Warren Dell Primary School

Inspection of Warren Dell Primary School Gosforth Lane, South Oxhey, Watford, Hertfordshire WD19 7UZ

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 January 2024

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The executive headteacher of this school is Jenny Morley. This school is part of Agora Learning Partnership which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Rebecca Daulman and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Carol Shutkever. 24 and 25 January 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this vibrant school, where ‘every day matters’. Older and younger pupils play together with kindness and enthusiasm. This helps to build a strong sense of community within the school. Pupils know they belong here and they feel valued. They enjoy coming to school. This ethos helps to instil the high level of respect pupils show towards each other and staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have incredibly high expectations for what pupils can achieve. Pupils rise to these expectations. They work hard in lessons to be the very best they can be. Pupils benefit extensively from the rich and varied experiences the school carefully plans. These opportunities bring the curriculum to life. Trips to a synagogue, the beach, or cooking using eggs from the school chickens give pupils meaningful learning experiences.

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What is it like to attend this school?

From the moment children step through the door into the pre-school they live and breathe the values of the school. They quickly develop their positive attitudes to learning through the enticing early years curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are friendly and help each other to solve any issues. They trust adults at this caring school to look out for them. Pupils feel very secure at Warren Dell.

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better?

The school has designed a curriculum that clearly sets out the knowledge pupils will learn. It has carefully broken this knowledge down into a logical order. This enables pupils to make deep links with the previously learned, important content.

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better?

Staff are trained to identify how well pupils are learning the curriculum. They skilfully use these checks to adapt their teaching. This means that pupils’ misconceptions are quickly addressed and pupils progress well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from this expertise. The school carefully identifies the needs of pupils with SEND and puts in place the effective support they need. Extra adults, personal schedules and task boards are some of the ways pupils with SEND are helped to learn alongside their friends in class.

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better?

Reading is a high priority. The school ensures that staff are trained to be experts in teaching phonics. Children in pre-school learn to identify different letter sounds. Staff then teach children how to blend these sounds to read new and unfamiliar words fluently. The school is quick to spot pupils who need extra help with their reading. The ethos of ‘every moment matters’ drives specific and tailored support to help these pupils catch up quickly. Pupils enjoy reading books that are matched to the sounds they know. They are inspired by reading rewards and the book vending machine to extend their reading diet.

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better?

The school and trust focus on providing high-quality early years provision. Knowledgeable staff know the children very well. They tailor learning experiences so 24 and 25 January 2024

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that children develop the skills and knowledge they need to prepare them well for key stage 1. Staff are experts at developing children’s language and vocabulary. Opportunities to talk about their experiences and how these make them feel help children to develop high-quality language. Children have many meaningful opportunities to be healthy and active outside as well as inside. For example, children benefit from playing on the trim trail and number hopscotch. Trusted adults are ready to entice all children to get going as they arrive.

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Behaviour routines are very well established. Pupils are friendly and tolerant. They accept that everyone is different and deserving of respect. They know how to be courteous and safe when online. During lessons, pupils handle setbacks as they think through stimulating challenges. They focus attentively and help each other. In social times pupils solve difficulties as they happen. Therefore, breaktimes are harmonious.

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The meticulous planning of the trust’s pledge ensures ‘every child will’ experience opportunities to develop their talents and interests within and beyond the curriculum. The school provides many clubs and trips which all pupils can access. The school carefully considers the social experiences which help pupils to flourish, such as ordering food at a restaurant. Substantial opportunities to lead ensure pupils contribute to school life, such as advising the headteacher about reading and play resources, or meeting their local Member of Parliament as representatives. The democratic process which pupils experience as they develop new skills teaches them how to be active citizens.

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The trust and school leaders share a passion to be highly inclusive. They are proactive in ensuring the school is resourced and has sufficient expertise. Staff have opportunities to work across the trust and with each other, sharing excellent practice. This is not at the expense of workload or well-being. Strong systems for professional development translate into enthusiasm and expertise in class. Knowledgeable governors and trustees add a balance of challenge and support. They carry out their duties with great care.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 24 and 25 January 2024

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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’ 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 so- cial 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). 24 and 25 January 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 January 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Agora Learning Partnership.  The school has provision for two-year-olds within the nursery.  There is a specialist provision. It provides 12 places for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, and/or autism. Six places are currently filled.  Warren Dell Primary School converted to become an academy in September 2017. When its predecessor school, Warren Dell Primary, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 24 and 25 January 2024

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 Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, members of the school senior leadership team, a selection of subject leaders, teachers and support staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, and art. For each deep dive, the inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum in some other subjects. Inspectors reviewed plans, conducted lesson visits and scrutinised work seen in pupils’ books.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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.

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 Inspectors met with those responsible for governance, including four representatives of the trust and the chief executive officer. They also spoke with representatives from the local authority.  The views of pupils, parents and staff were considered through discussions and through the information collected from Ofsted surveys.

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Inspection team

Pamela Finch, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Richard Fordham Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 January 2024

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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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