Beecholme Primary School

Beecholme Primary School Edgehill Road, Mitcham, Surrey CR4 2HZ

p.1

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

p.1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

p.1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

p.1

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Senior leaders, governors and the trust directors have established effective systems and worked well to ensure that the school offers a good education to its pupils.  The school has undergone significant change since the previous inspection. Leaders and governors have created a caring community. Pupils enjoy learning and are taught well.  The quality of teaching and learning, including the teaching of phonics, is good. Teachers and teaching assistants work closely together to ensure that pupils make strong progress.  Although teaching is strong overall, occasionally teachers’ expectations of pupils’ presentation are not consistently high.  The introduction of a new mathematics curriculum has led to very good progress in mathematics. Pupils’ reasoning skills and mathematical fluency have improved substantially.  Safeguarding is effective. Pupils report that they are safe and happy at school. Bullying, pupils say, rarely happens and is tackled swiftly

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and effectively by staff if it ever does.  Children in the early years make very good progress from their starting points. Teachers plan tasks that capture children’s imagination. They are well prepared for Year 1.  Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They are polite and courteous. They are keen to learn and are enthusiastic and confident learners.  Leaders’ provision for pupils’ emotional well- being is exceptional. There is a strong focus on meeting pupils’ needs so that they are ready to learn.  Governance is strong. Governors monitor leaders’ actions successfully and provide challenge and support to develop all aspects of the school.  Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain because the school makes links between fundamental British values and the school’s values.  Although there is a strong drive to improve pupils’ reading skills, it is not yet having maximum impact on pupils in the older classes.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The curriculum is sufficiently broad and balanced. However, sometimes learning tasks are not sufficiently challenging for pupils in the foundation subjects, such as history and geography.

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ outcomes and the quality of teaching and learning by ensuring that: – pupils’ understanding and vocabulary in the older classes is extended by reading a range of carefully selected texts across a range of subjects – teachers have consistently high expectations of pupils’ written presentation – the wider curriculum is strengthened so that learning tasks in all subjects are routinely challenging to enable pupils to deepen their thinking.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The executive headteacher, head of school and trust directors have built a strong school team. They are dedicated to improving the outcomes for pupils and have implemented rigorous systems to achieve them. All staff are proud to be part of the school and value the support they receive from leaders.  The head of school has established a caring environment built on the school’s values. Staff, pupils, parents and carers appreciate the care, guidance and support within the school. Leaders are ambitious for the academic success of pupils, as well as their social and emotional well-being.  Leaders are ambitious for all pupils and this is well communicated to stakeholders. They analyse and reflect on the school’s strengths and weaknesses and plan accurately for school improvement. The senior leadership team is honest and open in giving and receiving feedback.  Subject and middle leaders understand their roles and responsibilities well. The English

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

and mathematics leaders have strong subject knowledge and know what needs to be done to continue to improve. Monitoring and checking of leadership, teaching and learning is rigorous and has a positive impact on school improvement.  There is a well-established programme of induction and professional development. Newly qualified teachers appreciate the guidance and support from their mentors. Teachers are provided with opportunities to develop their teaching and deepen their subject knowledge.  Leaders use the pupil premium funding well to support disadvantaged pupils, using a range of strategies. Support in lessons is further enhanced by more intensive intervention where needed. Additionally, the funding is used for pupils’ personal, emotional and social well-being. It is used well to help pupils to access clubs, trips and activities. A high proportion of pupils meet age-related expectations. However, there is

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

still more work to do in this area so that disadvantaged children in the early years make progress in line with their peers.  Leaders ensure that the additional funding for sport premium is well spent and there is a sustainable approach. Pupils benefit from a range of clubs and activities. The employment of a specialist coach has improved pupils’ skills and levels of activity as well as teachers’ confidence in teaching of physical education.  Leaders foster pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very strongly. Pupils learn about different cultures, traditions and religions. Leaders and all staff encourage tolerance and respect very successfully though class lessons and assemblies. This is underpinned by the school’s values and ethos. Consequently, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  Leaders evaluate the school’s effectiveness accurately. Together, they use this

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

knowledge to inform well thought out plans for ongoing school improvement. Strong support from the trust and working closely with the local authority has had a positive impact on teaching and learning.

p.3

Governance of the school

 Governance and support from the trust are very effective.  Governors are clear on the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. Governors use their expertise and skills well to support school improvement. They understand their roles and responsibilities. Governors are allocated a responsibility for specific areas, such as safeguarding, pupil premium funding and provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They record their meetings and school visits and share this information with the local governing body and trust directors.  Governors are committed to the school. They have a very good understanding of pupils’ outcomes because they request the right information and offer challenge when required. They enjoy visiting the school to see how well pupils are learning, and to talk with leaders.

p.4

Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders have created a culture of safeguarding. They provide regular training sessions so that staff are vigilant and alert to pupils’ safeguarding needs. The school’s systems and procedures are effective in keeping pupils safe from harm. Pupils’ safeguarding files are well organised and kept up to date. Rigorous pre-employment checks are carried out, and detailed records of these are kept.  Leaders ensure that high-quality pastoral support and early help procedures are used effectively. The welfare and care of pupils are of the highest importance. The designated safeguarding lead assesses the needs of the pupils and families and works with the school’s pastoral team to provide an effective range of strategies to meet the emotional and social requirements of the pupils.  Pastoral leadership is strong. Leaders, especially the head of school, have created

p.4

Safeguarding

positive relationships with the parents to ensure that vulnerable pupils and their families are well supported. Leaders are aware of any particular issues in the local community and how these may have an impact on pupils and families. This ensures a swift response to any concerns about pupils’ welfare. The schools works closely with outside agencies, ensuring that all concerns are followed up swiftly.  Pupils report that they are happy at school. They can identify how the school helps them to keep safe and they know what to do to keep safe online. They know that they can speak to an adult if they have any concerns. An overwhelming majority of parents agree that this is the case.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Most pupils in the school learn well because they benefit from good teaching across the curriculum. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and use questioning effectively to assess pupils’ knowledge and understanding and to encourage pupils to think more deeply. Teachers provide pupils with opportunities to work independently and together. Pupils collaborate well, and are keen to learn.  Phonics is taught well. Teachers are systematic in reinforcing the school’s strategy for teaching phonics. Pupils are able to use their phonic knowledge when reading and writing. Those pupils who read to inspectors from Years 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 used a range of strategies to read. However, there is more work to do in this area as, when older pupils encounter more challenging vocabulary, they cannot fully understand its meaning.  Mathematics is a strength of the school. The very knowledgeable subject leader has successfully implemented ‘mastery mathematics’ and staff have received training to use

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

this approach effectively. Pupils enjoy mathematics and are very keen to solve problems. They have committed number facts and tables to memory and this enables them to work efficiently. Pupils use vocabulary appropriately to explain and reason mathematically. Pupils’ mathematics books show that pupils are competent mathematicians and they are given regular opportunities to deepen their understanding of the concepts they are being taught.  Pupils are able to improve and edit their work. However, this is inconsistent across the school. The work in pupils’ books shows that, sometimes, teachers do not expect the highest standards of presentation or ensure that pupils correct their mistakes. In classes where pupils are given opportunities to reflect and improve their work, it has a positive impact on their progress.  The teaching of writing is a particular strength. There are strong links with reading texts and high expectations that pupils write in well-structured sentences. There are

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

strong links across the curriculum so pupils can use their historical and geographical knowledge in their writing. Writing is further enhanced by school trips to places of interest and visitors to the school. Pupils enjoy these aspects of the curriculum and say that these trips help them to understand the subjects about which they are writing.  Learning support assistants provide consistently good support for lower-ability pupils and those with SEND. They are well deployed and effectively enable pupils to access their learning. Their questioning skills help pupils think and reason and they are adept at breaking down learning tasks into smaller steps, which helps pupils understand their work.  The teaching of pupils with SEND ensures that they make progress. Targets are set and reviewed regularly. A range of interventions and therapies are employed to help pupils access their learning and achieve their targets. The school uses the support of

p.5

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

other services, for example speech and language therapy, to enable full access to the curriculum.  Classrooms are well organised and stimulating. Pupils’ work is celebrated and presented attractively in classrooms and in displays around the school. Pupils use the classroom displays to extend their knowledge and understanding.  Although pupils gain knowledge and skills in a wide range of subjects, at times the learning is not demanding. The executive headteacher and school leaders are aware that there is more work to do to ensure that pupils develop further their knowledge, skills and understanding in the wider curriculum subjects.

p.5

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Pupils are very proud of their learning. They are keen to share their experiences of school with inspectors. Pupils speak confidently about what they learn, places they visit and what helps them to improve their work.  In lessons pupils listen well to the class teacher and to each other. They are focused when working independently they work well collaboratively in pairs or groups. They listen attentively to each other’s point of view and take turns to express their knowledge or opinions.  Throughout the school, mutual respect is evident. Pupils are tolerant and respectful of each other. Adults in the school promote positive relationships based on the school values. Pupils are able to articulate these values and know how to live them out in the school environment.  Staff provide excellent pastoral care. Pupils stated that they can trust adults and feel

p.6

Personal development and welfare

that they can talk to them if they have any worries or concerns. Consequently, pupils’ emotional and physical well-being are very well promoted.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. Pupils are taught to recognise potential risks, from internet safety to knife crime. Pupils say that bullying does not take place at the school, though were it to occur, they know that there are adults they could speak to who would help with any problems. The school’s records of behaviour incidents demonstrated this to be the case over time.  Pupils are given opportunities to express their opinions and ideas. The school council is effective in enabling pupils to have a voice within the school. Pupils are given positions of trust and responsibility; some Year 6 pupils help the younger pupils at lunchtime while others are monitors for different activities.

p.6

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  The head of school, along with all staff, has established a sense of community within the school. This is evident in the exemplary behaviour of all pupils. Pupils care for each other, play well together and help each other. The school’s values are firmly embedded in the school culture and are demonstrated through pupils’ interactions, resilience in learning and how they treat each other.  A calm and orderly atmosphere exists in the school, including in the corridors, dinner hall and during transitions in lessons. Parents overwhelmingly acknowledge this to be true. Parents’ positive comments included the excellent behaviour of the pupils and the support provided for all pupils. Parents value the work of the head of school and staff in making the school a happy learning environment. Parents said that their children love coming to school and their children agreed.

p.6

Behaviour

 Leaders ensure that attendance is a school priority. Leaders have worked effectively to improve the attendance of all groups and attendance is now in line with national averages. Persistent absence is below the national figures. Attendance is well promoted within the school and robust systems are in place to support and manage attendance. Parents are made aware of their statutory duty. They are kept fully informed regarding their child’s level of attendance and where necessary are supported to ensure that their children attend school every day. An effective class reward system helps pupils to understand how important it is to come to school every day.

p.6

Outcomes for pupils Good

 School assessment information shows that current pupils make the progress expected of them. Pupils’ books demonstrate that most pupils are making strong progress from their starting points. As a consequence, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.  The proportion of children in Reception who achieved a good level of development has improved but is still slightly below the national average.  The number of pupils achieving the expected standard in the phonics screening check in 2017 and 2018 was above the national average. Pupils in key stage 1 develop effective strategies for reading. As a result, pupils enjoy reading and read regularly with fluency and expression.  The proportion of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, achieving the expected standard in key stage 1 was above that seen nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard was in line with

p.7

Outcomes for pupils Good

national figures, except in mathematics, where it was above the national average.  Progress in reading, writing and mathematics for all pupils in key stage 2 has been significantly above the average and in the highest 10% for the past two years. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education when leaving Year 6. Pupils are confident and positive about their future because they have learned to be successful.  Some of the most able pupils do not make as much progress as they could. Evidence seen in some lessons and in some pupils’ books shows that, although these pupils have opportunities to extend their learning, they are not consistently challenged particularly in the wider curriculum.

p.7

Early years provision Good

 Many children enter the early years with skills below those typical for their age. A high number of children are in the early stages of learning English. They make strong progress, but a slightly lower proportion than nationally achieve a good level of development. Very skilful teaching ensures that children get plenty of experiences to read, write and manipulate numbers. This prepares them well for Year 1.  The curriculum is well planned and meets children’s needs. There is a strong focus on language and communication which enables children to access all areas of the early years curriculum. Adults model language well and engage children in stimulating conversations. Leaders are clear that the development of a broad and rich vocabulary is a priority in the early years.  The curriculum is highly successful in inspiring children’s curiosity and engagement. The environment is motivating and well organised so children are able to initiate their

p.7

Early years provision Good

learning. A range of high-quality resources, in both the classrooms and outdoor areas, are available to Nursery and Reception classes. Activities are well planned across all areas of learning, which enables the curriculum to meet children’s needs effectively.  The early years staff know the children well. They are aware of their individual starting points and of their learning needs. Learning support assistants are well deployed and support children in their learning. Children enjoy the topics they study. They settle quickly to work and are well behaved and get on well together. The school values are evident in the relationships between staff and children.  Phonics teaching is good and opportunities for children to apply their phonics skills are evident. Staff read stories to children to engage them in learning and extend their vocabulary and understanding of language. Children in Reception class particularly

p.8

Early years provision Good

enjoyed the story ’Bog Baby’ by Jeanne Willis. After listening to the story, children wrote sentences about Bog Baby using their phonic knowledge and known words.  Adults model ambitious mathematical vocabulary, using the correct terminology when teaching number. Consequently, children use mathematical terms confidently and fluently, for example ‘centimetres’. Children are confident mathematicians and are able to explain the mathematical challenges they have solved. They are well prepared for the next stage in their mathematical learning.  Leaders have worked effectively with parents to encourage them to engage in their children’s learning. A number of events are planned for the parents to enable them to understand what is being taught in the early years and how they can help their child. Many parents spoke highly of the school’s engagement and support for parents and report their children settle quickly and enjoy school.

p.8

Early years provision Good

 All safeguarding and welfare requirements are fully met.

p.8

School details

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

p.9

School details

Email address office@beecholme.merton.sch.uk

p.9

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.9

Information about this school

 Beecholme Primary School is a smaller than average-sized school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is similar to the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is in line with the national average.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above the national average.  The school has pupils from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds.  The school is part of the PACE Academy Trust.  The school has a local governing body with a chair of governors and governors with specific roles.

p.9

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning across the school and looked at work in pupils’ books. Visits to lessons were conducted jointly with senior leaders.  The lead inspector met with three governors, including the chair of the local governing body, met with the executive headteacher of PACE Academy Trust and spoke to the local authority adviser on the telephone. Several meetings were also held with the head of school and the assistant headteacher.  A meeting was held with pupils to discuss their learning and views on the school.  Leaders met with inspectors to discuss their roles and the impact of their work.  Inspectors heard pupils read and talked to pupils in the playground, during lessons and as they moved around the school.  Parents views were gathered at the start of the second day, and 23 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View, were considered. The 28 staff responses to the online survey were also considered.

p.10

Information about this inspection

 A range of documents was reviewed, including: the school’s improvement plan and self-evaluation document; the school’s single central record of employment checks on staff; information about pupils’ achievement, attendance, behaviour and safety and information on the school’s website.

p.10

Inspection team

Frances Hawkes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.10

Inspection team

Jayne Jardine 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 .

p.10

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 .

p.11

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.

p.11

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 .

p.11

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.

p.11

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 .

p.11

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 .

p.11

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.11

Inspection team

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

p.11