Harlyn Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Mr Simon Jones Headteacher Harlyn Primary School Pinner HA5 2DR

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Short inspection of Harlyn Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 19 January 2016, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in June 2011.

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Short inspection of Harlyn Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.

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Short inspection of Harlyn Primary School

Since your promotion as headteacher in September 2015, you have seized the opportunity to review the school’s development plan. You have utilised your knowledge and experience, from your eight years as the deputy headteacher at Harlyn, to make sure planned school improvement is based on a detailed analysis of the school’s performance information. You have quickly created a culture where fellow leaders feel empowered to make changes. You and your colleagues have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and are taking swift action to bring about improvements, when they are needed.

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Short inspection of Harlyn Primary School

Governors, staff and parents contribute to the welcoming and positive culture of the school. Pupils are well mannered, polite and courteous to visitors. They willingly discuss and share how much they enjoy their learning at Harlyn. Parents who responded to the online questionnaire, Parent View, said that their children are happy at the school.

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Short inspection of Harlyn Primary School

Leaders, supported by governors, have successfully addressed the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection. Additional spending has improved the provision for information and communication technology. As a result, pupils are practising and developing their technology skills more frequently in lessons. At the previous inspection, inspectors also identified that the teaching of writing and phonics (the link between sounds and letters) needed to improve. Literacy leaders have reviewed the school’s approach to the teaching of phonics and writing. This whole-school review has led to strong improvements. Pupil outcomes in the Year 1 phonics test have risen and are now well above the national average. Similarly, writing outcomes for Year 6 pupils have improved and are now above the average expected nationally.

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Short inspection of Harlyn Primary School

The school has benefited from the recent building and expansion programme. This is leading to increases in both staffing and pupil numbers and you are aware of the need to build capacity for the future. You have rightly prioritised the ongoing development of the senior leadership team in your action planning so that they make an increasingly strong input into raising standards. Also, you have identified that, overall, teaching in mathematics is not as strong as the teaching of writing. You have rightly made this a key priority for improvement this year.

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Short inspection of Harlyn Primary School

Leaders have continued to make sure that pupils are safe. You and your senior leader are both trained to lead on safeguarding matters. Your team, including administrative staff, have made sure that safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and that all staff are aware of the Secretary of State’s latest guidance, Keeping children safe in education, July 2015.

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Short inspection of Harlyn Primary School

Pupils I spoke with unanimously said that they feel safe, because they know there is always someone they can talk to. The responses to the online pupil questionnaire confirm this. Pupils in their classes demonstrate a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe when using the internet. Attendance remains in line with national averages. Pupils enjoy coming to school and are rightly proud of their school. They enjoy the range of activities and clubs that the staff organise. The site is clean, well maintained and safe. Pupils move calmly and purposefully to play and between activities.

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Inspection findings

 Leaders across the school have a passionate commitment to ensuring that every child receives both social and academic support to help them excel. You and the deputy headteacher make careful checks to make sure a broad and balanced curriculum is promoted and supports pupils’ academic progress. The curriculum is continually enhanced to capture and support learners’ interests, for example the recent introduction of outdoor education activities as an integral part of the mathematics and literacy curriculum.  Governors were instrumental in the recruitment of you and the deputy headteacher. They are committed to supporting the school’s continued improvement and in promoting its vision in all they do. They have prioritised filling governor vacancies with new appointments, who complement their existing skills set. As a result, they use their personal skills and expertise through the link governor role to check on the different areas of the school’s work and

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Inspection findings

performance.  You and your leaders have established strong systems for assessing pupils’ strengths and areas for development and for tracking progress against the new National Curriculum. Secure systems are in place for internal moderation. Currently you are developing cross-school moderation. Links have been made with a school in another local authority. You are aware that further cross-school moderation experiences will support all staff to make an increasingly strong input into raising standards.  You and your literacy team have enabled teachers to use creative ideas to improve writing. Teachers now effectively plan lessons that have a wide range of writing opportunities that capture the pupils’ interests and enthusiasms. This was clearly evident in the pupils’ literacy books and ‘super writing books’ which show strong progress in writing. By the time pupils leave the school, they have the necessary writing skills for their move on to secondary school.

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Inspection findings

 Teachers use the school’s marking policy well in literacy. Pupils’ writing books show effective marking and assessment which has enabled them to make good progress in lessons and since the start of term. However, although progress is good in mathematics, this practice is not always as evident in pupils’ mathematics books.  Pupils receive a good education at this school. Mathematics and literacy leaders analyse the progress of pupils across their subjects and, where issues are identified, they respond quickly. Current tracking information shows that most pupils are on track to make good progress. However, you have rightly recognised that opportunities for pupils to develop their mathematical reasoning skills, needs further work. You are aware of the need to develop teachers’ questioning and feedback skills. This is intended to support pupils’ reasoning mathematically and to apply their knowledge and skills in more challenging and

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:  they further improve the quality of teaching in mathematics by setting work that is consistently challenging for pupils of all abilities and by helping pupils to reason and explain their thinking mathematically, both orally and in writing  they develop their approach to reviewing and monitoring the roles and responsibilities of the senior leadership team so that they make an increasingly strong input into raising standards and the strategic and operational direction of the school during its expansion.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body, the Regional Schools Commissioner and the Director of Children’s Services for London Borough of Hillingdon. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website. Yours sincerely

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Information about the inspection

During the inspection, I met with you, other senior leaders, teachers and staff. I met with a representative from the local authority, the Chair of your Governing Body and six governors. I considered the views of 57 parents as recorded on Parent View and the 59 questionnaires completed by pupils. I also considered the 37 questionnaires completed by members of staff. You and I visited classrooms together to observe pupils in their lessons and look at their work. I met with a group of pupils who shared the learning in their books with me. I evaluated the school development plan, performance information and other records, including those related to safeguarding.

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