Orchard Primary School

Inspection of Orchard Primary School Oxford Road, Sidcup, Kent DA14 6LW

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 8 and 9 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school, and are happy and safe. They have positive relationships with each other, built on mutual respect. They all have an adult they can speak to if they are worried. Pupils learn about how to keep safe online.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils report that bullying is extremely rare and is not tolerated by staff. Behaviour in lessons is calm. Expectations of pupils’ behaviour are consistently high. Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They contribute to lessons and work hard independently and in groups.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff want the very best for all pupils. They have created a climate that inspires pupils to have high aspirations. Leaders are making sure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), have access to a broad and ambitious curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the large outdoor area. Staff make sure that pupils have access to a range of activities during playtimes. Pupils understand the importance of keeping fit and healthy. They learn about positive relationships. Leaders communicate key messages and expectations weekly during assemblies.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the workshops and trips on offer, such as the Year 6 residential visit to Sussex, and the first-aid workshop where they learned how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics. A new phonics programme is in place. Staff have received training and are delivering the sessions consistently well from Nursery through to Year 2. Resources have been adapted so that they are fit for all pupils, including those with SEND. Teachers regularly assess pupils to identify any gaps in their reading. They quickly adapt their teaching. They also provide extra help for any pupils falling behind. Consequently, these pupils quickly catch up with their peers. Teachers have begun their work in promoting reading for pleasure. They have carefully chosen texts, which they read to their classes daily. Pupils are beginning to talk about reading with enthusiasm.

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better?

Teachers regularly recap previous learning and summarise new learning. Pupils say that doing this helps them remember more. Pupils with SEND have access to the full curriculum alongside their peers. Leaders engage well with parents and carers and outside agencies.

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better?

Mathematics is a strength in the school. The programme is ambitious and well sequenced. After a significant amount of training, staff are now confident in their mathematical subject knowledge. Teachers assess pupils’ knowledge constantly and provide them with clear, direct feedback. Pupils progress well and stretch themselves as a result. Children join Nursery at a low baseline in mathematics. Staff carefully 8 and 9 March 2022

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plan and model activities for children in early years so that they regularly practise concepts until they become fluent in them.

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The science curriculum has been well planned and sequenced. There is a clear progression of knowledge and skills. As a result, pupils are enthusiastic when they talk about their learning in science. They gave examples of how they have developed as scientists over the years. For example, in early years, children start to learn about planets. In Year 1, pupils learn about gravity and can refer to that when finding out about the moon landing.

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Some other subject programmes, such as those for history and geography, have also been carefully designed. Leaders have made some appropriate links with other subjects and the whole-class reading books. Themes are developed over time, such as economy and education. Nevertheless, leaders still have some work to do in these subjects. While they have identified the key knowledge to be taught in most year groups, they now need to deliver it to all staff through training.

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Furthermore, subjects such as art, and design technology are at earlier stages. Although pupils are being taught these subjects, their experiences are varied. Leaders know exactly what they need to do to rectify this. Their work in this area has been significantly affected by COVID-19, along with the need to prioritise reading, writing and mathematics.

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Pupils are polite and courteous, and celebrate each other’s differences. They behave well in class and around the school. Parents comment on the positive community atmosphere. Parents enjoy receiving regular emails and the school newsletter. They are very pleased with the recent improvements to the education of their children.

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Staff and governors are very proud of their school. They have shared, high aspirations for their pupils. Staff say that they work hard, but that leaders look out for them and care about their well-being.

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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 culture across the school. All staff and governors receive regular training on safeguarding matters. They are all clear about their responsibilities.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe and receive regular updates on how to keep safe online.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that all safeguarding procedures are rigorous. Leaders engage well with outside 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. 8 and 9 March 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have focused on improving reading, writing and mathematics. These subjects are being delivered consistently well and pupils are making good progress. Leaders have worked on the rest of the curriculum, but some subjects are further along than others. Leaders must now clearly identify the key curriculum components that are missing. They need to complete this work across all subjects with some urgency. They must provide teachers with subject-specific training where there are gaps in their understanding of the curriculum. This is so that pupils will be able to confidently know and remember more in these subjects. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied.

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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 March 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Valerie Churchill

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Date of previous inspection

7 and 8 March 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been significant changes to staffing, including in the senior leadership team, since the previous inspection.  There is a new chair of the governing body.

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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 had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held meetings with senior leaders. They met with four members of the governing body, including the chair.  Inspectors spoke with two representatives of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and design technology. For each deep dive, inspectors met 8 and 9 March 2022

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with subject 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, science 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 on 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’s Parent View survey.  Inspectors reviewed a wide of documentation provided by the school. This included the school improvement plan, school evaluation document, curriculum

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Inspection team

Aliki Constantopoulou, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Teresa Neary Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 March 2022

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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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