Acton Gardens Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Berrymede Infant School Castle Close, Acton, London W3 8RN

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 September 2021

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Outcome

Berrymede Infant School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of all pupils. Language and communication are prioritised throughout the school. Teachers encourage pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language, to speak using full sentences. Teachers consider carefully how to help pupils become confident communicators. All this helps pupils to concentrate and remember important vocabulary.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff want pupils to be confident and proud of their heritage. Pupils learn about historical figures linked to their backgrounds. Leaders encourage pupils to become responsible citizens through understanding British values. They do this by providing pupils with a range of experiences. For example, taking care of the school’s vegetable garden helps pupils to learn to be responsible.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils settle into school quickly when they join. They play together happily. There is a calm and orderly atmosphere around the school. Pupils feel safe. They said that staff are caring and treat them fairly. In the online survey, parents and carers typically agreed that behaviour is good and that leaders manage any bullying well.

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

Leaders prioritise reading. Teachers read to pupils daily. Pupils are enthusiastic about books, including in early years. Phonics teaching is organised well. Teachers check which sounds pupils know and remember. They use this knowledge to help pupils to practise these sounds and learn new ones. All staff receive training to make sure that they use the same methods to help pupils get better at reading. Any pupils who are struggling are spotted quickly. These pupils receive additional help to catch up. The school’s consistent approach helps pupils to become confident, fluent readers.

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

Leaders sequence mathematics well so that pupils can know and remember more. Leaders have made sure that there is a consistent approach to teaching mathematics across the school. Teachers use the same language and prompts to help pupils remember 15 and 16 September 2021

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important mathematical content. For example, pupils use arm gestures to represent different parts of equations. Teachers allocate time in class for pupils to recall previous knowledge. Teachers also check on pupils’ learning at specific points during the year. This helps teachers plan what to teach next. In early years, children learn what they need to know to prepare them for Year 1. Inside and outdoors, children develop their knowledge of mathematics. Teachers manage any incidents of low-level disruption swiftly to avoid any impact on learning.

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The subjects taught in the school are in line with those in the national curriculum. Generally, leaders think carefully about how subject content is sequenced. This means that pupils can build successfully on what they have learned previously. For example, in geography, pupils start to learn about maps from early years. They develop their knowledge well and have a secure understanding by the time they get to Year 2. However, in a few subjects, leaders have not planned the order in which key content is learned as carefully. In some instances, they have not identified the most important content that pupils need to remember for future learning.

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In the past, subject leaders worked with other schools and organisations. This helped leaders improve their knowledge. This ongoing work and training for staff are not yet completed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Pupils access a range of wider opportunities. Leaders work with external agencies to enrich the curriculum. For example, a nutritionist helps pupils and their parents understand healthy eating choices. Leaders prioritise after-school fitness clubs, such as for dancing and martial arts. They aim to encourage pupils to be physically active. Leaders also plan educational visits linked to pupils’ learning.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well catered for. Pupils with SEND access the same subjects as their peers. They receive suitable support in class. Adaptations, such as visual resources, help all pupils to understand what is being taught. External therapists work with pupils and provide training for staff. Leaders work closely with these experts. They check that staff are doing the right things to support pupils and their families effectively.

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Governors and leaders work together to manage staff workload and well-being. Governors and leaders check the results of staff questionnaires and feedback. They use this information to find ways to reduce unnecessary burdens on staff. Staff appreciate the work done to support their well-being. Local authority partners, governors and leaders worked together to implement a new approach to phonics. As a result, all staff receive the right training and support.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive training to help them identify pupils who may need support. They are aware of local and national issues that may affect pupils. Staff know where to seek help and how to report concerns. Leaders engage with external services to make sure that pupils 15 and 16 September 2021

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receive appropriate help and support. Leaders build positive relationships with parents. This helps them identify and support families who may need early help.

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Leaders are committed to safeguarding. They make sure that adults are properly vetted before they start working with pupils. Through assemblies and discussions, pupils are encouraged to keep themselves safe. Pupils in Year 1, for example, can recite the telephone number for a national safeguarding charity. They know what support is available should they need to call.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum content that pupils need to know and the order in which it should be learned is not carefully planned in all subjects. This means that in a few subjects, pupils do not build up all the key knowledge they need for future learning. However, it is clear that leaders have already taken action to plan next year’s curriculum and to train staff in how to deliver it. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. Leaders should make sure that in all subjects, the content is carefully selected and coherently sequenced.

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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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2011.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 . 15 and 16 September 2021

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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. 15 and 16 September 2021

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Date of previous inspection

14 September 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There has been a change of headteacher since the previous inspection.  The school uses no alternative providers.  The school is currently planning to merge with the neighbouring Berrymede Junior school to become Berrymede Primary in September 2022.

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Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders, and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, executive headteacher and other school leaders. The inspector also met with representatives of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Deep dives were carried out in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, 15 and 16 September 2021

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visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also saw curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  The inspector looked at the safeguarding arrangements in the school. The inspector spoke to leaders and staff about what they are doing to safeguard pupils. The inspector looked at records and documentation and also checked that leaders make the necessary pre-employment checks.  The inspector spoke to staff about their workload and well-being, looked at 14 responses to the Ofsted online survey for parents, and spoke to some parents to find out their views.

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Inspection team

Andrea Bedeau, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 15 and 16 September 2021

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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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