Edward Pauling Primary School

Edward Pauling Primary School Inspection report

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102514 Unique Reference Number Hounslow Local Authority 331171 Inspection number 4–5 February 2009 Inspection dates Heather Yaxley HMI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005; it was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. 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 339 School (total) 40 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 Mrs Mary Brown Chair Ms Gabrielle Quinnen Headteacher 6 December 2007 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Redford Close School address Feltham TW13 4TQ 020 8831 0841 Telephone number 020 8831 0851 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 4–5 February 2009 Inspection dates 331171 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 12 Inspection Report: Edward Pauling Primary School, 4–5 February 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Edward Pauling is a large primary school built to serve a new housing estate in 1995. There are 13 classes, most of which comprise single age groups. The Early Years Foundation Stage comprises two classes for children in the Reception Year and a Nursery. When pupils enter the Nursery, their skills are well below those found nationally, particularly in literacy and numeracy. The proportion of pupils entitled to a free school meal is much higher than that seen nationally. A higher than average proportion of pupils is from minority ethnic backgrounds, but there is no predominant group. The proportion of those at the early stages of learning English is in line with the national average. There are twice as many pupils with a learning difficulty and/or disability than are found in most schools, most of which relate to emotional, behavioural and communication difficulties. The proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational

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Description of the school

needs is also twice as high as the national average. At the last inspection, in December 2007, the school was placed in special measures. Ofsted carried out monitoring visits to evaluate the school's progress on issues raised at that inspection, in May and October 2008. The school has been working within a soft federation with Belmont Primary School for the past 12 months as part of the local authority's (LA) support plan.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 12 Inspection Report: Edward Pauling Primary School, 4–5 February 2009

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Grade: 3

In accordance with section 13(4) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures. Edward Pauling Primary now provides a satisfactory standard of education and care for its pupils. This includes satisfactory and improving provision for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Significant improvements to the quality of teaching and assessment ensure that most pupils are now making the progress expected of them in English, mathematics and science. Such rapid improvement has been possible because the headteacher, ably supported by senior leaders, ensured that the school took action as quickly as it could to address the issues raised at the last inspection. They were not overwhelmed by what needed to be done. Leaders and managers at all levels took responsibility for any shortcomings, got on with the task in hand and were determined to do it themselves. They embraced the good advice and

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Grade: 3

support provided by the LA and other colleagues, while firmly taking the lead for what they believed to be the best course of action for their school. This successfully motivated and mobilised the staff to make agreed changes to teaching and assessment, which ensured a high degree of consistency and shared responsibility to raise pupils' attainment. This has not been an easy task, not least because of changes in the staff team over the past year. However, the hard work and perseverance of the whole team has paid off in good time. As a result of appropriate training and modelling of effective strategies, inadequate teaching has been eradicated and, while teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, an increasing proportion is now good. This is helping to make up for pupils' past underachievement, as demonstrated by improved standards in English, mathematics and science across the school. Pupils' creative writing skills have also improved in response to recent changes in how they are

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Grade: 3

taught, but these skills are still not as well developed as other areas of literacy, especially in boys. Particular improvements can be seen in the quality of pupils' handwriting. The use of targets and success criteria in lessons is successfully helping pupils to be more involved in their learning. But these targets are not always written in sufficiently child-friendly language to help pupils assess what they know and how to improve their work. The school has come a long way in establishing effective systems to assess and track pupils' attainment. Following the last inspection, the headteacher took prompt action to bring this important aspect of the school's work within the responsibility of the senior leadership team. In particular, the deputy headteacher has worked diligently and effectively to develop a system that not only provides the right information, but also produces that information in a way that

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Grade: 3

is useful to teachers in their planning. The senior leadership team, teachers and support staff use this information well to identify any pupils who are underachieving. Where this is identified, pupils are targeted for particular support and often make good progress as a result. The information from assessments and tests is not yet used to inform teachers more generally, as to how they might adapt their class teaching and the curriculum to focus more clearly on the skills that the pupils most need to learn. The staff are very proud of their pupils and the pupils are very proud of their school. Pupils of all ages are very positive about the help that they get from staff. They take good advantage of opportunities to develop responsibility for themselves and to consider the needs of others. As a result, their personal skills are good, including good spiritual, moral, social and cultural 4 of 12 Inspection Report: Edward Pauling Primary School, 4–5 February 2009

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Grade: 3

awareness. Visitors cannot fail to be impressed by their courtesy, confidence, maturity and enthusiasm for learning.

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Grade: 3

Children settle well when they start in the Nursery and the progress they make in their personal development through to the end of the Reception Year is good. This is because their welfare is well promoted, enabling them to feel safe, secure and keen to try new things. The children are happy, and well motivated to play and work together cooperatively. A new way of assessing children's skills is in place and assessments at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage are now more rigorous. Children leave the Reception Year with skills that are below those seen nationally, particularly in relation to literacy and numeracy. This represents satisfactory progress from their individual starting points. The quality of leadership, teaching and the curriculum is satisfactory and is improving. The Early Years Foundation Stage leader, together with her dedicated staff team, has reorganised the provision this term in order to meet the changing requirements of the curriculum, and in

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Grade: 3

response to training and visits to other Early Years Foundation Stage settings. These changes have already made a significant difference to the way in which the three classes work more closely and effectively together. Lesson plans have been revised to ensure that all areas of learning are sufficiently covered each day, including special opportunities for the children to learn particular skills each day. The use of the outside areas has been enhanced but the activities do not always complement the activities indoors.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that the targets and success criteria used with pupils are phrased in ways that are easy for them to understand and use. ■ Improve pupils' skills for writing, particularly for boys.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Use assessment information more precisely to help teachers and subject leaders plan activities that address the gaps in pupils' knowledge and skills, particularly in English, mathematics and science. 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

Standards at the end of each key stage remain below the national averages for literacy and numeracy, and are in line with that for science. However, the rate at which pupils make progress in each of these subjects has improved, representing satisfactory progress from their individual starting points and reversing the downward trend in 2006 and 2007. Improved progress is directly related to better-quality teaching and assessments, and clearer expectations for pupils to make more rapid progress. Thorough assessments and rigorous tracking show that most pupils across the school, regardless of age, ability or background, are now making the progress expected of them. In Key Stage 1, particular improvements can be seen in mathematics and reading. Having made up for some lost learning in previous years, pupils in the current Years 5 and 6 are on track to achieve the challenging targets set for them at the end of Key Stage 2.

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Grade: 3

5 of 12 Inspection Report: Edward Pauling Primary School, 4–5 February 2009 Standards in writing across the school were disappointing in 2008, including too few pupils reaching the higher levels. However, recent, well-founded strategies to support pupils' writing skills throughout the curriculum have already resulted in some good gains.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development is good across the school, because of good role models from staff to guide their moral and social behaviour and because the personal, social and health education programme is well planned. Children in the Nursery are keen to show what they can do themselves and Year 6 pupils feel well prepared for secondary school. They say that they will miss the friendly and helpful atmosphere in the school. Behaviour in school and in the playground is good. Pupils are courteous, thoughtful and demonstrate sensitivity to others without prompting. Pupils are very trusting of staff. Their confidence with adults, in seeking advice and discussing social and moral issues, is particularly striking, and makes a good contribution to their emotional well-being and healthy lifestyles. Pupils of all ages are very keen to take responsibility. This works on two levels. Firstly, pupils can apply for a range of important jobs at lunchtime through the 'meaningful work scheme';

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Grade: 2

they take their roles very seriously. Secondly, they clearly take responsibility for their own behaviour when things do not go so well, through the 'project achieve' scheme and the 'stop and think' system. Attendance rates took a dip last year but the way in which this was tackled is a good example of how the school targets issues and works with pupils to take responsibility. As a result, attendance rates returned to national averages in a short time.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall and about half of lessons are good. This improvement was possible through training by senior staff in partnership with colleagues from a local school. Subject coordinators also work alongside colleagues, giving particularly good support to teachers new to the school. Teachers show commitment to their pupils and manage behaviour and relationships well. Lessons are organised and resourced well. As a result, pupils enjoy lessons and are eager to learn. Lesson planning is now uniform in format, and generally takes account of the range of abilities within a class. However, planned support for pupils who speak English as an additional language is not always clearly identified. Teaching assistants are well informed and play a full part in the pupils' learning. Work is marked regularly, providing praise and encouragement, and identifies what pupils need to do to improve their

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Grade: 3

work. However, this is not always consistent in quality.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory overall, promoting pupils' personal development particularly well and enabling them to make sound academic progress. The curriculum quite rightly focuses on literacy and numeracy, including a good range of additional support programmes. This is helping to address underachievement. However, the impact of planning has yet to meet the needs of all groups of pupils fully. The developing links between subjects make the curriculum more creative, enabling pupils to apply their skills in different contexts and making learning more 6 of 12 Inspection Report: Edward Pauling Primary School, 4–5 February 2009 interesting and relevant. For example, in an outstanding literacy lesson on report writing, excellent links were made between writing a report, social skills (as pupils discussed their ideas) and the benefits of healthy eating. All classes have an interactive whiteboard, which adds

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interest to lessons. Enrichment activities, such as themed days and visits, including a Year 6 residential visit, give pupils first-hand learning experiences and support their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Good links with local secondary schools support the teaching of French and sports. After-school clubs are popular with pupils. There is a good range of sports, arts and games activities, as well as gardening and homework clubs.

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Grade: 3

The quality of care, guidance and support given to pupils is satisfactory. Pastoral care is good. Staff are good role models and encourage pupils to have high aspirations. Health and safety procedures and child protection measures meet requirements. This helps pupils to feel safe and secure and contributes well to their good behaviour and enjoyment of learning. The support given to pupils by teaching assistants is good. The local authority ensures close links between the school, outside agencies and parents, and provides good support for pupils' welfare through their Team Around the School strategy. Home visits ensure a smooth transition between home and the Nursery and Reception classes. Curriculum meetings, such as a successful Maths Market, inform parents of what is being learnt and gives them the opportunity to support their children at home. A breakfast club gives pupils a good start to the day. Pupils' progress is closely

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Grade: 3

monitored and discussed at regular pupil-progress meetings between the class teacher and senior staff. Pupils are set individual targets for English and group targets for mathematics. However, although pupils are developing an understanding of targets and how to achieve them, those who have difficulty reading do not always understand the language used and so do not fully benefit from them.

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Grade: 3

The good improvements made since the last inspection have been possible because of the determination and drive of the headteacher, senior leadership team and governors. The quality of teaching has improved not only because of the strategic importance given to ensuring consistency, but also because the headteacher has made good appointments to the teaching team. The strong sense of teamwork has been enhanced over the past year through good-quality professional dialogue between staff at all levels. This successfully enables staff to ask for help when they need it, in the knowledge that senior leaders will respond quickly and supportively. The senior leadership team, together with the governors, take their strategic responsibilities very seriously. In addition, the roles and responsibilities of middle managers have been improved. They monitor teaching and learning for their subjects and this is helping to evaluate the quality

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Grade: 3

of provision for their subjects more effectively. Governors have come a long way in their understanding of assessment and are at one with the staff in raising expectations so that pupils make better progress. They achieve the right balance between being supportive and asking difficult questions so that they have a good understanding of the school's work. Reports from subject leaders are increasingly helpful in doing this. Governors have also benefited from a range of appropriate training. 7 of 12 Inspection Report: Edward Pauling Primary School, 4–5 February 2009 There is now no doubt that the school is standing on its own two feet. A range of systems to monitor and evaluate the quality of the provision is in place and has proved to be effective, as shown by rapid improvements over the past year. Action taken to reverse the recent dip in attendance was also very effective. Leaders and managers at all levels acknowledge that there

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Grade: 3

is still more to be done, for example in the wider use of assessment information. Nevertheless, improvements made since the last inspection rightly give the school the confidence that they can maintain and build upon the good work so far, so that things will not slip. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Edward Pauling Primary School, 4–5 February 2009 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: Edward Pauling Primary School, 4–5 February 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? 3 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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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/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. 10 of 12 Inspection Report: Edward Pauling Primary School, 4–5 February 2009

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3 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 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 3 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 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 3 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? 11 of 12 Inspection Report: Edward Pauling Primary School, 4–5 February 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

16 February 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Edward Pauling Primary School,Feltham,TW13 4TQ Just over a year ago, your school was placed in special measures and, since that time, Ms Quinnen and Mrs Brown have worked extremely hard with the staff and governors to tackle the things that needed to improve. I have visited your school three times and am now very pleased to be able to tell you that your school no longer requires special measures. This is because the staff make sure that you are making the right amount of progress in your work each year. I want to say a special thank you for the help that you gave Tony Green and me when we came to lessons and talked to you about your work. We were particularly impressed with your politeness, kindness and good behaviour. We could also see how your handwriting has improved a great deal. Your attendance is also much better and you need to make sure that you keep

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

this up so that you can make the most of your education. I know that the staff want to improve your school even more and you can help with this too. Firstly, I have asked staff to improve writing for all of you but especially for the boys. Secondly, the targets and success criteria used in lessons are beginning to help you understand what you are learning and how to do even better. Sometimes the targets are not worded very clearly, so they need to be written so that you can understand them more easily. Thirdly, I have asked the staff to look more closely at the assessment of your work to help teachers plan more of the right activities for you. Many thanks again for your help and I wish you well for whatever you hope to achieve for yourselves in the future. Yours faithfully Heather Yaxley Her Majesty's Inspector 12 of 12 Inspection Report: Edward Pauling Primary School, 4–5 February 2009

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