Furzedown Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Furzedown Primary School Beclands Road, Tooting, London SW17 9TJ

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Outcome

Furzedown Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming and inclusive school. Pupils are proud to be part of the Furzedown community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and enjoy learning. They work well together. One pupil summed up the view of many, commenting that ‘we look after each other here’. Leaders use plentiful strategies to support pupils’ wider development. The arts are at the heart of the school’s offer. For example, pupils take part in and enjoy regular music assemblies.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ focus on developing pupils’ ability to express themselves clearly and with confidence is evident across the school. For example, staff expect pupils to answer questions in full sentences. Pupils are also supported well to express their ideas accurately in writing. Overall, pupils are well prepared for the demands of secondary 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. Pupils work hard and want to succeed. They behave well and show mature attitudes towards their learning. Pupils are taught about the responsibility to treat each other with kindness and respect. They said that bullying is not tolerated. 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 the national curriculum. 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 knowledge and skills. However, there is still work to do in a few subjects, such as history, to firm up curriculum thinking. Leaders have plans in place to complete and then monitor their work in these remaining subjects. 13 and 14 July 2022

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Leaders prioritise learning to read right from the start of Nursery. The early reading curriculum is well structured and ambitious. As a result, all pupils develop the phonics knowledge that they need to read confidently and accurately. Leaders make sure that the books and other materials that pupils use are carefully matched to the sounds that they are learning. Teachers are quick to spot and support any pupils who are falling behind. Pupils enjoy reading. For example, by the end of key stage 2, they have all read a wide range of books and texts. Pupils were keen to talk about the books that they enjoy and they regularly share book recommendations with their peers. Staff also use effective strategies to support parents and carers with helping their children to read at home.

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Leaders have recently developed a new curriculum for mathematics. Leaders have thought carefully about what pupils will learn and when they will learn it. For example, in Year 3, pupils are taught and can explain different types of angles. This prepares them well for learning about more complicated topics like geometry in Year 6.

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Leaders provide teachers with helpful training to support them with their teaching. This enables teachers to have secure subject knowledge. Leaders have also carefully considered how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected pupils’ learning. They make sure that teachers tackle any gaps or misconceptions in pupils’ knowledge. Sometimes, teachers do not assess pupils’ knowledge as well as they could. Occasionally, they do not adapt their learning activities and strategies to fully meet the needs of some pupils, such as those with SEND. When this happens, it affects how successfully pupils deepen their learning.

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Staff expect pupils to behave well and to concentrate on their work. They deal with any off-task behaviour quickly and effectively. This makes classrooms calm and harmonious places to learn.

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Leaders ensure that pupils have rich cultural experiences to support their wider development. This begins in the early years. Staff provide pupils with a range of after- school activities, including in sports and the arts. Pupils enjoy attending these, commenting that they help them to explore their different talents and interests. Pupils know that staff care about their well-being. For example, pupils can share their concerns through a ‘worry box’ if they are not quite ready to speak with an adult.

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

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn about staying safe in person and online. They know whom they can speak to if they feel worried or have concerns. Parents said leaders take the right actions to keep their children safe and well. 13 and 14 July 2022

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Staff and governors ensure that the safety and well-being of pupils are a priority. Staff receive appropriate information and training on safeguarding. They use the school’s systems 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.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders are reviewing their curriculum thinking in some subjects. For example, history is at an earlier stage of development compared to music and French. As a result, there are some inconsistencies in curriculum quality that leaders are looking to iron out. Leaders need to finalise their reviews of these remaining subjects.  Occasionally, approaches and strategies to support and check pupils’ learning are not finely tuned to pupils’ needs, including those pupils with SEND. This means that adaptations made are not enabling pupils to build up and secure their knowledge as well as they could. Leaders should provide additional training and support for teachers in knowing when and how to adapt their teaching.

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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 June 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 . 13 and 14 July 2022

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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. 13 and 14 July 2022

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School details

Chair of governing body Alastair Cowie and Simon Hill (co-chairs)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Furzedown is a slightly larger-than-average-sized primary school.  It has a Nursery class which includes three- and four-year-olds.  The headteacher took up post in January 2022.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision for pupils.

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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 leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders and other members of the wider leadership team, including those responsible for safeguarding. He also met with representatives of the governing body and the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and music. These involved discussions with curriculum leaders and teachers, visits to 13 and 14 July 2022

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lessons, scrutiny of pupils’ work and discussions with pupils. Other subjects were also considered.  The inspector analysed safeguarding documentation, including the single central record of pre-employment checks. They also reviewed a range of documents, including the development plan and school policies.  The inspector considered the replies to Ofsted Parent View and the online surveys for pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

David Boyle, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 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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