Netley Primary School & Centre for Autism

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Short inspection of Netley Primary School and Centre for Autism

Following my visit to the school on 31 October 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in July 2014. This school continues to be good.

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Leaders and governors are ambitious for the school to be even better. They have a clear understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses.

They are unafraid to tackle challenges, and work together effectively. They k...now what to do to bring standards of attainment closer to the national average. This year's improved results, across all key stages, are a positive sign of increased progress.

You lead an inclusive school and want the best outcomes for pupils. This includes those who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities. You make effective use of the pupil premium so that disadvantaged pupils are now catching up with their peers.

The new provision for two-year-olds is already making a difference to the outcomes of the very youngest children. You lead a happy school. Pupils enjoy being here because they know that staff care for them.

They benefit from a curriculum focused on their personal development and well-being; 'Who Do I Want To Be' underpins leaders' ambition for securing improvement for all pupils. Pupils enjoy the range of activities available during play and lunchtimes. They speak enthusiastically about the clubs which they can join and the visits in which they can participate.

Staff feel valued and are proud to be a part of the school community. 'Wake Up Shake Up', a daily exercise routine, brings pupils, parents and staff together to enjoy a healthy start to the day. Leaders acknowledge the importance of a strong partnership with parents and carers.

You have tried various ways in which to involve parents in supporting their child's learning. You have had some success, but attendance at some parent workshops remains low. Safeguarding is effective.

Safeguarding is well led and managed. You make sure staff receive regular training. This takes account of statutory guidance and local challenges that affect the school community.

Staff know what to do if they have any concerns about a pupil. Leaders are qualified and experienced. They are skilled at fulfilling their role in keeping children safe.

Pupils feel safe. They know who to speak to if they have a worry. They appreciate the lengths to which staff go in order to support them and they appreciate the 'buddy' system which helps to make sure no one is left alone.

Pupils are aware of the risks they may encounter using computers and the internet. They know what to do if they have a concern. Pupils say that bullying is rare, because teachers will not allow it.

Parents are very happy with the school and are reassured about their child's safety and well-being. Governors are assiduous in managing their safeguarding responsibilities. They receive regular reports informing them of safeguarding priorities and issues.

Governors make sure that the single central record is checked on a regular basis. The safeguarding audit you recently commissioned provided a strong basis for further improvement. Inspection findings ? We agreed to focus on three areas which leaders identified as priorities for improvement.

• We first considered how leaders ensure that pupils make progress in reading. We agreed to focus on phonics, which was an area for improvement in the last inspection. ? I observed phonics teaching and learning in early years and in key stage 1.

I spoke to pupils about their choice of books. I heard pupils read, and I looked at the reading areas in classrooms. ? The teaching of phonics is good.

This is because it is well planned and underpinned by teachers' strong subject knowledge. Teachers confidently recap on previous learning, introduce new sounds and address errors. They make phonics learning fun.

Adults encourage pupils to join in with rhymes, songs and games. Pupils enjoy these; they listen well and improve their pronunciation. ? Children in Reception make good progress in developing phonic knowledge.

When they start in Year 1, their progress slows. This is because teachers' planning does not securely take account of their previous learning. ? Phonics is a cornerstone of your school's curriculum for reading.

Alongside this, pupils enjoy a broad range of reading activities. Pupils' outcomes in phonics show signs of improvement. For example, there are better scores in the 2018 phonics screening check than in the previous year.

• Our second area of focus was early years. We chose two aspects, the first of which was the impact of the new two-year-old provision on children's outcomes. The second aspect focused on the progress pupils make when they start Year 1.

We identified the first aspect in order to check the youngest children's early learning and development. We also agreed to explore how well prepared children are for entry to key stage 1. ? I observed teaching and learning in classes in early years and Year 1 and spoke to children during their learning time.

I also met with leaders to discuss the provision for and the assessment of children's outcomes. ? The provision for two-year-olds is making a positive difference. Children are confident and enjoy their time in the school.

Staff plan activities very well to reflect children's stages of development. They speak gently and kindly to children and encourage good listening and speaking. This helps children to broaden their vocabulary.

For example, I observed some children searching for sparkly gems in the sand tray, reading books and exploring in the outside area. Adults working with them showed enthusiasm and interest. This encouraged the children to remain focused and persevere with their activities.

• Leaders make appropriate provision for pupils starting Year 1. Leaders and teachers share information about children's outcomes at the end of Reception to inform their planning. Pupils who have not yet reached the expected stage of development at the end of Reception are helped to make the necessary progress in Year 1.

Gradual adjustments over time enable their transition to more formal learning. ? Our third line of enquiry focused on the progress of pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities. We chose this area because the good progress of these pupils is a priority for leaders.

• I observed pupils in mainstream and in Woodlands, the specialist centre for autism. I spoke with leaders about pupils' individual learning plans and about how adults assess pupils' progress. ? The provision for special educational needs is a strength of the school.

Positive work between leaders in mainstream and Woodlands contributes to this. Leaders ensure that pupils' individual plans are of high quality. They encourage contributions from parents and from other staff.

• Leaders train and support teachers to improve their skills and knowledge. Adults have very good awareness of pupils' individual needs. They go about their work with patience and sensitivity.

This helps pupils develop academically, socially and emotionally. Pupils make good progress from their starting points. Next steps for the school Leaders and those responsible for governance should: ? increase the proportion of pupils, particularly in Year 1, working at age-related expectations in phonics, by building on pupils' prior learning ? continue the work to engage parents to support pupils' progress.

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Camden. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website. Yours sincerely Jane Moon Her Majesty's Inspector Information about the inspection At the start of the inspection, we agreed three lines of enquiry.

I held meetings with senior leaders, governors and the designated safeguarding lead. I met with a representative from the local authority. I spoke with 20 children, including a group of pupils from Year 6.

I met with parents. I considered the 42 responses to the staff survey, the 218 responses to the pupil survey, the 10 responses to Parent View and nine responses to the free-text service for parents. I read the school's reports to governors and a range of documents provided by the school, including the self-evaluation document, the school improvement plan and the safeguarding audit.

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