Surrey Square Primary School

Surrey Square Primary School Surrey Square, Walworth, London SE17 2JY

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The leaders’ vision of personal and academic excellence for all pupils lies at the heart of this outstanding school. The inspirational leadership of the co-headteachers underpins the school’s sustained improvement.  The co-headteachers have worked alongside the senior leaders and governors to set the culture of high aspiration for the whole school community.  Leaders have recruited a talented staff team who, without exception, support the school’s uncompromising approach of treating their pupils as individuals.  The school’s seven core values are the lifeblood of work of the whole school. This runs alongside a clear ambition for all pupils to succeed.  Teaching is outstanding because of the consistently high expectations staff have for the pupils. Teachers constantly set challenges to deepen pupils’ learning through rich and stimulating activities.  The school’s distinctive curriculum is extremely innovative. Consequently, pupils enjoy exciting

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and high-quality experiences.  The progress that pupils make from key stage 1 to the end of Year 6 is outstanding in reading, writing and mathematics.  The recently opened provision for two-year- olds in the early years is outstanding because of highly skilled teaching.  The school’s promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is excellent. Pupils’ social skills are highly developed. As a result, relationships within the school between adults and pupils are extremely strong.  Pupils constantly demonstrate the school’s values through exemplary behaviour. They respect adults and each other through their words and actions.  Parents are extremely supportive of the school and say it feels like ‘an extended family’.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe is outstanding. Staff ensure that family welfare is effective beyond the school gates.  Pupils’ books show the impact of effective guidance from teachers. Rapid progress is

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

particularly evident in writing books. Pupils take care over how they set their work out, but the quality of their handwriting is variable.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that teachers consistently apply the school’s handwriting scheme to improve pupils’ presentation of their work across subjects.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 The co-headteachers, ably supported by the highly skilled deputy headteacher, have created an inspirational vision of high levels of success for both staff and pupils. They are tireless in their drive to instil a shared ambition of the pursuit of excellence. As a result, the whole school community is united in their support of the seven core values that underpin life at Surrey Square.  Senior leaders have an accurate and highly detailed picture of the school’s strengths. They are honest about the school’s areas for development, which demonstrate the team’s uncompromising attitude to continuous school improvement.  Leaders believe in personal as well as the academic development of the whole school community. Both of these elements of the school’s vision have equal value. Staff hold true to this by ensuring that pupils have what they need to succeed. For example, staff go to great lengths when families need support for housing and arrange external

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

appointments so pupils can attend school regularly.  Leaders draw out the best in all the staff. They monitor the quality of teaching regularly. The coaching techniques for teachers have successfully created a culture of reflection. Teachers new to the profession are exceptionally well supported with bespoke induction programmes to meet their developing needs.  The performance management system is highly developed and used effectively to raise standards. It has resulted in a highly skilled group of teachers and team of support staff who have secured very strong improvements for all the pupils.  Middle leaders are exceptionally skilled in leading their subjects. Subject leaders work alongside teachers when evaluating pupils’ standards. This approach ensures that teachers are directly involved in the improvement of their practice – securing rapid progress for pupils.  The school’s core values are instilled into the work of teachers and support staff as

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

well as pupils. Consequently, all staff buy into this constant drive for improvement.  Pupils develop a secure and deep understanding of how to apply their rapidly improving reading, writing and mathematics skills successfully in a wide variety of activities. For example, the recent history-themed ‘Night at the Museum’ exhibition showcased pupils’ work to parents. High-quality examples of pupils’ projects included stop-start animation linking technology, art and writing.  The pupil premium funding is very well spent. The pupils eligible for pupil premium funding enter the early years with skills significantly below what is typical when compared with children nationally. They make exceptional progress to meet national expectations by the end of their Reception Year.  The school’s development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness, through the application of the core values, is exceptional. The staff, pupils and parents

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

know that the school’s seven values are not just words. Each value is threaded through everything the school does.  The curriculum is designed to develop personal skills as well as academic excellence. Leaders are rightly proud of how the school helps create well-rounded citizens for the future. As a result, pupils have a deep understanding of how core values help them develop as responsible young people and prepare them for life in modern Britain.  The school’s inclusive ethos means that outstanding guidance is given to pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The early identification of their needs means school leaders ensure that parents are fully engaged with the school’s plan of support. Consequently, the pupils achieve extremely well from their starting points.  The effective use of the sports premium means that pupils have access to competitive sport. Play leaders ensure the pupils develop a healthy attitude to exercise. The link

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

with an independent school ensures that pupils have access to high-quality sporting facilities. For example, they use an Olympic-size racetrack and full-sized tennis courts. As a result, pupils have an excellent understanding of how sports can help them to lead a healthy life style.

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Governance of the school

 Governors are a highly skilled group of people. Their excellent knowledge of school performance ensures that they have the right attributes to continue to drive the school’s improvement. Because of this, they make excellent contributions to the school’s development.  The co-headteachers’ reports are exceptionally detailed and enable governors to offer effective challenge. They understand the effect that pupil premium funding has had on improving the experiences for disadvantaged pupils at Surrey Square. As a result, they have a clear picture of the gains in pupil progress across the school.  Governors share the leaders’ drive for excellence in everything the school does. They are supportive of the school’s outstanding work with parents that has resulted in very positive relationships within the community.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders at all levels ensure that the system for keeping pupils safe is robust and fit for purpose. The school records are up to date and checked on a regular cycle by the safeguarding governor and the headteacher leading on safeguarding.  Staff and governors are fully trained to raise concerns around the recent guidelines, including those relating to female genital mutilation, child sexual exploitation and pupils at risk of radicalisation. At the regular pastoral meetings, information is shared with school leaders. This means there is a team in place to support identified children when concerns arise.  Parents appreciate the way the school helps them when they need it. They are confident that their children are safe and secure while at school. This results in the impressive parental support for the work of the school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 Teaching is consistently outstanding across the school. Teachers have exceptional subject knowledge and use this to plan highly stimulating and challenging activities.  Teachers’ high expectations mean that work is pitched to ensure that pupils meet, or exceed, age-related expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. The close teamwork ensures that the school’s team of support staff are ably used to help pupils who need additional input or challenge.  The mapping of support across the school underpins the help given to pupils when they need it. Leaders use assessment information intelligently to continuously review the impact of the interventions for pupils. The interventions are flexible and changed when required. Bespoke provision demonstrates the school’s individual approach to assisting pupils with their learning in and out of class. This work results in swift and successful progress for pupils to catch up quickly.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 Teachers are extremely hard working and welcome the guidance they receive from senior leaders. They actively seek professional development. For example, they video their lessons and send these to senior leaders for feedback to further improve their practice. Pupils receive consistently excellent teaching across the curriculum.  Guidance provided by the teachers for pupils is very clear and incisive. The school policy provides guidelines for staff to develop pupils’ skills in self-editing. Feedback from staff is incisive and pupils’ books show clear evidence in rapid progress for all ability groups.  Pupils know exactly what they need to work on to improve their understanding. They regularly respond to the additional challenges that teachers pose because they have a thirst for learning.  High-quality questioning by teachers constantly deepens pupils’ understanding of a wide range of curriculum subjects. Pupils are able to respond to the challenges set

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

throughout their lessons. Teachers expect pupils to answer in detail and pupils have a highly developed understanding of the correct technical vocabulary across the curriculum.  Leaders have successfully ensured that the teaching of early reading skills is rigorous and of a high quality. The excellent teaching of phonics is ensuring that results continue to improve. As a result, the number of pupils reaching the expected standard in the phonics screening check in 2016 was in line with national averages.  Pupils read widely and often and use a range of strategies when reading challenging texts. They enjoy talking about their favourite authors and particularly love it when teachers read good-quality texts aloud to them. Parents are strongly encouraged to support their children well by regularly hearing them read. Consequently, progress in reading by the end of Year 1 from their starting points is outstanding and, by the end

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

of Year 6, progress is significantly above the national average.  Leaders agree that teachers are not implementing the school’s recent policy for handwriting consistently. Consequently, pupils’ handwriting is not as good as it could be.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. The care given to pupils and their families is extraordinary. School leaders know their families exceptionally well. They understand when they need additional support to ensure that their children attend school regularly.  The school offers a free, well-attended breakfast club to all pupils and their families. Leaders have successfully accessed resources from charities to provide the food to ensure that pupils start the day with a nutritious meal. This results in those pupils having a positive beginning to the school day.  Pupils are confident and curious learners. They believe they ‘can do it’. Pupils actively participate in their lessons, clearly showing huge enjoyment. The positive relationships are nurtured throughout the school, resulting in classrooms where pupils are fully involved in their learning.  Pupils have a deep understanding of how the school’s values develop them as future

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Personal development and welfare

citizens. They say the values support them ‘by helping us instead of rules’. Pupils know that regular attendance is rewarded and it makes them want to come to school. They have complete confidence in the staff to help them if they have any worries. Pupils have a deep respect for their teachers. One pupil said: ‘Teachers help us and are sensitive about our well-being. It makes us feel completely safe in a way that feels like home.’  Parents were inspired to make their own video around the ‘respect’ value. This has resulted in bringing the community together to promote this value for the pupils. Because British values have very high status, pupils are assessed against them alongside their academic achievement to eventually graduate into being a Surrey Square ambassador and gain positions of responsibility.  Pupils know how to stay safe online. They have excellent knowledge of strategies to combat cyber bullying. Any bullying is dealt with quickly, which results in the happy

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils conduct themselves with a very high level of maturity across the school. The beginning of the day is calm and orderly. Pupils enter school ready and eager to learn. They move around the school quietly and sensibly.  The behaviour around the school is exemplary. Pupils’ self-discipline is very well developed.  Attendance is analysed rigorously. Leaders apply sensitivity when reviewing pupils’ information. Some pupils’ punctuality is affected due to having to travel extensive distances because families wish to keep their children at Surrey Square. Families have clear guidelines to follow if they take their children on extended leave. The strong relationship which the school has with parents means that attendance is improving and is around the national average.  Pupils with complex needs are given high-quality care. Staff go above and beyond to ensure that pupils at risk of exclusion are given the time and space when they need it.

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Behaviour

This results in these pupils being successfully reintegrated back into their classes. Consequently, lessons are not disrupted and behaviour is managed excellently.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

 School leaders have been uncompromising about ensuring that an increasing number of pupils meet the national standards over time, in order to be ready for secondary school. Consequently, from low starting points pupils continue to make outstanding progress throughout the school in reading, writing and mathematics.  The school identified that most-able pupils must now make more progress to continue this improving picture of pupils’ progress. As a result, these pupils are being taught in challenge groups across upper key stage 2. Current information in books shows that this provision is successful.  The most able, including the disadvantaged most able pupils, are making better progress from their starting points than previously.  The information for key stage 1 assessments has improved significantly over time. Leaders have eradicated the gap between the school’s outcomes and national averages in expected standards in writing and mathematics. These subjects were

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

above national averages for writing and mathematics in 2016 for the first time. Reading was in line with the national average.  The progress of disadvantaged pupils by the end of key stage 2, in all subjects in the provisional 2016 assessments, was significantly above other pupils nationally in reading, writing and maths. The school’s work on improving the progress of the most able disadvantaged pupils successfully impacts on current pupils’ performance. The school’s information shows rapid progress for these pupils and they continue to exceed age-related expectations from their starting points.  Excellent teaching in phonics ensures that, from a low starting point, the proportion of pupils securing the national standard in the phonics screening check is in line with national averages. Where the school identified some disadvantaged pupils who did not make as much progress as expected overall, leaders put in targeted support.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

Consequently, these pupils are now on track in the Year 2 retakes of the check.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve as well as other pupils nationally with the same starting points. This is because of the excellent support that the pupils receive. Leaders are tenacious in ensuring that education, health and care plans are in place for pupils. They give families the confidence to engage with the assessment process if their children require additional help.  Pupils who enter school with low levels of English catch up quickly and the school system for early support ensures that these pupils acquire appropriate language skills to be able to meet national expectations. As a result, progress for this group of pupils matches, and sometimes exceeds, those pupils nationally from the same starting points.

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Early years provision Outstanding

 The early years foundation stage setting benefits from a new purpose-built environment that is an inviting and stimulating place for children in which to learn. Well-planned activities follow the children’s interests and ensure that they successfully acquire early reading, writing and number skills. Consequently, from low on-entry levels, children’s progress is outstanding.  Adults are highly engaged in the activities required to develop the children’s vocabulary. There is a mix of observation, to plan for the next steps in learning, and working alongside children, to assess what each child can do. Staff know their children exceptionally well.  Incisive observations and notes from staff demonstrate the wide range of information collected to support each child. The children’s learning journeys show a high level of parental involvement in assessment.  Standards of teaching and assessment are impressive due to highly skilled teaching

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Early years provision Outstanding

staff. All adults are confident in contributing to the development of the whole child as an individual.  Safeguarding is very effective and the team works together to ensure that all statutory requirements are met rigorously.  The early years is led exceptionally well. No stone is left unturned to ensure that the children make accelerated progress from their low starting points. The new class of two-year-olds has enhanced the setting and these young children are benefiting from a rich and stimulating start to school. High expectations have enabled them to develop early skills exceptionally well.  The progress that children make in the early years is outstanding. By the end of Reception an increasing number of children are meeting and exceeding national standards. They are very well prepared for the transition to Year 1.

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Co-Headteacher Liz Robinson Nicola Noble Telephone number 020 77033049

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School details

Email address headteacher@surreysquare.southwark.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20–21 June 2012

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Information about this school

 The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.  Surrey Square is a two-form entry primary school.  The school is led by two co-headteachers.  The school recently opened provision for two-year-olds in the early years foundation stage.  The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding is above the national average.  The large majority of pupils are of Black African heritage.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above the national average.  One of the co-headteachers is a national leader of education.  The school meets the current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed activities in all year groups. Observations were undertaken with the headteachers, deputy headteacher and other members of the senior leadership team.  Inspectors met with members of the governing body and a member of the local authority.  Meetings were also held with pupils to discuss their views on their learning and well- being and with parents to gain their views about the school.  Inspectors heard pupils read from Reception to Year 6, talked to pupils at breaktimes and in the lunch hall, in lessons and as they moved around the school.  Inspectors examined a range of school documents, including information on pupils’ performance across the school, school improvement plans, the school’s evaluation of teaching, learning and assessment, governor minutes and curriculum plans.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of books to see what progress had been made across a range of subjects. They looked at a range of videos that showed the work around the

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Information about this inspection

school’s core values completed by staff, parents and pupils.  Inspectors took account of 11 responses to the Ofsted parent survey, Parent View. In addition, inspectors evaluated 63 responses to the pupils’ inspection survey and 18 returns to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Sara Morgan, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Anna Bosher Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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