Salusbury Primary School

Salusbury Primary School Salusbury Road, Kilburn, London NW6 6RG.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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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

 The headteacher and other leaders, including governors, have high expectations for pupils. Their leadership has been effective in improving the school since the previous inspection, and they work effectively as a team to ensure that the school continues to improve.  Leaders have successfully implemented a strong ethos of effective teaching and learning and good behaviour. The quality of teaching has improved and is now good, and pupils make good progress.  Governors are active, well informed and know the school well. They provide the necessary support and challenge to senior leaders to bring about improvements.  Current pupils, including those who have special educational needs or disability, are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Standards are above average when pupils leave the school at the end of Year 6.  Pupils benefit from a rich and creative curriculum. The subjects they learn are engaging and exciting,

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This is a good school

and support their learning well.  The early years provision is effective. Children make good progress with their learning, and are prepared well for Year 1.  Parents are very supportive of the school, including its leadership.  Pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare at the school are good. They display good attitudes to their learning. The school’s work to keep pupils safe is effective.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. Pupils are thoughtful, reflective and respectful.  The school is effective in promoting British values, and pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The presentation of pupils’ written work is not of a high enough standard in some classes to ensure that pupils make rapid progress with their handwriting.  Not all teachers across the school benefit from the existing strengths in teaching to improve their quality of teaching.  The checks on pupils’ progress in lessons are sometimes not rigorous enough to move their learning on quickly, particularly for the disadvantaged pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching by ensuring that: pupils know how to improve the quality of their written work with good presentation staff check pupils’ progress more closely in lessons, so that pupils with any difficulties are provided with timely support to move their learning on, particularly the disadvantaged pupils.  Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that: teachers share the strengths in their teaching with other teachers across the year groups to bring all teaching up to the quality of the best.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher has established a clear vision for the school that is shared by leaders, managers, staff and governors. They have high expectations for pupils, and work effectively as a team to bring about improvements.  Staff and parents are extremely positive about the school’s work and its leadership. ‘Creative’, ‘inspiring’, ‘fantastic’ and ‘incredible’ were just some of the many positive words used by parents and staff to describe the school.  Leaders and managers provide effective support, training and development for individual teachers linked closely to the regular checks on the quality of their work. As a result, the quality of teaching has improved and pupils make good progress. However, leaders have identified that there is more work to be done on improving the quality of teaching across the school by teachers sharing the strengths in their teaching with each other. Leaders ensure that any pay progression for teachers is linked closely to performance

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

against the teachers’ standards.  Middle leaders know their subjects well and perform their roles effectively. They undertake book scrutinies and check the quality of teaching and the progress pupils make. They work closely with senior leaders and know the main priorities for the school to improve further. They produce their own action plans for their subjects, which feed into the school’s development plan. Middle leaders make a good contribution to school improvement; this demonstrates the school’s capacity to improve further.  Over time, the attainment gaps for the disadvantaged pupils have not always closed quickly enough and have sometimes widened between them and their classmates and other pupils nationally. Closer monitoring by leaders and managers, and highly structured and systematic support for the disadvantaged, have been effective in ensuring that they make good progress with their learning.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The school makes effective provision for the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils benefit from an exciting variety of subjects that engage them and support their academic progress and personal development. Pupils’ work in books and displays on walls show that they gain experience of a broad range of subjects, including science, music, art and Spanish. There are a range of visits and themed days to enrich pupils’ learning, for example international day, Gambia day and languages day. The school has an outdoor natural environment learning area, the ‘Greenspace’, to enhance pupils’ learning through exploration and observation.  The primary physical education and sports premium funding is used effectively. A specialist lead in physical education has been employed to help train staff in the delivery of physical education and sport, and this is helping to improve staff confidence and skills in teaching physical education. Pupils take part in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

many more inter-school competitions now than in the past. The funding also gives pupils, particularly the disadvantaged pupils, opportunities to take part in a wider range of activities throughout the year, such as cross-country, dance and gymnastics.  The school is committed to promoting equal opportunities and tackling any forms of discrimination. Good relations are successfully promoted between the staff and the local community; for example, the school works closely with the independent charity based at the school to provide services to help refugee children and families to become more active citizens in British society. The school also runs a highly effective counselling service for parents, staff and pupils. This is helping pupils to improve their self- esteem, emotional well-being, communication skills and behaviour.  British values are promoted effectively through classroom rules, the work of the school council and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

highlighting ‘the word of the week’ linked to British values, for example ‘democracy, ‘tolerance’ and ‘respect’. Assemblies are used well to develop pupils’ sense of right and wrong, deepen their understanding of rights and responsibilities and promote an appreciation of and respect for diversity. In this way the school ensures that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  Leaders work effectively with the early years manager and staff to ensure that the early years provision is good, and children make good progress with their learning.  Parents are very supportive of leaders and staff, and they have noticed the improvements in the school since the previous inspection. Most parents responding to the Parent View questionnaire agree that the school is well led and managed, and would recommend the school to another parent. All staff responding to the staff questionnaire agree that the school has improved since it was last inspected and that the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

school is well led and managed.  The local authority has provided effective advice and support to the school since the previous inspection to help it improve. It has worked well with leaders to improve the quality of teaching and in developing the role of middle managers. After judging the school to be good, the local authority now provides a ‘light-touch’ support to the school.

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The governance of the school

Governors are highly ambitious for pupils. They are skilful and know the school well, including its strengths and areas for development. They visit the school regularly, receive good-quality information from the headteacher and attend training to ensure that they have the appropriate skills to perform their roles effectively. They are trained on safeguarding issues, and make appropriate checks on safeguarding arrangements to ensure that pupils are safe. Governors know about the quality of teaching across the school, and how the management of teachers’ performance is linked to their pay progression. Through their knowledge of pupil performance information, they are able to ask challenging questions and hold senior leaders accountable for the achievement of pupils. Governors manage the finances very well and seek assurance that additional funding, for example for the pupil premium (additional government funding) and physical education and sports premium, is

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The governance of the school

used well to improve the outcomes for pupils.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders ensure that all members of staff are appropriately trained on child protection procedures. There are effective links with external agencies to protect children. Leaders show high levels of commitment and determination in following up any concerns for the well-being of pupils.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Senior leaders and governors have taken decisive action since the previous inspection to bring about improvements in the quality of teaching. Weaker teaching has been eradicated, and the quality of teaching is now good. The school’s tracking information on pupils’ progress, pupils’ learning in lessons and their work in books and on displays shows that pupils are making good progress across the year groups. Gaps in pupils’ learning caused by some previously weaker teaching have been addressed and pupils are working at least at the standards expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics and are making good progress.  Staff questioning in lessons has improved since the previous inspection. Teachers use their subject knowledge and questioning skills well to extend pupils’ thinking. Pupils know how to respond to teachers’ marking, and are able to reflect on their work to deepen their understanding and improve their work.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Pupils say that ‘learning is fun’. In lessons pupils are engaged in their learning, and are keen to do their best. Pupils’ positive attitudes and the strong relationships between them and adults in all classrooms contribute well to the good progress they make with their learning. Pupils’ confidence in sharing their ideas and learning with others was evident in a Year 2 class when a pupil offered a descriptive sentence of owls in a story pupils have been reading on ‘Owl babies’, ‘The owls were frightened out of their wits!’  Pupils’ writing has improved over time. They write at length and across a range of subjects to improve their writing skills. In a Year 1 class, pupils wrote a character description of ‘Goldilocks’ using a range of adjectives, which they called ‘power words’. However, some pupils’ writing is sometimes poorly presented and they do not make as rapid progress as their classmates.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Although teachers and teaching assistants monitor the quality of learning in lessons, this is sometimes not robust enough to move the learning on swiftly for those pupils who occasionally get stuck with their work, especially the disadvantaged pupils. As a result, their progress slows.  There have been improvements in the information and communication technology resources available for pupils to support their learning since the previous inspection. For example, a Year 6 class had sufficient access to computers to research the Maya civilisation, and produced a report using a PowerPoint presentation.  Pupils show a love for reading, and they read widely and often. Pupils say that they enjoy their visits to the library. The teaching of reading has improved since the previous inspection, and staff use daily reading sessions to hear pupils read and to discuss their reading with them. Pupils are able to apply their

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

skills in phonics (letters and the sounds they make) successfully to read difficult or unfamiliar words.  There is a good emphasis in lessons on developing pupils’ subject-specific vocabulary, and for pupils to use and develop their speaking and listening skills. This particularly benefits pupils who speak English as an additional language. As a result, these pupils make rapid progress with their English.  There is effective additional support from skilled teaching assistants for pupils who have special educational needs or disability. Pupils who join the school other than at normal times of the year, many of whom are at early stages of speaking English, also receive good targeted support to improve their English.  Good teaching in mathematics has led to pupils making strong progress in this subject. Teachers have good subject knowledge and make effective use of practical apparatus. Pupils enjoy solving tricky

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

mathematical problems. In a Year 6 mathematics lesson pupils were able to multiply fractions using their mental arithmetic, and explain their thinking using mathematical vocabulary.  A large majority of parents responding to the Parent View questionnaire say that their children receive appropriate homework for their age.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Almost all parents responding to the Parent View questionnaire said that their children are happy and feel safe at school. Parents who spoke to inspectors praised the community feel of the school.  Pupils are very polite and courteous and respectful of each other and adults. They have positive attitudes to their learning, and uphold the school values based on ‘Believe’, ‘Learn’ and ‘Achieve’.  Pupils say they feel safe in school. They are confident that adults in school will listen if they have any concerns. They know about the different types of bullying, including cyber bullying. They say bullying or derogatory language is rare, and if there are such occurrences they are dealt with quickly. Some pupils recalled a small number of incidents in the past, but say that these have decreased over time. They know how to keep safe in a range of situations, including when using the internet.

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Personal development and welfare

 Pupils have access to a very effective counselling service, and pupils can refer themselves by posting a note in a box outside the headteacher’s office. Through this service, the school strengthens its work on promoting pupils’ emotional, social and mental well-being.  Pupils have a range of responsibilities that they enjoy, including road safety officers, prefects, sports captains and acting as ‘buddies’ for younger pupils.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  The school’s policy on behaviour is consistently applied. Pupils know about the classroom rules on behaviour and how the school’s policy on behaviour works, and they manage their own behaviour well. Those who sometimes find it more difficult to manage their own behaviour are helped by staff to understand how their actions may affect others. Pupils are able to express their own views and feelings, as well as listening to the views of others.  Pupils say that behaviour is good, and ‘pupils usually own up to the things they have done wrong’. They say that any incident of poor behaviour is dealt with effectively, particularly by their teachers. The school’s records on behaviour show that there are very few incidents of poor behaviour.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive, and they work very hard and try their best. However, a small minority of pupils lose concentration a little at times, especially when they are not sure about their

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Behaviour

learning. Pupils take pride in the work they do in their books. However, the presentation of some of their written work is sometimes poor.  Attendance over time has been above the national average, with lower than average persistent absences. However, current attendance is in line with the national average and is improving. Attendance has been affected by a high number of families taking their children out of school to observe religious festivals. There have been no recent exclusions.  Most parents who responded to the Parent View questionnaire feel that the school does a good job in making sure that pupils are well behaved. The inspectors agree with them.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Senior leaders have been effective in improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. As a result, outcomes for pupils are now good. Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics, and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.  Pupils’ attainment is affected by a much larger than average proportion of pupils joining or leaving the school other than at the normal times. A large proportion of pupils joining the school have additional needs, and most are at early stages of learning to speak English. The school’s information shows that this group of pupils does less well than other pupils who join the school at normal times. However, these pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics from their low starting points.  In 2014 and 2015, pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 reached broadly average standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Given their below-average starting points at the start of Year 1, this represents good

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Outcomes for pupils are good

progress for this year group. The school’s information shows that current pupils are achieving well. This positive picture of achievement is confirmed in the learning witnessed in classrooms and also the strong progress seen in pupils’ books and displays of pupils’ work on walls.  In 2015, most pupils achieved the expected level in the Year 1 phonics check. The improvement in the quality of teaching of phonics is helping pupils to improve their reading. Pupils enjoy reading; they understand what they read, and have an appreciation of characters’ feelings and actions. Pupils’ progress in reading is good across the school.  At the end of Year 6 in 2015, all pupils made the progress expected of them in reading, writing and mathematics, and a higher proportion than average did better than this in all these subjects. Most pupils reached the standard expected for their age in all three subjects and the proportion reaching the higher

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Outcomes for pupils are good

levels was at least in line with the national average. Standards are above average, and the overall standards have risen in mathematics, reading, writing, English grammar, punctuation and spelling since the previous inspection.  The most-able pupils also make good progress from their starting points. In 2015, the proportion of pupils achieving high standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2 was above the national average in mathematics, reading, English grammar, punctuation and spelling, and broadly average in writing. The proportion of pupils attaining at the highest level in mathematics was significantly above average. Expectations are high and the most-able pupils receive challenging work from teachers. Most recently, a group of Year 6 girls won the borough ‘maths challenge’.  Pupils’ books show that there is a good coverage of mathematical concepts and skills over time. Pupils

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Outcomes for pupils are good

are able to consolidate their learning of mathematical concepts before moving on to the next topic. They show a good understanding of the different operations to solve mathematical problems.  Pupils’ writing is improving across the school, and they write at length in English and in other subjects to improve their writing skills. Pupils are increasingly aware of the variety of writing purposes and styles. They draft and improve the writing skills they have learned, and are encouraged to check their grammar, punctuation and spelling.  The progress of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is good. Staff know these pupils really well and they receive well-targeted care and support to ensure that they make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  About one third of the disadvantaged pupils in the school have other complex needs, including special educational needs or disability, or other barriers to learning. Due to a legacy of underachievement, the

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Outcomes for pupils are good

attainment gaps for the disadvantaged pupils over time have not always closed quickly enough and have sometimes widened between them and their classmates and other pupils nationally. At the end of Year 6 in 2015, the attainment gap narrowed in mathematics but widened in reading and writing for the disadvantaged pupils compared to their classmates and other pupils nationally. Closer monitoring by leaders, managers and staff, and highly structured and systematic support for the disadvantaged pupils, is helping them to make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The school’s tracking information shows that the disadvantaged pupils make good progress; this is confirmed through their learning seen in lessons and progress seen in their books.

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Early years provision is good

 Most children start Nursery and Reception classes with knowledge and skills that are below what is typical for their age, particularly in their communication, language and literacy skills, and their understanding of the world. All groups of children make good progress from their different starting points because teaching is good. Overall, children are well prepared for their next stage of learning in Year 1.  The environment is safe, rich and stimulating, and staff provide children with the confidence to explore the range of activities that take place both indoors and outdoors. The children in the Nursery thoroughly enjoyed being outdoors in the ‘Greenspace’, as they developed their understanding of the world through feeding chickens and birds and learning about nest building by a blackbird. Here, children developed their experience of awe and wonder.  Learning journals capture children’s achievements and are well presented. They provide a good record of

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Early years provision is good

the progress of individual children for parents and staff. However, the next steps to address any gaps in children’s learning are sometimes missing.  Children have plenty of inviting opportunities to begin to write or use their mathematical skills. For example, in a Reception class children followed instructions carefully to play a doubling of numbers game using a dice. They were confident, took turns, worked collaboratively and demonstrated a ‘have a go’ attitude to their learning. In another Reception class, some of the most-able children used ‘tricky words’ and their knowledge of phonics to write a class storybook, ‘Farmer Duck’.  Children behave well and their attitudes to learning are strong. They interact well with each other and adults, and are keen to talk about their learning with visitors.  Leadership and management of the early years provision are good. The quality of teaching is good, and

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Early years provision is good

children’s outcomes are good and improving. Progress is checked for the different groups, such as disadvantaged children, those who have special educational needs or disability and children with English as an additional language. Regular assessments allow staff to plan focused activities for these children to ensure that they make good progress. Leaders have been successful in narrowing the attainment gaps between the disadvantaged children and their classmates.  Children who arrive at school at a very early stage of learning English are provided with effective support, and make good progress, including in communication, language and literacy.  There are strong links with parents and external professionals for the benefit of the children. All staff are appropriately trained in child protection procedures, and the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Parents who spoke with inspectors were extremely positive about their children’s experiences in the early

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School details

Unique reference number 101527 Local authority Brent Inspection number 10002015

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School details

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 Maintained Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 680 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Professor Dorothy Griffiths Headteacher Linda Kiernan Telephone number 020 7624 0311 Website www.salusbury.brent.sch.uk Email address admin@salusbury.brent.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 2−3 October 2013

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Information about this school

 Salusbury Primary School is larger than the averaged-sized primary school.  There is a part-time Nursery and three full-time Reception classes.  Pupils come from a wide range of ethnic groups, with the largest group being from a White British background.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is above average compared to similar schools nationally.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support from pupil premium funding (additional money provided by the government for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority) is average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well above average.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language has increased since the previous inspection and is well above average. Many of the pupils who speak English as an additional language are

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Information about this school

at early stages of learning to speak English.  Many more pupils than in most schools join or leave the school other than at the normal times. A large proportion of pupils joining the school have additional needs, and most are at early stages of learning to speak English.  There have been a few changes to staffing since the previous inspection, with a newly appointed deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher and middle leaders.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 36 lessons, of which five were joint observations with the headteacher or the deputy headteacher. Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour and attitudes in classrooms, and at breaks and lunchtimes.  A meeting was held with different groups of pupils to discuss their learning and views about the school. Inspectors also listened to pupils read in Years 1, 2 and 6 and discussed their reading with them.  The inspectors held discussions with senior and middle leaders and five governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body. A discussion was also held with a representative from the local authority, including a telephone discussion with a senior local authority officer.  The inspectors examined a range of school documents, including information on pupils’ progress, school improvement plans, governors’ minutes and checks on the quality of teaching. They also examined the

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Information about this inspection

school records relating to pupils’ behaviour, safety and attendance.  The inspectors examined pupils’ books in different subjects across the school to see what progress they make, and the quality of teachers’ marking and feedback to pupils in line with the school’s marking policy.  The inspectors took account of 150 responses received from parents to the online questionnaire (Parent View). In addition, inspectors spoke to parents in the playground at the start of the school day. The inspectors also considered 22 questionnaires completed by staff.

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Inspection team

Avtar Sherri, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Helen Ridding Ofsted Inspector Gary Rawlings Ofsted Inspector Jenell Chetty 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

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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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