Boutcher Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Boutcher Church of England Primary School 93 Grange Road, Bermondsey, London SE1 3BW

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

This school was last inspected 14 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 14 and 15 July 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Boutcher School is a vibrant school. Leaders and governors have created a nurturing community where pupils are happy and safe. Parents and carers, staff, and pupils work together as ‘one big family’ and share the school’s values of family, faith and fascination.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff are unwavering in their commitment to provide all pupils with an excellent education. Pupils thrive at this school. Teachers have high expectations of all of them. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve exceptionally well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from learning in a school which values diversity and promotes inclusion. Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum which teachers deliver thoughtfully. In lessons, pupils work extremely hard and produce high-quality work in all subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They are respectful, polite and caring. Bullying is rare at the school. If it occurs, staff are quick to address it sensitively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities, including as ‘faith leaders’ and on the school council. Leaders offer an extensive range of opportunities which aim to develop pupils’ talents.

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better?

Leaders have developed an ambitious and inspiring curriculum. Across all subjects, leaders have identified and sequenced the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn and remember. Staff share leaders’ vision for pupils to become lifelong learners who are interested in the world around them.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They consider the needs of all pupils and deliver subject content with confidence. The curriculum is sequenced carefully. This allows pupils to develop their knowledge and skills gradually. For example, in mathematics, pupils in Year 5 built on their prior learning of measurement to work out the perimeter of composite shapes using scaled drawings.

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better?

Teachers are skilled in finding out what pupils know and can remember. For example, at the beginning of lessons they revisit key knowledge and ask pupils to recap what they have learned previously. Teachers adapt learning carefully to meet the different needs of pupils. Leaders waste no time in identifying pupils with SEND. Staff work with external agencies to ensure that these pupils get targeted support. Staff ensure that pupils with SEND have full access to the curriculum. Pupils deepen their learning successfully and produce high-quality work. They remember and speak confidently about the knowledge that they have learned. All pupils achieve exceptionally well. 14 and 15 July 2022

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Reading is an absolute priority and a strength in the school. Leaders have trained staff well to help pupils become fluent and accurate readers. Teachers promote a love for reading. Children in the Reception Year were keen to talk about their most loved books. Phonics is introduced to children from the start of Reception. Teachers check that pupils remember the phonics they are taught. Pupils read with books which are well matched to the sounds they know. If pupils fall behind with their reading, staff support them to catch up swiftly. Leaders work in partnership with parents to ensure that they can support their children’s reading at home.

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Pupils’ behaviour is admirable throughout the school. Pupils are keen to learn and value their education. Low-level disruption is uncommon. Pupils respond well to the high expectations of staff and follow the established routines.

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Leaders are committed to broadening pupils’ experiences and understanding of the wider world. Pupils attend extra-curricular clubs such as choir, chess, football, cooking and art. Teachers help pupils to understand different cultures and faiths through, for example, a variety of educational visits. Pupils have opportunities designed to develop and nurture their talents. For example, pupils can be part of the music band or the school choir, and can perform in school productions.

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Leaders promote pupils’ understanding of citizenship. For example, pupils take part in debates and discussions about local, national and global issues. In response to an international conference about climate change, pupils have considered how the school can play its part in becoming environmentally friendly.

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Staff are proud to work at Boutcher and feel supported with their workload. Staff said that leaders and governors promote their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and governors have established a strong culture of safeguarding. They ensure that all staff are well trained to identify, report and record any concerns. Pupils feel safe and know who to turn to if they have any worries or need help.

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Safeguarding

Leaders liaise with external agencies to ensure that pupils receive the support they need. They are aware of local risks to pupils’ safety. Pupils benefit from the support of highly trained staff, including through the in-school counselling team. Leaders make effective use of one-to-one mentoring as a part of their work to promote pupils’ mental health. Leaders ensure that the pre-employment checks on staff suitability are carried out. 14 and 15 July 2022

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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. 14 and 15 July 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10228669 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 May 2008, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Boutcher Church of England Primary School is a voluntary-aided school with a Christian ethos.  The school’s last section 48 inspection took place in June 2018.  The current headteacher took up the post in September 2012.  Leaders do not make use of 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 has 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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and computing. Each deep dive involved discussing the curriculum with subject leaders, visiting a sample of lessons, reviewing samples of pupils’ work, and speaking with teachers and pupils from the lessons they visited. Inspectors also 14 and 15 July 2022

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considered some other subjects as part of this inspection, including music, geography and art. Inspectors listened to pupils read.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, special educational needs coordinator, other members of the senior leadership team and staff.  The lead inspector spoke with the chair of governors and four other members of the governing body. The lead inspector met with a representative of the local authority and a representative of the diocese.  Inspectors held meetings with leaders responsible for the school’s safeguarding arrangements. They reviewed a range of documentation, including records related to safeguarding and pre-employment checks on staff.  Inspectors looked at records of pupils’ attendance and behaviour. They observed pupils’ behaviour during breaktimes and lesson changeovers.  Inspectors held meetings with groups of pupils to discuss their views.  Inspectors took account of responses to Ofsted Parent View. They considered the

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views of staff and pupils, including those who responded to Ofsted’s questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Jeffery Quaye, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Ruth Dollner Her Majesty’s Inspector 14 and 15 July 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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