Montem Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that leaders fully evaluate the positive difference they are making to the achievement of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and publish their findings in the school’s annual special educational needs report.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• The principal has the highest expectations of pupils and staff. Uncompromising in her ambition for every pupil, she leads with determination, instilling in all a strong sense of purpose. The school’s four golden expectations, ‘no excuses, everyone is accountable, every second counts and everyone must excel’, permeate every aspect of its work. Staff, parents, pupils and governors are all highly appreciative of the school’s inclusive approach. Working cohesively typifies the school’s outlook. This is a happy, purposeful school where pupils, parents and staff have a true sense of belonging.
• Leaders have improved the quality of teaching across the school. Teachers who are at an early stage of their career are supported exceptionally well. The school has rigorous and highly effective systems for managing the performance of all teachers. Staff are self-reflective and have an unquenchable thirst to improve. They engage extremely well in improving their own performance and are highly responsive to the advice they receive from the school’s teaching and learning coaches. When teachers leave, it is generally due to promotion.
• Performance management procedures are rigorous. Leaders provide teachers with helpful advice and regularly follow up discussions to support and check progress. All staff show tremendous commitment to being the best they can be and are tenacious in seeking excellence. As a result, the quality of teaching is outstanding.
• Leaders work well together, analysing forensically all aspects of school performance in their quest for excellence. Self-evaluation is rigorous, as leaders keep careful watch over the school’s various groups, including pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and disadvantaged pupils. Consequently, leaders are quick to initiate support where needed and swiftly address any aspects of performance that occasionally dip. For example, differences between boys’ achievement and that of the girls are rapidly diminishing across the school.
• Parents are unanimously positive about the quality of teaching and the progress their children make. One parent encapsulated the views of many, telling inspectors, ‘My son simply loves coming to school.’ All staff work tirelessly to ensure that parents are fully welcomed into the school. Relationships between home and school are excellent and parents are highly appreciative of the lengths that school leaders go to in order to ensure that they are kept fully informed. The vast majority of parents would recommend the school.
• The school is a hive of activity. Every space is well organised and purposeful. High-quality displays, language-rich classrooms and an outdoor garden area all contribute well to pupils’ experiences. Staff, parents and pupils are all highly thankful to The Park Federation Trust for investing so significantly in the building and learning environment. Parents hold in high regard the improvements they have witnessed first hand, such as to the windows, doors and outdoor surfaces. Furthermore, the school’s site security manager is equally passionate about making sure that high standards of maintenance are the norm. The school site is valued, managed exceptionally well and cared for by staff and pupils alike.
• Additional funding is used exceptionally well. Leaders ensure that disadvantaged pupils receive a variety of support in order to learn well and achieve high standards. Resourceful use of funding, coupled with systematic liaison with parents, ensures that pupils benefit greatly. Disadvantaged pupils achieve at least as well as, and in some cases outperform, their peers.
• Leaders have used sports funding effectively to increase pupils’ participation in physical education. For example, the ‘bike it’ initiative has increased the proportion of pupils who cycle or use scooters to come to school. Sporting opportunities are strengthened further by the opportunity to compete regularly against other schools in local tournaments organised by the Slough Sports Network.
• The curriculum is highly engaging, equipping pupils well for life in the local community and modern Britain. School leaders foster a sense of pride in pupils, as is highly evident in pupils’ writing displays around the school. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is top-notch. For example, pupils writing for the pupils’ newsletter, ‘The Montem Express’, readily shared with readers their heroes as part of their work on Black History Month. Trips, as part of the school’s ‘childhood promise’ initiative, ensure that every child experiences, for example, the theatre and an art gallery during their time at Montem. Such opportunities further enrich pupils’ experiences at Montem.
• The school’s website meets statutory requirements. Leaders ensure that the website contains a wealth of useful information for families, contributing well to the high level of communication between home and school. However, the school’s special educational needs report does not fully evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s provision on improving outcomes for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Governance of the school

• Governors work determinedly to secure the best possible experiences for Montem pupils. They fully immerse themselves in the life of the school, offering appropriate challenge and support to school leaders. Meeting pupils’ needs well and placing the school at the heart of the local community are at the core of their work. Governors fully support additional visits to strengthen community relationships, offering a cohesive influence.
• Governors ensure that they are knowledgeable in order to offer helpful support and challenge to school leaders. Keeping up to speed with changes in statutory requirements, governors make good use of training opportunities across the trust. For example, because of training, governors have a detailed knowledge of the government’s ‘Prevent’ strategy.
• Trustees from The Park Federation Trust, including the chief executive officer, exhibit the highest levels of commitment to ensuring that Montem pupils get off to the best start. They offer exceptional levels of challenge to the school’s leadership team, exemplifying the trust’s mantra, ‘To question is to grow.’ Trustees know the school well and, like the school’s principal, are relentless in their pursuit of excellence.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders, trustees and governors work as a team to ensure that statutory requirements are met well. Trustees and governors make helpful and regular checks on the school’s policies and procedures. For example, they regularly check that the required employment checks on all adults are up to date. They epitomise the belief that ‘safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.’
• New staff receive helpful safeguarding training as part of their induction. Leaders are alert to local issues and ensure that staff receive training that covers such issues in depth, as well as other safeguarding matters.
• New staff, including those at an early stage of their career, know exactly what to do if they are worried about a child. Leaders record information thoroughly and are highly committed to responding swiftly to concerns. Staff are tenacious in their pursuit of appropriate support for families who, from time to time, require extra help.
• Parents feel rightly that pupils are safe. Many commented on improved fencing, new electronic doors and the resurfacing of playgrounds as contributing well to the safer environment. Pupils feel safe and have total confidence that adults will always help them if needed.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• Staff unreservedly share the principal’s determination for every Montem pupil to achieve their very best. Consequently, all teachers hold the highest expectations and a strong belief that all pupils should receive abundant opportunities to shine. Teachers gain much satisfaction from working at the school and, in return, they give their full commitment to ensuring that pupils learn well. Teachers are unanimous that the school has rapidly improved since becoming part of The Park Federation Trust. They feel appreciated by school leaders and supported to improve continually and refine their skills.
• Teaching is outstanding because teachers impart their first-rate subject knowledge skilfully. As a result, pupils quickly acquire knowledge, skills and understanding across reading, writing and mathematics, and in a wide range of subjects, to a high level.
• Most pupils speak English as an additional language. Throughout the day, teachers wisely emphasise the correct use of grammar and vocabulary, modelling accurately what is expected. In return, pupils respond enthusiastically, making great gains in their grasp of spoken English. For example, in a Year 1 reading lesson, the teacher acted out the word ‘splashing’, ensuring that pupils fully understood the word in context. As a result, pupils achieve a fitting level of precision when articulating their thoughts and ideas in a variety of subjects.
• The teaching of mathematics is outstanding. Teachers skilfully utilise their own excellent subject knowledge to challenge all pupils, including the most able. Pupils are able to reason and explain their thinking in a variety of ways. For example, pupils in Year 6 could confidently explain how to divide fractions, drawing pictorial representations competently to explain their calculations. All pupils, including the most able, make excellent progress.
• Teachers’ planning is superb. Careful attention is afforded to pupils’ starting points. Teachers make good use of assessment information to ensure that tasks contain just the right amount of challenge. Teachers are very responsive to the changing needs of pupils, adjusting plans promptly and sharing strategies with parents. Staff know pupils well and play their part in ensuring that all pupils make at least good and sometimes better progress in all subjects.
• The teaching of writing is excellent. Teachers carefully develop pupils’ spelling, grammatical and sentence-writing skills. Equally, pupils readily draw on their growing knowledge of the structure of spoken language. Pupils are then able to apply their skills successfully when writing for a wide range of purposes, with growing levels of competence. High on pupils’ lists is completing tasks to the best of their ability. Key stage 1 pupils judiciously check their work for accuracy, spelling high-frequency words carefully and placing full stops where required. Pupils achieve a high standard and all share a quiet determination to do well.
• Pupils hold very positive attitudes to reading. Many told inspectors that ‘Our teachers help us to improve our reading skills.’ Pupils talk animatedly about the progress they are making. For example, Year 3 pupils could confidently describe how they use dictionaries to look up words when they are uncertain of their meaning. Other initiatives such as the gift of a birthday book for every pupil, the school’s ‘reading aunties’, who hear pupils read regularly, and the sanctuary of the reading garden all assure a lifelong love of reading is nurtured successfully from the word go.
• Pupils say that learning is fun. They have very positive attitudes, telling an inspector ‘The best thing about our school is that the teachers plan fun lessons.’ Furthermore, pupils share very positive attitudes to homework. Year 6 pupils told inspectors that they enjoy the additional challenges set through home-learning tasks, particularly in mathematics.
• Teachers skilfully and adeptly reshape tasks to suit different pupils’ starting points and learning requirements. In addition, teaching assistants ask thoughtful questions, encouraging pupils to think deeply. Pupils, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, show persistence, work productively and attack tasks with vim and vigour, doggedly determined to make good progress in all aspects of their learning.
• Leaders continually seek excellence. Standards in the Year 1 phonics check are just above average. Nevertheless, all share the ambition to do better still. Teachers have received helpful training and regularly review how well pupils are grasping new sounds. Teachers, including those in the early years, are highly skilled at ensuring that pupils develop a rapid and secure understanding of letters and sounds. Pupils learn to apply these successfully when reading unknown words or spelling tricky words when writing. As a result, standards in the phonics check, alongside pupils’ early reading skills, are improving further.
• Disadvantaged pupils are supported extremely well. For example, reading is promoted strongly, including at the start of the day during the school’s popular breakfast club. Pupils who struggle to read regularly at home are not impeded. Instead, the school’s ‘reading aunties’ offer helpful additional support. This ensures that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, have an equal chance of success. Many disadvantaged pupils make excellent progress and achieve well, as confirmed by the high levels of success in the Year 1 phonics check.
• Parents are very positive about the quality of teaching and the progress their child makes during their time at Montem. They appreciate the wealth of information they receive, including ‘education packs’ in the early years. They are proud to be associated with the school.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils appreciate the high levels of care afforded to them. In return, they show tremendous levels of appreciation and courtesy to the adults who look after them. Midday supervisors told inspectors how much they too enjoy playtimes, because ‘The pupils are all so good.’ Pupils’ manners and their respect towards adults and each other are of the highest order.
• Pupils show compassion and care for one another. Playtimes are full of laughter and activity as pupils engage fully in the wide range of activities on offer. Despite the hubbub, pupils are quick to offer support if, for example, someone falls over. Equally, quieter activities, like reading a favourite book, are terrifically popular and encouraged.
• Leaders are determined to inspire all, broadening horizons and instilling ambition. For example, school-led visits by mums and daughters to Royal Holloway University are successful at introducing many families to the breadth of possibilities that lie ahead. Pupils feel well prepared for their next steps, including the transition to secondary school.
• Parents are proud to be associated with Montem Academy and readily praise the school for the difference it makes to their children. The strong sense of community is tangible at all levels. Trips organised by the school council include regular visits to Windsor Castle, where families picnic together next to the Castle moat. A beautiful reflection garden in the school, constructed with families, symbolises the strength of partnership. Such opportunities further strengthen the unity felt between home and school.
• Pupils are knowledgeable about how to keep themselves safe, including when using the computer. Pupils say there is no bullying in school. They are fully versed in what to do if a tricky situation arises. Pupils have a good knowledge of the school’s anti-bullying charter and take the school’s expectations seriously.
• Leaders track behaviour meticulously and ensure that incidents are dealt with appropriately and to everyone’s satisfaction. Incidents of poor behaviour are rare and there are no exclusions. Pupils say that adults care for them and make sure they stay safe. They say behaviour is much better than it used to be.
• Attendance is broadly average. Attendance is monitored closely and leaders are quick to spot any decline over time for individual pupils. Leaders work closely with families who from time to time require additional support. Pupils’ punctuality is excellent and has improved significantly in recent times, because of leaders’ insistence that learning time is maximised.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils have the highest levels of enthusiasm for learning well. During the inspection, it was commonplace for pupils to ask inspectors, ‘Can I share my work with you?’ Pupils exude pride in their efforts and understand that the more you put in, the more satisfying learning becomes.
• Montem pupils know that learning from mistakes is a skill to be revered. For example, in a Year 2 phonics lesson pupils were asked, ‘What do you need to do if you get it wrong?’ With uninhibited spirit, pupils instantly replied, ‘Fix it!’ Pupils fully understand the skills required in order to experience success, exhibiting boundless resilience and persistence in learning.
• Pupils speak with authority about the school rules. They understand the school’s rewards and sanctions and know what is expected. They are categorical in their view that pupils behave well, telling inspectors ‘No one does the wrong thing.’
• Pupils are courteous and polite. This is a cohesive school community, where there are high levels of respect for each other. The principal is unequivocal in her belief that ‘Pupils are welcoming to others because they are made to feel welcome at Montem. Adults all want them to be here.’
• Many pupils belong to the school’s ‘pupil force’ group and regularly collect litter or help in the office. Pupils actively care for their school.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• Pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language, disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, make outstanding progress during their time at Montem. Most pupils join the school in the early years with low or significantly low starting points. By the time pupils leave, they have caught up, achieving or exceeding the standards expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics.
• All pupils have an equal chance of success. An above-average proportion of pupils, including boys, girls, disabled pupils and those have special educational needs and/or disabilities, pupils who speak English as an additional language and disadvantaged pupils, achieve the standards expected for their age. Many exceed them.
• Pupils, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, make excellent progress in writing and achieve well. Standards in 2016 were above those seen nationally in both key stage 1 and key stage 2. Furthermore, the proportion of pupils who achieved the higher level in key stage 1 and key stage 2 exceeded that seen nationally. This represents outstanding progress for these pupils.
• Pupils, including lower-ability pupils, make excellent progress in mathematics and achieve well. The proportion of pupils who achieved the standard expected for their age in key stage 2 in 2016 was in line with that seen nationally. This represents excellent progress, as many pupils in this cohort did not achieve age-related expectations at the end of key stage 1.
• The proportion of pupils who met the standard expected for their age in reading at the end of key stage 2 was below that seen nationally. However, because of well-judged changes, current pupils are making accelerated progress and many are on target to achieve the standard expected for their age. Standards are rising quickly.
• The most able pupils achieve well, particularly in writing and mathematics. Teachers ensure that activities are planned carefully and provide sufficient challenge.
• Most pupils speak English as an additional language, but skilled teaching means the proportion of pupils who met the standard required in the Year 1 phonics check was in line with that seen nationally in 2016. Disadvantaged pupils attained particularly well, outperforming their peers. Pupils acquire age-appropriate language skills quickly and efficiently and make excellent progress. In Year 2, nearly all pupils who took the phonics recheck were successful.
• All pupils benefit from excellent support, including that provided by highly skilled teaching assistants. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress and attain well in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Disadvantaged pupils make excellent progress. Because of outstanding teaching and well-judged support, many outperform their non-disadvantaged peers.

Early years provision Outstanding

• Children start school with skills and understanding below or significantly below those which are seen typically. Many make good and often rapid progress in all areas of learning and achieve or exceed the early learning goals. Standards are high, including for disadvantaged children.
• Children get off to a flying start with developing communication, language and literacy skills. Adults plan activities that promote strongly a love of reading and storytelling. For example, sharing the story ‘Room on the Broom’, children could confidently sound out words to describe the main character, retelling the story enthusiastically. As a result, children rapidly acquire early language skills.
• Children love learning at Montem Academy. They happily choose, or are guided towards, appropriate activities and swiftly become absorbed into their tasks. They show high levels of concentration and persistence, and are determined to do their best. They gain much satisfaction from learning well.
• Children play and learn well together, including in the outdoor area. All adults, in both Nursery and Reception, supervise closely. At playtimes, there is a range of equipment and children play harmoniously, engaging well in a variety of games. Routines are understood fully and children know what to do if, for example, they fall and hurt themselves. Adults, including lunchtime staff, are adept at engaging children and supervision is excellent.
• Adults seize upon opportunities to develop children’s communication skills. They pay close attention to children’s starting points, modelling new vocabulary with precision. This promotes rapid progress in children’s acquisition of communication skills.
• The teaching of phonics is systematic and engaging. Adults have honed their skills in recent times and the impact of training is highly evident. Adults work very effectively, enunciating sounds with accuracy. Children readily follow suit, engaging with activities and blending and segmenting new words with confidence. They confidently apply their phonics skills to their own writing. Children are making excellent progress with early reading and writing skills, sounding out words and forming letters in writing tasks with accuracy.
• Adults ensure that activities are appealing and well matched to children’s interests. Consequently, all children display high levels of engagement across all areas of learning. For example, some activities are designed to appeal to specific groups, such as those who wanted to use water in a ‘car wash’. Such areas are a hive of activity. During the inspection, children were learning about the topic of space. Several boys, absorbed by making a model rocket, freely declared to an inspector, ‘I’m learning!’ Activities are planned well and children exude enjoyment, making rapid progress.
• Children are thoughtful and considerate of each other. They work collaboratively, sharing resources and taking turns. Occasionally, children vent frustration, such as when required to share a glue stick between two. However, they understand what is expected and are quick to remind one another that ‘It’s good to share.’ Children develop social skills rapidly, acting with maturity and thoughtfulness.
• Safeguarding procedures are robust. All staff have received appropriate levels of training. Staff keep a close eye on children and ensure that they are safe. Improvements to the site in recent times have contributed well. Children have confidence in adults.
• The leader of early years knows the department well. Excellent use is made of assessment information to analyse differences, for example between girls and boys. Because of leaders’ insightful evaluations, alongside the whole team’s high levels of commitment, standards continue to rise for all children. Children get off to a cracking start and are prepared well for key stage 1.
• Parents are fully involved with their children’s learning. Events like ‘welcome Wednesdays’ give parents the opportunity to look at, and comment on, their children’s learning journey. Parents’ evenings are extremely well supported, with the vast majority of parents attending.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 140335 Slough 10019850 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 836 Appropriate authority Chair Principal (interim) Telephone number Website Email address Academy trust Margaret Inniss Mrs Ann Probert 01753 528 050 www.theparkfederation.co.uk maoffice@theparkfederation.org Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Montem Academy is much larger than an average-sized primary school, and is located in a residential area of Slough.
• The school converted to an academy in December 2013, joining The Park Federation Trust.
• The interim principal joined the school in September 2013 and took up the post of substantive interim principal in January 2014.
• Almost all pupils are from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds. Almost all pupils speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged and eligible for the pupil premium funding is above the national average. Approximately one third of the school’s population qualifies for additional funding.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is just above the national average.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors met with the principal, deputy principal, three vice-principals, a group of staff and other leaders. The lead inspector also met with the chair and vice-chair of the academy council and two members of The Park Federation Trust, including the chief executive.
• Inspectors observed 39 lessons, including 26 jointly with senior staff.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read, looked at work in books and discussed pupils’ progress and attainment with leaders.
• Inspectors spoke to pupils informally and also met with groups of pupils in key stage 1 and key stage 2. Inspectors observed and spoke to pupils during playtimes and considered the 98 survey responses submitted by pupils.
• Parents’ views were taken into account through face-to-face informal discussions before school, the school’s recent parental questionnaire and the 43 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View.
• Inspectors also took account of 68 survey responses submitted by staff.
• Inspectors checked records and documentation relating to safeguarding, behaviour, minutes of meetings, staff appraisals and monitoring and improvement.
• Inspectors reviewed the checks made on staff about their suitability to work with children.

Inspection team

Elizabeth Farr, lead inspector Helen Tait Paul Shaughnessy Liz McIntosh

Her Majesty's Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector