Davies Lane Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Highly effective and inspirational leaders, managers and governors pursue excellence in all of the school's activities. They share the determination, drive and ambition to enable all pupils to achieve as well as they can.

Close partnerships with other schools and comprehensive training programmes have brought about high quality improvements in the quality of teaching. Pupils of all backgrounds and abilities make outstanding progress whatever point they start at the school. Disabled pupils, those with special educational needs, and those who speak English as an additional language or who are supported by pupil premium achieve better than o...thers in their group nationally.

More-able pupils are challenged very well and reach standards that are exceptional for their age, especially in mathematics. Teaching is outstanding. All staff have very high expectations of what pupils can do and inspire them to make rapid progress.

Their first-rate marking of pupils' work and constructive feedback in lessons ensure that pupils know very well how to improve. Highly trained teaching assistants are extremely skilled in supporting pupils of all abilities. Pupils' behaviour and attitudes to learning are exceptional.

They show considerable care, courtesy and respect towards adults and to one another. Arrangements for safeguarding pupils are meticulous. Pupils feel safe, and vulnerable pupils receive excellent care.

Strong relationships with parents and carers are ensuring that many more pupils are attending school regularly. Their ideas of how to improve the school are highly valued. A rich, vibrant range of subjects meets pupils' interests and allows them to achieve very well.

Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted strongly through the arts and music. Members of the governing body are extremely knowledgeable. Together with senior leaders, they lead the school with foresight and imagination to make a tangible difference to pupils' lives.

Information about this school

The school is much larger than most primary schools nationally. The number on roll and the number of teaching staff are rising rapidly. Building work has started to accommodate the planned doubling of the school's size.

There are four classes in Reception and Year 1, three in Years 2 and 3 and 6, and two in Years 4 and 5. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. Since the previous inspection, the school has established provision for 14 pupils with autism aged three to 10.

These pupils come from Waltham Forest and nearby London Boroughs. They are integrated into classes. Provision for two-year-olds has opened recently.

This is registered with Ofsted and is inspected separately. The children's centre previously run by the school has become part of a group of centres in Leytonstone. One third of pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium (the additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, looked after children and those with a parent in the armed forces).

This is a higher proportion than usually found in most schools. The school receives pupil premium for those known to be eligible for free school meals and looked after children. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is high.

The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above that found in schools nationally. In 2013, half of the pupils taking national tests in Year 6 were identified as having a disability or special educational needs. The picture is broadly similar for 2014.

Almost all pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds. Over two-thirds speak English as an additional language. This is much higher than usually found.

The number of pupils who join and leave the school at other than the usual times is high. Many who start at the school in Years 5 and 6 are identified as having a disability or special educational needs, are eligible for pupil premium, and are also at an early stage of English language acquisition. The school was formally federated with Selwyn Primary Schoolin September 2013.

The schools are led by the executive headteacher and a single governing body. Davies Lane has two senior leaders who are designated 'head of school', and each school has its own governing committee. The headteacher is a Local Leader of Education.

Five members of staff are Specialist Leaders of Education. The school is part of the Tollgate Teaching School Alliance that offers support to teachers and leaders at all stages in their career. The local authority draws on the high levels of expertise within the school to support others in the area.