Durdans Park Primary School

Inspection Report Durdans Park Primary School

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101896 Unique Reference Number Ealing Local Authority 286210 Inspection number 23 °24 January 2007 Inspection dates Pritiben Patel 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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King George's Drive School address Primary Type of school off Lady Margaret Road Community School category Southall UB1 2PQ 3 °11 Age range of pupils 020 8578 6918 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 020 8575 6826 Fax number 502 Number on roll (school) Mrs S Proud Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mr C Duhig Headteacher 2 October 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 286210 23 °24 January 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Durdans Park Primary School is a large school. The majority of pupils are of Indian heritage. Others are of Pakistani and Black African heritage with a small percentage of pupils from White British backgrounds. The percentage of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, and those whose first language is not believed to be English, is significantly above average. Sixty-four pupils are at an early stage of learning English. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals and the proportion who leave or join the school part way through their education are also above average. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, including those with statements of special educational need, is below the national average. The headteacher has been in post since September 2006. The school has Healthy Schools status.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Durdans Park Primary School, 23 °24 January 2007

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Grade: 4

In accordance with section 13 (3) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that the school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than in all the circumstances it could reasonably be expected to perform. The school is therefore given a Notice to Improve. Significant improvement is required in relation to accelerating pupils' achievement and raising standards at Key Stage 2. The school's overall effectiveness is therefore inadequate. Consequently, value for money is unsatisfactory. The school has faced many challenges in recent years and the legacy of underachievement and low standards is a result of a period of high staff turnover and inconsistencies in teaching. In addition, the school was without a substantive headteacher for two years. The new headteacher is working effectively and successfully with the local authority (LA) to secure improvements. Even so, the school's overall

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Grade: 4

effectiveness remains inadequate because the school's performance in the national tests has declined in recent years. This culminated, in 2006, in results that were significantly below average for pupils in Year 6. Taking account of pupils' starting points, these results, and those of 2005, represented inadequate achievement, amongst the lowest five per cent found nationally. This also means that pupils are not satisfactorily prepared for going to their secondary school. Children in the Foundation Stage make satisfactory progress, although few reach the goals expected of them by the end of Reception. Pupils continue to make satisfactory progress in Key Stage 1 and standards are broadly average. The headteacher and local authority have put measures in place to check on and improve teaching and learning, particularly the assessment of pupils' work and lesson planning. As a result, pupils' progress is now beginning to improve. The school is

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Grade: 4

beginning to move forward in a positive direction and this, together with the school leaders' clear understanding of what needs to be done, shows that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvements. Parents appreciate the improving picture, one stating, 'It is nice to have a full time dedicated headteacher'. Improvements to teaching and learning mean that they are satisfactory overall. However, inconsistencies remain, which mean that pupils' do not progress as well as they should, particularly in English, mathematics and science at Key Stage 2. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory with some good features, so pupils make satisfactory progress. The school is working towards meeting the diverse needs of its pupils and addressing the significant underachievement of more able pupils' as well as pupils of Black African, Indian and White British heritage. Pupils' personal development is satisfactory. They feel safe at school and have some

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Grade: 4

understanding about how to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Pupils participate in extra-curricular activities and make a positive contribution to the school and wider community through charity events. Pupils of all backgrounds and abilities feel valued here and enjoy coming to school. Although attendance is below average, the school is doing all it can to address this. The curriculum and care, guidance and support are 2 Inspection Report: Durdans Park Primary School, 23 °24 January 2007 satisfactory. The school has rightly identified the need to develop information and communication technology (ICT) provision across the school, recognising that both curriculum planning and the assessment of pupil progress is currently underdeveloped. Pupils' ICT skills are satisfactory.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in English, mathematics and science at Key Stage 2. • Ensure that teaching and learning are consistently good or better throughout the school. • Further develop curriculum planning and the assessment of pupil progress in ICT.

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Grade: 4

Standards are below average and, taking account of their starting points, pupils' achievement is inadequate. There is, however, some variation across the school. Children in the Foundation Stage make satisfactory progress because teaching is satisfactory and is sometimes good. The results of national tests, for pupils in Years 2 and 6, show that standards have been falling in recent years. In 2006, the results improved in Year 2, reflecting broadly average standards and satisfactory achievement. Results in Year 6 have fluctuated, although the overall trend is downwards. In 2006, the results were significantly below average and were amongst the lowest five per cent nationally when pupils' starting points are considered. Although teaching has improved and is now satisfactory, a legacy of inconsistent teaching means that pupils in Years 3 to 6 have not yet caught up lost ground. As a result, pupils, including those at the early stages

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Grade: 4

of learning English, pupils of Indian heritage and more able pupils make inadequate progress over time. The school has rightly focused on improving the pace of pupils' acquisition of basic literacy skills to raise standards. The school sets appropriately challenging targets for pupils in Year 6, but, too few meet them. Improvements to accelerate pupils' progress are underway and the pace of their learning is improving. However, some interventions are new and have not yet had sufficient time to impact on the achievements of all pupils'.

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Grade: 3

Pupils' personal development and well-being are satisfactory. Pupils enjoy school and respond well to the school's welcoming environment. As one pupil commented, ' I enjoy coming to this school because I like doing my work'. Pupils' behaviour is satisfactory overall and good in some lessons. The school is a harmonious community in which pupils learn to appreciate different faiths. As a result spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory. Currently, attendance is below the national average but is improving due to effective measures put in place by the school. Pupils act sensibly and safely around the school. They have a satisfactory understanding of 3 Inspection Report: Durdans Park Primary School, 23 °24 January 2007 healthy lifestyles. Pupils contribute to the community through activities such as fund raising for charities.

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Grade: 3

Improvements to teaching and learning mean that they are now satisfactory. The headteacher has rightly identified the need to improve teaching as his highest priority and a much closer check is kept on lessons. The better teaching, including some good lessons, occurs in Reception and Key Stage 1. However, there is not yet enough good teaching in Key Stage 2 to ensure that pupils catch up on ground lost in previous years. As a result, improvements are being made that are helping to motivate children to want to learn but many are still not making the progress they should. In the best lessons, pupils know what they are expected to learn and activities are matched to their needs. In a good lesson, pupils were enthused by the teachers' secure command of the subject as well as an appropriate level of challenge in their questioning and the task provided. In lessons that are less effective, pupils are insufficiently engaged and

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Grade: 3

challenged, and they spend too long listening to the teacher.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. Personal, social education and citizenship are strong features and play an important part in helping pupils to become responsible citizens. Specialists are used effectively to teach music and physical education across school. Effective support is provided for the large majority of pupils at the early stages of leaning English. The school has rightly identified ICT as an area for development. Planning is underway but has not yet been fully implemented and ICT is not effectively used to improve pupils' learning in other subjects. Enrichment activities are varied and the school ensures that all pupils are included, whatever their background or ability. Effective use is made of the rich diversity of pupils' backgrounds to enhance provision. Pupils take part in a satisfactory range of extra-curricular activities including clubs and visits out of school.

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Grade: 3

The school provides satisfactory care, guidance and support for its pupils. They feel safe and confident that there is someone to talk to if they have a problem. They say that bullying is rare and any incidents are treated seriously. Child protection and health and safety procedures are in place and any pupils who are at risk are identified and supported. Support for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is satisfactory and outside agencies are effectively involved. The school has made a good start on improving teachers' assessment of pupils' work. Teachers have begun to assess pupils' 4 Inspection Report: Durdans Park Primary School, 23 °24 January 2007 performance and set targets in English and mathematics, but this practice is not yet fully embedded, and the information gained from assessments is not yet consistently applied to match the needs of all learners. More able pupils do not always receive

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Grade: 3

appropriate challenge and, as a result, their progress slows. Teachers' marking, although encouraging, does not always support pupils' understanding of how to improve further.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. At the last inspection there were no key areas for development. However, without consistent leadership, pupils' achievement and standards have declined. The new headteacher is working well to build the capacity of the senior management team and, as a result, the rate of pupils' progress is improving. The staff work increasingly well as a team. The Raising Achievement Plan is helping the school to prioritise its work and pupils' progress is beginning to improve because teachers are more focused on how well pupils are learning and are more accountable for the pupils they teach. However, new initiatives are not yet fully established. Self-evaluation is satisfactory. This ensures that the leaders have a clear understanding of what needs to be done to build on their successes so far. Subject managers are becoming more accountable for the areas that they lead and monitoring

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Grade: 3

of teaching and learning is becoming more effective. However, the school leaders recognise that inconsistencies remain that are adversely affecting pupils' progress. Their recent track record shows that they have the capacity to secure improvement. Governors contribute effectively to the development of the school. 5 Inspection Report: Durdans Park Primary School, 23 °24 January 2007 .

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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. 6 Inspection Report: Durdans Park Primary School, 23 °24 January 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? 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 No Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

4 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 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 3 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 3 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. 7 Inspection Report: Durdans Park Primary School, 23 °24 January 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? Yes Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Durdans Park Primary School, 23 °24 January 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

On behalf of the inspectors I would like to thank you very much for being helpful when we came to visit your school. We enjoyed meeting you, talking to you and looking at all your work. Your school is improving, but it needs to get better quickly. These are some of the things we liked: • You behave well and get on with each other; • there are extra things for you to do that help to make your learning more interesting, • all of the adults in your school make sure that you are safe and are looked after; • Your headteacher and deputy headteacher, the staff and the governors really want to do the best for you. But we think that your school can be better. You can make more progress, especially in English, mathematics and science. We have asked your teachers to make sure that more of your lessons are good ones by giving some of you harder work and making sure that you do not sit and listen for too long. This will mean that you learn things in an interesting way and you will get

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

better results in English, mathematics and science. We think that some of your teachers need to explain how you can improve your work, so that you are clear about what you need to do. You can help by being on your best behaviour and concentrating really hard in your lessons. We also think that the use of computers could be improved in your school. We would like you to use computers more opportunities so that you improve your computer skills. This would also help you to learn in your other subjects. I'm sure that you are ready for this challenge! With best wishes for your future success, Pritiben Patel (Lead inspector) 9 Inspection Report: Durdans Park Primary School, 23 °24 January 2007

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