Judith Kerr Primary School

Inspection of Judith Kerr Primary School 62–68 Half Moon Lane, Herne Hill, London SE24 9JE

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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 Good 4 and 5 May 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They have high standards for themselves and each other. They talk confidently about the importance of treating each other with fairness and respect. They also learn how to respect and appreciate people in different situations from themselves, such as those in different types of families.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are particularly proud that they can learn and get better at German. From the moment they start school, children are immersed in the German language. They are also taught to appreciate German culture, including a variety of stories and songs. In other subjects too, leaders want all pupils to learn an ambitious curriculum. Some subjects, including early reading, are planned to achieve this aim, but others are still being developed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand about different types of bullying, including online bullying. They said that bullying at this school is rare. Adults are quick to help pupils resolve any problems, including, for example, if they fall out with friends. Pupils behave well, both in lessons and in the playground.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All adults working at the school understand how to support pupils’ well-being and make sure that they are kept safe. One parent, summing up the views of many, commented: ‘This is a school that really cares about the children.’

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better?

Leaders and staff are working hard to improve the curriculum. They have already carried out effective work to improve some subjects. This work is continuing. Leaders are very clear about what needs to be done to improve their curriculum thinking, and ensure that all subjects are equally ambitious and well planned.

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better?

In some subjects, leaders and staff know precisely what they expect pupils to learn, starting in Reception and continuing through to Year 6. In these subjects, teaching helps pupils to build on the knowledge and skills they have already learned before introducing new ideas. For example, in music, pupils talked about how helpful it was to have lots of opportunities to practise and in turn, apply their knowledge confidently. Teachers use assessment well to ensure that new knowledge and skills build on what pupils already know. This approach enables pupils to master important ideas and knowledge in a subject.

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better?

Nevertheless, some subjects are not as well developed. The knowledge that pupils should learn is less clearly identified. Sometimes, leaders have not considered how complex ideas in a subject need to be broken down and made more manageable for pupils to understand. Over time, pupils do not build up secure and detailed knowledge. While pupils can often remember the tasks they have completed, they find it hard to remember the knowledge and ideas that were taught. 4 and 5 May 2022

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The teaching of early reading is well organised and effective. Pupils quickly learn phonics and apply what they know to read unfamiliar words. The books they read are well matched to the sounds they have already learned. Pupils at risk of falling behind get extra help from skilled staff. This helps them to become confident readers and catch up quickly with their classmates. As a result, most pupils become fluent readers at an early stage in their education.

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Pupils like being able to find out more about the wider world through the books they read. They speak about their reading books enthusiastically. One pupil, for example, described their current reading book as ‘a special book’ which ‘helps me to think about how to treat others with respect and care.’

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Leaders provide pupils with a wide range of opportunities and events beyond the academic curriculum. Pupils learn to understand the wider world, such as Eid celebrations. They learn about equality and know that it is important to treat those who are different from themselves with respect. Pupils also said that they enjoy a good range of clubs and extra-curricular activities, such as choir, badminton and tennis.

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Pupils concentrate well in lessons and have positive attitudes. This helps them to learn well. This begins in the early years, where children concentrate on tasks, take turns and play happily together. Adults in the early years take good care of children. This, together with the well-planned curriculum, helps children to have a positive start to their time in school.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective support to help them take part fully in lessons. For example, some pupils use visual and practical resources to help them to organise their learning and work well with other pupils. Pupils’ needs are identified effectively. Pupils with SEND learn well and enjoy coming to school.

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Many teachers at the school are new to teaching. They are committed and enthusiastic. Leaders give them helpful advice about how to improve their expertise and subject knowledge. Staff said that leaders support their well-being very effectively.

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Governors and trustees have given leaders the right support to make the school a better place to learn. Trust leaders know the school well. They are clear about how to help leaders to further improve the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work well with the trust to make sure that safeguarding practice is as strong as it needs to be, including safer recruitment. Leaders and staff also help pupils to understand how to stay safe through the curriculum. For example, pupils learn about what is acceptable and age-appropriate online behaviour. They know how to 4 and 5 May 2022

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keep themselves safe online, such as by not sharing personal information with people they do not know.

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Adults are well trained to keep pupils safe. They know how to identify concerns, including those related to peer-on-peer abuse.

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School leaders take clear action to help vulnerable pupils, including working with other agencies. Staff also provide sensitive, well-tailored pastoral support when pupils need it. Pupils who receive this support said how much they appreciated it.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not thought equally well about what they want pupils to learn in all subjects. Leaders are developing their curriculum thinking in the subjects that are less well developed. They are focusing on making their aims clear, including how they expect pupils to build up and remember important subject knowledge in the long term. Leaders should continue this work, so that essential knowledge is precisely identified and sequenced from Reception to Year 6 in all 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. 4 and 5 May 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227420 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 25 April 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Judith Kerr Primary Academy is larger than the average-sized primary school. It is one of 16 schools in the Anthem Schools Trust.  The number of pupils has grown year on year since the school opened in 2013. There are now two classes in each year group from Reception to Year 5 and three classes across Years 5 and 6.  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 this into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, geography and music. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, 4 and 5 May 2022

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visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also listened to some pupils read.  Inspectors observed behaviour in lessons and at breaktime, and talked to pupils about behaviour at the school.  Inspectors also considered other curriculum subjects, including modern foreign languages, science, and personal, social, health and economic education.  The lead inspector met with the chair of the board of trustees, members of the local governing body and trust leaders.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors held meetings with senior leaders, trust leaders and members of the local governing body. Inspectors spoke to staff and pupils to gain their views. Inspectors looked at a wide range of records relating to safeguarding, including pre-employment checks for staff.  Inspectors met with teachers who are new to the teaching profession and other staff to find out their views about the school, including how leaders support them

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to manage their workload. Inspectors held discussions with teachers who are new to the teaching profession as well as other staff, including non-teaching staff.  Inspectors gathered pupils’ views through meetings, both during visits to lessons and at other times of the day.  Inspectors considered 117 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s survey for parents, including written comments. An inspector spoke to some parents and carers at the start of the second day of the inspection.

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Inspection team

Andrew Rigby, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Raj Mehta Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 May 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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