Downsell Primary School

Inspection of Downsell Primary School Downsell Road, Leyton, London E15 2BS

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good 20–21 November 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school and attendance is improving. They are courteous to staff and visitors. Pupils like the wide variety of clubs they can attend, especially taking care of animals at pet club.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say they feel safe in school and that staff care about their well-being and welfare. Children in the early years play happily together. They are good at sharing and taking turns. Most older pupils move around the school sensibly. However, disagreements at lunchtime can lead to disputes and squabbles. A few pupils said they feel less comfortable because of this behaviour. Some pupils said that bullying happens but that teachers usually stop it. Pupils’ behaviour is better in their classrooms. Pupils usually work hard. However, pupils say that sometimes their work is not hard enough. When this happens, pupils do not do as well as they should.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the opportunities to take on roles of responsibility within the active school council. They are enthusiastic about caring for the environment as eco warriors and older pupils enjoy looking after their younger classmates as peer mentors.

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better?

Not all subjects are taught well. In these subjects, pupils do not achieve as they should. Some teachers have not considered what pupils already know and what they want them to learn. Planned activities do not make it clear what new knowledge pupils will acquire.

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better?

Some teachers have not had the necessary training to develop knowledge in subjects such as physical education and religious education. Pupils can talk about what they had learned about festivals from different religions, such as Diwali. They can name objects used in different religions. Some pupils cannot explain the religious significance of these objects. Teachers’ planning for pupils in these subjects is not ambitious. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 learned the same songs from memory in music as pupils in Years 1 and 2. In mathematics teachers do not always make sure that pupils finish their work. There is incomplete work in some exercise books in some topics.

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better?

Leaders and staff make sure that children learn competently in Nursery and Reception. Staff are highly trained and skilled in the teaching of phonics. Pupils do well in the phonics screening check in Year 1. Teachers are clear about which sounds and words children should be able to read by the end of each term. Pupils apply their phonics skills confidently in their reading and writing.

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better?

Young children who are not confident readers, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive effective help so that no pupil is left behind. However, teachers do not build on this knowledge to ensure that 20–21 November 2019

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pupils progress with reading in Years 3 to 6. Too few pupils are able to read as well as they should by the time they leave the school. Pupils have limited knowledge of different authors. Reading books are not always matched to pupils’ ability.

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Pupils learn about the world around them through a variety of visits. Pupils show an appreciation of their own culture, while developing their knowledge of other cultures and different backgrounds. Pupils maintain active and healthy lifestyles and participate in a range of sporting competitions. Older pupils enjoy being digital leaders, helping younger pupils stay safe online.

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Leaders identified that reading and behaviour at lunchtime needed to be improved. However, the work to tackle these weaknesses is too slow. Governors have not challenged leaders well enough.

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The headteacher is the special educational needs coordinator. He has written effective plans for pupils with SEND. These pupils are ably supported within the early years classes. However, the work for older pupils is not correctly matched to their needs.

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Behaviour in the early years is a strength. Children worked together well when using bicycles on an obstacle course in the outside area. Most older pupils behave appropriately in lessons. When the work teachers set is either too easy or too hard pupils are distracted by low-level disruption. Some teachers do not notice the pupils who are struggling or those that may be learning quickly. Leaders have been successful at reducing exclusions and fewer pupils have been excluded this year than in previous years.

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Leaders and governors are committed to the school. They know what needs to be done. However, governors do not have enough information about how the school is doing. As a result, they cannot challenge leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The safeguarding team works effectively with external agencies to provide suitable care for pupils and their families. If staff are worried about a pupil, they report it immediately to the designated safeguarding leaders. Leaders follow up these concerns quickly. Pupils said they can talk to an adult if they are worried and leaders take the required action to keep them safe.

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Safeguarding

Any children missing education are rigorously checked. No child is taken off roll until their destination is known. Governors need to keep themselves up to date with current safeguarding requirements. 20–21 November 2019

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers’ planning does not always state the new knowledge and skills pupils need to learn from one year to the next. Too few pupils are prepared for the next stage of their education. Leaders need to make sure teachers have the skills to help them support pupils successfully. Training should be provided to teachers to ensure that they understand the knowledge that pupils need and when they should know it.  Too few pupils are able to read at a level expected of their age by the end of key stage 2. Leaders should regularly check that the teaching of reading is consistent. They need to develop high-quality support for pupils who are not fluent readers. Training should be provided to staff who do not have the necessary skills to teach reading.  Some pupils do not behave well at lunchtimes and when they move around the school. This behaviour makes some younger pupils feel uncomfortable. Leaders should take effective action to secure good behaviour for all pupils at all times of

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

the school day.  Leaders identify areas that they want to improve but do not take action quickly enough. The improvements which leaders make are too slow. Governors should check that leaders’ plans are put in place quickly and be clear about the improvements that are taking place. Governors also need to strengthen their understanding of current safeguarding procedures and processes.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 20–21 November 2019

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School details

Local authority London Borough of Waltham Forest

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School details

Inspection number 10121545 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13–14 April 2016

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher has joined the school since the previous inspection.  Since September 2019, the school has had provision for two-year-olds.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 We met with the headteacher, senior and subject leaders, class teachers, support staff, governors, including the chair of the governing body, and a representative from the local authority.  A range of documentation was reviewed. This included the school’s website, school policies, behaviour and special educational needs records and published information about pupils’ performance.  We met with the designated safeguarding leader to check that safeguarding procedures and processes were effective. We also checked the single central record to ensure that recruitment checks on staff have taken place.  During this inspection, we focused our activities on four deep dives into: reading, mathematics, physical education and music. We met subject leaders, visited 20–21 November 2019

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lessons (where they were taking place in that subject) accompanied by senior leaders, talked to pupils, spoke to teachers and looked at planning and pupils’ work. We also collected evidence relating to history and religious education.  We visited clubs offered by the school. We also observed pupils’ behaviour at break and lunchtime and as they moved around the school.  We spoke to parents at the beginning of the school day. We considered the views of pupils, parents and staff through online questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Rebekah Iiyambo, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Stephen Hall Ofsted Inspector 20–21 November 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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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