Churchill Gardens Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Churchill Gardens Primary Academy Ranelagh Road, Pimlico, London SW1V 3EU

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Outcome

Churchill Gardens Primary Academy continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a section 5 inspection now.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are right to say Churchill Gardens is a great place to learn, be safe and make friends. The school’s motto, ‘Libertas per Cultum’ (‘Freedom through Education’), is displayed everywhere and on pupils’ uniforms. Leaders, staff, governors and trustees all share very high expectations for pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a vibrant and positive learning community. Pupils feel very safe. There is hardly any bullying or unkind behaviour and leaders deal very well with any that does occur. Pupils are exceptionally well behaved, respectful, polite and courteous. ‘We know staff really care for us,’ is a typical comment from pupils. Overwhelmingly, parents and carers agree.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff are committed to supporting pupils’ emotional well-being. Pupils receive strong pastoral and academic support. The resource base for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) provides highly effective support for pupils and their families.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders work well with staff, governors and trustees to make the school a safe and welcoming community. Staff value pupils’ efforts and have created a positive culture that inspires pupils to succeed. Teachers organise an exceptional range of interesting trips, clubs, visits and assemblies that enrich pupils’ experience of the world around them.

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

Highly effective leadership has improved the school since the last inspection. Everyone shares the same values and high aspirations. Pupils and families are treated with respect. Parents speak highly of the leaders and staff whose work transforms the lives of vulnerable pupils and their families. 4–5 December 2019

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There are strong links with other schools in the trust. Leaders offer great opportunities for pupils to thrive academically and improve their personal development. The provision for additional activities, such as water sports and performing arts, is popular and well organised. The school’s choir and orchestra are received enthusiastically by pupils and parents. Such activities give pupils confidence in themselves to achieve even more in lessons. There is a wide and varied range of clubs and activities that pupils can choose from. Leaders enable pupils to celebrate racial, cultural and religious diversity.

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The work in pupils’ books is of a high quality. This includes, for example, a detailed understanding of historical figures they have learned about. Pupils achieve exceptionally well in a range of subjects, including Latin and music. Leaders plan these subjects in an exciting way that is focused on pupils’ interests. As a result, pupils concentrate fully in lessons with no interruptions due to poor behaviour.

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Early reading and phonics are well organised. Despite many pupils joining the school with weak language skills for their age, staff are determined that all should achieve well. Any pupils who fall behind are quickly identified and helped to catch up quickly. Leaders have adapted the way phonics is taught to ensure that pupils with SEND learn to read well. Children in early years are very well supported and make strong progress in developing their language and literacy skills. There is potential for more pupils to reach higher standards in early years and by the end of Year 2.

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Pupils achieve well in English. Reading is promoted very well. Pupils study different authors and enjoy the ‘book challenges’. Staff promote a love of reading with rich opportunities to read modern and classic stories. Pupils were thrilled to explain the plot of ‘Treasure Island’, for example.

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Mathematics is very well led and organised. Pupils achieve well and apply their knowledge of arithmetic to solve challenging problems. Skilled mathematical experts help pupils build on what they have learned before. As a result, pupils are able to tackle more difficult work and apply mathematical reasoning to a range of situations.

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Acting as house captains, prefects, class councillors and librarians, pupils organise activities with staff. These and other activities have a very positive effect on pupils’ confidence and social skills. Pupils become independent, well-rounded, respectful, polite and caring individuals. Pupils share the values of the school such as honesty and friendship.

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Provision for pupils with SEND is very well managed. These pupils achieve well because they are given the right support at the right time, including for pupils with significant needs. Although these pupils achieve well overall, the work they receive in mainstream classes is not always closely matched to their needs.

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Leaders are mindful of teachers’ workload. They understand the need to ensure that improvements are sustainable and become part of the embedded culture of the school. Staff are thoughtful and determined to do the right thing for pupils. 4–5 December 2019

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Keeping pupils safe is the highest priority for the school. Staff are well trained to identify if there are any concerns and they know how to report these. Leaders consider these concerns and make appropriate referrals when they are needed. They are tenacious in following these up. The arrangements to recruit new staff are secure. Pupils feel safe and they are safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is still potential for more children in early years and pupils in key stage 1 to do better in reading and writing. More pupils could reach the higher standards. Leaders should build on the good start children are making to read, write and count.  The resourced provision for pupils with SEND is strong. However, occasionally, the work these pupils receive in mainstream classes is not closely matched to their needs. Leaders should ensure that teachers are well supported to integrate these pupils into all subjects equally well.

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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 the school to be good in May 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. 4–5 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. 4–5 December 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10121582 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 4–5 May 2016

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Information about this school

 The school has introduced a resource base for pupils with speech, language and communication needs that is funded by the local authority.

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Information about this inspection

 I held discussions with two governors, including the chair of the governing body. I met two trustees, the headteacher, senior leaders, the teacher responsible for managing SEND provision, staff and pupils.  The school’s records of pre-employment checks and other safeguarding documents were checked. I spoke to leaders and staff about safeguarding and to pupils about how they learn to stay safe.  I reviewed the school’s self-evaluation document and school improvement plan.  I did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history and music. In these subjects, I met with leaders, visited lessons and spoke with staff and pupils from those lessons and looked at pupils’ work.  I met with the special educational needs coordinator and the leader of early years.  I considered eight responses to Ofsted Parent View, in addition to eight free-text 4–5 December 2019

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responses and one letter from a parent.  I reviewed 26 responses to the staff survey and 21 responses to the pupil survey.  I observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school and checked records related to behaviour and attendance.

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Inspection team

Phil Garnham, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 4–5 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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