St Mary's CofE Nursery and Primary School

Inspection of St Mary’s CofE Primary School Felsham Road, Putney, St Mary’s C of E Primary School, London SW15 1BA

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected 14 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 8 and 9 December 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils arrive each day with smiles on their faces. They greet staff politely at the school gate. They enjoy coming to school and are proud members of the community. Pupils feel safe in school. Bullying is rare and staff take any incidents seriously. Pupil ‘anti-bullying ambassadors’ are well trained, and support their peers in dealing with any incidents before they escalate.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of all pupils. Pupils behave well and they do not disrupt each other’s learning in lessons. There are many activities available at playtimes. Pupils particularly like ‘Friendship Fridays’, where they get to play with someone they have not played with before.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff show each other mutual respect. Pupils are eloquent and reflective. They enjoy their learning and the outings they go on. They especially look forward to their visit to a chocolate factory. Older pupils look forward to their residential excursion to Surrey.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to develop their talents and interests in activities such as sport, singing and art. These activities are well attended.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. They have carefully thought about how each subject should be sequenced. Leaders have identified the knowledge they want pupils to learn.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that what pupils learn is organised in a logical order. It allows pupils to build on what they learned previously. This works particularly well in mathematics, where teachers check pupils’ understanding of key concepts before introducing new ones. Teachers help pupils to use the correct mathematical vocabulary when they give reasons for their answers. This is embedded well across all year groups.

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better?

Pupils understand how what they have learned before helps them to understand new topics. For example, older pupils use their knowledge of multiplication effectively to work out cubed numbers. In Reception, teachers make sure that children fully understand the relationships between numbers up to 10, before moving on to bigger numbers. In art, pupils described how they learned to use shading in their drawings, and how their knowledge and skills have developed over time. Similarly, in music, pupils listen to and appreciate a range of genres. As they move through the school, they learn musical notation and enjoy performing their own compositions.

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better?

In a few subjects, leaders have identified gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This is where some new subject plans have not been fully embedded throughout the school. 8 and 9 December 2021

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Leaders have redesigned these subjects to address the gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Leaders have plans in place to help teachers deliver these subjects well and to enable pupils to catch up.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities access the full curriculum. Teachers make sure that these pupils have what they need to achieve well, including adapted resources and extra adult support. Staff liaise with appropriate agencies to get additional advice and guidance for these pupils.

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Leaders have made sure that the teaching of reading is a priority. Right from the start of early years, staff promote children’s reading skills. From Reception onwards, daily phonics sessions help pupils to become fluent readers. Pupils learn to read using books that match the sounds they are learning. This helps them to read confidently. Staff make sure that any pupils who fall behind get the extra support they need. They quickly catch up with their peers. Teachers promote a love of reading. Pupils were keen to talk about their favourite books and authors.

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Pupils behave well in lessons. They are engaged and motivated to learn. Pupils have many opportunities to develop their interests. Pupils elected to the school council proudly represent their peers. They understand that democracy is fair. Their views are heard. Staff encourage pupils to be good citizens. Pupils campaign to clean the local area and raise money for their chosen charities.

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Staff engage well with parents and carers. Parents develop a strong partnership with the school in early years. They regularly contribute to the online platform that celebrates children’s successes.

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Staff enjoy working at the school. They feel supported by leaders who care about their well-being and help them to manage their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders, including governors, have ensured that there is a strong safeguarding ethos across the school. All staff and governors receive regular training in safeguarding matters. Leaders make sure that all safeguarding procedures are rigorous. Leaders engage well with external agencies, and provide families with the support they need. Leaders follow safer recruitment procedures to ensure that all pre-employment checks are carried out diligently.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe in school. They said they could talk to staff if they were worried about something. Pupils are taught how to keep safe online. 8 and 9 December 2021

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Most subjects are well planned, to ensure that pupils learn important knowledge and remember it over time. In a few subjects, leaders have identified gaps in pupils’ knowledge. They have refined the curriculum plans in these subjects, but these need time to be embedded. Leaders should ensure that the changes made to the plans in these subjects are fully embedded, and implemented consistently. Leaders should support teachers to address the gaps in pupils’ learning.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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 .

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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. 8 and 9 December 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199434 Type of school Primary

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School details

Chair of governing body Judith Kennedy and Natasha Hume (co- chairs) Headteacher Cheryl Payne

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Information about this school

 This is a Church of England school. It received its section 48 inspection in September 2017.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors held meetings with senior leaders. They met with six members of the local governing body, including both co-chairs.  Inspectors spoke with representatives of the diocese, and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and French. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject 8 and 9 December 2021

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leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also considered leaders’ plans and pupils’ work in art, music and geography.  Inspectors held meetings with pupils. Inspectors spoke to staff about their workload and well-being.  Inspectors considered the effectiveness of safeguarding through discussions with leaders, teachers and support staff. They looked at records relating to safeguarding, including pre-employment checks for staff.  Inspectors considered the views of staff and pupils by reviewing the responses to the staff and pupil surveys. They also reviewed the free-text responses to Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documents provided by the school. This included the school improvement plan, school evaluation document and school policies.

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Inspection team

Aliki Constantopoulou, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lando Du Plooy Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 December 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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