Deanesfield Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Deanesfield Primary School Queens Walk, Ruislip, Middlesex HA4 0LR

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Outcome

Deanesfield Primary School continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded (section 5) inspection now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school and are rightly proud to attend Deanesfield. There is a culture of mutual respect enjoyed by all members of the community. Pupils demonstrate excellent behaviour. They are kept safe and feel safe. They are confident to report any concerns or worries they may have, using the agreed systems.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff expect pupils to do well, and pupils rise to this expectation. They are motivated in lessons, interacting well with their friends. Pupils relish the opportunities for learning outside the classroom when they go on educational visits. For example, outings to art galleries and museums help to further enrich the ambitious curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders work closely with parents, inviting them into school to experience what their children are learning. This helps parents to understand how their children are doing at school and how they can help at home. It also supports and nurtures the thriving relationship the school has with parents, who are fulsome in their praise of the school.

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

Pupils learn to read fluently. This is because the reading curriculum has been carefully designed. Teachers are trained to teach phonics with accuracy and precision. Staff check carefully the letters and sounds pupils know and remember. Pupils who struggle to keep up receive extra support from expert teachers. Pupils read books which are well matched to the sounds they learn. Leaders prioritise pupils’ language and communication from the early years. This is because they know that pupils need a broad vocabulary to become fluent readers and to learn well in other subjects.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum which begins in the early years and extends to Year 6. Leaders have identified and sequenced the important ideas pupils 6 and 7 June 2023

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should learn in each subject. Pupils revisit and embed these concepts. This helps them to develop a deep body of knowledge across the curriculum and tackle more complex learning. For example, in mathematics, children in early years recognise the value of different numbers and practise counting forward and back. This supports pupils in key stage 1 to add, subtract, multiply and divide with accuracy and confidence. Older pupils use this knowledge when solving increasingly complex mathematical problems. Teachers and leaders use assessment effectively to find out what pupils have learned. Errors and misconceptions are swiftly identified and corrected. This supports pupils to learn and remember more in different subjects.

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Leaders work swiftly to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils receive specialised and bespoke support where necessary. Staff are well trained to adapt tasks and activities appropriately. This gives pupils a sense of achievement because they are well supported to access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

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Children in the early years are happy and well cared for. They enjoy a range of opportunities for learning and develop secure social and emotional skills. This helps to ensure that pupils feel increasingly empowered to express their opinions. Exemplary attitudes mean everyone can learn well. Pupils leave the school well prepared for secondary education.

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There is a strong focus on pupils’ personal development. Pupils learn about the importance of respecting and valuing other faiths and cultures. They appreciate that the world is complex and understand their social responsibilities, for example around issues such as climate change and fundamental human rights. Pupils are given opportunities to develop their own leadership skills through membership of the school council or undertaking the role of a mentor. They see the value in this and feel leaders take their views on board and make changes to improve their experience in school.

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The school is well led. Leaders, including those responsible for governance, recognise the many strengths of the school; even so, they are not complacent and continue to drive forward further improvements. They have created an environment where members of staff are happy in their work. Staff recognise the extensive initiatives in place to manage workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are well trained to identify the signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm. They understand how to report any such concerns. Leaders work closely with appropriate external agencies to seek additional advice, guidance and support.

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Safeguarding

Staff know pupils and their families well. They make sure that early help services are promoted to those that may need additional help. The curriculum has been designed to keep pupils safe. For example, pupils learn how to use electronic devices safely. 6 and 7 June 2023

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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 June 2013.

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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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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

Inspection number 10255508 Type of school Primary

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School details

Chair of governing body Stuart Kenworthy

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School details

Date of previous inspection 27 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a specialist resource provision for pupils with a speech and language need.  The school does not make use of any alternate 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.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, other senior leaders, and curriculum leaders. The inspectors also met with representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors, and the school improvement partner from the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, computing and mathematics. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  Other subjects were considered as part of the inspection. 6 and 7 June 2023

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 To inspect safeguarding, the inspectors met with leaders and spoke with pupils and staff. The inspectors examined a range of safeguarding documents and records, including the school’s record of pre-employment checks.  The inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation during the inspection, including school development plans and behaviour and attendance records.  The inspectors gathered the views of pupils, parents and staff through discussions and by considering their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Amy Jackson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Karyn Ray Ofsted 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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