Oldfield Primary School

Inspection Report Oldfield Primary School

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101869 Unique Reference Number Ealing Local Authority 286200 Inspection number 28 °29 November 2006 Inspection dates Sue Vale 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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Oldfield Lane North School address Primary Type of school Greenford Community School category UB6 8PR 3 °11 Age range of pupils 02085782507 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 02088130687 Fax number 302 Number on roll (school) Mrs Iman Mujahed Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Elizabeth Day Headteacher 16 September 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 286200 28 °29 November 2006 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Oldfield Primary School is a slightly larger than average primary school in Greenford in the West London Borough of Ealing. On entry into Nursery children's attainment is below what is expected for their age, and well below in language skills. The majority of pupils are from minority ethnic communities and around two thirds are learning English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils leaving and starting at times during the year other than those expected is high. There are high numbers of vulnerable pupils. Approximately a fifth of pupils are identified as having learning difficulties or disabilities, an average proportion. The school has 45 places in each year group so there are mixed age classes in Years1/2 and Years 5/6.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Oldfield Primary School, 28 °29 November 2006

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Grade: 2

Oldfield Primary School is a good school and pupils receive a good education. Central to this is the outstanding leadership by the head teacher. It is her drive and determination which have ensured that pupils achieve well. As one parent says; 'Oldfield represents the traditional warm, safe and encouraging environment where children thrive.' The school's self-evaluation is accurate. Most of the children begin school with lower than expected skills in spoken English. They make good progress in this area of learning in the Nursery and Reception classes due to a well planned early years' curriculum. Despite their good progress, low starting points mean that their attainment is still below average by the time they go into Year 1, because their communication, language and literacy skills remain weak. Most pupils build on this good start although their standards are still below average by the end of Year 2. Consistently good teaching and a good, varied curriculum mean

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Grade: 2

that pupils continue to make good progress as they move through the older classes. They reach average standards by the end of Year 6 in English and science. Standards are below average in mathematics because some pupils find it harder to understand the mathematical vocabulary. The school has rightly identified this as an area for future development. Pupils' behaviour and attitudes are excellent. Skilful classroom management promotes a positive learning ethos. This gives pupils, especially those who start at the school at different times, a strong foundation for the next stage of their education. The personal development and well-being of pupils, along with care and guidance, are outstanding. The school caters for the needs of vulnerable pupils very well. Pupils feel safe and very well cared for. Parents have confidence in the school. As one member of the school council commented, 'It's a good place for making friends and everybody

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Grade: 2

gets along with each other.' All these factors make a significant contribution to pupils' achievement. The school has tackled the issues from the last inspection effectively. Assessment is used better to support pupils' learning. As a result, standards in English and science have risen. Teaching has improved and is consistently of a good standard. Governors make a strong contribution and are fully supportive. The school's good record of improvement shows that its capacity to improve further is good.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in mathematics, particularly by increasing pupils' understanding of mathematical vocabulary. 2 Inspection Report: Oldfield Primary School, 28 °29 November 2006

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good. Children start in Nursery with spoken English that is well below what is expected for their age. The school provides good targeted support for all pupils and this results in them making good progress as they move through the school. By the time they leave, most achieve average standards overall. The majority of children in the Foundation Stage are new to learning English. Their needs are diagnosed early, and they are given careful targeted support to enable them to do as well as they can. As a result, they make good progress in each of the expected areas of learning. In Years 1 and 2 pupils continue to receive good support and make good progress, although their attainment remains below average in English and mathematics. By the time pupils reach the end of Year 6, they have made good progress and achieved well, particularly in English. Standards in reading and writing are above the national

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Grade: 2

average. Standards are average in science but below average in mathematics because pupils have difficulty in understanding mathematical vocabulary. The efforts by the school to raise standards of higher attaining pupils have been successful as there are greater numbers gaining higher levels in English and science. Overall, pupils meet challenging targets and make good progress throughout their time at school.

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Grade: 1

The personal development and well-being of pupils are outstanding. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. They consider the needs of others and think about the world around them. Their enjoyment of school is clear from their excellent, attentive behaviour in class. Attendance is satisfactory. In the Foundation Stage, teachers and assistants provide exciting and enjoyable tasks, during which children learn to get on well together. In turn they are considerate to one another and take care to make sure that no one feels left out. They feel safe and know that there is an adult to turn to if they have a problem. They value the quick response of teachers to their concerns expressed in the 'telling box'. This makes them feel valued. Pupils appreciate the way the school encourages them to lead a healthy lifestyle. They show an excellent commitment to the school community through the school council and are

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Grade: 1

well prepared for 'workplace' skills when applying to become a playground 'buddy'. They make an effective contribution to the outside community by celebrating each other's cultures and raising money for good causes. 3 Inspection Report: Oldfield Primary School, 28 °29 November 2006

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Grade: 2

The overall quality of teaching and learning is good. Pupils make good progress because teachers challenge them with interesting and demanding work. In the Foundation Stage they learn well, because they are given stimulating tasks to give them a good start in literacy and numeracy. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make good progress because their needs are effectively diagnosed and supported. Higher-attaining pupils are effectively challenged with work designed to stretch them and this results in more pupils achieving the higher levels. Pupils learn well because their behaviour in class is well managed. Sometimes, however, they are expected to sit quietly on the carpet for too long without learning through activity. Pupils make good progress, because they know what they need to do to improve and because their targets are shared with their parents and carers. Teaching assistants and those who

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Grade: 2

support pupils for whom English is an additional language help ensure that all make good progress.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. It is suitably enriched and enhances the personal development of all pupils. This has a positive effect on the progress pupils make. There is an appropriate emphasis on literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology and this gives pupils the skills they need for their future schooling. They are given the opportunity to benefit from extra activities in sport, music and the arts. There are regular visits to places of interest, with residential visits for older pupils, and these contribute to pupils' enjoyment of learning. Good links with educational and welfare agencies, charity work and frequent visitors to the school make pupils feel that their school is part of the wider community. The breadth of experience offered by the school is increased by whole school initiatives, such as the international week, the culture club and the Year 6 French cafand;eacute;.

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Grade: 1

Care, guidance and support are outstanding. The school has a higher than average number of vulnerable pupils and those with specific care needs and they receive excellent pastoral care. The headteacher is very knowledgeable and keeps others well informed about the relevant issues so that support is very well organised. The school is vigilant about heath and safety matters and the relevant procedures are firmly in place, including child protection and risk assessments. Older pupils are pleased to help younger pupils. Those pupils who have special educational, or language needs receive effective support from adults and make as good progress as others. The school effectively promotes the development of safe and healthy living styles. Academic 4 Inspection Report: Oldfield Primary School, 28 °29 November 2006 guidance through tracking of individual pupils' progress and target-setting is good. Pupils are involved in setting their own pastoral targets for improvement, and this has

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good and have led to the good provision, outstanding personal development and good achievement. Leadership by the headteacher is outstanding. It is her clear vision, drive and determination that has successfully developed the strong sense of team work throughout the school. There are very good procedures in place for the day-to-day management. The school's evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses is accurate. A clear vision by the leadership team ensures that the school is rightly focused on the way forward for the best interests of the pupils. The school has adapted well to the changing needs of its pupils and has initiated strategies that fully support the raising of standards and achievement. The school improvement plan is relevant and clearly identifies areas for development. The governing body is supportive of the drive to raise standards and are clear in their understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They ask relevant and

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Grade: 2

pertinent questions, and successfully act as a critical friend. 5 Inspection Report: Oldfield Primary School, 28 °29 November 2006 .

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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: Oldfield Primary School, 28 °29 November 2006

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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?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 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?

1 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: Oldfield Primary School, 28 °29 November 2006

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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: Oldfield Primary School, 28 °29 November 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making us welcome when we came to visit your school. We agree with you that Oldfield Primary School is a good school.There are lots of things which you do well. • You work hard and make good progress. • You are kind to each other and look after children who need help. • Your teachers plan good lessons for you and help you to make good progress in your learning. • Your headteacher leads and manages your school very well. • Your school looks after you and cares for you to a very high standard. • The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development in your school is excellent. In order to make your school even better, we have asked the teachers to help you all to improve your work in mathematics. Regards, Sue Vale Lead Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Oldfield Primary School, 28 °29 November 2006

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