Lionel Primary School

Lionel Road North, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 9QT

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Early years provision Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Outstanding leadership has exceptionally high aspirations for pupils and similarly high expectations of staff. This results in all groups of pupils making rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Achievement is outstanding.  Teaching is characterised by excellent planning for the different needs and abilities of pupils across a wide range of subjects. Teachers’ subject knowledge is very strong. Teachers provide activities for pupils that inspire them to work very hard and which typically deepen their learning. This, combined with infectious flair, enthusiasm and excellent relationships with pupils, ensures that teaching is consistently outstanding throughout the school.  Pupils behave impeccably in lessons. Their attitudes to learning are exceptional. At other times, pupils are lively but always very considerate and respectful to adults and each other. Pupils are rightly proud of their school and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

feel very safe and happy. Behaviour is outstanding.  Pupils who attend the specialist provision for speech, language and communication benefit from very high quality teaching by well-trained adults. Pupils’ needs are met exceptionally well. This results in pupils making outstanding progress.  The progress of disadvantaged pupils is outstanding, enabling them to reach standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are well above those of other pupils nationally.  Systems to check on the progress of pupils are very robust. Leaders use this information to hold teachers rigorously to account for progress. Teachers regularly check on progress and measure the impact of their work on particular individuals and groups. This characteristically leads to adjusted plans and even more rapid progress.  The school’s belief that everyone will succeed applies equally to teachers. The expectation is that all teachers will be outstanding, and the support

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and training they receive from leaders help them to reach this standard. Through a period of expansion, with many new staff being appointed, this remorseless drive for the highest standards of teaching has been a major reason for the school’s outstanding overall effectiveness.  The school’s curriculum is outstanding. It provides a wide range of memorable experiences for pupils, as well as giving them all the skills they need to move on to the next stage in their education. The school provides extremely well for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Provision in the Nursery and Reception classes is outstanding. Pupils make an excellent start to their school life, particularly in learning to read.  The school’s governing body is very effective. Members have a deep understanding of the school and so are able to provide strong challenge and support to school leaders.  The school’s work to ensure pupils are safe and

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors made 21 visits to classrooms to observe pupils’ learning. Senior leaders accompanied inspectors on some of these visits. Inspectors also examined pupils’ work books. They observed other aspects of the school’s work, including assemblies.  Meetings were held with members and the Chair of the Governing Body, as well as with teachers and school leaders. The lead inspector also met with a representative of the local authority.  Pupils took inspectors on a tour of the school. The inspectors met with a group of Key Stage 2 pupils, listened to pupils read, and spoke to individuals in their classrooms about their work. They spent time in the dining hall and on the school playground, where they also spoke to pupils.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the school gate and met with a parent who asked to speak to the inspectors. They also considered the 85 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and a letter

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Information about this inspection

from a parent. Inspectors reviewed 47 questionnaire responses from staff.  Inspectors looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own information relating to pupils’ achievement, the school’s review of its work and plan of action. They scrutinised reports of visits made by representatives of the local authority. They looked at records relating to behaviour and attendance and checks on teaching, as well as school documents relating to safeguarding. The inspectors also considered the school’s website.

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Inspection team

Martin Marsh, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average-sized primary school. Since the last inspection, the number of pupils attending the school has almost doubled.  The school has a specialist resource centre for pupils with speech, language and communication needs from age three to 11. It caters for up to 30 pupils.  The school manages pre-school childcare in the Little Lions playgroup and a creche. This is inspected separately from the school.  An above-average proportion of pupils are supported by the pupil premium (additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after).  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average.  Two thirds of pupils are from minority ethnic groups other than White British. About half of pupils do not speak English as their first language.  The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’

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Information about this school

attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  The school runs before- and after-school childcare. Before school, there is a breakfast club that was visited as part of the inspection. The school also runs a wide range of after-school clubs.  Children attend the morning and afternoon Nursery classes part time. The Reception classes are full time.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Review the school’s homework policy so that work pupils do at home contributes even more to their learning.  Ensure that the provision and teaching for information and communication technology (ICT) lead to even more rapid progress, particularly in computing.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher provides inspirational leadership and has built a team of people around her who are totally focused on raising the aspirations of pupils. As a result, teaching, achievement and behaviour are outstanding, resulting in standards in reading, writing and mathematics which are well above national averages when pupils leave in Year 6. Pupils are extremely well prepared for the next stage in their education.  The belief that every child will succeed permeates everything the school does. Regular and rigorous checks on progress ensure that any pupil not meeting challenging targets is quickly identified. Highly successful additional help enables pupils to quickly get back on track to make rapid progress.  The same rigour is applied to checks on teaching. Any teacher not meeting extremely high expectations is given support and training to help them. Teachers are totally accepting of these high expectations and

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The leadership and management are outstanding

work exceptionally hard to achieve them. Leaders, including governors, are rigorous through the appraisal procedures in ensuring that teachers' pay is linked to their performance.  Leaders, including governors, ensure that the extra funding for disadvantaged pupils is precisely targeted to all entitled pupils. The progress of disadvantaged pupils is outstanding and their attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 is well above that of other pupils nationally, and similar to their classmates. Leaders and governors know how well disadvantaged pupils are doing and the importance of ensuring they make faster progress than their classmates. Leaders are continually adjusting plans to bring this about.  Outstanding provision for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs ensures they make similar and often faster progress than other pupils in reading, writing and mathematics. Adults are exceptionally well trained to recognise pupils’ needs and help pupils to overcome them. Pupils who attend

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The leadership and management are outstanding

the speech, language and communication centre receive outstanding support from experts in this area of special needs. Leaders ensure that pupils are fully integrated into school life in addition to receiving the extra specialist support they need. Teachers are given the skills to plan for the range of needs when pupils from the centre are taught in main school lessons.  Middle leaders are fully involved in improving the quality of teaching. They have the knowledge and skills to enable them to make a significant contribution impact on improvements. This is contributing to both succession planning for future leaders and to the school’s excellent capacity to improve still further.  The outstanding curriculum is very well planned and gives pupils a range of inspirational experiences. Year 2 was preparing for a carnival in the school. Pupils were using design and technology, and art skills to create floats and costumes for the carnival. This included making dragons. The work seen in topic books,

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The leadership and management are outstanding

as well as in writing and mathematics books, showed the wide range of experiences which engage children and bring their learning to life. A range of visits and visitors to school supplements what is covered in the classroom. However, information and communication technology (ICT) is not as strong as other subjects. Although pupils are taught how to use various software programmes and they have opportunities to research online and word process their work, computing is not as well planned. School leaders have identified this and are taking steps to address it.  British values permeate all aspects of the school’s work. Sometimes they can be seen in displays, such as one for democratic elections to the school council. The display included the pupils’ election manifestos that were used at the election hustings. British values are seen most notably in how pupils from a range of different faiths and cultures interact with each other, and enjoy being part of a highly cohesive school

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The leadership and management are outstanding

community. The outstanding promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development makes a significant contribution to their exceptional understanding of democracy, mutual respect, tolerance and the rule of law. This indicates how successful the school is in fostering good relationships and tackling discrimination of any sort. Leaders and governors ensure equal opportunities are promoted very effectively.  The school does everything it can to engage with parents. It is increasingly bringing them on board with its work so they can understand and help their children learn even better. Parents value the opportunities the school provides to find out about how their children are taught. They particularly enjoyed learning about how their children were taught their letters and the sounds they make (phonics). They told inspectors that it helped them at home when they listened to their children read.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Extra funding for school sport is used very effectively. School figures show that nearly half of pupils now attend after-school sports clubs, compared to less than a third two years ago. Inspectors watched an assembly which presented awards for the junior sports day which was held at the end of a week devoted to sports. Pupils were told that they were going to be asked to write down how they were going to commit to participate in sport in the future so ensuring a legacy to the sports week.  The school provides wraparound care through a breakfast clubs and after-school club (Kamla club) in addition to a full range of other after-school clubs. These are very well managed and highly valued by parents. Pupils who attend the breakfast club get an excellent start to the day and are well prepared for their lessons.  Leaders and governors ensure that all aspects of safeguarding meet requirements. Rigorous procedures

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The leadership and management are outstanding

are in place to ensure that everything possible is done to ensure that pupils are safe from harm.  The local authority provides an appropriate level of support for this outstanding school.  The governance of the school:  The governance of the school is very effective. Governors visit the school regularly and so have a deep understanding of the quality of teaching and how the school compares to others. They also have an excellent understanding of information about pupils’ achievement. This enables them to provide support and challenge appropriately.  Governors understand that the school’s work to help teachers improve, particularly those new to the profession, is highly effective, and so have rarely had to support school leaders with tackling underperformance. They are prepared to do so should this be necessary.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding in both the main school and the speech, language and communication centre. Pupils are highly motivated, very keen to learn and do the very best they can. This is epitomised in the outstanding care they show in the presentation of their work. Pupils loved showing inspectors what they could do and are rightly very proud of their achievements.  Around the school their conduct is excellent. Pupils are lively in the playground, but are always conscious of others. Older pupils wait patiently before starting to play in the overlap in the infant and junior dinner breaks. One pupil said, ‘We don’t want to hurt one of the little ones.’ They are very well mannered and polite, and reciprocate the care they are shown by adults by showing care and kindness to others. The vast majority of parents who responded to Parent View or who were spoken to during the inspection believe that the school ensures pupils behave well and that their children are happy and well looked after.

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Behaviour

 Pupils happily take on responsibilities in school, whether serving on the school council or representing their school in a sports competition. Recently the school won a London-wide competition which involved pupils learning about, and raising funds for, the victims of Ebola. The citation read, ‘Took a global crisis and made it accessible, cracked the myths surrounding it, and took pro-active steps to make a difference.’ It is in the little things that pupils take most responsibility, for example in looking out for anyone who might be unhappy in the playground and befriending them.  Pupils’ attendance is average and has been improving over a number of years. The school’s systems to check on absence are rigorous. Pupils are typically punctual at school.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep all pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Staff all receive regular training to ensure that they can recognise any signs of possible child abuse. Policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and amended to take on latest guidance.  There is a zero tolerance of any prejudice-based language and so incidents are very rare. Pupils know it would be dealt with if it happened and so feel safe from this type of abuse. They also feel safe from bullying. The school’s curriculum helps pupils to understand the persistent nature of bullying and the various forms it can take, including cyber bullying. As with prejudiced-based language, the school has zero tolerance on any type of bullying.  Pupils say they feel very safe in school and the vast majority of parents who responded to Parent View or who were spoken to during the inspection agree with this. Pupils were able to explain to inspectors what

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Safety

to do and what not to do when using the internet and other electronic media.  Excellent procedures are in place to ensure that visitors to school have the appropriate checks before being allowed in the school. The school ensures all aspects of health and safety meet requirements and that staff are vigilant to possible hazards.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The quality of teaching is consistently outstanding throughout the school, including in the speech, language and communication centre. Lessons are characterised by extremely strong relationships between teachers and children, high quality planning for the range of needs of different groups and an infectious flair and enthusiasm for teaching.  Children quickly learn to read in the Reception class. Highly systematic programmes are taught by very well trained teachers and additional adults. This is built on seamlessly when pupils enter Year 1. Links between reading and writing are always made and so pupils’ spelling, grammar, punctuation and handwriting skills are also developed quickly. Pupils are exposed to a range of challenging texts and so are able to understand and interpret varied written material. By the time pupils leave in Year 6 they are confident and fluent readers, and have developed a real love of reading.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The teaching of writing is outstanding. The writing inspectors saw during the inspection is of a very high standard. Reflections written by Year 6 pupils about their time in school showed their ability to communicate their feelings in a highly sophisticated and often very moving way. Whenever pupils are asked to write, the expectation is that they use correct grammar, punctuation and spelling and that their handwriting is perfect, which it invariably is. In Year 1, pupils were writing about the different defences in a castle and were really thinking about how they could describe the function of the moat, the portcullis and arrow slits. Their history skills were developing quickly alongside their writing skills as a result.  Teachers’ planning for mathematics is highly imaginative. Teachers have already acquired an excellent understanding of the additional demands of the new National Curriculum and so are able to plan

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

extremely well for the new age-appropriate content. Alongside the teaching of basic skills, pupils are regularly exposed to challenging problems. Pupils in Year 6 are asked to plan and cost a theme park, and buy and sell stocks and shares. This motivates them extremely well giving them a realistic context in which to apply their skills.  Teaching in the speech, language and communication centre is outstanding. There are the same high expectations of pupils. Adults model language extremely well, use a range of visual aids, give pupils a wide range of hands on experiences and are very well trained to provide the specialist support the pupils need.  Teachers provide excellent guidance to help pupils improve their work. Teachers’ comments on written work are nearly always read and followed by pupils, so they are continually reflecting on how they can do better. The school has identified that the homework pupils receive does not always help them to learn as

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

well as it could. School leaders are looking to review the homework policy and are considering different approaches to setting homework so it supplements the work in school even more effectively.  Additional adults provide excellent support, both in the classroom and in the range of small groups and individual work outside the classroom. They fully understand how to provide the correct level of support to help a pupil, but also allow them to develop resilience and perseverance when working on their own.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 All groups of pupils make outstanding progress. As a result, by the end of Year 6, attainment is well above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics.  The progress of disadvantaged pupils is outstanding. Their attainment in 2014 Key Stage 2 statutory assessments indicated that they were eight months ahead of other pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. Compared to their classmates, they attained very similarly in reading and mathematics and were less than six months behind in writing. Their progress in reading, writing and mathematics was well above that of other pupils nationally, faster than their classmates in reading, similar in mathematics and marginally slower in writing. Inspection evidence indicates that the excellent use of the additional funding is leading to rapid progress for all eligible pupils in the school.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs attained above the national average for all

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

pupils in 2014 Key Stage 2 tests. This includes those pupils who attend the provision for speech, language and communication. This represents outstanding progress. Those pupils who attend the additional provision make even faster progress than pupils in the mainstream classes in reading, writing and mathematics.  Progress in reading is outstanding. Many pupils start school with an ability to communicate in English which is lower than that which is typical for their age. In the 2015 Year 1 phonic screening check, every pupil reached the required standard. The relentless drive of leadership to ensure every child learns to read quickly is exceptionally successful. Progress continues to be rapid as pupils go through the school.  Pupils for whom English is an additional language benefit from the expertise in the specialist provision and so make rapid progress in learning to speak and read. Equally, their progress in, writing and mathematics

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

is very fast. Those pupils from minority ethnic groups make similarly outstanding progress to other pupils.  The most-able pupils make outstanding progress. All pupils who attained above average levels at the end of Key Stage 1 attained above average levels in the 2014 Key Stage 2 statutory assessments. Over half reached the highest levels in mathematics and some achieved the highest levels in reading. The most-able pupils in all lessons are regularly challenged with harder content and problems. This ensures their progress across most subjects is rapid.  The school’s data and the evidence seen in books and lessons as to what pupils are able to do indicate that the high standards achieved historically by all groups will continue. Given that all groups make outstanding progress, the school is highly successful in ensuring equality of learning for all.

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The early years provision is outstanding

 From starting points which are often below what is typical for their age, an above average proportion of children achieve a good level of development by the end of Reception. This represents outstanding progress for all groups of children. They are very well prepared for Year 1.  Teaching and provision are outstanding, both in the classrooms and in the area outside. Adults engage extremely well with children, routinely making them think hard and so deepening their learning. Milk time is used to learn about where milk comes from. Children were fascinated at how cows, through eating grass, can produce milk. The range of stimulating activities that is planned for children allows them to develop confidence, gives them time to explore, investigate and to solve challenging problems.  Children’s behaviour is outstanding. Routines are very well established and so not a moment of learning time is wasted. Inspectors watched children perform a ‘clearing up rumba’ in the Nursery class – every

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The early years provision is outstanding

child was taking responsibility for tidying something up. Children know about staying safe in the sun and that wearing a hat and drinking lots of water are good for them.  Leadership of the setting is outstanding. Strong links exist with the pre-school and the crèche, so children are well known even before they start in the nursery. Home visits are made to gain an even better understanding of children’s interests. Assessment is used forensically to plan activities for the children that meet their needs and their interests. Children, therefore, thrive. Parents spoken to during the inspection were extremely positive about everything the setting provides for their children.  The provision meets all statutory requirements for ensuring children’s health, safety and well-being.

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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 failing

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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.

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School details

Unique reference number 102493 Local authority Hounslow Inspection number 448238

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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 530 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Gavin Dutton Headteacher Patricia Moran Date of previous school inspection 19–20 May 2010 Telephone number 020 85605323 Fax number 020 85699887 Email address office@lionel.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 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

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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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