Harlyn Primary School

102383 Unique Reference Number Hillingdon Local Authority 307988 Inspection number 25 June 2008 Inspection date Nicola Davies Reporting inspector

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Primary Type of school Community School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 369 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr J Lister Chair Mrs J Lack Headteacher 8 November 2004 Date of previous school inspection Tolcarne Drive School address Pinner HA5 2DR 020 8866 1290 Telephone number 020 8868 7221 Fax number

p.1

3-11 Age group 25 June 2008 Inspection date 307988 Inspection number .

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by an Additional Inspector. The inspector evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the progress of pupils and aspects of the curriculum, care, guidance and support. Evidence was gathered from the analysis of pupils' test results, observation of lessons and pupils' work, parents' questionnaires and discussions with the headteacher, staff, governors and pupils. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but 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.

p.3

Description of the school

This is a larger than average primary school. Two thirds of pupils are from White British backgrounds. The school intake has become increasingly diverse in recent years and a third of pupils are now from a range of other ethnic heritages. This is higher than in most schools. Around a fifth of pupils are bilingual and around one in ten pupils are at early stages of learning English as an additional language. Few pupils are entitled to free school meals. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is average. These mostly relate to difficulties with speech, language and communication.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: Harlyn Primary School, 25 June 2008

p.3

Grade: 2

Harlyn Primary is an inclusive school, which provides its pupils with a good education and helps them mature and achieve well. The school knows itself well and takes effective action to address its weaker areas. One example is information and communication technology (ICT), which was a weak area at the time of the last inspection. Both the provision for ICT and the way that it is used by pupils and teachers to support learning has improved a great deal since then. Pupils now make good use of computers and other equipment to enhance their skills across the curriculum. This was demonstrated vividly in lessons during the inspection where pupils used the internet to research different countries and enjoyed working collaboratively on ICT based presentations to inform and entertain younger pupils. They used the school's digital recording equipment to record these and to evaluate how well groups had met their objectives. Similarly,

p.4

Grade: 2

as part of work to enhance creativity, pupils worked in groups to script and video their 'what happened next' stories. Such improvements are indicative of the school's good leadership and management and its determination to continue to enhance the education it provides. The chief challenge the school has faced in recent years is in ensuring that older pupils continue to make good progress from the significantly above average standards they attain at the end of Year 2. Senior staff and governors have responded to this very thoroughly. One successful strategy has been to involve staff further in the careful tracking and analysis of the progress of pupils in their classes. For example, teachers now share assessment to be sure that progress judgements are secure. They have also developed their systems of tracking progress to build in more opportunities to review the progress of pupils, including those who may be at risk of

p.4

Grade: 2

falling behind. Changes to the curriculum have also helped to ensure that pupils build their skills consistently. For instance, staff have introduced a new way of promoting writing which has enthused both pupils and teachers. Similarly, teachers now ensure that pupils have good opportunities to carry out investigations in science. Whilst not yet completely consistent, the variations in progress have been reduced significantly and the impact of good teaching and the good curriculum is beginning to be seen in improvements to older pupils' performance in national tests. For example, in the 2007 national tests at the end of Year 6, pupils reached well above average standards and made particularly good progress in English. Staff have also been working on making sure that pupils know what they need to do to improve. Very good examples of this were seen during the inspection. In one lesson, older pupils worked

p.4

Grade: 2

very maturely to consider just how good they were at using and interpreting data. However, the school recognises that such approaches are not yet fully consistent and good use is not always made of information from and about pupils to help them improve. For example, pupils are sometimes given tasks which do not take enough account of their different starting points and this limits the progress they make. The school has rightly decided that using assessment to improve learning requires further work. A strong aspect of the school's good care, guidance and support is the provision for pupils who are facing difficulties. Very well organised support for such pupils means that they make good progress in overcoming the barriers they face. For example, in recognition of the growing number of pupils who join the school with less developed social skills, staff run successful extra programmes to help them develop their personal and emotional skills. Similarly, the school

p.4

Grade: 2

helps pupils who are at earlier stages of learning English by providing them with opportunities to become familiar with new words and phrases before they come across them in lessons. The result of these and other initiatives is that pupils from a range of different backgrounds make 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Harlyn Primary School, 25 June 2008 good progress overall. Pupils thoroughly enjoy their lessons, the trips and extra activities that the school provides. They enjoy taking responsibility for improving the school; helping everyone to get along well as playground buddies or representing their classmates' views as school councillors. The delightful and extensive school grounds provide pupils with many opportunities to enhance their good understanding of healthy and safe lifestyles.

p.4

Grade: 2

Children make a good start to their education in the lively Foundation Stage and make good progress to reach or exceed expectations for their age by the time they enter Year 1. While most children join the Nursery class with the expected skills for their age, a small but growing proportion have less well developed personal and social skills. Although the Nursery and Reception classes are physically distant, Foundation Stage staff work together well. Arrangements for children to transfer into their new classes are good, as are relationships with parents. As a result, children settle quickly and happily into both their Nursery and Reception classes and make the most of their time there. Children benefit from good support from adults and the well-planned and exciting activities which they prepare. These include a blend of adult led and child chosen activities. For example, children enjoyed an outdoor session in the Nursery

p.5

Grade: 2

where they chose their own activities relating to the theme of travel such as flying in their own aeroplane. They settled equally well to an indoor activity where they examined their 'sound basket' to learn more about sounds and letters. Similarly, children in the Reception classes enjoyed their varied activities linked to a stimulating story they are reading. They put their knowledge of sounds and letters to good use in adult led writing sessions whilst others chose to write spells independently in the outdoor area. This focus on linking sounds and letters means that more children are now leaving the Foundation Stage with well developed skills in these areas although this is not yet fully consistent.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

■ Accelerate pupils' progress by ensuring that teachers make consistently good use of information from and about pupils in planning and adapting lessons and activities. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Harlyn Primary School, 25 June 2008 .

p.5

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: Harlyn Primary School, 25 June 2008

p.6

Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.7

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

p.7

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

p.7

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 2 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

p.7

and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.7

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: Harlyn Primary School, 25 June 2008

p.7

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: Harlyn Primary School, 25 June 2008

p.8

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

03 July 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Harlyn Primary School,Pinner,HA5 2DR Thank you for your help when I visited your school recently. I enjoyed meeting you and sharing in some of your lessons. I was glad that the sun shone so that you and your parents were able to enjoy the infant sports day on your lovely field. You get a good education at Harlyn. You really enjoy your time in your Nursery and Reception classes and this gives you a good start to your schooling. Looking at your super writing and watching you work together so well in groups I could see how much you enjoy your lessons as well as all the extra activities you told me about. Your teachers have been working hard to make sure that you keep on making good progress all through the school. This is one reason that they keep checking on how you are doing and asking you about where you think you have done well and what you need to work on next.

p.9

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

They have noticed that this happens really well in some of your lessons but not yet in all of them. They have also asked you what you think in the surveys which they do. I agree with them that they need to keep working on this. This is so that your teachers can be sure that the activities they have planned for you are always 'just right' with the right amount of challenge or support. One of the things that has really improved at the school is the way you use computers, digital cameras and other sorts of technology to help you learn. When I visited, Year 5 were preparing some really interesting presentations about different countries for you all to watch in assembly. I'm sure you will really enjoy these but you will need to listen very carefully as they may be planning to test you at the end! Yours sincerely, Nicola Davies Lead Inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Harlyn Primary School, 25 June 2008

p.9