Twickenham Primary Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that the impact of subject leaders is consistently effective in making sure that pupils continue to sustain excellent progress in both their knowledge and their skills as the school expands.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• The principal sets a clear and ambitious direction for this growing school. As a result, everyone is clear about what the school stands for. Leaders and governors ensure that high expectations are shared and that pupils have an equal opportunity to succeed, whatever their background or starting point.
• Leaders evaluate the school’s effectiveness accurately. They are making sure information about pupils’ achievements is readily accessible and used skilfully by teachers to secure pupils’ excellent progress.
• Leaders have ensured that a consistently high quality of teaching has been maintained as the school has grown. They have well-considered recruitment strategies to grow leadership and increase the number of teachers in readiness for the first key stage 2 classes in the coming school year.
• Subject leaders are well informed about pupils’ achievement. They appreciate the principal’s advice and expertise as they further develop the curriculum and raise standards. They support senior leaders well in promoting consistency in pupils’ outcomes across a range of subjects.
• Leaders’ commitment to overcoming any barriers to learning faced by disadvantaged pupils is evident in the effective way they spend the pupil premium. The outcome is that these pupils make the same good progress as others.
• The curriculum is well understood by teachers, who plan well to help pupils build and deepen their knowledge across a wide range of subjects. Pupils’ skills are built upon systematically. However, in some subjects, pupils’ skills are not as well developed as their knowledge.
• Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Pupils learn the principles of democracy by participating in elections for responsible roles, such as lunchtime monitors. Pupils consider social issues so that, for example, the most able Year 2 pupils were able to use their knowledge to write independently about racial segregation in the USA. Leaders provide a wide range of cultural activities backed up by a comprehensive library of reading materials. Subject leaders can explain how their plans for curriculum development, such as the in-depth study of a work of literature in Year 3, are focused on developing pupils’ cultural experiences still further.
• The primary physical education and sport premium is being used to enhance teachers’ ability to develop pupils’ skills in a range of games. A sports coach works alongside them to help build capacity for the teaching of physical education as the school grows.

Governance of the school

• The board of trustees has provided effective support and challenge for the school to secure an excellent start in its first three years. Governors’ capacity to ensure continuity of strong leadership has been tested by the unexpected departure of the school’s first principal in 2017; governors rose to this challenge well.
• Governors possess the necessary skills and insight into the work of the school to hold school leaders to account. They have encouraged leaders to seek external professional guidance when developing the curriculum and safeguarding procedures, for example. Governors have also endorsed the decision to seek deeper external challenge from the local authority in the coming school year as the school expands.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school’s safeguarding policy demonstrates that leaders consider statutory requirements carefully and keep up with the latest guidance. Arrangements are in place to seek external verification of safeguarding arrangements.
• Staff, pupils and parents express confidence in safeguarding practices. Leaders maintain effective communications with parents, which helps ensure that any concerns are explored thoroughly.
• Checks on the suitability of staff to work with children are thorough. Staff training is well considered. The effective curriculum is helping to equip pupils with the knowledge and insight which is laying firm foundations for their ability to make the right choices.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• Teachers know their pupils very well. They assess pupils skilfully and use information effectively to plan lessons which sustain their interest and progress across a wide range of subjects.
• The teaching of reading is systematic. Teachers are consistently successful in using their strong subject knowledge to help pupils from all starting points gain a secure knowledge of phonics.
• Pupils’ love of writing is evident throughout the school and across the curriculum. This is because teachers and additional adults give pupils of all abilities the time to write and superb guidance to overcome any uncertainties about how or what to write. As a result, pupils write confidently and with a developing personal style in subjects across the curriculum. For example, pupils who visited an exhibition of Giacometti’s art wrote about similarities and differences between two pieces of his work.
• In mathematics lessons, teachers provide clear explanations so that pupils understand new ideas and methods. As a result, they develop confidence in choosing which method of calculation is best for them. Teachers check pupils’ understanding of mathematical vocabulary thoroughly. They expect pupils to apply mathematical skills in other subjects. For example, the most able pupils in Year 1 used coordinates in geography to read maps.
• Teachers use secure subject knowledge to help pupils deepen their understanding of ideas and themes across a wide range of subjects. They inspire pupils to pursue their own interests. For example, a recent focus on women’s suffrage led many pupils to write accomplished, detailed biographies of influential women.
• Teachers and additional adults identify and support pupils who have special education needs (SEN) and/or disabilities appropriately. Additional adults are particularly effective at judging when to offer less confident pupils support and when to give them the time they need to think.
• Teachers typically demonstrate strong subject knowledge which is communicated to pupils. However, occasionally, the teaching is less effective in developing specific subject skills.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils develop a strong work ethic from the start and learn the importance of cooperation. Teachers emphasise the development of speaking and listening skills and so help pupils to talk confidently and precisely about their learning.
• The wide range of additional activities on offer and the well-organised breakfast club promote pupils’ personal development and welfare effectively. Leaders also provide school visits linked to the curriculum which broaden pupils’ cultural and social horizons.
• The curriculum helps children learn how their body works and what they can do to stay healthy. For example, pupils attending the breakfast club explained why particular foods have been chosen for them to eat.
• Pupils can talk about how they can contribute to their own safety, including when using technology. Teachers review lesson content to make sure pupils’ particular experiences of technology are taken into account, such as the use of games consoles.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils enjoy lessons and all groups of pupils participate in learning enthusiastically. They develop an exceptional stamina for working hard in all subjects.
• Adults and pupils enjoy positive, respectful relationships. Adults explain the reasons for agreed standards of behaviour clearly and pupils are keen to live up to the school’s high expectations.
• Parents, staff and pupils overwhelmingly agree that pupils behave well. Some parents of pupils who have entered the school mid-year with previous experience of bullying told inspectors how things had improved after joining Twickenham Primary Academy.
• Leaders keep detailed records of the rare occasions when actions are taken to support pupils whose behaviour falls below the expected standard. These records show how leaders involve parents in resolving the issue. They also confirm that discriminatory behaviour of any kind is a rarity.
• Pupils come to school regularly and attendance rates are similar to those of other primary schools nationally. The principal insists on an uncompromising policy on punctuality so that everyone is clear about the importance of getting to school on time.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• Pupils achieve exceptionally well in reading, writing and mathematics. They make outstanding progress, sustained over time, whatever their starting points. As a result, an above average proportion of pupils in Year 2 are on track to exceed the expected standards.
• The proportion of the pupils working at greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics increases as pupils make rapid progress through the school. This is a result of consistently excellent teaching over time.
• The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check in 2017 was above the national average and is set to be similar this year.
• Disadvantaged pupils make the same strong progress as others because funding supports their needs effectively.
• Pupils who join mid-year with gaps in their learning make rapid progress and begin to catch up promptly.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make similar progress to others from their starting points.
• Pupils make exceptional progress in deepening their knowledge across the range of subjects taught. Pupils of all abilities develop a strong sense of curiosity. The most able progress well in using research skills independently. Pupils also make good progress in developing skills specific to subjects, though at times this is less substantial in some subjects.

Early years provision Outstanding

• Children enter the early years with skills which are broadly similar to those of other children of the same age nationally. Consistently effective teaching across all areas of learning leads to children making excellent progress. This includes children who arrive at the school with weaker skills, and the most able.
• The proportion of children achieving a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year has been above the national average since the school opened. Information provided by the school, confirmed by other inspection evidence, shows that this is set to continue in the current year, leaving them very well prepared for Year 1.
• Children benefit from interesting activities, both indoors and outside. Teachers explain with precision and clarity how children of all abilities can make the most of these. They organise the school day in a way which helps all children, and particularly the most able, develop independence and creativity.
• Leaders rigorously check how well teaching staff, including additional adults, use their observations to reorganise activities. For example, if some children are showing less interest in an important task, teachers take action to encourage them.
• Leaders and teaching staff seek external professional advice to check on the accuracy of their assessments of children’s progress. They gather evidence to support their decisions from a wide range of sources. They also expect parents to play an active part in contributing to reviews of learning.
• The teaching of reading, writing and mathematics is consistently effective. Leaders aim to ensure that children read to a member of staff every day. Children are taught how to use writing materials confidently and use resources to understand basic number facts.
• Safeguarding is effective in the early years. Staff supervise children vigilantly and take care to help them understand how to stay safe.
• Children behave well and quickly pick up the routines of the setting. Leaders are successful in helping children develop into curious, determined learners.

School details

Unique reference number 142122 Local authority Richmond Upon Thames Inspection number 10048385 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 free school 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 139 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Principal Harry Ziman John Smith Telephone number 020 3019 6196 Website Email address www.gemstwickenhamprimary.org/ office@gemstwickenhamprimary.org Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Twickenham Primary Academy opened in September 2015 in an adapted former office building. It is part of Gems Learning Trust.
• The school uses no additional provision. Trustees let a part of the building to the Hatching Dragons early years provider, which is registered separately with the Department for Education.
• The school currently includes two classes in each year group. All pupils attend full time.
• There is a breakfast club which is run by school staff.
• The proportion of pupils who are entitled to the pupil premium is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is also below average.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors conducted observations in each class, often alongside senior leaders or the chief education officer of the trust.
• Inspectors looked at a wide range of pupils’ work across the range of subjects taught.
• Meetings were held with a group of pupils and some of these read to inspectors. Inspectors also met leaders responsible for different subjects. A telephone discussion was held with the chair of the board of trustees.
• Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents related to safeguarding, school improvement and assessment.
• Inspectors took account of 51 written comments from parents, informal conversations with parents and 118 responses to the online Parent View survey.

Inspection team

Andrew Wright, lead inspector Jane Moon

Her Majesty’s Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector