Wendell Park Primary School

Wendell Park Primary School Inspection report

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100340 Unique Reference Number Hammersmith and Fulham Local Authority 307364 Inspection number 30 °31 January 2008 Inspection dates Graham Lee 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 403 School The governing body Appropriate authority Ms Polly Hicks Chair Mrs Sheila Mears Headteacher 7 July 2003 Date of previous school inspection Cobbold Road School address London W12 9LB 020 8743 1372 Telephone number 020 8746 0298 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 30 °31 January 2008 Inspection dates 307364 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Pupils come from a wide variety of backgrounds although the school is located in an area with significant elements of social and economic deprivation. The roll has increased markedly in recent years. Pupils come from a wide variety of ethnic origins, with White British and Black African pupils forming the largest groups. Around half the pupils are at an early stage of learning English when they start school. The proportion of pupils who join at unusual times is higher than average and nearly one in ten are asylum seekers or refugees. The school has extended school status and runs the SHINE club on Saturdays for pupils in Key Stage 2.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Wendell Park Primary School, 30 °31 January 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. The strong headteacher, ably supported by an effective senior leadership team and enthusiastic staff, ensure that it provides a warm and welcoming environment for learners, whatever their background or needs. One parent, representing the views of many, commented 'My child really enjoys school and gets many benefits on a social, personal and intellectual level'. Another remarked that 'We love the cultural diversity and the way it is celebrated'. The school takes good care of its pupils and, as a result, their personal development is good. They are proud of their school and enjoy all that it has to offer. They enjoy learning, feel safe and secure and achieve well. One pupil, to the obvious approval of others, summed this up by remarking that 'We like being in school because learning is fun and teaching is great'. All children get off to a good start in the Foundation Stage. Those who are learning English

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Grade: 2

settle quickly, whenever they arrive, through the exceptionally good support they receive and make particularly rapid progress as they develop fluency in the language. In Key Stage 1, pupils consolidate their learning but standards in reading, writing and mathematics have remained significantly below average since the last inspection. Pupils' progress accelerates rapidly in Key Stage 2 and they reach standards that are broadly average by the time they leave. Pupils are doing well because of good teaching, a curriculum that is carefully adapted to meet their needs and good systems that track their progress. This enables the school to identify any pupils who are in danger of falling behind and to provide effective support to help them catch up. Pupils do particularly well in science because of the strong emphasis on the skills of investigation and enquiry. Progress in writing has not been as strong as it is in reading. This year, much has been

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Grade: 2

done to provide pupils with regular opportunities to write at length for a variety of purposes in a range of subjects. As a result, there is evidence of better progress and many examples of lively writing. Pupils' enjoyment of their education is greatly enhanced by the wide range of additional opportunities they are offered, for example, to learn Italian or take part in a variety of sports. These activities, in particular contribute to their good understanding of the need to adopt a healthy lifestyle. The curriculum is innovative as well as illustrated by the annual, reportedly highly successful, Year 5 Shakespeare production. Pupils' enjoyment is not, however, reflected in their punctuality and attendance and the school is working hard to address this. The school has recently improved its resources for information and communication technology (ICT). However, opportunities for pupils to use their ICT skills to support learning in other subjects

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Grade: 2

are underdeveloped. At Wendell Park every child really does matter. This is shown clearly in the very effective support it provides for its vulnerable pupils in particular. The school has a very good partnership with a wide range of outside bodies to meet the needs of its pupils. At the same time school leaders have a clear commitment to helping them achieve as well as they can. They have a good understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. Effective strategies are put in place to bring about improvement where necessary, for example in writing. Governors offer a good balance of support and challenge to school leaders. Standards by the end of Year 6 are higher than they were at the time of the last inspection and the drive and determination of all connected with the school give it good capacity for further improvement. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Wendell Park Primary School, 30 °31 January 2008

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Grade: 2

Children are well provided for in the Foundation Stage. They begin Nursery with varied communication, language and personal skills, but overall they are below those typical of three year olds. A significant number have little or no English. They make good progress in their time in the Foundation Stage and, by the time they start in Year 1, the majority reach the goals expected of them. Interesting activities develop children's skills and understanding in all areas of learning. Children show their enjoyment by joining in enthusiastically. All staff put great emphasis on the development of social skills and this is seen in the considerate way children work and play together. Children's progress is tracked carefully to ensure that activities are tailored to their needs. Parents are fully involved in their children's education and develop great confidence in the school. Leadership is good and is continually seeking ways to improve

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Grade: 2

still further, being aware, for example, that the outdoor area is not used as well as it might be to develop children's skills in all areas of learning.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards in reading, writing and mathematics in Key Stage 1.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Develop pupils' skills in ICT to support their learning more effectively in all areas of the curriculum. ■ Work with parents to ensure that their children attend school regularly and on time.

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Grade: 2

In recent years pupils have not built sufficiently on the good start they make in the Foundation Stage in Key Stage 1. Standards have not been as high as they should be. The school is working hard to address this issue and good teaching is leading to better progress for pupils. The school's tracking evidence indicates that more pupils are working at and beyond the expectations for their age in the current Year 2. Pupils' success in science is illustrated by the 2007 national test results when two out of three Year 6 pupils reached the highest possible level for their age. Standards in English and mathematics are broadly average. School data indicates that pupils' attainment in writing has improved significantly this year and that the gap with their performance in reading has closed considerably. Although pupils who join the school at various times make good progress, the attainment of those who have been at the school throughout their education

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Grade: 2

is generally higher. Pupils with a wide range of learning difficulties and social and emotional needs make good progress because of effective support.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' enjoyment of school is evident in their very positive attitudes to learning and in the enthusiastic way they talk about school. They are also pleased to celebrate the achievement of others. This was very evident in a sharing assembly, led by a Year 1 class, which was really enjoyed by parents and pupils alike, and was spiritually and culturally uplifting for all. Most pupils attend regularly and on time but a significant minority do not, and many of these do not achieve as well as they might. Pupils take their responsibilities as school councillors and prefects very seriously, and help to ensure that the school day runs smoothly and that everybody stays safe. They are also involved in raising money for a variety of charities and contribute to 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Wendell Park Primary School, 30 °31 January 2008 the environment through the recycling scheme. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the

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Grade: 2

school. A few pupils do present challenging behaviour from time to time but this is handled well by the staff.

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Grade: 2

Teachers generally plan well to meet the wide range of needs in their classes. They work in close partnership with teaching assistants who make an important contribution to the quality of education, especially for pupils with learning difficulties and those who are learning English. Teachers enjoy good relationships with their classes and use a wide range of strategies to engage and motivate learners. As a result, pupils enjoy their learning and make good progress. One pupil commented that 'even if the work is hard they still make it fun'. The school's success in science is the result of teachers' practical approach to the curriculum. In a Year 4 lesson, for example, pupils developed their understanding of solids and liquids through prediction and experimentation, which they greatly enjoyed. In a few lessons, not all pupils are challenged enough and they have insufficient opportunities to contribute their ideas. Consequently,

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Grade: 2

progress slows and some lose concentration.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum has an effective emphasis on the development of core skills in literacy, numeracy and science and is particularly successful in meeting the needs of pupils learning English. In addition to the many additional activities on offer, the curriculum is also considerably enriched through residential trips and visits to places of interest, which helps to bring learning to life for the pupils. The school makes good links with other agencies, for example, local professional football clubs and the Italian embassy. School leaders are not afraid to try something new. For instance, martial arts are now on the timetable as they have been identified as activities that have considerable benefits for pupils' social and emotional development. ICT is taught mainly by a specialist teacher and links with other subjects are not yet well established.

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Grade: 2

'Staff have always been very caring and attentive to my child's educational and pastoral needs' was a typical comment from a parent. Academic guidance is very strong. Teachers are making good use of the data available to them to set challenging targets for improvement for every pupil. The current focus on targets in writing is proving very successful in accelerating progress. Pupils are very clear about how targets help them to improve. The high quality support provided for vulnerable pupils through the learning mentor and psychotherapy services, for example, is exceptionally good. Support for new arrivals is also very strong and enables these pupils to find their feet quickly and to make rapid progress thereafter. The school also provides invaluable support for pupils and their families in the before and after school care it offers. This additional support is not only concerned with pupils' pastoral needs. The SHINE Saturday morning club,

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Grade: 2

for example, is well attended and designed to raise the achievement of pupils in Key Stage 2. The school has worked hard to improve the attendance and punctuality of pupils but these efforts have not yet been successful. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Wendell Park Primary School, 30 °31 January 2008

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Grade: 2

The headteacher provides very clear direction in ensuring that pupils are able to achieve as well as they can within a caring and supportive environment. This creates a very positive environment for learning where staff and pupils feel valued. The leadership team make a strong contribution to raising achievement. Teaching and learning are monitored regularly, leading to high levels of consistency. The school is currently creating and developing middle leadership roles to give more staff the opportunity to make a contribution to school improvement. Self-evaluation is perceptive and honest but school leaders and governors recognise that more still needs to be done, for example in raising standards in Key Stage 1 and improving attendance. Governors are very aware of these issues and have, for instance, assigned a governor to work with the school on attendance issues. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Wendell Park Primary School, 30 °31 January 2008

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Wendell Park Primary School, 30 °31 January 2008

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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? 3 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 extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Wendell Park Primary School, 30 °31 January 2008

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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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Wendell Park Primary School, 30 °31 January 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

11 February 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Wendell Park Primary School,London,W12 9LB You may remember that I visited your school recently with two other inspectors. I am writing to thank you all for being so friendly and helpful. We really enjoyed our two days at Wendell Park. I thought you would like to know what we found out. You and most of your parents are right to be pleased with the school because it gives you a good education. You told us how much you enjoy school. We were impressed with your behaviour and your enthusiasm for learning. Well done! The school looks after you very well and helps you develop as thoughtful and caring young people. You really like all the extra things you have to do for example in sport and music. We were really impressed with the martial arts and the Shakespeare production sounds great! You get off to a good start in Nursery and make generally good progress as you go through

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

the school. You told us how much the teachers help to make learning fun for you. Those of you who are learning English or join the school late, get lots of help and you do very well. Your headteacher is doing a very good job and she gets lots of help from the staff and governors. They have plans to make the school even better than it is now. We have asked them to do a few things that we think might help.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Some pupils have not been doing as well as they might in recent years in Key Stage 1. We have asked the school to help you to do even better in Years 1 and 2 and there are signs that this is already beginning to happen. ■ You have now got a new ICT suite which you enjoy using. We want teachers to help you to use your ICT skills more to help your learning in other subjects. ■ Some of you still do not come to school enough and are often late. You and your parents can help by making sure that you come to school regularly and on time. This will help with your learning. Best of luck to you all Yours truly Graham Lee Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Wendell Park Primary School, 30 °31 January 2008

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