John Keble CofE Primary School

Age group Published Reference no. Inspection report John Keble Anglican Church Primary School

p.1

Unique Reference Number 101534 LEA Brent

p.1

Inspection number 273452 Inspection dates 19 and 20 January 2005 Reporting inspector Mrs G I Oldham, Additional Inspector

p.1

This inspection was carried out under section 3 of the School Inspections Act 1996 and was deemed a section 10 inspection under the same Act.

p.1

Type of School Primary School address School category Voluntary Aided Diocese of London Age range of pupils 3 to 11 years Crownhill Road Harlesden London NW10 4DR

p.1

Gender of pupils Mixed Telephone number 020 8965 5072 Number on roll 342 Fax number 020 8838 2507 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair of governors Father M Moorhead Date of previous inspection May 2000 Headteacher Ms M Rinsler

p.1

3 to 11 years 21 February 2005 273452 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.

p.1

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 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. Introduction

p.2

When John Keble Anglican Church Primary School was inspected in May 2000, it was judged to require special measures because it was failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education. Her Majesty’s Inspectors of schools (HMI) subsequently visited the school on 13 occasions to monitor its progress, and reinspected the school in January 2005.

p.2

Description of the school

John Keble Anglican Church Primary School is situated in Harlesden, a suburb of West London, and serves a mainly African Caribbean community. The school is larger than average, with 342 full-time pupils including 39 who attend the nursery. The number on roll has declined over recent years, a trend that is reflected more widely in this part of Harlesden. Family mobility within the catchment area has increased. Levels of economic deprivation are high; 44 per cent of the pupils are known to be entitled to free school meals, which is well above average. Almost 40 per cent of the pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who are at the early stages of learning English is increasing due to a rise in the numbers who have refugee status or whose families are seeking asylum. Almost 26 per cent of the pupils have been identified as having special educational needs, which is above average. Two pupils have a Statement of

p.2

Description of the school

Special Educational Need. The attainment of the pupils on entry is well below average. Overall effectiveness of the school

p.2

Description of the school

In accordance with section 14 of the School Inspections Act 1996, I am of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures, since it is now providing an acceptable standard of education for its pupils.

p.3

Description of the school

John Keble Anglican Church Primary School has been beset with difficulties for a long time, largely as a result of the continuing changes in the teaching force, including the senior staff. However, the good leadership and management of the headteacher and members of the senior leadership team together with improvements in the recruitment and retention of teachers, mean that the school is now providing a sound education for its pupils. In the Foundation Stage, some pupils in the reception year achieve well, but there is too wide a variation in the provision across the nursery and reception classes, and this affects the pupils’ attainment. Standards in Key Stages 1 and 2 are well below national expectations, although the gap between the pupils’ current attainment and what they should achieve is closing as a result of teaching that is at least satisfactory and sometimes good or very good. The pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are mostly good and the oldest pupils set a positive

p.3

Description of the school

example for others to follow. Attendance is rising, albeit slowly, but remains below the national figure for primary schools. The provision for the pupils who speak English as an additional language and those who have special educational needs is sound and appropriate work is planned for them. The curriculum meets national requirements and the pupils benefit from an increasing range of additional activities, including after-school clubs. The school has responded well to the high quality support it has received from the local education authority (LEA).

p.3

Improvement since the last inspection

The inspection of May 2000 required the school to address key issues concerned with standards, the quality of teaching, leadership and management, curriculum planning, and attendance and punctuality. There has been good progress in relation to teaching, leadership and management, curriculum planning, and attendance and punctuality. Reasonable progress has been made on raising standards, though further improvement is needed.

p.3

Capacity to improve

The school is well placed to improve. Its strategic plan is focused appropriately on raising standards by improving the quality of the teaching and learning. The headteacher is well supported by the senior staff and governors in taking the work forward, but the contribution of most of the subject co-ordinators to this process remains underdeveloped. A comprehensive programme for monitoring the school’s performance is used effectively to gauge the rate of progress and to shape the way subsequent work is planned. The school’s budgetary position is weak, partly arising from the falling number of pupils and also from past weaknesses in strategic management. There are sound contingency plans, agreed with the LEA, to handle the deficit.

p.3

What the school should do to improve further

The school’s development plan recognises the areas where improvement is needed. However the key priorities are to:

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

 raise standards, in Key Stages 1 and 2, focusing on the core subjects;

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

 continue to improve the quality of provision in the Foundation Stage, particularly the nursery;

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

 continue to improve the quality of teaching;

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

 develop the roles of the subject co-ordinators.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

In the Foundation Stage, some reception-age pupils make a good start and reach standards that are beyond those expected for five-year-olds; for example, in reading and writing. This rate of progress is not maintained across all the classes and some pupils, particularly those in the nursery, underachieve. In Key Stages 1 and 2, the school’s national test results for the last three years have for the most part remained well below the national figures and those of schools with a similar intake. In lessons, standards are rising but are below those expected for the pupils’ age. Although the rate of progress is increasing it remains erratic and is generally better in Key Stage 2 than elsewhere, as a result of the quality of teaching.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

The school is aware that standards remain too low and has implemented a range of strategies to address the gaps in the pupils’ learning and raise attainment.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

Over the last year, the ethos of the school has improved significantly and relationships at all levels are very good. The staff adopt a consistent approach to managing the pupils’ behaviour and this has a positive impact on the way the pupils relate to each other and to adults.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

The pupils’ attitudes and behaviour in lessons and around the school are mostly good and the pupils are responding well to the improved teaching and the greater demands that are made of them. The oldest pupils have a more mature attitude to their work and to their position within the school community, and most behave sensibly when they are given additional responsibilities. The pupils are keen to learn and work well with others in pairs and groups. They settle quickly to their work and when the tasks are interesting, they respond enthusiastically. The needs of the small minority of pupils who have behavioural difficulties are catered for effectively by the staff. Although the attendance rate of 92.6 per cent is well below the national figure for primary schools it has risen steadily, albeit slowly, over the last two years as a result of the tenacious work of senior staff and governors. Good attendance and punctuality by the

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

pupils are celebrated and patterns of poor attendance are analysed and appropriate actions taken.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

The overall provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory with some good features. The rich cultural diversity of the pupils and the staff is celebrated and reflected in aspects of the curriculum and work on display. The Christian ethos of the school is reinforced through the school assemblies, including the contributions made by visiting clergy. The pupils work and play well together. They understand right from wrong and are aware of each others’ needs; for example, some bilingual pupils spontaneously translate for others who are less confident. The pupils have an awareness of world issues: for example, they responded positively to the local campaign to help the Asian countries affected by the tsunami.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

The quality of teaching was satisfactory overall; in over a third of the lessons it was good and sometimes very good. Improvement in the quality of teaching has recently been rapid, because of the appointment of some experienced teachers who hold key management positions in the school, greater stability in the work force and the impact of the training the staff have received.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

In the best lessons, the planning was detailed and thorough, work built well on what the pupils already knew and the teachers had high expectations about what the pupils should achieve. The tasks captured the pupils’ interests and the organisation of the classes often enabled them to work in groups and pairs to share their ideas. The teaching assistants made an important contribution in many of the lessons. They worked well alongside the teachers and gave effective, well-targeted help to specific groups of pupils. A small amount of the teaching was unsatisfactory as a result of the teachers’ weak subject knowledge, a pedestrian pace, and work that did not build well enough on the pupils’ previous learning.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

The curriculum is appropriately balanced and proper emphasis is paid to developing the pupils’ basic skills in literacy and numeracy. The school has strengthened the planning at all levels and continues to monitor and evaluate the quality closely. The breadth of the curriculum has improved. It reflects more fully the wide range of needs of the pupils and an increasing variety of visits and clubs is used to enrich their experiences. The school’s provision for special educational needs and the support for pupils learning English as an additional language are satisfactory; these aspects are well led by knowledgeable co- ordinators.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

There are robust systems for recording the pupils’ attainment and tracking their progress in English and mathematics. The information from tests and assessments is analysed carefully and then acted on; for example, to determine which pupils need additional support and which aspects of work are the priorities for improvement. The teachers’ understanding of the data has improved and they are using the data more consistently to inform their planning and the way pupils of different abilities are grouped. In the last year, the school has been involved in a national initiative, the Intensifying Support Programme. As part of this work, the pupils have benefited from personal targets that let them know what they need to do to move forward. The pupils and teachers assess progress towards these goals and they are regularly referred to in lessons.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

The school pays due attention to the pupils’ safety, health and general well-being. There is greater consistency in the way policies and procedures are implemented and the adults take responsibility for the actions of all the pupils. A good range of equipment is provided for the pupils’ use at play and lunchtimes and the distribution of fruit during the break period encourages healthy eating habits.

p.6

What the school should do to improve further

The appointment of the headteacher at the beginning of the summer term 2003 gave the school the stability in leadership that had been missing for the previous three years. While she provided a clear vision for the school’s work, the pace of improvement was slower than it should have been because of the difficulties in recruiting other senior staff to help her to take the plans forward. Following the appointment of a very effective deputy headteacher, several other experienced teachers, and the development of a strong leadership team during this school year, the pace of improvement has accelerated and the quality of leadership and management are good.

p.6

What the school should do to improve further

The senior staff work well together, give focused support to other staff, and through a comprehensive range of monitoring, have a clear understanding about the areas of work that need to be tackled to address the weaknesses in the school’s performance. A start has been made to increase the leadership skills of the subject co-ordinators, but their role remains underdeveloped. Governance has improved satisfactorily and the executive group of governors plays a key role by working with the senior staff to keep the school’s progress under review.

p.6

What the school should do to improve further

The implementation of the school’s strategic plans is monitored effectively and information is used well to gauge the rate of progress and to inform the way subsequent work is developed.

p.6

What the school should do to improve further

The LEA has played a crucial role in the school’s improvement. It has been especially proactive in helping the school to secure good quality senior staff, and LEA advisors and consultants have provided high quality, well-targeted support to improve the teaching. Additional funding from the LEA and a carefully considered long-term financial plan is helping to minimise the likely impact of budgetary weaknesses on the school’s progress. The diocese has been supportive of the school and recent funding has improved significantly much of the accommodation used by the pupils in the Foundation Stage. Appendix – Information about the inspection

p.6

What the school should do to improve further

John Keble Anglican Church Primary School was inspected under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 by Registered Inspector and a team of inspectors in May 2000. The inspection was critical of many aspects of the work of the school and, in accordance with that Act, the school was made subject to special measures because it was failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education.

p.7

What the school should do to improve further

The school was visited by HMI in November 2000, in March, June and December 2001, in January, June and November 2002, in March, July and November 2003, and in February, May and September 2004 to assess the progress it was making to implement its action plan and address the key issues in the inspection report of May 2000.

p.7

What the school should do to improve further

In January 2005, two HMI and an Additional Inspector returned to inspect the school for two days. The inspection was carried out under section 3 of the School Inspections Act 1996, which gives Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools the authority to cause any school to be inspected. The inspection was also deemed a section 10 inspection under the same Act.

p.7

What the school should do to improve further

Twenty seven parts of lessons, one assembly and four registration sessions were inspected. The pupils’ conduct was observed around the school and on the playground at break and lunchtimes, and samples of their work were inspected. Discussions were held with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, the science co-ordinator, the chair of governors, representatives from the LEA and the diocese, and informally with other staff. A wide range of the school’s documentation was scrutinised. Account was taken of the evidence from previous monitoring inspections.

p.7

What the school should do to improve further

The inspection assessed the quality of education provided and the progress the school has made, in particular in relation to the main findings and key issues in the inspection report of May 2000 and the action plan prepared by the governing body to address those key issues. procedures set out in the leaflet 'Complaining about HMI-led Ofsted inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

p.7

What the school should do to improve further

part, for non-commercial purposes, provided the source and the date are acknowledged.

p.8