St Andrew's CofE Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:
  • leaders building on their initial successes by holding staff to account for implementing planned actions for improvement
  • subject leaders checking the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning in their subject areas and taking action when needed
  • improving communication with parents
  • the new governing body establishing its roles and responsibilities quickly to support leaders and hold them to account effectively.
• Improve teaching and pupils’ outcomes by:
  • teachers having high expectations of what pupils can achieve and setting more challenging work so that pupils can achieve the high standards of which they are capable
  • teachers delivering all aspects of the planned curriculum to a good or better standard
  • teachers learning from best practice in outstanding schools.
• Improve pupils’ behaviour by:
  • making expectations for consistently good behaviour clear
  • ensuring that sanctions and rewards are effective in improving behaviour
  • reducing persistent absence by helping parents understand the detrimental impact that their children’s absence has on their successful learning.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Since the previous inspection, there have been considerable changes in staffing, including at headteacher and senior level. This instability led to a sharp decline in outcomes at all key stages in 2017. Governors’ appointment of the present headteacher at the start of the last academic year, and more recent leadership appointments, has secured much-needed stability.
• Staff morale is high. Staff are very supportive of the changes that the headteacher and other senior leaders have made. They feel motivated to work together in the best interests of the pupils. As one teacher put it: ‘I feel that leaders want and value my opinion. It helps to motivate me in my teaching and makes me feel an integral part of a team.’
• The quality of teaching is too variable. Leaders’ monitoring of the quality of teaching focuses mainly on English and mathematics. In these subjects, senior leaders check on the quality of teaching and give colleagues helpful feedback on what they need to do to improve. However, leaders do not monitor the quality of teaching rigorously enough across all subjects.
• New subject leaders have prepared teaching plans for their subjects which include expected learning outcomes from the national curriculum. However, not all teachers are following the revised plans. As a result, pupils do not develop the breadth of skills and knowledge across the subjects appropriate to their age groups.
• Leaders have not, over time, tackled rigorously enough incidents of poor and disruptive behaviour. Records of incidents and leaders’ responses indicate that sanctions for poor behaviour do not result in improved behaviour. This has particularly been the case in Year 6. As a result, teachers spend too long dealing with the persistent poor behaviour of a few pupils. Leaders have very recently changed the structure of lessons to reduce disruption. Early indications are that behaviour is improving as a result of these changes.
• Parents who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and others who spoke with inspectors expressed mixed views about the school. Many welcome the changes and are very happy with their child’s education. Some parents, however, are unhappy and feel that school leaders do not communicate effectively or take their points of view sufficiently into account.
• Leaders use the additional funding for physical education (PE) and sport effectively to provide professional support for teachers to improve their own and pupils’ skills. Pupils benefit from a range of activities, including football, basketball and judo. The school achieved a national platinum award for its commitment to developing competition across the school and the community. There is a high uptake of sporting clubs, and pupils enter competitions with other schools. This ensures that pupils stay fit.
• Leaders and teachers promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well through a wide range of activities. For example, pupils are learning about British culture in Victorian times through their current work to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the school. Visits to places of worship, museums and outdoor team-building activities extend pupils’ learning and social development.
• Leaders have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They are taking effective action to raise expectations and secure improvements. Teachers have begun moderating work and sharing ideas with colleagues in two other local schools. Leaders organise a programme of weekly training for staff. As a result, outcomes, especially in English and mathematics, at the end of each key stage are improving.
• The local authority provides effective support to the headteacher and other leaders. This was instrumental in securing new and experienced governors, including the appointment of a new chair of governors.

Governance of the school

• Almost all members of the governing body were appointed at the end of the autumn term. The new chair and other new governors bring much experience of school governance and of education to their roles.
• The governors have audited their skills and have appointed some link governors for safeguarding, special educational needs and admissions. Some have visited the school and attended social events to get to know the school and meet some parents.
• Governors with whom the inspectors spoke are fully committed to working with school leaders to secure improvement. It is, however, too soon to judge the impact of their work.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders make sure that all members of staff are familiar with the latest government guidance and school safeguarding policies. Staff are vigilant and report immediately any concerns that they have regarding pupils’ safety and welfare.
• Leaders work closely with external agencies and parents to ensure pupils’ safety and welfare.
• Through the curriculum, pupils learn how to stay safe, including when using the internet.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Inconsistencies in the quality of teaching across the school mean that pupils do not learn and progress as strongly as they should.
• Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve in their learning are not routinely high enough. As a result, pupils of all abilities do not make the progress of which they are capable.
• Teachers do not ensure that pupils develop skills, knowledge and understanding in subjects other than English and mathematics well enough. Leaders have designed new teaching plans to systematically build on pupils’ prior knowledge so that they can make strong progress. Most teachers, however, do not implement these plans as they should.
• In some classes, pupils are making strong gains in their learning. They can apply their skills and newly learned vocabulary in different contexts and solve problems. They know how well they are progressing and how to improve. The work they do meets their needs. Their teachers probe their understanding and make them think deeply. However, this is not yet consistent across the school.
• Teachers in Year 6 spend considerable time refocusing pupils’ behaviour. This means that valuable teaching time is lost, which limits pupils’ learning.
• Leaders have reorganised the teaching of phonics and have introduced other strategies to encourage pupils to read. Adults give pupils who did not meet the standard expected in the Year 1 phonics screening check effective support. Those pupils now read more accurately and fluently and demonstrate good comprehension skills.
• Leaders reviewed the curriculum in mathematics and English, especially writing, last year. They provided training for teachers. Teaching in these subjects has improved. Consequently, last year an increased proportion of pupils reached the expected standards in those subjects. Nevertheless, there remains some variability. There is still some way to go in these subjects to ensure that pupils routinely make the progress of which they are capable.
• Teaching assistants give effective support to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) as well as disadvantaged pupils. This helps these pupils catch up with their peers.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. As pupils progress through the school, they become increasingly self-confident and articulate. They engage well with visitors and are happy to talk about their learning.
• Leaders make sure that pupils learn about keeping physically healthy. Pupils learn about healthy eating and healthy living. Most participate in one of the many sports- related clubs the school offers. Through workshops, for example on road safety, pupils learn how to stay safe in different situations.
• Leaders show care for pupils’ mental health and emotional well-being. The school employs pastoral support workers, trained in mental health, to help pupils experiencing any difficulties. Some staff have had bereavement counselling training, which they use to provide targeted support to pupils.
• Pupils enjoy taking on the many responsibilities offered to them by teachers and leaders. The school council for instance, arranges fundraising events in support of national charities. The school choir and orchestra perform at various local community venues.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• Leaders have not ensured that effective strategies are in place to promote good behaviour. As a result, the school’s response to problems lacked rigour, especially in relation to very poor behaviours. The school’s records for last term show an exceptionally high volume of repeat incidents, especially in Year 6. The records also show that the school’s response to these incidents was weak and did not ensure that behaviour improved. Leaders’ recent actions to modify pupils’ behaviour are beginning to reduce misbehaviour.
• Generally, most pupils behave very well in class, during social times and when moving around the school.
• Leaders work effectively with parents and external agencies to improve rates of attendance, which had fallen below the national average for primary schools. Attendance so far during this academic year has improved and is close to national averages.
• The percentage of pupils who are persistently absent, however, remains above the national average. In part, this results from parents taking their children on unauthorised extended holidays during term. Pupils therefore miss out on their learning.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Outcomes for pupils require improvement because pupils do not make consistently good progress across the school and in a range of subjects. This is because the quality of teaching is too variable.
• Progress and attainment at the end of key stage 2 are inconsistent. Pupils’ progress across the key stage was at the national average in reading, but below average in writing and mathematics. In 2018, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined rose significantly. This was, however, still below the national average, as was the proportion reaching the higher standard.
• The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard at the end of Year 2 in reading remained below average. In writing and mathematics, however, there were notable improvements from below to slightly above average. The proportion of pupils reaching greater depth in all three subjects was in line with national averages. This represents average progress in reading and good progress in writing and mathematics.
• In 2018, the proportion of pupils in Year 1 achieving the expected standard in the phonics screening check increased but remained below the national average.
• Where teaching is effective, and the level of challenge is appropriate, current pupils make good progress in English and mathematics. However, where teaching is weaker and does not challenge pupils, their progress is not as strong.
• Teachers do not ensure that pupils consistently gain new knowledge, skills and understanding in their learning overall. As a result, the amount and quality of work pupils cover in curriculum subjects other than English and mathematics vary.
• Pupils are not fully prepared for their next steps in education because outcomes are not strong enough in a range of subjects.

Early years provision Good

• Children enter the early years with skills and abilities that are typical for their age. Children make good progress in all areas of learning. Over time, the proportion of pupils who reach a good level of development is above average. Staff prepare children well for entry into Year 1.
• Leadership of the early years is effective. Leaders have built on previous successes and continue to find new ways to improve the provision. Leaders work closely with other adults to plan a range of stimulating activities to ensure that children thrive socially and academically. In planning, they consider children’s own interests. As a result, children are engrossed in a multitude of activities throughout the day.
• Both the indoors and outdoors are extremely well resourced. Both provide children with a great variety of opportunities for exploration and learning, which encourages their inquisitiveness.
• Teaching in the early years is effective. Nursery and Reception staff work well together in the shared indoor and outdoor spaces. Teachers prepare themed activities that help pupils gain a variety of skills. For example, currently children are learning about travel and pirates. They engage enthusiastically in imaginative play while developing mathematical and literacy skills, for example by buying travel tickets and reading non-fiction books.
• Leaders have devised personal learning plans for children falling behind their peers. This ensures that all children make good progress.
• Children are confident and articulate. They show interest in visitors and ask them questions. Children behave well, take turns, share resources and listen attentively. They feel safe and secure in this nurturing environment, as they know that adults care for them and make learning fun.
• Leaders and staff work closely with parents and involve them in their children’s learning. They ensure good communication between home and school. For example, parents send in ‘wow’ moments to share their children’s learning at home with staff.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 102438 Hillingdon 10058863 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 Voluntary aided 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 210 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Seona Barrow Nicola Edwards 01895 232768 standrewscofeprimary.co.uk office@standrewsuxbridge.org.uk Date of previous inspection 29 February 2016

Information about this school

• St Andrew’s is an average-sized primary school.
• Since the pervious inspection, there has been a large turnover of staff, including senior and middle leaders. The headteacher and assistant headteacher took up their posts in September 2017. The deputy headteacher, most subject leaders and the lead early years teacher took up their posts in September 2018. The new governing body was formed in December 2018.
• The school had its last Section 48 denominational inspection on 9 March 2016.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils learning in 20 parts of lessons. Senior leaders joined inspectors during some of these visits.
• Inspectors looked closely at pupils’ work to inform judgements made about pupils’ outcomes and the quality of teaching and learning.
• Inspectors met with two groups of pupils and spoke informally to other pupils in lessons and during social times. Inspectors met with school leaders and other members of staff.
• Meetings were held with three governors, including the chair, and with a representative from the local authority.
• Inspectors examined a range of documentation, such as that relating to pupils’ attainment and progress. They also looked at records and documentation about pupils’ behaviour, attendance and exclusions, and the ways staff help to keep pupils safe.
• Inspectors considered the 88 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, which included some free-text responses and emails. They had informal conversations with parents in the playground. They also considered the school’s own survey of parents’ views. Inspectors also met with a parent who requested to see inspectors. Inspectors took account of the views of 21 members of staff.

Inspection team

David Radomsky, lead inspector Janice Howkins

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector