Godwin Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Godwin Primary School Finnymore Road, Dagenham, Essex RM9 6JH

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Outcome

Godwin Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Godwin is a caring and happy school, where all are determined to give every pupil the best possible start in life. We saw a real sense of belonging. Pupils, parents and carers, staff, and governors talk with pride about their experiences of the school. The Godwin ethos of ‘working together’, putting the well-being of children at the heart of all the school does, is clear to all.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils views are listened to and matter. Pupils said their voices are heard and acted on. For example, pupils wanted an alternative to the outside play environment at lunchtime, and a warm, quiet place to read. Consequently, the school has recently opened ‘Starbooks Reading Cafe’ where they have a place to relax, read and enjoy talking about books during the lunchbreak.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that staff believe in them and want them to do well. They know what their teachers and other adults in the school expect of them. They behave very well and feel safe at the school. Pupils know all about the different types of bullying, and that it is not tolerated and why. They say that bullying is rare and that, if it does happen, adults sort out the problem quickly and well.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Across all subject areas, from Nursery to Year 6, pupils experience new learning in a logical order. School leaders, governors and staff are ambitious for all pupils. They have reviewed what is on offer. Leaders plan each subject to build on pupils’ knowledge and skills well. Teachers plan learning which is accessible to all. Disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported effectively and achieve well. The school has a much higher proportion of pupils who receive support for their SEND needs than seen nationally.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Many cultural experiences are on offer. Every pupil learns an instrument in Year 5. Ballet classes, led by The Royal Ballet School, take place in Year 3. Planned cultural 3–4 December 2019

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opportunities and visits are available to all. Opportunities to learn about living in modern Britain are well taught, alongside community projects such as ‘show racism the red card’. Pupils are taught well to think about the needs of others.

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Leaders prioritise the teaching of reading. Staff are well trained in the teaching of phonics. They quickly spot those pupils who need extra support to keep up. Younger pupils practise reading books that match the sounds they can read at home and at the school. The higher than national proportion of pupils who have SEND are doing well from the range of specialist support. Many have speech and communication difficulties and struggle to learn sounds quickly. Consequently, the proportion of pupils who reach the expected standard in the phonics check in Year 1 is below the national average. However, the school provides effective support for these pupils to catch up and learn the sounds that letters make. Consequently, almost all pupils have the phonics knowledge they need to learn to read fluently and independently by the end of Year 2. Pupils through the school like reading and record their daily reading on their ‘rocket’ records. These ‘rockets’

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are on display all around the school, shooting across the walls, up to the sky.

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Mathematics teaching is particularly strong. Teachers have good subject knowledge. They plan activities that help pupils better understand and get to grips with new ideas. Teachers are clear on what knowledge and skills pupils must learn, when and why. Pupils like learning their times tables, practising basic mathematics processes until the point at which they can apply them effortlessly. In the early years, teachers use key mathematical resources well to make learning practical and easier to understand. This continues across the rest of the school. Strong teaching means pupils’ progress in mathematics has remained significantly above that seen nationally.

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Teachers, supported by leaders, have made huge improvements in the teaching of geography and science. Teachers have good knowledge of these subjects and know where to go to get support. Pupils have a strong knowledge of their local area and the wider world. Even the youngest pupils can identify that different pictures of locations are not London and why. We saw pupils using geographical language well. We found that pupils can identify different landscapes, such as the tundra or savannah, and where on a map these environments may be. In the early years, there are many opportunities for children to explore outdoors. Pupils regularly take part in experiments and investigations. Teachers help pupils to learn new words in science.

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We saw pupils exposed to a rich range of vocabulary through carefully chosen texts. Leaders have made sure adults are clear about the importance of language-rich classrooms. But, in a few subjects, leaders have not focused on what vocabulary pupils are taught and why. Consequently, some pupils have gaps in their wider vocabulary.

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Staff say they enjoy working in this school. They appreciate that leaders look after their well-being and consider how to ensure a fair and manageable workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 3–4 December 2019

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Safeguarding is a strength of the school. Leaders and governors know their local community well. Staff, like leaders and governors, are clear about their responsibility to make sure pupils are safe. Staff are well trained in spotting and recording potential concerns, and the additional risks the most vulnerable pupils may face. They are aware of the vulnerabilities pupils may encounter in their daily lives. Staff swiftly refer any concerns appropriately, so that pupils and families get the help they need. The school’s vulnerable children’s team and parent support adviser work well with other partners to oversee a range of support, keeping pupils safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few areas, subject leaders have not focused on what vocabulary pupils are taught and why. Consequently, some pupils have gaps in their wider vocabulary. Leaders should ensure that, in these subjects, key vocabulary is highlighted, and pupils have more opportunities to use and explore this vocabulary.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Godwin Primary School to be good on 27–28 January 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 3–4 December 2019

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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. 3–4 December 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10110421 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 27–28 January 2016

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Information about this school

 At the time of the last inspection, the school was part way through an eight-year expansion programme. There were three classes in each year group from Reception to Year 4. Since then, the local area has seen a continued demand for primary school places, followed by a sharp decline. Currently, there are two classes in each year group from Reception to Year 2. There are three classes in each year group from Year 3 to Year 6.  The Nursery includes 16 places for children who have high levels of additional needs. Admission to the additional resource provision is via the local authority referral process. The provision is called Nursery with Additionally Resourced Provision, or the NARP. It is a specialist, additional resource provision for pupils who have significant special educational needs, including autism spectrum disorder.  Many of the children from the NARP transfer onto specialist provision. However, since

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Information about this school

the last inspection, the school has admitted a number of pupils with high levels of additional needs. Specialist support staff provide a combination of in-class and external support through the school’s ‘Sunshine room’. This provision supports pupils who are both non-verbal and have autism spectrum disorder. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs at the school is double the national figure.  The school offers before-school provision, for pupils who attend the school, managed 3–4 December 2019

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Information about this inspection

 We met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher (who leads on the whole-school curriculum) and the inclusion leader. We met with two governors, including the chair of the governing body. We spoke with a representative from the local authority.  We did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, geography and science. As part of this work, we held discussions with curriculum leaders and other staff about the design of the curriculum and how it is being implemented. We visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, and spoke with teachers and pupils.  We looked at how leaders make sure children are kept safe. We reviewed the school’s records relating to the safeguarding of children, including the single central record of employment checks. We spoke with the school’s designated safeguarding leaders and other adults. We watched and spoke with pupils throughout the school day, including while they were at play during lunchtime. We visited the NARP and ‘Sunshine’

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Information about this inspection

provision.  We spoke with staff and discussed how well leaders consider their well-being, including steps to help them manage their workload. We considered opportunities for pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development and how leaders promote high expectations for pupil behaviour.

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Inspection team

Jean Thwaites, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Lack Ofsted Inspector 3–4 December 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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