Heston Primary School

Heston Primary School Heston Road, Hounslow, TW5 0QR

p.1

Overall effectiveness

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

p.1

This is a good school

 There has been strong improvement since the previous inspection, particularly in pupils’ writing and mathematics, which have been school priorities.  Pupils throughout the school make good progress from their starting points. In 2014, attainment rose significantly in English and mathematics and pupils achieved well in both key stages.  The headteacher and senior leaders, including governors, are very well focused on school priorities and are driving improvement well. As a result, the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement continue to improve.  Gaps in achievement between disadvantaged pupils and their peers closed significantly in 2014.  Teaching has improved considerably since the previous inspection and is now good in all key stages.  The Early Years Foundation Stage is good. Children are provided for well and make good progress.  Pupils behave well. They enjoy school, are very well cared for and feel safe.

p.1

This is a good school

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted very well and has a positive impact on the school community.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some pupils, especially the most able, are not always given harder work when they are ready to move on in their learning.  Sometimes, teachers do not check well enough how much progress pupils are making in lessons so they can adjust their teaching accordingly.  Pupils do not always get good opportunities to practise their literacy and mathematical skills across a wide range of subjects.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 23 sessions of teaching, three of which were observed jointly with school leaders. In addition, inspectors undertook work scrutiny of pupils’ books and children’s learning journeys jointly with senior leaders.  Meetings were held with two groups of pupils, two governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body, the local authority school improvement partner, and school staff.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents. These included the school’s attainment and progress information, planning and monitoring documentation, the school improvement plan and self-evaluation summary, the safeguarding policies, and behaviour and attendance records.  Inspectors took account of the 29 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and the 29 responses they received from a staff questionnaire.  Inspectors talked to pupils about the school’s work and listened to some pupils read.

p.2

Inspection team

Nasim Butt, Lead inspector Additional inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The school provides for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage through two part-time Nursery classes and two Reception classes.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is much higher than the national average.  Most pupils are of Indian or Pakistani heritage. A significant number join the school in the Early Years Foundation Stage at the early stages of learning English.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium, additional government funding for disadvantaged pupils is broadly average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and who need some extra help is below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school has a new build since amalgamation of the former infant and junior school in September

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to outstanding by: – making sure that pupils, especially the most able, have harder work when they are ready to move on in their learning – ensuring that all teachers check on pupils’ progress in lessons and adapt their teaching when needed so that more pupils make rapid progress.  Raise further and sustain the higher standards reached in reading, writing and mathematics by ensuring that all pupils have greater opportunities to practise their literacy and mathematical skills across a wide range of subjects.

p.3

The leadership and management are good

 Leadership and management are good because effective self-evaluation and improvement planning have led to clear improvements in the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement, which are now both good.  School leaders have been particularly successful in raising attainment in reading, writing and mathematics across all year groups and in narrowing the achievement gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. Therefore, the school has made strong progress against the key areas for improvement identified in the previous inspection.  There are regular checks to support and improve teaching. Systems are in place to assess the performance of teachers. This helps to ensure teachers are held to account for the progress of pupils in their classes. Teachers and other staff say that they are well supported through training to achieve their targets.  Pupils made steady progress by the end of Year 6 in 2013. Pupils’ progress improved in English and

p.4

The leadership and management are good

mathematics by the end of Key Stage 2 and was good in 2014.  Well-targeted changes have brought about improvements. For example, the introduction of extended writing books has raised the profile of writing in the school and ensured a narrowing of the gap between reading and writing.  Subject leaders are skilful in using the school’s detailed information about pupils’ progress to pinpoint those pupils who need extra help. As a result, most pupils are making good progress and the likelihood of a pupil falling through the net is now much lower.  Good leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage has resulted in higher expectations, through planning and better teaching. These improvements have brought year-on-year increases to the achievements of the youngest children.  Pupils learn skills in a variety of interesting contexts. They benefit from studying a range of topics and themes which they find interesting and stimulating. Carefully chosen visits to places of interest and a

p.4

The leadership and management are good

strong focus on art and music ensure that the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is considerably enhanced.  The school is working well towards full implementation of its preferred approach to assessment following the removal of National Curriculum levels. Pupils new targets in writing and mathematics support the approach the school is taking.  Pupil premium funds are used effectively to make sure, wherever possible, disadvantaged pupils make good progress. Skilful use of the primary sports funding, for example through increasing the range of competitive sports, has resulted in higher levels of participation from boys and girls and clear improvements in their physical well-being.  The local authority has provided effective support and challenge to leaders since the previous inspection, enabling the school to build capacity and become self-sufficient.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governance has improved significantly since the previous inspection. Governors worked closely with the local authority to successfully address the issues identified in the previous inspection. As a result of effective training, coupled with strong ambition, governors have been able to carry out their role of support and challenge effectively. They are very clear about the school’s strengths and weaknesses and have a good understanding of the information about pupils’ performance and how it compares with that of all schools nationally. The governing body has carried out a skills audit and evaluated its own performance. Although governors have a sound knowledge of the quality of teaching, they have identified plans to monitor learning more closely and work with staff to understand what is working well and what needs improving. Finances are carefully managed and governors know what is done with

p.4

The leadership and management are good

extra funds for pupil premium and sports, and how it will be evaluated. Governors ensure staff pay is linked to performance, and know what would be done to tackle underperformance. Governors see all statutory requirements are met, including those for safeguarding pupils.

p.4

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils have very positive attitudes towards learning. They show keenness to take part, and they work cooperatively in small groups.  Pupils respond well to adult guidance, for example when undertaking practical tasks in a range of subjects. As a result, they make better progress in developing their skills.  This is a harmonious school where pupils play and work together well and show a great deal of respect and care for each other. Pupils from different cultures and backgrounds learn about each other and share their experiences in a safe environment.  Very occasionally, a few pupils take too long to respond appropriately to teachers’ instructions. Good care and support are offered to those pupils whose behaviour is harder to manage. As a result, these pupils show improved attitudes to learning and make more rapid progress in lessons.  Incidents of bullying are rare, and are recorded carefully by the school. Swift action is taken to ensure

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

that they are not repeated, and the school has been successful in reducing the numbers of incidents.  As a result of a focused approach in working with groups of pupils and their families, pupils’ attendance is broadly average and improving. The good work with many families has resulted in a decrease in the number of pupils who are persistently absent.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils who met with inspectors said that they feel very safe in school and really appreciate the spacious new build. Parents who responded to the online questionnaire agreed or strongly agreed that the school helps to keep their children safe.  The school has helped pupils understand how to use the internet and other social media sites safely through assemblies and lessons and by working with outside agencies. Pupils show a keen awareness of how to keep themselves safe, and talk about the skills they have learned to use the internet safely.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 With the help of skilled adults, children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught at the very outset how to play and learn in a safe environment.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has improved since the previous inspection. In particular it is much more consistent across a range of subjects, including in reading, writing and mathematics.  Very positive relationships between staff and pupils provide the foundation of effective learning. As a result, very little time is wasted in lessons and smooth transitions between activities allow more learning to happen.  Teachers explain things clearly and demonstrate new skills well. They keep pupils on track, pick up and clarify misconceptions, and ensure that good progress is maintained.  Reading is taught well. Standards have improved as a result of effective guided reading and focused support on letters and sounds. Moreover, good teaching of writing has led to improvements in pupils’ writing skills, as reflected in higher levels of attainment in both key stages.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, stimulating activities in both indoor and outdoor areas engage

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

children. Adults use every opportunity to promote learning and personal development, and encourage children to talk about their learning.  Other adults provide effective support for small groups and during whole-class sessions. They use a good range of resources and thoughtful questioning to promote good progress.  Teaching of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs as well as disadvantaged pupils is strong because support is provided at the right level. Teaching resources are stimulating and good use is made of information and communication technology to support their learning.  Marking is effective. Pupils are given good guidance on how well they have done and what they need to do to improve. Scrutiny of pupils’ books shows that, increasingly, pupils respond well to this guidance and make good progress as a result.  Where teaching is most effective, pupils are given harder problems to stimulate their thinking and the

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

most able pupils are excited and engaged. Teaching is not yet outstanding because the most able pupils in particular are not always set work that is pitched at a high enough level, and this sometimes limits the progress they can make.  Occasionally, teachers do not check well enough how much progress pupils are making. This results in fewer opportunities to take stock and deepen the learning taking place.  Specialist teachers in physical education, modern foreign laguages and music have expert skills in their subjects and this is used well in their teaching. Effective teaching in these subjects has made a strong contribution, respectively, to developing pupils’ leadership skills and promoting their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.5

is good

 In 2013, standards were broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics at Key Stages 1 and 2. Pupils made good progress in writing by the end of Year 6 but only steady progress in reading and mathematics. Evidence from this inspection indicates that standards have risen in both key stages and pupils are making good progress across all year groups.  Pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 2 was significantly higher in reading, writing and mathematics in 2014. Moreover, the school’s achievement information shows that attainment also rose in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6. This is a marked improvement from the previous year and the higher standards reached by the end of the Key Stages are reflected in almost all year groups.  Information that the school keeps about the pupils’ progress, and a scrutiny of their books from last year, confirm that pupils are making good progress in English and mathematics. Their progress is getting faster

p.6

is good

in Years 1 and 2, so that they are now entering Key Stage 2 with higher standards and well prepared for their next stage of learning.  Standards of the most able pupils have improved and they are making good progress and achieving well. A greater proportion of these pupils are now attaining the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Key Stages 1 and 2.  Disadvantaged pupils (those who are supported by pupil premium funding) make good progress as do disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. This is because teachers and support staff give them close attention and work which matches their abilities. Pupils of Indian or Pakistani heritage and those at the early stages of learning English make progress in line with their peers’. This demonstrates the school’s success in promoting good equality of opportunity.  By the end of Year 6 in 2013, the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers, and

p.6

is good

against the national picture, was around five terms in mathematics and close to two terms in reading and writing. However, in 2014, achievement gaps closed substantially in all key subjects in the context of overall attainment rising.The school’s information, supported by work in books, indicates that the progress these pupils make in English and mathematics is as good as, and sometimes better than, that of their peers.  The school has increased the opportunities that pupils have to read, write and use their mathematical skills in other subjects. However, this aspect of the school’s work is not yet fully embedded and hence a key area to develop further.

p.6

is good

 Children enter the setting with skills and knowledge levels below those expected for their age, especially in mathematics and literacy. They benefit from a range of activities, led by the teacher and those they choose themselves, in an attractive classroom and stimulating outdoor area. Most children, including disabled children and those with special educational needs, as well as those who are disadvantaged and the most able, make good progress. Good leadership and management have ensured that teaching is consistently good and enables most children to reach standards in line with national expectations by the end of Reception. Improvements to the teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make) have supported the good progress they make from their starting points. Children make strong progress in their physical development because of the good range of provision in the outdoor environment. Relationships

p.6

is good

with adults are effective and this supports children’s good personal, social and emotional development. The classrooms and outdoor environments are well organised and children settle quickly into established routines. Adults use questioning well to extend children’s learning and regular observations inform the next steps for learning. Sometimes, the next steps for learning are not checked through systematically enough, resulting in some children not making the maximum progress.

p.6

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 failing

p.7

Grade Judgement Description

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.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 136191 Local authority Hounslow Inspection number 449061

p.8

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.8

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 414 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Kuldip Sidhu Headteacher Laura Khalil Date of previous school inspection 2–3 October 2012 Telephone number 020 8572 5597 Fax number 020 8572 3923 Email address office@heston-pri.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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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 and 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

p.9

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’.

p.9

School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.9