Dairy Meadow Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Dairy Meadow Primary School Swift Road, Dairy Meadow Primary School, Southall, Middlesex UB2 4RP

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 2023

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Outcome

Dairy Meadow Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are looked after in this school. Staff know them well and they respond to pupils’ needs promptly and effectively. Pupils are confident to speak to any adult if they have any concerns. They can also use the ‘message boxes’ in their classrooms to share their worries. The school has invested in ‘the space’ where pupils can refer themselves for counselling. Pupils enjoy coming to school and taking part in activities in their spacious playground.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well, in and out of lessons. They are polite, confident and respectful towards each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for its pupils. Pupils achieve highly, particularly in mathematics, early reading and writing. The school is working hard to ensure that pupils’ achievement is as strong across all areas of the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides pupils with plenty of opportunities to engage with the local community. Pupils donate parcels to the local food hub and get involved in planting and composting at a local garden.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils also get to understand the world of work. For example, the school invited women in the construction industry to speak to pupils as part of their ‘smashing stereotypes’ day. Pupils have also listened to architects, engineers, and school alumni talk about their professions.

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

The school’s curriculum is well thought out and carefully planned. It is presented in a sequence which allows pupils to build knowledge of the subjects that they are studying over time. The curriculum identifies the significant knowledge pupils need to know and remember. Children in the early years follow a curriculum which prepares them well for the next stage in their education. In Reception, for example, they learn about and discuss 11 and 12 October 2023

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the life of Rosa Parks. This helps them to be ready to learn more about significant figures in history when they move to Year 1.

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In most subjects, the curriculum is delivered as planned. Teaching focuses on key concepts which the curriculum identifies as important for pupils to learn. Pupils receive plenty of opportunities to discuss what they are learning. They practise and consolidate new ideas and concepts. In a few subjects, however, at times, teaching does not ensure that pupils have a secure understanding of the knowledge required to make sense of new learning.

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Pupils are keen to talk about their learning. They share their ideas openly. They often make links between what they already know and what they are currently learning. Sometimes, however, their understanding of subject-specific vocabulary is not as clear as it should be. For example, when talking about history, some pupils find it hard to recall the meaning of words that they have been taught, such as ‘empire, dynasty,’ or ‘kingdom’. Similarly, in geography, some pupils struggle to remember with accuracy what they have been taught about the difference between ‘weather’ and ‘climate’.

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The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) at the earliest opportunity. They ensure that the needs of these pupils are understood and addressed effectively, through prompt and effective assessment. Pupils with SEND are well supported with adaptations in the curriculum. These pupils learn the curriculum well.

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The school prioritises the teaching of early reading. Pupils in Reception learn phonics right from the start of their school career. High-quality training has resulted in a consistent delivery of phonics lessons throughout the school. Any pupil that is falling behind the programme is identified through regular assessment. They receive effective support, and they catch up quickly. Pupils practise their phonics knowledge in several ways. They revisit the sounds they have learned previously. They also read with a partner in class, using books that are well matched to the sounds they have been taught and know. Pupils show a genuine love of reading and of books. They listen to adults read to them daily.

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Across the school, pupils are engaged and focused on their learning. They collaborate well with each other and complete the tasks assigned to them with little prompting. Disruptions to learning are rare. The school keeps a close check on pupils’ absence to identify and put in place support for those pupils who are not attending school regularly.

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Pupils engage in many enrichment activities, and these are planned to complement the formal curriculum. The school’s links with a local independent school enable pupils to learn to play musical instruments and perform in an orchestra. Pupils are excited by the many sports tournaments they participate in across the borough. Those who are keen scientists were able to participate in a project where they designed things that were transported into space.

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The school has a stable staff team. Many members off staff have been working in the school for over 10 years. Staff feel that they are listened to and they appreciate the support they get from the school, particularly in easing their workload. 11 and 12 October 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the delivery of the curriculum does not ensure that pupils are secure in the knowledge necessary for them to make sense of new learning. When this happens, pupils struggle to grasp new concepts. The school needs to ensure that the teaching of the curriculum consistently enables pupils to secure their understanding of key foundational knowledge before introducing new ideas.  Sometimes, pupils’ understanding of subject-specific vocabulary is not as secure and accurate as it should be. This results in some pupils not knowing and remembering more of the intended subject content. The school needs to support pupils, so that they are acquiring a deep understanding of subject-specific vocabulary.

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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 2014.

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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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You can search for published performance information about the school.

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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). 11 and 12 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 May 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any 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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held discussions with the headteacher and other members of the senior leadership team.  The inspector also met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, history , and science. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils, and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Other subjects were considered as part of this inspection.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single

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Information about this inspection

central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered 11 and 12 October 2023

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first. The inspector also considered the views of parents through their responses to Ofsted’s surveys.

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Edison David, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 October 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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