Elsley Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Elsley Primary School Tokyngton Avenue, Wembley HA9 6HT

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Outcome

Elsley Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are firmly at the centre of the school’s community. Leaders and teachers encourage and support pupils to live the school’s values of ‘learning, sharing, achieving and respecting’. Pupils are safe and value the opportunities the school provides to prepare them for their futures. They enjoy coming to school and know how important it is to get a good start.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have developed a curriculum which meets the ambition of the national curriculum and which supports pupils to develop independence and confidence. It helps pupils to learn to keep themselves safe in and beyond school. Pupils are well prepared for secondary school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well during lessons, at breaktimes and lunchtimes and as they move around the school. The school is a well-ordered community where staff and pupils go about their work purposefully. They get along well with each other, acting responsibly and cooperatively. Pupils said that there is rarely any bullying in school. Teachers resolve any issues that arise. Pupils are confident that their teachers will listen to any concerns they have.

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

Reading has a high priority. Pupils understand how important it is to learn to read. The teaching of early reading begins as soon as children start in the Nursery. Leaders make sure that teachers are well trained to teach early reading and that they have clear guidance about what is expected. This means that pupils experience a consistent and high-quality reading curriculum as they progress through the school. Teachers assess pupils’ progress in phonics very carefully so that they can help any pupils who find reading difficult to keep up with their peers. Older pupils spoke enthusiastically about their favourite authors and books. Regular assemblies about reading led by ‘reading ambassadors’ help to remind the whole school about the importance of reading. 17 and 18 May 2022

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Children in the early years are used to the school’s daily routines. Leaders have thought carefully about what children need to know so that they learn the knowledge needed ready for the start of Year 1. Teachers help children to develop a secure understanding of early mathematics.

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Adults encourage children’s curiosity and help build their vocabulary through discussion. For example, children in early years developed their understanding of the life cycle of the butterfly and were introduced to key vocabulary through talking about and observing caterpillars in the classroom.

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Leaders reflect deeply on the content of the curriculum in each subject. They take into account recent research and specialist advice. Guidance for teachers sets out clearly what pupils should learn. This includes the specific vocabulary that pupils need to know for each subject. In most lessons, teachers enable pupils to learn in depth. However, in some cases, teaching does not enable all pupils to build a deep understanding of the content taught. This is because teachers’ subject knowledge is not equally strong in all subjects. Teachers use a range of approaches to check how well pupils are doing. Assessment is particularly effective in checking pupils’ progress in phonics and mathematics.

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Leaders make sure that pupils who speak English as an additional language, and those who join part way through the school year, are well supported to settle and make friends quickly and develop their reading and spoken and written English. The needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified promptly. They are supported in lessons to learn the same curriculum as their peers. Pupils with SEND and their families are helped to access external services beyond the school.

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Pupils’ wider development is a strength of the school. Pupils attend a variety of after- school clubs and take on roles of responsibility, including digital leaders and sports leaders. They understand that these opportunities widen their interests and develop their confidence. Older pupils explained that this prepares them well for the next stage in their education. The school’s approach to diversity encourages pupils to value each other as individuals and celebrate differences. One pupil expressed the views of many by explaining, ‘School helps us to be proud of who we are.’

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Staff speak very highly about the way leaders make them feel valued and consider their workload. Leaders have taken steps to reduce workload by making sure that all the information they ask teachers to collect is useful in tracking and supporting pupils’ progress. Staff at all stages of their careers appreciate the high priority leaders give to professional training. They know that leaders will listen to any concerns they have. Teamwork is a strength in the school and enables staff to have opportunities to discuss and share their own learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding leaders take their roles very seriously. They know pupils and their families well. They make sure that pupils receive the help they need as promptly as possible either 17 and 18 May 2022

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directly from school staff or outside agencies. Staff are well trained and are familiar with the signs which may give rise to any concerns. Leaders keep detailed records of concerns and the actions they take to address and resolve them. The school’s curriculum teaches pupils how to stay safe and what to do if they have concerns. Parents value the information they receive about online safety which helps them to support their children at home.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, teachers’ knowledge of the subject is not secure to help all pupils gain a deep understanding of key content. Leaders need to build on their existing work to develop teachers’ subject expertise so that pupils learn the intended curriculum in all subjects equally well.

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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 January 2012.

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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 .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 17 and 18 May 2022

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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. 17 and 18 May 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Cassie Lloyd Perrin

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17 January 2017

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Information about this school

 The number of pupils on roll has increased significantly since the previous inspection.  A high proportion of pupils join the school part way through their primary education and midway through the academic year. Many of these pupils speak English as an additional language.  Leaders do not currently 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other leaders and staff. Inspectors also met with members of the governing body and held a telephone discussion with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. For each of these subjects, an inspector held discussions with subject leaders, visited 17 and 18 May 2022

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lessons, spoke with staff and pupils and looked at pupils’ work. Inspectors also visited lessons in other subjects as part of this inspection.  Inspectors considered the views of staff and pupils through the Ofsted online surveys. The inspectors also spoke with parents and considered the responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.  Inspectors observed behaviour during lessons and at breaktime and lunchtime. Inspectors spoke to a range of staff about their views of pupils’ behaviour and staff’s workload and well-being. The inspectors also spoke with pupils to consider their views.  Inspectors spoke with pupils and staff about the school’s work to keep pupils safe. Inspectors also considered safeguarding records, documentation and the single central record of suitability checks on staff.

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Inspection team

Jeremy Loukes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Jones Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 May 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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