Whitehall School

Inspection of Whitehall Junior School Cowley Road, Uxbridge UB8 2LX

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good 6 and 7 June 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and kept safe at Whitehall Junior School. There is a strong nurturing ethos within the school, where care is at the heart. Pupils trust that adults are always available to help them should they need it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The core values of bravery, respect, integrity, determination, generosity and excellence (BRIDGE) encourage resilience and strength of character. Staff and pupils alike embody these values. As a result, behaviour in classrooms and around the school is very positive. This is further supported by consistent routines and expectations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders want all pupils to achieve well. The curriculum is broad and ambitious. In most subjects, this helps pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding. As a result, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They are keen to take on the wide range of responsibilities available to them, for example as school councillors, house captains and classroom monitors. The process of election for these roles supports pupils to understand the importance of democracy and prepares them well for life in modern Britain.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A wide range of visits are available to further enrich the curriculum, for example an outing to a Battle of Britain Bunker when learning about the Second World War and to the Victoria and Albert Museum as part of a topic on Islamic art.

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better?

Pupils follow a broad curriculum that matches, and in some subjects, exceeds the ambition of what is expected nationally. Leaders have identified the key knowledge and vocabulary they expect pupils to learn across all subjects. Partnership work with the infant school has ensured that pupils build on prior learning from their earlier years.

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better?

The curriculum is cumulatively sequenced, with time made to revisit and recap previous learning. This helps pupils to understand and learn more complex ideas over time. For example, in physical education (PE) pupils develop and practise their running, jumping and throwing skills in athletics. This knowledge helps them to compete successfully in competitive games later on. Similarly, in art and design, younger pupils learn and practise different shading techniques. They use their understanding of these to select specific types of shading to convey a particular mood through their drawings.

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better?

In most subjects, teachers check that pupils have understood what they have learned. Errors and misconceptions are swiftly identified and corrected. This helps pupils to deepen and embed their knowledge. However, this is not consistent. Some subjects have been developed more recently and are not as well embedded. In these subjects, teachers do not always check as carefully that pupils have learned and understood the essential content. 6 and 7 June 2023

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Leaders prioritise reading. Teachers check pupils’ accuracy and fluency as soon as they begin Year 3. Those that may need extra help are swiftly identified and receive appropriate support. Staff who deliver reading interventions are well trained. They ensure that pupils read books that match the sounds they know. This helps them catch up quickly. A love of reading is evident across the school and consistently promoted in every classroom.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are swiftly identified and well supported. Interventions in the ‘hub’, for those who need support in reading and mathematics, ensure that pupils catch up quickly. Leaders work well with outside agencies to secure the support that these pupils need to access an ambitious curriculum.

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Behaviour in lessons is focused on learning. There is no low-level disruption and pupils settle quickly, whether working on their own or with peers. Leaders have effective systems for ensuring that pupils attend school regularly. This work has rightly been a priority to improve attendance.

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Pupils’ wider development is well considered. For example, pupils develop their understanding about different festivals, cultures and religions. Equality and diversity are a key part of the school’s ethos and have been a significant drive in recent curriculum development. Pupils learn about the importance of respecting different beliefs, views and identities.

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Leaders, including those responsible for governance, have created an ambitious culture and are committed to continuous improvement. They have a detailed and accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and the areas they want to improve further. Staff, including those at the start of their careers, are highly positive about the school and leaders’ consideration of their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that safeguarding is a high priority and central to the school’s culture and ethos. Staff, including governors, understand their responsibilities because they have been well trained. They are proactive in identifying and reporting any concerns they may have. Leaders monitor any safeguarding issues rigorously. They seek appropriate support from a range of agencies so that pupils and their families receive the support that they need.

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Safeguarding

The curriculum has been designed to help pupils know how to stay safe. Important issues, such as how to stay safe online, road safety, and recognising the danger associated with carrying knives, are topics that pupils are supported to understand. 6 and 7 June 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subjects are at an earlier stage of development. In these areas, teachers do not check as carefully that pupils have secured the important ideas they need. As a result, errors and misconceptions are not consistently identified and corrected. Leaders should ensure that teachers check understanding and make links with prior learning explicit. This will help to ensure that pupils develop a deep body of knowledge across the curriculum.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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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. 6 and 7 June 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 March 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school is a larger-than-average-sized junior school.  The school runs a breakfast club.  The school uses no alternative provision.  The school shares the site with the infant school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, members of the leadership team and members of staff. The lead inspector also met with three members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design, history and PE. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject 6 and 7 June 2023

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leaders, discussed the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  The inspectors also considered the curriculum in other subjects.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents, including leaders’ priorities for improvement.  The lead inspector reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising records and through discussions with leaders, staff and pupils.  The views of pupils, parents, carers and staff were gathered through discussions and Ofsted’s surveys were considered.

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Inspection team

Samantha Ingram, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Aliki Constantopoulou His Majesty’s Inspector 6 and 7 June 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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