Orleans Primary School

102895 Unique Reference Number Richmond Upon Thames Local Authority 286519 Inspection number 8 November 2007 Inspection date Gordon Ewing 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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Infant Type of school Community School category 3 °7 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 346 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Kate Holliday Chair Mrs Pip Utting Headteacher 24 February 2003 Date of previous school inspection Hartington Road School address Twickenham TW1 3EN 020 8892 1654 Telephone number 020 8744 2844 Fax number

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3-7 Age group 8 November 2007 Inspection date 286519 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. The inspector evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues - achievement and standards, personal development and well being, care, guidance and support, teaching and learning and leadership and management - gathering evidence from lesson observations, scrutiny of pupils' work and documents. Analysis of parents' questionnaires and discussions with pupils, parents, governors and staff also contributed to the judgements. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, and the inspector found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

This is a larger than average infant school that is currently oversubscribed. It takes pupils from a wide locality with a significant number from socially advantaged backgrounds. The majority of pupils have White British heritage and only a few speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is below the national average. The number of pupils on free school meals is well below average. Pupil mobility is low. The school has a national award for promoting healthy lifestyles and is an Eco school.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: Orleans Infant School, 8 November 2007

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Grade: 2

Orleans Infant is a good school with some outstanding features, particularly the personal development and well-being of its pupils. This is because the school's leadership has taken decisive action to address weaknesses and has established a positive climate throughout the school to ensure that pupils make good progress. This is enhanced further by the very strong support from parents. Pupils enter the the school with skills and abilities that are above those expected nationally and they make good progress because of the consistently good teaching in the Foundation Stage. By the time pupils move to Year 1 standards are well above average and they continue to achieve well so that, when they leave Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are consistently high. Though standards are consistently strong, high attaining boys and girls perform relatively less well in writing and mathematics, respectively. Pupils with

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Grade: 2

learning difficulties or disabilities achieve particularly well because of the outstanding quality of the support they receive. As one parent wrote 'My son has special needs and the environment the teachers create has helped him to flourish.' A significant factor in the school's success is the very positive attitudes to learning that pupils demonstrate. Their attendance is outstanding and their behaviour is exemplary. Pupils speak very highly of their school. As one pupil commented 'I love everything about this school.' Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Pupils look after one another really well and show great respect for other people's views and lifestyles. They have close links with other schools and in the wider community ranging from the choir performing at the Richmond Music Festival to the school council coordinating fund-raising for a number of worthy causes. Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to lead a healthy lifestyle and this was

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Grade: 2

readily evident at lunchtime where pupils exercised very health conscious choices when visiting the school cafeteria or in their choice of packed lunch ingredients. Parents and pupils participate in a Walking Bus scheme. The pupils grow and eat their own produce from their allotment and the outside play environment provides children with excellent opportunities to exercise and learn as they play. Teaching is good overall and pupils show increasing competence in skills, knowledge and understanding as they progress through the school. Outstanding teaching was observed in a Year 2 music lesson where pupils of all abilities were exposed to a range of challenging and exciting activities that strengthened their skills and built very successfully on prior learning. This is not the case in all lessons where the level of challenge for high attaining pupils is more variable. Consequently, they do not always achieve the higher levels of which they are capable.

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Grade: 2

Teaching assistants are well deployed and trained. They add to the impact of teaching through skilful reference to pupils' prior learning and using their own knowledge to promote learning. The high standards achieved in basic skills and initiatives such as inviting visitors to share their work experiences, ably prepare pupils for their future lives. The curriculum provides a broad and interesting range of activities that effectively prepares pupils for life in a multi-cultural society. The school has established excellent links with a range of outside agencies to support vulnerable pupils and to bring additional quality to the curriculum and extra-curricular activities. Some opportunities are missed, however, to provide effective challenge to high attaining pupils and to encourage the development of independent learning skills. Assessment is used increasingly well to track pupils' progress and to target intervention

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Grade: 2

and support. Teachers' marking, however, does not consistently provide pupils with advice on how to take the next step in their learning and, consequently, pupils are not effectively 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Orleans Infant School, 8 November 2007 challenged or guided in how best to improve. Arrangements for the health and safety of pupils are robust and current safeguarding procedures meet all government requirements. The headteacher has set a clear vision where pupils can achieve well in a secure and exciting learning environment within and around the school. She is ably supported by her deputy headteacher and a core of middle managers who strive well together to raise standards and to address weaknesses. The leadership of the Foundation Stage is good and pupils experience a stimulating range of activities that enable them to make consistently good progress. School leaders have a good understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses though strategic

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Grade: 2

improvement planning is not consistently focussed on outcomes for pupils. As a result, tracking the impact of the school's actions over time is not as effective as it could be. The governors are committed, competent and act as an effective critical friend to the school's leadership. The vast majority of parents speak highly of the school. One parent commented 'It is a delightful, happy and caring school.' Some parents feel that communication between home and school could be improved. The school is aware of this and has strategies in place to respond to parents' concerns. The school has improved well since its last inspection and standards are consistently high. It has a good capacity to improve further. As one parent wrote 'This is a vibrant, well-led school which goes from strength to strength.'

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Grade: 2

Assessments show that children enter the Foundation Stage with skills well above those found nationally. The Nursery and Reception teams provide an effective range of well-planned practical activities that engage children successfully. Children are encouraged to take on responsibilities at an early age, for example, in looking after their lovely garden. There is an effective balance of welfare, care and encouragement. All children clearly enjoy their early years at school and learn to work effectively with others. This prepares them successfully for the next stage of their education.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Increase the level of challenge in lessons so that all high attaining pupils achieve as well as they can. ■ Ensure that school improvement planning is closely focussed on outcomes for pupils in order that the work of the school can be more effectively evaluated. ■ Improve the consistency of teachers' marking so that pupils receive effective guidance in how to advance their learning. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Orleans Infant School, 8 November 2007 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: Orleans Infant School, 8 November 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? Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

2 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 extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The attendance of learners 1 The behaviour of learners 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?

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. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: Orleans Infant School, 8 November 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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 of 9 Inspection Report: Orleans Infant School, 8 November 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

15 November 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Orleans Infant School,Twickenham,TW1 3EN You will remember that recently I spent a day in your school looking at how well the school is working and how well you are learning. It was a pleasure to see you enjoying your education and to listen to your views on school life. Your school is a good school that has several particular strengths. These include:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ your headteacher, has brought about important changes to the school so that you are really happy, feel safe and very much enjoy coming to school ■ you make good progress through the school and achieve high standards by the time you leave ■ your behaviour is outstanding and your attendance is excellent

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ your attitudes to learning are excellent and you support each other very well

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ your teachers work hard to provide good lessons that are interesting and fun

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ those of you who find learning hard are very well supported in your lessons

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

To improve your school further I have asked the staff to:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ make sure that all of you are challenged in your lessons so that you make as much progress as possible and reach higher standards ■ check more thoroughly as to how well the school is working

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ mark your work carefully giving you regular tips on how to learn even more.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

I hope that you will continue to work hard and to help your teachers support you so that you make even better progress in the future. With best wishes for the future, Gordon Ewing Lead inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Orleans Infant School, 8 November 2007

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