Ruislip Gardens Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this welcoming and inclusive school.

They value the importance of kindness and tolerance. Pupil's welcome visitors to the school warmly. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from staff knowing them very well as individuals.

This enables pupils to achieve well.

The school's values of resilience, responsibility, respect, and reflection underpin its work. The nurturing environment that the school has fostered helps pupils to feel safe.

They know whom to speak to if they have any concerns. Pupils play harmoniously together. They build strong friendships, and they are proud to atten...d this school.

In early years, children listen carefully and behave well. They benefit from a welcoming environment with exciting resources used well to support children's learning. Staff encourage children to share and to care for others.

The school is united in its ambition to do its best for every pupil. It strives to give pupils with SEND the extra help that they need to succeed. Pupils with SEND follow the same curriculum as their peers and have equal chances to participate in the school's wider provision.

The school helps pupils to manage their emotions successfully and to make positive choices. Pupils at the school, especially vulnerable pupils, flourish as a result.

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

The curriculum has recently been redesigned.

It is well sequenced and starts in the early years, where the essential knowledge and skills that children need for future learning are well thought out. In key stages 1 and 2, the curriculum content of a few subjects is still being developed. Teachers have a comprehensive knowledge of the subjects that they teach.

As a result, staff create interesting learning activities that enthuse pupils about gaining new knowledge. On occasion, pupils' learning of subject-specific content is not secure. This is because some learning activities that the school provides do not help pupils to remember key information deeply.

Staff enable pupils to build their knowledge over time well. Typically, teachers check carefully what pupils know and remember. Sometimes, the checking of pupils' knowledge and skills is not precise.

This means that teaching does not build on pupils' prior learning so that they are fully ready for new content. Staff adapt learning to ensure that pupils with SEND receive bespoke support.

Reading has a high priority.

The school is determined that all pupils read as soon as possible. All staff have received training so that they can teach phonics with skill and confidence. The school has ensured that all pupils have access to high-quality texts.

The books that pupils read are well matched to their reading ability. The school ensures that phonics sessions for pupils are taught skilfully. Staff provide pupils who struggle with reading with effective catch-up support.

Pupils use their phonics knowledge with accuracy, confidence and enthusiasm when reading words.

Pupils with SEND are supported very well. There is a well-trained staff team in place.

As pupils join the school, staff identify pupils' specific needs carefully. This also happens in the newly opened assessment centre for three to five-year-olds. The specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND is highly effective at helping pupils to overcome barriers to their learning.

The school's support for pupils' learning in class, and through targeted additional help, ensures that most pupils with SEND achieve well.

A clear behaviour approach across the school ensures that expectations in lessons and around the school are known and followed well by pupils. The school has high expectations of children's behaviour, from the youngest age.

Nursery children make a good start to school life due to the help and support that they receive. Staff ensure that children in early years learn to sustain their focus on playing, talking, and learning. The school gives attendance and punctuality a high priority.

It has established positive relationships with parents and carers in its successful focus on improving attendance.

The school has established a well-devised programme for pupils' personal, social and health education. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when using the internet.

They learn about fundamental British values such as democracy. They visit different places of worship in the local community. These activities help pupils to develop tolerance, understanding and acceptance.

Pupils are proud to take on responsibilities at the school, such as being a member of the Pupil Parliament or a sports leader. Pupils benefit from a range of educational visits, such as to museums.

Governors have a thorough understanding of the school.

They use their expertise to hold leaders to account and to manage resources effectively. Staff appreciate the efforts of leaders to support their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, the school does not help pupils to learn and remember key subject content deeply. This means that, occasionally, pupils cannot recall important knowledge that they have been taught. The school should ensure that it supports pupils to build their understanding securely by revisiting and building on the most important subject content.

• In some subjects, the school does not have a clear enough picture of what pupils know and can do. Consequently, some pupils' understanding does not build sequentially on what they already know so that they are fully ready for new learning. The school should ensure that checks on pupils' knowledge give it the information that it needs to build on pupils' knowledge and skills effectively.

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