Drayton Green Primary School

Inspection Report Drayton Green Primary School

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101881 Unique Reference Number Ealing Local Authority 286205 Inspection number 6 °7 December 2006 Inspection dates Kathryn Taylor 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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Drayton Grove School address Primary Type of school West Ealing Community School category London W13 0LA 3 °11 Age range of pupils 02089972307 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 02085668738 Fax number 230 Number on roll (school) Mr Neil Palfreyman Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Miss Kathryn Crawford (Acting) Headteacher

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17 June 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 286205 6 °7 December 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is an average sized school which admits pupils from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds. The largest groups are White, Black African and pupils from a range of European Union countries. A high proportion of pupils are from homes where English is not the first language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties, disabilities and statements of special educational need, is well above average when pupils in the two specialist units are included. Free school meals entitlement is well above average. Staff and pupil mobility are high, but the school has a core of permanent staff. At the time of the inspection the headteacher was seconded to another school and the deputy headteacher was acting headteacher.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Drayton Green Primary School, 6 °7 December 2006

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory standard of education. Pupils' personal development is promoted well through the teaching, good standards of pastoral care, and pupils' involvement in community events and making decisions about the school. As a result, pupils are happy to come to school, get on well together and their behaviour and social skills improve well. The school works very well with parents, helps them to get involved and to support their children's education. As one parent put it, 'The school has always been very welcoming, has encouraged me to be involved, to join the PTA and to attend classes for parents.' Parents are mostly supportive of the school. A small minority fail to ensure that their children attend regularly and arrive on time, which has a negative impact on their children's progress. Parents have positive views of the school. They recognise how much behaviour has improved, but a few would like to see it improve

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Grade: 3

further. Inspectors found that most pupils behave well. The behaviour of a few pupils, some with specific behavioural difficulties, is sometimes unacceptable but the school deals effectively with them. Nursery and Reception provision is satisfactory. Children settle into school quickly. They make satisfactory progress overall and good progress in their personal development and in communication language and literacy. Standards at the end of Year 2 have been improving steadily in recent years because of consistent teaching, and are now broadly average. Achievement is satisfactory, but overall standards at the end of Year 6 are exceptionally low. Standards here are affected by an above average proportion of pupils with a significant level of special educational need, and by high pupil mobility. A few pupils who join the school late also have limited experience of schooling in this country. The school provides a lot of small group support for pupils to help them to acquire basic

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Grade: 3

reading and writing skills. Pupils therefore make good progress in English from a low starting point, and standards in this subject are broadly average by the time they leave. Pupils make satisfactory progress in mathematics and science, but standards at the end of Year 6 are exceptionally low because of weaknesses in pupils' skills in problem solving and quick recall of number facts. Furthermore, some pupils have difficulty in understanding mathematical and scientific vocabulary, which limits their skills in interpreting questions and recording answers to written problems and the results of scientific experiments. The lack of consistent subject leadership in science and mathematics has also hampered the school's efforts to improve standards in these subjects. Pupils learning English as an additional language make good progress. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, including those in the specialist units, make good

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Grade: 3

progress towards their personal targets. This is because they receive well-directed support, their progress is reviewed regularly and provision is well led and managed. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Despite the school's best efforts there is a high turnover of staff and the school experiences difficulty in attracting experienced teachers and those trained in this country. Therefore senior leaders have had to play 2 Inspection Report: Drayton Green Primary School, 6 °7 December 2006 a key role in securing improvement and ensuring the school runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis. In partnership with the local authority, they work hard each year to induct, support and develop new teachers. They have established clear policies and procedures that help minimise the impact of staff changes. While teaching and learning are mostly satisfactory there are weaknesses in mathematics and science teaching. In

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Grade: 3

addition, other aspects of teaching need improving. Tasks are not always matched well enough to all ability groups, and teachers do not provide consistent feedback to pupils about what they need to do to improve.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve pupils' attainment in mathematics and science, especially their understanding of vocabulary and their skills in mental mathematics and problem solving. • Work with parents to ensure that their children attend school more regularly and arrive on time. • Strengthen the teaching and subject leadership in mathematics and science. • Ensure that teachers' planning meets the needs of all ability groups, and that pupils consistently receive clear guidance about how they might improve their work.

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Grade: 3

Although standards at the end of Year 6 are exceptionally low in mathematics and science and broadly average in English, pupils make satisfactory progress overall and good progress in English. There are substantial barriers to learning in this part of the school including high mobility of staff and pupils, a high proportion with learning difficulties and low level language skills which affect overall performance in national tests. In addition weaknesses in teaching and learning in Key Stage 2 have been a contributory factor. The school sets appropriately challenging targets for pupils in Year 6. These are not always met, due to the movement of pupils in and out of the school during Year 6. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 make satisfactory progress in mathematics and good progress in English, from a low starting point on entry to school. Standards at the end of Year 2 have risen steadily in recent years and are broadly average in reading and

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Grade: 3

mathematics. Writing standards have been low in previous years, but in the current Year 2 class they are improving fast, and are on course to be close to the national average. This is a result of well-focussed teaching, and because very clear and consistent feedback to pupils is helping them to take responsibility for improving their work and learning. 3 Inspection Report: Drayton Green Primary School, 6 °7 December 2006

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are good. Pupils also make good progress in this regard. They are confident, friendly, polite and helpful. As they get older pupils develop good levels of maturity and independence. In lessons pupils are attentive and eager to learn. Behaviour is satisfactory. Pupils with specific behavioural difficulties develop good social skills and get on well with others because they are supported very well to improve. Relationships and racial harmony are very good. Pupils are very appreciative of a range of cultural traditions. Attendance is inadequate. This is because of the poor attendance of a few families, and an increasing number of families new to living in this country taking children out of school to return home to visit relatives. Pupils make a strong contribution to charities, the local community and to helping the school run smoothly. They carry out jobs

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Grade: 2

around the school, such as taking care of one another and by putting forward their ideas about how and where improvements can be made. Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe and healthy. They appreciate the positive changes made to school lunches and good opportunites for sport during and outside of lessons. They say that any rare cases of bullying are quickly resolved.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Tasks are well matched to pupils' prior attainments and staff provide much needed support for pupils and encourage them to work hard and participate. Teaching of pupils new to learning English in withdrawal sessions is also good. Some specialist teaching has been introduced in subjects such as music, information and communication technology, (ICT), and physical education, which is helping to raise standards and increase pupils' enjoyment. Strengths in class teaching include good classroom organisation and preparation, good questioning which gets pupils interested and thinking, and good relationships with pupils, which encourage them to try hard and contribute their ideas. Teachers use ICT well as a teaching and learning tool. Teaching assistants are usually deployed well, and some provide high quality support

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Grade: 3

for pupils. Weaknesses and inconsistencies in teaching include giving insufficient attention to matching work to all ability groups, introducing pupils to new vocabulary and reminding pupils to work towards the learning objectives or personal targets. Teaching and learning in mathematics also has some weaknesses. Local authority consultants have been working with the school to address these. 4 Inspection Report: Drayton Green Primary School, 6 °7 December 2006

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. In the Foundation Stage there is a satisfactory balance between teacher-led activities and independent learning. Improvements to the overall curriculum, including effectively linking subjects together, have been restricted due to problems in appointing subject leaders. Nevertheless visits, visitors and after school activities have increased and these enhance the provision and pupils' enjoyment. Improved facilities, such as setting up the art, cookery, science, music and ICT rooms are enabling the curriculum to be taught more effectively and are beginning to have a positive impact on learning. Good sporting provision has increased pupil participation in exercise and has also resulted in the school gaining a national award. Personal and social education is planned well, promoting improved behaviour and self-confidence. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, including that in the

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Grade: 3

specialist units, is good. Newly arrived pupils who speak limited English receive good support, based on a thorough assessment of their needs.

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Grade: 3

Pastoral care and support are good, but because of inconsistencies in academic guidance, care, guidance and support are judged satisfactory overall. Parents and carers are happy that their children settle into school quickly, feel safe and secure in school and enjoy being there. Pupils are valued and well known to staff. They are clear about to whom they can turn for help. Their views are regularly sought and acted upon. Vulnerable pupils are supported particularly well because the school makes very good use of links with parents, carers and external agencies. Pupils appreciate the breakfast and after school provision. All arrangements for health and safety and minimising risks are in place. Regular assessments ensure teachers have sound knowledge of pupils' progress. Some, but not all teachers monitor pupils' work rigorously and provide good feedback to pupils.

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Grade: 3

Leadership, management and governance are satisfactory providing the school with a satisfactory capacity to improve. Despite high staff turnover, the headteacher and senior managers have been successful in making improvements since the last inspection, especially increasing pupils' progress in English and improving stanadrds at the end of Year 2. They have maintained the school's caring, welcoming ethos, developed good links with parents and ensured that pupils' personal needs continue to be well met. Senior managers have an accurate understanding of the main strengths and weaknesses of the school, based on regular analysis of performance data and monitoring of teaching and learning. Management systems are well-established and effective, enabling the new senior leadership team to deal effectively with the recent changes to staff. Some 5 Inspection Report: Drayton Green Primary School, 6 °7 December 2006

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Grade: 3

of the governors, senior leaders and subject leaders are recently appointed. Their roles in monitoring and improving provision are still developing. 6 Inspection Report: Drayton Green Primary School, 6 °7 December 2006 .

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Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 Inspection Report: Drayton Green Primary School, 6 °7 December 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? 3 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 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

3 How well do learners achieve? 4 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 3 The behaviour of learners 4 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 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?

3 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. 8 Inspection Report: Drayton Green Primary School, 6 °7 December 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? 9 Inspection Report: Drayton Green Primary School, 6 °7 December 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making us so welcome when we visited your school. We really enjoyed meeting you and talking with you. We think your school provides a satisfactory standard of education. Some aspects of the school are good, and there are a few things that could be even better. These are the things we especially liked about Drayton Green Primary School: • the staff work hard to help you to behave well and develop good social skills • you are friendly, confident and polite and pupils from a wide range of backgrounds get on well together • everyone who works in the school makes sure that you settle into school quickly, are safe and well cared for • you make good progress in English and pupils with particular learning needs make good progress towards their personal targets • senior staff have done a lot to improve the accommodation and provide extra activities during and after school. These are the things that need to improve:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• you need to make better progress in mathematics and science • a few children should attend school more regularly and arrive on time • we have asked the school to improve teaching and subject leadership in mathematics and science, and to ensure that teachers match work to all of the ability groups, and give you more guidance about how to improve your work. We feel certain that you will want to help to make your school even better. You can help by working hard to improve your skills in mathematics and science. With very best wishes for your future education, Yours truly, Kathryn Taylor Lead Inspector 10 Inspection Report: Drayton Green Primary School, 6 °7 December 2006

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