Krishna Avanti Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that the quality of pupils’ writing is consistently high across all subjects.
• Embed assessment practice across the school so that staff track progress rigorously and accurately across the curriculum.
• Ensure that middle-ability pupils are challenged sufficiently so that they can make sustained and strong progress in reading and writing.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since taking up her post in 2016, the headteacher has worked tirelessly to maintain a high standard of education for all pupils. Prior to her appointment, the school experienced frequent changes in leadership which had threatened the stability of the school. The headteacher provides strong leadership and has the full support of the trust, staff, pupils and parents and carers.
• The headteacher now has a committed and stable team of leaders and managers. Recent new appointments have strengthened the leadership team as leaders settle into their roles. Leaders at all levels share the headteacher’s vision and show capacity to improve the school further.
• Leaders have identified accurately the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They have put in place appropriate measures to address areas for improvement. Leaders review their actions regularly to ensure that they are having a positive impact.
• Performance management is well organised. Staff have precise and measurable targets that come from the school improvement plan. This means that all staff are working towards the same goals. Additional personalised targets ensure that teachers can develop individual skills to improve their practice. Teachers new to the profession are very well supported.
• Leaders identify pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities at an early stage. They have developed close links with external agencies and use funding effectively to ensure that pupils get the specialist support they need. Pupils who have complex needs are integrated well into lessons and they make strong progress.
• The curriculum allows pupils to learn a broad and balanced range of subjects, including science, history, geography and Sanskrit. Creativity is threaded through all aspects of the curriculum. Specialist teachers in art, music and drama work with class teachers so that pupils have topics linked between subjects. Year 3 pupils enjoy the opportunity to connect with nature through forest school. Trips and visits enhance the curriculum and support pupils’ work in lessons.
• Leaders’ work to promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school. In philosophy, religion and ethics lessons, pupils deepen their knowledge of Hinduism and compare it with other religions. They debate moral issues and discuss how they can demonstrate the school values which overlap with British values. Consequently, pupils are very reflective of the world around them and know what it means to be a good citizen. They are acutely aware of people who are less fortunate than themselves. Pupils raise money for different charities and gather items for a local food bank.
• Leaders use and evaluate the pupil premium funding effectively. The school has a small number of disadvantaged pupils who make good progress from their different starting points. Leaders ensure that each pupil has a personalised programme of interventions and activities, which supports their academic progress as well as their personal development.
• The physical education and sport premium funding is used to develop the physical education skills of staff and improve the range of sports clubs for pupils. A specialist sports coach, assisted by class teachers, delivers high-quality lessons to all pupils. However, leaders acknowledge that the funding could be used even more effectively with better planning.
• Leaders assess and check on pupils’ progress and attainment regularly. They meet with key-stage leaders and teachers to discuss classes and individual pupils. As a team, they identify where pupils are underachieving and decide what support is needed. However, leaders acknowledge that they are still developing the new assessment system to ensure that it is used consistently well to support pupils’ progress.

Governance of the school

• The trust leaders use their expertise to provide strong challenge and support to school leaders. They monitor whole-school development carefully and are keenly aware of priorities for improvement. External reviews of the school every term reinforce the trust’s detailed understanding of the school.
• The structure of the trust has been carefully designed to ensure that there are strong channels of communication and clear lines of accountability. The school stakeholder committee also provides an effective voice for parents. Members are fully aware of their statutory responsibilities and are actively involved in the school. They are aspirational for the school.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. A member of the school’s governing body oversees all safeguarding procedures and checks that they are robust.
• Staff training is up to date and staff receive regular safeguarding updates. They understand their responsibilities and deal with any safeguarding concerns in a timely and appropriate manner. Staff are vigilant about child protection matters, including female genital mutilation and radicalisation. Leaders ensure that pre-recruitment checks on the suitability of staff are thorough.
• Pupils say that they feel safe and know whom they would speak to if they had any worries. Posters and displays around the school on staying safe reassure pupils that they are in a safe environment. Personal, social, health and economic education lessons help pupils to understand risks in and out of school and they learn how to keep themselves safe. Parents agree that their children are safe and well looked after.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers use creative resources and plan activities which will interest and motivate pupils. Teachers manage their classes well and there are warm relationships between pupils and staff. Pupils are keen to participate in lessons and they enjoy their learning as a result.
• Teachers plan lessons carefully so that pupils can use their prior learning across different subject areas. For example, pupils’ work on sound in science helped them to investigate changes in pitch, which they used to design a musical instrument. Teachers have time to plan together so that there is consistency in what is taught across classes in each year group.
• In mathematics, pupils demonstrate secure knowledge and understanding. They can explain different methods of working out problems and learn from their mistakes. Year 6 pupils, for example, worked on fraction pyramids which helped them to see patterns. As one pupil said, ‘This is all trial and error, but it helps us with our reasoning.’
• Stimulating displays in classrooms reinforce and support pupils’ learning. Pupils were observed using the displays regularly to help them with their work, such as using a range of adjectives or checking the spellings of difficult words.
• Pupils receive clear and precise guidance from teachers about how to improve the quality of their work, particularly in writing. Pupils in a Year 2 lesson, for example, used thesauruses independently. One pupil said, ‘We want to find more exciting words to avoid boring writing.’
• Teachers use good questioning skills to check on pupils’ understanding. They encourage pupils to think more deeply about their answers, often modelling answers so that pupils know exactly what to do.
• Teaching assistants are well deployed. They work closely with teachers and know how to engage with the pupils they work with, especially those who have SEN and/or disabilities. Pupils make good progress as a result.
• Teachers ensure that high-ability pupils are stretched in lessons. These pupils show resilience and a determination to succeed. They concentrate for sustained periods of time on difficult concepts and can explain their reasoning. Middle-ability pupils are not always challenged by the level of work in lessons. Consequently, they do not make as much progress as they could.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• The school’s Hindu ethos underpins the values which are known and followed by all members of the school community. Pupils know the importance of values such as integrity and humility and demonstrate them in their conduct.
• Pupils are highly reflective about their own beliefs and can compare their faith with other religions. They learn to respect other people’s faiths from an early age and know that everyone needs to be treated equally. As one pupil said, ‘Instead of judging others, we look at how we can change ourselves.’
• Pupils are confident and articulate. They are eager to talk about their learning and are clearly used to working together. Pupils discuss and share ideas in lessons, collaborating with each other to come up with the best solutions.
• Bullying is extremely rare and pupils say that it doesn’t happen. They know about the different forms bullying can take, including cyber bullying. Pupils learn how to deal with any unkind behaviour and know how to stay safe online.
• Pupils seize opportunities to take on responsibilities at school. They vote for pupils to represent them on the student council and for eco-representatives help to make the school more environmentally friendly. Every Year 6 pupil has an area of responsibility assigned to them, such as helping a particular class or looking after younger pupils in the playground. Pupils take their roles very seriously and are excellent role models.
• Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to stay healthy. They enjoy weekly yoga lessons and say that this helps them to concentrate and stay calm. ‘Healthy mind, healthy body’ week is celebrated annually across the school. Pupils benefit from a range of medical professionals visiting the school and giving an insight into their careers.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils understand and adhere to the ‘golden rules’ which are based on the school values.
• Around the school, there is a calm and harmonious atmosphere. In lessons, pupils show positive attitudes to learning and excellent behaviour. At lunchtime, pupils and staff sit together and chat happily. In the playground, pupils play together very well.
• Incidents of poor behaviour are extremely rare. Pupils look after each other and help each other to do their best. One pupil said, ‘If someone does something wrong, we tell them ways to improve.’
• Pupils value their education. They love coming to school and take pride in it. Attendance is above the national average and the school rewards good attendance. Younger pupils compete to have ‘Attendance Ted’ each week, while older pupils vie for the ‘Attendance Cup’.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Current pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, are making good progress in a wide range of subjects, including in English and mathematics. Pupils’ starting points at key stage 1 and key stage 2 are generally high.
• Owing to well-targeted support, pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are making good progress.
• By the end of key stage 2, pupils make average progress in reading and writing. In mathematics, pupils make progress that is well above the national average.
• Achievement at key stage 1 is consistently above the national average in reading and mathematics. Pupils’ attainment in writing is improving and is average.
• The teaching of phonics is strong. A high proportion of pupils meet the expected standard in phonics at the end of Year 1.
• The school promotes reading well. Pupils have opportunities to read during the school day and reading sessions focus on developing different skills to help pupils with their comprehension. Pupils are confident readers in general. They talk enthusiastically about books they have enjoyed and the pupil-designed ‘reading corner’.
• Leaders have made the improvement of writing a focus for the whole school. High-quality writing is displayed around the school which models the school’s expectations. Pupils understand what they need to do to improve their writing. However, there is still some inconsistency in the quality of writing across year groups.

Early years provision Good

• The wide range of activities on offer motivates children. For example, a doctor from the local community visited Nursery to talk about healthy eating. Children asked pertinent questions and were fully engaged.
• The majority of children join the early years provision with low levels of English. Staff take every opportunity to talk with children and encourage them to try new words. Useful word displays surround the children and activities are planned carefully to support language development.
• By the time they leave Reception, children have made strong progress from their low starting points and are ready for key stage 1. The proportion of children who achieve a good level of development is above the national average.
• Additional adults provide good support, particularly with children who are less confident. They model activities and give lots of reassurance so that children feel confident and involved in the learning. Children who have SEN and/or disabilities are well supported and make very good progress.
• Staff have established clear routines so that children know what is expected of them. As a result, children behave very well. They display good manners and get on well with each other.
• Parents are involved in their child’s education. Home visits take place before a child joins early years and packs are provided for families to help them support their child’s development.
• The school currently has no early years leader. The headteacher, with support from an early years specialist consultant, has ensured that standards have not dropped.
• Staff are getting to grips with the new assessment system in early years. At the moment, comments are often more descriptive rather than evaluative. Leaders are still working on this to ensure that assessment of children’s starting points and progress is as accurate as possible.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 138688 Harrow 10031777 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy converter 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 357 Appropriate authority The board of trustees Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Vandana Dass Bindu Rai 0208 381 3344 www.avanti.org.uk/kapsharrow kapsharrow@avanti.org.uk Date of previous inspection 5–6 June 2013

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.
• The Krishna Avanti Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school. The early years provision comprises a Nursery class (mornings only) and two Reception classes.
• The school is one of six schools in the Avanti Trust. The headteacher took up post in April 2016.
• The vast majority of pupils speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for support through pupil premium funding is below average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is below average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

Information about this inspection

• The inspection was carried out over three days. A section 8 inspection was led by an Ofsted Inspector on day one and converted to a section 5 inspection. Her Majesty’s Inspector took over the inspection on day two. The inspection was concluded on day three.
• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes and in a range of subjects. School leaders joined inspectors for some lesson observations. To evaluate the quality of pupils’ learning over time, inspectors also reviewed a wide range of their books, including in mathematics, English, science, history and geography. Inspectors also spoke with pupils in lessons about their work.
• The inspection team held a range of meetings with senior and middle leaders to evaluate the impact of their work. Inspectors also held meetings with the governing body, teachers new to the profession and different groups of pupils.
• Inspectors scrutinised a variety of documentation provided by leaders, including information about current pupils’ progress and attainment, leaders’ self-evaluation and development plans, minutes of governing body meetings, attendance and behaviour records, and safeguarding information.
• Inspectors evaluated 134 replies to Parent View, Ofsted’s questionnaire for parents. Inspectors also considered 30 responses to Ofsted’s survey for staff and 49 replies to the pupil survey.

Inspection team

Jude Wilson, lead inspector Tim McLoughlin Dawn Titus Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Helen Morrison, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector