INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE
INSPECTION REPORT ON
Norland Place School
Full Name of the School	Norland Place School
DfES Number	20760256
Address	162-166 Holland Park Avenue, London W11 4UH
Telephone Number	020 7603 9103
Fax Number	020 7603 0648
E-mail Address	office@norlandplace.com
Name of Headmaster	Mr. Patrick Mattar
Proprietor	Mrs. Sylvia Garnsey
Age Range	4 - 11	Gender	Mixed
Number of Pupils	248	Number of Boarders	None
Inspection Dates	14^th – 18^th October 2002
This inspection report is based on a framework laid down by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) and agreed with the DFES and OFSTED for the purposes of ensuring that standards are maintained and that the school complies with relevant legal requirements. Recommendations are included to help the school improve. The report will be lodged with the ISI, the Headmaster, the Proprietor, the DFES and OFSTED. A summary will be provided by the school for all parents free of charge and the full report on request. Other interested parties may have the summary or full report, subject to a charge for copying and postage. The report may not be selectively quoted in the school prospectus or other promotional literature but may be used selectively within the school. The inspection does not examine the financial viability of the school or investigate its accounting procedures. The inspectors check the school’s health and safety procedures and comment on any significant hazards they encounter. They do not carry out an exhaustive health and safety examination.

1. MAIN FINDINGS

Overall Summary

1.1 Norland Place School provides a good education for its pupils in the areas of the curriculum inspected. It has a number of curricular strengths, and a very good record of success in placing its pupils at schools appropriate to their needs and abilities. The pupils have very good attitudes to their learning and parents are strongly supportive of the school.

What the School Does Well

· The pupils’ observed attainment in mathematics is high in Key Stages 1 and 2, and it is high in English at Key Stage 2

· Art, music and physical education/games are strengths of the school

· The quality of the pupils’ learning and behaviour are very good

· Overall the pupils make good progress and the quality of teaching is good

· The school has marked success in placing its pupils at schools appropriate to their needs and abilities

· Overall the pupils perform well in the National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2.

What the School Should Do Better

· The overall quality of assessment and recording should be improved

· The school should have a staff appraisal scheme, and a school development plan is desirable

· Whole school policy statements are needed for such areas as child protection, staff induction and staff development

· Improvements are needed to the building, to improve the environment for learning.

Standards of Attainment and Progress in Subjects

1.2 At the Foundation Stage, in relation to their abilities, the children attain high standards overall in personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy, and creative development. They attain standards in line with their abilities in mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world, and physical development.

1.3 At Key Stage 1, in relation to their abilities, the pupils’ attainment is very high in physical education (PE) and games, and it is high in mathematics, art and music. It is in line with the pupils’ abilities in English and science.

1.4 At Key Stage 2, in relation to their abilities, the pupils’ attainment is very high in art. It is high in English, mathematics, music and PE and games. Attainment is in line with the pupils’ abilities in science.

1.5 Results in National Curriculum tests, taken at the end of Key Stage 1 (2001), were above the national average for the nearest equivalent maintained primary schools, in reading and mathematics, and they were broadly in line with the national average in writing. Results at the end of Key Stage 2 were well above the national average in English, mathematics and science.

1.6 Overall, the pupils make good progress in the acquisition of knowledge, understanding and skills. This is particularly evident with Year 3 boys, and in the older classes in Key Stage 2. The substantial majority of parents expressed satisfaction with their child’s attainment, progress and teaching.

The Quality of Pupils’ Learning, Attitudes and their Behaviour

1.7 The pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good overall, and are conducive to the learning process. The pupils are confident learners who respond consistently well to the teachers’ questions. The pupils are interested, well motivated and apply themselves keenly to their tasks. They form constructive relationships, and co-operate well with each other. Pupils are attentive to, and respect the contributions of the teachers and their peers. Standards of behaviour are consistently good. At present the pupils have insufficient experience of using information and communication technology (ICT) to support their learning. However, positive steps are being taken to address this issue. Pupils have limited skills in using independent library and research skills.

The Quality of Teaching

1.8 The overall quality of teaching is good. Most of the teaching contributes effectively to the pupils’ attainment and progress, and addresses the needs of the full ability range in the class. Lessons are thoroughly planned, and the majority of teachers have a sound or good understanding of the subject matter they teach. Lesson objectives are usually appropriate and lessons are carefully structured, with, for example, a sound balance between teacher input and activity on the part of the pupils. Most teachers use question and answer techniques effectively to support the pupils’ learning, and to assess attainment. Time and resources are used effectively, pupils are managed well and standards of discipline are consistently good. Those lessons where the quality of teaching was less than satisfactory were typified by a lack of suitably challenging work for the abler pupils, and/or the pupils of lower ability. Individual education plans (IEPs) prepared for pupils with learning difficulties are sometimes not consulted with a view to meeting these pupils’ particular needs.

Other Aspects of the School

Attendance

1.9 The level of pupils’ attendance is satisfactory. This enables the pupils to take full advantage of the opportunities provided by the school. Attendance in the term prior to the inspection was 96.8%, with no unauthorised absence. The admissions register complies with statutory requirements. Pupils attend their lessons punctually.

Assessment and Recording

1.10 Systems for assessing and recording the pupils’ attainment and progress are generally thorough. Teachers have a satisfactory knowledge of the pupils, though assessment arrangements vary in quality and potential value from teacher to teacher. Some records are appropriately detailed for the ages of the pupils, their particular needs and their stage of development. Much of the school’s curriculum planning is based on the National Curriculum, but the recording of pupils’ attainment is not sufficiently related to it. Consequently, many records do not indicate with sufficient clarity what a pupil has been taught, and what he/she knows, understands and can do. Some, though not all, assessments help to inform curriculum planning. Where IEPs for pupils with special educational needs are based on discussion between teachers, this improves significantly the identification of assessment opportunities, and the potential value of the plans. A recently introduced whole-school marking policy has yet to be adopted by some of the teachers. A whole-school policy on assessment and record keeping is needed to ensure a common approach.

Curriculum

1.11 The curriculum offers a suitably broad and mostly balanced general education. Overall, it contributes effectively to the intellectual, physical and personal attainment and development of the pupils. Some imbalances are evident in the timetables, for example in Years 1 and 2 the time allocated to mathematics varies quite significantly between classes within the same year groups, and nearly twice as much time is devoted to English as to mathematics. The school is aware of the need to extend the role of ICT in supporting subjects across the curriculum. A sound range of curriculum documentation assists the teachers’ planning. In some subjects continuity between year groups is promoted by heads of subject who routinely oversee teachers’ medium-term planning. In order to ensure effective procedures, a whole-school policy for monitoring curriculum planning and pupils’ completed work is needed. Most pupils have equality of access to the curriculum, though on occasions the provision needs to take more account of individuals’ needs. Homework is set regularly and contributes to the pupils’ learning. Sound provision is made for children with special needs, there is variation in the extent to which individual education plans are used to support pupils’ learning. A good range of extra-curricular activities enriches the curriculum.

Teaching and Non-teaching Staff

1.12 Staff are sufficiently qualified and experienced for the roles they undertake, and are effectively deployed. This contributes appropriately to the quality of education provided and to the educational standards achieved. The staff has a good balance of age and experience. The ratio of adults to children under the age of five was marginally higher than current guidance recommends. Teaching staff are encouraged to attend in-service training outside school and provision is made for internal staff training. There is an urgent need for whole school staff training on the recognition of child abuse and child protection issues. A start has been made on producing a policy document that clearly indicates new appointees’ entitlement to a programme of induction, and the present senior management team (SMT) proposes to introduce a new staff appraisal scheme. The administrative, caretaking and catering staff contribute to the smooth-running of the school and to its friendly ethos.

Resources for Learning

1.13 The books, equipment, and materials needed to support the teaching, learning, study and recreation of the pupils at all levels, are adequate in quantity, quality and organisation, and they are used effectively. The ICT suite has 12 networked computers and others are distributed throughout the school. Computers were used during the inspection, but scope remains to extend their use to support pupils’ learning. Controlled access to Internet could assist pupils’ learning. An interactive white board together with a video link was recently installed in the mathematics room, and teachers are to be provided with laptops. Many subjects are well resourced and the art and music departments have particularly good provision. The school recognises the need to increase and update the range of fiction kept in the various classroom libraries. Good use is made of outside resources, and a broad range of school trips is undertaken to places nearby and further afield. Budgets for purchasing resources are generous, but are based largely on past spending. The headmaster has already taken steps to rationalise the position.

Libraries

1.14 The library facilities offer a degree of support for the curriculum and are, in some respects efficiently used. Texts were satisfactory in quantity and quality, though a number of pupils expressed a wish for an even wider choice. The school already recognises the need to widen the scope of the books and plans are in place to increase the range and quality of class library books. The central reference library contains a computer and about 400 books, including encyclopaedias. The facility is used for a number of purposes, though during the inspection it was not used for study purposes, partly because it is used as a passage way for movement about the building. The school is aware of the need to increase the number of reference books, and to increase the use made of the library as a resource for supporting pupils’ learning.

Premises and Accommodation

1.15 The buildings, accommodation and other facilities are adequate overall, and appropriate for the numbers, ages and gender of the pupils. Teaching rooms are spread throughout five floors and are connected by a maze of stairs and inter-connecting corridors. They are used satisfactorily and intensively, and enable the curriculum to be taught satisfactorily. Generally classrooms are in good decorative order but the buildings have limited aesthetic appeal. The premises are enlivened by attractive displays of pupils’ work. Some classrooms, including those used by reception classes, are small and inconveniently shaped for practical work. Many rooms have a cluttered appearance due to the preponderance of open shelving for the storage of books and other resources. Specialist subject rooms contribute to the quality of pupils’ learning, though some are cramped. In recent years some improvements have taken place, and the senior management team have already identified ways in which the premises can be developed. The changes could usefully be incorporated into a whole- school development plan. Space for play is at a premium, and at certain times of the day, outside noise encroaches on the classrooms. Good use is made of off-site facilities.

Links with Parents and the Community

1.16 The school has developed an effective partnership with parents, and worthwhile links with the local community. Parents express a high degree of satisfaction with the school, and indicated that they were satisfactorily informed about their children’s academic development. Reports to parents vary quite considerably in the extent to which they provide information about the pupils’ attainment and progress. If teachers’ records overall were more precise in describing attainment, this information could be used to raise further the quality of the reports. Meetings held to inform parents about their children’s attainment and progress, and about the choice of future schools, are regarded as helpful by parents. Sound discussions take place with parents of pupils who have special educational needs. Opportunities are available for parents to become involved with the school, and this contributes to the pupils’ learning and progress. Informative newsletters are produced by the school and the parents’ association. A range of fund-raising activities is organised and the proceeds are given to local charities. During the inspection an impressively high number of parents attended the harvest festival service. Parents appreciate the high standards of discipline and order within the school, and that pupils are taught to be courteous and polite.

Pupils’ Personal Development

1.17 The school provides a range of suitable opportunities that support the pupils’ spiritual, moral social and cultural development. The pupils’ personal development is good overall. Pupils’ spiritual development is sound. They are developing values that help them to be aware of, and to understand, their own and others’ beliefs. They have self-respect and a sense of empathy and concern for others. Pupils are beginning to develop, through various aspects of the curriculum, including literature, music and art, an appreciation of the intangible. The pupils’ moral development is good, and from an early age they are able to distinguish right from wrong, and they can think through the consequences of their own and others’ actions. The pupils’ social development is good. Pupils adjust appropriately to the wide range of contexts they encounter at school. They relate well to their peers and to adults, and demonstrate a good level of maturity. The pupils’ cultural development is weak. While pupils are developing a sound understanding of the area in which they live, and some attention is paid to other cultures, there is scope for increasing further the contribution that subjects of the curriculum makes to pupils’ cultural development.

Pastoral Care

1.18 The school’s various pastoral, support and guidance systems make a positive and effective contribution to the educational standards and personal growth achieved by the pupils. Pupils commented that they would turn to their form teacher if they had any problems or concerns. Great care is taken to advise parents about future schooling for their children. High expectations of the staff help to promote very good standards of discipline and behaviour, and no incidents of harassment or bullying were observed. The school has a child protection officer, but a child protection policy is not in place and staff have not attended the required training on recognition of child abuse. Steps were taken during the inspection to address these issues. Appropriate arrangements are in place to reduce the risk of fire. A sound system of rewards and sanctions helps to promote good behaviour. Pupils commented that they liked the teachers and that they felt secure at school. Appropriate measures are in place for dealing with general medical problems, and most teaching staff have received basic first-aid training

Governance and Management

1.19 The management of the school ensures that its aims are met, and that a suitable quality of education is provided. More than adequate resources are secured to support the teaching and learning. The senior management team is effective and the headmaster has a suitable degree of autonomy in running the school. Since his very recent appointment at the start of the term, he has instituted a number of changes aimed at increasing the effectiveness of the school, and has identified a number of other areas where change is needed. Senior members of staff have job descriptions that note their responsibility and accountability for standards. In due course job descriptions need to be prepared for all members of staff. The management creates an ethos and sense of purpose that are conducive to effective teaching and learning, and value is placed on a wide range of pupil achievement including that which is academic and creative. The preparation of whole-school policies for areas as diverse as short-term curriculum planning, assessment and recording, reports to parents, child protection and the induction of new staff could improve the efficiency of management and ensure a common approach over the full age range. A staff appraisal scheme is not in place, though this could be professionally beneficial, and could contribute to a school development policy. Routine administration and organisation are efficient, and systems for communicating within the school and with the wider community are effective. Arrangements for monitoring material resources are satisfactory, though teachers do not submit bids related to specified needs. In a potentially valuable initiative the senior management team is beginning to implement a scheme for monitoring teachers’ classroom practice, and plans are already made to inspect periodically a sample of pupils’ completed work.

2. MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS

2.1 In order to raise standards further the school should;

R1 Implement whole school policies for assessment and recording.

R2 Introduce an appraisal scheme, linked to the introduction of a school development plan.

R3 Ensure that all aspects of the school’s administration are covered by policy statements.

R4 Where feasible, improve the quality of the learning environment.

R5 Ensure that statutory requirements are met.

3. INTRODUCTION

Characteristics of the School

3.1 Norland Place School is owned by a proprietor. At the time of the inspection it had 248 pupils on roll. Forty-eight children were in Reception (Foundation Stage), 94 were in National Curriculum Years 1 and 2 (Key Stage 1), and 106 were in Years 3 to 6 (Key Stage 2). In the Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and Year 3 the number of boys and girls was approximately equal. From Year 4 onwards all of the pupils were girls. The school is non-selective at the age of entry and the intake has a broad range of ability. Eighteen pupils were identified by the school as requiring special educational provision. A wide variety of nationalities was represented among the pupils, with as many as a quarter of pupils from minority ethnic groups in two of the year groups. Each age group in Reception to Year 4 has a proportion of pupils for whom English is not their first language, though only two pupils were identified as needing additional support in English. The aims of Norland Place are ‘to help children achieve their full academic potential across a broad curriculum’ … and … ‘to give its children a first class all-round education.’ The school has a good record of placing pupils at schools appropriate for their needs and abilities.

3.2 National Curriculum nomenclature is used throughout this report to refer to year groups in the school. The year group nomenclature used by the school and its National Curriculum (NC) equivalence is shown in the following table:

School	NC
Reception	Foundation Stage
Year 1	Year 1
Year 2	Year 2
Year 3	Year 3
Year 4	Year 4
Year 5	Year 5
Year 6	Year 6

Key Indicators

3.3 National Curriculum Assessments at Age 7 (Key Stage 1) (2002)

		Level 2 or higher		Level 3 or higher
Subject		Externally marked	Teacher assessed	Externally marked	Teacher assessed
Reading	Boys	89	N/a	68	N/a
	Girls	100	N/a	38	N/a
Writing	Boys	89	N/a	11	N/a
	Girls	92	N/a	8	N/a
Mathematics	Boys	100	N/a	63	N/a
	Girls	100