Launcelot Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of school: Launcelot Primary School Launcelot Road, Downham, Bromley, Kent BR1 5EA

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Outcome

Launcelot Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming, calm, and inclusive learning community. Pupils are proud of their school. They particularly enjoy the additional outdoor play and learning opportunities provided at breaktimes and lunchtimes. One pupil, summing up the views of many, said, ‘It’s great to have so much to do.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming here and work well together. They know that staff care about their well-being. Leaders use many strategies to support pupils’ personal development. The focus on developing pupils’ ability to express themselves clearly and with confidence is evident across the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils in all areas of their learning. As a result, pupils typically produce work of good quality across the curriculum. The provision for early reading, including phonics, is strong. Pupils quickly become fluent readers, and this contributes to them being able to learn well in other subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is positive. They show mature attitudes towards their learning, and are keen to do well in their work. Pupils also understand the responsibility they have to treat each other with kindness and respect. Pupils said that bullying is unusual. On the rare occasions that bullying does happen, staff deal with it quickly. Pupils are kept safe and feel safe in school.

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

All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), study a curriculum that matches the breadth and scope of what is expected nationally. Leaders have considered the knowledge that they want pupils to learn, including in the early years. The curriculum in most subjects is well designed and ensures that pupils revisit and remember important ideas and information. 9 and 10 March 2022

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Leaders are clear that ‘Launcelot is a reading school’. They prioritise reading from the early years because they want pupils to learn successfully in all subjects. The early reading curriculum is well structured and ambitious. As a result, pupils develop the phonics knowledge they need to read confidently and accurately. By the end of key stage 2, pupils read a wide range of books and texts with understanding. Pupils with SEND follow the same early reading programme and are well supported. The programme prepares all pupils well for learning across the curriculum and throughout the school.

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In reading, teachers make effective use of assessment to provide pupils with the right support when they need it. Pupils learning to read, for example, read books and materials that are well matched to their needs and knowledge. However, in some other subjects, assessment approaches are not as helpful in checking that pupils have learned and understood the planned curriculum. For example, in music, pupils’ learning is not routinely checked to ensure that they have remembered what they have been taught. Sometimes, this means that pupils are not as well prepared as they could be to study more difficult ideas.

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Leaders provide teachers with helpful professional development and guidance to support them in implementing the curriculum. This typically enables teachers to respond to pupils’ needs effectively. The needs of pupils with SEND are identified and catered for well. In light of disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders have checked which subject content pupils need to go over again. Curriculum plans have been reviewed so that teaching tackles gaps or misconceptions in pupils’ understanding. However, this approach has not been completed and implemented in history and science. Leaders have plans to review the curriculum in these subjects imminently.

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Leaders are determined that pupils have rich cultural experiences to support their wider development. This begins in the early years. Curriculum topics often involve a ‘hook’ to stimulate pupils’ curiosity. For example, pupils in Year 5 visited the Science Museum and Reception children had a visit from ‘Sophie the Dinosaur’ to help bring their learning alive. Staff provide pupils with a range of after-school activities, including in sports and the arts. Pupils enjoy attending and exploring different interests.

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In lessons, leaders and staff expect pupils to behave well and concentrate on their work. Any off-task behaviour is dealt with quickly and effectively by staff. This makes classrooms calm and harmonious places to learn.

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Leaders and governors help staff to manage their workload effectively. They promote staff well-being with great thought. Staff said that they appreciate the support provided by school leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 9 and 10 March 2022

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Staff and governors ensure that the safety and well-being of pupils are a priority. Pupils learn about staying safe in person and online. They know who they can speak to if they feel worried or have concerns.

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Staff receive appropriate information and training on safeguarding. They use the school’s systems effectively in order to raise and follow up on concerns. Pupils who may be vulnerable are identified and supported promptly. Leaders work closely with external agencies to further understand and support pupils’ needs. This work is particularly important for some pupils in the aftermath of the pandemic. Families recognise and appreciate that leaders make meeting the needs of each pupil as an individual a priority.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, assessment is not always used as well as it is in English and mathematics. Sometimes, pupils’ knowledge and understanding are not checked in order to make sure that they know more and remember more over time. Leaders should ensure that assessment is used effectively in all subjects so that pupils are able to build on their learning progressively.  To make sure that pupils catch up on any learning missed during the pandemic, leaders are reviewing and adapting the content taught in all subjects. In history and science, this work has not been completed. Leaders should carry out their planned reviews of these subjects, and ensure that the curriculum enables pupils to fully secure their understanding of key ideas and concepts.

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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 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 as 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 May 2012. 9 and 10 March 2022

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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 .

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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. 9 and 10 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211159 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 January 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Launcelot is a larger-than-average sized primary school.  Leaders make use of the local authority’s alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school 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 the evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders and middle leaders, including those responsible for safeguarding. He also met with representatives of the governing body as well as the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, music and history. These involved discussions with curriculum leaders and teachers, visits to lessons, scrutiny of pupils’ work and discussions with pupils. Other subjects were also considered. 9 and 10 March 2022

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 The inspector analysed safeguarding documentation, including the single central record of pre-employment checks. He also reviewed a range of documents, including leaders’ development plan and school policies.  The inspector considered the views of parents and staff through their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

David Boyle, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 9 and 10 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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