Aldborough Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Aldborough Primary School 231 Aldborough Road South, Seven Kings, Ilford, Essex IG3 8HZ

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Outcome

Aldborough Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind, confident and fully engage in their learning. They enjoy coming to school; they are safe and respected. Pupils achieve well across the curriculum and are well prepared for secondary school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations and strong ambitions for pupils, both now and for the future. For example, pupils take part in ‘Dare to Dream’ days when they visit local veterinary practices, doctors’ surgeries and other places of employment to find out about possible careers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of ‘Aldborough Takes Action’ days where they make a positive contribution to the wider world through fundraising, for example to support homelessness, water aid and guide dogs. Leaders organise this to develop pupils’ character and self-belief. One pupil said, ‘Our school makes us positive and encourages us to be confident in our lives.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Regular opportunities are provided for pupils to reflect on the school’s core values of integrity, respect, teamwork and independence. Alongside this, pupils take on roles of responsibility such as eco-warriors, pupil leaders and reading buddies.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well and are considerate to the needs of others. Bullying is rare. If it does happen, staff deal with it quickly. Pupils are fully committed to celebrating diversity and inclusion in their school.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum that supports pupils to build their knowledge of subjects. Pupils have regular opportunities in the curriculum to practise and develop their subject-specific skills. There are also frequent planned ‘pop back’ activities for pupils to revisit the knowledge they have learned before. This means it is less likely to be forgotten. 7–8 June 2022

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Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They regularly check what pupils have learned so that they can provide feedback. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and there is no low-level disruption in classrooms. Leaders identify early the specific needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They carefully plan the curriculum so that pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Children start learning phonics as soon as they enter Reception. Leaders have recently introduced a new phonics scheme in Reception. Children enjoy this new way of working and quickly become confident with the letter sounds. They apply their knowledge of phonics to early writing. The new approach to phonics has yet to be introduced into other Year groups. As such, there is not currently a single, consistent approach to teaching early reading throughout the school.

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Leaders have placed reading at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils are read to by staff every day and this helps them to develop a rich and wide-ranging vocabulary. Leaders have chosen a wide range of exciting and ambitious texts for each Year group, including classic literature and Shakespearian plays.

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Pupils develop quick and accurate recall of number facts. They have regular opportunities to apply their mathematical knowledge through reasoning and problem solving. Children in Reception know their number bonds up to 10. They use mathematical vocabulary to describe shape, weight and capacity. In history, Year 6 pupils remember key facts and dates. They can explain the causes of historical events and know the impact that these had on society. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 have a strong understanding of historical timelines and the chronology of events.

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Leaders have created rich opportunities to promote pupils’ wider development. Pupils enjoy a wide range of extra-curricular activities and visits to museums, galleries and places of historic interest. Pupil leaders represent the views of their peers and are fully involved in school decision-making. Leaders aim for pupils to develop a strong understanding of democracy. They place a high value on pupils becoming responsible citizens.

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Trustees and the school’s academy committee provide skilful and effective support to school leaders. Parents and carers are very supportive and highly value the school leadership team. Staff are proud to work here. They report that leaders are always willing to listen and are considerate of their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have developed a strong culture of safeguarding throughout the school. Staff are knowledgeable about potential risks and have had the necessary safeguarding training. All staff are confident in how to report concerns. 7–8 June 2022

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Leaders respond quickly and appropriately when any concerns arise. They work closely with Redbridge local authority to protect vulnerable pupils.

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Pupils say that they feel happy and well cared for in school. They learn about healthy relationships through the curriculum. Pupils know that they can speak to a trusted adult who will listen to them. Pupils are taught how to keep safe online and in the wider community.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have recently introduced a new phonics scheme in Reception. Children have responded well. However, this new approach has not been implemented in Years 1 and 2. Leaders should ensure a consistent approach with early reading across all Year groups.

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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 on 06 February 2013.

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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. 7–8 June 2022

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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. 7–8 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10212354 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 28 February 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Aldborough Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The school is part of Loxford School Trust.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above the national average.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.

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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 his evaluation.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and history. In each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at pupils’ work. The inspector also heard some pupils read. 7–8 June 2022

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 The inspector held meetings with the executive headteacher, the head of school and members of the senior leadership team. Meetings were also held with the chair of the trust board and the chief executive officer of the trust.  The inspector scrutinised documentation provided by the school, including the school’s development plan and self-evaluation.  A meeting was held with members of the safeguarding team to review policies and procedures. Records of behaviour and attendance were discussed. The inspector also viewed the school’s central record of suitability checks for staff and visitors.  The inspector visited the playground to observe pupils at play and met with pupils to seek their views. The inspector also sought the views of a group of teachers to discuss workload and well-being.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online Parent View survey and the school’s most recent parents’ questionnaire. The inspector also considered the

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Inspection team

Tom Canning, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 7–8 June 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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