Stag Lane Infant and Nursery School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Raise the provision in the early years foundation stage by:
  • improving the quality and use of the outdoor learning environment.
• Raise the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by:
  • improving the accuracy and use of assessments by teachers to inform their practice in order to further raise outcomes.
• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:
  • ensuring that the tracking and support for pupils with SEND is fully effective so that through the teaching they receive, they make good or better progress.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher and newly appointed acting deputy headteacher have high expectations and are ambitious for the pupils. They are very passionate and reflective in the way that they evaluate the school. They have correctly identified the school’s strengths and weaknesses. The plans they have drawn up to improve the school are accurate and fit for purpose.
• The school vision is ‘Forever Learners: Achieving our dreams’. The ethos is very evident through all aspects of the work of the school. A five-year-old pupil told inspectors that she wanted to be a doctor, but also added that she knew she would, ‘have to learn a lot’. This is a good example of the outstanding personal development which the school promotes from the earliest age.
• The very well-designed curriculum ensures that there is a consistent approach to learning across the school. Leaders have revised the curriculum so that it provides better opportunities for pupils to learn in depth across all subjects. The curriculum includes many additional topics and extra-curricular activities. For example, in Year 2, pupils were designing a front page for their science project on space using computer coding skills. Also noted during the inspection was a Reception year group visit to the theatre. Such activities help to broaden pupils’ horizons and deepen their awareness of technology, arts and culture.
• Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are supported very well. Pupils gain a strong understanding about life in modern Britain. They have a good understanding of the importance of issues such as community and friendship. ‘Respect’ is more than a word for the pupils at Stag Lane; it is in the fabric of the school, seen in the way that pupils behave impeccably towards each other and to adults.
• Parents are very positive about the school and typically make comments such as: ‘The school is very good at letting parents know what the children are learning.’ Parents of children at the early stages of learning to speak English are appreciative of the support the school gives to enable them to catch up quickly.
• Leadership has ensured that the most able pupils typically do well and that all groups in the school are well catered for. Regular checks are conducted on teaching and learning. However, a few assessments are inaccurate, and, in particular, the use of assessment to inform teaching is not as strong as it could be. As a result, for example, some lower-ability pupils are not being supported fully and not making the progress of which they are capable. Leadership is aware of the issues in the use of assessment and has targeted this area in its action plan.
• The group of pupils with SEND represents a significant proportion of the school population. The departure of an experienced deputy headteacher has left a gap in the leadership of provision in this area. The provision for this group and the tracking of pupils’ progress is not as effective as it could be. There is variation in the quality of teaching for this group. As a result, some pupils do not make as much progress as they could. Leadership has identified this as an area of need in its action plan.
• Funding for disadvantaged pupils is used very well to provide additional support in classes. This support has been instrumental in raising the attainment of these pupils and ensuring that they make rapid progress. Sports funding is equally well used.
• Teachers feel valued. The leadership has ensured that all members of staff receive appropriate support through performance management and effective training. For example, all members of staff know how to respond if they have a concern about a pupil.
• There is ample capacity in the school leadership to secure further improvements. For example, leadership in the EYFS is strong, and middle leadership is well informed and effective.

Governance of the school

• Governance of the school is a strength. Governors are very keen to ensure that the school continues to improve and take their roles and responsibilities very seriously. There is a good balance of support and challenge. They understand and take account of the changing and diverse nature of the community which the school serves.
• Governors have a good understanding of what works well and why. They have taken care to appoint high quality staff in accordance with the needs of the school. They hold the headteacher to account and take part in comprehensive training to ensure that they are equipped to challenge and support the senior leaders.
• Governors understand the challenges that some pupils face but expect and plan for all pupils to do their best.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Members of staff are aware of the need to look out for potential dangers, such as the radicalisation of the pupils. The curriculum supports pupils in learning about hazards and how to avoid them. Pupils learn what to do if they find themselves in potentially dangerous situations. They know the importance of telling an adult if they have any concerns.
• Comprehensive checks are made to ensure that all those who work in school are suitable and are fully trained in looking after the pupils. Members of staff work with parents to help keep the pupils safe. The school also works closely with outside agencies to ensure that pupils are fully supported.
• Members of staff spoken with during the inspection were clear about what to do if a pupil approached them with a safeguarding concern.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers display a secure knowledge of the subjects they teach. They promote positive attitudes to learning, reinforcing the school’s ethos. They create strong and very caring relationships, and pupils benefit from the clarity of behavioural expectations. Pupils thrive and want to do well.
• Teaching and support staff ensure that classrooms and corridors are attractive and welcoming. Displays are colourful, well maintained and assist pupils in their learning. For example, displays are used well to explain British values and the work of the school to promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural curriculum.
• Pupils show enthusiasm during lessons because staff take the time to find out about what they know and understand, and what they need to do to improve. Pupils appreciate the feedback they receive and, in the main, take pride in their work.
• Effective and timely questioning to deepen pupils’ knowledge was observed, especially in Year 1. Here, there was evidence of teachers modifying their approaches and adapting the curriculum for the whole ability range.
• The teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) in the school is generally strong. This results in pupils reaching standards that are broadly in line with national averages.
• The schools’ approach to reading is sound with the use of guided reading activities to teaching and promote reading skills. School leadership has rightly identified the need to develop pupils’ love of reading further, and increase the focus on reading for understanding. Some pupils could be moved on more quickly in their levels of reading.
• Overall, there are only a few minor variations in the quality of the teaching.
• Where teaching is less strong, this is because the pitch of teaching was too low. Also, some teachers do not organise learning in their classes as well as they could. Sometimes teachers do not consider fully enough which skills they are teaching. This was seen, for example, in some mathematics lessons where pupils were required to solve problems using skills they hadn’t been taught. The most able pupils were able to deal effectively with this challenge, but other pupils found it too difficult.
• There are relatively high proportions of pupils with SEND in each class. Sometimes teachers do not fully take into account their needs, and adapt their teaching and the curriculum. As a result, some pupils in this group do not make the progress of which they are capable.
• The work of a few pupils has not been assessed accurately. Also, some teachers do not fully use information from assessments to set up appropriate activities for all learners. This results in a lack of challenge and support in some subjects, or too much challenge, and some pupils not making sufficient progress they are capable of. School leaders have identified this need.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school's work to promote pupils' personal development and welfare is outstanding. Pupils are very respectful. They listen to each other’s ideas and support each other in their learning. They are happy and secure and show high levels of maturity.
• Positive relationships enable pupils to become confident and to feel safe at school. Pupils are not afraid to make mistakes. For example, children in the Nursery who were at the early stages of speaking English were happy to share their limited vocabulary with adults because members of staff were supportive and valued their efforts.
• Pupils know how to stay safe. For example, they talk knowledgeably about e-safety and about how to stay free from bullying. Pupils are clear about various types of bullying and know what to do if they have any concerns. If bullying occasionally happens, pupils say that it is always dealt with quickly.
• Members of staff promote pupils’ physical and emotional well-being extremely well. The school serves a community of high mobility, nevertheless, staff skilfully support pupils so that they rapidly become independent learners with resilience and perseverance. As a result, pupils quickly take advantage of the learning opportunities presented by the school.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Parents and pupils are very positive about behaviour at the school. Pupils move around the school calmly and understand the importance of working as a team in class. They are very enthusiastic about taking responsibility. Pupils behave very well in lessons because they want to do well. Classrooms are calm and orderly learning environments.
• Pupils are unreservedly polite, courteous and friendly.
• Pupils’ enjoyment of school is evident in their high levels of attendance. Few families present their children late for school, and levels of persistent absence are low.
• Pupils are proud of their learning and almost all take care with the presentation of their work.
• There are a few pupils at the school who exhibit challenging behaviours at times. However, it is notable how quickly and positively these pupils respond to the instructions of adults. This is because adults apply consistently high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. They immediately settle and return to their learning and do not affect the others in class.
• Occasionally, pupils lose concentration when the teacher does not notice that they have completed a task and are ready to move on to something new.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• The nature of the community has changed and there are many more pupils who begin at the school with little or no understanding of English. However, there is a consistent picture across the school of pupils making good progress from their starting points. Most pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, reach or exceed expected standards.
• By the end of key stage 1, the proportion of pupils making expected or better than expected progress from their starting points in reading is at approximately the national average. The position is a little stronger in mathematics and writing. The proportion of pupils achieving greater depth in writing is at approximately the national average. In mathematics and reading, the proportion of pupils achieving greater depth is above the national average.
• Most pupils in Years 1 and 2 reach national levels in the annual checks on phonics. This is in part because of the effectiveness of the additional support provided to pupils who speak English as an additional language.
• The most able pupils do well over time in mathematics and reading. Work is planned to ensure that they work at greater depth. This group of pupils shows an ability to write independently for a range of purposes and across different subjects. They have strong mathematical reasoning skills and abilities, as shown when they solve increasingly complex problems. As with other pupils, there are a few occasions when they are not moved on in their learning as soon as they have mastered a skill.
• Pupils who have SEND make smaller steps in progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The teaching provision for this for group is not as effective as it could be. There is variation in the quality of teaching. As a result, some pupils in this group do not make as much progress as they could.
• Across the curriculum, pupils apply their skills in literacy and numeracy. They make progress in a wide range of subjects. For example, in science, pupils make use of computers to display their knowledge of space, the planets and stars. They write up their findings from practical investigations and studies in a clear and logical way, which demonstrates their skills in writing for a particular purpose.
• Very occasionally, some lower and middle ability pupils across different groups do not achieve the standards of which they are capable. This is because the achievement of a few pupils has not been assessed correctly and learning pitched to their needs.
• Pupils read regularly and in a range of contexts. Younger pupils who struggle with reading respond well to the support they receive in learning phonics. They become more confident when returning to full lessons. The most able readers read widely for pleasure or when looking up information.

Early years provision Good

• The provision in the early years in a strength of the school.
• Children make a good start to their education. Members of staff in the Nursery set up many stimulating and multi-sensory experiences which promote interaction. Speaking and listening are especially well promoted by all members of staff, and children are encouraged to speak in full sentences when possible.
• Children are encouraged to develop social skills rapidly and adults ensure that levels of engagement are high. There is a broad and engaging curriculum which provokes interest. No time is wasted and there is a rich mix of active teaching and child-led activity.
• Children in the Nursery and Reception classes, including the disadvantaged, make strong progress from low starting points. By the time children join Year 1, their attainment is broadly average and they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
• Teachers and teaching assistants provide a very wide range of exciting activities that have been carefully chosen to maximise learning. They ask well-chosen questions to enable children to answer from their own experiences and discuss what they have previously learned. For example, when teaching phonics in Reception, teachers ask the children to give their own examples. This strengthens and reinforces learning.
• Children could enjoy even more freedom to write using their own words at their own levels.
• Positive reinforcement by members of staff ensures that children behave exceptionally well and gain confidence rapidly. Relationships between adults and children are strong. Routines are established quickly at the start of the year. As a result, there is a calm and purposeful atmosphere in the classes and children cooperate with each other sensibly.
• Children feel safe at school and are kept safe and healthy. Their behaviour is impeccable, they are kind and considerate both inside and outside the building.
• Excellent leadership ensures that members of staff work together well and share their in-depth knowledge of the individual children in their care. This united approach to assessing and supporting learning is evident in the high-quality learning journals that show children and their parents how well the children are doing.
• Leadership is ambitious and is working to raise standards. For example, leaders have recently introduced a new assessment programme to identify what the next steps are for pupils but this is relatively new and needs to be embedded. Leaders also ensure that members of staff receive the right training to fill any minor gaps in their subject knowledge.
• Additional funding for disadvantaged children is used effectively to provide additional focused teaching.
• The indoor spaces and classrooms, particularly Reception classrooms, provide a rich and vibrant learning environment. However, the outside spaces are not used as well as they could be in order to provide the widest range of experiences to support high-quality learning.
• Relationships between home and school are very positive, and parents are very pleased with their children’s education. Leaders provide parents with helpful activities they can use at home to boost learning.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 102209 Harrow 10056710 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 Infant School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 3 to 7 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 396 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Virendra Rathod Nina Will 02089521475 www.staglaneinfant.harrow.sch.uk office@staglaneinfant.harrow.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 10 – 11 May 2012

Information about this school

• Stag Lane Infant and Nursery is a larger than average-sized primary school.
• Over 90% of the pupils speak English as an additional language. This is much higher than the national average.
• Almost a quarter of all the pupils who attend Stags Lane Infant and Nursery school are identified with SEND. This is much higher than the national average.
• The school is comprised of 12 ethnic groups, of which approximately 40% of pupils are from Eastern European backgrounds. A further approximately 40% are from Asian backgrounds, including British Indian and British Pakistani pupils.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited classrooms to observe teaching and learning, including some joint observations with school leaders. They also spent time looking through pupils’ books and listening to pupils read.
• Meetings were held with members of the governing body, and a representative from the local authority. Discussions were also held with senior and middle leaders, and newly qualified staff.
• Inspectors spoke with a number of parents before and after the school day. They also considered the responses from parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View.
• Inspectors held discussions with groups of pupils, as well as other conversations with pupils in school and on the playground. Views from nine staff questionnaires were also considered. There were no responses to the pupil questionnaire.
• A wide range of documents was scrutinised, including records related to pupils’ behaviour and attendance, safeguarding procedures and the school’s analysis of how well it is performing. Inspectors also examined the school’s records of checks on the progress and attainment of pupils.

Inspection team

Martin Roberts, lead inspector Karen Jaeggi Anna Sutton Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector