North West London

THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW Highlighting best practice

Our mission statement realised In being one community, our intake is rich and diverse. In the school, over 25 languages are spoken. This varied selection of backgrounds is a strength of our school; we recognise, respect and celebrate difference within our community. As a diocesan school, we also have a local parish priest who is an active part of the school community. Our love of learning means there is an unrelenting drive to make our curriculum as engaging as possible. Our teachers have been at the heart of this change, and have, as a result, created a new cross-curricular approach which is constantly reviewed. There are themed weeks each half-term, where we come away from our usual timetable. These may be curriculum-based, centred perhaps around science or computing. They might also focus upon something that directly impacts our community, for example, “Welcome Week”. Considering the school background and current affairs, it has become vital that pupils understood the terms they were hearing, such as migrant or refugee. Welcome Week allowed children time to explore these ideas, and we liaised with both Christian Aid and the Refugee Council in doing so. Our new changes are a perfect example of how we innovate and seize new

with the University of Bristol and the Institute of Education. From this research, staff developed strong questioning skills which support and challenge one another to continually improve. We had a tired school environment and a limited budget, so we created a three-year plan – starting with that which would have the best impact for the children. The first summer saw repainting of internal walls which were a sorry sight; we then moved onto the furniture within the class, then the IT infrastructure. Finally, we turned our focus to the school’s exterior, and refurbished our playground entirely. Along the journey, we have had the support of both our parents and our governors who form a central part of our community. We have a vibrant parents’ association, the Friends of OLM, who organise events that have allowed us to achieve our aims. Many parents also contribute to our school building fund; their support, however, goes beyond finances. They are engaged in their children’s learning and generate a welcoming atmosphere both inside the school and beyond. All of these separate endeavours have led us here, to this “outstanding” accreditation we received in November 2017.

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Our focus is on educating the whole person and the process is seen at every level as a partnership between teacher and pupil

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Pupils at the school take ownership of their learning

32 | OUR LADY OF MUSWELL CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL