Fairlop Primary School

Fairlop Primary School Colvin Gardens, Hainault, Ilford IG6 2LH

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher, together with skilled and highly committed leaders, managers and governors, has brought about significant improvements within the school since the previous inspection.  Governors and school leaders are highly ambitious. They understand the school’s strengths well and quickly tackle any weaknesses in teaching and pupils’ achievement.  Consistently positive attitudes in lessons contribute to pupils’ positive learning. Their good reading, writing and mathematics skills prepare them well for the next stage of education.  Pupils behave extremely well and are respectful, considerate and polite. They feel safe and exceptionally well cared for by all the staff.  Children in the early years achieve extremely well and benefit from the outstanding activities in the Nursery and in the Reception classes.  Teaching is consistently good with some that is outstanding. Teachers’ good subject knowledge and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

high expectations enable pupils to make good progress and achieve well.  Other adults make a very effective contribution to pupils’ learning. Consequently, all groups of pupils, including those who are disabled or have special educational needs, make good progress.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. They have well-developed social skills and a strong sense of right and wrong.  The governing body is highly effective in holding leaders to account for the school’s performance.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The most-able pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, are not always challenged sufficiently to achieve higher levels

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 30 lessons. Eight of these were jointly observed with senior leaders.  Inspectors spoke with pupils, both informally and formally. They heard younger pupils read and talked to them about their reading habits.  Inspectors took account of the views of parents, including the 45 responses to the online Parent View questionnaire and written communication from two parents. They also talked to some parents before school. Inspectors considered the views of staff expressed in 53 responses to the inspection questionnaire.  Discussions were held with representatives from the local authority, the Chair and other members of the Governing Body. Inspectors held meetings with members of the senior and extended leadership teams, and other staff.  Inspectors examined information on pupils’ progress, and the work of children from the Nursery and Reception classes and of pupils at Key Stages 1 and 2. They also considered the school’s self-evaluation,

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Information about this inspection

development planning, minutes of governing body meetings, and information on pupils’ achievement. Behaviour logs, policies and information relating to child protection and safeguarding were also scrutinised.

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Inspection team

Barbara Firth, Lead Inspector Additional Inspector

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Inspection team

Peter Lacey-Hastings Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Fairlop is an above average-sized primary school. In response to a local need for more school places, the school has created extra classes in Years 3 and 5.  Just over two thirds of the pupils belong to minority ethnic groups and just under half of the pupils speak English as an additional language. These proportions are above the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below average.  The school’s provision for the early years is based in a Nursery offering 78 part-time places and three Reception classes. All children in Reception attend full time.  The proportion of pupils eligible for support through pupil premium funding is just above the national average. This additional government funding is given to schools to support disadvantaged pupils who are eligible for free school meals or who are looked after by a local authority.  In 2014, the school met the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  Currently, there are five newly qualified teachers.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ achievement by making sure that teachers:  provide activities that challenge the most-able pupils and those who are disadvantaged, to achieve the higher levels.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school is exceptionally well led and managed and there have been significant improvements since the last inspection. The headteacher, together with the very competent senior leadership team, assess the school’s performance accurately. They have a very clear understanding of its strengths and areas for development.  As a result of strong leadership, leaders have created an ethos where good and increasingly outstanding teaching enables pupils to make at least good progress and behave extremely well.  Leaders are rigorous and accurate in their checks on the quality of teaching. Staff feel valued and supported to improve outcomes for all pupils. As a result, teaching and pupils’ achievement have been strengthened since the previous inspection and are now at least good with an increasing proportion that is outstanding. Pupils’ excellent behaviour reflects the high expectations set by all staff.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 High levels of attainment have been maintained at the end of Key Stage 2 over time. As a result of continued effective intervention and support, current information indicates that the standards at the end of Key Stage 1 have also improved significantly on those achieved in 2014.  All teachers are accountable to the leadership team for pupils’ progress. Termly meetings and ongoing discussions, using information on pupils’ recent progress, highlight any concerns. Resources are quickly put in place to ensure support for pupils is appropriately and effectively targeted. Along with the school’s excellent care and guidance, all pupils are given every opportunity and encouragement to learn. Leaders ensure that any discrimination is robustly tackled.  Middle leaders responsible for subjects are highly effective and contribute extremely well to the effectiveness of pupils’ learning. They regularly keep check on all aspects of teaching both formally and

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The leadership and management are outstanding

informally. They know the strengths of their subject area and what needs to be developed very well. They spend time in the classroom teaching alongside their colleagues, demonstrating how to deliver good and outstanding practice. Teachers new to the profession have particularly benefited from this ongoing support from senior and middle leaders.  Leaders make sure that checks on how well pupils are learning are rigorous and accurate. There are regular opportunities in school for teachers to share and discuss pupils’ progress. Several leaders support the local authority in ensuring that assessments in other schools are also accurate.  Additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils is spent very effectively. As a consequence of extra resources for reading and mathematics, including staffing for intervention groups, the disadvantaged pupils in the school achieve as well as other pupils nationally. School information indicates that the gap in

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The leadership and management are outstanding

attainment between pupils in this school compared with other pupils nationally has narrowed.  The quality of the curriculum is outstanding. It provides pupils with memorable experiences and builds on their interests and aspirations. The excellent displays around the school not only celebrate the high quality work, especially in writing, that pupils produce but also the range and depth of subjects that they learn about. Art work is of a particular high quality across the school. The curriculum meets the needs of the new National Curriculum very well. It is enriched by visiting speakers, visits to relevant places of interest and the extensive and well-attended range of clubs and activities which take place after school and at lunchtimes. Parents are kept well informed about what their children are learning through the detailed information on the school’s website.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development extremely well. Every

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The leadership and management are outstanding

opportunity is taken to promote British values while also celebrating the diversity of the backgrounds of the children, including the range of faiths that they represent. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain by taking on responsibilities such as eco-warrior, lunchtime playground squad and being a member of the school council.  The primary sports funding is spent very effectively. It enables the physical education coordinator to coach and share excellent practice in the teaching of physical education with other teachers. The range of sports available to pupils has increased and now includes golf and tag rugby. Opportunities to learn to swim have been enhanced. These opportunities have resulted in the school being extremely successful in local tournaments and events.  The local authority provides effective support by helping the school compare its performance with that of similar schools in the area, assisting with target setting and confirming the school’s self-evaluation.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Safeguarding is robust and parents agree that their children feel very safe at school. The leadership of the school ensures that everything possible is done to help keep pupils safe. Staff members and the governing body are well trained in child protection and know the signs to look for to keep pupils safe. Checks on the suitability of adults to work with children, including disqualification by association checks, meet requirements.  The governance of the school:  Governance is outstanding. Governors provide regular and rigorous challenge to school leaders. They have an excellent understanding of how well the school is doing. They monitor the school’s work through very regular and well-documented school visits. Consequently, they have a clear picture of the quality of teaching and an excellent understanding of information on the school’s performance and how it compares with similar schools. They are assigned specific subjects or areas of responsibility and they

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The leadership and management are outstanding

meet regularly with the school leaders of these to monitor and evaluate progress alongside individual action plans.  As a group, governors have a very good range of skills and expertise that adds strength to the leadership team. They have strategically filled any gaps that they identified in their audit of skills either through recruiting new governors or attending appropriate training.  Governors have a clear understanding of how extra funding for disadvantaged pupils and for sport and physical education is being spent. They monitor rigorously and understand how it is impacting positively on pupils’ achievement.  Excellent systems are in place for monitoring the headteacher’s performance. Governors are fully involved in overseeing arrangements for the setting of targets for staff and ensuring that good and better teaching is rewarded appropriately.  Governors have ensured that safeguarding checks are rigorous.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. They have excellent attitudes to learning and all aspects of school life. Their behaviour in class is highly focused on learning. Around the school pupils are thoughtful, courteous, respectful and calm. Staff, pupils and parents commented on how well behaved all pupils are and the way behaviour is managed by staff is excellent. Pupils are very proud of their school.  At playtimes, pupils from all backgrounds play extremely well together, taking turns and sharing equipment so that no one is left out. They show great care for the school environment, demonstrate good manners in the dining room and treat displays in the corridor and the school grounds with respect.  Pupils are exceptionally enthusiastic learners who take pride in their work. They work together well. For example, Year 6 class worked to prepare for a philosophical discussion about ‘virtues’. They demonstrated

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Behaviour

high levels of self-motivation, and were keen to share their ideas and demonstrated a depth of consideration and thoughtfulness.  The very small number of pupils who have specific behaviour needs is supported effectively. Inspectors did not see any behaviour that prevented pupils from learning and records show that this is typical. The school provides pupils with opportunities to take responsibility and make appropriate choices. For example, they do not have to line up at the end of lunchtime, but are expected to get to their classrooms to begin learning promptly. This ensures that pupils develop maturity so that by the time they reach the end of Year 6 they are very well prepared for secondary school.  Attendance and punctuality have improved in recent years. As a result of increased rigour and the work of the very effective parent support advisor, attendance is now average.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils say they feel extremely safe and well cared for by all adults in the school. One pupil told inspectors that ‘school is safer than outside’. The overwhelmingly majority of parents who responded to the questionnaire agree that their children feel safe at school at all times.  Pupils are very aware of how to keep themselves safe when using the internet and in other situations, such as road safety. The school has a comprehensive programme of opportunities to ensure that pupils are very aware of the different types of bullying. Pupils say that bullying is rare but are clear that, if an instance arose, it would be dealt with swiftly and firmly by staff. They know who to ask for help and advice and feel very well supported by all staff. The school works very closely with external agencies to ensure that pupils who are in most need receive timely advice and support.

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Safety

 The school keeps the site is completely safe and secure and the identity of all visitors is checked before they enter the premises.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Overall, the quality of teaching is good. There are examples of outstanding practice in all year groups but particularly in upper Key Stage 2 and in the early years. As a result, children and pupils are making more rapid progress in these year groups. A rigorous focus on improving teaching in Key Stage 1 has ensured that pupils are learning at a faster rate this year. This is evident in the quality and quantity of work seen in pupils’ workbooks and the school’s information about the standards that have been attained in 2015.  Excellent relationships between adults and pupils result in enthusiastic and confident pupils who enjoy learning and want to do their very best.  Teachers and teaching assistants question pupils skilfully to develop their knowledge and to check their understanding. However, teachers do not always provide challenging tasks so that the most able and disadvantaged learners are helped to reach higher levels. This is why teaching is not outstanding.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of phonics (the link between sounds and letters) has been strengthened and is very effectively taught in the early years and Key Stage 1. Pupils in Year 2 read with expression and show a good grasp of being able to sound out unknown words. The school has consulted with pupils about the themes for their reading corners, which are well stocked and in every classroom. Pupils enjoy reading regularly and were observed doing so during the inspection. They make good use of well-planned activities during special reading lessons to improve their reading and research skills.  Writing is taught exceptionally well across the school. As a result, standards at the end of Year 6 are above average and school information and pupils’ work books show that standards are also currently high across Key Stage 1. Teachers are creative in the resources they use and the experiences they expose to pupils, so that good writing skills are developed. Pupils are encouraged to talk about a topic or share ideas

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The quality of teaching is good

with classmates, which strengthens their ideas and gives them confidence to start writing.  The teaching of mathematics is strong. Teachers have good subject knowledge and provide many opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical knowledge and skills in a range of problem-solving activities.  Teachers mark work regularly and their feedback shows clearly what pupils have done well and what they need to do to improve. Pupils are given time to respond to their teachers’ comments, which they told inspectors helps them improve their work. Pupils know their targets and often refer to them during lessons. They are able to check their progress towards achieving them.  Programmes of support for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are very well planned and taught. Teaching assistants work closely with teachers to plan and provide support for individuals and groups of pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language. As a result, these pupils

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The quality of teaching is good

make at least good progress from their starting points.

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is good

 In 2014, pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 was well above average in all subjects. School information on pupils’ progress and work observed during the inspection confirm, that although standards at the end of Year 6 are currently slightly lower than in 2014, they remain above the national average. Most pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language and those from minority ethnic heritages, are achieving well from their various starting points.  In 2014, standards at the end of Key Stage 1 were lower than the previous year and below the national average. School information on pupils’ progress shows that as a result of good teaching and appropriate intervention by senior leaders, current standards in all subjects in Year 2 have improved, and are above the national average. Pupils have made at least good progress across the key stage from their below average starting points upon entry to Year 1

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is good

 The school works effectively to improve pupils’ literacy skills. The results in the Year 1 phonics check were above average. Pupils show good phonics knowledge, which helps them to decode unfamiliar words and confidently read more demanding books. Standards in reading by the end of Year 6 are above the national average.  Leaders regularly assess the quality and quantity of pupils’ writing in all subjects. Pupils are set challenging targets and their writing work books, in which they carry out extended writing for all subjects, indicate most pupils are on track to attain them.  Pupils in Years 1 to 6 use calculation skills well. This is because support from the subject leader has ensured that adults’ have good subject knowledge. The calculation policy is being implemented successfully because teachers use the well-thought-out guidance effectively. Consequently, progress in mathematics is rapid and, by the end of Year 6, standards in mathematics are well above the national

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is good

average.  In 2014, the proportion of pupils at the end of Year 6 who made good progress in writing and mathematics was above the national average. This picture looks set to be sustained in 2015 with an increasing proportion making good progress in reading.  In the 2014 national tests, disadvantaged pupils by the end of Year 6 achieved standards that were in line with those achieved by other pupils nationally, but below that of other pupils in the school. Although the attainment gap narrowed when compared to the previous year, pupils were 15 months behind in mathematics, four months behind in reading, 10 months behind in writing and nine months behind in English grammar, punctuation and spelling. Although the proportion of disadvantaged pupils who made steady progress was only just below that of other pupils in school they are less likely than their peers to attain the higher levels at the end of both key stages. However, as a consequence of the increased focus

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is good

on the progress of these pupils by leaders and managers, the gaps are set to close still further in 2015.  In 2014, most of the most-able pupils achieved Level 5 by the end of Key Stage 2. However, the proportion of pupils attaining the higher Level 3 at the end of Key Stage 1 was lower than the national average. The school’s information indicates that an increased proportion of pupils are likely to attain Level 3 in 2015. However, work seen in pupils’ books during the inspection indicates that teachers do not always move pupils on swiftly enough to ensure that they are consistently challenged to do harder work. This is why achievement is not outstanding.  Adults meet the needs of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs very effectively. Consequently, they make at least good progress from their individual starting points.

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is outstanding

 Leadership and management of the early years provision are excellent. There is strong teamwork and a good ratio of staff to children. Leaders and staff have established strong relationships with parents, which help the children to feel safe and secure at school. Regular meetings and informal conversations at the start of the day also help parents to be fully involved in their child’s development.  From a low base line, children make exceptional progress in all areas of learning. Early reading, speaking and writing skills are developed very well and the 2015 provisional outcomes show an improvement on those attained in 2014. Adults’ positive engagement with children during tasks allows them to make imaginative use of language. High expectations and the posing of challenges have been instrumental in securing a greater proportion of children exceeding a good level of development in all areas as compared

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is outstanding

to both the previous year and that achieved nationally. Consequently, children are exceptionally well prepared to move into Year 1.  Children are keen to learn and their behaviour is excellent. They settle quickly into daily routines and form positive relationships with adults. Children cooperate very well with each other, for example by taking turns during water and sand play or balancing on the outdoor equipment. They look after the equipment and environment and routines are firmly embedded.  Children make excellent progress in both the Nursery and Reception because the quality of teaching is never less than good, with much that is outstanding. The environment supports learning exceptionally well and teachers ensure that the children use the prompts and aids to learning around the room. For example, ensuring that the ‘writing activity table’ is placed next to the wall where sounds and key words

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is outstanding

are displayed so that the children can use these aids effectively to support their writing.  Teachers plan a wide range of stimulating activities that capture children’s imagination and fully engage their interest. This means that children enjoy learning and make outstanding progress. Every opportunity is taken to develop their learning further. For example, during snack time in the Nursery, the opportunity was taken to extend children’s number knowledge. This was achieved by counting the different types of fruit and calculating simple number problems as children chose which fruit they wanted and removed it from the total.  Children are encouraged to become confident in pursuing indoor and outdoor activities that match their own interests as well as those directed by adults. Adults keep a close check on how well children are doing. This information is used by all of the adults in the team to plan the next steps for learning.

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is outstanding

 As well as ensuring that children learn well and make exceptional progress, adults pay very good attention to checking that the learning environment is safe and that children’s health and well-being are promoted.

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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 102802 Local authority Redbridge Inspection number 449724

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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 760 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rachel Bromelow Headteacher Gail Brannan Date of previous school inspection 24−25 November 2009 Telephone number 020 8500 3857 Fax number 020 8501 3132 Email address admin@fairlop.redbridge.gov.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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