Isleworth Town Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Isleworth Town Primary School Twickenham Road, Isleworth, Middlesex TW7 6AB

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Outcome

Isleworth Town Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming and inclusive school. Pupils say, ‘Everyone is welcome here.’ Pupils treat each other with kindness and respect. Older pupils enjoy helping younger ones at breaktimes and in class. For example, some pupils in Year 6 are sports leaders, responsible for helping younger pupils during physical education (PE) sessions. Many pupils in Year 6 commented on the importance of being good role models for pupils in younger years. Pupils behave well in and out of lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and school staff build nurturing, professional relationships with pupils. Pupils feel confident to speak to adults in school if they are worried about anything. Leaders deal with any incidents of bullying appropriately. Pupils are safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high aspirations for pupils. They want pupils to be confident and ambitious. Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to make decisions to develop the school. For example, pupils organise lunchtime clubs. To do so, they are required to source a member of staff to supervise the activity, and submit a written proposal for leaders’ approval. These pupil-led clubs are in addition to the wide range of after-school activities that leaders organise for pupils. Recently, parents and carers were invited to take part in multisport sessions with their children after school.

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

Leaders prioritise reading. All teaching staff have received training to teach phonics. Phonics is taught consistently well, from the early years onwards. Leaders and teachers check what letter sounds pupils know. They provide appropriate support for pupils to help them to keep up with phonics learning. Pupils have frequent opportunities to read books that are matched securely to the letters and sounds that they know. They practise reading using these matched books in school and at home. Pupils gain reading confidence quickly. Some pupils said they are proud that they are getting better at reading. 8 and 9 February 2023

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The school curriculum is ambitious and in line with the national curriculum. Leaders have considered the important knowledge that pupils need to know and remember. They think carefully about how pupils build on prior knowledge so that they know and remember more as they get older. Sometimes, leaders and teachers place too much focus on tasks and activities, rather than on the subject content and skills that they want pupils to know and remember. As a result, at times, pupils struggle to recall some key subject knowledge. Leaders are working with teachers to make sure important knowledge is made explicit and recapped effectively.

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In most subjects, leaders sequence important subject knowledge well, from the early years onwards. Teachers ensure that pupils recall key knowledge and apply it to new learning. For example, in Year 6 mathematics, pupils solved problems using algebra. They used their prior learning of addition and multiplication to help them. Subject leaders consider how the curriculum in the early years links with subjects when children move into Years 1 and 2. However, in some subjects, they have not sequenced subject knowledge as carefully, from the early years upwards.

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Leaders and teachers use assessment information effectively to check what pupils know. They use it to decide what further teaching or help pupils need. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the right support, including pupils in the specially resourced provision. Leaders work well with teachers, parents, carers and external professionals to check how well pupils learn. Professionals, including occupational therapists and speech and language experts, provide training for teaching staff. As a result, leaders and teachers adapt the curriculum well. Pupils achieve well.

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Many pupils said that the school’s values are an important part of what makes the school special. Pupils enjoy receiving recognition, including rewards and certificates, for showing kindness and respect to others. Leaders and teachers have consistently high expectations. Low-level disruption does not interrupt learning.

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Pupils are taught about the importance of having a healthy body and mind. Recently, the pupil digital leaders spoke at an assembly for the whole school. They shared information on how technology and social media may impact mental health. Pupils have many opportunities to apply for various roles and responsibilities. These include being house captains, debate team members and eco-school team helpers. Other pupils are supportive, and appreciate the work that they do. For example, some pupils said that the eco-school team makes sure that the school is clean and tidy. They said how much they appreciate this.

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Leaders and the governing body are effective. They work together to make sure they prioritise the right things. The governing body has appropriate training. As a result, it provides effective support and challenge for leaders. Leaders and the governing body check that staff’s workload is manageable. Typically, staff appreciate leaders’ consideration for their well-being. 8 and 9 February 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure school staff receive appropriate safeguarding training. Staff know the signs that may indicate that a pupil needs help or support. Staff report concerns swiftly. Leaders follow up concerns effectively. This includes liaising well with external safeguarding partners.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that pupils are aware of potential risks and know where to get help. Leaders make sure that safety is a key part of the school’s personal, social and health education programme. For example, pupils are taught about respectful and healthy relationships, from the early years to Year 6, in age-appropriate ways.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, leaders and teachers place too much emphasis on tasks and activities that pupils do in class instead of on the subject content and skills that they want pupils to know and remember. As a result, at times, pupils struggle to recall important knowledge. Leaders should fully implement their plans to ensure leaders and teachers make important knowledge explicit.  Some subject thinking does not identify and sequence important knowledge from the early years onwards. As a result, curriculum thinking is not clear on how the early years prepares pupils for future learning. Subject leaders should identify the core knowledge that children need to know and remember in the early years, and explicitly sequence this content to help pupils to remember it.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2012. 8 and 9 February 2023

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents 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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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. 8 and 9 February 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.isleworthtown.hounslow.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 June 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school expanded to four forms of entry in September 2018.  The provision for two-year-olds also opened in September 2018.  There is a specially resourced provision in the school for pupils with autism spectrum disorder. Some pupils attend the provision for therapy and specific sessions during the school day.  Currently, the school makes use of two registered alternative providers.

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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 senior leaders, representatives of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and PE. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, 8 and 9 February 2023

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visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects.  Inspectors spoke with leaders, staff and pupils about safeguarding. Inspectors examined safeguarding records. They scrutinised checks made on staff before they begin their employment at the school.  Inspectors considered the responses of parents, staff and pupils to Ofsted’s online surveys.  Inspectors visited a session for pupils with SEND in the ‘Moonlight Room’ specially resourced provision.  Inspectors also visited the playground and dining room to observe pupils’ behaviour.

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Inspection team

Andrea Bedeau, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jonathan Roddick Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 February 2023

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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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