St Mark's Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Mark’s Primary School Lower Boston Road, Hanwell, London W7 2NR

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Inspection dates: 27 and 28 September 2022

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Outcome

St Mark’s Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy in their learning and enjoy their time at school. They spoke about including everyone and no one getting left out. Pupils are safe in school. They know that if they have a worry they can talk to an adult.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders, the governing body and staff want the best for all pupils. All adults have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils and staff show kindness and respect to each other. Pupils enjoy their learning because their teachers make it fun and interesting. Pupils spoke about the special moments, including reading to the school’s dog.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils listen well to each other and adults. They have a positive attitude to learning and behave sensibly. If any bullying does occur, it gets dealt with quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Every class has a place in the school’s edible garden for growing vegetables and fruit. Pupils enjoy looking after the chickens and collecting their eggs. Pupils, staff and parents enjoy events such as international evening which bring the whole school community together in the spirit of the school’s value, ‘United we stand’.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is logical and has clear end points. Leaders’ curriculum thinking enables pupils to build up their knowledge. Pupils have regular opportunities to practise subject-specific skills. Teachers ensure that pupils revise their prior knowledge. For example, in science, pupils in Year 2 recalled their learning about human senses and applied this knowledge when learning about animal senses.

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

All leaders have high expectations for learning. In early years, teachers understand how the curriculum sets down foundations for future learning. Adults prioritise the development of children’s speaking skills from the moment they join the school. This enables children to speak with increasing confidence. Pupils learn subject-specific vocabulary in a range of subjects. This prepares them well for more complex learning. 27 to 28 September 2022

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Leaders make reading a priority. Pupils love listening to stories. From Nursery onwards, children join in with stories by repeating lines and actions. Leaders ensure that teachers read texts that are of high quality and engaging. Adults are well trained to teach phonics. The books pupils read match the sounds they are learning. This helps them to become fluent readers. Teachers identify quickly any pupils who are falling behind. Extra support helps these pupils to develop their reading fluency.

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Leaders ensure that teachers check regularly how well pupils know and remember what they learn. Teachers use this information to clarify misconceptions in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. This helps pupils to develop a deep body of knowledge. For instance, in history, pupils compared the role of Martin Luther King as a campaigner with that of Rosa Parkes.

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Pupils generally behave sensibly. Older pupils spoke about some incidents of low-level disruption. They said these are rare and adults deal with them quickly. Such incidents do not interrupt learning. Some parents and carers felt that leaders’ communication about how behavioural incidents were dealt with was not forthcoming. Typically, parents conveyed how happy their children are in school. Pupils liked the way people in school are kind and nice.

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The leadership of support for pupils with special educational needs and /or disabilities (SEND) has strengthened over the last few years. Leaders ensure that staff use resources that help pupils with SEND to access their learning. Pupils with SEND benefit from the support from skilled adults that they receive in class.

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Leaders arrange a wide range of experiences to support pupils’ wider development. Pupils particularly enjoyed visits to the local library, sports clubs and skipping events. Pupils are taught about the importance of healthy lifestyles.

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Subject leaders have strong subject knowledge. Staff have many opportunities for their professional development. They felt well supported by leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Clear procedures are in place to ensure everyone is safe. There is a rigorous approach to safer recruitment of staff. The governing body and staff are aware that safeguarding is a shared responsibility. They are clear about how they identify any concerns. Leaders and staff help and support vulnerable pupils and their families. They know them well.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that they work closely with external agencies. Leaders manage safeguarding cases in a timely manner. Pupils are encouraged to stay safe, including online. 27 to 28 September 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some parents did not feel that they are kept sufficiently informed about the way behavioural issues are dealt with by leaders. Some parents felt unsure about the school’s approach to managing behavioural incidents. Leaders should ensure that there is a clear system of communication between school and home.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour, or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2017.

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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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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. 27 to 28 September 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Sue Butcher and David Bone (Co-Chairs)

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School details

Headteacher Sophie Liardet and Kate Jones (Co- Headteachers) Website www.st-marks.ealing.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 27 June 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use 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 leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector conducted deep dives in reading, science 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 considered pupils’ work.  The inspector considered the work and support for pupils with SEND.  The inspector scrutinised documentation provided by the school, including the school’s development plan and self-evaluation.  The inspector considered the school’s approach to safeguarding, held a meeting with leaders and reviewed policies and procedures. Records of behaviour, bullying and 27 to 28 September 2022

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attendance were considered. The inspector also viewed the school’s 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 observed pupils during lunchtime. The inspector also sought the views of teachers to discuss their workload and well-being.  The inspector considered the responses and comments of parents, pupils and staff, including through Ofsted’s online surveys.  The inspector held a meeting with the co-chairs and other members of the governing body, including parent governors. The inspector met with a representative from the local authority.

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Inspection team

Janice Howkins, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 27 to 28 September 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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