St George's CofE Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further improve the teaching of mathematics in key stage 2 so that pupils achieve as well as they can by ensuring that:
  • teachers set tasks that more accurately meet the needs of all learners
  • adults routinely check pupils’ learning to promote and guide them more swiftly in lessons
  • activities sufficiently challenge pupils and can be adapted to meet individual learning needs.
• Further develop systems in the school which support teachers’ use of ongoing assessment to plan challenging activities that build on pupils’ current achievements, in order to extend their knowledge, understanding and skills in the wider curriculum.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders ensure that teaching is consistently good, and that behaviour continues to be excellent. Past fluctuations in the quality of mathematics teaching at key stage 2 have now settled. The appointment of a new mathematics leader and support through the local mathematics hub has helped to stabilise the situation. Current pupils now make good progress in mathematics.
• Leaders use information about pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics well to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Leaders are aware of the need to refine assessment systems further to focus on tracking the progress that groups of pupils make from key stage 1 to key stage 2.
• The leadership of writing and early reading is particularly strong. The school is recognised as a National Support school and a training centre for writing initiatives, sharing expertise in these areas across the country and around the world. Leaders ensure that strong systems are in place to support staff who are new to the school.
• Leaders plan and provide good induction and very well-selected training and coaching for new staff. This secures consistently good teaching, learning and assessment across the school. Senior and newly appointed middle leaders make frequent checks on the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement in English and mathematics. Leaders analyse assessment information for individual pupils so that teaching supports pupils in making strong progress. This is particularly effectively in writing.
• Leaders ensure that many links with the wider community are in place. They are proactive in securing charitable funding which enriches pupils’ learning experiences. For example, securing funding for Year 6 pupils to live and work together for a week on a farm in the heart of the Welsh countryside. Leaders also establish links with local schools providing joint learning experiences and art workshops.
• Leaders use pupil premium funding effectively to meet the needs of disadvantaged pupils. As a result, disadvantaged pupils can participate fully in all aspects of school life, for example clubs and after-school provision. In some year groups and subjects there are no differences between the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and their peers. Book scrutiny shows that where gaps exist they are slight and closing.
• Leaders use the sport premium to provide coaching support for pupils alongside teachers and teaching assistants teaching the class. This support is enhancing the quality of provision on offer, including during the lunchtimes and at playtimes.
• Leaders foster pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very strongly. Leaders encourage respect and tolerance very successfully through music, art and strong links with the wider community and church. Pupils learn about a wide range of cultures and faiths. Consequently, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Leaders have taken decisive action to further improve the curriculum and assessment systems. Working collaboratively with a local school, leaders have started work on a new, whole-school, knowledge-rich curriculum. This aims to support pupils in knowing more and remembering more. Knowledge organisers and quizzes, to gauge pupils’ prior understanding, and to help track how well pupils progress across the wider curriculum, have been recently introduced. However, it is too early to see the impact of these actions.
• Additionally, leaders are in the process of further refining assessment systems in order to track pupils’ progress in developing skills and deepening their knowledge in all subject areas. Leaders are aware of the need to develop these systems further, to support teachers’ use of on-going assessment, to more accurately track pupils’ progress and to plan challenging activities, particularly in the wider curriculum.

Governance of the school

• Governors are clear on the school’s strengths and areas for future improvement and have recently audited their collective skills set. Governors recognise that they are a relatively new governing body. They accept that they did not hold leaders to account well enough for the past fluctuations in progress in mathematics from key stage 1 to 2, and they have since ensured key appointments to the governing body’s curriculum committee.
• The governing body has started the work of creating a fresh vision for the school. They actively promote the school’s wider work with the local community and the Christian values it promotes. Governors use their expertise in financial management well to improve and secure the financial stability and effectiveness of the school.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The safeguarding team ensures that a strong culture of safeguarding permeates all aspects of school life. The team is keenly aware of any particular issues in the local community and how these may have an impact on pupils and families. This means that the team can respond swiftly to any concerns about pupils’ welfare which may occur and can confidently hold external agencies to account, challenging decisions when appropriate.
• The learning mentor, special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) and headteacher work highly effectively together to provide support for vulnerable pupils and their families. School staff work well with local teams, such as staff from the local authority’s pupil referral unit, health and social care, to provide a wide range of support. This work is a key strength of the school.
• The school’s safeguarding procedures meet statutory requirements. Safeguarding records are thorough and well maintained. Staff receive regular training and are knowledgeable in identifying potential risks. Consequently, when an issue comes to light, they use the school’s referral system quickly and efficiently.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The teaching of literacy is a strength across the school. Teachers are highly skilled in planning activities that promote pupils’ grammatically accurate and fluent speech. Teachers plan many well-considered activities that excite pupils, build on their prior knowledge, improve their writing and develop their vocabulary. For example, younger pupils exchange their initial adjective choices for more exciting descriptive phases when describing their superheroes’ special powers and abilities.
• Pupils across the school are confident writers. Consistently effective literacy teaching enables pupils to apply grammar, punctuation and spelling skills correctly in their writing. Where teaching is particularly strong, teachers provide opportunities for pupils to apply their excellent literacy skills across all subject areas.
• Adults ensure that pupils secure their phonics knowledge early on. For example, the highly effective teaching of phonics is enabling pupils in Year 1 to identify the six spelling choices for the sound ‘o’. Pupils use this information to support the very strong spelling seen in their literacy work.
• Pupils’ reading is well supported through the regular class reading sessions. Pupils enjoy a wide range of well-chosen texts that support their comprehension skills and encourage appreciation of books. Pupils speak confidently about the books they read. Adults use questioning well to explore pupils’ understanding of the texts studied. They expect pupils to explain their thinking, and they challenge them to refine their answers. Pupils rise to the challenge, offering rich and specific answers which illustrate pupils’ clear thinking around characters and their motives, and about the nuances of language.
• Adults support pupils with complex emotional and behavioural needs particularly well. Teachers and other adults in the class, well supported by the SENCo, monitor outcomes closely and adapt the curriculum where necessary. Adults provide clear behaviour and learning support to help pupils to be successful, focusing on strategies such as ‘mindfulness’ and ‘reflection’. As a result, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well integrated into classes and fully included in the life of the school.
• Mathematics is taught well, particularly in key stage 1. Teachers plan learning that enables pupils to consolidate basic mathematics knowledge and skills and apply these effectively to problem-solving and reasoning tasks. However, the introduction of a new mathematics programme across the school, along with recent staffing mobility, has resulted in some over reliance by staff on this scheme. Consequently, some teachers in key stage 2 stick too rigidly to the newly implemented mathematics programme. They do not consistently use feedback in mathematics lessons to swiftly guide pupils, or to set work that is hard enough.
• Work in class topic books in the foundation subjects shows good coverage of a broad curriculum. Leaders are refining assessment systems, particularly as these are not yet securely in place for the wider curriculum. As a result, teachers do not build on pupils’ existing knowledge and skills consistently in order to ensure suitable challenge. This limits opportunities for pupils to deepen their knowledge, understanding and skills.

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 taught extremely well about respect for all, and they talk openly about their views and opinions. Leaders ensure that there are numerous opportunities for pupils to express their views. Pupils value the ‘confident voice society’ and the opportunities to hear visiting speakers, to visit the Houses of Parliament and to debate with other schools.
• Pupils willingly and confidently take up posts of responsibility, contributing well to school life. Leaders ensure that clear systems are in place. These are understood and acted on by all, for example when corridor monitors hold up whiteboards to remind their peers to walk calmly to class. As pupils explain, the system ensures that no voices are raised, ‘you don’t appear rude to anyone’ and the board acts as a reminder.
• Pupils talk well about how they are taught to be aware of potential dangers and how to keep themselves safe online. Older pupils speak confidently about the risks of radicalisation. They think carefully about the consequences of chosen actions and, as a result, make good decisions.
• Pupils demonstrate exceedingly sensible attitudes to keeping safe when at play during breaktimes. For example, they balance on the outdoor play equipment and spin on the horizontal bars with care and an awareness of others. Pupils say bullying at their school is rare and that any concerns will be listened to and dealt with swiftly.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Teachers encourage pupils to make excellent links from their studies in personal, social and health education to how they live and conduct themselves to be ‘the best that we can be’. As a result, pupils are proud of their school. For example, pupils take responsibility for collecting play equipment at the end of breaktime. Even the youngest key stage 1 pupils carefully peel their breaktime fruit and place the waste in the bin.
• All adults at the school have high expectations of behaviour. They nurture respectful and caring relationships, resulting in a calm and purposeful learning atmosphere that permeates the school. Pupils are keen and enthusiastic learners who work and play together exceptionally well.
• At playtime, adults ensure that a range of exciting activities are available, and they model turn taking, encouragement and persistence. As a result, pupils can plan and manage effectively their own games and leisure, playing harmoniously with others. Pupils who prefer quiet and calm, can read, write or draw.
• Pupils enjoy coming to school. Pupils’ attendance is high, and persistence absence remains below the national average. Leaders ensure that pupils who join the school from alternative provision are well supported and welcomed at the school. As a result, excellent behaviour is the norm, and there have been no exclusions from the school for the last two years.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Consistently good teaching across key stages 1 and 2 ensures that pupils’ attainment remains consistently above national averages. Progress at the end of key stage 2 is in line with national averages for reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
• Pupils write well across the curriculum because they master the key components of spelling, punctuation and grammar at an early stage. End of key stage 2 results show that pupils exceed the national average at the expected and higher standards of attainment.
• Pupils make very good progress in developing their phonics skills because of high-quality teaching. For the fourth year running, all pupils continue to meet the expected standard in the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1. Pupils across the school develop highly effective strategies for reading. As a result, pupils enjoy reading, and they read regularly and with fluency.
• Previous disruption in staffing resulted in some fluctuations in pupils’ progress in mathematics in key stage 2. However, pupils’ current work shows that they are acquiring skills and knowledge in a logical way, and that progress for pupils in mathematics is now good.
• Early identification of need and strong support enable pupils with SEND to make the good progress, particularly in writing and mathematics, from their various starting points.
• Teachers ensure that pupils develop a wide vocabulary through their strong teaching of oracy and the introduction of knowledge organisers identifying subject-specific vocabulary. Teachers’ emphasis on developing a wide vocabulary supports disadvantaged pupils’ learning across science and the wider curriculum. Current school assessment information and the work in pupils’ books confirm that disadvantaged pupils make progress broadly in line with pupils with similar starting points, with stronger progress across key stage 1.

Early years provision Outstanding

• The early years provision is very effectively led and managed. The new leader is committed to ensuring that all children get the best start. Together, the team use their knowledge of the children to plan learning activities which equip children with the skills they need. This supports their learning and promotes their confidence and independence. A very strong sense of teamwork is evident, and provision is of high quality across both classes and the shared outdoor areas.
• Children enter the early years with skills and understanding well below those typical for their age. By the end of the Reception Year, most children, including those who are disadvantaged, have caught up and have reached a good level of development. The proportion of children who achieve a good level of development has remained above the national average for the last three years. This represents outstanding progress from children’s starting points. The progress children make in their personal development and behaviour means that all children are very well prepared for their move into Year 1.
• The school’s current assessment information and learning captured on the online leaning logs, along with the work in children’s books, confirm the very strong progress that children make from their individual starting points.
• The highly effective teaching of phonics enables children to use their knowledge of letters and sounds to read and write independently. Consequently, progress is particularly strong in early mark making and writing.
• Adults model ambitious vocabulary, using the correct terminology when teaching phonics. They also use mathematical language in their teaching and, as a result, children use mathematical terms confidently and fluently, for example ‘estimating’. Adults promote speaking and storytelling exceptionally well by using visual story maps. Adults’ skilful questioning develops children’s thinking skills and encourages children to share their thoughts.
• Adults promote respect for all, showing consideration and care for others and demonstrating warm and encouraging relationships. Consequently, children’s behaviour is outstanding. Children take responsibility very willingly for tidying away classroom equipment at the end of tasks, so that no time is wasted when they start new activities.
• Classrooms and outdoor learning areas in the early years provision are attractive and very well resourced. Children’s physical development is promoted effectively through accessing large climbing equipment and movable tunnels. Children enjoy using positional language while at play, describing to others ‘moving under’ or ‘climbing over’.
• Staff make home visits before children start, and they sustain close partnerships with parents through ‘family learning’. This helps children to settle quickly and find their place at school. Children follow routines readily and are keen to meet the high standards of behaviour that adults expect.
• The safeguarding procedure in the early years match the effective practice seen across the school. Adults ensure that the early years is a safe environment. The early years leader has ensured that all statutory welfare requirements for the early years are in place.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 101044 Wandsworth 10058992 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 Voluntary aided 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 237 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address The Reverend Leighton Carr Sarah Collymore 020 7622 1870 www.st-georges.wandsworth.sch.uk admin@st-georges.wandsworth.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 21–22 September 2011

Information about this school

• St. George’s Church of England Primary School is an average-sized primary school with one class in each year group across key stages 1 and 2. One full-time Nursery Class and one Reception Class make up the early years.
• In the last few years, there have been significant changes in staffing and governance. Both the headteacher and chair of governors are new to post since the previous inspection.
• The school provides a breakfast club, which is run by the school.
• The school provides an Anglican education for pupils between three to 11 years of age. This Anglican education provision was judged ‘outstanding’ at the school’s most recent section 48 inspection, which took place in June 2017.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average. The proportion of those with an education, health and care plan is below the national average.
• Most pupils are from minority ethnic groups. Just under two thirds of the pupils speak English as an additional language. This is higher than the national average.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited all classes to observe teaching and learning, and many visits were undertaken jointly with school leaders. Inspectors spent time with leaders looking through pupils’ books and at the school’s current assessment information in order to consider how well pupils learn and achieve overtime.
• Inspectors met with six members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. A discussion took place with a representative from the diocese, and a phone conversation was held with a representative from the local authority.
• Inspectors spoke to pupils to discuss their learning and their views on the school. Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around the school, including at playtimes and during the lunchtime. They heard pupils read.
• Inspectors met with senior leaders to review the impact of their work, with middle leaders who are responsible for the leadership of English and mathematics, with the early years leader and with the SENCo. Inspectors also met with a group of staff, including subject leaders from across the school.
• Inspectors examined a range of school documents, including leaders’ own evaluation of the school’s effectiveness and records relating to governance, safeguarding, behaviour and pupils’ welfare.
• Inspectors met with the headteacher and members of the safeguarding team to review the impact of their work to keep pupils safe. Inspectors also met with a member of staff who oversees the single central record of checks on staff.
• Inspectors gathered the views of parents through informal discussions in the playground at the end of the day. Inspectors also considered the school’s own recent parents’ and pupils’ questionnaires.

Inspection team

Jean Thwaites, lead inspector Sue Brooks

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector