Oldfield Primary School

Inspection of Oldfield Primary School Oldfield Lane North, Greenford, Middlesex UB6 8PR

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Outcome

Oldfield Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils in this school do their best to live up to the school’s vision of ‘pride through achievement’. They work hard to be successful in lessons. They strive to do things well and they take pride in their work. Pupils enjoy learning across all the subjects they are studying and typically achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Adults have high expectations of pupils. To help pupils meet these expectations, leaders have set clear rules for behaviour. As a result, pupils conduct themselves well, in and out of lessons. They are caring, kind, and are ready and willing to help each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those in early years, work well together. They discuss their learning sensibly and share equipment. Pupils talk about the many friends they have in school. They said meeting their friends is one of the things they enjoy most at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kept safe. They understand what bullying is because leaders and staff have taught them about it. Pupils said that although bullying happens sometimes, adults deal with it as soon as it occurs. Pupils trust the adults in school and are confident that they can talk to them if they have concerns or worries.

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

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to read fluently. They know that this is important so that pupils can learn effectively in all areas of the curriculum. Pupils learn to read right from the start of their time in school. Adults deliver the school’s phonics programme well. Pupils practise their reading regularly with books which match the sounds they already know. Pupils who are falling behind are supported to catch up with the rest of the class. Adults are skilled in tailoring extra help to pupils’ needs. In a few instances, however, adults’ pronunciation of sounds is not as precise as it should be.

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

Leaders have designed a well-thought-out curriculum that matches the scope and ambition of what is expected in the national curriculum. Where possible, the curriculum is enriched with examples from the local area. This helps pupils understand how world events have affected their community. For example, in history, pupils learn about the Second World War by discussing the nearby Polish War Memorial. Pupils contribute 15 and 16 March 2022

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maturely to these discussions because behaviour is strong and disruptions to learning are rare.

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Subjects are planned to increase pupils’ knowledge and understanding in a well-ordered sequence. In the early years, the curriculum enables children to be ready for subject content they will learn in subsequent year groups. For example, children’s understanding of science develops as they observe caterpillars grow into butterflies. This knowledge of life cycles lays the foundations for their future study of animals, including humans, from Year 1 onwards.

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Teachers typically use assessment well to check on what pupils already know and can do. They identify gaps in pupils’ learning, including those brought about by disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adaptations to the curriculum mean that, in most cases, these gaps are addressed effectively. For example, in mathematics, leaders have identified that some pupils’ understanding of place value is not as secure as it should be. In response, leaders and staff immediately adjusted the curriculum. Consequently, pupils are improving their understanding in this area of mathematics. On occasions, however, teachers do not check that pupils have secured the knowledge they need to be successful in their future learning. When this happens, pupils are not able to understand and complete their work as well.

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Leaders ensure that the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are met. Pupils who require additional support are identified swiftly. Teachers ensure that pupils receive the help they need to learn well across the curriculum.

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Pupils’ wider development is well considered by leaders and governors. Pupils value the opportunities they have to get involved in their local community. For example, they enjoy giving performances for older people, contributing to the local food bank, or running a daily mile for charity. Leaders use trips and visits from external organisations to broaden pupils’ experiences. For example, while learning about the life and achievements of Mary Seacole, pupils also met with nurses to find out more about what their work currently involves.

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Leaders and staff work well together. Leaders regularly check on staff well-being. They ensure that their workload remains manageable.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are well looked after. Staff know pupils and their families well and are vigilant to any risks that pupils may experience. This enables leaders and staff to address any concerns promptly. Leaders are persistent in following up concerns. They work closely with external agencies to ensure these pupils and their families get the help they need, when they need it. 15 and 16 March 2022

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Pupils know how to keep themselves safe at school, at home, or when online. The curriculum has been designed to help pupils understand how to stay safe. For example, they learn about internet safety, road safety and awareness of stranger danger.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasions, assessment approaches are not enabling teachers to check that pupils have secured the knowledge they need for what comes next in the curriculum. Leaders and staff should check and make sure that pupils have understood and remembered all of the key concepts taught. This will help to ensure that pupils are fully prepared and ready to tackle more difficult learning.  During some phonics teaching, adults’ pronunciation of sounds is occasionally not as clear and precise as it could be. This is unhelpful for pupils who are learning to read. Leaders should continue to check and strengthen staff’s expertise, including in segmenting and blending sounds, so that pupils hear accurate sounds modelled consistently.

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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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2011.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 15 and 16 March 2022

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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. 15 and 16 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211104 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chairs Natasha Gupta Shakib Mohebzada Headteacher Mr James McCormack

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 January 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The number of pupils on roll has fallen since the previous inspection. There are currently two classes in each year group, except for Year 4 where there is one class.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held discussions with the headteacher and other members of the senior leadership team. The inspector also met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, history and mathematics. For each deep dive, he spoke with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Other subjects were also considered as part of this inspection. 15 and 16 March 2022

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 When inspecting safeguarding, the inspector held discussions with leaders, staff and pupils. He also carried out a scrutiny of the school’s single central record of pre- employment checks and other records.  The inspector considered the views of pupils, parents and staff through discussions and their responses to Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Edison David, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 March 2022

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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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