Clockhouse Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Clockhouse Primary School Clockhouse Lane, Collier Row, Romford, Essex RM5 3QR

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Outcome

Clockhouse 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 happy to come to this school. They feel safe and said there is very little bullying. Pupils we spoke to could name who they would go to if they were worried. They were confident any problems would be sorted out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers have high expectations of pupils. They expect them to work hard and achieve well. Pupils are very focused in lessons and get on with their work. In the playground, they play cooperatively with one another.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have identified ‘100 things to do before you leave Clockhouse’. This is a set of activities aimed at making sure pupils have a broad experience of life. The school teaches a ‘life skills’ curriculum to help develop pupils’ independence. Everything is planned with pupils’ future success and well-being in mind.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are confident and know their voice matters. They talked enthusiastically about the activities they take part in through school. ‘Class ambassadors’ take pride in their responsibilities. This school puts partnership with the community at the heart of its work. Leaders aim to make the school ‘a family and a home for everyone’. They want to break down barriers for pupils and families so that all pupils succeed.

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

Many children start at Clockhouse with knowledge and skills below those typical for their age. Teachers understand children’s starting points very well and build on these equally well. For instance, while many children have limited communication skills at the start of Nursery, effective teaching prepares them very well for Reception. In the early years and in Year 1, pupils learn the names and sounds of letters quickly. They use this knowledge well to help them read and write words. 29–30 January 2020

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Leaders want pupils to enjoy books and become life-long readers. Teachers foster an enjoyment of books. Pupils are full of enthusiasm when it comes to their daily storytime. If they fall behind with reading, small group teaching helps them to catch up. Leaders have successfully made it a priority that pupils learn to read as well as possible by the end of Year 6. This includes disadvantaged pupils. When individuals or a group fall behind, they intervene quickly to help them catch up. Staff share a common approach across all subjects to teaching vocabulary. This also helps those pupils who do not have a wide word range to become good readers.

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Across the curriculum, leaders have sequenced teaching plans well. Plans clearly show how pupils’ learning builds year on year. Subject leaders also check that teaching enables pupils to achieve highly. If they feel pupils could do even better, leaders act. For example, in French, the scheme of work has recently been changed so that non-specialist class teachers are better supported in leading learning.

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Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. These expectations are shared by staff and respected by pupils. This ensures that classrooms are calm and purposeful places, where everyone can learn. The few pupils who sometimes struggle with their behaviour are well managed.

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Mathematics teaching is effective. Pupils are given challenges of increasing difficulty to solve as they build their curriculum knowledge. We saw this in a lesson on fractions where many pupils grew in confidence because of this approach. Teachers make effective use of assessment to find out what pupils do and do not understand. They then fill any gaps in their knowledge.

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Leaders are determined that all pupils have the chance to develop their skills in physical education, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers makes sure everyone can participate. They also use the subject effectively to teach pupils about healthy lifestyles.

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The provision for SEND is a strength of the school. Leaders know that many pupils need emotional support to help them learn. There is a wide range of provision to support emotional and social needs. In the class for pupils with complex needs, everything is tailored to the individual. Additional adults give pupils with SEND a good balance of support and independence in mainstream classes.

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Leaders and governors know the school community well and have carefully planned the curriculum and wider provision to enable pupils to broaden their horizons. Part of their vision for the school is that children leave well prepared for their future lives. Disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils are fully included. Sports activities and visits to the theatre and to country parks make a very significant contribution to pupils’ life experiences and cultural awareness. Pupils also have a good knowledge of other cultures and can remember key knowledge about different world religions.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 29–30 January 2020

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Leaders carry out the necessary checks on everyone who works in the school. They make sure that staff understand how to keep pupils safe. Staff know how to report concerns. Training has given staff a good understanding of the risks that pupils may face outside of school. Leaders show determination in dealing with any risks to the safety of pupils. They act quickly when a pupil is in need. School staff work effectively with other agencies to look after the needs of their pupils. They are persistent in making sure concerns get followed up.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders are constantly evaluating the curriculum to ensure that it leads to pupils achieving well. In French, a new scheme of work has recently been introduced with the aim of better supporting non-specialist teachers in leading foreign language learning. Leaders should monitor the implementation and impact of this scheme, to check that it is having the desired effect on raising pupils’ achievement.

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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 Clockhouse Primary 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.

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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 . 29–30 January 2020

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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. 29–30 January 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10121567 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.clockhouseprimaryschool.co.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17–18 May 2016

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Information about this school

 The school has an additional resourced provision for children with complex needs.

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Information about this inspection

 We met with the headteacher, curriculum leaders, members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, the school improvement manager for the London Borough of Havering and the school’s lead for SEND.  We did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, physical education and religious education. We talked to school leaders, visited lessons, met with pupils and staff, and looked at pupils’ workbooks. We looked at curriculum planning and pupils’ work in science, and planning documents for French.  We scrutinised the school’s single central record, talked to pupils, staff and parents about safeguarding and met with the designated safeguarding lead. 29–30 January 2020

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Inspection team

Bryony Freeman, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

David Bryant Ofsted Inspector 29–30 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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