Whitchurch Primary School & Nursery

Inspection of a good school: Whitchurch Primary School & Nursery Wemborough Road, Stanmore, Middlesex HA7 2EQ

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 September 2023

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Outcome

Whitchurch Primary School & Nursery continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils really enjoy coming to school. They are kind to one another and keen to learn. Pupils bring the school’s values to life through their actions. For example, they demonstrate their respect to everyone by the considerate way that they treat each other. They also show their readiness to be responsible when taking on leadership roles, such as faith ambassadors and school councillors. Some pupils train to be ‘playpals’ so that they can help other pupils in the playground to join in, make friends or have someone to talk to. This helps pupils to feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for its pupils. Pupils are expected to achieve well, and they are keen to meet these expectations. Pupils learn a broad range of subjects in lessons. They also take part in numerous after-school clubs and activities where they can develop their wider interests. The school’s music curriculum is a good example of the ambition for pupils’ learning. In addition to a carefully thought-out music curriculum, many pupils play an instrument and perform in school choirs and ensembles.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Learning is rarely disrupted due to poor behaviour. Pupils have quickly settled into their routines at the start of term, including in the early years. Bullying is rare. If it happens, pupils trust staff to deal with it swiftly and effectively.

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

The school offers a range of subjects that meet the requirements of the national curriculum. In the early years, children follow all seven areas of learning and development. The school has reviewed the key knowledge and skills that pupils are expected to know and remember in each curriculum area. Leaders have focused on making sure that what pupils learn prepares them to understand more complex ideas in the future. For example, in science, pupils learn about animals and humans in every year group. In Year 1, they begin by learning the names of the different parts of the body, including teeth. By Year 4, pupils have built on this knowledge by learning about the 13 and 14 September 2023

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different types of human teeth and what they are used for. This step-by-step approach to developing understanding contributes to pupils achieving well overall. However, some of the school’s curriculum thinking is quite new and is not consistently implemented in all subjects and year groups. This affects how well pupils are able to build detailed and deep knowledge over time.

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Teachers check regularly in lessons whether pupils have understood the knowledge that they want them to know and remember. If teachers identify an error or misconception, they correct it immediately. Teachers break down more complex ideas into smaller chunks to help pupils understand these ideas.

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The school is quick to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are assessed promptly when they join. Leaders produce ‘case studies’ that set out clearly what needs and barriers pupils have. Profiles are shared with teachers so that they can adapt their teaching to meet pupils’ specific needs.

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Reading is a priority. Teachers quickly assess pupils’ prior reading skills when they start school. No time is wasted in teaching children to become accurate and fluent readers. All teaching staff have recently received further training in the school’s chosen reading programme and, as a result, the approach to early reading is consistent. If pupils fall behind, staff focus on helping them to catch up by providing extra support in class. In some cases, pupils also receive one-to-one support tailored to their needs. In a few instances, the books that pupils take home to practise reading are unhelpful in supporting their developing reading skills. This happens when reading books do not closely match the sounds that pupils know.

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Pupils manage their behaviour well, and the school is a calm and orderly environment. If pupils do not meet the expectations for behaviour, staff respond quickly. Pupils are reminded of the school values and are given choices about how to improve their behaviour. Staff are consistent in their approach to both rewards and consequences.

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Pupils get involved with a wide variety of additional activities outside of lessons. These range from sporting clubs and languages to dance and performing arts. Pupils with SEND and those who receive pupil premium funding are prioritised when pupils choose their activities. Leaders build educational trips into the curriculum purposefully. For example, the Year 6 history trip to the Imperial War Museum aimed to support pupils’ learning about the Second World War. Pupils also learn about a wide range of world religions that reflect the multi-cultural nature of the school. They enjoy their educational visits to the places of worship for different faiths.

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Staff, including teachers at the start of their careers, said that they are well supported. The school aims to ensure that staff workload is manageable. Staff benefit from a planned schedule of training and support.

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The governing body visits the school regularly and knows it well. Governors hold leaders to account and make sure that the school meets its statutory responsibilities. 13 and 14 September 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasions, the books that pupils take home to read are not closely matched to their stage in the school’s chosen phonics programme. This reduces how well pupils are supported to develop their accuracy and fluency in reading. The school needs to ensure that reading books fully align with pupils’ developing phonic knowledge.  In some subjects and year groups, the teaching of the curriculum does not fully match the school’s intentions. Consequently, there are instances where the cumulative development of pupils’ knowledge is not as well supported as it could be. Therefore, the school should ensure that staff are well trained and supported to implement the curriculum as planned.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2018.

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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. 13 and 14 September 2023

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In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 13 and 14 September 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.whitchurchprimary.harrow.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 16 and 17 January 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher joined the school in September 2023.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other senior leaders. Inspectors met with the vice-chair of the governing body, other governors and the local authority school improvement partner.  Inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: early reading, history and mathematics. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at 13 and 14 September 2023

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samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also considered pupils’ learning in other subjects, including writing, music and science.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils in all key stages. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at breaktimes was observed.  Inspectors spoke to a range of staff about the school’s work, including about safeguarding and behaviour. Inspectors spoke to parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors also looked at staff’s, parents’ and pupils’ responses to Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Mark Smith, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Nick Hitchen Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 September 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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