Whitchurch Primary School & Nursery Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Strengthen pupils’ learning by bringing greater consistency to aspects of teaching and ensuring that teachers:
  • develop skills to question pupils more deeply in order to check and extend their understanding
  • identify quickly when pupils have mastered a new skill in mathematics and move them on more rapidly with their learning.
• Strengthen the impact of leadership on the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes by ensuring that:
  • all new systems are implemented consistently, checking their impact and adjusting where necessary
  • all leaders use pertinent information, including from the new tracking system, to check performance in their areas so they can swiftly identify where teachers need additional training and guidance.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher has provided much-needed stability following staff turnover after the amalgamation. She has achieved much in a short time and the direction of travel is clear. Almost all staff are right behind her drive and ambitions for the school.
• Senior leaders are quite aware where the impact of the merger hit hardest and the action that needed to be taken. The corner has been turned following a dip in performance in 2017. Outcomes are on the rise again.
• The headteacher has initiated many new systems and action to improve teaching and raise outcomes. Not all have been in place long enough to become fully embedded. Some inconsistencies remain to teaching that leaders are striving hard to eliminate.
• There is much expertise in the school from which others can learn to enhance their teaching and leadership. Leaders swiftly implement support programmes for teachers who are not securely meeting the headteacher’s expectations.
• The headteacher and governors are implementing recommendations of an external review of leadership. Many senior, year and subject leaders are already making a substantial difference, although new in post. Leaders for reading and mathematics have helped improve teaching and raise outcomes by Year 6.
• Systems for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress are new. When used most effectively they are helping leaders identify where teachers need additional guidance. Not all leaders and other staff have securely developed the skills to interpret the information provided accurately. The headteacher is working to remedy this.
• Alongside a strong focus on English and mathematics several others subjects are taught so skills develop progressively over time. Science is taught in depth with plenty of opportunity for pupils to develop practical skills. Teaching of other subjects is developing well, but some programmes are new and not fully embedded. Careful monitoring is helping to identify where gaps need filling.
• Through the planned spiritual, moral, social and cultural programme pupils are helped to understand life in modern Britain and the part they can play. The school’s cultural diversity is celebrated and pupils learn about and to respect different faiths.
• Additional clubs and activities broaden the pupils’ horizons and extend their learning well. Pupils regularly visit places of interest linked to topics being studied. Music is a highlight of the school’s additional provision. Large numbers of pupils learn a wide range of musical instruments. Pupils have also worked with the professional musicians of the City of London Sinfonia.
• The sports premium is used effectively to extend sports clubs available, increase pupil participation and provide training for staff.
• Following a leadership review, both the pupil premium and special educational needs funding are being used effectively. Programmes are becoming sharply focused, particularly in Years 5 and 6 where these groups of pupils are showing significant gains in learning. Individual flexible programmes make sure that lengthy withdrawal from lessons is avoided where possible.

Governance of the school

• The governing body is thoughtfully and expertly led. Changes in membership and structure have brought in considerable expertise. Governors are perceptive, challenging and demanding of school leaders. They have quickly developed a sharp understanding of the school’s performance and where action is needed. By asking for clearer presentation of assessment information, governors can check whether planned actions are having an impact in each year group.
• The governing body monitors spending carefully and has projected forward the viability of its proposed spending. They check carefully on the impact of additional funding such as the pupil premium. This enables governors to support the headteacher in meeting planned developments.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders and governors have ensured that there is a strong culture that puts safeguarding pupils as the highest priority. Regular training, including for anyone arriving during the year, makes sure staff understand procedures. They are vigilant for the signs to look out for over potential radicalisation and female genital mutilation.
• The school provides parents and carers with extensive guidance on how to keep their children safe online. This includes workshops in school and providing links to websites that give further advice. Leaders identify vulnerable families, seek external support quickly and monitor plans put in place. They have introduced new systems for recording concerns. These provide a very clear picture of any patterns to incidents.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers in Years 5 and 6 have consistently high expectations of the pupils. Pupils in these year groups feel they are pushed yet equally given support if they do not understand something. They are also confident they know how well they are getting on. There are pockets of these qualities in other year groups throughout the school.
• The skills and strong subject knowledge of these teachers mean they are confident and generate confidence in the pupils to try out their ideas. Strong relationships mean teachers can use humour to make learning interesting.
• Teachers constantly engage with pupils and patiently draw out their ideas through skilled and probing questions. Pupils know they will be expected to explain their ideas and rarely pause to be asked. These qualities are not seen throughout the school. At times, questions are not always probing or challenging enough to deepen learning.
• Phonics teaching is very effective. The new systematic and structured approach to developing wider reading skills is paying dividends and is being consistently implemented by teachers.
• Teaching in mathematics generally challenges the pupils’ thinking and deepens their understanding of new ideas. However, teachers do not always pick up if a pupil has secured a skill and move their learning on quickly.
• Teachers place a considerable emphasis on pupils developing accurate sentence structure in their writing and using ambitious vocabulary. There is some variation in the extent to which pupils have the opportunity to develop stamina by writing at length.
• Teachers extend learning in science through investigations. Pupils plan tasks so they apply their learning, such as when Year 6 pupils explored what factors might influence heart rate. Learning went deep in a Year 3 session where pupils were given additional challenge questions as they explored the magnetic properties of objects.
• Specialist teachers such as for French, music and physical education are able to use their subject knowledge to push learning forward rapidly. Latin has also just been introduced for some pupils.
• Evidence from Year 6 pupils is that the guidance they receive from teachers helps them to edit and improve their work confidently. This is not always the case. Aspects of the new school policy are not fully in place. Teachers pose thought-provoking questions to deepen understanding but do not always insist that pupils respond.
• Teachers deploy the skilled team of support staff carefully to meet identified individual pupil and group needs. This can be challenging the most able pupils in mathematics, or working with pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities or those supported through the pupil premium.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils recognise the importance of values in their lives. They have been involved in helping reshape school values and presented their ideas to governors. They expressed their main values as ‘commitment to the future’, ‘honesty’ and ‘self-belief’.
• Pupils believe ‘it is OK to be different here’. They look upon their class as a family. They sensitively try to help and support the newly arrived to the school or any who experience difficulty with their learning. Pupils are very friendly and help each other if they hurt themselves or if they see someone who is feeling lonely.
• Pupils know how to be successful learners. As one pupil said, ‘It is OK not to know, but it is not OK not to try.’ Another pupil said, ‘This school gives you everything and gives a big push so you know where you are in your achievements.’
• ‘Digital leaders’ help organise clubs using the school’s online learning platform. They help younger pupils to access programmes in support of their learning. The ‘Clean It’ crew focuses on the health, safety and cleanliness of the school environment. They also train others to become part of the team in the future.
• The school strongly promotes the benefits of healthy eating. Pupils understand that nuts are banned because some pupils have allergies. They enjoy school dinners, but know they should have reasonable portions to avoid becoming overweight.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils respond immediately to their teachers, so not a moment is lost in lessons. They share ideas and thoughts in discussion with a partner or with the whole class. Pupils listen attentively to what others say and respond constructively if they do not agree. They concentrate and try hard even if they do not always find the work set interesting.
• During the inspection, pupils were open and welcoming. They were very polite and keen to discuss their work. Pupils showed great pride in their school. Their movement around the buildings helped to make for a calm and orderly environment. They understand the importance of rules in keeping everyone safe.
• Training helps pupils to stay safe online. They are fully aware of different forms of cyber bullying and how to report it. Pupils agree there is a small amount of bullying which is always dealt with quickly.
• School leaders have put in place successful action to reverse the fall in attendance during the period of the amalgamation. Absence is checked immediately through phone calls, emails and home visits if needed. Many families have responded to the firm line taken by the school and now avoid taking holidays in term time. There remains a small number who have not been as supportive.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Progress is now at least good in reading, writing and mathematics for all groups of pupils and is very strong in upper key stage 2. This is leading to rapidly rising attainment in Year 6. Progress is slightly uneven in some other year groups.
• Year 6 pupils were prepared well for secondary school in 2017 in spite of the dip in performance. Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics was above average.
• Pupils who speak English as an additional language generally make stronger progress than others in their classes. Their attainment is higher by the end of Year 6. Support from a Romanian-speaking teaching assistant has helped some pupils to develop self-confidence and English-language skills quickly.
• Pupils make strong progress in mathematics. They develop very secure number skills both written and mentally. Their application of skills and hence the deepening of their understanding of new concepts is strongest at the upper end of key stage 2.
• Attainment in phonics by the end of Year 1 is above average, and almost all who do not reach this standard do so by the end of Year 2. Pupils use their skills well when faced with new words. This helps them to read fluently and with expression.
• Pupils use their reading skills to explore texts for meaning. Library sessions help them develop a love of books. They understand the importance of reading for their future success.
• Pupils are making much improved progress in writing. They make particularly strong progress at upper key stage 2. Pupils’ writing here is creative, neatly presented and accurately structured.
• Progress varies slightly in other subjects, but is strong in science. Art skills develop progressively and in a variety of media. Most-able pupils achieve well. Teachers extend pupils’ learning very well. The use of ‘gifted and talented’ groups in science and in art enriches pupils’ learning particularly well. These pupils produce work of a very high quality.
• The learning of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is secure in lessons. Their progress over longer periods of time is less clear as new tracking systems have only been in place for one term.
• The progress of disadvantaged pupils is another area of some improvement this year. Those currently in Year 6 are making very strong progress and substantial numbers are working above expected standards.

Early years provision Good

• Strong teamwork between staff sharing their ideas and practice is a major factor in the children’s good progress in the early years. By planning together, the team has a consistent approach to teaching and new staff have fitted in quickly.
• Early years leadership is quite aware what is needed for children to be ready for key stage 1. Leadership is aspirational and sets challenging targets for each teacher to meet. These relate directly to the children’s attainment by the end of Reception.
• Teachers introduce children to phonics very effectively. Reception children use their phonics skills automatically to tackle new words. One boy could spell the names of dinosaurs seen during a visit to the Natural History Museum and the word ‘poisonous’.
• Adults across the setting focus sharply on developing the children’s communication, language and literacy. Reading and writing are areas given major attention. The children’s progress is very strong in these areas. Numeracy has a high profile in the nursery but less so in Reception, so children make slightly slower progress than in literacy.
• Teachers and support staff work closely with parents and the newly arrived children. They greatly value this as it helps their children settle in quickly. Parents are also pleased that clear reports help them see what their children can and cannot do.
• Adults in the setting use effective strategies to get children involved in activities such as clapping to number songs. Their interventions and questions are thoughtful, make children think and move their learning forward smoothly.
• The emphasis on the children’s personal and social development leads to them becoming confident learners. Their outstanding behaviour and swift response to adults makes the setting calm and greatly supports their learning. Children work and play happily and cooperatively. Many show great perseverance by concentrating for long periods on activities they are exploring or when working directly with an adult.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 131316 Harrow 10041951 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 Community 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 798 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Prashant Sanghani Joanne Daswani 020 8951 5380 www.whitchurchprimary.harrow.sch.uk office@whitchurchprimary.harrow.sch.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• The school is well above average in size. Pupil numbers are rising as the school expands to four forms of entry.
• The school was formed by the amalgamation of the infant and junior schools in April 2015. This new school has experienced a considerable turnover of staff since then, including at headship level. Most Year 2 and Year 6 teachers left the school at Easter 2017, immediately before pupils in their classes sat national tests.
• The current headteacher took up the post on a temporary basis in December 2016 having previously been deputy headteacher at the junior school. She became substantive headteacher in April 2017.
• Almost all pupils are from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds with one third from families of Indian heritages.
• Most pupils speak English as an additional language. This figure is well above average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is average but has risen considerably over the last two years.
• A below average and falling proportion of pupils are supported by additional government funding.
• Children in the early years provision attend the nursery part-time and the four Reception classes full-time.
• The privately run before-school club is inspected separately.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards. These set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in parts of 41 lessons. Senior leaders accompanied inspectors to 12 of these. They looked at work in pupils’ books, and listened to key stage 1 and key stage 2 pupils reading.
• Meetings were held with groups of pupils, school staff, and three governors, including the chair, and a representative from the local authority.
• Inspectors took account of the 108 responses this year to Parent View and written contributions from 53 parents.
• Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including planning and monitoring documentation, records related to behaviour and attendance, and documents related to safeguarding.
• Inspectors also took into consideration the 62 responses to the staff questionnaire and the 189 responses to the survey of the views of pupils.

Inspection team

Martin Beale, lead inspector Dawn Titus Rosemarie McCarthy Jeremy Loukes Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector