Green Dragon Primary School

Green Dragon Primary School North Road, Brentford TW8 0BJ

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 Outstanding leadership and management are ensuring that the school is improving rapidly.  Despite many changes in teaching staff over the past two years, leaders have had an excellent impact on all aspects of the school’s work.  Leaders at all levels, including the governors, have secured and sustained good teaching and pupils’ outcomes over the last two years.  Leaders have a very clear vision for the school and are determined to provide the best possible education for all its pupils.  Teaching, learning and assessment are good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and provide clear guidance on what pupils are to learn.  The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. Pupils feel very safe at school and leaders have excellent systems to ensure that they stay safe.  Personal development, behaviour and well-being are good. Pupils are keen to learn and support each other well in class.

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This is a good school

 Pupils from all backgrounds and abilities, including the disadvantaged, have good outcomes. They do well across the school and make good progress.  Attainment has been rising since the previous inspection and is now above average by the end of Year 6.  There is effective provision for children in the early years. Members of staff work together well as a team to provide good teaching and learning.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Children in the early years do less well in writing than in other subjects because not all activities to improve their writing are sufficiently purposeful or engaging.  The most-able pupils between Years 1 and 6 are not always challenged quickly enough to extend and deepen their knowledge and understanding within an activity.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that writing activities provided for children in the early years are always engaging and purposeful.  Increase the challenge for the most-able pupils in Years 1 to 6, so that tasks extend and deepen their knowledge and understanding more consistently within each activity.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 The headteacher and deputy headteachers are sharply focused on improving the school. They have an excellent understanding of how well the school is doing, and of what needs to be done for it to become outstanding. Leaders are uncompromising in their expectations for a highly successful school and consequently all aspects of the school’s work have improved rapidly since the previous inspection.  The many changes in teaching staff, over the last two years, have been managed very well. As a result, the strong progress the school has been making has not diminished throughout this time. Inexperienced members of staff are supported very well, enabling them to develop their knowledge and skills quickly.  Leaders, including middle leaders, provide challenge and support for other teachers. Systems for developing and checking the quality of teaching, including performance management, are very rigorous.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

Members of staff are very positive about the support and training they receive and all agree that the school has improved significantly because of the high-quality leadership of the senior leaders.  The thoroughly planned curriculum provides a wealth of opportunities for pupils to learn and gain knowledge and skills across a wide range of subjects. Careful planning allows pupils to make good use of their literacy and numeracy skills to support learning in other subjects. Pupils also take part in plenty of additional activities during visits and in clubs. British values are covered thoroughly in topics and separate lessons. Pupils enjoy learning about people from various backgrounds and faiths. Pupils are prepared well academically and socially for life in modern Britain.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted strongly. Pupils have the opportunity to learn about various cultures through topics such as music from around the world and places of worship.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

The school provides clear guidelines on desirable forms of behaviour through their ‘super heroes’ scheme.  The local authority provides effective support for this good and rapidly improving school. Leaders have been proactive in developing links with other schools to share good ideas. Leaders are very open to making the necessary changes to bring about whole-school improvement.  The special funding to develop physical education and sport has been used very well. Pupils have very good opportunities to learn a wide range of skills and are successful when competing with other schools. Leaders have noticed that pupils’ enthusiasm and confidence in sport is having a positive impact on learning in other subjects.  The way funding for disadvantaged pupils is being used is exceptionally effective. The progress of these pupils is monitored rigorously and workshops for parents have been fruitful and well received. These

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

pupils make impressive progress from their starting points.  The school works well with parents to involve them in their children’s education. Parents typically make positive comments such as, ‘I’m very happy with the kind teachers’ and ‘it’s a friendly school’.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 The governance of the school The governing body provides the right level of support and challenge for the school. Governors are extremely knowledgeable and are thorough in their evaluation of information supplied by senior leaders or information they have collected for themselves. They check up on teaching, learning and pupils’ progress frequently, and as a result they have first-hand information on how well the school is doing. They share the senior leaders drive to make the school even better.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All members of staff have up-to-date training and are checked for their suitability for working in school. Very thorough systems are in place to check that pupils are kept safe and feel secure at school. Training information for staff is very clear and readily accessible to all. Parents are particularly positive about how well the pupils are cared for and nurtured.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers and teaching assistants form good relationships with the pupils. They manage behaviour effectively and give clear instructions, enabling pupils to get on with their work without fuss and to learn quickly.  Teachers have good knowledge of the subjects they teach and are skilled in sharing important vocabulary with the pupils. For example, in mathematics in Year 4, the teacher helped pupils to learn about ‘the centre of rotation’ when they were drawing circles with a pair of compasses. A strong emphasis on speaking and listening supports pupils well, including those who are learning to speak English as an additional language.  Teachers make good use of a wide range of interesting resources to make learning meaningful and to support disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. For example, in science in Year 3, pupils found a video clip about seasonal change helpful, and in Year 5, pupils enjoyed using their flip

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

books to demonstrate the phases of the moon. These activities enable pupils to consolidate their learning well.  Members of staff use praise effectively to encourage and support pupils, helping them to want to do well. Teachers make good use of questioning to check pupils’ knowledge and understanding while they are learning.  Teachers check up on pupils’ progress frequently. Marking has developed well since the previous inspection and is mostly used effectively to move pupils on in their learning.  Teachers are thorough in ensuring that pupils understand what they are learning, although occasionally they do not provide pupils, especially the most able, with enough challenge or opportunity within an activity to deepen their knowledge and understanding.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. Pupils say that they feel very safe and exceptionally well supported at school. They typically make positive comments such as, ‘Teachers are very protective and look after us’.  Pupils are very knowledgeable about how to stay safe, including about water safety, stranger danger and safety when using the internet. Consequently, they are confident and feel fully supported in their learning.  Pupils are confident about sharing their ideas with the class and have very good opportunities to learn to respect others. They understand the value of education and learning new things. The school promotes individual qualities and learning values through the ‘super heroes personal character goals’.  The school has very thorough systems for checking that pupils are kept safe and for helping them when they have any difficulties. As a result, school records show a sharp decline in cases of unkind or bullying

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Personal development and welfare

behaviour of any kind. The open culture of the school helps pupils to know that if they have any worries they will be dealt with straight away, and they are clear about what to do if they are anxious. Pupils work hard with leaders to help prevent bullying.  The school provides excellent opportunities for pupils to improve their health and fitness. For example, a free early morning sports club helps pupils to start the day energised and happy. Pupils typically make comments such as, ‘school helps us to keep healthy’ and ‘clubs help to keep us fit’.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are keen to learn and are good at working together in class. They form good relationships with each other and with members of staff. Parents, pupils and members of staff all agree that behaviour at the school is typically good.  Pupils are polite and friendly and enjoy helping others. For example, ‘buddies’ take their responsibilities seriously and pupils appreciate the chance to be involved in democracy by being on the school council.  Pupils’ rates of attendance have risen since the previous inspection and are above average. Pupils arrive punctually at the start of each day so that no time is wasted at the beginning of lessons.  Pupils appreciate the ‘super heroes’ learning values at the school, which promote positive ways of being a good citizen and showing care and respect for others. For example, pupils were proud of the part they played in sending teddies to children in Syria.

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Behaviour

 Occasionally, when work is not sufficiently engaging or challenging, pupils lose concentration and do not try hard enough.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 The majority of children start school in the early years provision working at levels below those expected for their age. They make good progress during their time at school and attainment has been rising rapidly since the previous inspection. Attainment by the end of Year 6 is now above average in reading, writing and mathematics.  Boys’ attainment in phonics (sounds and letters) was below average in the most recent national phonics screening check. Leaders have changed the way phonics is being taught and boys in the current Year 1 are on track to do better this year. Pupils make good use of their phonics knowledge to help them to read. They show interest in a wide range of books, and read fluently and with good expression.  School information and the pupils’ work show that pupils from all ability groups make good progress, and the school is vigilant in ensuring that pupils have equal opportunities to learn.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs do particularly well because their specific needs are identified quickly and they are quickly given the intensive help they need to learn.  Disadvantaged pupils make as much, if not more, progress as other pupils at the school and nationally. Any remaining gaps in their attainment are being closed quickly.  Pupils who are at the early stages of learning to speak English as an additional language make rapid progress. They benefit from the clear instructions given in class and the strong promotion of new vocabulary. For example, in Year 2, various three-dimensional shapes and their properties were pointed out to the class and described clearly.  While the most-able pupils do well over time, there are occasions in some lessons when they do not deepen their knowledge and understanding as well as they could.  Pupils receive a well-rounded education and this prepares them well for their next school and later life.

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Early years provision is good

 Teaching is good because teachers and teaching assistants are well trained in the needs of young children. They establish clear routines and develop good relationships with the children in their care. Members of staff use questioning well to encourage children to think about their learning. Arrangements for checking up on how well children are doing are thorough and used well to support the planning of future work.  Children settle in to school life quickly and behave well. They become confident about making choices about their learning and work well with each other. Safeguarding arrangements are very thorough, enabling children to feel very safe and to be kept safe.  In the past, children have not all done well enough in the end of Reception Year assessments, particularly the boys. Children currently in the Nursery and Reception classes, including disadvantaged children, are making good progress from their starting points.

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Early years provision is good

 Leaders are quicker to respond to areas of weakness in the children’s learning than previously and children are better prepared for Year 1 than they have been in the past. Developments in the way phonics are being taught are having a positive impact on the children’s progress in reading and writing, including the boys. For example, in a phonics session in one Reception class, boys were just as willing to answer questions as the girls and all children were keen to try out spellings of simple words.  Children work well with an adult and on tasks they have chosen for themselves, although some opportunities are missed to ensure that all writing tasks are always engaging the children’s interest.  Links with parents are strong and parents are pleased with their partnership with the school.

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School details

Unique reference number 132266 Local authority Hounslow Inspection number 10001987 This inspection 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 482 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Andrew Lawrence Headteacher Ben Foley Telephone number 020 8568 3971 Website www.greendragonprimary.co.uk Email address admin@greendragon.hounslow.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 4–5 October 2013

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Information about this school

 Green Dragon is much larger than the average-sized primary school. It has three classes in Years 3 and 4, and two in the other year groups. There is a Nursery and two Reception classes in the early years provision.  There is a well above average proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language. Pupils come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, and speak a wide range of languages.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium is well above average. This is additional funding for disadvantaged pupils 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.  There have been many changes on the teaching staff since the previous inspection. Over half of the teachers have joined the school since that time.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for

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Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  The adjacent Children’s Centre is led and managed by the school but is inspected separately.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed teaching and learning in 24 lessons, nine jointly with the headteacher or the deputy headteachers.  Meetings were held with leaders, other members of staff, pupils, a member of the local authority and members of the governing body.  The inspection team took into account the 95 responses to the online survey, Parent View, and held informal discussions with a number of parents. Surveys completed by 32 members of staff were scrutinised.  A range of information supplied by the school was scrutinised, including the school’s own information about how well pupils are doing, planning documents and checks on the quality of teaching. Inspectors also looked at the school development plan and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding procedures.

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Inspection team

Alison Cartlidge, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Karen Matthews Ofsted Inspector Jennifer Bird Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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