Ecclesbourne Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Continue to accelerate pupils’ progress and further raise standards by:
  • teachers consistently providing the most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, with challenging work to match their abilities
  • ensuring that pupils are not wasting learning time by doing work that is too easy for them.
• Provide pupils with more problem-solving and reasoning opportunities in lessons to apply their well-rehearsed number and calculation skills in mathematics.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• Leaders at all levels share an unequivocal moral commitment to driving further improvements at this school. They recognise the potential in their pupils and are committed to ensuring that all pupils achieve their best.
• Leaders have an in-depth knowledge of all aspects of the school. They have pinpointed precise areas for development and know exactly what needs to be done. Their plans are based on a thorough analysis of current performance and provide a secure platform for further improvement. The prime focus for leaders is to consistently improve outcomes for all pupils, and they have clear plans in place. As a result, progress for pupils currently in the school, is improving across a range of subjects.
• Directors of the academy trust play an active role in the strategic leadership of the school. They work closely with leaders and offer excellent support and resources to bolster further improvements.
• Subject and year group leaders are fully aware of their responsibilities and play a key role in the school’s unremitting drive for improvement. For example, the English leader is currently implementing a robust plan of action, embedding pupils’ inference and deduction skills in reading. The impact of this is demonstrated in current pupils making faster rates of progress in reading. This evidences that the school has excellent capacity to make further improvements.
• The performance of staff is managed meticulously. Leaders put great thought into targeting appropriate support and training so that all staff are equipped with the skills to develop their practice. Teachers who are new to the profession are very well supported.
• Staff morale is high. Leaders ensure that there are opportunities for teachers to learn from their colleagues and hone their skills. Staff are also encouraged to visit other schools across the trust to share good practice and to ensure that the assessment of pupils is accurate.
• Leaders have given thoughtful consideration to planning the curriculum. They have developed topics to capture pupils’ interests and engage them further in their learning. The stimulating curriculum is allowing pupils to broaden their skills and knowledge in a wide range of subjects.
• The curriculum is further enhanced by a variety of activities, such as visits to museums, singing at Buckingham Palace and showcasing their work during ‘Museum Day’. Pupils enjoy the extra-curricular activities on offer, such as archery, music and dance. These opportunities contribute to the pupils’ well-rounded education at the school.
• The school provides well for the needs of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. Staff are well trained and are very knowledgeable about individual pupils and their needs. Leaders evaluate the use of additional funding and ensure that pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities receive high-quality support in lessons. Consequently, these pupils make good progress.
• Leaders promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development extremely well. Pupils learn about the beliefs and cultures of those from other faiths and visit different places of worship. They are taught about key values such as democracy, honesty and the difference between right and wrong. This actively promotes a secure understanding of fundamental British values and a positive view of diversity.
• Pupil premium funding is used effectively to provide interventions and activities that improve the progress of disadvantaged pupils. Additional teachers in English and mathematics, for example, provide targeted support to help pupils improve their basic skills. The funding is also used well to help pupils with their personal, social and emotional development.
• The primary school physical education and sports funding is spent effectively. It is used to provide staff training, new equipment and sports clubs. This has increased pupils’ participation in a variety of sports, contributing to the success of pupils at competitions.
• The majority of parents who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, or who spoke to inspectors agree that the school is well led and managed. They value the dedication of leaders and staff in providing a community where their children feel safe and happy.
• Leaders track pupils’ progress regularly and identify pupils at risk of underachievement. They share this information with subject leaders and teachers to plan work that successfully tackles gaps in pupils’ learning.
• However, leaders are not yet challenging robustly enough to ensure that teachers consistently plan work that demands enough of the most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils.

Governance of the school

• Academy directors and members of the academy council work collaboratively to effectively execute their responsibilities as governors. They are unstinting in their commitment that all pupils should succeed.
• Governors share a strong understanding of the school’s strengths and the areas identified for further improvement.
• Governors are determined that pupils have many opportunities to learn a wide range of skills through a rich and interesting curriculum.
• Directors of the academy trust play an especially critical role in driving forward school improvement. They ask pertinent questions and provide focused challenge. They support leaders effectively and demonstrate a clear vision to make the school the best that it can be.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders make safeguarding a high priority. There is a strong culture of safeguarding throughout the school. Pupils feel safe and happy, and their individual needs are met very well.
• Leaders ensure that staff are well trained and are kept up to date on safeguarding issues, including extremism, radicalisation and female genital mutilation. Staff have a thorough understanding of the school’s safeguarding policy and act swiftly when concerns arise that put the safety of pupils at risk.
• Leaders consistently follow up any concerns on safeguarding. They are tenacious in following up referrals to make sure that timely action is taken. Pupils said that the school is a safe place and they know to whom they can speak if they have concerns.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The majority of teaching is good across the school. Teachers use a wide range of resources to interest pupils and use questioning skillfully to check pupils’ understanding.
• Teachers and support staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour in lessons. Well- established routines and systems are consistent across the school. Pupils know what is expected of them and, as a result, they are attentive learners.
• Teachers plan lessons together in year teams. This leads to consistently high-quality classroom activities and gives teachers the opportunity to successfully share ideas and discuss good practice. 

• The work of the teaching assistants is very beneficial to pupils. They are sensitive to pupils’ needs and are skilled in developing language for those who have recently arrived in the country. They know pupils well and are quick to intervene in lessons where they see that a pupil needs help.
• Pupils write well because teachers demonstrate and explain different styles of writing. Pupils write at length and for a wide variety of purposes. Teachers encourage pupils to use ambitious vocabulary to make their writing more interesting.
• Teachers foster an enjoyment of reading. They introduce interesting books to the class and provide effective ways to encourage pupils to read widely and enthusiastically. Pupils said that they enjoy reading. 

• Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to recall number facts quickly and accurately. They use a range of practical resources to embed their learning. As a result, the majority of pupils are making good progress in mathematics. However, teachers are not sufficiently adept at providing pupils with mathematical problems to solve or encouraging them to give reasons for their answers. Consequently, pupils are not challenged enough to deepen their understanding of mathematical concepts.
• There are rigorous systems for the assessment of pupils’ work. Teachers’ judgements about how well pupils are attaining are accurate. This means that, increasingly, they set pupils activities which challenge them according to their level of ability. However, for the most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, this challenge arrives in lessons too late and limits their opportunities to achieve as well as they could.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Leaders and staff have created a happy, calm and purposeful environment where everyone is valued and respected. The well-being of all pupils is at the heart of the school, especially that of vulnerable pupils who face challenging circumstances.
• Warm and trusting relationships between pupils and staff mean that pupils trust the adults in school to look after them. They said that they can talk to any of the adults, including the learning mentor, if they have any worries.
• Pupils are keen to learn and respond well to teachers and other adults around the school. In lessons, pupils collaborate well. Pupils are willing to help each other.
• Pupils know that their safety is a priority. They attend talks by local police to learn about staying safe outside school. Pupils talk confidently about road and internet safety. They know not to share personal information online and to keep passwords safe. 

• Pupils have a secure understanding of British values, which overlap with the school’s values. Pupils focus on different values across the year, such as tolerance and respect, and they celebrate pupils who show these values in their behaviour. 

• Parents told inspectors that they were extremely happy with the way the school looks after their children. Many parents are very pleased with the way that staff make themselves available to discuss any concerns. 


Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. 

• At the start of the school day and at the end of breaktimes, pupils calmly and sensibly enter their classrooms and promptly start their work. 

• The vast majority of pupils are able to manage their own behaviour. They are sensible and careful around the school. 

• Incidences of low-level disruption are very rare. Pupils want to get on with their learning. 

• Pupils are polite and courteous. They are respectful to staff, visitors and each other. 

• Pupils are proud to attend this school, and this is reflected in their current attendance which is above average.
• Parents are very complimentary about pupils’ behaviour in the school. They told inspectors how pleased they are with the way in which the school looks after their children.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• At the end of key stage 2 in 2017, the proportion of pupils working at or above the expected standard was higher than the national average in reading, writing and mathematics combined. This is a considerable improvement compared to the previous year, evidencing the successful actions implemented by leaders to better the lower-than-national standards achieved in 2016.
• Phonics outcomes in Year 1 continue to remain above the national average. Pupils make good progress and enter Year 2 with the necessary skills to read and write. These outcomes reflect the systematic and high-quality phonics teaching in the school.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities achieve well in relation to their starting points because of the additional support they receive from the adults working with them.
• Pupils who speak English as an additional language are well supported to make good progress. There are an increasing number of pupils who do not stay the full length of time in the school. When these pupils arrive, the school helps them settle in and start learning quickly.
• Rates of progress for the majority of disadvantaged pupils are steadily improving across the curriculum. Evidence from pupils’ work and from the school’s assessment information indicates that many of these pupils are making better progress this year, compared to last year. This is due to more effective teaching.
• The school’s current assessment information, supported by inspection evidence, shows that most pupils are now making good progress in a wide range of subjects. However, the most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, are not making as much progress as they are capable of from their starting points. Teachers do not provide them with work that challenges them frequently enough to increase the rapidity of their learning.

Early years provision Good

• The early years provision is good. Children enjoy a wide range of experiences across the curriculum.
• Most children start in the Nursery with a range of skills, knowledge and understanding that is below what is typical for their age. They make strong progress, resulting in a high proportion of children reaching a good level of development by the end of Reception. As a result, children are well prepared for Year 1.

• The early years leader has a realistic picture of the strengths and has accurately identified what needs to be done to improve the early years further.
• Adults help children settle quickly into school. Links with parents are strong, and this helps the children to transition well into school life. As a result, children develop good routines and are happy and confident in their environment.
• Teachers have a good understanding of the needs of young children. They have created a bright and stimulating environment in which children learn and play outside as well as in the classroom. The early years is well resourced to help children develop physically, socially and academically.
• Staff provide high-quality care to children. Children feel safe and behave well. They concentrate well and are beginning to show resilience when carrying out tasks.

• Safeguarding is effective and statutory responsibilities are met.

School details

Unique reference number 136566 Local authority Inspection number Croydon 10037686 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy sponsor-led 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 438 Appropriate authority Academy trust Chair Head of school Kevin Smith Paul Robins Telephone number 0208 684 3187 Website Email address www.pegasusacademytrust.org epshead@pegasusacademytrust.org Date of previous inspection 11–12 February 2014

Information about this school

• The school is part of the Pegasus Academy Trust.
• Most pupils come from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above the national average.

• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average. 

• The proportion of pupils who have support for SEN and/or disabilities is below average.

• The proportion of pupils who have a statement of special educational needs and/or disabilities or an education, health and care plan is above the national average.
• The school meets the current floor standards, which are the minimum set by the government.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in all classes. Leaders accompanied inspectors to many of the visits to lessons.
• Pupils’ work was reviewed during lessons, and a more detailed scrutiny was made of pupils’ books with senior leaders. Pupils’ work in a wide range of subjects was scrutinised. Pupils’ work on display was also considered.
• Pupils read to inspectors, and inspectors spoke with pupils throughout the inspection to gain their views. 

• Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and during break and lunchtimes was observed by inspectors.

• Formal and informal discussions took place with senior leaders and the trust directors.
• Meetings and discussions were held with the senior leadership team, staff, parents and pupils. Inspectors met with directors of the trust as well as the academy councillors.
• Inspectors scrutinised the school’s documentation on pupils’ attainment and progress, safeguarding, behaviour, attendance, governors’ minutes, the school’s self-evaluation, plans for improvement and external reviews of the school.
• Inspectors considered the 47 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and spoke to parents directly. The responses from five staff questionnaires were also considered.

Inspection team

Jenell Chetty, lead inspector Clementina Aina Julie Davey

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector