Normand Croft Community School for Early Years and Primary Education

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Normand Croft Community School for Early Years and Primary Education Bramber Road, London W14 9PA

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 October 2024

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Outcome

Normand Croft Community School for Early Years and Primary Education has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe at this diverse and inclusive school. They behave well, and lessons are free from disruption. This enables pupils to work hard. They enjoy learning and are proud to be ‘Crofties’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for what pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can achieve. Staff build nurturing relationships with pupils and help them to ‘Be the best that you can be’. Pupils achieve well in their learning, including in the national reading, writing and mathematics assessments in Year 6.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from opportunities to be leaders, including being part of the school council and ‘eco-committee’. Pupils enjoy the responsibility of looking after chickens and tending the school gardens, for example. Pupils value the many clubs on offer.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love their school grounds. They enjoy spending time there and learning outside. The pond, orchard and natural areas, where pupils grow fruit and vegetables, are particularly popular. These areas develop pupils’ interests as well as providing a calm space for them to relax.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils experience lots of exciting opportunities as part of the curriculum. For example, older pupils take part in a programme to learn about going to university. This supports pupils’ aspirations and develops key skills that promote success at school and beyond. 15 and 16 October 2024

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

The school has designed an engaging curriculum that represents and celebrates the diversity of its community. Recently, the school has adapted its approach to teaching in some subjects. This work means that learning is sequenced coherently and develops well as pupils progress through the school, from early years to the end of Year 6. Effective training enables teachers to deliver the curriculum confidently. Pupils become curious, independent and confident learners.

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

In many subjects, teaching includes time for pupils to revisit previous learning. For example, in languages, older pupils develop their French speaking and listening by applying vocabulary learned in previous lessons, such as when practising how to plan a train journey to France. These opportunities to revisit past learning help pupils to develop a secure knowledge and understanding. As a result, pupils know more and remember more and achieve well in these subjects. In a few subjects, some teaching provides fewer opportunities for pupils to reinforce their knowledge and go over prior learning. This reduces pupils’ ability to retain important knowledge, making their recall in these subjects less secure than it could be.

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

Most pupils at the school speak English as an additional language. The school places high importance on pupils developing a wide vocabulary so that they can learn effectively across the curriculum. Teaching explicitly reinforces important vocabulary and encourages pupils to speak in full sentences. This helps pupils to improve their communication and language skills.

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

Reading is a high priority in the school. Pupils enjoy reading and make strong progress through the early reading curriculum. Children in the early years benefit from listening to stories and learning nursery rhymes. The school’s approach to the teaching of reading is well structured. Staff deliver the phonics programme effectively. Pupils who are falling behind are quickly identified and receive additional help to develop their reading fluency and comprehension.

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

The school provides suitable support to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. The inclusive ethos ensures that these pupils access the same curriculum as their peers. Effective extra help is put in place to enable pupils with SEND to participate fully in all aspects of school life.

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

The school provides exceptionally well for pupils’ personal development. Pupils benefit from a broad offer beyond the academic curriculum that develops and nurtures their talents and interests. There is a wide range of educational, cultural and sporting visits linked to the curriculum. Visits to museums, sporting venues, orienteering in Hyde Park and visits to the Houses of Parliament are among some of the rich opportunities available. Pupils actively take part in a range of clubs, such as sports, gardening and choir. These opportunities widen pupils’ experiences beyond the school.

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

The school has identified the reasons for the high absence rates of some pupils. Procedures to improve attendance are in place, and the school is taking effective action to 15 and 16 October 2024

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support families. As a result, attendance rates have improved, and more pupils now attend school regularly.

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The school is considerate of the workload and well-being of staff. Staff appreciate the support given to them to carry out their roles effectively. Staff are proud to be part of the school community.

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Governors are actively involved in the school. They have an accurate evaluation of the school’s strengths and the areas that require development. They carry out their statutory duties well and provide effective support and challenge.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, at times, teaching does not support pupils to recap and recall previous learning as effectively it does in other subjects. This makes it difficult for some pupils to build on their existing knowledge. The school should ensure that, in these subjects, teaching is designed in a way that reinforces pupils’ understanding and knowledge retention.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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. 15 and 16 October 2024

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This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2019.

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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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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 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). 15 and 16 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Emma Bird (co-headteacher) Katrine Bulley (co-headteacher) Website www.normandcroftschool.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 26 and 27 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 New co-headteachers have been appointed since the previous inspection.  The school has provision for two-year-olds.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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. 15 and 16 October 2024

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 The inspector spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. He also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and around school. Additionally, the inspector spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  The inspector took account of the responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. He also took into consideration the online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Nicholas Cornell, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 October 2024

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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