Alexandra Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Increase the rates of progress for the most able and the most able disadvantaged pupils by:
  • carefully analysing their progress
  • identifying any underachievement and putting in place appropriate and timely support
  • ensuring that teachers consistently challenge the most able pupils with work that is well matched to their abilities.
• Improve pupils’ progress in the foundation subjects by systematically analysing and tracking pupils’ progress.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since the school opened in 2014, the executive headteacher, together with the head of school, have implemented wide-ranging actions to drive forward improvements in the school.
• Leaders work closely with eight other local schools. This is a mutually beneficial partnership. They work together to check the accuracy of their evaluations of how well the school is doing and to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Consequently, leaders have an accurate picture of the school’s performance.
• Leaders have ensured that the management of teachers’ performance is rigorous. School leaders know where teaching is strongest and where additional support is required. They follow through identified actions to improve teachers’ practice and provide good support where needed, drawing on internal and external expertise. This information is used to ensure that the majority of teaching is good and improving. 

• Middle leaders contribute to school improvement effectively. They observe learning, scrutinise pupils’ work and implement action-research projects to improve pupils’ outcomes. Middle leaders have contributed to creating a culture of continuous improvement among staff.
• The curriculum provides pupils with a wide range of interesting topics and subjects, including learning Spanish. The curriculum is further enhanced with a wealth of extra activities in order to inspire and motivate pupils’ learning. Additional activities include trips out, visitors to the school and visits to museums and galleries. These activities help pupils to learn new skills and contribute positively to their personal and academic achievement. Consequently, pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.
• Pupils take part in elections for the school council and learn about democracy. They become aware of different faiths through studying different cultures and festivals, as well as visiting places of worship. These experiences help pupils gain a deeper understanding of British values and the diversity of faiths that make up modern Britain.
• The primary school physical education and sport premium is spent well. It is used to improve teachers’ skills in teaching physical education and provide more sports clubs for pupils. As a result, teachers have improved their own skills and pupils enjoy taking part in a wide range of sporting activities. These increased opportunities contribute to pupils’ understanding of how to live healthily.
• The special educational needs funding is spent effectively. The special educational needs leader plans appropriate support for pupils who need help in catching up. Consequently, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their different starting points.
• The pupil premium grant is spent effectively. As a result, the progress that most disadvantaged pupils make is increasing in reading, writing and mathematics. However, the most able disadvantaged pupils make inconsistent progress.
• Leaders agree that monitoring the progress of pupils in the wider curriculum is not as rigorous as it is for reading, writing and mathematics. This results in pupils making variable progress across other subjects.
• Progress for most groups of pupils is carefully analysed by leaders. However, progress for the most able pupils is not checked with the same accuracy. Consequently, the most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, do not always make the progress of which they are capable.

Governance of the school

• Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They routinely ask challenging questions of leaders, resulting in leaders being held to account.
• Governors undertake regular training, including that for safeguarding. Consequently, governors are able to effectively execute their responsibilities.
• The governing body is well organised and uses governors’ skills and expertise to support and challenge leaders.
• The governing body checks the impact of the additional funds, such as the pupil premium. They challenge leaders to improve provision further for disadvantaged pupils and recognise this as a continuing area for improvement.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Staff know pupils well. They ensure that pupils, including those whose circumstances make them more vulnerable, are provided with effective support and guidance.
• The site is secure and pupils say that they feel safe.
• Leaders ensure that staff receive regular safeguarding training. Consequently, staff are alert to changes in pupils’ behaviour and other signs that raise concerns.
• The school has a higher than usual transient population. Leaders are vigilant in alerting the local authority if they have concerns about children that may be missing from education.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Adults establish positive relationships with pupils and expect good behaviour. Pupils respond well to their teachers. Their good attitudes to learning contribute to the strong progress that the majority of pupils make in English and mathematics.
• Classrooms are calm and well organised, enabling pupils to learn in a purposeful environment.
• Teaching assistants are well deployed to work with pupils who have identified needs. They ask good questions and provide effective support to the pupils that they work with. Consequently, these pupils make good progress from their starting points.
• Pupils are given opportunities to apply their spelling and grammatical skills in their writing. This is done through pupils editing and redrafting longer pieces of written work. Consequently, pupils’ understanding of spelling and grammar is developing well.
• Teachers and teaching assistants are particularly strong at matching work to the needs of pupils who are behind in their learning. As a result, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, late joiners and those new to English make good progress from their different starting points.
• Work set for the most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, does not always demand enough of them. Too often, the most able pupils waste time doing work that is too easy, before they start more challenging tasks. Consequently, this slows these pupils from making consistently good progress.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils display positive attitudes to their learning. They concentrate well and are keen to learn.
• Leaders promote pupils’ aspirations through providing pupils with the opportunity to work with different professionals. This inspires pupils to think about the different career options available.
• Pupils are confident and articulate. They were eager to share their views with inspectors.
• Pupils know about the different types of bullying. They say that bullying rarely happens, but that teachers tackle any problems effectively.
• Pupils feel safe in school. They understand the potential dangers of the internet and learn about fire and road safety.
• All parents who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, agreed that pupils feel safe in school.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils behave well in lessons, as well as at unstructured times. They move safely around the school.
• They are courteous and display good manners when they speak to adults.
• Pupils get on well with each other, regardless of their backgrounds, and treat each other with respect.
• The attendance of pupils is in line with national average. The school works well with the small number of families whose children do not attend school regularly. The impact is that attendance for these pupils is improving.
• The majority of parents and staff who completed the online surveys agreed that pupils behave well in school.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• In 2016, the published outcomes for pupils in key stage 2 showed that the proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard for their age was above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics.
• The progress in mathematics was significantly above average for key stage 2 pupils in 2016. Progress in reading and writing was broadly average.
• The proportion of pupils that met the expected standard in phonics by the end of Year 2 was above the national figure in 2016. Inspectors observed good-quality phonics teaching. This develops pupils’ reading skills, enabling them to read with fluency and confidence.
• Inspection evidence confirms the school’s assessments that the proportion of current Year 2 pupils reaching the expected standards for their age is higher than for the previous year. At key stage 2, pupils are making at least similar progress to last year’s cohort. This is because the quality of teaching continues to improve.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those pupils who speak English as an additional language, are well supported to make good progress. This is also true for those pupils who join mid-term.
• The pupil premium grant is used effectively to improve the outcomes of most disadvantaged pupils currently in the school. This is because of leaders’ increasing focus on improving outcomes for this group of pupils. However, progress for the most able disadvantaged pupils is inconsistent.
• The school’s current assessment information, supported by inspection evidence, shows that the majority of pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. However, progress for the most able pupils is not carefully monitored by leaders. Consequently, the progress for the most able pupils is variable.

Early years provision Good

• The early years provision is good. Children enjoy a wide range of experiences across the curriculum.
• Adults help children settle quickly into school. As a result, children develop good routines and are happy and confident in their environment.
• Children get on well with each other, take turns and share resources.
• Partnership work with parents is strong. Parents are invited to attend workshops to help them support their child’s learning.
• Safeguarding is effective and statutory responsibilities are met.
• Most children enter Nursery with skills that are below typical for their age. Appropriate support and intervention are put in place for children to catch up with their learning. Consequently, increasing numbers of children leave Reception each year having reached good levels of development.
• Disadvantaged children make good progress from their different starting points. This is because leaders provide effective support for them if they are falling behind in their learning. Therefore, the pupil premium funding is spent effectively.
• The leader responsible for the early years models effective teaching. This, in turn, sets high standards for the early years team. Adults skilfully interact with children and accelerate their communication and language skills.
• Adults know the children well; they plan work that is appropriate for most children. However, some of the activities planned for the most able children do not provide sufficient challenge to stretch and deepen their skills.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 140974 Hounslow 10031653 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 Community 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 705 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mike Nicholls Executive Headteacher Maureen Buckby Telephone number 0208 570 6105 Website Email address www.alexandraprimaryschool.org head@alexandra.hounslow.sch.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• Alexandra Primary School opened in 2014 when the predecessor infant and junior schools amalgamated. It is much larger than most primary schools.
• The executive headteacher is a national leader of education and also supports one other local school.
• The percentage of pupils who speak English as an additional language is higher than that seen nationally.
• The percentage of pupils from minority ethnic groups is higher than the national average.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding is below the national average.
• The number of pupils who join and leave the school at other than the usual times is above average.
• Children attend the Nursery part time, either in the morning or afternoon sessions. Children in Reception attend full time.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning across all classes. Some of these observations were with senior leaders.
• Formal and informal discussions took place with senior leaders.
• Meetings and discussions were held with a representative from the local authority, staff, parents and pupils.
• Inspectors also met with three members of the governing body, including the vice-chair of governors.
• The school’s documentation on: pupils’ attainment and progress; safeguarding; behaviour and attendance; governors’ minutes; school self-evaluation; plans for improvement; and on the quality of teaching was assessed.
• Pupils’ behaviour in lessons, as well as before school and during break- and lunchtimes, was observed by inspectors.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read.
• Pupils’ work in a wide range of subjects was analysed. Pupils’ work on displays was also considered.
• Inspectors took into account the 38 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire as well as speaking to parents directly. The responses from the 34 staff questionnaires about the school were also considered. There were no responses from pupils to the questionnaires about the school.

Inspection team

Jenell Chetty, lead inspector Nick Flesher Roger Easthope Kusum Trikha

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector