Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mrs Nathalie Bull Singlegate Primary School South Gardens Colliers Wood London SW19 2NT

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No formal designation inspection of Singlegate Primary School

Following my visit with Sarah Jones, Jacques Szemalikowski and Meena Walia, Ofsted Inspectors to your school on 6–7 November 2019, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings.

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No formal designation inspection of Singlegate Primary School

This inspection was conducted under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 and in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for inspecting schools with no formal designation. The inspection was carried out because Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector was concerned about aspects of the quality of education and, in particular, pupils’ achievement in writing in recent years.

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Evidence

Inspectors held meetings with leaders, governors, a representative of the local authority and staff. Inspectors spoke to pupils about their work and looked at their books. We listened to pupils from Year 2 and Year 3 read. We spoke with parents and carers at the beginning of the school day to gather their views. Inspectors focused on reading, mathematics, writing, geography and personal, social, health, and economic education. We visited classrooms, accompanied by school leaders. We looked at documents related to the quality of education, for example records of the checks leaders make on teaching and learning.

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Context

The size of the school and its leadership structure have changed substantially since the previous inspection. At that time, there was one class in each year group. Currently, from Reception Year to Year 5, there are three classes, with two classes in Year 6. The school is now part of a federation of three schools. These schools share one governing body and you are now the chief executive headteacher.

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Main findings

Leaders and governors have managed these changes to the school exceptionally well. The quality of education remains very high. Teachers plan lessons carefully. They use exciting strategies to engage pupils’ interest. Teachers find effective ways to help pupils remember important information. For example, pupils in Year 6 talked to us at length about what they learned in Years 4 and 5.

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Main findings

Leaders ensure that staff are very skilled in teaching early reading and phonics. There are well-established plans in place so that children develop their reading skills right from the start of the Reception Year. Staff enable pupils to build on this strong start through Years 1 and 2 and onwards. Pupils leave the school at the end of Year 6 with the necessary reading skills to succeed in secondary school.

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Main findings

You and your leaders are similarly ambitious for how well pupils achieve in writing. Teachers meet leaders’ high expectations. Teachers ensure that pupils access a comprehensive range of resources and high-quality texts to develop their writing skills. This means that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils, achieve well.

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Main findings

You are quick to pick up when improvements are needed. You and your leadership team put in place effective measures to address any issues identified. For example, when there was a dip in pupils’ achievement in writing, leaders made sensible adjustments to how writing is taught in the school. This led to improvements in pupils’ writing skills across the school.

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Main findings

Leaders ensure that pupils’ education across all subjects is equally effective. The curriculum is well planned so that lessons build on what pupils already know. There is a strong focus on learning new words. Consequently, pupils develop a broad vocabulary which they use with confidence when speaking and writing. Teaching assistants are very skilled at supporting pupils who need help to catch up.

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Main findings

Teachers have consistently high expectations of behaviour. The behaviour we saw in lessons and around the school was exemplary. The staff and pupils we spoke to told us that everyone is always polite, respectful and friendly. Pupils do what teachers ask without hesitation. Routines are well established. This ensures that no learning time is lost.

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Main findings

Leaders take great care in looking after pupils’ and staff’s well-being. Pupils really appreciate the emphasis in school on mental health. They said that everyone feels as though they really belong. They told us that there is rarely any bullying because of the school’s caring ethos.

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Main findings

Staff are very positive about the high-quality training they receive. Leaders take staff’s views on workload into account. Staff really appreciate this and feel very well supported. They said workload has been reduced, which makes them more effective at their jobs. They have seen an improvement in pupils’ achievement as a result.

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External support

Leaders encourage collaboration. Staff share their excellent practice, both within school and across the federation. You are regularly asked by the local authority to support other schools needing improvement.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Merton. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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