Perivale Primary School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Perivale Primary School Federal Road, Perivale, Greenford, Middlesex UB6 7AP

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Inspection dates: 27 and 28 February 2024

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of outstanding as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Perivale Primary School are polite and behave well in lessons and at playtimes. They enjoy learning and attending school. They are happy and are kept safe in school. Pupils who join the school later are made welcome and settle in quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils strive to live out the school’s values by being resilient, respectful, curious, inclusive and aiming high. These values help to shape pupils’ positive relationships with each other and with staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high ambitions for what all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can achieve. The school aims for Perivale pupils to aspire to be the best they can be and to make a positive contribution to their local community and the ever-changing world.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the wide range of opportunities to contribute to school life that leaders provide for them. They speak with pride and enthusiasm about their roles as well-being warriors and healthy eating ambassadors, and their leadership roles in the Perivale Parliament. Pupils enjoy taking part in the after-school activities that staff organise for them, such as chess, archery and taekwondo. Enrichment activities support pupils’ learning, such as recent trips to the Science and Royal Air Force Museums and regular visits to local places of worship.

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

The school has undergone several changes since September 2022. This includes an all- new senior leadership team and revised staffing structure and a revised curriculum led by newly appointed subject leaders. Staff morale is high, and they have embraced recent changes, including those made to the curriculum. However, the full implementation of 27 and 28 February 2024

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leaders’ work is in the early stages and is not yet firmly embedded. As a result, there are gaps in some pupils’ learning.

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There is a clear intention to provide an ambitious curriculum in all subjects. Leaders have set out the key knowledge and skills they expect pupils to gain from the early years to Year 6. This is well sequenced so that pupils practise and embed important ideas before tackling more complex concepts. In some subjects, this is well implemented. For example, in mathematics, pupils develop a secure mathematical vocabulary. They use this confidently when explaining their reasoning in problem-solving. Similarly, in computing, pupils practise and apply increasingly complex coding skills. However, some other areas of the curriculum are at an earlier stage of implementation. In these instances, pupils have not consistently secured the prior knowledge they need to learn the curriculum effectively.

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Reading is a key priority. Pupils experience a rich and diverse range of books and language and thereby develop a love of reading. The school has implemented a systematic phonics programme starting from early years. Leaders quickly put interventions in place to help pupils who need support to keep up with their reading. Teachers ensure that pupils read books that match the sounds that they are learning. However, there are some inconsistencies in how effectively the programme is implemented. Some of the weaker readers are not sufficiently supported to read with confidence and fluency. This limits these pupils’ ability to segment and blend sounds accurately.

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There is a highly inclusive culture at the school. Pupils with SEND are quickly and accurately identified. Teachers make skilful adaptations to ensure that each pupil receives the support they need to be successful in their learning. As a result, pupils with SEND are well supported to access the same curriculum as their peers, whenever possible.

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Starting in Nursery and Reception, and continuing throughout the school, classrooms are calm, orderly environments where learning is valued. Collaboration and clear routines are encouraged and promoted. Behaviour is good during lesson times and during breaktimes. A carefully considered new programme of personal, social and health education ensures that pupils are taught important life skills in an age-appropriate way. For example, pupils are taught from an early age how to manage their emotions and regulate their behaviour. The school has had considerable recent success in improving attendance and, in particular, reducing the previously very high rates of persistent absence.

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Governors have successfully managed a period of significant change. They bring a wide range of skills and expertise and high levels of commitment to their role. They challenge and support leaders effectively. Staff, including those new to teaching, appreciate the support that they receive from senior leaders and governors to manage their workload and to look after their well-being. Parents and carers are very supportive of the school and appreciate the nurture and care provided for their children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 27 and 28 February 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Weaker readers, including those with SEND, do not benefit from a consistent approach to developing their reading fluency. Some staff do not have the same level of expertise as others. The school needs to ensure appropriate training is provided for all staff. The school should also check that the phonics and early reading curriculum is implemented with consistency and precision.  The curriculum in several subjects is at an early stage of implementation. This is not yet fully embedded, and pupils have not had the time or opportunities to develop secure subject knowledge. School leaders should continue their work to refine and embed the changes they have made to the curriculum. The school should also check that the curriculum is delivered consistently as subject leaders intend.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. 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 outstanding in June 2017.

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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. 27 and 28 February 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 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). 27 and 28 February 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Chris Green and Duncan Partridge (Co- Chairs) Headteacher Stella Porter (Interim Headteacher)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 June 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been significant changes of leadership since the last inspection. The interim headteacher and three assistant headteachers have been in post since September 2022.  Perivale Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The school has a nursery provision on site and a breakfast club run by an external provider.  The school uses one alternative provider.

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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 his evaluation of the school. 27 and 28 February 2024

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 The inspector met with the interim headteacher, assistant headteachers, the SEND coordinator and other subject leaders. He spoke with members of the local governing body, including the co-chair of governors, and a representative from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, considered the curriculum, visited a range of lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils, and looked at samples of their work.  The inspector considered the curriculum in other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of school 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.  The inspector met with parents at the start of the school day and considered the views

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of parents, staff and pupils, including through discussions and their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Sean Flood, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 27 and 28 February 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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