Cherry Lane Primary School

Cherry Lane Primary School Inspection report

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131638 Unique Reference Number Hillingdon Local Authority 328628 Inspection number 30–31 March 2009 Inspection dates Bernice Magson Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 3–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 451 School (total) 0 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Phil Haigh Chair Mr Stephen Whitehouse Headteacher 15 November 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Sipson Road School address West Drayton Middlesex UB7 9DL 01895 444 480 Telephone number 01895 430 296 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 30–31 March 2009 Inspection dates 328628 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. 2 of 11 Inspection Report: Cherry Lane Primary School, 30–31 March 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Cherry Lane is a large primary school serving a diverse community. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is above average. The majority of pupils are White British and the remainder are mostly of Asian or African minority ethnic heritage. There are more boys on roll than girls. Children are admitted to part-time education in the Early Years Foundation Stage from three years of age, and have full-time education from September or January of the school year in which they are five years of age. A high proportion of pupils have learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including speech, language, communication and moderate learning difficulties, and physical, social, emotional and behavioural needs. While the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above average, only a small number of these are at the early stages of learning the language. The proportion of pupils moving in and

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Description of the school

out of school other than at the normal time of admission is high. The governing body is establishing a Children's Centre on the same site and building work is underway. Also, there is a Nursery managed by a private provider.

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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: Cherry Lane Primary School, 30–31 March 2009

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Grade: 2

This good school seeks to 'support, achieve and celebrate' the personal and academic development of pupils, and it is successful in helping most pupils to achieve well. They are happy to attend and feel safe and secure, because of the outstanding pastoral care and support of staff. Parents and carers are pleased that their children attend this school and glad to see them make good progress. 'I'm amazed to see how much my child has learnt' commented one parent, reflecting the views of others. Pupils have good attitudes to learning and are proud of their successes. Sporting activities are extremely popular. 'We enjoy lots of sports' children say, from 'Yoga Bugs' in the Nursery to netball tournaments for older boys and girls in Years 5 and 6. Pupils are developing good moral and social skills, knowing how their actions impact on others and appreciating the many sporting skills of friends. Pupils have an excellent understanding of healthy lifestyles; Year 2 can classify

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Grade: 2

healthy foods for a lunch box, and Year 6 can describe the benefits of exercise on the human body. A well-structured school council is eager to influence school development. School councillors choose charities to support, and their recent recommendations have led to refurbishment of the toilets. One pupil has achieved recent success in designing a new school logo. From very low starting points in the Nursery, pupils attain broadly average standards by Year 6. Throughout the school, boys achieve less well than girls, particularly in English and mathematics. The school has introduced measures to address this weakness. The curriculum has been adapted to include more practical experiences and a new reading scheme has been purchased with topics that have boys specifically in mind. The school has reorganised classes for groups of pupils in Years 5 and 6 so that adults are able to give greater support and ensure

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Grade: 2

that individual needs are met more precisely. Parents are pleased with these changes, commenting 'I've noticed a real focus on raising standards in reading and writing.' However, senior mangers have recognised that some weaknesses persist. In some classes, teachers do not set tasks that challenge pupils enough, particularly the more able. Teachers' expectations are sometimes too low because they make insufficient use of assessment data in their planning. In most lessons, pupils listen attentively and show a good interest in their tasks. However, inconsistencies in the teachers' use of improvement targets and marking mean that some pupils are not clear enough about the next steps to take to improve their learning. The school has good clarity in its vision and aims. It is ably and effectively led and managed by an experienced and dedicated team of headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher. Together with staff and governors, they are achieving good improvement in

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Grade: 2

provision and are raising standards. Plans are in place to develop a Children's Centre to extend provision and provide greater community links. The school's contribution to community cohesion is good. Good self-review strategies ensure that senior managers and governors accurately identify the school's strengths and address its weaknesses. Their actions have brought improvement, for example to resources in information and communication technology (ICT). Their proven track record shows that the school has a good capacity to improve further. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Cherry Lane Primary School, 30–31 March 2009

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Grade: 3

Children enjoy school and have safe and sound relationships with staff. They start school with attainment very much lower than that expected for their age, particularly in their personal and social skills, and in communication, language and literacy development. Teacher assessments show that children make good progress over time, although their attainment is well below the nationally expected goals by the end of the Reception year. Currently, progress is good in adult-led tasks, but only satisfactory in children's independent play, as learning tasks are not challenging enough. There are limited opportunities and resources for meaningful play in the outdoor area, particularly in the Reception year, because building work has impacted adversely on provision. The leader has a good understanding of the needs of the young child and has identified appropriate priorities for development. However, at present, actions to bring about

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Grade: 3

improvement and the monitoring and evaluation of the key stage are limited, because of the leader's extended role in the development of the Children's Centre. Staff work together well, and children and their parents appreciate the friendly and caring welcome of their children. Indeed, the good quality of pastoral care and support enables most children to achieve extremely well in their personal development by the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the challenge in learning tasks in writing and mathematics, particularly for boys and the more able. ■ Use teachers' marking and target setting more precisely so that pupils know the next steps needed to bring about improvement in their learning. ■ In the Early Years Foundation Stage, develop the range and quality of outdoor learning experiences.

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Grade: 2

Excellent care and support, and access to a relevant and interesting curriculum, enable pupils who join the school at the normal time of admission to make good progress. From very low starting points, these pupils attain standards well below average by Year 2, and broadly average by Year 6. Pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those speaking English as an additional language achieve well, because of the skilled help of the inclusion manager and learning assistants. However, some pupils progress more slowly, because of movement in and out of schools, or poor attendance. In national tests, results are influenced adversely by the high numbers of pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities and well above average numbers of pupils who speak English as an additional language. For example, in 2008, more than half of pupils in Years 2 and 6 had additional needs. There are weaknesses in the

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Grade: 2

attainment of boys and the more able, and strategies are in place to raise attainment. The current Year 6 are predicted to attain higher standards in national tests, with more pupils achieving the higher Level 5 in English and mathematics.

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Grade: 2

Pupils have good relationships with staff. Their social and emotional health is developing well because adults are good role models, promoting trust and respect for others. Pupils behave 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Cherry Lane Primary School, 30–31 March 2009 well in lessons, because they are well managed. In the playground pupils maintain school rules well, enjoying a range of playground activities. Pupils very clearly understand the importance of healthy lifestyles and personal safety. Members of the school council are justly proud of their contributions to developing the school, although other pupils have few opportunities for special responsibilities. Pupils support a range of charities and make regular visits into the community. The school choir, for example, often entertains senior citizens. Pupils are eager to succeed in lessons, but some do not know the next steps to take to improve their work. Most

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Grade: 2

pupils attend school regularly and attendance levels are close to the national average. A small minority are persistent absentees and this restricts their rates of progress.

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Grade: 2

There is a significant proportion of good teaching across the school, particularly in Years 2, 5 and 6, where progress is more rapid. Most lessons are planned effectively to build on what pupils have learnt before. Teachers use a good range of strategies to motivate and interest pupils. In the best lessons, teachers extend pupils' thinking skills by effective questioning. Where teaching is only satisfactory, the learning tasks are not matched well enough to pupils' ability, restricting the pace of learning. Across the school, teaching assistants are deployed effectively in English and mathematics to support pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities and other groups that need extra help, such as those speaking English as an additional language. Teachers' use of marking and target setting is inconsistent. It is of an excellent quality in Year 2, helping pupils to reflect on their learning and guiding them in the next steps to

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Grade: 2

improve. In some classes however, improvement targets are not regularly reviewed and marking comprises mostly positive comments with few pointers for development.

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Grade: 2

The good curriculum meets the needs of all pupils because of the good focus on practical activities, clear links between subjects and effective individual support. Pupils in Year 6, for example, have enjoyed projects in science and history, with good links to English, mathematics and ICT for research and to record their findings. Pupils' personal development is given a high priority. Many activities support the development of healthy lifestyles and promote an understanding of personal safety and economic well-being. The curriculum is enriched well by visits to local places of interest and by specialist visitors. Special events enhance learning further, such as an Arts Week or residential visit, and pupils greatly enjoy the very wide range of extra-curricular activities that are available for all ages. Specialist programmes are provided to meet the needs of pupils who are more able or have a particular talent, such as sports or drama.

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Grade: 2

Initiatives are developing well to improve the reading and writing skills of boys.

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Grade: 2

Pastoral care and support are outstanding. Staff know pupils' needs well and have established good relationships with them. Systems of health and safety, risk assessment, first aid and child protection are fully in place. There is rigorous monitoring of attendance and punctuality. Good partnership links with outside agencies ensure additional support, if necessary. Links with 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Cherry Lane Primary School, 30–31 March 2009 parents are good. Parents receive information regularly about their child's progress, and staff and the governing body work hard to respond to any parental concerns. A good example of this is the measures which are being introduced to tighten security arrangements. The school undertakes a rigorous process of assessment, which provides the senior management team with detailed information about the progress of individuals and the impact of strategies to raise

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Grade: 2

attainment. Occasionally, when pupils have moved schools often, assessment information is incomplete, making it more difficult to track progress and intervene at an early stage to improve performance.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher and senior management team work successfully to develop an ethos which focuses strongly on equality of opportunity for all pupils and provides high-quality pastoral care. The school's evaluation of its own performance is accurate, and effective in identifying the next steps to bring improvement. Staff work together well and are keen to develop their leadership skills by sharing their expertise in lessons, and leading training. Links with universities and other training institutions increase opportunities for professional training. The extensive training of students from these establishments is instrumental in extending the school's good community cohesion. Subject leaders make a good contribution in monitoring the school's performance, and some are using assessment data well to measure the impact of their actions. Leadership in science, for example, has led to well planned and effective developments in

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Grade: 2

teaching and the curriculum. Most members of the governing body are recently appointed and are developing their roles in strategic planning. They have fulfilled all statutory responsibilities. However, governors are unable to monitor the effectiveness of the school as well as they might. This is because the criteria set out in the school improvement plan to judge the impact of initiatives taken lack precision and, as a result, progress in achieving developments cannot be measured objectively. Financial checks are undertaken rigorously by the bursar, senior managers and governors. A considerable underspend is targeted to ensure priorities are met in staffing, and in the development of the Children's Centre. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Cherry Lane Primary School, 30–31 March 2009 .

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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: Cherry Lane Primary School, 30–31 March 2009

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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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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 capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

3 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 3 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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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/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 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: Cherry Lane Primary School, 30–31 March 2009

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 3 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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: Cherry Lane Primary School, 30–31 March 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

22 April 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Cherry Lane Primary School,Middlesex,UB7 9DL You may recall that three inspectors visited your school recently. Thank you for being so friendly and welcoming. We enjoyed talking to you about all the interesting things you are doing. We hope that Year 5 enjoyed their adventure holiday and learnt lots of new things. We think that you have a good school. Here are the best things about your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You enjoy school and work hard in lessons.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You have an excellent understanding of healthy foods and take part very willingly in physical exercise. ■ You are keen to join in the many out-of-school activities which are arranged for you.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your school councillors are working hard to improve the school and they express your ideas well. ■ Your parents and carers are very glad that you go to this school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your headteacher, staff and governors are working hard to make your school even better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

There are three things that we would like your school to do to improve.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We have asked your teachers to provide tasks which challenge you more in your writing and in mathematics, particularly the boys and the more able pupils. ■ Your teachers should improve their marking and make greater use of improvement targets to help you know the next steps in your learning. ■ In the Early Years Foundation Stage, we have asked that children should be provided with a more interesting and challenging range of toys for independent play outdoors. We hope that you carry on enjoying the interesting things provided for you at Cherry Lane School. Yours faithfully Bernice Magson Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Cherry Lane Primary School, 30–31 March 2009

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