Cardwell Primary School

Frances Street, Woolwich, London, SE18 5LP

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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.  Pupils make excellent progress through the school. Standards are consistently high in reading, writing and mathematics by the time they leave at the end of Year 6.  Pupils’ achievement has continued to rise since the previous inspection. This is because teaching has improved and is now outstanding.  All groups of pupils including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs and those from different ethnic groups achieve exceptionally well.  Relationships between staff and pupils are excellent. As a result, pupils want to do well, work hard and meet teachers’ high expectations for their learning.  Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is excellent. They are respectful and considerate of the needs of others.  The school makes sure pupils are safe and secure and pupils say they feel very safe in school.  The headteacher provides highly effective and inspirational leadership and is extremely well

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

supported by the deputy headteacher. As a result the school has further improved from its outstanding position at the previous inspection.  Leaders and managers, including governors, work exceptionally well together with a strong team spirit. All staff strive to do their very best for all the pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching in 18 lessons or part lessons, some of which were joint observations with the deputy headteacher. In addition, inspectors talked to pupils about their work, looked at books and listened to some pupils read.  Meetings were held with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher and other staff with key leadership responsibilities. Discussions were also held with pupils, governors and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors looked at a wide range of documentation including: the school’s own check on its performance, including the quality of teaching; the school improvement plan; information on pupils’ progress; and documents relating to safeguarding.  There were not enough responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) for inspectors to have access to the results, but they spoke to some parents at the start of the school day and received two written responses. They also looked at 20 questionnaires returned by staff.

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Inspection team

Margaret Coussins, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Teresa Davies Additional Inspector Michael Jude Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  The school has a diverse ethnic population. The largest groups are of Black African or White British heritage. Most of the other ethnic groups are represented in smaller numbers.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is above average. The proportion supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also above average.  The proportion of pupils for who the school receives pupil premium funding is well above average. This is additional government funding provided to give extra support to those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and to children who are looked after.  The school makes provision for the Early Years Foundation Stage in a Nursery class and two Reception classes.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  There is a children’s centre on the school site, which is not managed by the school and therefore not included in this inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 In order to sustain and further improve high levels of achievement in all areas, ensure that there is consistency by all staff in following the agreed school policies for teaching and learning.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children start at the school in the Nursery or Reception classes with skills and knowledge that are generally well below those typical for their ages. They get an outstanding start to school and make excellent progress. They settle extremely quickly and enjoy learning. In 2013 the proportion that achieved a good level of development was well above that found nationally.  From their starting points, pupils make outstanding progress throughout the school and by the time they leave at the end of Year 6, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are significantly above national averages.  Pupils’ results in the national assessments at the end of Year 2 have shown a steady increase over the past three years. Pupils’ overall attainment by the end of Key Stage 2 has consistently been significantly above national averages for several years.  All groups of pupils achieve exceptionally well. This includes disabled pupils and those with

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

special educational needs as well as those from different ethnic groups, a few of whom are learning English as an additional language.  The most able pupils also make excellent progress. In 2013 the proportion of pupils who reached the higher levels of achievement at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 was much greater than that found nationally. This is indicative of the high levels of challenge provided for the most able pupils throughout the school.  The school’s checks on progress and pupils’ work show that they are on track to sustain and improve on outstanding achievement by the end of this year.  A focus on writing has helped to motivate and engage all pupils, but particularly boys, who had been lagging behind girls. This has helped to close the gap between the achievement of boys and girls in writing, and in some cases boys are now doing better than girls.  In the 2013 Year 1 screening check for phonics (the sounds that letters make) the proportion

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

reaching the required level was above average. Pupils of all ages are enthusiastic readers because reading for enjoyment is promoted exceptionally well throughout the school. Much work is initiated by high quality texts as a starting point for learning, which motivates and engages pupils.  In 2013, the attainment of pupils in Year 6 who were supported by additional funding was similar to their classmates in reading, around five months behind in writing and around 10 months behind in mathematics. Currently, these pupils are making similar and sometimes better progress than others and the gaps in attainment have narrowed.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching has improved since the previous inspection and is now outstanding. As a result of skilful, motivating and enthusiastic teaching pupils are encouraged to think, and inspired to develop curious and inquiring minds.  Teachers’ expectations are high and pupils are expected to learn and behave as well as possible. A group of pupils agreed that, ‘Learning is hard sometimes, but that’s a good thing and teachers help you do it and it might mean we can go to university.’  Very positive relationships between pupils and adults promote excellent attitudes. Pupils become confident learners who feel valued, take risks in trying things out without fear of failure, and express their own ideas.  Displays and the use of information and communication technology are motivating and support learning very effectively.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, staff are skilled and knowledgeable. They take every

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

opportunity to very successfully develop children’s language, listening, communication and number skills. Children learn exceptionally well through, for example, high quality discussion and role-play activities both indoors and outside.  Staff quickly and accurately find out children’s abilities and interests when they start. This information is used very effectively to plan the next steps in learning for all children, including challenge for the most able.  Assessment procedures, including marking and feedback, have an excellent impact on learning. Not only do they give pupils useful information on how to improve but they also encourage them to reflect and evaluate their own progress and learning.  Teachers constantly check on how well pupils are doing and the progress they make. They ensure that work is planned that extends and challenges pupils’ learning, while at the same time effectively supporting those who may find learning more difficult.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Occasionally there is a little inconsistency in how effectively a few teachers apply the agreed whole-school approaches to learning, resulting in slightly lower expectations.  Teaching assistants are skilled, work very effectively with class teachers and contribute significantly to pupils’ learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. They are very friendly and happy to talk to inspectors about their work and their school. For example, in the playground two girls approached an inspector and asked if they could show her around and tell her about the activities going on. Pupils enjoy school, which is reflected in improved and above average attendance.  The school fosters enthusiastic learners who are keen to rise to challenge and so develop high aspirations for their future. Consequently, pupils are keen to do well. They settle to work quickly in lessons, listening attentively and responding immediately to instructions.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils say that the school helps them to stay safe outside school as well as in school as it helps them understand the potential risks and dangers outside of school. A group of boys agreed with one who said, ‘When you’re

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

here, you’re safe and no one can get at you – you can forget all the other stuff for a bit.’  Pupils say that they are not aware of any bullying in school. In discussions, they show they have an excellent awareness of different types of bullying including prejudiced-based and cyber- bullying. They are very confident that if any problems were to arise, staff would deal with them quickly and fairly.  The inclusion team work relentlessly with pupils who may be at risk to help them manage their behaviour, develop resilience and build their self-esteem.  Most parents spoken to and those who wrote to inspectors think that pupils behave well and that the school keeps them safe.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher is an outstanding and inspirational leader of the school. Her skills and expertise are complemented by those of the deputy headteacher. Together they form an exceptionally strong, highly effective team and are passionate and relentless in their determination to provide the best possible learning and personal experiences for pupils.  The headteacher has created a culture of strong values and excellent attitudes. Her vision and ambition are shared and very successfully promoted by other senior leaders, staff and governors. Questionnaires returned by staff were overwhelmingly positive and show that they are extremely proud of the school.  Leaders work closely together and extremely effectively to accurately evaluate the strengths and areas for development in the school and drive forward improvement. High expectations, challenging targets and a commitment to teachers’ continuing professional development have

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The leadership and management are outstanding

raised the quality of teaching to outstanding.  One of the school's many strengths is the way leaders reach out to and include families and the community for the benefit of pupils. For example, the school employs two inclusion officers to work with pupils and their families to help remove or reduce challenging barriers to learning. Parents were very positive about the school and the support it offers them and their children.  The performance of teachers is managed very effectively. All staff know they are accountable for their work and particularly for pupils’ progress. Decisions on pay and salary progression are closely linked to how well teachers improve progress for the pupils in their class.  Senior leaders check the quality of teaching regularly and thoroughly. Extra support is given to any teacher who needs it so that their practice improves.  Subject leaders, especially for English and mathematics, provide excellent support and guidance

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The leadership and management are outstanding

to colleagues, as well as skills and expertise in their areas.  The school provides an exciting, rich and broad range of subjects, which are carefully chosen to develop key skills and meet the interest of the pupils. Music, art, drama and sports have a high focus, and pupils enjoy excellent opportunities to apply their skills across different subjects. An excellent range of additional activities and trips enriches pupils’ learning and broadens their experiences.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development underpins all of the school’s work. The school is committed to including all pupils, whatever their backgrounds or needs. Leaders ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to learn successfully and that they are treated fairly without fear of any type of discrimination.  Additional funding is used to provide extra adult support for pupils in literacy, numeracy and personal development. Its impact is monitored carefully to ensure there are significant benefits

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The leadership and management are outstanding

for pupils.  Safeguarding arrangements meet statutory requirement, are well known and implemented by all staff. Policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and monitored and staff are kept up to date with training.  The local authority has provided ‘light touch’ support to this outstanding school.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has strengthened its monitoring arrangements since the previous inspection and is fully involved in the procedures to evaluate the work of the school. Governors are knowledgeable about data on pupils’ achievement and know how well the school is doing in relation to other schools. They know the school well, understand very clearly what the strengths and areas for development for the school are and know the key questions to ask. This enables them to challenge as well as support and hold the school to account for its performance. They visit regularly and are committed to its continuing improvement. They

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The leadership and management are outstanding

have a clear overview of the quality of teaching and the pay and promotion process. Governors are fully aware of how the school is spending additional funding, and check the impact this has on pupils’ achievement. The governing body meets its statutory requirements, including those for safeguarding, and makes sure that finances are managed well.

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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 100155 Local authority Greenwich Inspection number 444351

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School details

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.

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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 492 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Fahy Headteacher Carol Smith Date of previous school inspection 13–14 June 2011 Telephone number 020 88541051 Fax number 020 88546060 Email address headteacher@cardwell.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 and 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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