Danson Primary School

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Excellent leadership and management are driving the school forward rapidly and pupils’ achievement has improved since the previous inspection and is continuing to improve.  Leaders, managers and governors have managed the expansion of the school exceptionally well and are having an outstanding impact on the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement. They are highly skilled at developing new staff and settling the increasing number of new pupils.  The headteacher and the senior leadership team provide effective support for other schools in the local area.  Senior and middle leaders are excellent role models with their own teaching, and are used well to support other teachers.  Governance is highly effective. Governors are exceptionally knowledgeable about the school’s strengths and next steps. They are extremely rigorous in checking up on how well the school is doing.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

promoted very strongly. Pupils have very good opportunities to learn about British values and various cultures.  Teaching is good because teachers and teaching assistants form very strong relationships with the pupils and share their good subject knowledge with them.  Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. Pupils work hard in lessons because they are very keen to learn. They are sensible when moving around the school and take their responsibilities very seriously.  Pupils feel very safe at school and are exceptionally knowledgeable about how to stay safe.  Pupils’ attainment has risen since the previous inspection from broadly average to above average by the end of Year 6. Pupils achieve well over time in reading, writing and mathematicsThe quality of writing is especially supporting pupils’ learning in other subjects.Children make outstanding progress in the early years provision. They are very confident and do well in all areas of learning.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers do not always provide pupils with enough challenge, particularly at the start of mathematicslessons, so that pupils can deepen their knowledge and understanding.  Not all pupils are making accelerated progress, because there are occasions when they are not completing work that is hard enough.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed teaching and learning in 21 lessons, six jointly with the headteacher or deputy headteacher.  Meetings were held with leaders, teachers, pupils, the local authority and members of the governing body.  The inspection team took into account the 95 responses to the online survey, Parent View, a letter from a parent and held informal discussions with a number of parents.  The inspectors considered the views expressed in the survey responses from 44 members of staff.  A range of information supplied by the school was scrutinised, including the school’s own information about how well pupils are doing, planning documents and checks on the quality of teaching. Inspectors also looked at the school development plan, and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding procedures.

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Inspection team

Alison Cartlidge, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Danson Primary School is much larger than the average-sized primary school and it has been expanding rapidly over the last three years towards a three-form entry. The proportion of pupils joining or leaving the school after the Reception year is higher than is usually found in schools, because when places become available they move nearer home.  The Nursery has morning and afternoon part-time sessions and there are three full-time Reception classes in the early years provision.  The large majority of pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium is broadly average. This is additional funding for disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below average.  The headteacher is a National Leader of Education and the school supports three other schools in the local

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Information about this school

area.  There have been several changes in teaching staff since the previous inspection and some teachers are on temporary appointments to cover long-term staff absences.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  The school has a breakfast club and an after school club that are managed by the governing body.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that a greater proportion of teaching is typically outstanding in order to further accelerate pupils’ progress in lessons by making sure that:  teachers always provide pupils with challenging work that will deepen their knowledge and understanding, especially at the start of mathematicslessons  pupils are presented with work that challenges them.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher, senior leaders, middle leaders and governors work together highly effectively as a team and have a very clear sense of where the school is heading and what needs to be done to make it outstanding. Leaders’ expectations for the staff and pupils are high. Leaders are very rigorous in checking that all aspects of the school’s work are at least good and are improving strongly.  The expansion of the school is being handled very well, so that strengths in the school such as early years provision and the pupils’ behaviour and safety have been successfully sustained since the previous inspection. The headteacher has made sure that the school has continued to grow despite the many changes in teaching staff over the last few years. There has been rigorous training and a restructuring of the leadership team to increase the impact of new leaders and accelerate the rate of improvement. Consequently, teaching is improving strongly and attainment has risen since the previous inspection.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Despite the many changes in staffing, often of which have been promoted to other schools, leaders have maintained a very calm and hardworking atmosphere in the school where good teaching and achievement and excellent behaviour can thrive. Good relations are high on the school’s agenda and are instrumental in its continued success.  Systems for checking the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement are robust and members of staff are positive about the support and training they receive. New teachers are developing their skills rapidly.  Highly effective middle leaders are tackling the areas for development rigorously, so that the few remaining inconsistencies in teaching and learning are being successfully tackled. Middle leaders set a very high standard with their own teaching. They provide support with planning and coach teachers at this school and others in the local area. While teaching is improving very quickly, it is not yet consistently

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The leadership and management are outstanding

outstanding.  Leaders are successful in their support for other schools in the area. They provide effective staff training and help with the development of leadership so that these schools can become good themselves.  Systems for managing the performance of teachers are very robust and have led to strong improvements in teaching and pupils’ achievement, particularly over the last few years. Despite several changes in teaching staff, often as a result of leaders being promoted to other schools, the school is improving strongly. Members of staff are very positive about being at the school and what it has to offer its pupils. Leaders are accurate in their evaluations of teaching and staff feel well supported with the training provided.  The additional sport funding is being spent especially well on specialist coaches and equipment. Improvements have led to a rapid increase in pupils’ physical education skills, fitness and enjoyment of

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The leadership and management are outstanding

sport. There has been an increase in sporting clubs and the school is successful in local competitions. Pupils say that they appreciate the new teams for basketball, golf, netball and gymnastics.  The school is very thorough in ensuring that all groups of pupils have equal opportunities to do well and discrimination of any kind is tackled rigorously. Funding for pupils who are disadvantaged is used effectively on increased staffing, staff training and providing computers to support learning. Consequently, the gaps in attainment between these pupils and others are closing rapidly and are minimal in most classes.  Safeguarding arrangements fully meet requirements and ensure that all pupils are kept safe and secure. There are robust systems in place to check that members of staff and other adults in school are suitable to work with children. There are clearly defined policies and procedures for keeping pupils safe and training

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The leadership and management are outstanding

is very thorough and kept up to date.  The school provides a very broad and stimulating curriculum that includes good opportunities for pupils to learn another language. It includes especially interesting and varied opportunities for pupils to develop their writing whichsupports effective learning in other subjects. The curriculum is instrumental in ensuring that pupils have exceptionally positive attitudes towards learning and present their work meticulously.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted very well. There is a wide range of opportunities for pupils to learn about the cultures, creeds and customs of other people. British values such as fairness and respect are promoted very well and pupils learn much about British history and how we should live in modern Britain. Pupils have very good opportunities to make their voices heard and to be active members of the school community. For example, during Business Enterprise Week, Key Stage 2

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The leadership and management are outstanding

pupils applied for the various positions available to help support the book fair.  The local authority provides the right level of light touch support for this school, and has been effective in ensuring that the school continues to move forward at the same time as supporting three other schools in the area.  The school has a positive relationship with most parents. They are especially positive about teaching and the way their children feel safe and happy at school. As one parent stated, ‘The teachers are great.’

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is highly effective and challenging. Governors are fully involved in all aspects of school life. They are very knowledgeable about what works well and what is being developed next. They know how well achievement at the school compares with other schools nationally and how good teaching is at the school. They are proactive in making sure that good or better teaching is rewarded and in supporting and challenging the few remaining pockets of weakness. They ensure that systems for checking up on teaching and developing and training staff are robust and have the right impact.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. They are immensely positive about learning and carry out the tasks they have been given meticulously and with pride. They concentrate very well in class and cooperate exceptionally well with each other when working in pairs or small groups. Pupils take particular pride in their writing and present their work with the utmost of care. They say that they particularly enjoy the practical work in science.  Parents and pupils are very positive about behaviour at the school. Pupils’ behaviour in class and around the school is exemplary. Pupils come to school smartly dressed and take care of the school and their own property. Instances of poor behaviour are extremely rare and are tackled swiftly when they arise.  Pupils are very polite and show respect for the differing views and cultures of others. They build on what they have been taught about British values and understand about the need for respect, tolerance and

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Behaviour

responsibility.  Older pupils are very keen to fulfil their areas of responsibility. For example, they help younger pupils to follow the school code of good behaviour, look after games equipment at playtimes and act as various school and eco councillors. Pupils new to the school settle quickly and other pupils are keen to help them feel welcome.  Pupils understand that there are different forms of bullying and sign an anti-bullying oath. They know what to do if they have any worries themselves. A small minority of parents expressed concerns over the way the school dealt with bullying, but the inspection evidence showed that members of staff take bullying seriously and put in much work to support pupils when they are struggling to maintain positive relationships with others.  Pupils spoken to during the inspection were happy to come to school, and very few felt that they had encountered any bullying at school. Pupils spoken to were happy with the way that bullying was dealt

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Behaviour

with. Bullying is very rare and is dealt with effectively when it occurs.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  Pupils say that they feel very safe at school and their parents totally agree. Pupils know how to stay completely safe, including when they are using the internet. They understand why it is safer to always walk on the left hand side in the corridors and have helped to draw up school rules with safety in mind.  Safety arrangements and safeguarding are very rigorous. Members of staff are unswervingly focused on the welfare of the pupils at all times, including when pupils are working or playing outside.  First aiders are clearly visible at break times, although there are few accidents because pupils know to take care when running about or playing with games equipment.  Pupils are looked after well at the popular after school clubs. They start the day with healthy hot food and join in with carefully supervised games.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has a typically good impact on pupils’ learning and achievement, including in literacy, reading and mathematics. Teachers have good subject knowledge and are diligent in sharing subject specific vocabulary with the pupils. For example, in Year 5, pupils were able to discuss their writing using terms such as ‘it’s written in the second person’ and, in science, Year 6 understood the importance of ‘variables’ in their fair test.  In reading, teachers ensure that pupils understand what they are reading and provide them with a range of strategies to help them to read unfamiliar words. As a result, pupils in Year 1 learn phonics quickly (the sounds letters make) and attainment is above average in the phonic screening check.  In mathematics, teachers are successful in encouraging pupils to explain how they have carried out their calculations and this supports their understanding well.  Attractive and informative displays in classrooms and around the school support learning effectively and

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The quality of teaching is good

celebrates pupils’ best work.  Relationships between members of staff and pupils are very strong and ensure that lessons run smoothly and without fuss. Teachers have very high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and pupils respond well by trying hard.  Teaching assistants have received valuable training enabling them to support groups of pupils effectively. For example, they ask probing questions that help to move the pupils’ learning forward quickly.  Marking has been a recent school development priority and teachers write helpful and encouraging comments to help pupils to improve their work. Pupils are kept well informed about how well they are doing and know what their next steps are in their learning. Pupils are very keen to answer the teachers’ questions and to correct any mistakes.  Teachers work together well to plan work of the right level of difficulty for each year group. However, there are occasions, especially at the beginning of mathematics lessons, when tasks are not adjusted

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The quality of teaching is good

sufficiently. When this happens, work is not challenging enough for the whole class or set and some pupils finish a task too quickly because it is too easy for them. As one pupil said, ‘Some children don’t get it, but the whole class has to wait.’

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment by the end of Year 6 has risen since the previous inspection and is above average in reading, writing and mathematics. Achievement is securely good over time, including for pupils who arrive in school later on in their school life. Writing is a particular strength at the school and pupils produce high quality writing which supports their learning across the curriculum.  Progress has improved rapidly in science since the previous inspection and pupils are now doing well in this subject. Pupils show a depth of understanding and are enthusiastic about carrying out practical investigations. For example, in Year 6, pupils understood the importance of keeping their test fair when they assessed how well light passes through various materials.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress and achieve well from their differing starting points. Their needs are identified quickly and teachers and teaching assistants

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The achievement of pupils is good

provide successful support in lessons and in separate specific group work.  The most able pupils make good progress and are suitably challenged in most classes. They benefit from additional activities that give them the opportunity to work with other pupils of similar ability in other schools. There are occasions when they are not moved on to more difficult work quickly enough.  Disadvantaged pupils are catching up with their peers rapidly and are making good progress. In 2014, they were ahead of other pupils nationally in reading and mathematics and less than a term behind them in writing. When compared with other pupils at the school, they were less than a term behind in mathematics and reading, but two terms behind in writing. Current information on how well they are doing shows that these gaps in their attainment are closing further and most learn more quickly than other pupils nationally.  Occasionally, pupils’ progress is not as fast as it could be, particularly at the start of mathematics lessons

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The achievement of pupils is good

when pupils are not always given sufficiently challenging work. For example, at times the whole class or ability set are given the same problem to solve and some pupils finish much earlier than others. When this happens time is lost and they are not given work that deepens their knowledge and understanding sufficiently.  Pupils are making rapid progress in extending their skills in physical education. For example, in Year 2, pupils were learning quickly about different types of ball catching and how they might use these skills in a game.  Pupils’ outstanding attitudes towards learning contribute very well to their good or better progress.

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The early years provision is outstanding

 Most children are working below the levels typical for their age when they join the school in the early years provision. They make excellent progress across all areas of learning, leading to an above average proportion achieving good levels of development and attainment by the end of the Reception year. Consequently, children achieve well and are very well prepared for joining Year 1.  The slight difference between the attainment of girls and boys in writing is being tackled very well. As a result, boys have become enthusiastic writers and use their knowledge of the sounds letters make to help them spell unfamiliar words. Children are particularly good at communicating with others and gain independence very rapidly.  Teaching is outstanding because members of staff are highly skilled in identifying the children’s individual needs and ensuring that activities build on what they already know and can do. Swift action is taken to

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The early years provision is outstanding

enable children to catch up with their peers when necessary. There is little difference between the attainment and progress of the various groups of children, including the disadvantaged, most able and disabled children and those who have special educational needs.  Children’s behaviour and safety are exemplary. Teachers and teaching assistants have high expectations for behaviour and are excellent role models for the children’s social development. Children are exceptionally enthusiastic about their learning and concentrate very well on their tasks. For example, in one Reception class, children were delighted to be able to explain their learning to each other and the puppet.  Children are good at reflecting on their learning. As one child said about their numeracy work, ‘I did some good work but I got some wrong.’ Children feel very safe at school and consequently are confident about making choices about their own learning.

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The early years provision is outstanding

 Leadership and management are outstanding. Leaders are clear about how they can further enhance provision and they ensure that high standards have been sustained since the previous inspection. They keep parents well informed and make sure that they are fully involved in their children’s education. They frequently share with parents their children’s learning journals and photographs of the children at work that demonstrate how well they are doing.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 101403 Local authority Bexley Inspection number 448219

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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 557 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair David Jones Headteacher Jackie Edwards Date of previous school inspection 6–7 October 2009 Telephone number 020 83031858 Fax number 020 83042075 Email address admin@danson.bexley.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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