Berrymede Infant School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Billie-Ann Ohene Headteacher Berrymede Infant School Castle Close Acton W3 8RN

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Short inspection of Berrymede Infant School

Following my visit to the school on 14 September 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 October 2011.

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Short inspection of Berrymede Infant School

You and your leadership team have maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.

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Short inspection of Berrymede Infant School

You have successfully led the school in the move to the new building while maintaining the school’s ethos and the morale of staff, parents and pupils. The staff maintain the high expectations for pupils’ achievement which is at the core of the school’s endeavours. All staff know the pupils and their families well and this results in a caring approach; the very positive relationships between pupils and staff were evident throughout the inspection. The local authority indicates that this is a real strength of the school. You work closely with your linked junior school to ensure effective transition for the Year 2 pupils going into Year 3.

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Short inspection of Berrymede Infant School

Together with your leadership team you track the progress of all groups of pupils effectively, including those who are vulnerable, and provide appropriate support when needed. You regularly evaluate the impact of the support on the outcomes for pupils. The effective leadership of special needs provision results in the clear early identification of the specific needs of pupils. This ensures that targeted support is given to identified pupils and, when necessary, includes finding appropriate placements for those who have complex special educational needs or disability. Despite the high level of pupil mobility, the staff work hard to ensure that interventions have a positive impact on those pupils who need them while they are at Berrymede. You make effective use of pupil premium funding, which results in the strong progress made by disadvantaged pupils. Your leadership is well supported by a group of staff who acknowledge your

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Short inspection of Berrymede Infant School

practical approach to finding solutions. Leaders appreciate the trust you have in them to fulfil their roles. The co-observation strategy, which you have led, has improved leaders’ confidence in evaluating the work of teaching and support staff. This initiative has resulted in better teaching across the school. Middle leaders talk confidently about the standards pupils achieve in their subjects. The ‘Maths 4 Measure’ training has resulted in an improvement in the number of pupils working at greater depth in the subject in Year 2. Staff responsible for leading year groups are working with their teams to address the dip in phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) and to ensure that teachers use the new assessment tracking system. Teachers are using pupils’ skills in reading to help them improve their writing. However, pupils’ progress in writing is still not strong enough and the most able pupils are not yet writing at a standard of

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Short inspection of Berrymede Infant School

Safeguarding is taken very seriously. You and the governors regularly monitor and ensure that the checking of staff and visitors to the school meet statutory requirements. You ensure that parent volunteers are supervised appropriately. Parents say that the school’s procedures for volunteers are clear in order to keep children safe. The staff have received the latest training on the ‘Prevent’ duty, female genital mutilation and child sexual exploitation, together with the updated safeguarding requirements. Your internal systems have been developed so that all staff can formally log any concerns about pupils. As a result, staff are vigilant and leaders have a clear audit trail to show what actions are taken to support pupils. Governors take their responsibilities for health and safety seriously and check that the new school building is safe, secure and fit for purpose. Consequently, the site is well maintained and risk assessments are

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Short inspection of Berrymede Infant School

Pupils say that they feel safe in school and that staff care about them. Parents agree and are extremely positive about the caring ethos of the school. Pupils move around the building calmly and there is an atmosphere of mutual respect and tolerance.

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Inspection findings

 All school leaders are committed and dedicated to ensuring that pupils receive an enriching education with a wide variety of regular visits outside school to enhance the broad curriculum. Lessons are well planned to meet the pupils’ needs and abilities. The quality of teaching across the school is consistent and effective.  School leaders were disappointed in the dip in outcomes in the phonics screening assessment for Year 1 in 2016 and the results for the Reception Year group. The school’s own analysis of the 2016 assessment information has resulted in leaders developing stronger strategies for ensuring pupils’ progress through direct phonics teaching and extended writing.  Leaders meet regularly to review the internal tracking of pupils’ attainment and progress. This has ensured consistency in their evaluation of the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning. This is especially so for the pupils who arrive

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Inspection findings

throughout the school year. New arrivals often have very little previous experience of school. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are assessed quickly and the school has a strong induction programme to meet their needs. This results in their swift progress in developing their language skills.  There are no significant differences in the progress made by most of groups of pupils in Years 1 and 2. However, the school’s analysis of the 2016 assessments at the end of key stage 1 shows the need to raise standards in writing for the most able. Disadvantaged pupils meet or exceed attainment measures in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2 when compared with other pupils nationally. Rates of progress are tracked closely through the early years and key stage 1, indicating that a high proportion of pupils meet or exceed expectations in reading and mathematics by the end of Year 2. 

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Inspection findings

 You and school leaders, including the governing body, are not complacent. You have set ambitious targets for the pupils across early years and key stage 1. This has been recognised by the local authority, which views the school as outward-looking, with high expectations for all its pupils. School leaders work with neighbouring schools to moderate pupils’ work. As a result, teachers are more confident in making accurate assessments.  Early years is led and managed well. Parents spoke of how well their children have settled in their Reception classes. The behaviour of the new reception children is very positive. Early years staff are working hard to develop the indoor space for all children since the move to the new reception area. As a result, children are actively engaged in well-planned activities enabling staff to make effective assessments. This practice ensures that children make strong progress from their low starting points on entry to school. The new outdoor

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Inspection findings

area is currently being developed. Consequently, it does not yet match the good indoor provision in providing children with a full range of opportunities to learn and develop.  Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes towards learning are a real strength of the school. They enjoy coming to school. Staff are available each morning and parents are very appreciative of this. Leaders support any pupils who have been identified with challenging behaviour and involve parents quickly. The new behaviour system is effective at tracking different types of behaviour and results in quick and successful intervention. Consequently, low-level disruption rarely affects pupils’ learning.  Attendance is slightly below the national average. You take this seriously and have introduced a number of incentives in the last school year to improve the attendance and reduce instances of persistent absenteeism. The school’s parent support worker meets regularly with

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Inspection findings

the special needs coordinator to track vulnerable pupils. This has resulted in the improvement of attendance of pupils from identified families. Improving attendance remains a high priority for the school. Records show that bullying and racist incidents occur very infrequently, and when they do, they are dealt with appropriately by staff.  Pupils have a range of opportunities to develop their understanding of fundamental British values. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strong thread you weave throughout the work of the school. The celebration of the school’s diverse population is recognised by the parents. The school has a positive relationship with parents. Parents said the school is often recommended by former parents to prospective parents.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 the most able pupils are challenged to reach higher standards in writing  the outside area for early years is developed further to give pupils better opportunities to learn and develop.

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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 Ealing. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

I met with you and the school leadership team. I also met with representatives of the governing body and had a telephone call with the local authority link officer. The information looked at during the inspection included the school’s safeguarding records, policies and procedures and the single central register. I looked at the school’s assessment of its performance, minutes of meetings and information about pupils’ progress. I heard a group of pupils read and I spoke informally to many pupils during lessons and in the playground. I met formally with a small number of parents and informally with others before school started. Lessons were visited, including phonics, physical education and writing. I looked at the quality of pupils’ work in lessons and in a selection of last year’s books. I took account of 13 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View.

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