Northview Junior and Infant School

Inspection Report Northview Junior and Infant School

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101508 Unique Reference Number Brent Local Authority 286088 Inspection number 15 February 2007 Inspection date Keith Williams Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Northview Crescent School address Primary Type of school London Community School category NW10 1RD 3 °11 Age range of pupils 020 8450 7982 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 020 8452 0817 Fax number 238 Number on roll (school) Mr Tony Lezard Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Judy Keen Headteacher 20 January 2003 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 286088 15 February 2007 3 °11 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

The pupils at this average size primary school are from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, with those of Black African and Caribbean heritage forming the largest groups. More pupils than usual are at an early stage of learning English. The most common home languages represented are Arabic, Somali and Urdu. The school serves an area containing significant deprivation and an above average proportion of pupils are eligible for free school meals. An above average percentage join or leave the school at other than the usual times and more pupils than usual have been identified with learning difficulties. The school has Healthy School status and the Quality Mark for literacy and numeracy.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Northview Junior and Infant School, 15 February 2007

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Grade: 2

Northview is a good school. A combination of good leadership, teaching and care ensure that pupils make good progress in their academic and personal development. Taking account of their starting points, they achieve well to reach broadly average standards. Most parents are supportive, one commenting, 'I have nothing but praise for the school.' Pupils' arrive at school with skills that, overall, are below average. In addition, many pupils are new to learning English. Children get off to a good start in the Foundation Stage. Good teaching and planning, together with the careful assessment of their learning and personal needs, mean that most children achieve well to reach the goals expected of them by the end of Reception. The school is rightly focused on improving the relatively weak outdoor provision for these children and plans are well in hand. National test results for pupils in Year 2 have been significantly below average in

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Grade: 2

recent years. Standards are rising because newly established systems for tracking pupils' progress are ensuring that a closer check is kept on their learning and are raising expectations of their potential. As a result, pupils in Years 1 and 2 now make good progress. The information from assessments is used well to provide support for those pupils at risk of not reaching the expected levels. This information is not yet used sufficiently to identify potentially high achieving pupils and set them challenging targets. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 achieve well and standards are broadly average. Across the school, good support for pupils at an early stage of learning English means that they, too, make good progress. The headteacher, staff and governors are clearly focused on ensuring that pupils are able to learn in a safe and supportive environment. Senior staff monitor the quality of teaching and identify aspects needing improvement. In this way, inconsistencies

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Grade: 2

are ironed out and, as a result, pupils benefit from consistently good teaching. The school leaders' track record shows that they have good capacity to secure further improvement. They have an accurate view of the school's effectiveness, but recognise that the impact of teaching on pupils' learning is not always evaluated sufficiently. Pupils are appreciative of the help and support they get and report that they feel safe in school. This adds to their good levels of enjoyment and they respond by behaving excellently and playing and working extremely sensibly. Relationships amongst pupils, and with the adults in school, are positive. Consequently, the school is calm and orderly, lessons run smoothly and pupils are keen to contribute. Pupils are proud of their contribution to the life of the school through, for example, their influential school council. They are well prepared for their lives as future citizens.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the use of monitoring and assessment to set challenging targets for more able pupils, particularly in Key Stage 1. • Improve outdoor provision in the Foundation Stage. 2 Inspection Report: Northview Junior and Infant School, 15 February 2007

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Grade: 2

Pupils start school with wide ranging skills that, taken overall, are below those typically found. Most pupils are socially well adjusted, but many have weaknesses in creative areas of learning. Good provision in the Foundation Stage means that most children reach the expected levels at the end of Reception. Pupils in Key Stage 1 are making good progress, and standards are rising, because of improvements to the way their progress is tracked, and raised expectations of their capabilities. The early assessment of pupils' needs ensures that support is well placed to assist those with learning difficulties, pupils new to learning English and any pupils at risk of underachieving. The use of assessment information to identify potentially higher achieving pupils is less well developed, particularly amongst those in Key Stage 1. Consequently, too little account is taken of these pupils' starting points as they enter Year 1 to enable

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Grade: 2

challenging targets to be set for them. National test results for pupils in Year 6 have fluctuated in recent years due, largely, to differences in the make-up of each cohort. Taken overall, the results represent broadly average standards, a good level of achievement for those pupils. In 2006, the proportion reaching the higher Level 5 in English was above average. Across the school, pupils with learning difficulties and those at an early stage of English acquisition achieve as well as their classmates.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are good. This has a positive impact on their learning because they enjoy coming to school and make the most of their opportunities. Attendance rates are about average and the school is right to continue to work with parents to improve this. Pupils feel very safe, and say that rare incidents of bullying are dealt with swiftly and effectively. They have a good sense of right and wrong and their behaviour is excellent. Pupils have a good understanding of how to live healthily and they thoroughly enjoy playing energetically. They celebrate a wide range of religious festivals and show respect for, and value, the beliefs of others. Pupils make a good contribution to the school and wider community, including fund-raising for those less fortunate than themselves. The school council is influential and they are proud of their

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Grade: 2

contribution to instigating, for example, anti-bullying posters. Pupils' good progress in the basic skills prepares them well for later life.

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Grade: 2

Good teaching and learning ensure that pupils make good progress. Teachers plan well for pupils' differing needs. They provide interesting activities, often using 3 Inspection Report: Northview Junior and Infant School, 15 February 2007 interactive whiteboards, that capture pupils' attention and motivate them to do well. There are good opportunities for pupils to discuss their work and astute questioning helps teachers to check on their understanding. Pupils are increasingly involved in assessing their own work. Expectations are high across the school and this is contributing to pupils' accelerating progress in Key Stage 1, although more remains to be done to set challenging targets for more able pupils. Inconsistencies in marking, identified in the last inspection, have been tackled. Good quality marking now gives pupils a good understanding of how well they are doing and a clear picture of what they need to improve. The capable teaching assistants form an effective team with

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Grade: 2

teachers and play a significant part in contributing to pupils' learning, especially for those with learning difficulties and pupils at an early stage of learning English.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum has improved since the last inspection and is good overall. There is a good emphasis on promoting pupils' personal development. Weaknesses in the breadth and balance of subjects for pupils in Key Stage 2 have been tackled. This contributes to pupils' enjoyment and progress. The school ensures that all pupils are fully included in its activities. Good use of national intervention strategies provides a boost for those pupils who need extra help. The recently introduced 'brain academy' helps to extend pupils' mathematical development. Planning for children in the Foundation Stage covers all of the areas of learning, including regular access to outdoor areas. While the space available for these activities has improved, these facilities and the way they are used do not match other aspects of the good provision for these children. The school is right to place a high priority on securing further improvement and plans are

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Grade: 2

well in hand. The curriculum is enhanced by a good range of popular extra-curricular and enrichment activities. The school is eager for parents to see it as a source of their own learning, too, and many attend a range of adult learning opportunities.

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Grade: 2

The school places a high priority on providing good care, support and guidance for its pupils and does so effectively. There are thorough procedures for vetting staff, protecting those who are vulnerable and ensuring pupils' health and safety. One parent commented, 'The teachers really care. Children are treated as individuals and not as a number.' Systems for assessing potential risks are being extended to curriculum activities. Well-organised support for pupils with learning difficulties is targeted well on their particular needs. Effective links with outside agencies support this provision. Good use is made of bilingual staff and, occasionally, parent volunteers, to ensure that pupils learning English as an additional language have good access to the curriculum. Pupils appreciate the help they get from teachers, one saying, 'They do everything to help us and grant our wishes.' Improved marking means that pupils have

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Grade: 2

a clearer understanding of how they can improve their work. New tracking systems are well used to provide clear targets for literacy and numeracy, although they are not 4 Inspection Report: Northview Junior and Infant School, 15 February 2007 yet used to ensure that more able pupils reach the levels of which they are capable, particularly in Key Stage 1.

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Grade: 2

Good leadership and management have a positive impact on pupils' all-round development. The headteacher, well supported by the deputy headteacher, senior staff and governors places a high priority on ensuring that all pupils are valued whatever their background or ability. Staff work effectively as a team and share the headteacher's vision for school improvement. The leaders have an accurate view of the school's effectiveness and what needs to be done to improve. A close check is kept on teaching, and weaknesses, such as the marking of pupils' work, are tackled systematically. The leaders recognise the need to focus their evaluations more on the impact of teaching on pupils' learning. Recent improvements in the way that pupils' academic progress is tracked are contributing to the rising standards in Key Stage 1, although more remains to be done to ensure that more able pupils are identified and set challenging

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Grade: 2

targets. Improved leadership of core subjects is contributing to pupils' good progress. Governors have a good understanding of their strategic role and have good arrangements for gathering first-hand information about the school's performance. Finances are well managed. 5 Inspection Report: Northview Junior and Infant School, 15 February 2007 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Northview Junior and Infant School, 15 February 2007

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Northview Junior and Infant School, 15 February 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Northview Junior and Infant School, 15 February 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for the friendly way you welcomed me to your school when I visited recently. Many of you spoke to me and you gave me lots of helpful information. This letter is to tell you what I found out. I agree with you, your teachers and most of your parents that yours is a good school with a good headteacher and teachers. They work hard to make sure that you are safe and able to learn. You told me that you enjoy school and, watching you in lessons, I can see that you work hard and try to do your best. One of the reasons why you learn well is because you are interested in your work and eager to learn. Keep it up! I was very pleased to see how well you get on together in lessons and at playtime. You work and play very sensibly and your behaviour is excellent. This makes your school a very pleasant place to be. I know how much you enjoy the games equipment at playtime. Your teachers have plans to improve the outside areas in Nursery

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

and Reception and I agree that this is a very important thing to do. I was pleased to see that many of you do extra jobs to help the school run smoothly and a special thank you goes to the school council. You are right to be proud of your work and I can see that you make a difference. The staff take good care of you and want you to do your best. Your teachers keep a close check on how you getting on and make sure that those of you who have difficulty learning, and those of you new to English, get the extra help that you need. I have asked them to make sure that those of you who find learning easier, especially those of you in Years 1 and 2, are also given extra targets to stretch you. Your headteacher and staff know what they have to do to help your school to get even better. I am sure that you will do your bit by carrying on working hard and behaving very well and I wish you good luck for the future.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Yours sincerely Keith WilliamsLead inspector 9 Inspection Report: Northview Junior and Infant School, 15 February 2007

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