Malorees Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Malorees Infant School Christchurch Avenue, London NW6 7PB

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Outcome

Malorees Infant School continues to be a good school. However, inspectors have some concerns that standards may be declining, as set out below.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school has a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Pupils are lively and clearly enjoy coming to school. They make good use of the playground facilities and get on well with each other. Parents and carers are happy that their children attend this school. One parent, summing up the views of many, commented, ‘It is a very special nurturing environment.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and friendly to others. They learn about respecting each other and their teachers through the ‘Promise Tree’. Older pupils act as buddies to younger pupils. They enjoy looking after them at playtimes. Pupils told me that bullying is rare. They know that adults deal with any problems quickly, should they occur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders want pupils to become resilient and to persevere. They teach pupils strategies that they can use to become successful learners. For example, if pupils get stuck on their work, teachers remind them to think about the ‘Won’t give up wombat’. Most pupils behave well and try hard.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders want all pupils to succeed, both in their studies and in their personal development. However, leaders and staff do not plan pupils’ learning well enough in all subjects. Some pupils do not achieve as well as they should, including in reading.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils told me that the school feels like ‘one big happy family’. This is because leaders put pupils’ well-being at the heart of their work. Nevertheless, leaders are not ambitious enough for what pupils can achieve in their learning. Governors have not challenged leaders sufficiently on the quality of education pupils receive. Some pupils are not as well prepared for Year 3 as they should be.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils do not get off to a strong enough start in reading. Leaders know this and have 19–20 November 2019

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begun to make improvements. They make sure that teachers read to pupils regularly. Pupils enjoy story times and finding out about new authors. In the early years, too, children experience a wide range of books. Children are keen to join in with familiar stories. Staff help children to understand and talk about the stories that they hear. This supports children’s early language development effectively. Leaders are keen to involve parents with their children’s reading. They provide workshops so parents know how they might support their children at home.

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However, many pupils have fallen behind in their phonics knowledge. Until recently, leaders and staff were unsure about what sounds pupils should learn and by when. Children in the early years wait too long before they start learning phonics. To address this, leaders have introduced a new systematic approach to the teaching of early reading. This includes clear expectations for pupils’ phonics progression from the Reception class to Year 2. Despite these positive steps, early reading is not planned and taught consistently well. Some adults lack the subject knowledge to teach the sounds accurately and correctly. Lower-attaining pupils read books that are not well matched to their abilities. This reduces their confidence and prevents them from becoming fluent readers.

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Suitable training has improved staff expertise in teaching mathematics. Teachers plan pupils’ learning effectively. They use well-chosen resources to help pupils grasp important concepts. They also make sure that pupils deepen their understanding through reasoning activities. Most pupils achieve well in mathematics by the time they leave Year 2.

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Leaders have started to review how other subjects, such as history, are planned and taught. This work is at an early stage. Leaders know that pupils are keen to learn about the world they live in. However, teachers are unclear about what knowledge they should teach and emphasise. Currently, pupils do not remember enough of the important knowledge needed in history.

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Leaders make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive specialist support. However, some teaching is not adapted well enough for these pupils. This means that they struggle to keep up with their peers. For example, in mathematics, they find it hard to remember and use important knowledge, such as number bonds.

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Pupils enjoy the extra activities which the school provides. These activities enable pupils to explore their interests in drama, crafts and sport. The school’s values, together with trips and external visitors, help pupils to learn about different cultures and beliefs. Pupils understand it is important to be respectful. In most lessons, pupils remain focused and on task. Occasionally, though, pupils get distracted and find it hard to settle down to their work. This is usually when teaching does not expect enough of them.

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Leaders help staff to manage their workload and maintain a positive work-life balance. Governors are also considerate of staff workload. Staff appreciate leaders’ support.

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The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Staff are vigilant to signs that pupils may be at risk of harm. They identify pupils and families that may need extra help. They work effectively with other agencies to get them the help that they need. Suitable systems are in place to help leaders monitor concerns and link them together to get a full picture of pupils’ needs.

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Leaders complete relevant safeguarding checks for all staff, governors and volunteers to ensure that they are suitable to work with pupils.

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The curriculum supports pupils well in learning how to stay safe. Pupils discuss important topics, such as road safety and e-safety, on a regular basis.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders should ensure that the new approach to the teaching of phonics is effective. They should make sure that staff are experts in helping all pupils to learn to read. Teachers must ensure that pupils read books that match the sounds they know. This will enable pupils to practise what they have been taught and develop into confident and accurate readers.  Teachers do not adapt planning to ensure that pupils with SEND achieve well. Leaders need to ensure that the curriculum for pupils with SEND is consistently ambitious. They should support teachers to plan learning which enables these pupils to remember important knowledge and build on what they have previously learned.  Mathematics is planned well. Some other subjects, such as history, are not planned and taught effectively. Leaders know this. However, their work to address these shortcomings is at a very early stage. Leaders should improve subject planning so that,

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

as a result, pupils develop and remember essential knowledge and skills in the full range of subjects. Leaders should make sure that planning includes clear and ambitious aims.  Governors are beginning to provide an improved balance of support and challenge for leaders. They need to ensure that their questioning is more specifically focused on how well the curriculum enables pupils to achieve highly. 19–20 November 2019

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 23–24 February 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 19–20 November 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10130993 Type of school Infant

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Rachael Newberry

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School details

Headteacher Sian Davies (executive headteacher) Helen Smith (head of school) Website www.maloreesinfants.com/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23–24 February 2016

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Information about this school

 A new head of school took up post in September 2019. At the time of the previous inspection, the executive headteacher was the headteacher of the school.  A new chair of governors was appointed in September 2019.

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Information about this inspection

 I met with the executive headteacher, headteacher and other leaders.  I also met with the chair of the governing body and four other governors, as well as a representative from the local authority.  I looked in depth at reading, mathematics and history. For each of these subjects, I spoke to senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers and pupils. I also visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and listened to them read. Senior leaders joined me for most activities.  To inspect safeguarding, I spoke to senior leaders, checked the single central record of staff employment checks, looked at the responses to the parent and staff surveys, spoke to parents and staff, and observed and spoke to pupils. 19–20 November 2019

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 I observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school. I also asked pupils for their views on behaviour and bullying.

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Inspection team

Jenell Chetty, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 19–20 November 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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