Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Lesley Murdoch Headteacher Oliver Goldsmith Primary School Peckham Road Camberwell London SE5 8UH

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Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 18 May 2021, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the monitoring inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Primary School

The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and has taken place because the school has received two successive judgements of requires improvement at its previous section 5 inspections.

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Primary School

This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. I discussed the impact of the pandemic with you and have taken that into account in my evaluation.

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Primary School

Having considered the evidence, I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

in order for the school to become a good school.

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

The school should take further action to:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 ensure that curriculum plans for science are implemented fully across the school, and that gaps in pupils’ knowledge are addressed  ensure that teachers adapt curriculum planning to help pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to know more and remember more.

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Context

There have been significant changes to the leadership team since the time of the previous inspection. You were appointed in January 2021. Two deputy headteachers have also been appointed. There is a new chair of the governing body, and other new governors have been recruited.

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Context

At the time of this inspection, a restructuring of support staff was taking place.

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Main findings

Leaders and governors have taken robust action to improve the school. These actions are addressing the areas of weakness identified at the time of the previous inspection. You have also supported staff to address the actions identified at the time of the remote monitoring inspection in February 2021.

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Main findings

You provide confident leadership. Staff too are growing in confidence and developing their skills in teaching the broad curriculum on offer.

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Main findings

The teaching of reading is now a strength. The curriculum places a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ vocabulary across a range of subjects. Teachers ask questions to make sure that pupils understand what they have read. They support pupils to voice their thoughts and viewpoints. Phonics is now taught consistently, and staff have developed confidence in their subject knowledge.

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Main findings

Leaders have supported staff to implement well-sequenced plans in history and geography. These plans help pupils to build on their prior knowledge. Leaders are constantly enhancing these curriculum plans. This work is based on their careful monitoring of how well pupils are learning.

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Main findings

The mathematics curriculum is implemented consistently by all staff. This is having a clear impact on improving pupils’ knowledge in this subject. Gaps in pupils’ learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic are being filled effectively.

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Main findings

The science curriculum is not fully implemented. This is in part due to the difficulty of teaching practical and investigative work during periods when the school was only open to some pupils due to COVID-19 restrictions. Pupils’ ability to work scientifically is not as well developed as it should be. You and the leadership team have rightly identified this as a priority within your improvement planning.

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Main findings

Pupils write well. They write down their ideas in a logical and detailed way. The curriculum incorporates well-planned opportunities for pupils to practise writing in a range of forms and for different purposes.

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Main findings

More work is needed to support pupils with SEND to achieve well. The planning and delivery of the curriculum do not break down clearly the small steps pupils need to make in order to learn successfully. This means that some pupils with SEND do not consistently know more and remember more. Furthermore, adults sometimes provide too much help to this group of pupils, which limits pupils’ ability to apply and consolidate their knowledge. This is evident across all the subjects taught. Leaders have provided training for staff on teaching pupils with SEND. However, further training is planned to enable staff to support these pupils to learn effectively.

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Main findings

Pupils are highly articulate about their learning and their school. Relationships between adults and pupils are very positive. The school provides a warm and nurturing environment for all pupils.

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Main findings

You have a clear and accurate view of what the school needs to do to become a good school. Leaders and governors contribute effectively to this view. As a result, your priorities for improvement are the right ones.

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Main findings

Staff feel very well supported in their roles and said that their workload is manageable. Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s Parent View survey were also positive about the school’s work.

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Additional support

Teachers continue to benefit from working in partnership with The Mayflower Federation. They particularly value working collaboratively with the federation on curriculum planning.

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Additional support

The local authority continues to support you and the leadership team to monitor the effectiveness of the school and the quality of education.

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Evidence

During the inspection, I held meetings with you, the deputy headteacher, representatives of those responsible for governance, and other leaders, to discuss the actions taken since the last inspection.

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Evidence

I visited a range of lessons with leaders, sampled a range of pupils’ books, and reviewed a wide range of documentation relating to the school’s plans for improvement. I also held discussions with staff and reviewed Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and parents.

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Evidence

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Southwark. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website. Yours sincerely

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