Beecroft Garden Primary

Beecroft Garden Primary School Beecroft Road, London, SE4 2BS

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  The cheerful refrain of the school song, sung enthusiastically by the school community that ‘Beecroft is a learning school’ is indicative of the total commitment to learning and raising achievement that characterises this outstanding school.  There are exceptionally well-targeted plans and actions that ensure that every pupil achieves as well as they possibly can. These are driven by the ambition of the whole leadership team, including the governing body.  The excellent relationships at all levels underpin the outstanding behaviour in the school. Pupils who come from a wide range of backgrounds can clearly explain how well they all get on together. This means that any poorer behaviour or bullying, should it occur, is dealt with very effectively. Pupils report that it does not happen.  Pupils achieve exceptionally well at the end of Key Stage 2, from low starting points and mixed previous experiences of education. They

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

make rapid and sustained progress throughout the school.  Teaching is exceptionally well organised. Teachers plan learning activities that are well matched to the abilities of all groups of pupils. Small-group and individual support is used extremely effectively to accelerate progress for pupils, especially those who are new to learning English and those with special educational needs.  The highly effective curriculum is rooted in direct experiences and taught creatively and imaginatively. Art, music and physical education are taught by specialist teachers. This makes an excellent contribution to pupils’ creativity and imagination and widens their cultural experience.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed 24 lessons taught by 12 teachers and some teaching assistants, of which nine were jointly observed with the executive headteacher, deputy headteacher or assistant headteacher. In addition, short visits were made to other lessons and inspectors listened to pupils read.  Meetings were held with the executive headteacher, deputy and assistant headteachers, the Chair and Vice Chair of the Governing Body and four other members, two groups of pupils, the school council, and the local authority representative.  There were 40 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View. The team received and analysed 41 staff questionnaires.  The team looked at school documents including school data relating to assessment and pupils’ progress, planning for school improvement, monitoring of teaching and learning, records relating to behaviour and attendance, minutes of the governing body and documents relating to

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Inspection team

Janet Dinsmore, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Peter Thrussell Additional Inspector Michael Elson Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This larger-than-average school was previously known as Brockley Primary School. It was renamed and moved into a new building in February 2012. In December 2012 it was identified by the Department for Education as one of the top 100 most rapidly improving schools.  There is a children’s centre in the same building, which opened in September 2013.  The executive headteacher is also executive headteacher of Myatt Garden Primary School. The schools are in partnership until December 2013, and the executive headteacher will remain at this school until August 2014. The plans to recruit a new headteacher are underway.The interim executive board of four at the previous inspection appointed additional members to become a shadow governing body. This has been the full governing body since September 2013.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and therefore eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding) is well above average.

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Information about this school

 The proportion of pupils either with a statement of special educational needs or those on school action plus is high compared to the national average.  The proportion of pupils entering and leaving at times other than would normally be expected is well above average.  The proportion of pupils who are new to learning English is well above average.  Pupils are from a wide range of ethnic groups. No single group forms a majority or significant proportion.  The school meets current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make sure that there are regular opportunities for pupils to assess their own and their peers’ work so that they know how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 All groups of pupils, including those who are disabled or who have special educational needs, make exceptional progress at this school. The majority make more than expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics; this is twice the national average.  Pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium make much better progress and achieve at higher levels than others nationally. All of them make expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics. All these pupils also make more than the expected progress in reading, and the majority in mathematics. Pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium achieve as well as their peers at this school and there are no gaps in their attainment.  More-able pupils achieve at high levels throughout the school, especially in mathematics, showing that they are sufficiently challenged. In 2013 a quarter of the pupils achieved Level 6 at the end of Key Stage 2. The proportion achieving Level 5 is above average. At the end of Key

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

Stage 1, a third of the pupils achieve the higher Level 3 in mathematics. All groups of pupils throughout the school make excellent and sustained progress in mathematics.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make outstanding progress. Many arrive in the Nursery or in the Reception class with skills below those which would be expected for their age, especially in literacy. They make rapid and sustained progress, particularly in phonic skills and in their attitudes to learning. Over the last three years an increasing proportion is well prepared for school in Year 1.  Pupils in Key Stage 1 continue to make sustained good progress. Staff check individual pupils’ developing skills regularly. They have high expectations of what pupils can achieve, so there is an increasing proportion attaining at above average levels at the end of the Key Stage 1, particularly in mathematics.  Pupils make good progress in reading and there are examples of rapid and sustained progress

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

for pupils when any slight slowing is identified. This results in well above average attainment in reading and mathematics by the end of Key Stage 2. These above average results have been sustained for the last three years. Pupils in Year 6 read confidently from a wide range of authors and use reading skills well to research topics for their writing.  Many pupils arrive at different times in the school year. Their needs, particularly those who speak English as an additional language, are assessed rapidly and they make very rapid progress in communication and literacy skills.  Pupils write well and for a wide range of purposes. Throughout the school they understand the purpose of different kinds of writing, so can write accurately and to great effect. For example, in the Reception class, children recorded what would happen when a bubble bursts; in Year 2 pupils wrote imaginative dialogue; and in Year 3, pupils wrote instructions for mummification. By

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

the end of Key Stage 2 a large majority of pupils from all starting points exceed expected progress in writing.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching is extremely well planned and pupils are very well motivated to participate in all the learning activities. Much teaching combines subjects so that the learning is secure and relevant to pupils, resulting in excellent knowledge. For example, construction of shelters, testing of materials, scientific and mathematical predictions and writing were skilfully combined in Year 1 and linked with the requests of ‘Pirate Pete’ in the themed work. Visits are used extremely well by teachers to make learning exciting and rooted in memorable experiences.  All pupils are expected to work hard, so lessons are well paced and pupils know exactly what to do to complete a task which has been planned imaginatively and matched well to their different abilities.  A cohesive staff team of teachers and teaching assistants takes every opportunity to make sure pupils know exactly how well they are doing and how they can improve their work. Teaching

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

assistants are trained well to support learning and the specific special educational needs of some pupils.  Teachers mark pupils’ work with precision, telling pupils exactly how to improve. Pupils are given frequent opportunities to respond to these comments and they report that they know exactly how well they are doing and that their targets remind them what they need to do to complete their work. However, pupils do not often have opportunities to assess their own work or that of their classmates to see how successful they have been.  Pupils’ progress is checked frequently and carefully by leaders with class teachers. This makes sure that precise teaching, individual support for reading and rapid vocabulary development for those new to learning English are continually reviewed. Resources, additional and specialist teachers and teaching assistants are used extremely effectively to make sure that the support

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

offered accelerates pupils’ progress, especially for those pupils eligible for the pupil premium.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils feel exceptionally safe at the school. They are fully aware of potential dangers to them outside school, such as gang culture and cyber bullying, and know how to stay safe.  Pupils, parents and staff say that behaviour is excellent in the school. Pupils say there is no bullying because they understand how to work together, frequently changing partners and groups. This fosters an excellent sense of mutual respect, promoting an exciting dynamic for learning and social and moral development. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated.  Pupils have outstanding attitudes to learning and relationships are very strong. They say learning is what they enjoy most about the school. This is evident in lessons, as they work well and at a rapid pace.  Pupils take responsibility in the school. Year 6 pupils know that they act as role models. They act as buddies and support in the Reception classes at lunchtime and also in serving some of the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

food. The school council is active in suggesting improvements to the school and has met with the governing body to begin the recruitment of a new headteacher.  Pupils who are new to the school quickly settle, make friends and say that they really enjoy learning at this school. Pupils enjoy the excellent breakfast club which provides a nurturing environment and is another example of the high quality relationships at the school.  Pupils whose circumstances make them more vulnerable and who find controlling their own behaviour more difficult are exceptionally well supported. They do not disrupt the learning of others and make excellent progress in their own understanding of the factors affecting their reactions.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The executive headteacher has built a leadership team with an excellent range of skills that they use to admirable effect continually to drive improvements. The clear vision and ambition to make sure that progress is rapid and sustained for every pupil in all subjects are evident throughout the school and from all staff.  The performance of teachers is extremely well managed. The systems for leaders to check pupils’ progress with teachers make sure that resources provided by the pupil premium are used very effectively to accelerate progress in all subjects for eligible pupils. This also means that teachers’ pay is directly related to pupils’ progress in the classroom.  The leadership team uses an excellent range of ways of checking teaching and learning in the school in addition to these meetings. Teaching quality is continually improving, as evidenced by the clear actions since the previous inspection to make sure that all groups of pupils have work

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The leadership and management are outstanding

that is closely matched to their abilities and additional specific support when it is needed to maintain rapid progress in all aspects of learning.  The school works very well with parents and carers. Parents and carers know how to support their children’s learning at home and this enables them to use internet reading and mathematics resources supplied by the school very well. The carefully targeted support for those who are facing more challenging circumstances has made sure that attendance is now above average. This is another of the excellent examples of leaders making strategic appointments of staff who are able to have a considerable impact on pupils’ achievement.  There is an excellent partnership with Myatt Garden Primary School that has benefited both schools. The local authority provides the minimum level of support but checks the performance of all its schools regularly. It has been involved in supporting the governing body as it begins the

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The leadership and management are outstanding

recruitment process for a substantive headteacher.  Equality of opportunity is very strong throughout the school community. All pupils have equal access to the excellent after-school clubs and all school activities. The school uses its resources well to enable pupils to achieve extremely well. The wide ethnic and cultural diversity of the school is celebrated and pupils have many opportunities to experience performance and exhibitions of a wide variety of music and art, resulting in excellent spiritual and cultural development.  Primary school sport funding is used very effectively to increase the opportunities for pupils to be involved in competitive support in addition to the wide range of physical education that is taught in school and provided in the highly effective after-school clubs.  The governance of the school:  Governors use their expertise from a wide range of other professions and experience to

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The leadership and management are outstanding

challenge the school to improve, for example in ensuring they keep a firm financial oversight. They visit frequently and have a clear focus for these visits that enables them to ask searching questions of the executive headteacher and work as a very strong, focused team. They made sure that any inadequate teaching was swiftly eradicated. They see that teaching quality is continually improving, receiving regular reports from the executive headteacher and visiting for themselves. They know about the targets that are set for teachers to improve their practice, and how salary progress is linked to pupils’ progress. They have made sure that the school enjoys a very effective partnership with the children’s centre. They are fully aware of how the school’s performance compares with those nationally and have made sure that it has made rapid gains to become an outstanding school. All safeguarding processes and

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 100674 Local authority Lewisham Inspection number 425509

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 330 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sharon Long Headteacher Glenys Ingham Date of previous school inspection 11−12 October 2011 Telephone number 020 8692 2762 Fax number 020 8694 9976 Email address admin@beecroft.lewisham.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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