Ark Brunel Primary Academy

Inspection of Ark Brunel Primary Academy Middle Row, London W10 5AT

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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 Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Sean Scott. This school is part of The Ark Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Lucy Heller, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Tina Alexandrou. There is also a regional director, Kate Magliocco, who is responsible for the school.

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 eight years ago, and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time. From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection. 22 and 23 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for its pupils and what they can achieve. In 2023, pupils in key stage 2 achieved above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. The outcomes for mathematics in key stage 1 were also above the national average. The school is continually reviewing and improving its curriculum for other subject areas. It is determined for pupils to achieve high standards in every subject.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a very clear understanding of the ‘Heart Values’ that are at the core of their school. Staff encourage pupils to value diversity and appreciate differences through their application of the Rights Respecting School Award. This helps pupils to have a strong understanding of the importance of equality and fairness. The school prepares pupils thoroughly for life in modern Britain. This includes a deep understanding of different types of families and the protected characteristics. Pupils speak confidently and are keen to share their views and opinions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has been through a recent period of turbulence as the school moves to manage falling pupil numbers on roll. This includes numerous changes to staffing. Typically, most pupils behave well though the school continues to work on establishing a strong culture of positive working relationships across all areas of the school. Leaders have managed recent changes effectively with support from the trust.

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better?

The school has designed a broad and balanced curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils. Leaders have identified the knowledge that pupils should learn in all subjects. Learning has been organised so that subject content builds in a logical order. For example, from early years and through the rest of the school pupils are taught how to become confident mathematicians.

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better?

Teachers have had training which has improved their subject knowledge and enables them to deliver the planned curriculum effectively. Teachers ensure that pupils get time to practise new learning, which helps them to build fluency. This is especially the case in science and mathematics. The school acknowledges there is more work to be done in some subjects to check pupils’ recall of the most important content and to refine how staff use this information to inform teaching.

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better?

Leaders prioritise reading. Children start to learn phonics as soon as they enter the Reception class. Staff use a consistent, highly effective approach to teaching pupils to read. Pupils read books that are closely matched to the sounds they know. They benefit from lots of opportunities to practise the sounds that they have learned. All pupils, including those who are at the earliest stages of learning to read, quickly acquire the knowledge and skills needed to tackle new and more challenging words. 22 and 23 May 2024

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There are many pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in the school and they are well supported. In lessons, teachers and support staff make sure that pupils with SEND access the same education as their peers. This includes pupils with complex communication needs, who attend the additionally resourced provision. The school is in the process of changing this resource base and have employed specialist support to help further develop the provision.

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The school’s personal development offer is broad and rich. Through assemblies, outings and numerous visitors to school, staff teach pupils about the wider world and diversity. The school wants all pupils to benefit from a wide range of opportunities. For example, recently pupils have visited the Imperial War Museum, been on a university trip and had a visit from a marine biologist. In Nursery, children went to a local supermarket.

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Leaders have significantly changed the school-wide approach to behaviour. They have a clear vision to ensure that all staff understand the school’s expectations. Most pupils behave well in lessons. A few pupils have specific difficulties with controlling their emotions, but they are supported well. For example, the school offers additional support outside of the classroom if pupils need a sensory break. However, disruptions to lessons occur more frequently than the school would like. Some staff in school do not feel well supported in dealing with the most challenging behaviours and there is sometimes a lack of clarity around the behaviour procedures used.

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The school has recently changed the way it checks and monitors attendance. They are now doing much more to prioritise attendance. For example, the school involves a range of agencies to support families. Most pupils attend well. However, a small number of pupils are still persistently absent and remain an ongoing focus for the school.

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Governors and trustees have a strong knowledge of the school from evaluating a range of information. They know what the school is doing well and what the priorities are. The school’s recent changes to systems and procedures are not fully embedded across the school. This limits the consistency of staff following the school’s aspirations.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has recently introduced systems and procedures to improve the school, but these are not fully understood or embedded by all staff. This leads to inconsistencies in how well the school’s aspirations are consistently followed and embedded. The school should ensure that work on embedding these changes 22 and 23 May 2024

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continues so that the vision is realised through strong, shared values, policies, and practice.  Expectations of pupils’ behaviour and conduct are not fully understood and followed by staff across the school. This means that the school’s intended behaviour systems are not consistently implemented, which leads to disruption to learning. Some pupils display challenging behaviour which some staff feel unsupported to deal with effectively. The school should ensure that all staff feel well supported and are confident in managing behaviour consistently.

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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). 22 and 23 May 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 June 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Ark Schools.  The school has a nursery class.  The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with speech, language, and communication needs.  The school is in the process of reducing its numbers on roll. It will go from two forms of entry to one form of entry in each year group from September 2024.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision for pupils.

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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. 22 and 23 May 2024

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with senior leaders and subject leaders. They held meetings with members of the governing body and trust.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, and music. During each deep dive, inspectors discussed curriculum content with subject leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, spoke to pupils and met with teachers. They also observed pupils reading to an adult in the school.  The inspectors met with groups of pupils formally throughout the inspection and spoke with them informally at social times and in lessons.  The inspector looked at documents about school improvement, the curriculum and safeguarding. They took account of the responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and staff survey.

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 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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Inspection team

Sam Johnson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Maureen Okoye Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 May 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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