North Ealing Primary School

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

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Sally Flowers Headteacher North Ealing Primary School Pitshanger Lane Ealing London W5 1RP

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Short inspection of North Ealing Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 31 January 2017 with Sean Flood, Ofsted Inspector, 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 September 2011.

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Short inspection of North Ealing Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the previous inspection. Since your appointment in 2014, you have developed a shared vision that all staff and leaders in the school understand well and have confidence in. You have built a strong leadership team at all levels, which shares your ambition for the school. In the words of a member of staff: ‘The ethos and learning values are fundamental to North Ealing and have allowed the school to become a fantastic environment for teaching and learning.’ You are a strong and determined leader who works relentlessly with the aim of achieving the best possible outcomes for the pupils at North Ealing Primary School.

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Short inspection of North Ealing Primary School

The previous inspection report identified the need to improve the quality of assessment to make sure that teaching consistently matches pupils’ learning needs. You have successfully addressed this by ensuring that teachers use their assessments of pupils well to plan lessons and identify next steps in their learning. This helps to ensure that pupils make good progress.

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Short inspection of North Ealing Primary School

Leaders at all levels are now fully involved in monitoring the quality of teaching, learning and pupils’ progress. They regularly observe teaching, scrutinise and talk to pupils about their work to make sure they are making good progress in their learning.

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Short inspection of North Ealing Primary School

Governors know the school well and provide effective support and a good level of a challenge to you and other leaders. They ask searching questions that are pertinent to the school’s performance. Governors use their regular visits well to ensure they are fulfilling their statutory duties. For example, they play an effective role in monitoring and checking that safeguarding procedures are compliant with statutory requirements.

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Short inspection of North Ealing Primary School

Pupils are happy, enjoy learning and feel safe. Their voice is strong and they take an active role in the life of their school through a number of platforms such as the school council, and the philosophy and debating societies. Pupils are well prepared to take on their role as British citizens and face the challenges of the modern world.

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Short inspection of North Ealing Primary School

Leaders have identified that there are areas to improve regarding pupils’ writing and are developing a tracking system to check pupils’ progress in science.

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Short inspection of North Ealing Primary School

Almost all parents are exceptionally positive about the school. They value the way the school is led and managed. You have developed a strong partnership with parents that enables pupils to flourish.

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Short inspection of North Ealing Primary School

The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. The designated safeguarding lead maintains comprehensive and thorough records that are of high quality, including referrals made to the local authority. Staff are well trained on safeguarding matters such as the ‘Prevent’ duty, female genital mutilation and child sexual exploitation. They are vigilant and quick to spot any changes in the behaviour of pupils who may be at risk of harm. Two pupils are represented on the school’s safeguarding team and they also conduct assemblies on safety. Pupils are taught critical thinking skills as part of the curriculum and their learning helps to safeguard them from the dangers associated with radicalisation, extremism and online safety.

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Short inspection of North Ealing Primary School

Pupils told the inspector that they know how to stay safe, including online. They talked confidently about the filters that are in place to prevent pupils from accessing inappropriate sites on the internet. Pupils say they feel safe at school because adults are there to supervise them and the building is secure so that ‘strangers cannot come into the building’.

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Inspection findings

 I began by exploring the actions leaders are taking to ensure that disadvantaged pupils in key stages 1 and 2 are achieving well in reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders have developed effective strategies to improve standards, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.  Leaders have introduced a new approach to teaching writing so that pupils acquire the writing skills expected for their age. Spelling, grammar and punctuation are taught effectively. Pupils in key stage 1 use their knowledge of phonics well to spell unfamiliar words. The work in pupils’ books shows that they use their writing skills effectively to write in different styles and for a range of purposes. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, are writing at or above the standard expected for their age.  Reading is given a top priority in the school and standards are high. At key stage 2, pupils lead discussions on texts they have read to develop their

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Inspection findings

comprehension skills. In particular, disadvantaged pupils were heard to read with expression and accuracy; they take great pleasure in reading.  Teachers have received continuous professional development to teach the new mathematics curriculum. As a result, teachers are more confident and proficient at teaching mathematical skills and providing opportunities for all pupils to solve problems and develop reasoning skills.  The priority given to disadvantaged pupils is demonstrated by the requirement for teachers to focus specifically on their learning. The school’s information indicates that pupils, especially disadvantaged pupils, are making good progress.  I questioned the effectiveness of provision in supporting pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities to make good or better progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders intervene swiftly to identify pupils’ learning needs, particularly those who are new to the school, and put into place well-

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Inspection findings

matched interventions. As a result, pupils make good progress from their starting points. This is very evident in their books and the school’s assessment information.  I investigated how leaders are working together to ensure that pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils, make good progress in science and other subjects. Pupils are developing their scientific skills and knowledge well, including the skills of enquiry, investigation and recording. The ‘learning walls’ in classrooms consolidate pupils’ learning in science. The quality of artwork displayed in classrooms, corridors and around the school is of a high standard. However, written work in pupils’ topic books in subjects such as history and geography does not match the work in their English books. Leaders are developing their own monitoring systems to assess and closely monitor pupils’ progress in a wide range of subjects, including science. They are well aware that this aspect of the

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Inspection findings

school’s work could be further improved.  Finally, I considered the actions that leaders are taking to improve attendance for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The attendance of pupils who receive special educational needs support is in line with the national average. The attendance of pupils who have education, health and care plans or statements of special educational needs is slightly below the national average, often related to complex medical needs. Overall, pupils’ attendance is above the national average.

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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 standard of pupils’ written work in science and other subjects matches that in their English books  leaders further develop effective systems to assess and monitor pupils’ progress in science. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body 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

The inspectors agreed to prioritise the following areas at the start of the inspection:  the actions leaders are taking to ensure that disadvantaged pupils at key stages 1 and 2 achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics  the effectiveness of leadership of special educational needs provision to ensure that pupils make good or better progress in reading, writing and mathematics  how well leaders are working together to make sure that pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils, make good progress in science and other subjects  leaders’ actions to improve attendance for particular groups of pupils  safeguarding arrangements.

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Information about the inspection

Inspectors carried out a range of activities to explore these areas during the inspection.  We jointly observed learning and scrutinised pupils’ work with you and your deputy headteachers. During visits to lessons we talked to pupils about their learning and listened to them read. I took into consideration 124 responses to the pupils’ questionnaire. I met formally with a group of key stage 2 pupils.  I held meetings with you, leaders at all levels and members of the governing body.  I met with one parent, analysed 67 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, considered 32 free text responses, the school’s own parent survey, emails and messages sent by parents and 24 responses from Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.  I scrutinised documentation including: the leaders’ evaluation of the school’s performance; the school development plan; documentation relating to safeguarding procedures; information relating to pupils’ progress; information

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Information about the inspection

relating to behaviour and attendance; and minutes of governing body meetings.

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