Kenmore Park Infant and Nursery School

Kenmore Park First School Inspection report

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102212 Unique Reference Number Harrow Local Authority 307934 Inspection number 6 °7 March 2008 Inspection dates Alan Jarvis 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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First Type of school Community School category 3 °8 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 327 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr David Maurice Chair Mrs Rutinderjit Mahil-Pooni Headteacher 15 September 2003 Date of previous school inspection Moorhouse Road School address Kenton Harrow HA3 9JA 020 8204 8759 Telephone number 020 8905 0368 Fax number

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3-8 Age group 6 °7 March 2008 Inspection dates 307934 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

Kenmore Park is a larger than average school with a nursery. It serves a socially and ethnically mixed area. Many of its families have significant social and economic need. Almost three quarters of pupils speak English as an additional language. Sizable groups are of Asian Indian, White British, Asian British and Black African backgrounds. The proportion who are entitled to free school meals is above average. The proportion of pupils who enter or leave the school mid-year is much higher than typically found. Around one quarter come from refugee or asylum seeker families.

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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: Kenmore Park First School, 6 °7 March 2008

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Grade: 2

Kenmore Park First is a good and improving school under the excellent leadership of the headteacher. It has some outstanding features. Parents think very highly of the school and typically say, 'The staff are very caring and take time to share a smile. When your children love going to school they must be getting things spot on...' The school is particularly successful in developing many aspects of pupils' personal development. High quality personal care and consistently good attention to the needs of each pupil ensures their behaviour is excellent at all times. Their manners too are impeccable. For their age, pupils have an acute sense of how to keep safe. They typically say, 'we feel much safer at school than on the streets and would always go to our teacher if we needed help'. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is also top notch. High quality assemblies, the celebration of their

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Grade: 2

backgrounds and a strong programme of personal, social and health education contribute to this. New pupils settle in very well. This is because the school makes quick contact with parents. Pupils' learning needs are identified on entry and then they are provided with the right kind of support. Some parents benefit greatly from a supportive programme of family learning, which helps them develop their literacy and numeracy skills. This gives them confidence to support their children's learning at home. However, attendance is well below average despite the fierce focus given to encouraging improvement. The main reason for this is the extended visits some families make to relatives abroad. The absence slows their children's progress. One of the biggest challenges facing the school has been to ensure as many pupils as possible reach the standards expected for their age despite many having starting points, which are low.

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Grade: 2

The turnover of pupils is also high and this adds to the challenge. The school have tackled this well with the help of good leadership, a settled teaching staff and a team of skilled support assistants. Most pupils achieve well. This is shown in the current Year 2 where standards are average. The current Year 3, who have higher proportion of pupils with learning difficulties, also achieve well and standards are broadly average. Good teaching, learning and a well thought through curriculum underpins the good progress most pupils make. Teachers know their pupils well and activities are well matched to their abilities and needs. The ambitious headteacher has been the driving force behind the good improvements in progress, teaching and the curriculum since the last inspection. Standards continue on an upward trend. She is very keen to build on past successes. She has strongly supported middle managers to improve their management skills. They now effectively lead developments in

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Grade: 2

important areas such as literacy, numeracy, information and communication technology (ICT) special educational needs and English as an additional language. The good impact they have had has been central to improvements. However, the headteacher is aware that in some areas leadership and management could be more rigorous. She is right to focus on this to ensure a further step change in provision and standards. With the help of an effective governing body, the school is well placed to continue to improve.

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Grade: 2

Children enter the nursery classes with skills that are significantly below those expected, particularly in their language skills. There are close links with home and parents are made to feel welcome. Children settle well into school, quickly gain confidence and happily work and 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Kenmore Park First School, 6 °7 March 2008 play alongside each other. The outdoor learning environment has been developed well; and is used successfully to support learning. A good balance is struck between adult and child-initiated activities which enable children to learn in different ways. Role play areas such as the 'Space Station' are extremely popular. These enable children to develop good relationships and motivate them to improve their speaking and listening skills. Teaching and the curriculum are good, particularly in Reception. When children leave Reception standards are below those expected

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Grade: 2

for their age but their achievement has been good.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Minimise the disruption caused by extended absences and ensure attendance improves.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Bring even more rigour into the work of middle managers and subject leaders to strengthen their impact on provision and standards.

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Grade: 2

This is an ambitious school that sets challenging targets, which pupils meet. Pupils make good progress in Years 1 and 2 because of good teaching. Standards are average in reading and writing by the end of Year 2 reflecting the very good gains made in language skills. Standards in mathematics are above average. Pupils do particularly well in number work, calculations and mental mathematics because these areas are less reliant on pupils' language being well developed. However, progress slows in problem solving because they find it harder to interpret the questions. Parents also feel more able to support their children at home in mathematics than in English. Pupils in Year 3 have also made good progress and standards are broadly average. Most pupils, whatever their backgrounds or needs, achieve well. Pupils from the Asian communities, particularly those who are long established in the area, do particularly well and

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Grade: 2

this is helped by high parental aspirations. The few pupils who underachieve are carefully targeted. These include some pupils of Black African heritage, those with poor attendance records and pupils with learning difficulties who are also at an early stage of speaking English.

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Grade: 2

Pupils talk with great pride of their school. They highlight the excellent friendships they enjoy. Pupils mix and work harmoniously with their peers of all faiths and races. This is helped by clear codes of conduct and the celebration of different cultures. Consequently, exclusions and racists incidents are rare. Attendance remains too low because some parents take their children on extended holidays overseas during term time. Pupils have a good understanding of the choices required to live healthy and safe lives. However, many still bring unhealthy food to school in their packed lunches. Pupils take regular exercise and participate in the different range of physical activities available at playtimes and lunchtimes. They eagerly take part in the large number of sporting and other extra curricular activities. Pupils relish taking on responsibilities and know that their views are listened to through the school council. The Eco Warriors have

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Grade: 2

begun to promote the importance of recycling and caring for the environment. Pupils make a good contribution to the wider community through activities such as fund raising for charities. The standards pupils reach and their good teamwork satisfactorily prepares them for the next stage of their education. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Kenmore Park First School, 6 °7 March 2008

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Grade: 2

Pupils say, 'We have lots of fun lessons and don't do boring work'. Teachers plan lessons well and match pupils' learning accurately to their varied needs, especially in the few classes set by ability. Pupils enthusiastically undertake their activities and work at a brisk pace because of the good expectations that are set. Relationships are very good. Pupils with language needs or learning difficulties learn well because activities are well tailored to their needs. Interesting homework is set regularly. For example, Year 3 keep learning logs in which they address interesting tasks at home. This is working effectively. It provides good preparation for middle school and a valuable opportunity for family involvement. The school recognises some inconsistencies in planning as not all pupils receive the high levels of challenge seen in the best lessons.

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Grade: 2

Pupils love the trips out they make which greatly aids their personal development. For example, they have recently made a science visit to an aquarium, and a geography visit to a village. Additional learning and enjoyment has come from visits by drama and music groups, a dentist and fire fighters. The curriculum provides skilfully for the full range of abilities and the diverse range of pupils' needs. Basic skills have a high emphasis. In addition, good links including the use of ICT are developing between subjects through the strengthening of topic-based learning. The different heritages of pupils are celebrated and respected throughout the curriculum and are enhanced by the backgrounds of the staff. Valuably, speaking and listening are greatly encouraged in lessons and in the impressive assemblies that pupils lead.

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Grade: 2

Parents typically say the teachers are friendly, approachable and look after their children very well. Many comment on how safe and happy their children are in school. Procedures for safeguarding pupils are robust. Strong systems are in place to promote good attendance. However, to date these have had a limited impact because of some parents insisting on extended holidays during term time. Teachers use praise and rewards extremely well to raise pupils' self-esteem and encourage polite and considerate attitudes. The school quickly identifies the academic and emotional needs of its many late joiners and tailors support well. External agencies are used effectively to meet pupils' learning difficulties or language needs. Pupils' progress is accurately tracked. Pupils are aware of their individual targets for improvement. However, some teachers evaluate pupils' progress towards these better than others. The school is addressing

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Grade: 2

this out to ensure all pupils understand how well they are doing and their next steps in learning.

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Grade: 2

There are already some significant strengths in the way the school is led and managed. Paramount amongst these is the first-rate leadership of the headteacher and her relentless 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Kenmore Park First School, 6 °7 March 2008 drive to improve standards. Governors say, 'She is the business.' Joint work and collaboration between the headteacher and her very able deputy is a further strong feature. Their skills complement each other very well and are used to ensure developments proceed at a good pace. The school has a very clear understanding of where improvements are needed. Paramount amongst these is the need to build further the capacity of leaders and managers to be even more rigorous and effective in their work. Their needs vary. A few subject leaders are relatively new to their roles and have not yet had the chance to make accurate judgements about the impact of their roles on pupils' learning and progress. The plans of the more established leaders

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Grade: 2

including those in the Foundation Stage, whilst good, do not always have razor like sharpness in pinpointing what steps are needed to improve provision and standards further. Governors support the school well and provide good levels of challenge not only through their committee work but also through their regular visits to school. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Kenmore Park First School, 6 °7 March 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: Kenmore Park First School, 6 °7 March 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?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 1 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: Kenmore Park First School, 6 °7 March 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: Kenmore Park First School, 6 °7 March 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

19 March 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Kenmore Park First School,Harrow,HA3 9JA As you know, we visited your school recently to find out how well you were doing. We enjoyed speaking to you in lessons and in the playground. We would particularly like to thank the school council for letting us know about all the good work they do. Our report says that Kenmore Park First School is a good school. I thought you would like to know what we found out. This is what we liked the most.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We think your headteacher, runs the school extremely well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your behaviour is excellent and your manners are perfect.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Many of the lessons we saw were good and, as a result, most of you make good progress no matter when you join the school. ■ Those of you who start with little or no English are given the help you need to quickly learn the language. ■ Your teachers and other staff look after you very well and everyone is always smiling. We could see how much you really enjoy coming to school. ■ You are helping to make the school better and your ideas are taken seriously.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You have many interesting things to do in addition to the lessons you have.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You told us that you enjoy going to school and your parents told us that they think the school does a good job too. Your headteacher, teachers and governors are working hard to make your school better. I have asked them to look at these two things to improve the school further.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Some of your parents take you on holiday during term time. It is important that they know this slows your learning and they should make sure you do not have time off school. ■ Your headteacher has already ensured her staff give you a good quality of education. She wants to make it better by ensuring everyone looks in even more detail at what they provide for you so that you make even faster progress. We agree with her. Yours sincerely, Dr Alan Jarvis Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Kenmore Park First School, 6 °7 March 2008

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