St. Paul's (Slade Green) Church of England Primary School

Inspection of St. Paul’s (Slade Green) Church of England Primary School Slade Green Road, Erith, Kent DA8 2HX

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected 10–11 December 2019

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone we spoke with said how much the school has improved over the past two years. Pupils told us that they really enjoy the school. They said that teachers are nice, and if you feel worried you can tell an adult and they will help you. Pupils want to do well in school, ‘so that you can get a good job.’ Leaders work very hard to keep pupils safe.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

There are times when not all pupils behave as well as they should in class. Pupils are learning to manage their behaviour, but they do not always succeed. Teachers’ choices of activity sometimes lead to pupils not being fully engaged with their learning. Pupils said that there had been some bullying in the past but that they understand the consequences of this behaviour. Pupils told us that staff will help them if they feel worried.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of all pupils. Results have not caught up with these expectations yet. The structure and planning of lessons need to be more focused on what pupils know by the end of a unit of work. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported in their learning. The school’s learning resource base supports pupils with their communication needs.

p.2

better?

Leaders, including those from the trust, are taking the school on a journey of improvement. The clear vision the trust has for this school is shared by school leaders. They have organised the curriculum and policies to improve the education for pupils. Staff, pupils, and parents and carers commented that there has been an improvement at the school over the past two years. However, the work has not yet had an impact on the attainment of pupils by the end of Year 6.

p.2

better?

Some pupils do not attain well enough or make the progress that they should. Teachers need to be more ambitious in what they expect pupils to do and achieve. Some subject leaders do not have a consistently clear picture of what is being taught in each class to ensure that pupils make the best use of their time.

p.2

better?

Leaders have worked hard to give pupils opportunities to become more independent in their learning. However, some pupils disrupt others by talking or fidgeting. This disturbs not only their own learning, but also the learning of other pupils.

p.2

better?

Pupils’ behaviour around the school is generally polite and orderly. Pupils were observed opening doors for each other, and then each exchanging thankyous. Pupils play well with each other, and the behaviour in the playground was positive. Historically the proportion of fixed-term exclusions has been high. Leaders have reduced this number. Leaders need to maintain this over time.

p.2

better?

Pupils spoke positively about the opportunities they have for visits. The Year 6 pupils 10–11 December 2019

p.2

3

were able to recall key facts about the First and Second World War. The pupils’ learning in this topic had been supported by a recent trip to the Imperial War Museum.

p.3

3

The work the school has done with UNICEF has developed staff and pupils’ understanding of their rights and responsibilities. Pupils were able to tell me in detail how they were global citizens and advocates for fairness.

p.3

3

Staff were very positive about how the school supports them. They said that the leaders provide them with opportunities to watch each other teach. They told us that changes have been made to reduce their workload. Teachers have pride in their school.

p.3

3

The teaching of early reading is well structured and organised. Pupils work in small groups, organised to meet their learning needs. Pupils learn phonics daily from the first days that they are in the school. Stories, rhymes and shared reading are used to support this learning. However, some of the school’s reading resources do not match pupils’ reading ability well. This restricts some pupils from making strong progress with their fluency in reading.

p.3

3

Children in the early years are taught well. They have access to a well-considered ‘learning garden’ where they learn through active play. The early years leader has significant expertise. She trains the staff in the nursery and reception classes well, and the results can be seen in the interactions these staff have with children. Many of the children enter the nursery with weak language skills, and leaders have focused the teaching to improve children’s communication skills.

p.3

3

The school has a high number of pupils who have SEND. The individual needs of these pupils are identified. Leaders ensure that appropriate support is in place for these pupils. Some pupils attend the school’s specialist provision. These pupils are well supported with their learning. Leaders have allocated considerable resources to this.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The principal and staff monitor closely pupils who are at risk. All staff have received training to know how to spot potential signs of abuse and neglect. Staff seek out support where it is needed to ensure pupils’ safety and well-being. A family liaison officer supports pupils and families in need.

p.3

Safeguarding

Over the past two years, staff have worked hard to improve pupils’ attendance. Leaders work with an education welfare officer to support parents with their children’s attendance. Pupils learn to keep themselves safe online through regular e- safety lessons .

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum is new. It is not implemented consistently well in all subjects. Leaders need to ensure that the planned curriculum in all subjects is implemented consistently and effectively throughout the school.  There are signs that the number of fixed-term exclusions is decreasing. This has been high in the past. The school has implemented a consistent policy for managing behaviour. Pupils know and understand this. Work needs to be undertaken to ensure that activities in lessons meet the needs of pupils. This will help pupils to display positive attitudes to learning.  Although the school’s phonics programme is in place, some of the books pupils are given to read do not match the sounds they know. Leaders have recognised early reading is a priority. They need to ensure that resources for reading are well matched to pupils’ phonic abilities to help them become fluent readers.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 10–11 December 2019

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10128885 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

Not previously inspected as an academy. St Paul’s (Slade Green) Church of England Primary School converted to become an academy school on 1 July 2017. When its predecessor school, Slade Green Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged as requires improvement.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

Information about this inspection

 We met with the principal, vice principal and members of staff. We also met with members of the governing body and the chief executive officer of Trinitas Academy Trust.  We did deep dives in these subjects: reading, writing, personal, social, health and economic education, science, mathematics and history. For each of these subjects, we held discussions with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with staff and pupils, and looked at pupils’ work.  We spoke with parents and considered the 13 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including the free-text responses from parents.  We spoke with pupils and staff about the school’s work to keep pupils safe. We 10–11 December 2019

p.5

6

also considered safeguarding records, documentation and the school’s single central record of staff suitability checks.

p.6

Inspection team

Adam Vincent, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Robin Bosher Ofsted Inspector 10–11 December 2019

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

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.7

7

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.7

7

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

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7