Garfield Primary School

Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The interim headteacher, other leaders and governors have acted swiftly to improve the school since January 2015. Senior leaders’ high expectations and support for staff have improved teaching and ensured good progress.  Most pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics across the school.  Pupils’ results in 2014 in reading and mathematics at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 were above average overall. Standards of writing in Key Stage 2 have improved very strongly this year.  The school has effectively improved the achievement of disadvantaged pupils, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs this year.  Teaching is typically good across the school. Pupils learn well because of their teachers’ effective use of questioning and because they find most of their lessons sufficiently challenging.  Teaching assistants are used well to support particular groups and individuals.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Early years provision is good. Children progress well as a result of good teaching and careful responses to their needs.  Pupils enjoy learning and are proud of their achievements and their school. They treat each other respectfully and show much appreciation of different cultures and religions.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe is good. Pupils learn how to avoid risks when online and in other situations.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 While pupils make good progress from their starting points overall, this is not as strong in mathematics. This is because a minority of teachers at times lack sufficient confidence and knowledge of the subject. This has not always been the case, and is affected by the high staff mobility that the school experiences.  Sometimes teachers do not give pupils the same high levels of challenge as those typically found across the school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors saw teaching across the school. They observed learning in 19 lessons and pupils’ behaviour in the playground, at lunchtime and during a sports day. Nine lessons were observed jointly with senior leaders.  Discussions were held with pupils, four members of the governing body, the interim headteacher and other members of staff. A discussion was also held with a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors observed many aspects of the school’s work, including support for pupils who need extra help. They heard pupils read and examined pupils’ work in their exercise books and on classroom and corridor wall displays.  The inspectors looked at a number of documents, including plans for what pupils should learn in each subject, plans for the school’s future development, and records of the school’s use of the primary sports funding and pupil premium funding. They also scrutinised the school’s arrangements for keeping pupils

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Information about this inspection

safe, pupils’ attendance records, minutes of governing body meetings, records of how pupils’ learning is monitored and records of how the quality of teaching is checked.  The views of parents were taken into account through discussions with several parents and carers. The inspectors also took note of 42 responses to the online Parent View survey.  Staff views were taken into consideration by looking at questionnaires completed by 23 staff members and through discussions with several members of staff.

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Inspection team

Steven Popper, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is a larger-than-average-sized primary school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium (additional government funding for children known to be eligible for free school meals or in the care of the local authority) is slightly lower than the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is slightly lower than in most other schools.  A majority of pupils speak English as an additional language.  In the early years there are currently three full-time Reception classes and one part-time Nursery class provided for them.  The previous substantive headteacher left the school in November 2014. The current interim headteacher and deputy headteacher both joined the school in January 2015. The deputy headteacher is to become

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Information about this school

acting headteacher in September 2015. A new substantive headteacher will take up her position in November 2015.  The early years leader took up her post in January 2015. The English leader took over this responsibility in September 2014, while the mathematics leader has been in place since March 2014.  The current Chair of the Governing Body took up his position in November 2014.  There has been a high turnover of staff over time. For example, six members of the teaching staff are due to leave the school this term, with six new staff joining in September 2015.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching to outstanding by:  ensuring that all teachers offer pupils the same high levels of challenge as those typically found across the school  further strengthening teachers’ subject knowledge and confidence in teaching mathematics.

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The leadership and management are good

 The interim headteacher and other senior leaders have quickly identified the less effective aspects of the school and put in place rapid and successful actions to address these. The current senior leadership team’s high expectations and drive for improvement have raised staff morale and strengthened teaching and behaviour. As a result, where pupils’ achievement was weaker last year, it is now strong.  Middle leaders are effective across the school. They have helped develop teachers’ and teaching assistants’ skills and knowledge in their subjects. Middle leaders have also revised teaching strategies with the effect that achievement has improved. For example, a stronger focus on boys’ reading has improved pupils’ progress in this subject this year.  The school’s evaluation of pupils’ achievement has not always been robust. However, the interim headteacher and senior leaders have made certain that the school’s assessment of pupils’ progress and

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The leadership and management are good

attainment is now reliable and entirely accurate.  The school curriculum is rich, broad and matched well to pupils’ interests. Pupils are encouraged to learn new things, try new experiences and take on responsibilities for the well-being of others. Pupils develop key skills in English and mathematics through work in other subjects. The school engages pupils in much work in art, music, science and design and technology.  The school’s substantial promotion of children’s rights informs the teaching of all subjects. Pupils learn a great deal about different religions and cultures, often in very stimulating and thought-provoking ways. They explore ideas about democracy, the rule of law and liberty in ways that promote tolerance and mutual respect. Such work prepares pupils for life in modern Britain very well. It also illustrates the school’s very strong promotion of equal opportunities and how it successfully guards against

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The leadership and management are good

discrimination.  The school uses additional funding well. Carefully planned additional support has led to strong improvements to the achievement of disadvantaged pupils this year.  Sports premium funding is also used effectively. The school has increased pupils’ participation in a wide range of sports and competitive events, such as basketball, tennis, lacrosse and gymnastics competitions. It has used training to develop teachers’ skills in teaching physical education.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet statutory requirements. Staff are properly trained, with further training arranged to enable the school to guard against radicalism and extremism even more effectively. The school’s careful monitoring of pupils’ well-being keeps them protected.  The local authority has supported the school well during the ongoing period of changing leadership. It has helped the interim headteacher and other leaders ensure the accuracy of their assessment of pupils’

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The leadership and management are good

achievement. The local authority has also given well-received training to subject leaders and governors. Their work has become more effective as a result.  Leaders have formed good relationships with parents. There is a high turnout of parents at school events. Parents who talked to the inspectors were very complimentary about the school. A very large majority who offered an opinion thought that the school was well led. Some parents who talked to the inspectors praised the ‘changes for the better’ that they had seen this year.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body has become much more effective under the guidance of its current chair. The governing body has now deployed governors with specific skills to very good effect. For example, a governor with expertise in employment law scrutinises how well leaders manage teachers’ performance and improve the quality of teaching. Governors have a good understanding of school data about pupils’ achievement and challenge school leaders to show how well they are improving the progress of particular groups of pupils. They make good use of external evaluations of the school to check the school’s performance against national expectations. Governors check that school funding is well spent and lead to better performance. They also make sure that good performance is properly recognised and rewarded. Governors monitor the quality of school provision systematically and carefully. They visit the

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The leadership and management are good

school regularly to see the quality of teaching for themselves and hold regular discussions with leaders. Governors are particularly diligent in checking the effectiveness of the school’s safeguarding arrangements. They have high expectations and question leaders when they are not satisfied. Their impact on school improvement is good.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are keen to learn and take pride in their accomplishments. Their positive attitudes to learning support their good progress. They behave well in lessons, in the playground and around the school.  Pupils are respectful, polite and caring towards each other and to adults. The school’s positive values and teaching about children’s rights help pupils to take responsibility for the well-being of others. For example, older pupils were seen taking care of younger ones.  The school manages pupils’ behaviour well, though pupils who spoke to the inspectors indicated that this had not always been the case. School records show few incidents of poor behaviour, racist incidents or bullying over time. School records also demonstrate that school responses to any incidents of poor behaviour have been effective. One boy who talked to the inspectors said, 'I’ve learned to behave. The

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Behaviour

headteacher has helped me really improve my behaviour.'

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Staff check the safety of school resources and grounds frequently and carefully.  Teachers ensure that pupils understand how to avoid different types of poor behaviour and bullying, including cyber bullying. They enable pupils to develop strategies to keep themselves safe on the road, when swimming, while using public transport and when online.  Pupils who spoke to the inspectors said that they felt safe in school. One pupil said that teachers 'always have our backs'.  A very large majority of parents who offered an opinion thought that their children were happy, safe and well looked after in the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching in the school is typically good, and leaders' actions are helping individuals to continue to improve. Pupils say that teachers make learning interesting and enjoyable. As a result, pupils across the school make good progress.  Teachers’ expectations are typically high. Most teaching contains a strong degree of challenge which engages pupils and promotes good learning. However, there are a few times when teachers do not give pupils the same high levels of challenge as those usually found across the school.  Teachers and teaching assistants use questioning skilfully to check pupils’ understanding and make them think more deeply. This leads to learning of good quality.  The school’s teaching of reading is effective. Teachers enable the younger pupils to relate letters and sounds together well. The school has revised its teaching effectively in ways that have strengthened boys’ interest in reading. Pupils’ progress in reading has improved as a result.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Writing has not always been taught effectively, but this year’s improvements to teaching have substantially improved pupils’ achievement in the subject. Leaders have strengthened the school’s teaching of spelling, punctuation and grammar to very good effect.  The teaching of mathematics has dipped slightly in effectiveness this year because some teachers have not had as much confidence or knowledge of the subject as others. This has not always been the case over time, and has varied as different teachers have left and joined the school. However, leaders are working effectively to develop less confident teachers. Pupils’ progress in mathematics remains good overall.  Pupils who spoke to the inspectors were able to explain how their work has improved over the year. They find teachers’ marking and advice very helpful.  The school makes good use of teaching assistants to provide additional support to pupils with particular

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The quality of teaching is good

learning needs.  The vast majority of parents who offered an opinion thought that their children were taught well.

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The achievement of pupils

 Most pupils currently in the school, including those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress in all subjects. This can be seen in pupils’ books and in school data about pupils’ achievement. This is the case in all year groups.  In 2014, pupils’ results at the end of Key Stage 1 were high in reading and mathematics overall, but below average in writing. This year’s end of Key Stage 1 results are slightly lower in all subjects. However, they reflect good progress from these pupils’ starting points.  Pupils’ results at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2014 were very high in mathematics and reading overall, but lower than expected in writing. However, pupils’ results in writing have improved very strongly indeed this year. Reading results have strengthened at expected levels, but results in mathematics have declined. This is because of some variance in teachers’ knowledge of and confidence in the subject.

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The achievement of pupils

 The most able pupils’ results at the highest levels at the end of Key Stage 2 in mathematics and English grammar, punctuation and spelling are very strong. This group of pupils make good progress across the school.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress across the school. Their attainment is lower than that of other pupils nationally but is swiftly improving in relation to them. This is because the school identifies and responds to their needs with additional support very effectively.  In 2014, disadvantaged pupils were approximately five terms behind other pupils in the school in writing and mathematics. They were about three terms behind other pupils in the school in reading. The gaps between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally were smaller. Disadvantaged pupils were about three terms behind other pupils nationally in mathematics and two terms behind in reading and writing.

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The achievement of pupils

However, the school is successfully closing these gaps and the achievement of disadvantaged pupils has sharply improved this year. Their progress is now often better than that of other pupils in the school. Their results at the end of Key Stage 2 are much higher than they were last year, especially in writing.  Almost all parents who offered an opinion thought that their children made good progress in the school.

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The early years provision

 Achievement in the early years is good. Children typically begin school with skills levels well below those typical for their age. They make good progress across all areas of learning. Children develop good learning habits and basic skills in the Nursery and are well prepared for learning in Year 1 by the time they leave Reception.  The proportion of children attaining a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year has improved and is now above the national average. The achievement of disadvantaged children has considerably improved this year.  Early years teaching is good. Staff across all the early years classes have high expectations. They make good use of resources to prompt children’s curiosity and encourage them to explore. Teaching is often imaginative and stimulating. For example, children wrote and drew ‘lost teddy’ posters and displayed these across the school before hunting for the missing teddy. Adult-led teaching is focused and effective,

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The early years provision

while child-led activities are purposeful and lead to good learning.  Early years behaviour is also good. Teachers and teaching assistants encourage and nurture kind and considerate behaviour. Children enjoy learning and concentrate well.  Staff ensure that children are safe at all times. They check the safety of early years resources and grounds on a daily basis.  The early years staff work well with parents. Regular stay-and-play events encourage parents to support children’s learning at school. Staff use ‘learning leaves’ to enable parents to share information about children’s accomplishments at home.  Early years leadership is good. The early years leader ensures that all staff make good use of initial and subsequent assessment of children’s needs. She ensures the consistent high quality of planning and teaching. Children’s achievement has improved as a result.  Early years staff make effective use of the early years indoor and outdoor classrooms. However, staff are

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The early years provision

well aware that the outdoor area is not yet developed or used to its full potential. The early years leader and governors have planned a large-scale revision to the outdoor area later this year.

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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 102629 Local authority Merton Inspection number 449721

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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 460 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Robert Gray Headteacher John Croker Date of previous school inspection 16–17 June 2010 Telephone number 020 8540 1053 Fax number 020 8543 3263 Email address school@garfield.merton.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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