Darell Primary and Nursery School

102884 Unique Reference Number Richmond Upon Thames Local Authority 298243 Inspection number 17 °18 January 2007 Inspection dates Christopher Gray 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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Darell Road School address Primary Type of school Richmond Community School category TW9 4LQ 3 °11 Age range of pupils 020 8876 6721 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 020 8876 3895 Fax number 318 Number on roll (school) Mrs Celia Hodges Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Brian Glover (Acting) Headteacher 11 October 1999 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 298243 17 °18 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

The school is bigger than most primary schools. There is a very wide mixture of ethnicities in the school population. Children of White British heritage form about half of the total; most other ethnic groups are represented but each accounts for only a small percentage of the total population. The proportion with English as an additional language is above average. Pupils' social circumstances and their attainment on entry are broadly in line with that found in most schools. The school has a special unit with 10 places for pupils with moderate learning difficulties, though not all places are currently filled.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Darell Primary School, 17 °18 January 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school that is understandably popular with parents and their children. The outstanding curriculum enables pupils to grow into mature and responsible pupils. As one pupil said, 'You have to learn to get on with others in social life or no one will like you.' Their personal development and behaviour are good. Pupils' enjoyment of learning is outstanding. One explained, 'It's a privilege to come to school because some children in the world can't.' Another added, 'We sometimes take it for granted.' Pupils achieve well and reach above average standards by the time they leave. Pupils make slower progress in mathematics than they do in English, where progress is very good. In mathematics, pupils make slower progress because the work planned for them is not linked closely enough to their abilities. Children in the Foundation Stage get a good start to their schooling in the nursery and reception classes and make good

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Grade: 2

progress. Most are likely to meet the goals expected of them by the time they join Year 1 and a number will exceed them. They make particularly good progress in their personal development and aptitude for learning. Teaching is good. Adults and children have very good relationships which are the basis of the good learning. Good support is given to pupils in the unit, others with learning difficulties and those with English as an additional language. The care, guidance and support offered to pupils are good. Pastoral aspects are very strong. Assessment is consistent and regular, but analysis of pupils' attainment is not undertaken sufficiently often in the course of the year to guard against any possible underachievement. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher and (in her temporary absence) the acting headteacher give a clear lead in which they are well supported by all staff. Their self-evaluation is accurate and effective and identifies the same key areas for

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Grade: 2

development as does this report. This shows that the school has a good capacity to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Help pupils to make faster progress in mathematics by matching work more closely to their ability • Make more frequent analysis of assessment data to spot and help any pupils who might be underachieving

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Grade: 2

Pupils achieve well throughout the school to reach above average standards by the time they leave. The school recognised that standards by Year 2 were not high enough a few years ago, especially in mathematics. Staff worked hard to rectify this and standards now are broadly average by the end of Year 2. This past underachievement in mathematics means that current standards in Years 3 to 6 are not as high as they 2 Inspection Report: Darell Primary School, 17 °18 January 2007 are in English. The school is working to raise standards, but pupils are not progressing as quickly in mathematics as they are in English. There are no significant differences in the achievement of boys and girls or of those from different ethnic backgrounds. Pupils in the unit receive high quality support. They and pupils in the main school with learning difficulties are enabled to achieve as well as other pupils.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are good, with outstanding features. Most pupils are well behaved; a few show challenging behaviour but this is dealt with well by adults. Pupils are helpful towards each other and very courteous and friendly to visitors. They are very proud of their school and have an outstanding appreciation of the wide variety of cultures represented in society; one boy described it as 'a mix of worlds'. Pupils make an excellent contribution to the community through their well developed sense of responsibility. They express their views confidently and explain why they think as they do. They work for school improvement through the school council. Attendance is good. Pupils enjoy a wide range of sporting activities through their clubs and are conscious of the need to eat and drink healthily throughout the day. Pupils' outstanding enjoyment of school

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Grade: 2

is evident in their attitudes to learning and their avid participation in clubs and outings. The many positive comments from parents are summed up by one: 'My youngest son ... just bounces out of school every day at 3.15.' Pupils are prepared well for their next stage in education and gain the basic skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) that they require for the future.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Teachers plan their lessons in great detail and use interactive whiteboards well to make them interesting. Very good relationships inspire confidence in the pupils, as was seen in a discussion group in the infants. Pupils were discussing their feelings and seemed to have total confidence in the adults and each other, so that they could say exactly what they felt without fear of ridicule or criticism. An outstanding lesson in a reception class had all the children engrossed in their various activities because the level of challenge offered to each group was just right. In mathematics in Years 1 to 6, the work given to pupils is not always closely enough matched to pupils' ability. Teachers generally give different activities to different groups, but the level of challenge contained in the work is sometimes much the same for all groups. Teachers do not always make enough use of questioning at varying

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Grade: 2

levels of difficulty during mental sessions. 3 Inspection Report: Darell Primary School, 17 °18 January 2007

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Grade: 1

The curriculum is outstanding and enables pupils to flourish. It is highly enriched by a very good programme of additional activities throughout the year, for all year groups, adding greatly to pupils' learning and enjoyment. The youngest pupils benefit from a stimulating and well resourced outdoor environment. Pupils' personal development is very well enhanced by the effective programme of social and health education. Pupils spoke of how valuable this had been in reducing bullying. Provision for ICT is very good and is used to support learning in many subjects; for example, in literacy, pupils produced a 'news report' which they filmed with a digital camera. Music and art have a high profile in the school, as is clear from displays, from the frequent sounds of singing and instruments, and from quiet recorded music that accompanies some lessons. The school is rightly proud of its links with the community and the very good range

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Grade: 1

of visits, after school clubs and visitors to the school. A well resourced library is used extensively to enhance the opportunities to develop independent learning skills and prepare pupils well for future life.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. The quality of welfare provided for all pupils is very good. There is a strong commitment by all staff to promoting the health and safety of pupils and regular risk assessments are carried out. Procedures for ensuring pupils' safety are thorough and effective. Individual education plans are relevant and particularly effective in enabling pupils with learning difficulties to make good progress. Pupils who speak English as an additional language receive effective support and make good progress. There are good systems to track pupils' progress in basic skills, but they are not used with sufficient frequency to nip any underachievement in the bud. The school makes good use of its strong links with other agencies to support pupils in their welfare. Parents value the information provided by the school and are very supportive of the school's guidance on learning at home.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher, supported very effectively by the deputy headteacher and other senior staff, has established a warm and welcoming school that is highly respected by pupils and parents alike. The headteacher provides very clear direction and, owing to her consultative and open approach, there are excellent systems of communication and support throughout the very strong team of staff. Parental support for the school is overwhelmingly positive. 4 Inspection Report: Darell Primary School, 17 °18 January 2007 School self-evaluation is accurate and the current priorities for improvement have been identified and planned for. The monitoring and evaluation of the school's work by senior staff is effective, though some middle managers are less experienced in evaluation. Established teachers have developed their practice well and teachers new to the profession are supported very well. The school is fully committed to equality

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Grade: 2

of opportunity and all pupils, including the most vulnerable and those with learning difficulties, achieve well. Governors are very well organised and supportive of the school. They are directly involved in the life of the school. They have a good understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development. Their commitment and contribution are much appreciated by the staff. 5 Inspection Report: Darell Primary School, 17 °18 January 2007 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Darell Primary School, 17 °18 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? 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 2 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 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?

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 Inspection Report: Darell Primary School, 17 °18 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? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Darell Primary School, 17 °18 January 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We very much enjoyed our time in your school, in spite of the dreadful weather. We thought that most of you behave well, even when it is terribly windy in the playgrounds. We found you very polite and friendly and you were keen to help us in our work. This was especially so of the groups of pupils who came to talk to us. I wonder if some of you will spot quotations from what you said in the main report? Darell Primary is a good school, because you, all the staff and your parents help to make it so. You enjoy your schooling enormously. This is not surprising, because there is so much to do as well as lessons. You help in the running of the school by taking responsibilities such as school councillors and by the consideration you show to others. You achieve well and reach good standards by the time you are 11. You told us that you enjoy many subjects. This is because teaching is good. All adults work hard to make sure that you are safe and happy in school and that you learn well. We have asked

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

them to make some of you learn a bit faster in mathematics, by giving you work that is neither too easy nor too difficult. Another thing we have asked staff to do is to check more often on how much progress you are making, in case you need extra help. Your headteacher and deputy headteacher lead the school well. We saw this for ourselves, and we also learnt how pleased your parents are with the school, from the large number of questionnaires they sent us. One of them wrote, 'I feel very lucky to be involved in such a rewarding school community'. We think you are lucky too. I'm sure you will continue to enjoy your time at Darell. Yours sincerely Christopher GrayLead Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Darell Primary School, 17 °18 January 2007

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