Whitchurch Primary School & Nursery in Stanmore, Harrow has received commendation from a recent Ofsted report conducted on 13 and 14 September.
The inspection highlighted the school’s continued status as a ‘good school’ in its first ungraded inspection since January 2018, and praised its dedication to fostering a positive learning environment for its students.
The report praised the Stanmore school’s atmosphere, stating, “Pupils really enjoy coming to school. They are kind to one another and keen to learn.”
It commended the students for embodying the school’s values through their actions, showing respect and responsibility by taking on leadership roles like faith ambassadors and school councillors.
The report states, “The school has high expectations for its pupils. Pupils are expected to achieve well, and they are keen to meet these expectations. Pupils learn a broad range of subjects in lessons.
“They also take part in numerous after-school clubs and activities where they can develop their wider interests. The school’s music curriculum is a good example of the ambition for pupils’ learning.
“In addition to a carefully thought-out music curriculum, many pupils play an instrument and perform in school choirs and ensembles. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Learning is rarely disrupted due to poor behaviour.
“Pupils have quickly settled into their routines at the start of term, including in the early years. Bullying is rare. If it happens, pupils trust staff to deal with it swiftly and effectively.”
Regarding behavior management, the report commended the school for maintaining a calm and orderly environment. Students are reminded of the school values, and staff consistently apply rewards and consequences.
Additionally, the school was praised for its wide range of extracurricular activities, catering to diverse interests and prioritising students with SEND and pupil premium funding.
It continued, “The school offers a range of subjects that meet the requirements of the national curriculum. In the early years, children follow all seven areas of learning and development. The school has reviewed the key knowledge and skills that pupils are expected to know and remember in each curriculum area.
“Leaders have focused on making sure that what pupils learn prepares them to understand more complex ideas in the future. For example, in science, pupils learn about animals and humans in every year group. In Year 1, they begin by learning the names of the different parts of the body, including teeth.
“By Year 4, pupils have built on this knowledge by learning about the different types of human teeth and what they are used for. This step-by-step approach to developing understanding contributes to pupils achieving well overall.”
While the report acknowledged the school’s strengths, it also identified areas for improvement.
The report states, “On occasions, the books that pupils take home to read are not closely matched to their stage in the school’s chosen phonics programme. This reduces how well pupils are supported to develop their accuracy and fluency in reading. The school needs to ensure that reading books fully align with pupils’ developing phonic knowledge.”
