Beecroft Garden Primary Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve further the quality of teaching and learning to enable pupils to make even better progress by:
  • providing learning activities that deepen pupils’ learning, particularly the most able, in subjects across the curriculum
  • giving pupils more opportunities to use and apply their mathematics skills in other subjects
  • ensuring that pupils consistently apply their writing skills well in subjects in the wider curriculum.
• Ensure that all children in the early years, including the most able children, are given opportunities to flourish in their learning so that they reach their full potential, especially in writing.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders have successfully implemented the vision and values of Beecroft Garden Primary. As a result, these values are part and parcel of everyday school life. Leaders, parents and carers, staff and pupils, all share this vision for the school’s success and speak very positively about the school’s work. Parents report that their children are happy and safe, and love coming to school.
• Leaders regularly check the quality of teaching and learning to ensure that it is consistently good. They provide teachers with training, which helps them to improve the quality of their teaching further and which makes a positive difference to pupils’ progress.
• The stimulating curriculum offers pupils good opportunities to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding in a range of subjects. Specialist teachers in art, music and physical education (PE) motivate pupils in these subjects. Leaders have made strong links across subjects so that pupils’ learning is meaningful and fun. For example, pupils made a large-scale model of the ‘Empire Windrush’ ship using different materials. They used their imaginations well to write diary recounts of passengers who were on the ship.
• Provision for visual and creative arts is a great strength of the curriculum. Pupil relish the many rich and varied experiences teachers offer them to develop their artistic and musical skills. Pupils talk eloquently about these opportunities. For example, older pupils performed at a local theatre as part of the ‘Shakespeare schools’ performance festival.’ The school choir regularly performs in public.
• Enrichment activities, such as visits to museums, support the curriculum well. Linked to the school value of ‘ambition’, professionals and other visitors motivate pupils to aim high in life. For example, authors visit the school to share their work and encourage pupils to pursue their enjoyment of writing. This helps pupils to realise that becoming an author might be a potential future career.
• Leaders’ work effectively to foster pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils learn about different traditions from other cultures, which supports their cultural development well. For example, pupils in Year 3 study artwork from India. Pupils respect and value diversity.

Governance of the school

• Members of the governing body fulfil their duties effectively. Governors know the school well and demonstrate a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. They contribute to the school’s key strategic planning and documents, such as self-evaluation and improvement plans.
• Governors know how leaders spend the pupil premium funding and the positive difference this funding makes to disadvantaged pupils’ progress and attainment. They work closely with leaders to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well because the school correctly identifies and meets their needs.
• Governors use their wide and varied expertise and skills effectively to support and challenge leaders to maintain the quality of education provided.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Parents agree that their children are happy, safe and well looked after.
• Pupils report that they feel safe at school. They know that they can talk to an adult at school if they are worried about anything. Pupils say that their concerns are taken seriously.
• Staff know the school’s procedures well for raising concerns about a pupils’ safety and well-being.
• Staff have received training in line with the latest guidance. Some members of staff receive additional training to support their work with vulnerable pupils. Staff are well equipped to notice changes in pupils’ behaviour that may indicate that they are at risk.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong. They use questions skilfully to check that pupils have understood their learning. Teachers use strategies, such as drama and modelling, effectively to involve pupils in their learning. Classrooms are stimulating and displays support and extends pupils’ learning well. Pupils say that they love learning.
• The teaching of reading and phonics is effective. Younger pupils apply their phonics knowledge and skills well to read unfamiliar words. Pupils read a range of texts and enjoy reading regularly, both at home and school. Teachers have created inviting reading corners in classrooms, which promote pupils’ joy of reading.
• Overall, teachers ensure that pupils make good progress in writing. Staff training has made a positive difference to pupils’ progress in writing. For example, a focus on promoting vocabulary has improved pupils’ written work. Pupils use ambitious words, according to their age, which make their written work interesting. However, teachers do not ensure that pupils apply their writing skills as well in subjects other than English. Occasionally, the quality of pupils’ handwriting is variable.
• Teachers ensure that pupils gain a strong understanding of mathematical concepts. Teachers use resources imaginatively to ensure that pupils understand and remember their learning. They create plenty of opportunities for pupils to apply their calculation strategies to solve problems and develop their reasoning skills well. However, teachers do not enable sufficient opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematics skills in other subjects, such as science. This hinders pupils’ progress.
• Leaders and teachers ensure that pupils gain knowledge, understanding and skills in a wide range of subjects. For example, art teaching is a strength and is evident in pupils’ work displayed around the school. Pupils make good progress in music and develop their singing talents.
• Teachers use assessments well to plan learning tasks, which meet the needs of pupils with different abilities. However, sometimes the most able pupils are not given sufficiently demanding work to deepen their learning in different subjects, including mathematics.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils show great pride in their school and achievements. Pupils talk confidently about their learning and enjoyment of the exciting curriculum and enrichment opportunities.
• Pupils talk with increasing maturity about issues such as equalities. For example, pupils told inspectors, ‘Families are all different. It is about love and respect. It is important that everyone is treated the same.’ They demonstrate a very good understanding of fundamental British values.
• Leaders and staff provide pupils with excellent opportunities to promote pupils’ physical, emotional and mental well-being. For example, pupils keep fit and healthy by engaging in a wide variety of sporting activities and clubs. Leaders ensure that every pupil has the opportunity to participate in a tournament during their time at the school.
• Pupils told inspectors that bullying is rare and that it is not tolerated at the school. Pupils play an active role in raising awareness about anti-bullying through a range of activities. For example, members of the school council have designed leaflets on anti-bullying to raise awareness within the school community.
• Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe in a wide range of situations, such as road safety. Pupils also speak knowledgeably about how they keep themselves safe when using the internet.
• Leaders provide pupils with strong opportunities to take on responsibilities and have a say in the improvements they would like in the school. For example, recently pupils requested a ‘peace garden’ to be developed in a quiet area of the playground where they can relax and enjoy reading.

Behaviour

• Leaders have been highly successfully in putting in place robust systems to promote positive behaviour. As a result, the behaviour of pupils in and around the school is outstanding. This contributes to a calm and purposeful learning environment.
• Within lessons, pupils display exceptionally positive attitudes to learning and remain focused on the task in hand. Consequently, learning is rarely disrupted.
• Learning mentors support vulnerable pupils very effectively. For example, systems like ‘star of the week’ support pupils to behave well. Pupils are respectful to adults and their peers. An overwhelming majority of parents agree that pupils are well behaved.
• Leaders’ actions to improve attendance have paid off. Attendance is now in line with the national average. Persistent absence has reduced since last year.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• As a result of consistently good teaching most pupils, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, make strong progress in English, mathematics and the wider curriculum.
• In 2018, the proportion of pupils that attained the expected standards combined in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 was above the national average. Pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education.
• Pupils read with fluency and accuracy. Younger pupils use phonics effectively to read new words. Pupils use reading skills well to research topics. For example, Year 6 pupils researched the lives of famous Black historical leaders and scientists.
• Pupils’ written work in English books and displays around the school shows that pupils make good progress in developing writing skills according to the standards expected for their age.
• The work in pupils’ mathematics books shows that most pupils make good progress in acquiring mathematical knowledge, understanding and skills. Pupils use calculation skills well to solve problems and use reasoning well to explain their answers.
• Pupils make strong progress in art and design. Standards of art work are very high. The eye-catching displays around the school exemplify this. Pupils in Year 4 study collaborative sculptures using junk modelling. They also learn about the use of symbolism in North American tribes and constructed a large-scale totem pole.
• Music provision is very strong. Pupils sing well and learn a range of music skills throughout the year groups. The quality of singing during the inspection was excellent. Pupils perform regularly to audiences and this develops self-confidence in their talents.
• Most pupils’ progress in the wider curriculum is strong. They gain good knowledge, understanding and skills in a wide range of subjects. However, sometimes, pupils are not given sufficient opportunities to develop their mathematics skills in other subjects.
• Although pupils make strong gains in their writing skills, these are not applied consistently in subjects across the curriculum.
• Sometimes, teachers do not give the most able pupils sufficiently challenging work in order to gain a deeper understanding of the subjects taught. Consequently, the most able pupils do not always reach their full potential.

Early years provision Good

• The early years provision is well led and managed. Leaders know the strengths and areas for improvement well. For example, this year leaders identified the need to place a greater emphasis on developing children’s speaking, listening and language skills and are taking effective action.
• Teaching in the early years is good. Staff provide children with a wide range of stimulating activities that motivate them in their learning and development. Children are provided with exciting activities, which are based on high-quality children’s texts. For example, children had great fun retelling the story of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’, using the story props provided. This supports children’s language and reading development well.
• The teaching of phonics is effective. Children learn to read sentences well with the newly taught sounds. They use their knowledge of phonics effectively to spell unfamiliar words.
• Teachers establish clear routines and ensure that they are in place. As a result, children’s behaviour is exceptional. Children demonstrate high levels of concentration on their chosen activities, without being easily distracted by their peers.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Teachers encourage parents’ involvement in their children’s learning in a variety of ways, such as reading with their children regularly in class. Leaders and staff meet new parents to ensure that their children make a good start to their schooling.
• In 2018, the proportion of children who achieved a good level of development was above the national average. They were well prepared to continue their learning in Year 1.
• The work in children’s learning journals, online profiles and displays around the classrooms show that most children are making strong progress in all areas of learning. However, the most able children are not challenged consistently well, especially in writing. Consequently, they do not make the progress of which they are capable.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 100674 Lewisham 10058986 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 470 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Sharon Long Graham Voller 0208 692 2762 www.beecroftgarden.lewisham.sch.uk/ admin@beecroftgarden.lewisham.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 26–27 November 2013

Information about this school

• The current headteacher was appointed in September 2015.
• This school is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The school runs its own breakfast and after-school clubs.
• Children attend the Nursery on a full-time and part-time basis.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited all classes to observe pupils’ learning in a range of subjects, mostly accompanied by school leaders. They scrutinised pupils’ work within and outside of lessons.
• Inspectors spoke with pupils during lessons, at breaktime and lunchtime to discuss their learning and seek their views about school life. They met formally with two groups of pupils. Inspectors listened to pupils reading from Years 2 and 6.
• Meetings were held with leaders, staff and governors. The lead inspector met with a representative of the local authority.
• Inspectors talked to parents at the start of the school day. They took into consideration the 105 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour within lessons and during social times of the school day.
• Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documentation, including documents related to safeguarding, information related to attendance and behaviour, and the school’s self-evaluation.

Inspection team

Rajeshree Mehta, lead inspector Lisa Farrow Sukwinder Samra

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector