Oaklands Primary School

Oaklands Primary School Inspection report

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101905 Unique Reference Number Ealing Local Authority 286215 Inspection number 15 June 2007 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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Primary Type of school Community School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 488 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Maurice Jordan Chair Miss Michelle Moore Headteacher 10 March 2003 Date of previous school inspection Oaklands Road School address Hanwell London W7 2DP

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020 8567 5243 Telephone number 020 8840 8036 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 15 June 2007 Inspection date 286215 Inspection number .

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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. A Childcare Inspector carried out an inspection of the day care at the same time.

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Description of the school

This is a large primary school with a Nursery. It also operates an out of school club. Approximately half of the pupils are of White British heritage and half are drawn from a very wide range of minority ethnic heritages. Approximately one third of pupils are bilingual. Around one in ten pupils are at the early stages of learning English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is well above average as is the percentage of pupils identified as having learning difficulties and disabilities. The new headteacher took up her post 7 weeks before the inspection.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Oaklands Primary School, 15 June 2007

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Grade: 2

This popular school provides a good education for its pupils. Parents value the education it provides and speak warmly of its 'approachable staff' and 'happy pupils'. Since the time of the previous inspection, many aspects of the school have been improved. For example, standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 have risen steadily and are now above average. Achievement overall is good. Over the past 18 months, staff have introduced a good system to track pupils' attainment and progress. This is used well to identify the diverse needs and talents of pupils and so provide extra support or challenge. Similarly, teaching and learning are well monitored by senior staff and co-ordinators. This has indicated that, whilst teaching is good overall and leads to good progress, there is some variability. As a result, although most pupils achieve well, there are sometimes inconsistencies between classes and year groups.

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Grade: 2

Children join the Foundation Stage with a very wide range of skills and experiences. A significant proportion has less well developed communication skills in English than is usual for children of their age. A wide range of activities encourages them to make good gains in their learning. These now include regular opportunities for all children, including those in the Reception classes, to learn outdoors. Overall standards on entry to the school are average although children's attainment in early reading and writing is a weaker area. A recent focus on this has been effective, both within the Foundation stage and across Years 1 and 2. Pupils made good progress in their reading and writing this year. The school caters well for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities. This is a strong element of the good quality of care, guidance and support at the school. As a result, pupils' personal development and well being are good. Pupils are proud of their school and enjoy their

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Grade: 2

lessons and varied activities. They have good attitudes to learning and to each other. As they say 'Nearly all the school helps each other'. The many improvements are the result of good leadership and management and show the school's good capacity to improve. Senior staff and teachers have been involved well in making changes and improving the education that the school provides. They know the school well. Although there are good systems to communicate with parents, including a parents' forum, the inspection survey indicated that a very small minority of parents' would like to see the communication improved. The new headteacher already has plans to address this, for example through a 'vision day' with parents to begin the next chapter in the long history of this school.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Make better use of the school's regular monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning to ensure consistency in teaching and pupils' progress • Involve all parents in regularly identifying the school's strengths and weaknesses

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good. Standards are above average and have risen significantly over the past five years. For example, in the Year 6 national tests in 2006, standards in English and mathematics were a little above average and well above average in science. This represents good progress overall from pupils' starting points and very good progress between Years 3 and 6. Standards at the end of Year 2 have also improved although this has been less marked and 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Oaklands Primary School, 15 June 2007 less consistent. For example, this year the results in Year 2 national assessments have fallen. However, inspection evidence confirms that despite this 'dip', the progress of younger pupils has been good through this year, and most have made above expected progress. In part, this is due to the success of a recent focus on developing pupils' awareness of phonics in their reading, writing and spelling across the Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2. It has also been

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Grade: 2

supported by the improved tracking and target setting system which the school now has in place. This helps teachers to 'see' exactly where their pupils are and identify those who need extra help or challenge.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are good. They enjoy their education a good deal, attend regularly and show a keen pride in their school's long history. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. Whilst pupils recognise that there is some poorer behaviour, they have responded well to initiatives this year to improve this. For example, they display a keen rivalry in the weekly competition for the class which shows the best behaviour in entering and leaving the playground. They are similarly enthusiastic about keeping fit and healthy. The school council is particularly proud of initiatives they have contributed to this, for example the climbing frame, improvements to the toilets and providing useful feedback on school meals. Pupils show a good understanding of the democratic process and of the diversity of cultures and languages in the school. As a

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Grade: 2

result, racism is rare. This helps pupils feel safe in school as does knowing that there is someone they can turn to if they are in difficulty, such as older 'playground friends'. Pupils gain in confidence and skills as they go through the school. They enjoy getting involved in organising fund raising events. The school has identified that they do not have enough opportunities to develop their economic and enterprise skills to prepare them for the future.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good overall. Teachers make clear what pupils are going to learn and match work well to the different abilities in their classes. As a result, pupils say that their work is generally just right for them. Where teaching is only satisfactory, teachers do not match activities well enough to what they want to achieve. As a result, the pace of learning slows. However, in all cases, pupils are confident that teachers are 'fair' and will always help if they 'get stuck'. A successful focus on meeting the needs of pupils who are learning English as an additional language ensures that these pupils make good progress in acquiring the academic English they need to do well in their studies. This has had benefits for all pupils, for example through a focus on speaking and listening activities and clarifying key ideas in lessons. Support staff make a valuable contribution to lessons, encouraging pupils' efforts and probing their

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good overall and covers a wide range of interesting learning activities and experiences. Although the focus is on developing pupils' basic skills, particularly in the early 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Oaklands Primary School, 15 June 2007 years of the school, good attention is paid to creative activities alongside this and to links between subjects. Pupils also benefit greatly from opportunities for some specialist teaching in subjects such as music and physical education. Pupils enjoy using technology to enhance their learning. They are particularly pleased with their improved computer suite. Pupils enjoy a good range of well attended activities outside of school hours. These include sporting and creative activities, such as jogging or cookery clubs. Other activities such as a residential trip in Year 6 and educational visits and visitors enliven the pupils' learning and contribute to their good personal development and skills.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum in the Foundation Stage mixes learning through play with more formal sessions. It includes regular access to outdoor learning. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection although the school has identified that this could be further enhanced.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. Friendly relationships with parents help children settle well to learning in the Foundation Stage. These good relationships continue across the school. For example, the well-written school brochure has a section addressing common questions and worries which prepare new parents well. Similarly, many parents commented positively on how teachers take time to discuss any concerns they may have. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities receive well targeted support which helps them to make good progress. This includes regular feedback and progress reports to parents. There are also good links with outside agencies which are well used to support more vulnerable pupils and others with particular needs. Although pupils have targets which are shared with parents, these are not always understood and referred to by pupils.

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Grade: 2

The impact of leadership and management since the time of the previous inspection has been good. Two successful examples include the development of the school's tracking system and improvements to the Foundation Stage. Senior staff and subject co-ordinators have worked well together to monitor and improve teaching and learning. This has included the regular monitoring of lessons, as well as looking at pupils' work and talking to pupils about their learning. Insights from this process are included well in plans to improve the school. However, the school has recognised that these plans should be tied more closely to the tracking of pupils' progress. The new headteacher and senior staff are currently evaluating what has been achieved and what needs to be pursued further. As a result, they are beginning to create their new shared plan for action. Governors are very supportive of the school. They are involved well in some aspects of school

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Grade: 2

improvement and provide good support to staff and senior managers. A weaker area is the rigour with which they ensure they meet all their statutory duties, particularly during this period of transition. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Oaklands Primary School, 15 June 2007 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Oaklands Primary School, 15 June 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? 2 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 2 The behaviour of learners 3 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?

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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Oaklands Primary School, 15 June 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Oaklands Primary School, 15 June 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

26 June 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Oaklands Primary School,London,W7 2DP It was a pleasure to meet so many of you when I visited your school recently. I was very interested in all you had to tell me about the school's long history and all your thoughts about the school today. It was clear to me that you have a great interest in the school and think very carefully about what the school does well and changes you would like to see. I was pleased to hear from your school council that many of you take time to write down your suggestions so they can discuss these with your teachers. Your teachers and all the adults at the school think carefully about how they can keep improving Oaklands, so your ideas are very useful to them. I agree with your parents and teachers that you go to a good school. You enjoy the work you do a good deal and do well. You told me how helpful and fair your teachers are and I could see

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

this. You also told me that you all try to help each other and I was pleased to hear this. I was also pleased to see all the improvements at the school since the last time some inspectors visited you. As you know, your headteacher is very new to the school. She and your teachers have already been thinking hard about what they have achieved and what they need to do next. I have asked them to involve your parents regularly in this. I have also asked them to use information about your progress and your lessons to make sure that all your lessons are as good as your best ones. With best wishes for your future Nicola DaviesLead Inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Oaklands Primary School, 15 June 2007

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