Barham Primary School

Barham Primary School Danethorpe Road, Wembley HA0 4RQ

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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 Good

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This is a good school

 The school is improving. Since the previous inspection, leaders and governors have successfully maintained good teaching and pupils’ good outcomes while leading the school through a period of expansion.  Pupils enjoy their time at school, attend regularly and behave well. They have a good knowledge of how to keep themselves safe. They are confident that any bullying is rare and that staff will help them should any problems arise.  Pupils’ self-confidence grows strongly and is supported throughout the school by teachers’ effective encouragement of pupils’ speaking and listening skills.  Children learn outstandingly well in the early years provision. Adults extend children’s understanding exceptionally well through highly thought- provoking discussions and extremely well-selected activities.  In Years 1 to 6, good teaching, learning and assessment help pupils make good progress.  Leaders and managers check the quality of

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This is a good school

teaching regularly. They measure the progress that pupils make and provide additional support for pupils at risk of falling behind. They have successfully driven improvements in key aspects of the school’s work.  Leaders have improved provision and outcomes for children in early years over recent years. Improvements to the teaching of phonics (the link between letters and sounds) have accelerated pupils’ progress in building early reading skills.  Governors are ambitious for the school. They work closely with the school’s senior leadership team. They visit the school regularly and check carefully that the school continues to improve.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The most-able pupils are not always challenged sufficiently in their work to help them attain highly.  Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ use of the features of high-quality writing in their work, including grammar, punctuation and fluent handwriting, are not consistently challenging.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make sure teachers set the most-able pupils suitably demanding tasks.  Make sure pupils make consistent use of the features of high-quality writing, including grammar, punctuation and fluent handwriting, in their written work.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher, senior leaders and members of the governing body have worked effectively to maintain the school’s ambitious culture while the school expands to four classes in each year. Since the previous inspection, leaders and governors have effectively managed the school’s extensive programme of building work. They have maintained pupils’ good behaviour, personal development and welfare. They have made sure that teachers continue to be ambitious for their pupils. This means that pupils are motivated and have high aspirations for themselves.  Phase and subject leaders check the quality of teaching in their areas of responsibility and the progress pupils make. They identify where improvements are needed, manage performance successfully and raise the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Training for staff and initiatives to improve teaching are well selected to secure the necessary improvements.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Leaders have been particularly effective in driving the striking improvements to teaching and children’s learning in the Nursery and Reception classes. This, together with pupils’ improved reading outcomes in Year 1, shows the school’s good capacity to improve further.  The curriculum is broad and balanced and helps pupils to build their skills as they progress through the school. Because teachers do not expect high-quality writing in all written work, pupils’ development of writing skills is not consistently strong. Pupils enjoy the exciting activities that teachers plan. For example, pupils in Year 3 were extremely enthusiastic about competing in a multiplication tables challenge competition in order to win first prize for their class. However, the curriculum does not always make sure that the most-able pupils are suitably challenged to attain the highest standards.  Outings are popular and include residential visits to an activity centre for pupils in Year 5, and to the Isle

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

of Wight for pupils in Year 6. Extra-curricular clubs, including chess, choir and street dancing, are well attended.  Leaders make sure that additional funding is used effectively to tackle discrimination and promote equality. Gaps in the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally closed in 2015 because leaders made wise use of additional funding. The physical education and sports premium funding provides sporting resources and additional physical activities at break times and increases participation rates. Training for teachers, also funded through the premium, is helping to make sure that the funding leaves a clear legacy into the future.  Pupils’ understanding of fundamental British values is fostered effectively. Leaders model the principles of democracy, for example through elections to select members of the school council. The school’s five values of relationships, risk-taking, reflection, resourcefulness and resilience are actively encouraged so

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

that pupils understand and strive to display these qualities around the school. Leaders make sure that pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is developed strongly. Pupils learn about a wide variety of religions and cultures, and celebrate festivals from a range of faiths. This helps to promote respect and tolerance for others.  The governance of the school Members of the governing body visit the school regularly. They attend training to help them in their roles, including training on aspects of safeguarding in order to make sure that pupils at the school are well supported and safe. Governors understand how well the school is performing. They know where the school needs to do better and are well informed about the key priorities for improvement. They check how well additional funding is used and hold leaders to account for the effect of initiatives on pupils’ academic outcomes.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders make sure that staff and governors are well trained and that systems and procedures are clear and well understood. Recent specific training has included information on female genital mutilation and the identification of pupils who may be at risk of this practice, as well as identifying those who may be vulnerable to extremism and radicalisation. Staff know what is expected of them should they have any safeguarding concerns about a pupil. Record keeping is detailed and of high quality. School records show that concerns are taken seriously and leaders take swift action should any issues arise. The school works in close partnership with parents and safeguarding experts in order to support pupils and keep them safe.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Relationships between teaching staff and pupils are positive. Teachers plan interesting tasks that motivate pupils to try hard. Throughout the school, well-trained teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning in classes and in additional sessions for selected pupils.  Teachers select tasks effectively to support the learning of pupils speaking English as an additional language and pupils who have special educational needs or disabilities. The most-able pupils are not as consistently challenged to complete demanding tasks.  Teachers and teaching assistants make sure pupils have frequent opportunities to practise and build speaking and listening skills. This supports pupils’ literacy and develops their spoken English effectively.  Teachers make sure pupils build up reading skills well as they progress through the school. Early reading is particularly well taught, as shown by the children’s standards at the end of the Reception Year and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

pupils’ above-average outcomes in the Year 1 phonics screening check. Pupils’ love of books is encouraged effectively. Pupils appreciate the range of books they can choose to read from classroom libraries and the main school library collection.  Teachers often make plain how pupils can improve their work. They encourage pupils to take responsibility for referring to teachers’ feedback and responding to it so that they improve further. However, teachers’ expectations of the quality of pupils’ punctuation, grammar and handwriting in their written work are not always made as consistently clear.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils’ self-confidence is promoted strongly, for example through encouragement to perform in assemblies in front of the whole school community or reciting poetry in class.  Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They listen carefully and follow the instructions that teachers and staff give them so that time in lessons is used effectively. Occasionally, the most-able pupils are not always highly motivated to select suitably demanding tasks for themselves.  Visitors from local emergency services, provision of scooter workshops and clear guidance to pupils when using computers all help to make sure pupils have a good knowledge of how to keep themselves safe from harm. For example, pupils are aware that they must keep their personal details secure when using computers and they know that they should be wary of email messages announcing success in a cash-

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Personal development and welfare

prize draw. Explanations from junior road safety officers in assembly remind pupils how to cross the road safely.  Pupils know how to recognise bullying. Discussions in assembly during anti-bullying week help to make sure pupils know that all types of bullying are unacceptable and how to deal with any concerns. They are confident that any bullying is rare, as the school’s records show. Pupils are in no doubt that the adults will help them should any problems arise. In the online survey, Parent View, the overwhelming majority of parents who responded confirm that their children feel safe and happy at school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are well mannered and friendly. They conduct themselves sensibly in lessons and around the school. As a result, the school environment is calm and orderly. Pupils respect the school’s resources so that the school site is well looked after and is graffiti- and litter-free. Occasionally in lessons, when the attention of a very few pupils wanders, they respond swiftly to reminders from staff about the behaviour that is expected.  Leaders make sure that the importance of attending school regularly is understood by the whole school community. A weekly competition between classes to win a trophy for the best attendance, and consistently high expectations of pupils’ attendance, help to make sure attendance rates are above average.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Outcomes are good overall. In the early years provision, children make particularly swift gains. Pupils make good progress in Years 1 to 6. Outcomes in mathematics are particularly strong. As a result of improvements to the teaching of phonics, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check has risen year on year and was well above the national average in 2015.  The school’s assessment information and work in pupils’ books show that all groups of pupils typically make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics from their starting points. Teachers make sure pupils practise English grammar, fluent handwriting and punctuation regularly. However, when pupils are not careful to include these key features in their written work, their outcomes in writing are not as high.  Pupils who join the school at the very early stages of learning English benefit from English-speaking and

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Outcomes for pupils are good

vocabulary-expanding sessions with bilingual teaching assistants. They build their English skills quickly and achieve well.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disabilities make good progress from their starting points because leaders make sure additional support in reading, writing and mathematics for these pupils is tailored to their individual needs. The school’s leaders check pupils’ progress regularly and make sure any pupils at risk of falling behind receive extra help.  Disadvantaged pupils make good progress. Gaps in the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally at the end of Year 6 narrowed considerably in 2015 compared with the previous year. The school’s assessment information shows that disadvantaged pupils typically make similar good progress compared with the others at the school.  The most-able pupils make good progress. They benefit from additional challenging sessions, for example

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Outcomes for pupils are good

that help them to develop debating skills or to gain an understanding of philosophical ideas. However, the most able are not always challenged to do ambitious work in lessons. Sometimes, when these pupils are not motivated to tackle appropriately challenging tasks, they complete work that is too easy for their abilities. As a result, few pupils, when compared with the national figures, attain above-average outcomes in assessments at the end of Year 2 and in reading at the end of Year 6.

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Early years provision is outstanding

 Leaders have been extremely successful in securing lasting improvements to the quality and consistency of teaching in the Nursery and Reception classes. As a result, outcomes for children at the end of the Reception Year rose significantly in 2015. Disadvantaged children achieve as well as the others. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes make exceptionally rapid gains in their learning and are outstandingly well prepared for the start of Year 1.  Children are very happy and settled in the early years classes. Partnerships with parents are established very quickly when children join the school. The children’s behaviour is excellent. They understand extremely well what is expected and are exceedingly keen to meet the adults’ very high expectations. They follow established routines very carefully, for example making sure that they put on an apron before playing at the water tray or doing a painting activity.

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Early years provision is outstanding

 Children thoroughly enjoy the excellent variety of activities that the adults organise in the inside and outdoor areas. Adults consistently develop children’s understanding, and their listening and speaking skills, through very high-quality discussions. They encourage children to think very hard, for example through asking thought-provoking questions and setting children demanding tasks that build on what they already know very effectively.  Children’s self-confidence grows very strongly because the adults encourage them to choose and complete tasks for themselves. For example, children in the Nursery were challenged to mix green paint for themselves and then use it to paint a caterpillar. Children are highly enthusiastic learners because adults acknowledge their efforts and praise their successes.

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School details

Unique reference number 101515 Local authority Brent Inspection number 10008688

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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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 841 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Daksha Thanki Headteacher Karen Giles Telephone number 020 8902 3706 Website www.barhamprimary.co.uk Email address admin@barham.brent.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 9–10 February 2011

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, the school has been through a period of expansion. There are now four classes in each year from Reception to Year 4, and three classes in each year in Year 5 and Year 6. Building work has provided nine new classrooms, an information and communication technology suite, a new library and new playground spaces. The school is larger than the average primary.  Children attend the Nursery part time either in the morning or the afternoon. Children in the Reception classes attend full time.  The proportion of pupils speaking English as an additional language is well above the national average. On arrival, the majority of these pupils are at the very early stages of learning English.  The school meets the current government floor standards.  The headteacher provides support to 15 other schools within the local authority.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors visited 45 teaching sessions across a range of subject areas in all key stages. On the first day of the inspection, the large majority of visits to lessons were conducted together with members of the senior leadership team.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and members of the senior leadership team. They met a group of newly qualified teachers. Inspectors spoke to pupils informally in lessons and around the school, and looked at work in pupils’ books. They also met with groups of pupils from Key Stage 2, and listened to pupils reading. Inspectors met with a representative from the local authority and held a meeting with four governors including the Chair of the Governing Body.  They looked at a range of documents provided by the school, including assessment information, minutes of meetings of the governing body, the school’s action plans and self-evaluation reports. The school’s

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Information about this inspection

records relating to safeguarding were also checked.  There were 69 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View. Inspectors also spoke informally with parents during the inspection. The inspection also took account of 32 responses to the staff questionnaire and 30 responses to the pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Madeleine Gerard, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Paula Craigie Ofsted Inspector Sarah Bailey Ofsted Inspector Roger Easthope Ofsted Inspector Sean Flood Ofsted Inspector Helen Morrison 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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