Keyworth Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Continue to improve pupils’ progress and further raise attainment, especially at key stage 2 by:
  • ensuring that pupils consistently apply their grammar, punctuation and spelling skills when writing across the curriculum.
  • providing the most able pupils with challenging work to match their abilities
• Ensure that middle leaders routinely monitor pupils’ progress in subjects other than English and mathematics, so that pupils make good progress in a wide range of subjects.
• Work closely with families to improve attendance and reduce levels of persistent absence.

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Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The support of the executive headteacher was brokered in September 2015, when the school was in a period of decline. She quickly implemented a robust improvement plan to reverse the decline and challenge underperformance. The plan included making significant changes to the senior leadership team and teaching staff. The impact of leaders’ actions is demonstrated in the improving progress that pupils now make across the school.
• Leaders, including governors, share a strong moral purpose to ensure that pupils are given opportunities to improve, academically and emotionally. They are aware of the challenges that some pupils face and are quick to act to support them.
• School leaders have an accurate understanding of where teaching is strongest and where additional support is required. They use this information to improve teachers’ practice and provide good support to staff. Consequently, current pupils now make good progress in English and mathematics.

• The majority of parents who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, or who spoke to inspectors, were positive about the school and agreed that the school is well led and managed.
• Pupils benefit from a wide curriculum with opportunities to develop their artistic and sporting skills. The curriculum is enriched by trips out to museums and galleries, as well as by having visitors to the school. The curriculum contributes well to the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
• Pupils learn about other faiths and cultures. Through assemblies and personal, social, health and economic education, British values are integrated across the curriculum. Consequently, pupils demonstrate a sound understanding of the values required for life in modern Britain.
• Effective use is made of the special educational needs funding. Well-targeted support is provided for those pupils who need help catching up, including pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities. As a result, these pupils make good progress from their different starting points.
• The school uses pupil premium funding effectively. Monitoring of the progress of disadvantaged pupils shows that, overall, the funding has a positive impact on pupils’ rates of progress.
• The physical education (PE) and sports funding is used well. It provides opportunities for pupils to experience different sporting activities in PE lessons and in extra-curricular clubs. Pupils told inspectors how much they enjoy playing different sports, and found PE lessons fun. Pupils recognise the value of physical activity as a part of being healthy.
• Leaders have given much consideration to planning the curriculum. They have developed topics or themes to stimulate pupils’ imaginations and engage them in their learning. This helps pupils to gain a broad understanding of the subjects they learn. However, leaders do not check pupils’ progress closely in subjects other than English

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and mathematics. This results in pupils making inconsistent progress in the wider curriculum.

• Middle leaders are clear about their roles, and have plans for further improving their subject areas. However, the monitoring of progress in their subject areas is in its early stages. As a result, leaders of subjects other than English and mathematics do not have a well-informed picture of progress in their subject area on which to base further improvements.

Governance of the school

• The governance of the school has seen considerable change since the previous inspection. A new chair of governors has been appointed. Skills audits have been completed, and new governors have been recruited to fill any skills gaps. Consequently, the governing body is equipped to hold leaders to account.
• Governors have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and are securing further improvements at the school. They demonstrate a grit and determination for pupils to excel.
• Governors are clear about their roles and responsibilities. They take nothing for granted, and make regular checks to ensure that the information they receive from the school’s leaders is accurate.
• Governors meet their statutory duty to ensure that safeguarding is effective.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Staff know how to keep pupils safe at school. They are clear about safeguarding procedures, including any potential signs that may alert them to concerns about pupils’ welfare.
• Pupils said that they feel safe, and the majority of parents who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, and who spoke to inspectors, said that their children are safe at school. 

• Safeguarding procedures and checks on staff meet statutory requirements. Staff are up to date with government guidance for safeguarding.
• School files for vulnerable pupils are well organised. Record-keeping is effective. Leaders have clear systems in place to ensure that referrals are timely, and that additional support is available to pupils and families. 


Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Leaders are raising teachers’ expectations about what pupils should achieve. As a result, the bar on teachers’ practice is rising quickly.
• Teachers establish positive relationships with pupils and expect good behaviour. Pupils respond well to their teachers, and pupils’ good attitudes contribute strongly to the progress they make. Pupils are confident to ask for help if they do not understand, as

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they know that teachers will help them.

• The work of teaching assistants is beneficial to pupils. They are sensitive to pupils’ needs and 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.
• The teaching of phonics is systematic and helps pupils to get off to a good start in reading. Pupils use their phonic skills to read unfamiliar words. Consequently, pupils are making strong gains in phonics.
• Pupils make good progress in reading. This is because teachers provide pupils with a wide range of books to read. Furthermore, comprehension skills are taught consistently well.
• Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to recall number facts quickly and accurately. Increasingly, pupils are applying these number skills to solve real-life problems. As a result, pupils are gaining a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts.
• In English, pupils explore different styles of writing, and write for a wide variety of purposes. Teachers regularly focus on teaching grammar, spelling and punctuation skills to good effect. This helps pupils to make good gains in their writing. However, pupils do not consistently apply their grammar, spelling and punctuation skills when writing in subjects other than English. This limits pupils from making even better progress in writing.
• Teachers do not routinely plan work that demands enough of the most able pupils. Consequently, the most able pupils waste time doing work that is often too easy for them, and do not make the maximum progress of which they are capable.

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 confident and articulate. They eagerly shared their views with inspectors.
• Pupils know about the different types of bullying. They say that bullying rarely happens, and that teachers tackle problems effectively.
• Pupils feel safe in school. They understand the potential dangers of the internet, and learn about fire and road safety.
• Most parents who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, agree that pupils feel safe in school.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.

• Pupils line up quickly and move sensibly to different areas of the school building. They are polite and welcoming to visitors. Pupils’ conduct in lessons and around school is

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good.

• Pupils get on well with each other, regardless of their different backgrounds, and treat each other with respect. 

• Pupils behave well in breakfast and after school clubs. These provide a positive start and end to the school day. 

• Pupils listen to teachers’ instructions and work hard in class. They respond well to adults’ clear expectations for their good behaviour. This positive behaviour helps to promote their good progress. 

• Despite pupils’ and parents’ positive views of the school, some pupils do not attend school as often as they should. Leaders work hard to encourage regular attendance and to resolve any barriers to this. This includes using fixed-term penalty notices in an effort to stress the importance of good attendance and punctuality. However, this remains an area for the school to improve.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Most children start in the early years with a range of skills, knowledge and understanding below what is typical for their age. Due to the effective use of assessment in the early years, leaders ensure that children’s specific needs are met. Consequently, children make good progress in the early years.
• In 2017, the number of pupils meeting the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check was above average. Inspection evidence confirms that phonics outcomes for current Year 1 pupils continue to improve. Pupils make good progress and enter Year 2 with the necessary skills to read and write. These strong outcomes reflect the systematic and high-quality phonics teaching in the school.
• At the end of key stage 1 in 2017, attainment in English and mathematics improved from the previous year. Inspection evidence confirms that current pupils continue to make good progress. An increasing number of pupils in key stage 1 are working securely at age-related expectations. This demonstrates the positive impact of leaders’ plans to secure good teaching and improve outcomes.
• The school directs additional funding effectively. As a result, disadvantaged pupils make good progress. Pupils who are at an early stage of speaking English as an additional language receive effective support. This helps them to develop their basic literacy skills. 

• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities receive appropriate support linked to their specific needs. The school’s assessment information, supported by inspection evidence, shows that these pupils make good progress over time.
• Leaders’ high expectations, coupled with good teaching, are securing improvements and eradicating historical underachievement. Consequently, progress for the majority of current pupils is improving in English and mathematics. However, progress for the most able pupils is variable.
• Outcomes declined at the end of key stage 2 in 2017. This was in part due to previous weak teaching. Furthermore, the number of pupils leaving and joining part way through the school year had an impact on the end of key stage 2 outcomes. Leaders

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implemented a swift plan of action to stem this decline. As a result, teaching is more effective than in the past, and key stage 2 pupils are now making sustained progress. Although attainment in upper key stage 2 is now improving, it is yet to reach the levels that the school aspires to.

Early years provision Good

• Children enter early years with a range of skills and abilities which, for most, are below those typical for their age. Because of good teaching, children make strong progress and achieve well by the end of Reception Year. This means that they are well prepared for the transfer to Year 1.
• Staff establish clear expectations and positive relationships with children. As a result, children settle quickly into Nursery and Reception classes. Children show familiarity with routines, and a strong sense of security in their surroundings.
• Children grow in independence as they confidently select their own activities. They display a keen interest in early writing as they use clipboards to make lists. They show curiosity as they explore water play, using different containers and tubes in the outdoor area.
• Teachers plan exciting activities for children, and provide good opportunities for exploring and learning. The outdoor environment is imaginatively planned, allowing children to explore and take risks.
• The early years is well led. Leaders carefully track children’s progress. Adults put in place timely support to make sure that children who may be falling behind catch up quickly. Leaders have a good awareness of the strengths of the provision, and areas to develop further.
• Staff establish positive relationships with parents. Parents are invited to join in with celebrating and supporting their child’s learning.

• Disadvantaged children make good progress from their different starting points. This is because leaders provide effective support for them if they fall behind in their learning, such as by enhancing their speech and language development. Therefore, pupil premium funding is spent effectively.
• Safeguarding is effective and statutory responsibilities are met.

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School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 100800 Southwark 10047359

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 404 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Executive Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Jonathan Keil Sarah Beard 020 7735 1701 www.keyworth.southwark.sch.uk office@keyworth.southwark.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 14–15 November 2011

Information about this school

• The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• Most pupils attending this school are from Black or Black British African backgrounds.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above the national average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well above the national average. 

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

• The school meets the current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations set by the government for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in all classes. Leaders accompanied inspectors on some 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.

• Meetings and discussions were held with the senior leadership team, staff and pupils.
• Inspectors met with governors and local authority officers.
• Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of evidence, including the school’s documentation on pupils’ attainment and progress, safeguarding, behaviour, attendance, records of governing body meetings, the school’s self-evaluation, plans for improvement, external reviews of the school, parent, pupil and staff surveys undertaken by the school.
• Inspectors considered the 43 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, as well as speaking to parents directly.

Inspection team

Jenell Chetty, lead inspector Sarah Jones Julie Davey

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector

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