West Wimbledon Primary School

[concernedmom13]

Please could you give me some feedback on the WW. I am confused about the Ofsted Report, which has not been reviewed for a couple of years. Also I see there are 38% of children who do not speak English (as their first language). Should this be a worry. My other concern is the location of the school, with a very busy motor-way overhead. Am I just being overly perdantic? Some positive pointers will also be appreciated.

Hi Concernedmom13

I will flag this up on Facebook and see if we get any more responses.

Unless I am mistaken, I think that unless a school is 'failing,' Ofsted reports aren't done more frequently than four-yearly. How long is it since the last one? It may be that the school is due to be visited by Ofsted imminently.

I wouldn't raise an eyebrow at the % of chidlren who don't speak English as their first language. Even in SW London I would say those figures are lower than in a lot of the neighbouring primary schools. Have you compared and contrasted with schools in the rest of Merton?

Can't answer your concerns about the nearby A3 Flyover - it might make it noisy and there may be potential pollution concerns. However, in London (and indeed other large cities), many schools are built on or near main roads so it is by no means an out-of-the-ordinary scenario.

Best wishes

If schools have been deemed as outstanding then they will not be subject to routine Ofsted inspections unless there is genuine cause for concern.
When will my school be inspected?

Since 2012, changes have meant that schools previously categorised as Outstanding are not routinely inspected. Other schools are inspected on a pattern of every 3-5 years, with the exception of schools in category which are inspected more frequently.

Since the changes to the Ofsted Inspections Framework, schools are given 2 days notice as previously. Schools should normally expect to be informed the afternoon before an inspection is due to take place, with inspections themselves normally being carried out over 1 or 2 days.

The Chief Inspector maintains the right to order an inspection with no notice, although this is rarely used.

I have heard excellent things about WW and the head teacher who sounds immensely hard working and passionate about her school and learning for all children. The school also seems very big on community links so if you live in the area that could be a plus. The base for autism is also housed at WW, I think it's called Tree Tops.
The school is a 5-8 min walk from Raynes Park and although it's a main road it's quite manageable. There are buses but sometimes with a buggy it's just as easy to walk. Raynes Park has several coffee shops so really handy for post drop off.
I am not sure if the school is affected by noise disturbance by the fly over but the best thing would be to have a tour and ask teachers directly if you get the chance.
Pollution sadly is what most children/ schools face in large urban areas. St Marks Academy in Mitcham has had a severe problem with foxes. So there is always something to contend with.
I think the percentage of children with English as a second language is relatively low. Some primaries in the east of the borough are higher than 50%. These pupils are often high achievers.
Hope this helps.