Stebon Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Stebon Primary School Burdett Estate, Wallwood Street, Poplar, London E14 7AD

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Outcome

Stebon Primary School 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 excited to come to school every day. Parents and carers typically told us that their children do not want to leave after each school day. This is because they enjoy the contagious buzz of learning around the school. Pupils and adults show a genuine love for learning. As a result, pupils in this school achieve highly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respond well to adults’ high expectations of them. They said they like lessons at school because they are challenging. Leaders and teachers always push them to learn and achieve more. For example, children from Reception to Year 4 learn to swim in the school’s own indoor pool. Older pupils have extra lessons in the London Aquatic Centre.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They behave well in and out of lessons. Adults spoke of how respectful the pupils are. Visitors often compliment them on their behaviour. Pupils are highly motivated and focus on their learning. Pupils were adamant that bullying does not exist in this school. They said that, if it did, leaders would act on it promptly and effectively. Parents are confident that their children are safe at school.

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

Leaders have designed a well-considered curriculum. It is a clear plan of what pupils are expected to know and be able to do at each stage of their education. It covers a wide range of subjects. Leaders have set ambitious goals for their pupils to achieve. These goals match, and often exceed, the requirements of the national curriculum.

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

Curriculum leaders are experts in the subjects they lead. They have a deep understanding of the knowledge and skills that pupils need to do well. They developed these skills through high-quality training from the trust. 21–22 January 2020

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In art, for example, pupils start to explore drawing at a very early age. Children in Reception draw castles, showing their understanding of lines and shapes. In Year 1, staff encourage pupils to observe a model closely and reproduce it in their drawings. By the time they reach Year 6, pupils make sophisticated drawings. These include, for example, modelling the techniques of artists such as Pablo Picasso.

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Leaders and staff ensure that pupils achieve highly in almost all areas of the curriculum. Where there are weaknesses, notably in history, leaders have begun to address these. All pupils have full access to all subjects. Staff design and plan lessons to fit the needs of all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in all aspects of the curriculum and achieve well. For example, in physical education lessons, pupils with SEND play games planned by the specialist teacher.

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Leaders, trustees and governors are adamant that all pupils in this school are able to read. To do this, school leaders and all staff are trained as expert teachers of reading. Pupils receive high-quality teaching of phonics every day. Pupils have a wide range of opportunities to develop their reading skills further. Across the school, pupils and adults alike show a genuine love of reading. It is alive in every nook and corner of the school.

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Teaching staff deliver the curriculum at a high standard. Teachers know which building blocks pupils need to learn before they move on to new concepts. They are quick to identify those parts of learning where pupils may encounter difficulties. In most cases, teachers already have plans to address the potential difficulties before teaching starts.

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Learning proceeds in all subjects without disruption. Pupils’ behaviour contributes positively to learning. Members of staff show genuine affection for the pupils in their care. Many of them told us that they love working in this school. They also appreciate the support they get from their leaders to ensure that their workload is manageable.

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Pupils grow in confidence as they get plenty of opportunities to learn beyond the planned curriculum. They make full use of a specialist teacher to extend their experience of music and performance. Pupils are currently working on a show in collaboration with The Walt Disney Company. Pupils across the school get to see the world of work. For example, they visit business offices in London to read with volunteers.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders, trustees and governors have ensured that arrangements for the safeguarding of children are robust. Checks on the suitability of staff are rigorous. Records relating to the safeguarding of children are detailed, organised and up to date.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe at home, at school and when online. They have plenty of opportunities within the curriculum to learn about e-safety, stranger danger, cyber bullying, gang violence and road safety. 21–22 January 2020

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers deliver the curriculum at a high standard. In history, however, the work given to pupils is not always demanding. As a result, pupils sometimes do not reach the ambitious end points in this subject as planned. Leaders need to ensure that teachers are supported to enable them to choose appropriate activities for pupils to achieve highly.

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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 predecessor school, also called Stebon Primary School, to be good on 8–9 July 2014.

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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.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are 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. 21–22 January 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10124660 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected as an academy

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Information about this school

 Stebon Primary School converted to become an academy on 1 July 2017. When its predecessor school, also called Stebon Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of the LETTA Trust, with one other primary school.  The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is above the national average. The school caters for a range of pupils’ needs.

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Information about this inspection

 We met with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, curriculum leaders, teachers, pupils, the chief executive officer, the board of trustees, members of the local governing board and a range of staff, including kitchen and office staff.  We completed deep dives in reading, mathematics, art and history. As part of this focus, we held discussions with curriculum leaders about the design of the curriculum and how it is being implemented. Together with leaders, we also visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and held discussions with teachers and pupils. 21–22 January 2020

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 In considering the effectiveness of the school’s safeguarding arrangements, we looked at the single central record. We also looked at records relating to the safeguarding of children. We considered records of staff training. We also held discussions with a range of pupils, staff and leaders.  We considered the opportunities for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. We made observations of pupils’ behaviour in and out of lessons.  We spoke with a range of staff and discussed how well leaders consider their well- being, including steps to help them manage their workload.  We had a telephone discussion with the school improvement adviser provided by the local authority.

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Inspection team

Edison David, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sir Robin Bosher Ofsted Inspector 21–22 January 2020

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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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