Grange Primary School

131144 Unique Reference Number Ealing Local Authority 315733 Inspection number 24 °25 January 2008 Inspection dates Madeleine Gerard 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 510 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr R Chilton Chair Mr H Formella Headteacher 16 June 2003 Date of previous school inspection Church Gardens School address Ealing London W5 4HN 020 8567 1432 Telephone number 020 8840 0113 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 24 °25 January 2008 Inspection dates 315733 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

This is a larger than average size primary school. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is very high and the percentage who speak English as an additional language is well above average. The proportion of pupils who join and leave the school other than at the normal starting and leaving points is high. The school has the Gold Arts Mark, the Sports Partnership Mark and Reading Connects school status. In September 2007 the school moved into a new building on the site of the original school.

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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: Grange Primary School, 24 °25 January 2008

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school. Achievement overall is satisfactory and standards are average by the time pupils leave the school in Year 6. Although systems are in place to track pupils' progress, assessment information is not always used effectively to ensure all pupils are achieving well. While targets set are moderately challenging, they are not always ambitious enough to raise standards. Teaching and learning are satisfactory, although the quality is varied. The school works successfully to engage the support of parents and involve them in their children's learning. This includes regular newsletters, assemblies, and workshops explaining how reading is taught in the Foundation Stage and how parents can help at home. The headteacher is a good leader and is well supported by the deputy. They have steered the school well through the transition from the old buildings to the new, so that the whole school has

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Grade: 3

settled quickly into the new site. Leadership and management overall are satisfactory. Monitoring of the school's work results in generally accurate self-evaluation. However, senior and middle leaders are not checking on the consistency of teaching regularly enough to secure good progress for all pupils. Pupils speak warmly of the clubs, the new building and healthy lunches. One pupil said, 'It's great here!' Pupils work well with their peers and their moral and social development is good, as the positive relationships throughout the school reflect. Pupils behave well and have good attitudes to learning. They feel safe and are confident that adults will take swift action should problems occur. Music and drama productions, links with the local church and fund raising enable pupils to take an active role in the local community. This boosts their self-confidence. Despite the school's work to encourage regular attendance and good punctuality, the extended

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Grade: 3

absence of some pupils prevents them from making the progress they should. The good curriculum provides pupils with many exciting things to do and, as a result, pupils enjoy their learning. Another parent said, 'My son loves going to school and every term offers new experiences to stretch him physically and mentally, including curling and the calendar competition.' A strong emphasis is placed on developing literacy. Recent changes to the curriculum are providing pupils with good opportunities to develop their reading and writing skills across a range of subjects. The music curriculum is a particular highlight and many pupils learn a musical instrument and sing in the school choir. Good use is made of information and communication technology (ICT) resources to develop pupils' computing skills.

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Grade: 2

Most children enter the Foundation Stage with below the expected levels of skills in most of the areas of learning, particularly in communication language and literacy and personal and social skills. They quickly settle into routines and gain confidence. One parent commented, 'My daughter has settled very well and has made excellent progress with her phonics and word recognition.' Staff have a good understanding of the way children learn. Teachers spend a lot of time talking to children, encouraging them to give their views or discuss their work. This helps children, including those who speak languages other than English at home, to make good progress. The curriculum provides a good balance between structured activities lead by an adult and those which allow children to investigate and learn for themselves. Throughout the Foundation Stage, children are encouraged to develop their independence. They learn to share

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Grade: 2

4 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange Primary School, 24 °25 January 2008 resources, work in pairs, groups and individually. As a result their personal, social and emotional skills develop well. By the time children move into the next phase of their learning the majority have achieved, but few have exceeded, the early learning goals.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Involve all senior and middle leaders in monitoring the school's performance, to improve the quality and consistency of teaching and learning, and raise achievement and standards. ■ Use the information from assessment and tracking systems rigorously, to check all pupils are doing as well as they should and to set challenging targets. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

Rates of progress in Years 1 and 2 have slowed over recent years because of inconsistencies in teaching. Information gathered on how well pupils are making progress is not used consistently well to check that all pupils are doing as well as they should. As a result, progress is only satisfactory and standards at the end of Year 2 have fallen to below average. Pupils make satisfactory progress in Years 3 to 6 and leave the school with broadly average standards in English, mathematics and science. Fewer pupils than average attain the higher levels at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils' current work and school data show that more pupils are now working at or above the expected levels for their age as a result of improvements made to the curriculum. Most pupils who have been at the school since Reception reach the expected levels by the end of Year 6. Those who join the school later make satisfactory progress from their starting points.

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Grade: 3

Pupils who have English as an additional language settle well and achieve as well as similar pupils nationally. Pupils who struggle with literacy and numeracy receive good additional support, which helps them also to make satisfactory progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Positive attitudes to keeping fit and healthy are shown by pupils' food choices at lunchtime and enthusiasm to take part in sporting activities. Through the thriving school council, pupils in Years 2 to 6 help the school to develop. For example, following their suggestions, new goal posts were purchased and all classes were equipped with wet playtime games. Older pupils are keen to take on responsibility, for example collecting paper for recycling. Spiritual and cultural development is well supported through class discussions and assemblies and pupils are proud of the multicultural make up of their school and the many languages that are spoken. These personal skills, as well as their basic skills, prepare pupils adequately for the next stage in their education. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange Primary School, 24 °25 January 2008

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall although they are variable across classes and through the years. Some lessons provide enjoyable opportunities for pupils to work together. For example, pupils working in groups in a literacy lesson made posters explaining how to write good instructions. Such lessons are lively and brisk and provide suitable challenge to pupils, whatever their ability. In other lessons, opportunities to share ideas and develop speaking and listening skills are limited. Consequently, the pace of learning slows because pupils have to spend too long listening to the teacher. Tasks are not always closely matched to pupils' individual needs. Explanations are not consistently clear enough to enable pupils to set to work on the activities they are given. Small-group support for pupils learning English as an additional language helps these pupils to progress well. However, as in-class support is more limited and

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Grade: 3

activities are not always well chosen for pupils learning English as an additional language, they are not making consistently good progress.

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Grade: 2

Imaginative approaches to the curriculum, including photograph competitions, involving parents in daily reading at home, and opportunities to write in a wide variety of styles, are already showing signs of improving pupils' literacy skills. However, the range of opportunities for pupils to make practical use of their numeracy skills is not as well developed. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 learn French. Drama is a strength and helps pupils to develop their confidence together with personal and social skills. Pupils take part in the good range of extra-curricular clubs on offer. Through links with a local secondary school, pupils have good opportunities to take part in a variety of sports and enjoy inter-school competitions. Demanding activities, such as the monthly 'Inspector Gadget' challenge, are well selected to meet the needs of gifted and talented older pupils.

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Grade: 3

Pastoral care is good. Adults know the pupils well and good provision is made to ensure pupils' well-being, which is reflected in their good personal development and attitudes to learning. A strong feature is 'The Listener', an innovative Friday afternoon counselling service for pupils as well as parents and staff. There are clear procedures in place for keeping all pupils safe and secure. Attention to children's health and safety arrangements is good. Academic guidance is satisfactory. Pupils' work is marked regularly but comments are not always helpful in setting out clearly what pupils need to do to improve their work. Systems for assessing pupils' work are in place. However, these are not yet enabling the school to identify quickly enough any pupils who are not making the progress they should or to set appropriately challenging targets. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange Primary School, 24 °25 January 2008

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Grade: 3

Senior leaders have developed the new creative curriculum and early signs are that it is adding greater interest to pupils' learning and helping to raise standards. This shows the school's adequate capacity to bring about the necessary improvements. Teachers and other staff have worked hard to improve behaviour and raise pupils' self-esteem, so that good foundations for learning are in place. Procedures for monitoring teaching and learning do not involve all senior and middle leaders regularly enough to bring about swift improvement in its quality and consistency. The committed governors have supported the school well during the planning and construction of the new premises. They are now holding the school more to account for its performance. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange Primary School, 24 °25 January 2008 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange Primary School, 24 °25 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 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

3 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 3 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?

3 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: Grange Primary School, 24 °25 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 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 3 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: Grange Primary School, 24 °25 January 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

07 February 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Grange Primary School,London,W5 4HN Thank you for making us so welcome and for helping us when we visited your school recently. We really enjoyed our visit and would like to tell you what we found. Grange Primary School is a satisfactory school and these are its strengths.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You get on well with each other and adults and behave well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You enjoy coming to school and especially like the new building, music, drama, clubs, sports, and other activities which the staff organise. ■ You feel safe and happy at school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You help the school and local community well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Children in the Nursery and Reception are making good progress.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Mr Formella, your teachers, other staff and governors have worked hard to ensure the move into the new school has gone well. There are a few things we have asked the school to do to make it even better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Some of the teaching is good but some lessons are not as enjoyable or challenging as others. We have asked that more of the staff check to make sure that they are. ■ We would like teachers to check all the information the school collects about how well you are doing, to make sure you are making good progress all the time and to set challenging targets for you to aim for. You can help your teachers by coming to school regularly and continuing to work hard. Best wishes for the future, Madeleine Gerard Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange Primary School, 24 °25 January 2008

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