Downe Manor Primary School

Inspection of Downe Manor Primary School Down Way, Northolt, UB5 6NW

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 4 and 5 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming and inclusive school. Staff have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. All pupils follow the ambitious curriculum, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They feel safe and know who to talk to if they have a concern. Pupils understand and follow the school’s values and behave well. Children in the early years settle quickly into the school’s routines and learn well together. Pupils value the help the school provides for their social and emotional wellbeing. Bullying is rare. Staff take swift and effective action if it does occur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the extra-curricular clubs they can choose to attend such as coding, cooking and football. The school is beginning to extend this offer and take on board pupils’ suggestions, for example, putting on a curling club. Pupils are motivated by the praise given for good work. They enjoy taking up leadership responsibilities acting as lunchtime buddies, reading and mathematics ambassadors and members of the well-established student council.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All members of the school community celebrate the school’s diversity. Pupils get the opportunity to visit many different places of worship. They understand why it is important to respect different cultures and ways of life.

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better?

The school has designed a curriculum that is broad and ambitious. Leaders have identified precisely what pupils need to learn and when they should learn it. The school has ensured that there are effective systems for identifying pupils with SEND and puts appropriate support in place.

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better?

Children in the early years grasp ideas well and develop the foundational knowledge they need to be successful. For example, in Reception, children worked in small groups developing their mathematical skills. This was successful because staff had explained accurately how to double numbers. Pupils are encouraged to take risks and build their resilience in a safe and interactive environment.

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better?

Pupils build on their knowledge as they move through the school. For example, in geography, younger pupils learn how to use maps to locate their school and other places of interest in the local area. By Year 3, they are evaluating how Northolt has changed over time. Key vocabulary is highlighted in every topic and becomes more complex over time. For example, in science, Year 1 pupils learn about key terms such as ‘producer’ and ‘consumer’ when studying the food chain. By Years 5 and 6, they can use specialist vocabulary such as ‘hypotheses’ and ‘evaluation’ when conducting their own experiments.

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better?

Teachers have good subject knowledge. This is because leaders have established a well-thought-out curriculum with effective training. Teachers design activities that 4 and 5 June 2024

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help pupils to remember and practise what they have learned. They address any misconceptions quickly so that pupils have a secure understanding.

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The school promotes a love of reading in all year groups. Leaders ensure that the books pupils read have a rich range of vocabulary and reflect the diversity of the school community. A significant proportion of pupils joins the school later than would usually be expected and these pupils are often new to English and need help with their early reading. The school has adapted their approach to take account of this and the delivery of phonics is now consistent. Staff ensure that books are matched to the sounds that pupils have been learning. Pupils develop the phonic knowledge they need to become fluent and accurate readers. This is starting to have an impact on published outcomes in reading which have historically been lower than the national average. At times, however, the provision of extra help for pupils who need additional support with their reading is not as sharp as it needs to be.

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Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Relationships at the school are positive and respectful. The school has increased the support available to help pupils manage their own behaviour if they struggle. The school emphasises the importance of high attendance. Staff are swift to identify any concerns. They work closely with external agencies to support pupils’ well-being when this is needed.

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Leaders have put in place a well-designed personal, social and health education programme. This helps pupils to learn about keeping themselves safe, including online. Pupils have a strong understanding of how democracy works. Sensitive topics are taught in an age-appropriate way. The school arranges a variety of educational visits. For example, pupils have the opportunity to go to the Polish War Memorial, the Natural History Museum and the Royal Opera House.

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Staff appreciate the school’s focus on developing their practice and managing their workload and wellbeing. School leaders consider information about pupils’ progress and development, but at times this analysis does not identify precisely any groups of pupils that need additional support. Governors have received effective training to support them in their roles. They share leaders’ high ambitions.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes the support for pupils who need help to improve their phonics knowledge and reading fluency is not as precise as it could be. As a result, outcomes for these pupils' reading and phonics are not as high as they should be. The school should sharpen their oversight of interventions so that support is suitably targeted and these pupils catch up with their peers. 4 and 5 June 2024

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 Sometimes, the school does not analyse as precisely as it could information relating to the impact of its policies and practices. This means that on occasion, leaders do not identify groups of pupils who may need additional pastoral or academic support to achieve as well as they should. The school should sharpen its processes so that it can address any variability between different groups of pupils.

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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.

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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). 4 and 5 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair Trudy Quartey-Papafio (co-chair) Mark Coles (co-chair) Headteacher Sharon Kearns

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 May 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school offers nursery provision for three and four-year-olds.  The school does not use any alternative provision for pupils.  The school has a specially resourced provision in its nursery for children with SEND. This provision caters specifically for children with speech, language and communication needs. There are currently five children educated in this provision.  The school runs its own breakfast club.

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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. 4 and 5 June 2024

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, religious education and science. For each deep dive, they discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, looked at pupils’ work, spoke to teachers, and spoke to some pupils about their learning.  Inspectors also looked at the curriculum in other subjects.  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.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders. Inspectors also met with leaders with responsibility for behaviour and pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors met with members of the governing body and a local authority

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representative.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for parents, staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Susan Maguire, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Guy Forbat His Majesty's Inspector 4 and 5 June 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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