Heathrow Primary School

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

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Mr Simon Giles Headteacher Heathrow Primary School Harmondsworth Lane Sipson West Drayton UB7 0JQ

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Short inspection of Heathrow Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 19 March 2019, 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 April 2015.

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Short inspection of Heathrow Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Based on the evidence gathered during this short inspection, I am of the opinion that the school has demonstrated strong practice and marked improvement in specific areas. This may indicate that the school has improved significantly overall. Therefore, I am recommending that the school’s next inspection be a section 5 inspection.

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Short inspection of Heathrow Primary School

The ambitious vision for the school begins with you and extends across the school community. Working with parents, leaders, staff and governors, you have secured a sustained rise in academic standards since the previous inspection. Parents’ views gathered on inspection show that they agree with this assessment.

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Short inspection of Heathrow Primary School

You, together with the leadership team and governors, have addressed the priorities for improvement identified at the previous inspection. For example, you have worked to ensure that teachers give more effective feedback to pupils in order to support their learning. This has resulted in pupils making stronger progress, particularly in mathematics, which is a clear strength of the school.

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Short inspection of Heathrow Primary School

Through your leadership, teaching is effective; pupils are happy, settled and engaged, and they learn well. The rich and well-structured curriculum has improved pupils’ motivation. Pupils increasingly concentrate, show curiosity, and use their imagination. There are numerous engaging extra-curricular opportunities which further support pupils’ learning and engagement. The outcomes achieved by pupils are striking. In 2018, the proportion of Year 6 pupils reaching the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics was 89%, while the national average was 64%. In key stage 1, pupils make strong progress which is well above national average standards. In the Year 1 phonics reading check, more pupils reach the expected standard compared with the national average. This has been the case for several years.

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Short inspection of Heathrow Primary School

Pupils who join the school part way through their primary education benefit from the high-quality nurturing support that staff provide. The frequent new arrivals in school settle very quickly because pupils at the school are also welcoming and friendly.

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Short inspection of Heathrow Primary School

Procedures and systems for keeping pupils safe, and supporting pupils who require it, are thorough. Staff are knowledgeable about safeguarding guidance relating to, for example, the ‘Prevent’ duty, child sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation and children missing from education. Leaders ensure that training is regular. Staff are vigilant, and carefully maintain records in relation to checks carried out on adults who work at the school.

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Short inspection of Heathrow Primary School

The school works well with outside agencies to ensure that all pupils are kept safe. A high level of vigilance by staff means that there is a consistent approach to dealing with any referrals. Children report that they are listened to and feel safe.

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Inspection findings

 We agreed the first focus of this inspection would evaluate the effectiveness of strategies to improve the teaching of reading and writing for the most able pupils. This arose from your evaluation of the available assessment information which showed that while pupils in key stage 1 make strong and sustained progress this does not continue into key stage 2.  Leaders have introduced a range of more-challenging books and texts for teachers to use with pupils. Leaders have extended the range of strategies for teaching literacy, including drama and role play. They have also established a ‘more-able writers’ club, and other intervention groups, to challenge the most able pupils. Leaders have very high expectations and have set challenging targets. They carefully monitor the effectiveness of the initiatives.  As a result of these improvements, the teaching of literacy is strong. Consequently, pupils incorporate advanced ideas and concepts into their

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Inspection findings

speaking and writing. For example, in key stage 2, pupils increasingly use inference and deduction to read and understand texts. They write with fluency and precision. Pupils use their knowledge of English to work out what unknown words could mean. For example, in an upper key stage 2 class, pupils discussed what the word ‘innovative’ meant in the context of opening a new restaurant. Such responses were typical of the curiosity and thoughtfulness shown by pupils during the inspection.  The positive impact of leadership and teaching on the pupils’ progress in reading and writing for all groups, including the most able, is clear. Nevertheless, you are continuing to focus on and intensify improving writing for the most able pupils.  The second aspect considered in this inspection was the effectiveness of the early years foundation stage. This was selected as an area for focus because in 2018 the process children made dipped from previously high standards.

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Inspection findings

 The early years leader has implemented a range of improvements, ensuring a culture of excellence and strong practice. Adults focus on quickly identifying specific needs and then addressing them, for example children who start with delayed speech and language. As a result of the strong support and nurture, these children rapidly catch up.  Leaders and teachers in the early years are ambitious for the children and set high targets. They plan a wide-ranging and engaging curriculum which children clearly enjoy both indoors and outdoors. Teachers use assessments highly effectively to adjust planning to the individual needs of children and involve parents throughout. Teachers teach phonics highly effectively.  Adults model strong relationships and constantly look for opportunities to consolidate and extend children’s learning, particularly in the development of language skills. Pupils feel safe and secure and develop strongly because adults

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Inspection findings

encourage them fully. As a result, children develop an aspirational outlook from the earliest age. For example, one five-year-old told me that she wanted to be a paramedic when she grew up, ‘because it’s important’. Such attitudes are typical.  Overall, the measures taken by leaders and adults to raise standards in the early years foundation stage have been highly effective.

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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 focus on improving the progress in writing for the most able pupils continues and is intensified.

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

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Information about the inspection

I held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and middle leaders. I held discussions with four governors, including the chair of the governing body, and a range of pupils. I also had a discussion with a local authority education adviser. I observed teaching and learning in a range of lessons. I evaluated pupils’ progress by looking at pupils’ workbooks and displays. I heard several pupils read and engaged in wide-ranging conversations with them about their learning and school experiences. I considered recent information about pupils’ progress. I considered the views of nine pupils through responses to the pupil survey. I considered the views of staff through 17 responses to the staff survey. I considered parents’ views through 25 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and held discussions with parents in the playground before school.

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