Brookside Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Strengthen the quality of pupils’ learning by ensuring that:
  • additional support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is tailored precisely to their academic needs
  • teaching and the curriculum routinely stretch pupils’ knowledge and understanding, particularly in key stage 1 and in history, geography and art.
• Make sure that all pupils attend school as regularly as they should, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Leaders evaluate the impact of their work rigorously and secure further improvements in pupils’ outcomes, particularly in the wider curriculum and for pupils with SEND.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The leadership team has worked successfully to secure the necessary improvements in the quality of education. Pupils are much better prepared for the next stage of their education than they have been in the past.
• The headteacher provides strong leadership. His ambition for pupils to fulfil their potential is shared by leaders and staff at all levels. Together with his team of skilled leaders, he has fostered a strong sense of community, in which pupils focus on learning and take pride in their achievements.
• Leaders have been proactive in involving parents in school life. Regular events, such as ‘stay and read’ sessions in each year group, provide parents with helpful guidance on how they can support their children’s learning. Parents are typically pleased with the school’s work.
• Ably supported by the trust, leaders keep a close eye on the quality of teaching. When concerns arise, leaders do not hesitate to challenge teachers to improve pupils’ outcomes. This is coupled with high-quality training to help teachers develop their professional skills and work towards the targets that leaders set. Staff are motivated and feel well supported. These strengths ensure that pupils receive the high-quality teaching that they need to make good progress.
• Additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils is used well to improve the outcomes of eligible pupils. Well-targeted extra help means that these pupils make good progress, both academically and in their personal development.
• Leaders evaluate the school’s strengths and weaknesses accurately. Their evaluation is underpinned by detailed information on pupils’ outcomes. Leaders use this information effectively to identify and support pupils who are not making enough progress. Strategies for improvement are well thought through. Sometimes, however, leaders do not check the impact of their work as sharply as they could. This has prevented them from securing even greater improvements in pupils’ outcomes, particularly in the wider curriculum and for pupils with SEND.
• Leaders have recently reviewed the quality of provision for pupils with SEND. They have wisely sought advice from the local authority to ensure that they acquire an in-depth picture of what is working well and what needs to be improved. Overall, additional funding to support pupils with SEND is spent appropriately, especially with regards to support for pupils’ social and emotional needs. Nevertheless, further work is needed to strengthen the impact of extra help on these pupils’ academic outcomes.
• Pupils are well prepared to be active and responsible citizens in modern Britain. The school’s values, which emphasise respectful and responsible behaviour, encourage pupils to be considerate and caring towards others.
• The primary school physical education and sport funding is spent well to increase pupils’ participation in sport. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about the range of clubs they attend, including football and cheerleading. Leaders draw on expertise from within the trust to ensure that the teaching of physical education is strong.
• The wider curriculum provides pupils with opportunities to explore a broad range of topics. Pupils are encouraged to reflect, ask questions and make connections between important ideas and concepts. This approach contributes well to pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development. On occasions, however, the planning and delivery of the curriculum overlooks the development of subject-specific skills and knowledge. This is particularly the case in history, geography and art. This prevents pupils from attaining as highly as they could in these subjects.

Governance of the school

• The trust has been central to securing the necessary improvements at the school. Its support has enabled leaders to grow in confidence and challenge underperformance. At the same time, the trust has worked closely with leaders to improve teaching through well-targeted professional development for teachers and staff. Staff value the opportunities they have, such as support to obtain qualified teacher status.
• Governors have a secure knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and are well placed to support and challenge leaders. They use a range of information to inform their work, including regular visits to school. Governors and trustees work in effective partnership to ensure that leaders evaluate the school’s effectiveness accurately and identify the right priorities. Nevertheless, governors and trustees sometimes do not ask suitably probing questions to check the impact of leaders’ work, particularly with regards to the provision for pupils with SEND.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leader, governors and trustees review and strengthen arrangements regularly to make sure there is a strong culture of safeguarding.
• Leaders ensure that staff understand and follow school systems for reporting concerns about a pupil’s welfare. Regular training means that staff are knowledgeable about different risks and the signs that can indicate a pupil is vulnerable to abuse or harm.
• Safeguarding records are appropriately detailed and show that staff are vigilant, and report concerns promptly. Staff understand the importance of reporting small changes in pupils’ circumstances or behaviour so that leaders can acquire a full picture of pupils’ welfare. When concerns arise, leaders make sure that pupils receive effective extra help promptly.
• Leaders carry out all the required checks on newly appointed staff. The single central record of these checks is maintained well. Visitors to the school receive clear guidance on what they should do if any safeguarding concerns arise.
• Pupils said that they feel safe because there are always adults available to help them. They know about different risks to their welfare, including those they may encounter online, and what they might do to avoid these risks. Most parents commented positively on the school’s work to ensure that pupils are kept safe.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Leaders and teachers have raised their expectations for what pupils know and can do. This is evident in the quality of teaching, which is characterised by staff’s determination to ensure that pupils acquire the knowledge and understanding expected for their age. Teaching is well planned and typically motivates pupils to work hard and succeed.
• Teachers keep a close eye on pupils’ learning to ensure that gaps or misconceptions do not develop. When concerns arise, teachers adapt teaching appropriately so that pupils do not fall behind. As a result, pupils make strong progress, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Warm relationships between staff and pupils underpin pupils’ positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils respond well to the expectations of staff and are keen to do their best. Staff are skilled in helping pupils to persevere, even if they find a task difficult. Pupils appreciate the help that staff provide to help them learn well.
• Teachers use effective questioning to help pupils to remember what they have been taught. They expect pupils to apply their knowledge and understanding, including subject-specific vocabulary, in different contexts. This approach is particularly successful in promoting the development of pupils’ writing skills. Across the curriculum, pupils benefit from purposeful opportunities to practise writing in different styles and genres. Teachers have high expectations for the quality of pupils’ work, including making sure that pupils use their knowledge of English spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Homework is used effectively to encourage pupils to continue their learning outside the classroom. For instance, pupils carry out creative projects linked to their topic work. High-quality examples, such as models of volcanoes, are on display around the school.
• Reading is strongly promoted and taught effectively. Well-planned activities enable pupils to understand the meaning of what they read. Teachers help pupils to think deeply about texts and justify their ideas.
• Mathematics teaching is well planned and provides for a broad range of mathematical concepts. In key stage 2, pupils are challenged to deepen their understanding through problem-solving tasks and opportunities to reason mathematically.
• In most year groups and subjects, teachers use assessment information to set work that caters for pupils’ needs and abilities. Occasionally, however, pupils are held back in their learning because they complete activities that do not sufficiently stretch their knowledge and understanding. This is particularly the case in key stage 1 and in the wider curriculum.
• Additional support for pupils with SEND, including from teaching assistants, is effective in fostering pupils’ self-confidence. This ensures that these pupils are as eager to learn as their peers. Sometimes, however, extra help is not precisely focused on securing the best possible academic outcomes for these pupils.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils take pride in their school and in their learning. This is evident in the way pupils try their best in classrooms and the care pupils put into their written work.
• Leaders and staff do their utmost to ensure that pupils feel safe and well cared for. Pupils know who to turn to if they feel worried or upset. Staff know individual pupils well and provide additional help and guidance when pupils need it.
• Pupils’ self-esteem and confidence are fostered by the school’s harmonious and inclusive atmosphere. In classrooms, pupils collaborate well and listen respectfully to each other’s ideas and opinions. Pupils are not afraid to make mistakes or ask for help when they need it.
• Pupils appreciate how staff encourage them to celebrate and learn from difference. Leaders and staff make sure that prejudicial attitudes or bullying, including those related to racism or homophobia, are not tolerated. As one pupil put it: ‘In this school, we accept and include everyone.’ A few pupils told inspectors that sometimes pupils said unkind things to each other, but staff were quick to spot and stop such behaviour.
• Opportunities for pupils to learn about healthy lifestyles are threaded through the curriculum. In science, for instance, pupils are taught about what makes a balanced diet and why this is important for the human body.

Behaviour

• The atmosphere in school is calm and orderly. Pupils talk politely to adults and their peers.
• Pupils appreciate the clear boundaries and expectations that the school provides to promote good behaviour. Disruption in classrooms is uncommon.
• Pupils told inspectors that they usually behave well, and that staff manage incidents of unacceptable behaviour or bullying promptly and fairly. This is evident in the school’s records. Most parents agree that the school ensures that pupils’ behaviour is good and that any issues are resolved appropriately.
• Playtimes are happy and harmonious. Pupils get along well together. They told inspectors that there are plenty of adults around to ensure that pupils behave sensibly and deal with any disagreements that arise. When playtime finishes, staff make sure that pupils line up quickly and return to classrooms without a fuss.
• Leaders use a range of effective strategies to ensure that pupils’ attendance is good. For instance, rewards for regular attendance mean that pupils understand that regular attendance helps them to learn well. Despite leaders’ efforts, a small number of pupils, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, do not attend school as regularly as they should. Close partnerships with families and external agencies have secured some improvements. Nevertheless, more work is required to further reduce absence levels for these pupils.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils’ outcomes have improved considerably since the previous inspection. Pupils’ progress is now good across a range of subjects, and particularly in reading, writing and mathematics.
• In 2018, the proportion of Year 6 pupils who attained the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics was high compared to other schools nationally. Standards were equally high in key stage 1. Most pupils acquire the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the next stage of their education.
• High-quality teaching means that pupils make strong progress during key stage 2, particularly in writing and mathematics. In 2017 and 2018, the progress of the Year 6 cohorts was significantly above the national average in these subjects. Boys and girls performed equally well.
• Disadvantaged pupils also make good progress in key stage 2. As a result, the attainment of these pupils is strong. In 2018, the proportion of Year 6 disadvantaged pupils who attained the age-expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics was broadly similar to the national average for non-disadvantaged pupils.
• Following disappointing outcomes in the 2017 Year 1 phonics screening check, leaders took swift action to reverse the dip. Through effective teaching, the majority of Year 1 pupils attained the phonics knowledge expected for their age in the 2018 assessments. Current pupils enjoy reading and acquire the phonics skills they need to read accurately and fluently. Staff ensure that pupils practise their reading skills regularly in order to develop their confidence and fluency. As a result, standards in reading by the end of key stage 1 are high.
• The most able pupils typically make good progress. In 2018, the proportion of pupils who attained the higher standards by the end of key stages 1 and 2 was at least in line with that of other schools nationally. Leaders have rightly turned their attention to increasing the proportion of pupils who exceed the expected standard in reading by the end of key stage 2. This work is proving successful. The most able pupils are enthusiastic readers. Staff ensure that they read regularly and choose books that stretch their vocabulary and comprehension skills.
• Overall, work in pupils’ books shows that they are making strong progress. Nevertheless, on occasions, teaching does not demand enough of pupils and make them think deeply about their learning. This is particularly evident in key stage 1, and in subjects such as history, geography and art. The planning and delivery of the curriculum is not as sharply focused on subject-specific skills and knowledge as it could be. This prevents pupils from attaining even higher standards.

Early years provision Good

• Children get off to a strong start in the early years classes.
• Leaders have a thorough understanding of the provision’s strengths, as well as the areas that need further development. They take effective and timely steps to secure improvements in how well children learn. For example, leaders’ actions have brought about clear improvements in the progress boys make in writing.
• Support from the trust has been instrumental in enabling leaders to develop and embed effective practice, as well as strengthen their leadership skills.
• Most children start school with skills and knowledge below those typical for their age. High-quality teaching across the provision enables most children to catch up quickly. The proportion of children attaining a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year has been above the national average for the past three years.
• Classrooms are well-organised and nurturing environments. High-quality pastoral care, together with clear boundaries for behaviour, ensure that children feel secure and develop the attitudes they need to be successful learners. Children explore the activities on offer confidently, both inside and outside. They are keen to talk about their learning and are proud of what they know and can do. For instance, children were excited to show inspectors how they used their phonics knowledge to read books available in the classroom.
• Teaching is planned effectively. Staff know children well and provide stimulating resources and activities to spark children’s curiosity. Equally, staff are skilled in adapting the learning to develop children’s ideas and increase their levels of concentration. Sometimes, however, teaching does not sufficiently challenge the most able children. This prevents these children from attaining the standard of which they are capable.
• Teaching and the curriculum cater well for the development of children’s language and communication skills. Staff introduce new vocabulary carefully and encourage children to use this, both in their play and in adult-led activities. Songs and rhymes are used effectively to promote children’s enthusiasm for learning and reinforce important knowledge. For instance, Reception children enjoyed singing songs to help them remember the days of the week and months of the year.
• Strong phonics teaching provides children with an excellent start in the development of their early reading and writing skills. Leaders and staff ensure that children have opportunities to practise and apply their phonics knowledge through interesting and purposeful writing tasks. Expectations for the development of children’s mathematical understanding are equally as high.
• Leaders work closely with parents to understand children’s needs and interests. Events, such as phonics workshops, help parents to know how they can support their children’s learning at home.
• Safeguarding is effective in the early years.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 139117 Hillingdon 10088885 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy sponsor-led 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 359 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Marie Ashley Nicholas Obie 020 8845 6634 www.brooksideprimarysch.co.uk rosedalehewens@gmail.com Date of previous inspection 1–2 February 2017

Information about this school

• Brookside Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The school is a sponsored academy within the Rosedale Hewens Academy Trust. The trust provides a range of support to the school. The trust has also appointed a local governing body as part of the governance structure. The local governing body report to the trust board on a termly basis.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is lower than that of other schools nationally.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited classrooms in all year groups. Most of these visits were carried out with senior leaders.
• Inspectors sampled pupils’ work in a range of subjects together with leaders. They also reviewed school information on pupils’ progress and attainment.
• Meetings were held with leaders to discuss the school’s self-evaluation and plans for improvement. Inspectors met with members of the trust, including the chair of the board and the chief operating officer. They also held meetings with members of the local governing body.
• Inspectors met with groups of pupils to talk to them about their learning and experiences of school. One group of pupils gave inspectors a tour of the school. Inspectors also spoke to pupils informally during visits to classrooms and the playground and took into account the 213 responses to Ofsted’s survey for pupils.
• Inspectors listened to pupils from Year 2 and Year 6 read. They also visited a ‘stay and read’ session and a phonics workshop for parents.
• Inspectors met with a group of staff and spoke to them informally throughout the inspection. The 16 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey were also considered.
• Inspectors spoke to parents informally at the start of the school day. They also took into account the 16 responses to the Parent View survey, including written comments, as well as the school’s most recent survey of parents’ views.
• A range of documentation was considered, including safeguarding records, behaviour and bullying logs and information on attendance. Inspectors met with senior leaders with responsibility for SEND, the early years and safeguarding.

Inspection team

Sarah Murphy-Dutton, lead inspector Jayne Jardine Keith Tysoe Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector