George Eliot Primary School

Inspection of George Eliot Primary School Marlborough Hill, St John’s Wood, London NW8 0NH

p.1

Inspection dates: 23 and 24 February 2022

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 23 and 24 February 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to school, work hard and learn well. They are safe. Leaders and staff have created a culture of kindness, honesty and respect.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ achievement. They make sure pupils get the support they need to achieve well. As a result, pupils learn and remember what they are taught.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. This is because the school’s rules are very well understood by pupils. Working relationships between pupils and staff are strong. Pupils sometimes remind each other to follow the code of conduct. Bullying is rare. When it occurs, leaders and staff act quickly to get it to stop, and prevent further bullying.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s work to support pupils’ personal development is exceptional. Pupils enjoy experiences that build their character. Pupils take on a range of extra responsibilities, including as breaktime play leaders or managing sections of the school’s edible playground.

p.2

better?

Pupils learn and build up knowledge and skills securely because of the strong curriculum. Across subjects, curriculum planning is typically ambitious about what pupils should know and by when. This helps pupils’ achievement. However, occasionally curriculum planning does not focus on the key knowledge and skills that pupils most need to know. This leads to some gaps in pupils’ knowledge. For example, in Reception, the curriculum does not identify fully the most important words that children need to know to be ready for Year 1.

p.2

better?

Pupils quickly learn to read well because they are helped to build reading fluency and confidence. Children in Nursery learn and repeat sounds to develop the knowledge they need to read. In Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, pupils receive daily reading lessons. Teachers use assessment information to provide ‘same-day’ extra support to any pupils who may not have grasped new phonics letter sounds. This helps to ensure that no pupils slip behind in their reading. Teachers make sure pupils’ reading books contain letter sounds they have already learned so that pupils practise reading familiar letter sounds many times. The books teachers read to pupils help them gain knowledge about a wide range of issues, such as the impact of the Second World War. Children in early years already have ‘favourite’ books.

p.2

better?

Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes in class and around the school are excellent. The school is calm and orderly. The school’s code of conduct has a strong and positive impact on behaviour. As pupils know and follow the school rules well, staff rarely need to remind pupils about their behaviour and learning proceeds uninterrupted. There are a range of therapeutic interventions in place which encourage pupils to use calming strategies and to manage their emotions. 23 and 24 February 2022

p.2

3

The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development is exceptional. Through taking part in performances, such as the Winter Show, pupils’ confidence grows. Pupils are proud of their achievements in performing arts lessons and clubs. Pupils are taught about the work of key historical figures, such as Rosa Parks and Emmeline Pankhurst . Older pupils know that there are different types of family. One pupil expressed the view of many: ‘What matters is the love at the heart of families, not the type of family.’

p.3

3

Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is strong. Learning is intelligently adapted so that pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. Leaders and staff ensure the needs of pupils with SEND are identified and met. In early years, staff work with parents, carers and leaders to identify and support children’s needs.

p.3

3

Staff help pupils to think ambitiously about their future careers. Older pupils are encouraged to think about future steps in their education and going to university. Leaders ensure that all pupils have equal opportunities to participate in all the school has to offer. For instance, records of attendance at extra-curricular clubs show many pupils attend, including many vulnerable pupils.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff identify pupils who may need early help as they have a strong understanding of safeguarding risks and the warning signs of possible abuse. Leaders take action and arrange appropriate help for pupils when needed.

p.3

Safeguarding

Due to a carefully thought through curriculum, pupils are taught how to stay safe and make sound decisions. For example, older pupils have been taught about the risks of joining gangs and about what to do if they were offered money to make deliveries. The school teaches pupils how to keep themselves safe online.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, there is not enough focus on what pupils most need to know to build their knowledge and skills. This leads to gaps in pupils’ key knowledge. Leaders need to ensure that all curriculum planning identifies the most important subject content that pupils need. 23 and 24 February 2022

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

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 .

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 23 and 24 February 2022

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Headteacher Naomi Leaver (Executive Headteacher) and Cory Mclauchlan (Head of School) Website www.georgeeliotschool.co.uk

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 6 and 7 June 2018

p.5

Information about this school

 The school joined Robinsfield Federation in September 2018.  Leaders use one registered alternative provider.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with senior and subject leaders, including the head of school and executive headteacher, assistant headteachers, the special educational needs coordinator and the leader for early years. Inspectors spoke with three governors and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke 23 and 24 February 2022

p.5

6

to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also spoke to leaders about other subjects and visited lessons in performing arts and music.  To understand the school’s safeguarding culture, inspectors discussed the school’s response to concerns about pupils’ welfare, checked the single central record, spoke with pupils and staff and spoke with the designated safeguarding lead.  Inspectors considered responses to the staff survey and responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View.

p.6

Inspection team

Barney Geen, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Meena Walia Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 February 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7