The Stewart Bilingual School

La Petite Ecole Bilingue 90 Oxford Gardens, London W10 5UW

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Since the last inspection, the proprietor and leaders have not ensured that the independent school standards are met consistently.  Leaders are inconsistent in their application of procedures to ensure pupils’ welfare and well- being. As a result, staff are not as fully effective as they should be in this area.  The proprietor supports leaders well. However, the proprietor does not challenge leaders well enough to hold them to account in relation to outcomes for pupils.  The school’s plans are not sharp enough to secure further improvements.  Leaders and staff know how to report safeguarding concerns. Nevertheless, they are yet to receive safeguarding training on the government’s latest requirements.  Although pupils make strong progress in mathematics, they are not given sufficient opportunities to develop their problem-solving and reasoning skills.  While pupils are gaining clear knowledge, skills and understanding across subjects in the British

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

national curriculum, some activities do not routinely challenge pupils to enable them to gain a deeper understanding.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good.  Pupils make strong progress in reading and writing in both the English and French curriculums. They are well prepared for their next stages of education.  Safeguarding is effective.  The quality of teaching in the early years is effective. As a result, children make strong progress. Children are cared for well.  Leaders’ work to foster pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school must take action to meet the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 and associated requirements. The details are listed in the full report.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that: – leaders sharpen their practice to promote the welfare of all pupils during social times of the school day – leaders and staff regularly receive safeguarding training in line with latest guidance – the proprietor asks probing questions about the progress and attainment of all pupils – leaders evaluate the difference their actions are making to improve the school.  Improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning by ensuring that: – all pupils are provided with more opportunities to apply their mathematics to solve problems and develop their reasoning skills – teachers provide more demanding work in a wide range of subjects so that pupils gain a deeper understanding.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Since the last inspection, leaders have not ensured that the independent school standards are met consistently.  Leadership and management require improvement because there are inconsistencies in procedures to ensure pupils’ well-being. Leaders and staff have not yet received safeguarding training that is in line with latest government legislation. In addition, a minority of staff lack clarity in some procedural aspects of the school’s safeguarding policy. Nevertheless, pupils are safe.  Leaders’ evaluation of the school’s effectiveness is overgenerous. The plans for improvement are not sufficiently sharp to bring about further improvements. For example, the plan identifies the need to offer staff more training, but there are no success criteria to show how this will make a difference to the improvement in teaching, learning and outcomes for pupils. Strategies are outlined to bring about improvement. However, these

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

lack evaluation.  The curriculum offers pupils a wide range of enjoyable learning activities in both the British and French national curriculums. Pupils develop good speaking and listening skills through a range of opportunities, such as poetry recital and participation in school performances. Sometimes, tasks set in a wide range of subjects in the English national curriculum are not sufficiently challenging to deepen pupils’ understanding. This prevents pupils from making even better progress.  Pupils’ learning is enriched beyond the classroom through a range of ways. For example, pupils visit the Courts of Justice, where pupils act out case scenarios. This helps them to get a good understanding of moral values and supports pupils’ personal development.  Leaders’ work to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural values is effective. For example, pupils are taught about the different world religions. In the voice of pupils,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

‘It is important to learn about different religions, so you can be tolerant.’

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Governance

 The proprietor has not ensured that the school continues to meet the independent school standards.  The proprietor meets with school leaders regularly to discuss a range of school matters, such as the progress of individual pupils who need extra help. However, the level of challenge is not sufficient to raise standards even further.  Members of the consultancy board meet regularly. Members of the board include school leaders. They hold discussions, for example, on how to disseminate best teaching practice between the schools in England and France. This helps teachers’ professional development and improves their own teaching.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The culture of safeguarding is sound. Pupils told the inspector that they feel safe at school. All the parents, carers and staff agree that pupils are safe.  Pupils are taught through the curriculum about how to keep themselves safe in various situations, such as road and online safety.  Leaders work closely with the local police who are invited to school to talk to pupils on a range of safeguarding matters. Parents and staff have been trained to keep pupils safe from the dangers associated with extremism and radicalisation.  Staff spoken to during the inspection know the signs and symptoms of different abuse, and know who to report to, should they be worried about a pupil.  By the end of the inspection, leaders had ensured that the single central record of staff suitability checks was compliant, and therefore met the standard.  Although leaders have made the safeguarding policy available to parents on the school’s

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Safeguarding

website, this is not yet updated to include all the government’s current requirements. Leaders and staff have received safeguarding training recently. However, this is not fully aligned to the latest guidance.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Over time, the quality of teaching is good, and pupils make strong progress in a wide range of subjects. This is also the case in the French curriculum. All the parents who responded to the inspection survey said that their children are taught well.  Pupils and staff share positive relationships with each other. This boosts pupils’ confidence to seek help and ask questions when they do not understand their learning.  Teachers explain what they want pupils to learn well, and they demonstrate good subject knowledge. They use questions effectively to check that pupils have understood the subject being taught.  The teaching of reading is effective. Each class has a good selection of reading materials to promote the joy of reading. Pupils talked confidently about their reading habits to the inspector. The teaching of phonics is good. Younger pupils use their phonics knowledge and skills well to read unfamiliar words. All of this contributes to the strong progress

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

pupils make.  Writing is taught well. Pupils learn to write in a range of different styles and purposes. For example, pupils in Year 1 learn how to describe a story setting. Occasionally, pupils’ handwriting is not as neat as it could be.  Pupils develop good speaking and listening skills through a variety of activities, such as discussion during lesson time on the topic being taught. For example, older pupils talked confidently about the art techniques they used when painting the reflection of the moon.  The teaching of mathematics is effective. Pupils gain a strong understanding of number and develop good calculation skills. However, teachers do not provide pupils routinely with sufficiently good activities to develop problem solving and reasoning skills.  Occasionally, in subjects such as science and history, some teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve, including the most able pupils, are inconsistent. Although pupils are

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

gaining knowledge, understanding and skills in subjects across the curriculum, sometimes teachers set learning tasks that do not challenge pupils sufficiently well to deepen pupils’ learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement. This is due to the inconsistencies in the school’s procedures to ensure pupils’ well-being.  Leaders have a supervision policy in place, and they carry out risk assessments for various situations that may potentially pose a risk to pupils. However, a minority of the older pupils report that sometimes staff do not listen to their concerns, during unstructured times of the school day, such as playtimes.  Pupils are taught about the different forms of bullying. They said that bullying rarely happens at their school, and this is reflected in the school’s records. Leaders provide plenty of opportunities through the school’s personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education programme and whole-school events, such as anti-bullying week, to raise pupils’ awareness of bullying.  Leaders provide pupils with opportunities to take on roles and responsibilities within the

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Personal development and welfare

school. For example, pupils have the opportunity to be house captains and playground monitors. This supports pupils’ social and personal development well.  Pupils are knowledgeable about how to stay safe when using the internet. For example, they know not to share personal details with anyone they do not know.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils told the inspector that they are well behaved. Staff and parents agree. Pupils are well versed with the school’s behaviour management systems. They show a sense of responsibility about their behaviour. For example, they said that sanctions should be applied when pupils misbehave.  Pupils demonstrate strong attitudes to learning during lessons. They show good levels of concentration when working on learning tasks. This helps pupils to make strong progress.  Pupils are polite and respectful. They listen to each other attentively during discussion and lessons. They are confident, articulate pupils who are able to explain their learning clearly.  Pupils said they enjoy coming to school and this is reflected in their above-average attendance. There is no persistent absence. As a result, learning time is maximised.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Teaching is consistently good across the school in both the English and French curriculums. This has resulted in most pupils making strong progress in most subjects.  The school assessment information and work in pupils’ books shows that most pupils make good progress in reading and writing from their starting points. All the parents agree that their children make good progress in the school.  Pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education. Pupils who move to other French schools in England or France are well equipped to continue their learning journeys. This is a clear strength of the school.  The work in pupils’ mathematics books shows that pupils are developing strong calculation skills. However, their progress is hindered because they are not routinely challenged to apply their mathematics skills to solve problems and develop their reasoning skills. As a result, pupils do not reach their full potential.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 The work in pupils’ topic and science books shows that pupils are gaining a good understanding, knowledge and developing skills in subjects across the curriculum. However, opportunities for pupils to deepen their learning in these subjects are inconsistent across the school. This affects pupils’ progress.

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Early years provision Good

 The early years is good because there are well-established routines to ensure children’s well-being and safety.  Leaders provide strong leadership and know the strengths and areas for improvement well. For example, they are improving the outdoor provision to support children’s learning and development.  Children currently in the early years enter the Reception class with knowledge, understanding and skills that are typical for their age. Inspection evidence confirms that these children are making good progress in their learning and development from their starting points.  Teaching is effective in the early years, including the teaching of phonics. Adults provide children with a range of opportunities to apply their phonics knowledge and skills to reading and writing activities.  Children are also taught the French curriculum well. For example, children learn about sweet and salty foods, and use their knowledge of both English and French well to

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Early years provision Good

develop their vocabulary.  Children are well behaved. They rise to the high expectations set by adults.  Partnerships with parents are strong. These provide a seamless continuity for learning between home and school. Parents are given opportunities to contribute to their children’s learning and development through the school’s online assessment and by attending workshops in school, for example.  The school meets the independent standards relating to the early years provision. Adults care for children well.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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School details

School category Other independent school

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School details

Website http://petiteecolebilingue.free.fr/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21–23 June 2016

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Information about this school

 The school opened in September 2012 and is based in a large house in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is a bilingual school that offers pupils both the British and French national curriculums.  There is a consultation board comprising of six members, but there are no formal arrangements for governance. The school is owned by one proprietor.  The school was last inspected in June 2016, when it was judged to be good.  The early years provision comprises of one Reception class and children attend on a full- time basis. There are no Nursery classes.  There are no pupils with education, health and care plans. There a small number of pupils who are receiving special educational support.  There are no pupils who are looked after by the local authority.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection took place with one day’s notice.  The inspector observed teaching and learning in a range of subjects, jointly with senior leaders. She scrutinised pupils’ work in lessons and in books.  The inspector met with one group of pupils. She spoke with pupils in lessons, and during social times to seek their views about school life. She listened to pupils read and talked to pupils about their reading habits.  The inspector held meetings with the proprietor, senior leaders and teachers.  The inspector analysed the 13 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, which included nine free-text responses.  The inspector considered the eight responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  The inspector scrutinised a wide range of school documentation, including documents related to safeguarding, the school’s self-evaluation, plans for improvement and information related to pupils’ progress and attainment.

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Inspection team

Rajeshree Mehta, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that— – 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school— – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and 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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Parent View 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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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