Fairholme Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Leaders and managers should ensure that:
  • the early years indoor and outdoor areas provide a more stimulating environment to support the learning and progress of Nursery and Reception children, especially in communication, literacy and numeracy
  • the curriculum focuses on enabling pupils to use their knowledge and skills in greater depth across all subjects
  • the focus on improving teaching and learning in mathematics is increased, and its profile raised, so that pupils’ progress matches what they achieve in reading and writing.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher and senior leaders have a clear vision for the school, which is based on the core values of respect, honesty, responsibility, kindness, self-belief and aspiration. This vision is shared by staff, governors and pupils.
• Leaders use a range of information to evaluate the effectiveness of the school and have identified key areas for improvement. They have put a clear and relevant school development plan in place.
• Leaders closely monitor the quality of teaching and learning, and know where weaker teaching and staffing difficulties have affected progress. They have, when necessary, been prepared to take hard decisions to improve teaching and learning.
• Staff are proud to work at the school. They feel supported, and appreciate the opportunities they have to improve their teaching skills. Support for newly qualified teachers is good. The training for middle leaders has been effective in developing their skills in evaluating the quality of pupils’ work.
• School leaders are about to undertake a full curriculum review to develop it in greater breadth and depth. The use of English and mathematical skills in other subjects is not yet promoted consistently enough. Pupils in key stage 2 said that they would like more opportunities to study subjects such as science, history and geography.
• The curriculum is enriched through a range of visits and visitors. Pupils in key stage 2 have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. PE and games provision is a notable strength. Many different sports are offered, and the take-up rate is high. School teams are very successful in competitions.
• The school is very inclusive. The provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is expertly managed. Pupils’ particular needs are identified in a timely manner, which leads to effective interventions. The collaboration between staff, parents and carers, and external agencies is very effective in supporting pupils.
• Parents are generally positive about the school. Although relatively few parents completed Ofsted’s online survey, the school’s evidence from surveys shows that they feel their children are happy and well supported. Most would recommend the school.
• Leaders understand the barriers to learning for disadvantaged pupils. Additional funding is used to ensure that these pupils take part in all aspects of school life. Where appropriate, they have extra support with their learning. Governors check carefully how well the pupil premium funds are used.
• The primary sports funding is used exceptionally well to promote participation in PE and sports so that pupils can take part in a wide range of sporting activities during and outside the normal school day.
• Reading and writing have been the main focus for improvement recently, and pupils have made good progress in these areas. Though most pupils make good progress in mathematics, it is not quite as good as it is in reading and writing. Mathematics has not had as high a profile as these subjects. For example, fewer displays relate to mathematics than to reading and writing.
• The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils learn to respect the views of others. Their understanding of British values and the cultures and customs within their local community and beyond is appropriate for their age and maturity. Participation in sport strongly develops leadership skills, independence and teamwork.

Governance of the school

• Governors have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They question leaders carefully about the impact of actions taken to improve teaching and the outcomes for pupils. Governors use a range of information to check the impact of these actions. They visit the school regularly, look at pupils’ work and talk to pupils as well as staff and parents.
• Governors ensure that funding for disadvantaged pupils is used well to support pupils’ learning and personal development. Similarly, they strongly support the use of the sports funding to promote effective learning, as well as pupils’ health and fitness.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Senior leaders and governors have established a strong safeguarding culture. Safeguarding processes and procedures are fit for purpose. The school carries out all the required pre-employment checks on new staff.
• All staff have regular training on safeguarding during their induction. This is followed by regular updates. They know about the statutory guidance for keeping pupils safe. Staff are aware of issues their pupils might face in the local area, particularly the older pupils. They are vigilant, and know what to do if they have any concerns.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They work hard to ensure that pupils learn and use subject language linked to mathematics and English grammar. Use of the correct terminology helps pupils when they explain their understanding of a new concept in lessons, though some still find this a challenge.
• Teachers have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and manage them very well. As a result, pupils are focused and on task. They start to take responsibility for their learning and progress.
• Throughout the school, staff question pupils carefully to check understanding and encourage them to think. Teachers are quick to pick up on mistakes and misconceptions, and help pupils to learn from these. As a result, pupils develop into generally confident learners who are keen to tackle more challenging tasks. They are not afraid to make mistakes.
• Teaching staff work closely together. They share their expertise in planning interesting learning experiences for pupils. Additional adults work closely with teachers to provide appropriate support, particularly for pupils with SEND. This helps pupils to make good progress.
• The teaching of reading and writing has been the school’s main priority in response to a dip in results in 2018. Teachers have worked successfully to raise the profile of reading across the school. The pupils who were heard reading were enthusiastic about books and happy to talk about what they were reading. Even if they found reading a challenge, they all tried to read with expression, using their phonic knowledge to help them with unfamiliar words.
• In English, pupils use their writing skills in different contexts and genres. For example, Year 4 pupils had written interesting poetry using rhyming couplets. Subjects, such as history, give pupils opportunities to write in greater depth, as for example in the work on the Victorians in Year 6. Pupils do not, however, practise and develop their skills in a wide enough range of subjects.
• In mathematics, pupils are taught a range of mathematical concepts, and pupils across the school can recall basic numeracy facts. From an early stage they are expected to explain their reasoning when completing problem-solving activities, but this is not consistent across the school. Opportunities to use mathematical skills in subjects such as science and design and technology are limited.
• Homework is set regularly to support learning, particularly in reading. Some pupils and parents felt that homework should be more challenging.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are positive and happy at school. They are proud of their school, and particularly enjoy their sporting opportunities and achievements.
• Sport and PE make an exceptional contribution to pupils’ personal development and welfare. Pupils talked enthusiastically about the wider benefits in addition to health and fitness. They called this ‘learning life skills’ through sport and talked about skills such as resilience, confidence, leadership and team work. They believe that this helps them with their academic work and there was evidence of this in classes observed.
• Pupils’ attitudes to learning are generally very positive. They enjoy taking on roles and responsibilities in school, and feel that they can make a contribution. They believe that their ideas will be taken seriously.
• During the inspection, pupils were keen to talk to inspectors about their learning. Occasionally, a few pupils were less involved when teaching did not challenge them or meet their needs.
• Pupils said they feel safe in school and know how to stay safe, for example when online. Even the youngest pupils on the school council could explain how to stay safe online. They also know why too much screen time is not a good idea. Pupils have a clear understanding of bullying. Pupils say that if there is any bullying, staff deal with it swiftly.
• The school provides a wide range of support to meet the needs of different groups of children. For example, pupils who attend the young carers group spoke very warmly about how helpful they find this support. The family support team provides very effective support, for example for families where there are issues around attendance. The breakfast club gives those pupils who attend a good start to the day.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils are positive and they respond well to praise. They are polite and welcoming to all visitors. They get on well with each other, and relationships with adults are strong.
• Most pupils know what is expected of them, and their behaviour reflects the school’s ethos of respect. The school is calm and orderly, and pupils move sensibly around the premises.
• Pupils learn to make appropriate choices and manage their own behaviour. Some pupils still find this a challenge, but any misbehaviour is not allowed to affect the learning of others.
• Attendance has improved, and is now at or close to the national average. The number of pupils who are regularly absent is reducing. The school has put in place an effective range of initiatives and systems. These enable staff to promote good attendance and to pick up quickly on absence, particularly where vulnerable pupils may be involved.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils join the school with knowledge and skills, which are often below expectations for their age. In most years, in key stage 2, pupils have made good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Levels of attainment have been broadly average, and above average in writing.
• In 2018, results dipped because some groups of pupils did not make as much progress as in other years. This was largely because in previous years staffing difficulties and some weaker teaching had affected progress, and pupils had not been able to catch up in Year 6. The most able pupils did better than other groups.
• Pupils’ performance information and evidence in pupils’ books suggest that across the school, progress is rapidly improving in reading and writing and, to a lesser extent, in mathematics. As a result, the standard of pupils’ work is improving.
• In the majority of year groups, disadvantaged pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The school works well to eliminate the difference in outcomes between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils in the school and nationally. In 2018, disadvantaged pupils made better progress than others in writing.
• There is some evidence in books that pupils’ literacy skills are being reinforced in other areas of the curriculum, such as history. This is not consistent across all year groups. Where it happens, it has a positive impact on standards, particularly in writing.
• School achievement information and work in books indicate that the progress of pupils with SEND is in line with that of pupils nationally with similar starting points. Progress is stronger in reading, which has been a whole-school priority.
• Outcomes in the Year 1 phonics screening check have been improving. In 2018, the proportion of pupils who reached the expected standard was in line with the national picture. This reflects the focus on improving phonics teaching in recent years. Pupils who are learning English as an additional language performed better than other groups.

Early years provision Good

• Most children join Nursery or Reception with knowledge and skills that are below those typical for their age. They make good progress, and the proportion of children who achieve a good level of development is increasing, though still below the national average.
• Staff responsible for leading the early years are knowledgeable, skilled and enthusiastic. They work closely with all staff to make sure that activities and teaching are planned to meet the needs of different groups of children.
• Children settle quickly and happily into school, and are ready to learn. This is because the transition from home to school is very well managed. Links with parents are strong, and the relationship has a positive impact on children’s learning. Parents are encouraged and supported to play a part in their child’s development.
• Children are engaged in purposeful learning activities which make learning fun. For example, the highly effective use of Zog the puppet in a phonics game made children want to continue when given the choice of what to do next. Other children were fully engrossed in observational drawing or construction activities, learning to use tools safely.
• Relationships between children and adults are strong. Children are happy, confident and keen to share ideas with others because they and their ideas are valued. The impact of nurturing and the pastoral care are very evident.
• Teaching builds well on previous learning. For example, the most able children in Reception were helped to use their phonic knowledge to write a story or some instructions.
• The rooms are bright and spacious, and children have access to a good range of equipment. The outdoor areas are fully used, and contribute well to children’s social and physical development, and their understanding of the natural world. However, indoor and outdoor areas are not exploited as fully as they could be to develop children’s learning in key areas of communication, literacy and mathematics. This is a priority for staff.
• Children feel safe and secure. The safeguarding arrangements in the Nursery and Reception classes are effective. Staff follow safeguarding procedures with the same rigour as the rest of the school.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 132264 Hounslow 10086795 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 564 Appropriate authority The governing board Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Jenny Capstick MBE Helen Willis 020 8890 2584 www.fairholme.hounslow.sch.uk office@fairholme.hounslow.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 10–11 December 2014

Information about this school

• Fairholme is a larger than average-sized, primary school. Since the previous inspection it increased in size from a two- to a three-form entry school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average.
• Just under half of the pupils are of White British heritage. Other pupils are of African or Caribbean heritage or are from the Indian sub-continent. The proportion who speak English as an additional language is above average, but relatively few pupils are at an early stage of learning English.
• The proportion of pupils identified with SEND is above average.
• The school’s breakfast club provision is run on behalf of the governing body on the school site. The after-school provision is not managed by the governing body, and did not form part of this inspection.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in almost all classes. On most occasions, this was done jointly with the headteacher or another senior member of staff.
• Inspectors examined a range of pupils’ work in subjects across the curriculum. They listened to pupils read individually and as part of classroom activities. They met the school council, and spoke with pupils in lessons and around the school.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, at break and lunchtimes, and when pupils were moving around the school.
• Inspectors took account of the views of 31 parents who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. They also took account of responses from 24 members of staff who completed the staff survey.
• Meetings were held with governors, senior leaders and middle leaders.
• Inspectors considered a range of documentation, including the targets for children with SEND, the school’s evaluation of its own performance, and its areas for development. They also looked at attendance and behaviour records.
• Inspectors spoke with staff and pupils about safeguarding, and reviewed documentation and how this relates to daily practice.

Inspection team

Grace Marriott, lead inspector Jan Keating Gill Bal Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector