North Primary School

101884 Unique Reference Number Ealing Local Authority 286206 Inspection number 20 November 2006 Inspection date Nicola Davies 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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Meadow Road School address Primary Type of school Southall Community School category UB1 2JE 4 °11 Age range of pupils 02085717749 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 02085740629 Fax number 440 Number on roll (school) Mr Sukhvinder Hothi Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Jasminder Grewal Headteacher 10 March 2003 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 286206 20 November 2006 4 °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

This is a large primary school, whose intake reflects changes in the local area. Whilst a majority of pupils are of Indian heritage, pupils are from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. Most pupils are bilingual and a third is at early stages of learning English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is twice the national average. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is low.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: North Primary School, 20 November 2006

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Grade: 1

North Primary is an outstanding school which offers a caring learning environment which is both stimulating and secure. The outstanding leadership of the highly respected headteacher is underpinned by excellent teamwork between pupils, parents, governors and staff, all of whom have been key elements in creating and maintaining the school's success. Pupils love coming to school where they thrive physically, linguistically, intellectually, and socially. Their outstanding personal development is supported by similarly excellent levels of care, guidance and support. As governors explain 'We don't just deliver the curriculum, we nurture future citizens'. As a result, this highly successful and over-subscribed school acts as 'the hub of local community' and is wholeheartedly supported by its parents who value both the high academic standards and the way their children's confidence and abilities in all areas are developed

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Grade: 1

and sustained. Key to the outstanding teaching and learning throughout the school is a shared understanding between pupils, parents and staff that 'every lesson counts'. This is the principal reason why pupils enjoy their learning so much, attend so regularly and do so well from the outstanding Foundation Stage onwards. Although pupils' skills are below average on entry to the reception classes, by the time they leave in Year 6, standards in English, mathematics and science are exceptionally high. Very few pupils fail to reach the expected levels and almost half exceed them. This represents excellent progress and attainment overall is outstanding. The school maintains these high standards through its excellent leadership and management and outstanding curriculum. All staff take responsibility for not only maintaining and improving their own teaching but also for enhancing the teaching and learning of others. This happens through joint planning and teaching, learning

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Grade: 1

from each other through observations, talking to pupils and looking at their work and by ensuring that new ideas are shared. As a result, the school's self evaluation is searching and ideas for further improvement are very thoroughly researched and implemented. For example, the school has identified a need to enhance the outdoor curriculum which the youngest children encounter and is pursuing this through its excellent links with specialists and other schools to learn from the very best examples. This approach to improving the school does not stop at teaching staff. Governors, parents and pupils are equally involved. At a recent meeting, parents were invited to 'have a go' at some of the writing tasks their children undertake so that they could appreciate just what is expected of their children and understand how they can help. Similarly, pupils are already planning how they can enhance the quiet area of the

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Grade: 1

playground and are hosting a pupils' competition for the design of a new mural. The continual drive for excellence in every area coupled with the highest of expectations is why the school has outstanding capacity to improve even further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Enhance the outdoor curriculum in the Foundation Stage 2 Inspection Report: North Primary School, 20 November 2006

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Grade: 1

Children make an excellent start to their education in the Reception classes. Staff have created a secure environment where children enjoy learning through both stimulating play activities and structured teaching. They are very well supported by bilingual staff who ensure that children build on their understanding in their first languages at the same time as they are developing fluency in English. As a result, although children enter with a wide range of experiences and skills, they all flourish and make very good progress. Pupils continue their outstanding progress throughout the school. Although results in the most recent national tests at the end of Year 6 dipped slightly in English, they remain exceptionally high in mathematics and science. The school's very thorough tracking ensures that these results, as in preceding years, represent excellent progress both for individual pupils and groups of pupils, such as those who are at early stages

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development and well being, including their social, moral, spiritual and cultural development, are outstanding. Pupils enjoy school enormously and attendance is well above average, reflecting the commitment of both parents and pupils. The sense of the school as a community helping itself is strong. For example, Year 5 pupils have filmed 'A Day in Reception' to provide parents of new entrants to the Reception class with a real glimpse into the exciting experiences their children will have. Pupils are regularly and enthusiastically involved in physical exercise and their understanding of a healthy diet is enhanced by a range of innovative activities such as being 'adopted' by a chef. As a result, they are well aware of the need to eat healthily and the take up of healthy school lunches is high. Racism and bullying are not tolerated and pupils have developed their own mission statements and code of conduct. Pupils have a good awareness of safety issues although

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Grade: 1

the school has identified that, as yet, not all demonstrate an outstanding regard for the well being of others. Pupils make the most of very good opportunities to voice their opinions. For example, they have taken responsibility for local issues through campaigning very successfully for a cleaner environment around the school. This develops their understanding of citizenship as well as their own leadership skills and responsibilities. Their very well developed personal qualities combined with their very high academic standards prepare them well for their future lives. 3 Inspection Report: North Primary School, 20 November 2006

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Grade: 1

Teaching and learning are outstanding. Lessons enthuse and inspire pupils to work hard and always do their best. This begins in the Reception classes where pupils are rewarded with a 'challenge sticker' if they tackle one of the harder activities during their free choice sessions and continues on through the whole school. This effective focus on adding just the right amount of challenge for each pupil, combined with teachers' enthusiasm and skill, means that lessons are exciting, interesting and fun. Teachers jointly plan a wide range of stimulating topics and activities which are very well matched to what pupils need to learn next. The excellent professional relationships between teachers and other highly skilled adults, who provide support for particular groups of pupils, ensure that the needs of pupils are very well met, both within classes and through extra programmes.

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Grade: 1

The outstanding curriculum enthuses and informs pupils during their time at the school. Science experiments, sewing, physical education, art and music are just some of the activities which pupils commented on enthusiastically during the inspection. The curriculum includes a strong emphasis on both personal development and learning creatively through experience. The school regularly takes children on activity days to local museums, art galleries, activity centres as well as inviting experts and artists into school. The impact of this work can be seen in the fine displays of pupils' creative work which line the many corridors of this school, or by listening to their musical performances. English and mathematics lessons are very well planned to develop the speaking, listening and thinking skills of pupils which further enhances learning for the school's bilingual learners. Although there are good opportunities for all pupils to

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Grade: 1

use information and communication technology in their work, further work is planned in this area to ensure that this too becomes outstanding. For example, plans are underway for pupils to make even more use of digital cameras in their work.

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Grade: 1

The care, guidance and support of pupils are outstanding. The school takes very good care to ensure that all pupils develop the self esteem and confidence which helps them to succeed and caters very well for the wide range of needs of pupils. These needs not only encompass pupils who are more vulnerable, such as those whose families have fled persecution in other countries, but also pupils who are particularly gifted and talented. The school's own specialist staff, combined with excellent links with specialist agencies and charities, ensure that all pupils get the support they need. For example, pupils with particular needs or talents are encouraged to attend additional clubs or 4 Inspection Report: North Primary School, 20 November 2006 activities which closely meet their interests and learning or emotional needs. All pupils, including those with particular learning difficulties or disabilities have individual targets

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Grade: 1

which they know and understand and which are carefully shared with both pupils and parents.

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Grade: 1

The school has gone from strength to strength under the outstanding leadership of the headteacher with the excellent support of governors who continually challenge the school to perform even better. Governors carry out their responsibilities extremely well, including ensuring that this 150 year old school provides a first class environment for its pupils. Similarly, managers and teachers with responsibility for different areas shrewdly identify where performance could be improved and take responsibility for ensuring that this becomes a reality. All those involved with the school share high expectations of pupils and of themselves and play a crucial part in its continued success. 5 Inspection Report: North Primary School, 20 November 2006 .

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Grade: 1

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: North Primary School, 20 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? 1 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 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

1 How well do learners achieve? 1 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 1 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 1 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 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: North Primary School, 20 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: North Primary School, 20 November 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

I really enjoyed meeting and talking to many of you when I visited the school recently. It was a real pleasure to see your school and to watch you at work and play. I think I was able to see all of your classes, if only for a short time, but I was sorry that I couldn't stay longer to see more of the exciting things you do. Thank you so much for telling me all about your school and the things you are proud of. Some of you may remember that when I visited your Key Stage 2 assembly with Mr Hothi, your headteacher was telling you about a newspaper article called 'A life without limits'. After visiting your school, I judged that you all get an education 'without limits'. This means that everyone in your school helps each of you to do as well as you can because no-one sets limits on what you can achieve. This is the reason why you enjoy your school so much and do so well. I judged everything that the school does to be outstanding. This includes all of the things you told me

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

about your teachers, your lessons, all the clubs and activities you do, the way that the school takes care of you and of course all the people who run the school. You should be proud of yourselves too, because, like all of the adults at your school and your parents, you play a part in this too. There are always things that could be even better. Your school council told me about some of their plans to improve the school. Your teachers told me that they would like the youngest children to have even more outdoor opportunities so I have asked them to arrange that. Your teachers also told me they would like more space for you all to play too but I'm afraid I can't help with that. Thank you again for welcoming me and congratulations on your success. With very best wishes Nicola Davies Lead inspector 9 Inspection Report: North Primary School, 20 November 2006

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