Stockwell Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching in key stages 1 and 2 so that pupils make good progress in all subjects by:
  • addressing inconsistencies in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment
  • ensuring that work is sufficiently challenging and meets the needs of pupils, particularly the most able
  • raising teachers’ expectations of the quality of work that pupils can achieve across all subjects.
• Develop the role and skills of subject leaders in order to secure the necessary improvements in the quality of teaching in key stages 1 and 2 of foundation subjects.
• Develop the role of the governing body so that it:
  • takes a leading role in improving the quality of teaching through systematic support and challenge
  • communicates clearly with parents on the outcomes of its work
  • holds school leaders fully to account for the progress pupils make. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• In the past, there have been significant changes of personnel at the school. The local authority issued the governing board with a formal pre-warning letter in autumn 2018. This letter highlighted details pertaining to assessment irregularities and other concerns expressed by parents and staff.
• Several members of staff left the school at the end of July 2018, and the school’s executive headteacher began a period of leave in the autumn term. An acting head of school took up his post at the start of the current academic year. Throughout this period of change, he has recognised that the morale of staff and the confidence of the parents are areas in need of attention.
• Since taking up post, the acting head of school, well supported by the school’s assistant headteachers, has started to raise teachers’ aspirations. This is underpinned by leaders’ commitment to ensuring that pupils attain to the best of their abilities and benefit from well-taught lessons in all subjects. Leaders’ work has been partly successful, particularly in writing in key stage 2. Much more work is needed before pupils’ progress is as strong in the foundation subjects as it is in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Leaders have gained a broad understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. However, this view is overly generous and is informed mostly by aspiration, rather than by clear evidence of pupils’ learning. Plans for improvement focus on the areas in need of most attention. Recently the impact of leaders’ work is shown by clear improvements in the outcomes of pupils’ writing in key stage 2, which is showing greater flair and accuracy. Children in the early years make a very good start in their basic skills, which prepares them well for key stage 1. Nevertheless, the variable quality of teaching over time means that pupils’ attainment is not as strong as it should be, particularly in key stage 2, for the school’s most able pupils.
• The school’s subject leaders have been ineffective in ensuring that teaching standards for their subjects are of a good quality. Although these leaders are ambitious, they have not had enough time or training to enable them to develop good teaching in their subjects. As a result, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, particularly of subjects outside English and mathematics, is not good, and outcomes are variable.
• Leaders use the pupil premium funding to support the learning of disadvantaged pupils. Additional resources and targeted extra help for pupils who need to catch up form the basis of this work. Consequently, disadvantaged pupils now generally make the same progress as other pupils nationally.
• The primary physical education (PE) and sport premium enables the school to provide specialist teaching and training for teachers. Pupils benefit from a range of clubs and extra-curricular activities, such as competitive sporting events. These opportunities are effective in promoting pupils’ fitness and enjoyment of physical activity.
• The school makes good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This helps pupils to acquire a thorough understanding of life in modern Britain. The school’s deeply held values place mutual respect at the core, which contributes positively to the life of the school.
• The school’s curriculum has too little time spent on subjects other than reading, writing and mathematics. Too much time is spent on preparing pupils for assessments at the end of key stage 2.
• The school has received some useful external support from the local authority and its partnership within the federation. Both sources of support have demonstrated a good understanding of the school and have provided advice and consultancy to support leaders’ work to improve the quality of teaching.

Governance of the school

• Governors have not routinely held leaders to account for the variable quality of teaching, learning and assessment. As a result, governors relied too heavily on what they were told by school leaders, without challenging emerging underperformance.
• Since the appointment of the acting head of school and an experienced chair, governors are beginning to establish a more accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. This is because he ensures that they have the information that they need to evaluate the school’s performance. As a result, governors are now beginning to monitor standards more effectively and to offer greater challenge and support to school leaders.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders ensure that all members of staff are well trained in child protection issues and have the necessary skills and knowledge to promote pupils’ welfare. The school’s policies and practice are thorough. A strong culture of safety exists in the school.
• Pupils are very confident that the school is a safe place; parents and staff at the school who responded to Ofsted’s surveys or spoke to an inspector agree. School leaders work effectively with external agencies, such as social services, to ensure that when concerns are raised, they are followed up. Key staff have ensured that safer recruitment training and practice is up to date.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching across the school is variable. Sometimes teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are too low. In key stage 2, teaching fails to challenge most-able pupils. This is partly because the work they are given is too easy.
• Teachers sometimes fails to address pupils’ misconceptions and do not provide useful feedback to pupils. As a result, pupils do not make the progress of which they are capable.
• Senior leaders have implemented a range of initiatives to improve the quality of teaching and learning, for example the introduction of a new approach to develop pupils’ reading comprehension skills. However, these new approaches are not embedded and have not demonstrated any sustained impact on improving outcomes for pupils.
• The teaching of mathematics is inconsistent and frequently fails to address the needs of the most able pupils. It is best in upper key stage 2, where pupils in Years 5 and 6 are given tasks that are challenging and interesting. Here, work is tailored to pupils’ needs and provides pupils with opportunities to gain a better understanding of mathematical concepts.
• The teaching of early reading is precise and supports pupils to acquire the phonics knowledge expected for their age. Staff demonstrate good subject knowledge to model sounds accurately and correct pupils when they make mistakes. This helps pupils to use their phonic knowledge to decode words accurately and fluently.
• Staff have positive relationships with pupils. Additional adults support pupils with SEND effectively and motivate them to try hard. Pupils know that the staff want them to do well. In turn, this has strengthened these pupils’ positive attitudes towards their learning.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Leaders have ensured that the welfare and care of pupils are very much central to the work of the school. The good work of the school’s learning mentors and family support worker supports pupils and their families effectively. Pupils work and play together harmoniously; they are taught to show tolerance of diversity and awareness of how to be successful learners.
• Through the curriculum, pupils develop a strong awareness of different faiths, ethnic backgrounds and cultures. Pupils demonstrate respectful and considerate attitudes and are well prepared to play a positive role in modern Britain.
• Positive messages about how to tackle and respond to bullying have been helpful to pupils. They are particularly knowledgeable about how to keep safe while working on the internet. Pupils say that bullying does very occasionally take place at the school, though when it does occur, they know the systems that exist are robust and easily accessible.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good
• Pupils conduct themselves sensibly, in classrooms and around the school site, and they attend school regularly and on time. At times when teaching does not meet pupils’ needs, they can become distracted, and this further slows their progress.
• Attendance at the school is good and this reflects pupils’ positive outlook as well as the importance leaders place on regular school attendance.
• Leaders have worked effectively to instil a sense of community in the school. This is evident in how the pupils care for one another. They are taught how to show respect for each other, even if they hold very different beliefs or points of view.
• Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the behaviour of the pupils and the care given to their children. One parent’s comment, typical of others, shows how parents value the work of the staff, saying, ‘… despite being through a difficult period, it feels that the school has again become an inspiring place of education where my children and their development are being well cared for’.

Outcomes for pupils Requires Improvement

• Outcomes for pupils require improvement because across the school, in a range of subjects, pupils’ progress and attainment are variable. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding are not sufficiently developed, particularly in subjects other than English and mathematics due to a narrowed curriculum in key stage 2.
• In 2018, the proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics was below the national average. Pupils’ progress from their starting points was, however, much better, and this reflects the low starting points for many of the pupils at the school.
• In 2018, the proportion of Year 1 pupils meeting the expected standard in the phonics screening check was above the national average. Standards have been stable over time due to greater consistency of phonics teaching in key stage 1.
• In the past, not enough of the most able pupils attained the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics. Current most-able pupils’ outcomes are not high enough due to work being too easy for them.
• Because pupils get such a good start to their learning experience in the early years, they have lively and enquiring minds. In key stages 1 and 2, teaching quality is variable and so does not always build on their interests and skills.
• In upper key stage 2, pupils make better progress than the rest of the school because the quality of teaching is stronger.
• In key stage 1, pupils do not achieve well in science, where teachers’ own weak subject knowledge can have a detrimental effect.
• Pupils clearly enjoy reading. Leaders have ensured that a wide variety of good-quality reading materials are available. Book areas are well resourced, and the school has invested additional funds in purchasing books for the school library and classrooms. Pupils enjoy access to the school library, which helps with their reading.
• Disadvantaged pupils achieve well because of the range of academic and pastoral support available to them.
• As a result of effective support, pupils with SEND are fully included in all aspects of learning and achieve well. Leaders use assessment information effectively to monitor the progress of these pupils and ensure that they receive the help they need to make good progress.

Early years provision Outstanding

• Staff plan carefully to ensure that children learn well and make substantial progress from their starting points. As a result, children’s levels of development have improved and are now close to those seen nationally.
• Teachers in the Reception, Nursery and two-year-old classes create a welcoming learning environment that interests children in activities that they find enjoyable. Early years educators work very well to support children in developing excellent learning behaviours. Children are excited by the topics that they study. They settle swiftly to work and are well behaved and respectful towards one another.
• Classrooms are very well resourced and staffed so that children can learn independently or with adults, as they choose. Adults are always the focus of the main teaching activities taking place. Children are enthusiastic and enjoy the activities, which take place indoors and outside.
• This strength of provision is consistent across all classes, where the excellent learning environments are rich, varied and reflect the quality of teaching and learning. Children engage purposefully with their activities and cooperate extremely well with each other. Very skilful teaching challenges children’s ability to read and write, and they become proficient early writers.
• Across all classes, children are very well cared for and their well-being is of paramount importance.
• The early years leader keeps a close eye on the children’s progress and can identify any gaps in their understanding. She acts swiftly to address them. As such, leadership and management of the early years are highly effective. Leadership of the early years is ambitious to improve provision further.
• Since the previous inspection, the school has worked successfully to raise disadvantaged children’s achievement. They are now achieving as well as their peers.
• Parents are extremely positive about teaching and partnership-working in the early years. This is also true of the two-year-old provision, where staff have established a delightful and exciting learning space for young children.
• Leaders develop effective partnership-working with parents, who give the school valuable information about the children as they begin their school journey.
• Children develop very positive attitudes to school life in the early years and are extremely well prepared for moving into Year 1.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 100582 Lambeth 10086792 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 Maintained 2 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 608 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Executive headteacher Acting head of school Telephone number Website Email address Rodney Lenthall Lilian Umekwe Dougal Morton 0207 274 7687 www.stockwell-pri.lambeth.sch.uk clericalofficer2@stockwell-pri.lambeth.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 10 June 2015

Information about this school

• The school is much larger than most primary schools. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above average. The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is well above average.
• The school is part of a small federation of one other school within the same local authority and shares the governing body.
• Pupils come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. The largest group of children are from a White British and Any Other White background, with children from Black or Black British-African backgrounds forming the next sizeable ethnic group.
• At the time of the inspection the school’s executive headteacher was on a period of leave, the school’s chair of governors had been appointed to the school by the local authority and the acting head of school had been in post for one full term.
• Since the summer of 2017 staff turnover has been significant.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited classrooms in all year groups; several of the visits were carried out jointly with the head of school and assistant headteachers.
• The inspection team heard pupils read in Year 2. They talked to pupils in classrooms and looked at samples of pupils’ work.
• Inspectors looked at a range of documents, including the school’s improvement plan and records of pupils’ behaviour, safeguarding and attendance. They also scrutinised assessment information and records of meetings of the governing body.
• Inspectors met with teachers and spoke with pupils. A meeting was held with members of the governing body. A meeting and a phone call were also held with a representative from the local authority. Several meetings were held with the head of school and assistant headteachers.
• The views of parents were obtained through informal discussions and the 55 responses to the online Ofsted Parent View survey. This also included 23 parents who used the free-text facility.
• The views of staff were examined through the 37 responses to the staff survey.

Inspection team

Tim McLoughlin, lead inspector Nick Hitchen Linda Harvey Andy Turnock Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector