Nanaksar Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Nanaksar Primary School Springfield Road, Hillingdon, Hayes, Middlesex UB4 0LT

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Outcome

Nanaksar Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection. This school is part of Guru Nanak Sikh 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 (CEO), Jaskamal Sidhu, who is also the executive principal of the school, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Arun Thakur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Nanaksar Primary School is a peaceful and nurturing environment for pupils. As soon as pupils start school, staff focus on developing their emotional regulation and well-being. Staff provide high-quality pastoral care, and pupils know they can rely on them to help resolve any issues or worries. As a result, pupils are kept safe, feel well cared for and are happy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils are keen to rise to these. Relationships across the school community are very supportive. The school organises a range of opportunities to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. This includes the curriculum for personal development, which is a strength of the school, as well as the school’s ‘SHARE’ values, which are well understood by staff and pupils. Pupils are polite and well mannered as a result.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for what pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), should learn. Staff have rightly focused on developing the school’s curriculum in each subject. Because of this, most pupils progress well through the curriculum.

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

The school has prioritised developing a love for reading. This begins straight away in the Reception Year. Staff are skilled in teaching pupils how to blend sounds together. Typically, 5 November 2024

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teachers use precise systems to check how well the pupils know the sounds that they have been taught. Pupils new to the school are carefully assessed, and staff identify those who need further support to learn to read. Staff teach pupils how to read fluently and with expression, and many pupils do this with enthusiasm. By the end of key stage 1, most pupils are confident and accurate readers.

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Pupils benefit from a curriculum that in all subjects and across all year groups matches the ambition of what is expected nationally. Typically, curriculum content is well sequenced and helps pupils to develop the knowledge and skills that they need. In most cases, the curriculum is adapted for pupils with SEND and, when it is, they achieve well. Teachers usually address pupils’ misconceptions and use this information to adapt lessons. However, systems for checking pupils’ understanding in subjects beyond English and mathematics are at an earlier stage of development and are not fully embedded. As a result, some pupils’ recall of previously taught knowledge is not as secure.

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The school has developed robust systems to improve pupils’ attendance. It carefully scrutinises attendance information so that any trends or patterns are identified. Where attendance rates are lower than the school would expect, staff work effectively with families to support them to improve their child’s attendance and punctuality. The school’s sharp focus in this area has significantly improved pupils’ attendance, which now matches the national average.

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There are consistent behaviour routines and high expectations for pupils’ conduct. This creates a calm and purposeful atmosphere. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school and are kind to each other.

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The school understands the importance of providing opportunities that go beyond the academic. Staff ensure that the wider curriculum offer promotes equality and diversity well. As a result, pupils recognise the importance of respecting peoples’ differences, and they develop a deep appreciation for fundamental British values. Pupils benefit from leadership opportunities such as being members of the ‘pupil parliament,’ where they can contribute to the life of the school. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education and life in a global society.

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The school has gone through a period of change. During this time, leaders have taken the right actions to continue to improve the quality of education they provide. Those responsible for governance monitor many aspects of the school’s work effectively, including the quality of education in English and mathematics. However, they do not currently have systems and processes for checking how well pupils are learning across other subjects. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about working at the school. They feel well supported by leaders and appreciate how their workload has been considered during this time of change.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 5 November 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, routines for checking pupils’ understanding are not implemented consistently. This means that some pupils’ recall of what they have been taught is not as strong as it could be and hinders their progress through the curriculum. The school needs to ensure that all approaches to assessment are applied consistently across the curriculum.  Governors have limited insight into the quality of the school’s curriculum beyond English and mathematics. This means that they are not as well placed to hold leaders to account effectively and are not sufficiently informed about how well recent curriculum changes are being implemented. Governors should review how they oversee the work of leaders and implement systems to assure themselves of the quality of education across the curriculum.

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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.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2015.

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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. 5 November 2024

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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). 5 November 2024

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School details

CEO/ Executive Principal of the trust Jaskamal Sidhu

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 June 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Nanaksar Primary School currently has pupils on roll from Reception to Year 4.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school is part of the Guru Nanak Sikh Academy Trust.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s educational provision.  This was the first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and took that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the CEO, the vice principal, and the other senior leaders. The lead inspector also held discussions with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. 5 November 2024

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 Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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 spoke to pupils during lesson visits and observed their behaviour in lessons, at break and at lunchtimes. They also spoke to staff about their workload and pupils’ behaviour.  Inspectors considered the views of parents shared through Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They gathered the views of pupils and staff through Ofsted’s online pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Sabrina Edwards, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Cartlidge Ofsted Inspector 5 November 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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