Town Lane Infant School

PRESTON PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: October 20 th – 23 rd 2003

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PRESTON PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Preston Park Primary School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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PRESTON PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Preston Park Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 622

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: College Road Wembley London Postcode: HA9 8RJ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 020 8904 3602 Fax number: 020 8904 8745

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs Jackie Hammond

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 6 th 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is much bigger than other primary schools and provides places for 60 children to attend its nursery part time. The school’s roll has risen year on year and most classes are full. The majority of pupils come from the immediate area. Attainment on entry varies widely, but is well below average when children join the nursery. The school’s population is ethnically and culturally diverse and pupils come from a wide range of social backgrounds. The largest numbers are Asian British and Indian, with significant numbers from Black British backgrounds. Less than ten per cent of pupils are of White British heritage. The school has welcomed an increasing number of refugees and asylum seekers in the last few years and these pupils account for nearly ten per cent of the roll. A high percentage of pupils are learning to speak English as an additional language, with the majority of the youngest children at an early stage of English language acquisition. The number of pupils who are

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

known to be eligible for free school meals is broadly in line with the national average. The number of pupils with special educational needs is also broadly average. Most pupils with special educational needs have moderate learning difficulties. Three pupils have a statement of need. The school has above average mobility with a significant number of pupils joining or leaving the school at other than the normal times. The school provides a breakfast club and after-school care for pupils as well as a range of after-school clubs. Adult courses are offered in literacy and numeracy. The school was re- awarded Investors in People in 2002 and is working towards a Healthy Schools Award. Preston Park Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

19994 Lysbeth Bradley Lead inspector Art and design; History

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

11402 Tom Gorman Team inspector English; Religious education; English as an additional language 32578 Jane Sutherland Team inspector Science; Information and communication technology; Music

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

22704 Garry Williams Team inspector Mathematics; Design and technology; Physical education; Special educational needs 22398 Lynne Wright Team inspector Foundation Stage; Geography

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Altecq Education 102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 7JX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Preston Park Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a reasonably effective school that is improving rapidly under the inspirational leadership of its recently appointed headteacher. Until last year, the school had been slow to address important issues identified at the previous inspection, to the detriment of standards and the conditions in which pupils and staff were expected to work. In the past year, with the robust support of the deputy headteacher and the governing body, previously intractable issues have been resolved with speed and sensitivity. The latest test results in 2003 indicate that standards in English and mathematics compare well with schools nationally at the end of Year 6. Because the school carefully identifies and targets the wide-ranging needs of different groups within the school, pupils achieve well overall. The school provides satisfactory value for money. However, in spite of the many beneficial changes made to the quality of education in the past year, the school still has serious weaknesses because

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OVERALL EVALUATION

too much teaching is not good enough, particularly in Year 2.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• The headteacher’s outstanding leadership in charting the way forward, supported by an effective governing body. • Unsatisfactory teaching, particularly in Year 2, with weaknesses in planning, insufficient challenge and uninspiring teaching methods. • Good standards in English and mathematics in Year 6 with pupils of all abilities achieving well. • Pupils’ good personal development, particularly in respecting and understanding the different values and beliefs of fellow pupils. • Unsatisfactory use of assessment in science and the non-core subjects to promote high standards. • Very good quality pastoral care, which ensures that all pupils are enabled to learn, whatever their circumstances. • Good provision for pupils whose first language is not English, especially those children who start school with very little or no knowledge of English. • Unsatisfactory standards in ICT and its use in promoting learning in other subjects.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Very good links with parents whose involvement in their children’s learning contributes to good achievement. • Inadequacies in accommodation and resources, which place limits on teaching and learning, particularly for the oldest and youngest pupils. • Unsatisfactory attendance and punctuality for a significant minority of pupils.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s improvement since the previous inspection is unsatisfactory because important weaknesses are only now being tackled.

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Pupils’ achievement, although patchy, is good overall because the school is effective in

monitoring pupils’ progress and providing timely support. Achievement is good in the Foundation Stage, with better progress made in the nursery. In spite of this, most children do not achieve the expected standards when they join Year 1, particularly in their communication skills and their knowledge and understanding of the world. This is mainly because many children join the nursery with very limited knowledge of English. Pupils’ achievement in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory. Even though teaching is not always good enough, pupils’ good attitudes to learning enable them to make the most of their lessons. Although pupils achieved above average standards in reading and mathematics in national tests, this is not supported by past and present work where standards are average in English and mathematics, and below average in science. By the end of Year 6, pupils achieve well in English and mathematics. They reach above average standards in national tests and

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Pupils’ achievement, although patchy, is good overall because the school is effective in

in class work. They achieve average standards in science, although results do not compare well with Preston Park Primary School - 7 similar schools because not enough emphasis is placed on pupils thinking for themselves. Standards in information and communication technology are below average in Years 1 to 6 because the school has been slow to invest in new technology.

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Year 6 results

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2000 2001 2002 2002 English B A C C Mathematics A B B B Science A D C D Key: A – well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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Pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is

good. The school’s very effective approach to personal development promotes good attitudes to learning and good behaviour around the school and in most lessons. The staff is highly successful in promoting pupils’ appreciation of their own and other’s cultures, values and beliefs. Pupils actively benefit from the richness of cultural diversity, which is evident in the very good relationships amongst all members of the school community. In spite of the school’s best endeavours, attendance and punctuality are not good enough.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Teaching is not of a sufficiently consistent standard within or between year groups. Teaching is satisfactory overall in the Foundation Stage with good teaching in the nursery. Very good teaching was seen in all year groups in the infants and juniors, apart from Year 2, with the strongest teaching in Years 4 and 6. Unsatisfactory teaching was seen in Years 1 to 5, with an unacceptably high percentage of unsatisfactory and poor teaching in Year 2, where expectations are either too high or too low. The organisation of many classes does not enable teachers to focus their time well on meeting the needs of pupils of different abilities or to promote collaborative work and independent thinking. In too many lessons, teachers do not give enough thought to the most appropriate teaching methods or make the best use of resources to bring lessons alive.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

There are satisfactory systems to assess pupils’ work in English and mathematics, although teachers vary in their practice of marking work and in their use of assessment to pitch work at the right level. Although pupils have individual academic and personal development targets, they are not reviewed often enough to enable pupils to be actively involved in monitoring their own progress. Assessment in all other subjects is rudimentary at best and does not feedback into teachers’ planning. Monitoring by senior staff has correctly identified where improvement is needed and the school is moving fast to tackle weaknesses.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is satisfactory overall, although teachers in some classes make learning more relevant to pupils’ needs and experiences. The quality of planning is dependent on the contribution of individual year leaders, as subject co-ordinators have not yet ironed out inconsistencies of approach. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The school provides an imaginative programme of enrichment for gifted and talented pupils in Year 5, which gets them off to a flying start in Year 6. The school involves pupils in a wide range of activities outside lessons and is beginning to make better use of outside facilities. In spite of the recent improvements to the accommodation and a concerted effort to improve the quality and quantity of resources, remaining shortcomings limit teachers’ ability to make learning interesting and relevant. Preston Park Primary School - 8 Provision for pupils’ care and welfare is good and support and guidance is very good. The

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

headteacher and governors place the highest importance on health and safety and have instigated a rigorous monitoring programme. The staff is very successful in monitoring and responding to the particular needs of the school’s diverse population. Induction arrangements are good and enable children to settle in very quickly, whether they are starting in the nursery or arriving from abroad or from other schools. High quality care and carefully targeted guidance are instrumental in raising pupils’ self-esteem and ensuring that nothing gets in the way of learning.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school’s links with parents are very good and have improved significantly since the previous inspection. The school rightly sees the productive involvement of parents as the key to their child’s success. A range of innovative measures has recently been introduced, expertly targeted at key points in their education and in response to the needs of particular groups of pupils and their parents and carers. Communication with parents is generally good, although annual reports do not give parents a clear enough message about how their children are progressing. Links with the community are satisfactory.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good . The headteacher provides exceptional leadership and works in effective partnership with the deputy headteacher in tackling accurately identified priorities in the right order and at the right pace. The governing body has a good grasp of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and is active in challenging the school and in developing clear-sighted plans for further improvement. The headteacher has strengthened the senior management team with new appointments this term, and key members of staff are beginning to make a positive impact. The leadership and management of the curriculum and teaching are satisfactory, although the role of co-ordinators in monitoring teaching and learning is at a very early stage. The school had too much money in its reserves, which has now been spent to improve the quality of education in areas where it is most needed.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Most parents’ strongly support the work of the school and speak positively of recent improvements and the way it celebrates the wide range of pupils’ backgrounds. A minority would justifiably like more information about their child’s progress. Pupils are proud of their school, are keen to play their part and appreciate the support they receive from their teachers.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Raise the quality teaching, particularly in Year 2, and eliminate unsatisfactory teaching in other year groups. • Raise standards in information and communication technology. • Make better use of assessment information and individual target setting in Years 1 to 6 so that the work that is planned in lessons provides the right level of challenge for pupils whatever their ability. • As a matter of urgency, replace poor accommodation for Foundation Stage pupils and ensure that resources are of a sufficient quantity and quality for the numbers of pupils in all classes. • Improve attendance and punctuality. Preston Park Primary School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Children start nursery with standards, which are well below those expected of children of a similar age because the majority speak little or no English. Although they achieve well , by the time they enter Year 1, a significant number of children have not attained the Early Learning Goals in the six areas of learning. Inspection findings show that at the end of Key Stage 1, standards in English and mathematics are average and in science are below average . Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are above average in English and mathematics and average in science.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve well over their time in school. • Children get off to a good start in the nursery and achieve well. • Pupils achieve well and attain above average standards in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6. • Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are below average. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well. • Pupils do not achieve as well as they could in science.

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Commentary

1. The nature of the school’s intake has changed significantly since the previous inspection. A number of pupils join the school other than at the normal time and many more pupils at an early stage of speaking English and with poorly developed social skills when they start in the nursery. The school places strong emphasis on developing pupils’ communication skills and ensures that literacy is promoted well throughout the curriculum. Prompt and accurate assessments of pupils’ stage of English language acquisition enable the specialist teacher to work very effectively with small groups and individual pupils. As a result, pupils develop into articulate young pupils over their time in school.

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Commentary

2. Effective induction and good record keeping in the nursery enables all adults to provide the right level of help and encouragement so that children make good strides in learning, particularly in speaking and social skills. The links with school and home have been strengthened in the last year, by providing parents with a range of good quality resources to use with their children at home. This strong partnership between home and school promotes good achievement.

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Commentary

3. Standards dropped in reading, writing and mathematics at Key Stage 1 in 2001 and in mathematics and science at Key Stage 2. Standards also dropped in English at Key Stage 2 the following year. In response, the school tightened up its procedures for tracking pupils’ progress and made changes in staffing, wherever possible. Last year, each Year 6 pupil, accompanied by their parent, attended an interview with the headteacher and their class teacher at which challenging targets were set and a plan of action mapped out. Booster classes were introduced in Years 2 and 6 that were carefully focused on the needs of different ability groups.

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Commentary

4. The unpublished results for 2003 show that the school has been successful in reversing this downward trend. At Key Stage 2, there was marked improvement in all subjects with above average numbers of pupils achieving the higher level 5 when compared with other schools in Brent. At Key Stage 1, improvements have been made in writing where the school targeted its efforts to bring it up to the national average. Above average numbers of pupils achieved the Preston Park Primary School - 10 higher level 3 in writing and mathematics, although high attainment is not so evident in the present Year 2 where achievement is patchy.

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Commentary

5. The school makes good provision for pupils with special educational needs in the classroom and in other aspects of school life. The recent introduction of nurture groups and peer mentoring is an integral part of the school’s plan to raise pupils’ self-esteem and to remove barriers to learning. In order to improve the level and quality of support in the classroom, the school has increased the number of learning support assistants and provided them with good quality training. The nature of support for individuals and groups is regularly reviewed and pupils’ progress towards the targets in their individual education plans monitored closely. The school is equally rigorous in monitoring the progress of its pupils in public care. These measures ensure that pupils make good progress towards their targets.

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Commentary

6. Pupils do not achieve as well in science as they do in English and mathematics, particularly at Key Stage 1, because teachers do not encourage pupils to think for themselves often enough. Teachers in Years 1 and 2 rely too much on uninspiring worksheets which do not help pupils develop their understanding. At Key Stage 2, pupils have a thorough grounding in all aspects of the subject, but teachers do not give them sufficient opportunities to apply their skills and understanding in new contexts.

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Commentary

7. Until very recently, the school had fallen behind in its use of new technologies and was poorly resourced for ICT. In the last year, good progress has been made in ensuring that resources are sufficient to meet the demands of the curriculum. Most teachers are developing confidence in using the new ICT suite to introduce new skills and some are using the interactive whiteboards effectively to enliven their teaching. However, pupils’ achievement is not satisfactory as teachers are not using computers and other resources often enough to enable pupils to apply their skills and to support and extend their learning in other subjects.

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Commentary

8. Direct intervention by senior managers is beginning to promote higher expectations and improved standards in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 2. Effective monitoring of teaching and learning by the headteacher and deputy headteacher in the last year has provided the school with an accurate picture of strengths and weaknesses in year groups and in subjects. The school has embarked on a comprehensive programme of improvement that cannot be realised in the short term. A robust approach to performance management and subject leadership is being developed, supported by effective induction and professional development for teachers and learning support assistants. After years of looking inwards, the school is beginning to take account of good practice beyond the school and to share its own good practice.

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Key Stage 1

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2002

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Key Stage 1

Standards in: School results National results Reading 16.8 (16.1) 15.8 (15.7) Writing 14.5 (12.9) 14.4 (14.3) Mathematics 17.4 (17.7) 16.5 (16.2)

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Key Stage 1

There were 86 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Key Stage 2

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2002

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Key Stage 2

Standards in: School results National results Preston Park Primary School - 11 English 27.2 (28.6) 27.0 (27.0) Mathematics 27.9 (27.6) 26.6 (26.7) Science 28.4 (27.6) 28.3 (28.3)

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Key Stage 2

There were 73 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils have good attitudes to school and behave well at all times. They are polite, courteous, take great care in their responsibilities and are always respectful. Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social and cultural development is very good overall and cultural development is excellent . Pupils’ attendance and punctuality are unsatisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils benefit greatly from the way in which the school enables them to celebrate the wide diversity of cultures. • Pupils are keen to learn and generally behave well in lessons and at break times. • Pupils get on very well together and are very supportive of each other. • Relationships throughout the whole school community are very good. • Attendance is below the national average. • Many pupils arrive late and miss the time for registration.

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Commentary

9. The pupils at Preston Park say that the school is a happy place in which to learn. Staff, pupils, parents and governors form very good working relationships and treat each other with mutual respect and trust. Pupils feel well supported by their teachers and try hard to do their best. Pupils’ personal development remains a strength of the school and cultural development has improved and is now excellent. Pupils have good opportunities to be involved in decision- making. For example, the effective school council enables young people to conduct a meeting with an agenda, recorded minutes, and open and frank discussion executed in a calm manner with referrals to other school committees where appropriate. Pupils believe that their views are taken seriously and that they are making a real contribution to the development of the school.

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Commentary

10. Pupils behave well because they are helped to understand very clearly the impact their actions have on others. They are courteous, responsible and are helpful, to their peers and all adults. The headteacher and all staff are alert to the needs of pupils who arrive mid year and those who speak little English or have specific needs. Because of the experience, commitment and professionalism of the staff, their feeling of loneliness is short lived. Responsibility is expected by staff and even the youngest pupils respond positively because of the emphasis placed on personal and social development from the minute they start school. Time is set aside to discuss many issues to allow pupils to explore their feelings, express their views, listen to the viewpoints of others and come to an agreement.

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Commentary

11. Assemblies, religious education and personal, social and health education lessons all play an important part in pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils are provided with good opportunities to be responsible for their own actions, to appreciate that the views of others matter and to understand what lies behind rules. The school is a very good example of racial harmony. Visits, including the residential visits, contribute positively to moral and social development. The school community is an example of understanding, tolerance, care and humanity. Few opportunities are missed to promote and extend pupils’ understanding of other cultures.

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Attendance

Preston Park Primary School - 12 12. Attendance and punctuality have not improved sufficiently since the previous inspection. The headteacher and office staff are working hard to remind parents that regular school attendance is a vital ingredient in good achievement. Systems to promote and monitor attendance are much more rigorous, but still too many families allow their children to miss school when they take extended holidays in term time.

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Attendance

13. Many pupils stream into school after 8.45am. The headteacher is invariably at the front gate cajoling latecomers and the school is correct in marking pupils late if they arrive after the register is called. However, the message has still not got through to many parents that arriving late at school is not only distressing for the pupils, but also disruptive to a smooth start to the school day.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year 2002/3 - 93.8%

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 5.7% School data: 0.5% National data (2001/02): 5.4% National data(2001/02): 0.4%

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Attendance

The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Exclusions

14. The school made a small number of very short one-off fixed-term exclusions in the last year. Discussion with pupils confirms that this action was very effective in sending a clear message that unacceptable behaviour would not be tolerated and in enabling excluded pupils to understand how they should behave.

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 38 1 0 Mixed – White and Black African 15 1 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 45 1 0 Black or Black British – African 50 1 0 Black or Black British –other Black background 27 2 0

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Exclusions

The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded .

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is satisfactory . Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. The curriculum is satisfactory with good enrichment. The school takes good care of its pupils and gives them very good support, advice and guidance . There are very good links with parents and satisfactory links with the community.

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Teaching and learning

Preston Park Primary School - 13 Although satisfactory overall, teaching is not of a consistently high standard and is unsatisfactory in Year 2. Teaching is good in the nursery class and in Years 4 and 6. In all other year groups, although satisfactory, there is too much variability between teachers and subjects.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Basic skills are well taught with good opportunities provided for pupils to consolidate their learning in literacy and numeracy, but not in ICT. • Teaching is mundane in Year 2 and teachers do not take sufficient account of pupils’ stage of learning, particularly in the science and the non-core subjects. • Teachers make insufficient use of assessment in planning lessons to meet the needs of pupils of different abilities. • The organisation of too many classrooms restricts pupils’ ability to work collaboratively. • Teachers are successful in developing good work habits and place good emphasis on accuracy and presentation. • In too many lessons, teachers miss opportunities to bring learning alive and rely too heavily on uninspiring worksheets. • Learning support assistants are beginning to make a positive difference to pupils’ learning, but not all teachers use them effectively. • The specialist teaching of pupils who are learning to speak English as an additional language is

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Main strengths and weaknesses

good, but class teachers do not always match work well to their needs. • The teaching of pupils with special educational needs in small groups is good.

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Commentary

15. When children start in the nursery, the first priority is to provide a wide range of opportunities for language development as the key to unlocking pupils’ social, creative and thinking skills. This results in good achievement in communication and personal, social and emotional development, which is built on in the reception classes with the effective support from all adults.

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Commentary

16. As pupils move up the school a significant amount of time is devoted to teaching English with insistence of the accurate use of both written and spoken language, and good emphasis on broadening pupils’ vocabulary. This is well supported by specialist teaching of pupils at an early stage of learning to speak English. Teachers regularly plan for language development in other subjects, although not all teachers do enough to extend pupils’ speaking skills through collaborative investigations and debate.

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Commentary

17. Mathematics is taught well because pupils are given a good grounding and are encouraged to solve problems and use their knowledge in real situations, whether in mathematics lessons or other subjects. However, teachers do not have the same secure understanding of ICT and rarely identify its use when planning in other subjects. On the few occasions where teachers did so, pupils were stimulated to think for themselves and to deepen their understanding.

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Commentary

18. The school has recently moved away from teaching English and mathematics in ability sets. Some teachers are still getting to grips with planning, so as to pitch work at the right level, and with making the most effective use of their own time and that of classroom assistants in supporting groups of different abilities. In many classes in Key Stage 2, the layout of the classroom and organisation of learning gets in the way. In very good lessons, teachers are effective in stretching the more able pupils by making them think hard and setting them challenging tasks whilst at the same time supporting pupils with special educational needs to develop their understanding step by step.

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Commentary

19. On the whole, teachers know their pupils well and instil into them the best ways to learn. Where teachers’ assessment of pupils’ needs are not precise enough, expectations are either too low or too high. This results in restlessness and lower levels of motivation. This was most Preston Park Primary School - 14 marked in Year 2, where the quality of planning does not provide teachers with the guidance they needed, especially support teachers who work with the class once a week.

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Commentary

20. Until recently, teachers had become accustomed to working with limited and often poor quality resources. The headteacher has gone a long way to rectify this situation, but some teachers still rely too heavily on worksheets and do not exploit the resources that are available to make learning more meaningful and exciting, especially for those pupils who have limited English.

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Commentary

21. Since the previous inspection, the school has welcomed pupils with widely different experiences, many of whom need support to learn effectively. Recent initiatives to target small groups of pupils in order to build their self-esteem and to set them on the right road to learning have been very effective in promoting achievement even when teaching is patchy.

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Commentary

22. The quality of teaching is not as good as it was at the time of the previous inspection. However, although the amount of unsatisfactory teaching has increased, the amount of very good teaching has also increased. This reflects the fact that because of limited professional development until recently, some teachers who have taught at the school for a long time have not raised their game. It also demonstrates that other teachers are now being enabled to show their potential and newly appointed members of staff are bringing in fresh ideas.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 71 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

0 (0%) 11 (15%) 21 (30%) 31 (44%) 5 (7%) 3 (4%) 0 (0%)

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is satisfactory overall, although there is a need to improve planning for science and the non-core subjects and to develop the use of information and communication technology (ICT) throughout the school. There is good provision of targeted support for pupils with special educational needs, for gifted and talented pupils and for those learning English as an additional language. The school provides a good amount of activities outside lessons. The quality of accommodation and resources is unsatisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum provision for pupils learning English as an additional language is good. • Teachers do not adapt the national schemes of work sufficiently in science or the non-core subjects. • There is good curriculum provision for the personal, cultural and social needs of the wide diversity of pupils. • ICT is not developed sufficiently to support pupils’ learning across all subjects. • The school provides good curriculum enrichment for gifted and talented pupils, but their needs are not always met in lessons. • Many parts of the school are in a poor state of repair and adversely affect teaching and learning. • The school involves pupils well in a good range of activities outside lessons. • Inadequate resources lead to some uninspiring teaching.

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Commentary

Preston Park Primary School - 15 23. The curriculum fulfils all statutory requirements, meets the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus for religious education well and gives good attention to health education, including alcohol and drug misuse.

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Commentary

24. The school provides effectively for the diverse needs of all its pupils. The needs of individuals are identified clearly by senior management and specialist provision targeted accurately to give good curriculum support. This enables all pupils to achieve well in English and mathematics by the time they leave in Year 6, even though many arrive in school with standards below those expected nationally.

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Commentary

25. Good curriculum provision for the personal, cultural and social needs of the diversity of both girls and boys supports good achievement. Girls now achieve as well as boys in science because of specific curriculum provision.

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Commentary

26. In lessons in science and the non-core subjects, school planning relies on the national schemes of work to provide appropriate coverage. However, it is not adapted sufficiently for more able pupils who do not undertake challenging tasks that would enable them to achieve higher levels. Medium-term planning does not have sufficient detail to ensure consistency between year groups. There is too little linking of subjects to enable pupils to make connections in their learning and apply their knowledge. In a Year 6 ICT lesson, pupils learning to use spreadsheets to calculate did not apply their mathematical knowledge of medians when this would have benefited learning in both subjects. This example reflects the limited use of ICT in all subjects throughout the school.

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Commentary

27. The adequacy of accommodation and resources has declined since the previous inspection because they were not maintained properly. The staff has worked very hard to make the interiors presentable. Of special note is the central quadrangle that was transformed over the summer, with the involvement of pupils in Year 5, into a beautiful haven of peace and quiet. However, the accommodation is still inadequate and this has a demoralising effect on staff. Effective collaboration between the nursery and reception classes is hampered because of the distance between their two locations. The classrooms for the older pupils are too small to allow pupils to work effectively on practical activities or in collaborative groups. The toilets continue to be smelly and unpleasant as noted in the previous inspection report. The windows are draughty and often do not shut properly. Not only do these serious deficiencies in the

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Commentary

accommodation mean that the school spends more than normal on every day maintenance and heating costs, but also that the staff have to make a sterling effort to make the environment bright and presentable for learning.

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Commentary

28. Resources are not used well enough to promote learning, not only because some subjects, such as science, have too few, but also because teachers do not always use the ones available to best effect. The use of interesting and tactile resources is not sufficiently planned into lessons, so too often teaching is flat, lacking in stimulation and does not allow the pupils some independence in their learning.

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Commentary

29. Pupils have a good chance to extend their experiences beyond the classroom. Outings to central London, the residential trip to the Gordon Brown outdoor centre and themed subject weeks give pupils a welcome added dimension to their learning. Some classes go out on visits that are clearly linked to the curriculum, but co-ordinators do not consistently plan regular trips to enliven their subjects. The school has an interesting range of extra-curricular clubs, although a few parents are justifiably unhappy that, unlike many primary schools, they all have to be paid for. The school has maintained the good levels of extra-curricular activities from the previous inspection.

p.15

Care, guidance and support

Preston Park Primary School - 16 Provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is good . The school is very good at providing pupils with support, advice and guidance. The school values pupils’ views and involves them very well in its work and development.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school puts a very high priority on health and safety. • The school places a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ confidence and self-esteem. • Pupils have many chances to develop in maturity by helping with the running of the school.

p.16

Commentary

30. The school is very aware that much of its accommodation is dilapidated and so puts health and safety as a top priority. Since the arrival of the new headteacher, a previous damning health and safety report has been thoroughly addressed and there is much more determination to replace the nursery and reception huts. Premises are regularly assessed for potential hazards and the premises team ensures that any concerns are dealt with quickly. Procedures to ensure the site is safe for the pupils are very well documented and followed in practice, but the governors should also ensure that all staff are well trained in the latest health and safety and child protection guidelines. Procedures for the care of pupils have improved since the previous inspection.

p.16

Commentary

31. The school is particularly good at building pupils up so that they are confident and happy in their learning. Children new to the nursery and reception classes are settled effectively into school routines. Preliminary visits to the family homes means the staff know the children well on their arrival and can quickly put them at ease. Some pupils come from traumatised and disrupted backgrounds and some are just shy, but staff are quick to note those who would benefit from special attention. A series of nurture and social groups, very well organised by the special educational needs co-ordinator, helps pupils to come out of their shells and develop their social skills. The many pupils who do not speak English at home or who have particular educational needs are well supported in their learning, particularly when taken out of the classroom for tailored group work. Pupils who find it difficult to behave appropriately are

p.16

Commentary

charted well in behaviour contracts that they share with their teacher, headteacher and parents. The well-structured and heartfelt care for each individual pupil means that, even when teaching is uninteresting and dull, the pupils often achieve well because they feel confident members of the school community. Transition to secondary schools is well supported by a programme of liaison, structured visits and good opportunities for the oldest pupils to take on responsibilities outside the classroom. The support and guidance of pupils have improved well since the previous inspection.

p.16

Commentary

32. The school works very well to include the pupils in decisions about the running of the school. Pupils can raise suggestions in personal, social and health education lessons and have a forum in the school council. Pupils clearly feel at ease in taking worries straight to the headteacher, who listens seriously to their concerns. A special programme for gifted and talented pupils has trained them to become competent leaders and set up their own projects in the school. Pupils have also been involved in surveys on eating habits and plans for the playground. They are proud to take on many responsibilities around the school. Peer mentors are usefully involved in helping to resolve conflicts or playing with pupils out in the playground. However, pupils are not encouraged enough to learn through independent research or by working with their peers to resolve problems.

p.16

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a very good and improved partnership with parents. Links with the community and other schools are satisfactory . Preston Park Primary School - 17

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s recognises that strong links with parents are vital to its success. • Parents are very appreciative and supportive of the school. • The school provides parents with good information about what their children are learning. • Reports do not give parents a clear enough message on how their children are progressing.

p.17

Commentary

33. Since his arrival at Preston Park Primary, the headteacher has established very productive links with parents and rightly sees them as very important to pupils’ achievement and the school’s future success. To this end, the school is establishing itself effectively as a centre for parent education courses. The Nursery Inclusion Project is proving very successful in involving parents in their children’s education at the earliest possible stage. Innovative and colourful book bags, translated into several languages, are an excellent resource to show parents the value of reading with their children. The weekly visit of the Somali link officer and the involvement of the Horn Stars Support Club are particularly helpful to Somali families. The parent/teacher association has been recently resurrected to involve more parents in social and fund-raising events. Last summer’s fair was very successful in including families in school life. The

p.17

Commentary

headteacher is out and about at the beginning and end of the school day to greet families, to pick up any worries or queries and to show that parents are considered a very important part of the school community.

p.17

Commentary

34. Parents are keen to see their children achieve well. The attendance of parents at meetings and events is very high. Nearly all parents turn up for the meeting with their child’s teacher and the open day in the summer term is particularly well attended. Parents have been fully included in decisions about the menu in the canteen and the residential visit to the outward-bound centre.

p.17

Commentary

35. Parents are kept well informed about school life and the curriculum. Weekly newsletters provide a wealth of interesting information and allow all parents to share in the school’s successes and the cultural celebrations of other religions. Not only do parents receive an overview of what their children are to learn each term, but they have also been invited to events in science week, maths week and book week to learn more about the curriculum. Parents are happy with the homework because procedures are clear and setting is regular. The headteacher holds a very valuable individual meeting with each Year 6 pupil and their parents to discuss past test results and predictions for the forthcoming year.

p.17

Commentary

36. A significant number of parents are justifiably concerned that they do not know enough about their children’s progress. Parent/teacher meetings are useful, but reports are not sufficiently clear and accurate about how each pupil has improved in each subject over the year. As assessment procedures are underdeveloped, teachers can only give a global view on annual progress. Targets for improvement are often too general (e.g. “to be more confident in all areas of the curriculum”) and do not give parents enough guidance in how to work with their children.

p.17

Commentary

Overall, the links with parents have improved significantly since the previous inspection.

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The school’s leadership and management are good . The leadership of the headteacher is excellent . Governance is good . The leadership and management of other key staff are satisfactory .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

Preston Park Primary School - 18 • The recently appointed headteacher has a very clear idea of how the school should be and inspires and motivates others to share this vision. • The school’s very clear understanding of priorities for development is matched well to its long- term plans. • The governors have a very clear idea of areas where the school is most effective and what changes are needed. • The school is very committed to including all pupils and parents in all aspects of school life. • The school uses information it gathers on pupils’ progress to take quick and positive action to enable the pupils to do as well as they can. • New staff members are very well supported when they join the school. • Curriculum co-ordinators do not yet play a strong enough management role as many are new to their responsibilities.

p.18

Commentary

37. The school’s aim for ‘excellence, quality and equality for all’ is the cornerstone of all its plans and actions. The headteacher has very high aspirations for the school and is so positive in his leadership that the pupils share his aim to be ‘the best school in Brent’. The governing body is not only very supportive, but is active in joining with the headteacher in taking some difficult decisions to move the school forward. Plans are clearly charted in the school’s improvement documents so that all partners in the school community know what needs to be done, actions to be taken and how success is to be measured. Developments and improvements are introduced and evaluated systematically so that the management team can judge how well the school is doing in meeting its aims.

p.18

Commentary

38. The continuing professional development of staff has a high priority in bringing about school improvement. This also serves to show the headteacher’s determination that his vision will become reality and his high expectations for the school met. In all this, he is very ably supported by the committed deputy headteacher with whom there is a real partnership of complementary skills. The governing body works very hard, is well organised and has the best interest of all pupils at heart at all times. They act as true critical friends to promote a culture of always looking to do ever better for the pupils.

p.18

Commentary

39. The headteacher has recently introduced new management and leadership structures to enable ideas and systems to be trialled and introduced as efficiently and effectively as possible and to raise standards further. These are very new and have not had time to take effect fully. Similarly, many curriculum co-ordinators are newly appointed and they are not yet carrying out their roles as fully as they need to. Many of these co-ordinators provide a model of good teaching and are knowledgeable and confident in the subjects or aspects on which they lead.

p.18

Commentary

40. The school gathers detailed data on pupils’ academic achievements and uses this rigorously to track progress both of individual pupils and of groups of pupils. This ensures that targets can be set, and action planned that will improve standards across the school. These are reviewed assiduously to ensure that this happens. The school looks beyond academic achievement and aims to make all its pupils and parents feel welcome and valued. The richness and diversity of cultures and ethnic groups is celebrated in everything the school does. It is very successful in letting the pupils know how important they are as individuals to the life and success of the school and they respond by being very proud of their school and work hard to do their best.

p.18

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.18

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,623,141 Balance from previous year 223,356 Total expenditure 1,781,868 Balance carried forward to the next 58,952 Preston Park Primary School - 19 Expenditure per pupil 2,497

p.18

Commentary

41. The school accrued a large amount of money in the past to put towards a new school building, but failed to maintain the present building and resources adequately. The present headteacher and the governing body have spent most of the reserves on much-needed school improvement, such as better heating, a big investment in information and communication technology equipment and some classroom resources. This is beginning to have a positive effect on the pupils’ learning.

p.19

Commentary

42. Many of the weaknesses identified in the previous inspection report remained until the present headteacher took up his post, since when action towards improvement has been rapid. Preston Park Primary School - 20

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

43. Provision for Foundation Stage children, in the three reception classes and in the nursery class, is satisfactory . The headteacher has led a determined push to improve the Foundation Stage curriculum and this is beginning to be effective. The leadership and management of the co-ordinator are satisfactory . The distance between the nursery and reception classes prevents leadership and management from being more effective because staff cannot share good practice on a daily basis. Attainment on entry to the nursery class is well below national expectations. The nursery children make good progress in their learning and achievement is good because of good teaching in a caring atmosphere. The children start their reception year below national expectations particularly across all areas of learning. Planning and teaching in the reception classes are satisfactory so that standards across all areas of learning remain below expectations when they enter Year 1, particularly in communication

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

skills and knowledge and understanding of the world. The children’s achievement is satisfactory . Teachers keep detailed records of how well the children are doing so that they can give them the help they need to learn successfully, and in the nursery adults are used very well to help in this process.

p.20

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is satisfactory .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good in the nursery class so that children’s achievement in developing personal and social skills is good. • Children enter the nursery class with poorly developed social skills as many of them lack the language with which to express their thoughts and feelings, or to play together. • Staff, particularly in the nursery class, are very caring and give the children confidence to try new things. • Nursery staff play alongside the children so that they learn how to play on their own and with others.

p.20

Commentary

44. The care shown by adults in all classes ensures that children quickly settle into school confidently and happily, even though those in the nursery only attend for half a day. The children quickly adapt to important daily routines. Children with special educational needs are supported well so that they join in classroom activities as fully as possible. With help, children learn the language that helps them to play and work together with increasing co-operation. The good progress made in this area in the nursery is built on soundly in the reception classes. Many children still lack the language skills to engage in more complex imaginative games or to build close relationships with other children.

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

Preston Park Primary School - 21 • Children in the nursery class make good progress in language skills, due to good teaching. • The development of speaking skills is planned and taught well across all areas of learning in the nursery class. • Improving approaches to teaching in the reception classes are helping the children to make connections between speaking and writing.

p.21

Commentary

45. Over half the children enter the nursery with almost no knowledge of English. Children are given many and varied opportunities to use language in many contexts, both in teacher-led activities and play, particularly in the nursery, where adults spend much time talking with children and developing their vocabulary. Careful assessments, particularly in the nursery class, help the teachers to plan work that helps the children to progress in speaking. As a result of external advice and support, the children are being given more independence in writing, which is becoming more interesting, and in the reception year they are becoming more familiar with different writing styles. By the time the children enter Year 1 many have begun to acquire language to express themselves, but it lacks detail, both in speaking and writing.

p.21

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is satisfactory .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children ‘s achievement is good in the nursery class due to good teaching so that they begin to acquire a sound mathematical vocabulary. • Numeracy skills are promoted soundly in other areas of learning in the reception classes where teaching is satisfactory. • Recent developments in the reception classes have resulted in the children having a better understanding of the relationships between numbers and their achievement is satisfactory due to satisfactory teaching.

p.21

Commentary

46. In the nursery class, many opportunities are taken to interest and involve the children in counting and recognising numbers, shapes and colours, and they begin to use this knowledge to describe things around them with increasing accuracy. In the reception classes this work in recognising and using number facts is built on satisfactorily, although sometimes the work is too formal and not made particularly interesting. This situation is improving as a result of reviews and outside support and children are given more opportunities to explore number independently although they do not have enough experience in solving practical problems to attain the expected standards by the time they enter Year 1.

p.21

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is satisfactory .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children enter the nursery class with very limited life experiences and vocabulary, but a well- planned curriculum helps them towards good achievement. • Teaching and learning are satisfactory in the reception classes, but a lack of resources limits the experiences that can be offered. Preston Park Primary School - 22 • Children use the computer with confidence in the reception classes and achieve well, so that they meet expectations in this aspect. Preston Park Primary School - 23

p.21

Commentary

47. Children in the nursery have regular opportunities to use computers to help them to learn. Specific lessons in the reception classes, and well-structured teaching, help them to make good progress to achieve well by the time they enter Year 1. The safe nursery outdoor area offers a satisfactory stimulus for learning. The new adventure area provides many interesting areas for exploration, but the children are not able to use it independently and so opportunities for investigation are lost. The school does its best to give the children wider experiences beyond the school, but by the time the children reach Year 1, they still lack the vocabulary and the breadth of experiences to attain expected standards in all aspects.

p.23

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The improved range of equipment in the nursery enables the children to achieve well. • In the reception class, lack of space limits opportunities for children to use large apparatus, but sound teaching in gymnastic lessons enables the children to achieve satisfactorily.

p.23

Commentary

48. A range of large apparatus and toys in the nursery helps the children to develop and practice their physical skills well. There is a good range of construction kits in the reception classes and the children make satisfactory progress in their physical development. Gymnastics lessons in reception classes give the children time and opportunity to extend their range of body movements. By the time the children go into Year 1, they still lack confidence to move with imagination and many lack the physical control needed to attain expectations.

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is satisfactory .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are given a good range of early experiences in using a range of materials and media in the nursery and their achievement is good. • Children in the reception classes are developing manipulative skills satisfactorily, but the limited range of materials offered for exploration limits their development of the imagination. • Singing and rap are used successfully in all classes to help children learn the rhythm of the English language.

p.23

Commentary

49. Children in the nursery are supported well in their play in the nursery. Through skilful questioning and playing alongside them, adults help the children to develop imaginative play. Play is not supported in a planned way in the reception classes and so children’s achievement is satisfactory, rather than good. Preston Park Primary School - 24

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ standards in English are satisfactory in Year 2 and good in Year 6. • Their attitudes to learning the subject are good. • The teaching of English is satisfactory, although not all teachers are confident in their implementation of the literacy strategy. • When teaching is unsatisfactory, the learning needs of different groups of pupils are not well catered for. • Senior staff, including the recently appointed literacy co-ordinator, have clear views about how improvements can be carried out and the experience needed to implement these.

p.24

Commentary

50. Many of the pupils have little or no English when they start school and so it takes time for all elements to fall into place. Because of the strong emphasis on the development of basic skills and building pupils’ confidence in using language, their achievement is good across the school. In the infants, pupils learn to convey their ideas in writing accurately, giving appropriate attention to handwriting and spelling. Throughout the school, standards of presentation are good because teachers encourage pupils to correct and redraft their work for others to see. For example, in Year 5, there are collections of poems and pupils’ autobiographies focusing on cultural and geographical diversity, which have been attractively assembled. Both older and younger pupils enjoy joining in shared reading tasks. For example, in a Year 3 class, most pupils read play scripts accurately and with good expression. When they are given the

p.24

Commentary

opportunity to express their views, for example when working in pairs or groups or in conversation with adults, older pupils express themselves clearly and cogently and they are willing to listen to others.

p.24

Commentary

51. Pupils of different ages show a high level of interest in reading and listening to others read. They respond very enthusiastically to lively presentations of stories or poems by teachers or visitors, such as those who contributed skilfully to sessions during the ‘Book Week’ held during the inspection. All pupils are encouraged to take books home to read and this has a positive effect on the development of reading skills, but the continuing absence of library facilities that was noted in the previous inspection report is a negative factor in this regard.

p.24

Commentary

52. The good relationships between teachers, support staff and pupils encourage the children to express themselves freely. Teachers mark pupils’ written work conscientiously and generally focus their comments on points that will help pupils to improve their writing, or their reading if they are hearing them read. However, they do not always plan to give groups of pupils of different levels of attainment work that is suited to their specific needs, nor do they yet make full use of learning support assistants. In an unsatisfactory lesson dealing with the use of commas, for example, a teacher made use of exercises from a commercial text which had no bearing on the specific needs of the pupils and which therefore failed to interest the majority or challenge the most able.

p.24

Commentary

53. The recently appointed literacy co-ordinator has clear views as to how improvements in the teaching of English can be secured and the experience to help to bring these about. Senior staff undertake monitoring of teaching and it is increasingly effective in identifying areas for improvement. Preston Park Primary School - 25

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

54. Pupils use their literacy skills to good effect in their learning of other subjects. This is particularly the case in Year 6, in history and geography lessons, for example. Pupils’ spoken skills are also developed in the context of other parts of the school curriculum, such as assemblies and in discussions that take place in the personal, social and health education lessons.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is good because they are encouraged to apply their knowledge and skills to real life problems. • The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall with examples of good and very good teaching. • Pupils display positive attitudes towards their work. • The leadership and management of the subject are currently satisfactory but are developing well.

p.25

Commentary

55. Standards in mathematics are average in Year 2 and above average in Year 6. The slight deterioration evident in Year 2 since the previous inspection is due to the variability of teaching. Achievement in both infants and juniors is good and the introduction of booster classes and other strategies contribute to this good achievement. For example, pupils identify learning objectives in their books and record targets for improvement. Every concept in mathematics is followed by a problem solving exercise. Thus, from Year 1, pupils practise and understand the use of mathematics in ‘real life’ situations. This systematic approach, together with its cross- curricular use, is having a positive impact on raising the level of mathematical understanding and appropriate and confident use of mathematical vocabulary. Throughout the school, pupils’ understanding of numbers, shape, space, measures and their increasing confidence to apply

p.25

Commentary

their mathematical learning to different ‘every day situations’ is a strength of the school’s ‘hands on’ approach to mathematics.

p.25

Commentary

56. The quality of teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teaching ranges from occasional unsatisfactory teaching to very good teaching. When teaching is good or better, it is delivered at a brisk pace with high expectations. Teachers use ‘quick fire’ probing questioning and management of pupil behaviour is at least good. They use different methods of delivery and use the interactive whiteboard very effectively. When it is unsatisfactory, expectations are lower, there is limited challenge for the more able and a minority of pupils become restless. The use of assessment, particularly day-to-day assessment, is not always identified as a strategy to inform future planning and teaching. In most lessons, pupils know what they are expected to learn. This encourages pupil-teacher interaction with pupils asking questions as well as answering them. Many lessons are lively and capture pupils’ interest so that they are

p.25

Commentary

eager to explain, in their mental sessions, what strategies they use to perform complex calculations and arrive at a solution. There are examples of very effective teaching in both infants and juniors, and pupils enjoy their mathematics. In these lessons particularly, achievement is good and often very good.

p.25

Commentary

57. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour in mathematics lessons are good. Most pupils are attentive, keen to learn and as they work their way through Years 4, 5 and 6 they are becoming self- assured. They work well independently and collaboratively showing respect and consideration for others. The respect they show for each other, together with the effective and committed Preston Park Primary School - 26 support from the teaching assistants ensures that pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language make similarly good progress to other pupils.

p.25

Commentary

58. The leadership and management of the subject is a shared responsibility between an infant and a junior co-ordinator. They work well together and their analysis of data to provide them with pupils’ general performance in relation to gender and ethnicity is very good. The planning is carefully monitored to ensure that coverage is according to statutory requirements, that parallel planning ensures parity of opportunity and continuity and progression for all pupils. The co-ordinators acknowledge the need to monitor and evaluate the teaching, learning and standards more systematically in order to provide support and underpin areas where needs have been identified.

p.26

Mathematics across the curriculum

59. The basic skills of numeracy, including mental calculations and problem solving, are taught across the school and pupils use these skills well in subjects, such as science, geography and design and technology.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are improving at the end of Key Stage 2 with more pupils reaching the higher levels in national tests in 2003. • Inconsistent teaching in Years 1 and 2 results in below average standards and patchy achievement. • Able pupils are not always challenged enough to think for themselves. • Unsatisfactory use of assessment leads to planning that does not meet the needs of all pupils.

p.26

Commentary

60. At Key Stage 2, improving test results, particularly at the higher level are due to knowledgeable and thorough teaching in Year 6 and to the impact of opportunities for some pupils to take part in a gifted and talented programme at a local secondary school. In a very good Year 6 lesson, pupils worked as scientists, collaborating well in groups, to decide independently what to change and what to keep the same, and the need to use precise time measurements to predict why smaller granules of sugar would dissolve quickest. Talking to pupils indicates that they are very secure about what they have been taught because of clear and consistent teaching. Pupils have positive attitudes to science and work in their books is well presented and clearly organised. However, they have less confidence in applying their investigative skills, particularly to new situations because they are not often given opportunities to work

p.26

Commentary

independently. In too many lessons, pupils undertake the same work, irrespective of their ability. Less able pupils are well supported by the structured writing frameworks and by teaching assistants and achieve as well as their classmates.

p.26

Commentary

61. Planning, assessment and teaching in both Years 1 and 2 are unsatisfactory because of the unacceptably wide variation in practice. This results in standards that are below the national average and unsatisfactory achievement. The planned curriculum relies too much on commercial worksheets that have not been adapted to take account of the pupils’ differing abilities and needs. Pupils are not always involved enough in practical investigations or in choosing their own ways of recording what they observe and understand. Year group planning is not sufficiently detailed to guide less confident teachers and support teachers. In one Year 2 Preston Park Primary School - 27 lesson where teaching was good, pupils were encouraged to speak and think scientifically to a high level by the use of good questions. The need to explain well was given strong emphasis and pupils’ recording about the needs of babies showed good progress in understanding.

p.26

Commentary

62. School assessment procedures are not well developed. The marking of pupils’ work includes positive statements about what they have learned, but this is usually the same for all pupils in the class and does not help pupils know how to improve or teachers to plan for the different abilities. Assessment records are not systematic or sufficient to support accurate teacher assessment at Key Stage 1. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and has provided good leadership at Key Stage 2. Her involvement with Key Stage 1 has been limited. She has recently been provided with time to evaluate standards of achievement systematically throughout the school in order to identify what support and guidance is needed. This initiative is too recent to have influenced practice.

p.27

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision for information and communication technology (ICT) is unsatisfactory .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement in ICT is unsatisfactory with standards of attainment below those expected nationally. • There is insufficient use of ICT in other subjects. • Resources are now sufficient. • Assessment is unsatisfactory. • Good leadership of the subject has supported recent improvement.

p.27

Commentary

63. Pupils’ attainment throughout the school is unsatisfactory and standards at the end of both key stages are below those expected nationally because until recently resources were poor and teachers lacked knowledge and confidence. Pupils make satisfactory progress in lessons in the ICT suite because of focused teaching. Here they demonstrate confidence and competence in acquiring new skills. However, the suite is very new and pupils have not had time to develop and consolidate a wide enough range of skills. Standards are below those found at the time of the previous inspection because expectations and requirements are now much higher nationally and there has been a long period when the school had poor provision of computers and technology equipment.

p.27

Commentary

64. Pupils in Year 3 can log on to the Internet to search for pictures to illustrate book covers but were unable to change the font size and style. Although planning ensures adequate coverage of the learning programmes, a limited range of work has been covered so far. Pupils’ work consists mostly of text and graphics work. In some areas, pupils in Year 6 make good progress to achieve expected standards, as in multimedia presentations, with sound and animation, to a local secondary school. Most pupils have a limited experience of many areas such as controlling buzzers, lights or machinery, using sensors to measure temperature, using e-mail regularly or spreadsheets to record results of investigations. In most lessons, pupils are not encouraged to find their own solutions or to evaluate their work. There is no evidence of assessment to show pupils what they have achieved or how they can improve.

p.27

Commentary

65. The subject leader has provided good leadership in ensuring the effective provision of new resources and in supporting training for teachers. At this early stage, a lot of time has been given to ensuring that systems work. Preston Park Primary School - 28

p.27

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

66. There is insufficient use of computers to support and extend work in other subjects. They are rarely used to provide the right level of challenge for more able or less able pupils or to enable pupils to use the new skills they have learned in the computer suite.

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

67. Teaching is less effective in the classroom. Teachers have had recent training in delivering the ICT curriculum, but are not yet confident in using their skills to provide pupils with a full range of experiences. Lesson plans in other subjects rarely identify where ICT can be used to enable pupils to consolidate the skills they have learned in ICT lessons. However, new interactive whiteboards are beginning to be used successfully to motivate and interest pupils, with video clips from Internet sources. In a good art lesson, Year 6 pupils were helped to understand the purpose and meaning of traditional costume at the Notting Hill carnival. In a Year 5 history lesson, pupils used a simulation programme well to experience the effects of rationing during the war.

p.28

HUMANITIES

68. In humanities, work was sampled in history and geography with two lessons seen in geography and three in history. It is not possible to reach an overall judgement about provision in these subjects, although pupils’ work indicates that standards are broadly average by the time they reach Year 6.

p.28

HUMANITIES

69. Pupils’ work in both subjects is very carefully presented indicating their pride in the work. Sampling of lessons and pupils’ work shows that not all teachers have secure subject knowledge in either subject, leading to pupils’ experiencing unacceptable variations in the quality of teaching and learning. The school has adopted national schemes, and is implementing them without adapting them to the needs of the pupils because assessment procedures are unsatisfactory. Co-ordinators are new to their roles and have not yet had the opportunity to monitor planning, teaching and learning to ensure that one year’s work builds on the next or to identify good practice. At its best, history makes a very effective contribution to citizenship and to literacy. In one very good lesson in Year 4, pupils were enabled to grapple with difficult ideas about the split with Rome and the dissolution of the monasteries by lively

p.28

HUMANITIES

role-play and the use of a well-structured framework to evaluate different points of view. Geography lessons make a good contribution to the development of the pupils’ numeracy skills. The school environment is used very well to promote social issues such as noise and litter pollution.

p.28

Religious education

Provision for religious education is satisfactory and meets the requirements of the Brent Agreed Syllabus.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good use is made of the knowledge of staff and pupils about their own faiths so that pupils have a good knowledge of other faiths. • The quality of subject leadership is good. • The teaching of religious education makes a valuable contribution to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils.

p.28

Commentary

70. Standards in religious education match the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Discussion with pupils in Year 6 indicates that they are Preston Park Primary School - 29 aware of significant characteristics of the five faith traditions and are able to contrast their own beliefs and practices with others they have learned about. They also understand that there is a connection between what people believe and how they behave. They share views about their beliefs well and listen respectfully to the beliefs of others.

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Commentary

71. Teaching is satisfactory with good teaching observed where good use was made of the expertise of staff members, for example in teaching about aspects of Hindu worship in Year 5. Some teachers plan their lessons imaginatively, for example by making effective use of resources in teaching about Judaism in Year 5 and Christianity in Year 3. In both lessons pupils were encouraged to share their personal beliefs and experiences and they did this with confidence and evident enjoyment.

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Commentary

72. The co-ordinator provides effective subject leadership. She has revised the schemes of work to reflect the revised syllabus issued by the LEA, assembled a pro-forma of pupils’ written work and scrutinised planning documents. She is aware of preliminary developments on a local and national level relating to approaches to assess aspects of religious education.

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Commentary

73. The teaching of religious education has a positive impact on aspects of the pupils’ personal development by helping them to become aware of their own beliefs and those of their school friends. It also makes a strong contribution to the underlying aims and ethos of the school and it is one of the factors accounting for the pupils’ excellent appreciation of their own and others’ cultural traditions.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

74. Only one lesson was seen in both art and design and design and technology and only a very limited amount of work was available for examination. It is not possible to reach a judgement about provision in either case. From the limited amount of evidence, there are indications that standards are average in the narrow range of experiences that pupils are given. These are subjects where the school misses opportunities that would be particularly beneficial for pupils who are at an early stage of learning to speak English. Two music lessons were observed, one taught by a visiting specialist. Pupils were seen performing in assemblies and in choir practice. This limited amount of evidence shows that the co-ordinator provides a good level of expertise and that standards are average.

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Physical Education

Provision for physical education is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in Years 2 and 6 have been maintained since the previous inspection. • Not all pupils achieve the expected standard in swimming. • Extra-curricular sporting activities make a positive contribution to pupils’ moral and social development.

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Commentary

75. Standards in physical education are in line with those expected by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. During their time in school, pupils experience gymnastics, dance, games, athletics and swimming. These are complemented by extra-curricular activities and residential experience for Year 6 pupils. The residential experience is effective in extending the main physical education programme as well as promoting independence and co-operation. Pupils attend a local pool for swimming and a significant number do not manage to swim the expected 25 meters unaided because of limited time that the school has access to the pool. Preston Park Primary School - 30 76. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers manage pupils well and lessons are conducted at a good pace. Teachers ensure that the warm up and cool activities are given due emphasis and that the pupils understand their importance. Pupils dress appropriately

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Commentary

responding to the good example set by teachers. All pupils are fully involved in lessons and make satisfactory progress. Many pupils take part in the extra-curricular activities, which improves both their individual skills as well as their competitive performance including teamwork.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal and social development is good .

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

77. This is a strongly developing area of the school’s work with a well-conceived programme of activities in lessons and outside the classroom. Pupils are actively involved in matters to do with their personal health and safety. Nurture groups operate successfully in developing the interpersonal and social skills of identified groups. The programme for gifted and talented pupils in Year 5 has been instrumental in developing leadership qualities. Training for peer mentors ensures that the oldest pupils have the skills to promote harmony in the playground. The school council is a very good model for teaching pupils from Year 2 and upwards about democracy and in enabling them to play an important part in decision-making on school related issues. Preston Park Primary School - 31

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its previous inspection 5 Value for money provided by the school 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 5 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 5 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 4 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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