Saint Mary Magdalene Church of England All Through School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Develop a rigorous approach to the use of assessment information across the school to ensure that: pupils receive the right levels of challenge and support in lessons

leaders in the secondary phase can more accurately track pupils’ progress in all subjects.

• In the secondary phase, in subjects other than English, mathematics and science, improve the depth of learning so that pupils acquire the necessary skills and knowledge for the next stage of their education.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since the previous inspection, the school has expanded significantly and now provides an all-through education for pupils from early years to secondary. The co-headteachers have coped well with the challenges arising from such rapid expansion. They are driven by a sense of duty to give pupils in the local area a high standard of education, and they are achieving this.
• The expansion has provided many opportunities for staff to take on leadership roles and develop professionally. Senior leaders provide good support for aspiring and middle leaders so that they can carry out their roles effectively. They continue to enlist the help of secondary consultants and advisers to support leaders who have less experience of secondary schools. Senior leaders acknowledge that this support will need to continue as the secondary phase grows, particularly with the addition of key stage 4 and a sixth form.
• Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of teaching and learning in the school. They use performance management well, linked to teachers’ professional development and whole-school targets. Leaders’ close monitoring ensures that they quickly identify any weaknesses in teaching and put in place appropriate support.
• Teachers from across the federation often come together for staff training and meetings. Staff value this time to work and plan together, sharing ideas and good practice. The positive impact of this collaboration is noticeable in the continuity of learning and teaching between the primary and secondary phases, particularly in English, mathematics, science and religious studies. Secondary subject specialists often use their expertise to teach in the primary phase, modelling high-quality lessons.
• Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development is a strength of the school. Through the curriculum, assemblies, special events and trips, leaders have ensured that pupils have a deep understanding of their own and other faiths and cultures. Leaders help pupils to develop a moral conscience. Pupils learn about and discuss global issues, such as the plight of refugees. The ‘Koinonia Awards’ in the secondary phase encourage pupils to complete challenges in a range of areas, for example working within the community or studying a particular culture.
• Pupils and parents are very positive about the range of trips and enrichment activities provided by the school. In the secondary phase, pupils regularly visit museums, art galleries and local places of interest to enhance their project-based learning. Pupils also have the chance to visit France and Spain to practise their language skills and experience a different culture. The ‘Brilliant Club’ helps most-able pupils broaden their horizons and learn about different universities.
• The provision for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is well led and managed. Leaders are clear about their role and demonstrate an in-depth understanding of pupils’ needs. They use this information to create personalised learning plans which are reviewed regularly, particularly in the primary phase, to check that pupils are getting the support they need. The school makes effective use of external specialists, such as therapeutic music intervention and speech and language therapy.
• Leaders ensure that they plan and evaluate the impact of additional funding that they receive, including the pupil premium funding. They provide additional interventions so that pupils receive personalised support in English and mathematics. Funding is also used to support pupils’ social and personal development. Leaders ensure that disadvantaged pupils get the same opportunities as other pupils, such as attending trips and enrichment clubs.
• Leaders show determination to promote healthy lifestyles for their pupils. The sports premium is used well in this respect, funding schemes such as ‘safe scooting’ to and from school, and developing pupils’ confidence in swimming. Specialist sports coaches also offer a wide range of extra-curricular activities such as dance, judo and basketball.
• Leaders have developed a broad curriculum in all phases. Pupils have opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge in a wide range of subjects. After much thought and research, leaders have devised a project-based curriculum in the secondary phase which combines art and design, geography, history, design and technology, computing and music. This mirrors the primary phase ‘creative’ curriculum. However, pupils do not study subjects in much depth, and leaders have not carefully evaluated the curriculum to ensure that pupils are receiving a solid foundation for the challenges of key stage 4.
• The assessment system is not consistently robust across the school. In the secondary phase, pupils’ progress in project work is not rigorously assessed, monitored or tracked. This means that leaders do not have a clear picture of how well pupils’ skills and knowledge are being developed in some subjects. The school is in the early stages of developing a whole-school approach to assessment.

Governance of the school

• Governors have a detailed understanding of the school’s work and have been fully involved in its expansion. Governors are committed to their roles and use their extensive experience to support leaders very well.
• Governors visit the school regularly and meet with school leaders to discuss how well pupils are achieving. They challenge leaders’ actions and hold them to account. Governors use information on school performance to form strategic plans for the school’s future, including the evaluation of additional funding.
• Governors review their skills regularly, set individual targets for each other and attend training so that they are able to fulfil their responsibilities.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders, governors and staff give the highest priority to pupils’ safety and well-being. Parents and carers confirm that children are safe and well cared for at school.
• Staff all receive regular training in keeping pupils safe and are confident in reporting any concerns they may have. Leaders ensure that each site has a team of staff with the necessary qualifications to deal with any safeguarding concerns. Any referrals to external agencies are made promptly and staff are tenacious in ensuring that pupils and families receive the best support.
• The school’s procedures for checking the suitability of staff are carried out effectively.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teaching and learning are good across the school, with some very strong practice based on careful planning and with activities tailored to meet pupils’ needs.
• Teachers’ use of questioning is generally effective. Teachers know their pupils well and ask well-structured questions to check their understanding and deepen their thinking.
• Teachers make good use of resources to support pupils’ learning and engage their interests. They are skilled in putting pupils’ learning into real-life contexts. For example, Year 8 pupils in mathematics used a mobile phone bill to help them understand proportions between usage and cost.
• Teachers have high expectations. In most lessons, pupils work studiously and productively. Teachers deploy additional adults effectively to ensure that pupils receive appropriate support.
• Teachers’ subject knowledge is mostly secure. Reflecting the small size of the school, teachers in the secondary phase often teach subjects that are not their specialism. Generally, they support each other well.
• However, there are weaknesses in project-based learning. At times, explanations are weak and pupils’ misconceptions are not challenged. Research tasks can lead to random writing and cutting and pasting from the internet, as pupils do not have the skills or understanding to complete the tasks. Pupils do not study certain subjects in much depth.
• There is inconsistency in the use of assessment to inform planning. This means that individual needs of pupils are sometimes not met as the work can be too easy or too challenging.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are attentive and generally demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They confidently ask questions in class, participate well in lessons and want to do well. The ‘Personal Best’ stamps, for example, that pupils receive in the secondary phase are highly motivational.
• Pupils feel safe in school. They receive high-quality pastoral support and say that the school helps them to look after their physical and mental well-being. One pupil said, ‘Teachers make sure that we are safe after school, they are like extra parents.’ Older pupils learn about the dangers of knife crime and gang involvement.
• Bullying is rare and pupils have a clear understanding of the different forms of bullying. A few pupils and parents expressed concerns about incidents of bullying. School records and the overall views of parents, pupils and staff indicate that any bullying is dealt with promptly and effectively.
• Pupils reflect on the school’s Christian values through the daily collective worship and family time. ‘Faith teams’ of pupils from across the federation work together on projects to help the local community and environment and lead collective worship. The school’s values reflect fundamental British values, and pupils’ behaviour towards each other shows that these are being respected. Pupils show tolerance and respect for each other, regardless of differences in culture, faith or background.
• Pupils look out for each other. Inspectors observed older pupils looking after younger pupils in the playground, and there were many instances of pupils working well together in lessons to share ideas and solve problems together.
• The school offers a wealth of opportunities for pupils to take on responsibility, such as house and sports captains, school councillors and peer mentors. Pupils wear their badges with pride and take their roles seriously.
• Pupils from the primary phase are well prepared for the next stage of their education. The majority of pupils move into the secondary phase of the school and they are familiar with the shared ethos and expectations across both phases. In the secondary phase, pupils said they wanted more careers guidance and support as this is not yet well developed.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils are polite and friendly. They look smart in their uniforms and are proud to attend the school. Most pupils take pride in their work.
• Attendance is consistently high for all groups of pupils. Pupils enjoy coming to school and are keen to learn.
• There is occasional disruptive behaviour, particularly among key stage 2 boys in the primary phase. However, the vast majority of pupils are well behaved and respond quickly to teachers’ instructions.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils are making good progress over time in a wide range of subjects, including English and mathematics. Disadvantaged pupils’ progress is weaker than that of their peers in key stage 1, but they make stronger progress through key stage 2 and into the secondary phase.
• In 2017, there was a dip in Year 6 pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics, which was below the national average. Even so, their attainment was above average in reading and mathematics, including at the higher standard, and broadly average in writing.
• Leaders have taken effective action to identify and tackle the reasons for this dip. Reviews of pupils’ work in these subjects and the school’s reliable assessment information suggests that most pupils are now making substantial progress from their starting points.
• Pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2 is consistently high and was above national averages in 2017. The proportion of pupils achieving the greater depth standard was also above average in writing and mathematics.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make good progress from their different starting points. Teachers and supporting adults are aware of the needs of this group of pupils. As a result, pupils receive well-targeted support for their personal, social and emotional needs, as well as their academic needs.
• Pupils are developing their reading skills well. Phonics teaching in the primary phase is very effective. As a result, a high proportion of pupils achieve the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check. Reading is generally well promoted in the school. Pupils read every day in the ‘drop everything and read’ sessions. However, some pupils are not challenged to read widely.
• Pupils achieve well in writing. They have many opportunities to extend their writing across the curriculum. In the secondary phase project work, pupils write essay-style responses on a diverse range of topics. The most able pupils are particularly skilled in this area and produce fluent and complex pieces of work.
• In mathematics and science, pupils make strong progress from key stage 2 into key stage 3 through a carefully planned programme which builds on and consolidates their knowledge and skills. Pupils particularly enjoy applying their scientific knowledge to practical investigations.
• In the secondary phase, pupils do not study some subjects, such as art, geography, history and design and technology in great depth. The quality of project work that they complete is variable and therefore the progress in these subjects is inconsistent. This does not prepare them well for the demands of key stage 4.

Early years provision Good

• Children learn in a vibrant and stimulating environment and clearly enjoy the wide range of interesting activities on offer, both indoors and outdoors.
• Staff plan purposeful activities that develop children’s understanding and skills in all areas of learning. For example, a role-play area helps children act out real-life situations, such as travelling on the bus or using a travel agency.
• The leadership of early years is strong. Leaders have a high level of subject knowledge which they use to ensure that the quality of teaching and learning is consistently good. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths of provision and areas for development.
• Staff have focused on improving children’s communication and language skills as they identified these as relatively weak in comparison to other areas of learning. The provision is language-rich as a result. Staff take every opportunity to develop children’s vocabulary.
• Safeguarding is effective and children are happy and safe. They play well together, behave very well and know the difference between right and wrong.
• Children enter early years with skills and knowledge typical for their age. By the end of Reception, children make good progress. The proportion of children achieving a good level of development is consistently above average.
• Well-organised induction arrangements ensure that children have a smooth transition into the school. Leaders have established positive links with parents and children’s previous education providers. They use background information carefully to plan activities that build on children’s prior learning.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 100171 Greenwich 10054338 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school All-through School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Voluntary aided 3 to 18 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 952 Appropriate authority The governing body Co-chairs Co-headteachers Telephone number Website Email address Judith Eastaugh Peter Gregory Claire Harrison Victoria Wainwright 020 8854 3531 www.koinoniafederation.com eclark@koinoniafederation.com Date of previous inspection 23–24 October 2012

Information about this school

• Saint Mary Magdalene Church of England All-Through School was established in September 2016 with the expansion of the original primary school. The school is smaller than the average-sized all-through school because the secondary phase currently has pupils only in Years 7 and 8.
• The school is part of the Koinonia Federation with another local primary school. Both schools are led by the co-headteachers.
• The school is currently based on three sites. The original primary school at Kingsman Street, Woolwich is a two-form entry school for pupils aged 3 to 11. The Greenwich Peninsula primary phase is located at Millennium Way, SE10 0NF. This opened in 2014 and currently has classes from Reception to Year 3. The Greenwich Peninsula secondary phase on Old Dover Road, SE3 8SY opened in 2016 and currently has pupils in Years 7 and 8.
• The Greenwich Peninsula primary and secondary phases are in temporary buildings and are due to relocate to a permanent site in November 2018.
• The early years provision comprises three Reception classes and a Nursery.
• The proportion of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding is average. The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is average.
• No pupils are currently attending any off-site provision.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ progress and attainment.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors held meetings with senior leaders, middle leaders and staff to evaluate the impact of their work. There were also meetings with the governing body and a representative from the local authority.
• Inspectors visited lessons in a range of subjects across the school. Some of these were undertaken jointly with senior leaders. Inspectors reviewed a wide range of pupils’ work alongside the school’s assessment information to evaluate the quality of pupils’ learning over time.
• The inspection team reviewed documentation provided by the school leaders, including: leaders’ self-evaluation; assessment information for pupils in all year groups; minutes of governing body meetings; attendance and behaviour records; the single central record; and a range of other information relating to the safeguarding of pupils.
• Inspectors analysed the 30 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s questionnaire for parents. There were no replies to the pupil and staff surveys. Inspectors held informal and formal discussions with pupils to gather their views.

Inspection team

Jude Wilson, lead inspector James Whiting Clementina Aina Gerard Strong

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector