Globe Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the consistency of handwriting and presentation across subjects by
  • ensuring that expectations are consistent and clearly communicated to pupils
  • applying the good presentation, seen by pupils in handwriting lessons, into all written work.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• The headteacher is an exceptional leader who is uncompromising in her commitment to ensure that all pupils achieve as well as they can. She motivates and guides leaders and, through her hard work and commitment, has gained huge support and trust from staff, parents and the community. Senior staff work well with the headteacher and, together, they provide a formidable team that is successful in ensuring that pupils achieve very well. Leadership capacity is very strong at all levels and leaders are successful in maintaining the school’s successes and continuing the drive to improve.
• Leaders are relentless in their commitment to making sure that pupils’ needs are well known and understood. They are rigorous in ensuring that teachers have the skills to provide the challenge and support that all pupils need. Ensuring that staff are well trained and supported is a key strength of leaders, which staff value. Leaders and teachers work well together to check pupils’ progress. They use this information well to plan additional intervention and support for those who need it most. Good coordination of information and timely intervention ensure that pupils get the right support at exactly the right time to prevent them from falling behind.
• Additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils is used effectively, and ensures that they make very good progress and achieve very well. The gap between the disadvantaged and other pupils has reduced significantly over time. Many older disadvantaged pupils achieve as well as and sometimes better than other pupils. They are very well equipped in the skills they need in reading, writing and mathematics for their next stage of education. Additional funding for sport is used effectively to broaden pupils’ access to a range of sporting activities and specialist teaching. This keeps pupils active, motivated and healthy.
• The school has a very accurate view of its strengths and priorities for development. Effective systems are in place for managing staff and for supporting those who are new to the school or who have taken on new responsibilities. Regular monitoring and support of teachers includes incisive feedback and additional follow up support to help strengthen teaching further.
• Leadership of the provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is excellent. The additional learning resource for pupils who have speech and language difficulties is exceptionally well led and managed. This ensures that pupils’ needs are met in full so that they confidently integrate into the school and achieve very well. Provision for all pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is very well managed. Useful links are made with external specialist services to guide and support teachers. Work is well matched to their needs and additional adults are very effective in ensuring that they make consistently good progress against their targets.
• Leaders are very effective in creating an environment that promotes a sense of trust, responsibility and commitment from pupils. They provide many opportunities for pupils to be proud of themselves, their work and of each other. For example, leaders have promoted an open and democratic process to involve pupils in school through taking responsibilities, making suggestions and showing initiative. This has helped pupils develop a very good understanding of the British values of tolerance, democracy and respect for one another. Pupils openly discuss equality and diversity in a very positive way.
• A very well constructed curriculum provides pupils with a wide range of interesting and motivating activities, covering a broad range of subjects. It ensures a good balance between learning the skills to read, write and use mathematics, and a broad and rich learning experience that captures pupils’ interest and imagination. Pupils explore similarities and differences between different faiths and cultures and learn to challenge behaviours they believe to be wrong. Through exploring history and science, they are encouraged to ask questions and use the information they have, for example different historical sources or the outcomes of their investigations, to draw conclusions and extend their thinking. Pupils, therefore, have a deep understanding of their subjects and confidently build on this as they study new themes and topics. Many opportunities are provided for pupils to apply their learning in literacy and mathematics across subjects, through writing and presenting their findings and ideas.

Governance of the school

• Governors are supportive of leaders and of the school. They are rigorous in their challenge to make sure that the needs and interests of pupils are always met. Governors make visits to the school to review aspects of the school’s work in detail. They then routinely report back to the whole governing body and discuss what they have seen. This ensures that provision at the school, and its impact on pupils, is kept under review.
• Governors fulfil their roles and responsibilities seriously. They attend training regularly. They monitor spending closely to make sure additional funding is used wisely.
• Appropriate checks are made to ensure that statutory duties are met regarding safeguarding and the employment of staff. Governors have a strong commitment to making sure that pupils are safe. They work closely with leaders to ensure that risks to the safety of pupils are carefully reviewed and managed well. They maintain good relationships with staff and parents.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. A culture of safeguarding and keeping children safe is at the heart of the school and all decision-making. Leaders ensure that all 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 persistent in following up referrals to make sure that timely action is taken. Pupils say that the school is a safe place and know to whom they can speak if they have concerns. They know how to keep themselves safe and have a good understanding of how to use computers and the internet without putting themselves in danger.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• Teaching, learning and assessment are at least good and frequently outstanding. High-quality teaching is at the heart of the school’s success in ensuring that pupils make outstanding progress and achieve very well.
• Teachers have excellent subject knowledge that they use to deliver challenging and well-structured lessons. They are particularly good at asking questions and engaging pupils in dialogue and discussion. This helps pupils reason and express themselves clearly. Work provided is at the right level for individual pupils, with tasks carefully tailored to individual needs where required.
• Interesting and stimulating activities make very effective use of displays, key questions, and extra prompts around classrooms to help pupils find the answers and use the appropriate tools to solve problems for themselves. Teachers use assessment very well to check on pupils’ progress and, as a consequence, they adapt their teaching where greater consolidation is needed.
• Teaching in the resourced provision for those pupils who have speech and language difficulties is exceptional. Pupils quickly develop a high level of confidence because of the very high-quality interactions they have with adults and their teachers’ careful assessment and planning. Pupils make significant progress in overcoming their difficulties while receiving a broad and rich learning experience. Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are taught very well across the school.
• Support staff are well trained and use their skills effectively. Teachers and support staff share responsibilities and work together to ensure that all pupils gain the skills and knowledge they need. The teaching of phonics is very good. All staff have a clear understanding of the resources and strategies for teaching phonics knowledge. Careful grouping of pupils, and very effective teaching from both teachers and support staff, ensure that pupils develop great confidence in applying phonics in their reading and writing.
• Consistency in the teaching of reading ensures that pupils build step-by-step on their prior knowledge and that they extend their reading skills. Teachers provide very good opportunities for pupils to discuss the books they read. This ensures that they get to the heart of what the books mean and helps pupils clarify their understanding.
• Checks on pupils’ progress are frequent and embedded into teachers’ daily practice. Detailed feedback encourages pupils to look closely at the work they have done and gives them a clear view on what they need to do to improve their work. High expectations are set for the quality of presentation in handwriting lessons. However, these expectations are not always consistently reinforced in other subjects.
• Home learning takes many forms; pupils are encouraged to read at home and to undertake additional work and activities. They also undertake ‘home challenges’ where pupils and their families work on practical activities together.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils are looked after and cared for extremely well at the school. Relationships between teachers and pupils provide a culture of trust and mutual respect. Pupils do not want to let their teachers down. On the playground, pupils naturally look after each other and respond immediately when playtime comes to an end. The playground is a busy place and stairwells and corridors are busy at times. However, pupils know how to keep themselves safe and act sensibly to keep each other safe as they move around school.
• Pupils in the specialist speech and language provision have very positive attitudes and a determination to do well. They interact well and look after each other. All pupils in the school are extremely positive about each other and value the contributions of others in discussions and debates. They have very good attitudes to learning. Pupils talk positively about their learning and have a very good understanding of fundamental British values and see how these apply to their own lives and at school. Democracy is understood well. Pupils respond enthusiastically to the democratic process involved in applying and being interviewed for positions of responsibility as playground mentors, office assistants or librarians. They learn the seriousness of taking responsibility, and have a good understanding of equality.
• Pupils have a good knowledge of right and wrong. They learn about diversity and value the opportunities to study different cultures and religions.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils understand the importance of behaving well and respond excellently to the high expectations of staff. As one pupil said, ‘We have rules in the school and everyone knows that the rules are there to make sure we are safe. Why would anyone not follow them?’ This level of respect and care is central to the way pupils behave and respect each other. Established routines are understood, and no time is wasted in lessons. All pupils want to do well.
• Behaviour is monitored closely around the school and at playtimes. Supervision and support on the playground is also a responsibility of some pupils, who have been appointed to be playground monitors and ‘friends against bullying’ (the FAB team). They take their responsibilities seriously and other pupils respect their work.
• Pupils are excited about coming to school and speak very positively about their experience. Attendance is above the national average. When pupils are absent, effective systems are in place to follow this through with families. With regard to the small number of pupils who are persistently absent, or who take holidays during term time, the school deals with this very well.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• Leaders’ sustained and focused work to ensure that all pupils achieve well has been successful over time. A significant proportion of pupils meet the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6, each year. This is well above the national average for all schools. Where an average proportion of pupils are working at greater depth and above expectations in writing by the end of Year 6, the proportion working at greater depth in reading and mathematics is very high. The good plans recently implemented by leaders to increase the number of pupils writing in greater depth are already having a positive impact.
• Progress for all groups of pupils is consistently strong in all classes and age groups. Disadvantaged pupils make sustained and often very strong progress in their learning, significantly closing the gap that exists between themselves and other pupils at the school. Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make particularly effective progress. For those identified as having speech and language difficulties, and with education, health and care plans (EHCP), progress is excellent. Through very effective support and teaching in the specialist resource provision, they overcome their difficulties and develop a rich vocabulary. They become increasingly confident in communicating and play a full role in the life of the school. Progress leads to pupils being successfully integrated into mainstream classes, where they continue to thrive.
• In 2017, the proportion of pupils who achieved the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check, including those pupils with specialist support for speech and language, was above the national average.
• Pupils in all year groups make outstanding progress in reading. The proportions of pupils achieving the expected standards in reading are significantly above national averages by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. The proportions exceeding the national standards in these year groups are also significantly above national averages, and this is reflected across the school. Pupils read very well and have good skills to read accurately, reflect upon and understand what they are reading. Access to a rich variety of literature, along with effective teaching of phonics and comprehension, ensure that pupils not only read well, but enthusiastically. As one pupil said, ‘I have three or four books on the go at any one time. I love it and I can’t put them down.’
• Progress in mathematics is consistently good across all year groups. All pupils, including the disadvantaged and those who have SEN and/or disabilities, have a good understanding of number. They use this well to calculate and solve problems. They show good reasoning skills and apply their mathematics well in other subjects, for example in science, where they analyse data from investigations and present their findings in graphs and charts.
• Pupils make very good progress in writing. They show a deep knowledge of different styles and purposes of writing, and use their knowledge well to adapt their style and vocabulary according to the purpose. Pupils respond well to the feedback provided to them and edit and improve the content of their work well. Although pupils make good effort and write well in their handwriting lessons, the presentation of work across subjects is inconsistent. This is something leaders are aware of, and they are working to improve consistency.
• Pupils’ outcomes and progress across all subjects are strong. For example, they have good understanding of how to structure scientific investigations and speak in depth about some of the work they have studied in topics. Very good links across subjects ensure that pupils apply their learning well and make connections between their learning. They use opportunities to practise and reinforce their skills in reading, writing and mathematics very well.

Early years provision Outstanding

• The early years is exceptionally well organised and resourced. It provides a very stimulating and enriching environment that promotes learning very well for all children. From the moment children join the Nursery Year, the focus on developing independence and responsibility is at the core of teachers’ planning. Consequently, very young children settle quickly into school. They develop a curiosity for learning and the skills they need to be successful and achieve well.
• Many children enter the Nursery Year with very low starting points and make outstanding progress. Several children have speech and language difficulties and receive specialist support. The majority of children meet the expected level of development by the end of Reception Year. Those who have speech and communication difficulties make exceptional progress. This is due to very effective teaching and support from all adults working in the early years. Every opportunity is provided for children to question, explore and understand their learning and to reinforce their language confidence.
• Adults are particularly skilled at planning activities that encourage children to use and apply their literacy and mathematical skills. Children are encouraged to write notes and questions and to pose questions. Every opportunity is taken to reinforce understanding. For example, numbers had mysteriously disappeared from the number line hanging across their classroom. Teachers used this to encourage children to count on and back. Every opportunity was taken by teachers to embed the children’s understanding and confidence.
• Children are safe and happy. Safeguarding is effective and children behave excellently. They are introduced to everyday objects in ways that make sure they know how to use them safely. Children take responsibility for feeding and taking care of a rabbit and fish in their classroom and have learned routinely to wash their hands afterwards and understand why they need to do this. Consequently, children learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy.
• Leadership of the early years is outstanding. Very effective leadership has ensured that the team is consistent in setting high expectations and effective in providing a high-quality curriculum for children. This ensures that their learning needs are met and that they are prepared very well for their move into Year 1. Effective assessment of children’s progress is undertaken and provides teachers with a good and accurate view of how well children achieve and what they need to do next to improve. Very good relationships are maintained with parents and carers. This helps reinforce learning at home, and ensures that parents have an accurate view of how well their children are progressing.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 100902 Tower Hamlets 10031834 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 Maintained 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 369 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address John Edwards Marie Maxwell 020 8980 1738

www.globeschool.org.uk/ head@globe.towerhamlets.sch.uk

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• Globe Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding is above average and the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is significantly high. The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and with an education, health and care plan is significantly high.
• The school has an additional resourced provision for pupils who have speech and language difficulties. This is one of only two in the local authority, and attracts pupils from outside the local area.
• The school is part of a learning partnership with other schools in the local area.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors met with leaders. They observed learning in all year groups and in the additional resourced provision for pupils who have speech and language difficulties. Observations were undertaken alongside leaders.
• Inspectors met with members of the governing body. A meeting took place with a representative of the local authority.
• Meetings were held with pupils to discuss their learning and their views on the school. Several pupils were heard reading in lessons, and a group of pupils from key stage 2 were heard reading separately.
• Pupils were observed at play and through lunchtimes and as they moved around the school building.
• Inspectors examined a range of school documents, including information on the progress pupils are making, improvement plans, curriculum plans and checks on the quality of teaching.
• Interviews took place with staff, including those new to the school or who had changed their roles in school. The single central record of staff recruitment and documents relating to safeguarding checks were reviewed, and discussion took place with the responsible person for safeguarding at the school.
• Inspectors reviewed samples of pupils’ work across subjects and across year groups.
• Inspectors took account of 162 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and of information gathered from discussions with parents during the inspection. Inspectors reviewed 33 responses to the online staff questionnaire and 90 responses from pupils from Year 1 to Year 6.

Inspection team

Paul Wagstaff, lead inspector Sarah Lack Rosemarie McCarthy Matt Tiplin

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector