increasing the length of the school day. These letters showed wit and candour.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress as a result of the targeted support they receive. Those who need the most help make excellent progress.  Pupils who join the school speaking English as an additional language make very rapid progress because of good teaching of key skills.  Additional funding is spent on small-group work and individual tuition for eligible pupils. It is also used to fund access to clubs and residential activities. Last year this group made the same

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The achievement of pupils is good

amount of progress as the rest of the school, with no discernable gap. This year these pupils are doing even better so that, for example, in reading they are now making double the amount of progress in two terms than other pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has improved since the previous inspection and is now more consistently good, with some emerging examples of outstanding practice. This is because the headteacher has focused relentlessly on this area of school life.  Teachers plan activities to be stimulating and work is set at the right level. The most able pupils are given work which challenges them and supports their good progress. Teachers are careful to check on pupils’ understanding during lessons and to adapt their planning when necessary.  Reading is well taught throughout the school and this is being helped by an online resource used in the older years as well as recently purchased additional reading books.  Teaching in mathematics and English is very strong because teachers make the lessons challenging and interesting for pupils. For example, in a mathematics lesson in Year 6, pupils were engrossed in a demanding piece of work involving multi-step problem solving called ‘A Day

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The quality of teaching is good

out in Tokyo’. The teacher had a very secure grasp of the subject knowledge needed to guide the pupils through their work so they achieved well.  Pupils find marking helpful as it gives them immediate feedback about their work and what they need to do to make it even better. This consistent approach makes it easy for pupils to understand, particularly in English.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children get off to a good start in learning phonics. They enjoy learning to read, and also write with great confidence. For example, they are able to write independently using full stops and capital letters to punctuate sentences. Teachers and teaching assistant create a harmonious atmosphere in which children can nurture their interests in a safe and secure setting. This is an improvement since the previous inspection.  Parents speak very positively about the teachers and hold them in high esteem. A small number

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The quality of teaching is good

expressed concern about the frequent changes of staff that the school has experienced over the past few years, although they were unanimous that the changes were for the better.  Teachers manage their classes very well and no time is wasted. Teachers use various approaches to show pupils how to do their best work, such as telling them what they will look for when the work is marked.  Pupils who need extra help are taught well through an effective mix of individual and class support. Adults who work closely with these pupils make an important contribution to their good learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils care for and are very respectful of one another. This is a very obvious feature of the school and stems from all staff. It helps to provide the pupils with a model of very good behaviour. As a result, they are friendly, move about the school quietly and are extremely polite. In turn, this has a positive impact on their learning and is helping them to achieve better in lessons.  Attitudes to school are very positive, shown by pupils’ good behaviour in lessons, where they are quick to settle. They are also evident in their contribution to assemblies and in the sensible way the pupils conduct themselves around the school. Pupils say that behaviour is typically like this and set high standards for one another. Pupils are proud of their school and say that the teachers are kind and help them. In fact, one pupil told inspectors that in his opinion Dairy Meadow is ‘the best school in the world!’

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Staff promote positive relationships with an understanding of tolerance and appreciation of individuality. Adults frequently show the pupils the best way to resolve differences of opinion in calm ways. There is no evidence of any discrimination.  Pupils feel safe in the school, and say that there is very little bullying. Pupils are aware of different types of bullying, including bullying that takes place over the internet. The school keeps careful records of the very few cases of bullying and suitable steps are taken to deal with these problems. A small number of parents expressed some concern over the behaviour of a very small number of pupils, although records indicated that the school is acting proficiently in managing this situation.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage play and work well, and are given lots of opportunities to learn what good behaviour looks like and how to play with one another nicely.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils at the school undertake a range of helpful jobs such as prefects. Older pupils help engage the younger ones in meaningful play activities. Playground behaviour has improved significantly following the school’s investment in new equipment and zoned areas.  Attendance is now slightly above average and the school has good systems in place to maintain this. Pupils enjoy coming to school.

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The leadership and management are good

 All staff and governors are strongly committed to the headteacher’s vision for making the school the best one around. This vision is clearly articulated in the school’s motto, ‘Enjoy! Educate! Embrace! Empower!’ The headteacher has undertaken bold but necessary steps to restructure the school’s staffing team so that the correct people are now in the correct jobs. As a result of this, the school has successfully overcome a dip seen in progress last year in reading.  The headteacher has high expectations of all staff. He manages teachers’ performance well and is able to ensure a clear match between the quality of teaching and pay. Teachers have challenging targets linked to the national Teachers’ Standards. Senior leaders check their progress towards them thoroughly. They do not shy away from making difficult decisions regarding staffing deployment.  Many of the phase leaders are new in post and are not yet linking the quality of teaching with

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The leadership and management are good

the data on pupils’ achievement. They are capable of sharing best practice with other members of staff.  The school offers a wide variety of subjects, which pupils really enjoy. Throughout the school there are examples of high-quality work, for example in religious education, some superb singing and music making and in the expressive arts. At the time of the inspection the songs from the musical Oliver! could be heard echoing down the corridors.  The school is making good use of additional funds to promote physical education and sport through the deployment of specialist coaches. This helps the school to perform well in regional competitions such as in football. This supports the development of pupils’ health and well-being. It also develops the confidence of both staff and pupils as the school’s performance and love of sport improve.  The good progress evident for all pupils, whatever their needs, shows that the school is very

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The leadership and management are good

effective in promoting equality of opportunity.  The school promotes pupils’ understanding of the world through a broad range of experiences and has links with a school in Dorset. These contribute particularly well to pupils’ social, moral, cultural and spiritual development.  All statutory procedures for the safeguarding of children and the vetting of staff are fully in place and reviewed regularly.  The local authority provides a very good level of support for this school. This has included regular visits, meeting frequently with the headteacher and Chair of Governors and advising the school’s governors of the headteacher’s performance management. The local authority knows the school’s context very well.  The governance of the school: – The governing body fulfils all its statutory duties effectively. The budget is well managed and while resources are limited, they are used well. Governors pay frequent visits to the

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The leadership and management are good

school to check at first hand the actions the school is taking to improve provision. They have a good knowledge of strengths and areas for development. They know through their understanding of data how well the school is performing in relation to others nationally. Because of this, they offer a good level of support and challenge to the headteacher. They have worked very effectively to manage teachers’ performance robustly. They have a very good understanding of what the school is doing to reward good teaching and address any underperformance. They have high aspirations for the future of the school and are now in a strong position to ensure the school continues to improve.

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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 101894 Local authority Ealing Inspection number 439495

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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 Maintained Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 475 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jane Sagoo Headteacher Arjinder Sunner Date of previous school inspection 26 March 2009 Telephone number 020 8571 7925 Fax number 020 8571 6138 Email address office@dairy-meadow.ealing.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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