Osmani Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Osmani Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school each day.

They appreciate facilities like the gym, the library and the climbing wall. Pupils behave well and enjoy positive, professional relationships with their teachers. They know that teachers have high expectations of what they can achieve.

This rubs off on pupils. Many aspire to go to university when they are older. Pupils want to enter professions such as teaching, the police force and medicine.

There is zero tolerance of bullying at Osmani. This means that pupils feel safe. They know what to do if they experience bullying.

They... can report it to a teacher, using the 'TAG' (tell, ask, get help) method. If they prefer, pupils can write it on a slip of paper which they hand in. Either way, they are confident that teachers will resolve the problem.

Pupils have many opportunities to develop as leaders. They can be elected as 'rights respecting' ambassadors for their class, for example. Pupils can become young leaders who help around the school.

Pupils in Year 5 act as 'reading buddies' for pupils in Year 1. They learn to respect people from all walks of life. Pupils go on trips to develop their wider knowledge of the world.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders prioritise reading. Younger pupils have effective phonics instruction every day. Pupils start learning to read as soon as they are ready.

For some this is in Nursery, and for others this is in Reception. Pupils take books home which match the sounds they are learning in class. Older pupils use phonics strategies to help them tackle difficult words.

Teachers deliver phonics sessions in small groups, or one-to-one for pupils in need of extra help. This helps them catch up quickly. All staff are phonics experts.

They have refresher training every year. Recently, leaders purchased an online phonics resource to support parents and carers and their children at home. They must now work with parents to help them better engage with this.

Leaders' focus on reading continues as pupils progress into Year 3. Here, pupils benefit from daily reading activities. They learn to infer information from different types of text.

The school runs book fairs, invites authors into school and celebrates World Book Day. These opportunities foster pupils' love of reading.

The curriculum is well planned and well sequenced.

This helps pupils to develop knowledge and skills over time. For example, in mathematics, teachers introduce the concept of number in the early years. They ensure that pupils understand this before they move on.

In history, pupils learn about the Great Fire of London. They come back to this again later on when learning about the Blitz.

Teachers encourage pupils to apply their knowledge, so it sticks.

Pupils learn to problem-solve like mathematicians. Teachers use 'RUCSAC' (read, understand, choose, solve, answer and check) to help pupils work through problems systematically. Pupils practise this approach.

In 'big maths' every Friday, pupils solve a problem based on what they have learned that week. Teachers check pupils' understanding regularly. They go back over topics that pupils have found difficult.

Similarly, in history, teachers encourage pupils to think like historians. Pupils carry out research and pose questions about sources such as photographs.

Subject leaders are knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

They have planned a topic curriculum that links their subject to a theme each half term. Sometimes the links are evident, for example in Year 3 where pupils learn about the River Thames through history and geography. In other units of work the connections are less obvious.

Pupils are unsure of how subjects link with key themes. This means that they do not connect, and then recall, their learning as well as they could.

In reading and mathematics, experienced staff teach pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in small groups.

As soon as they are ready, these pupils 'graduate' back into class. Teaching assistants and teachers work well together. Their effective planning ensures that all pupils make progress.

Pupils behave well in and out of class. They do not disrupt each other's learning. Pupils usually go on an educational trip each half term.

These visits are memorable. Pupils have been to local places of worship, such as mosques and churches. They celebrate diversity through religious festivals such as Eid, Diwali, Hanukkah and Christmas.

Leaders provide cultural experiences in school. Pupils benefit from taking part in the 'artists in residence' programme, specialist music lessons and singing.

Staff are proud to work at the school.

They feel part of a family. Leaders consider their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know their pupils well. They receive training to recognise the possible signs of harm. Staff report any concerns promptly.

They understand the local risks for pupils. Leaders provide regular safeguarding updates. All staff and governors understand and follow the latest government guidance.

Leaders work with external agencies in a timely way to safeguard pupils. They ensure that these pupils receive the support they need. Leaders carry out appropriate checks on new staff or volunteers before they can work with pupils.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online. They learn how to stay healthy in body and mind.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have invested in an online package of phonics videos to support younger pupils with reading at home.

They must now work with parents to increase their engagement with these resources. This will give pupils more opportunity to practise their reading at home, and lead to further improvements in pupils' reading fluency. ? On occasions, links between subjects and topics in the thematic curriculum are not clear.

This means that pupils find it more difficult to make connections between subjects, and to recall what they have learned. Subject leaders should work together to strengthen the links between their subjects and the topics in the thematic curriculum.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2016.