Lathom Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Lathom Junior School Lathom Road, East Ham, London E6 2DU

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Outcome

Lathom Junior School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils arrive at school with enthusiasm. They are keen and ready to learn. Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour in lessons. Pupils’ attitudes to education are positive. They are committed to learning. Pupils are actively involved in lessons, work collaboratively with others and behave sensibly. Teachers develop pupils’ independence and prepare them well for their next stages of education. Relationships among pupils and staff reflect a positive and respectful culture. Pupils are happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Although bullying is not tolerated, it sometimes does occur. Pupils felt confident to report any incidents of bullying to an adult. Staff deal with any bullying incidents quickly, through clear systems.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff plan regular educational visits, including to London museums and landmarks. Pupils take part in a broad range of clubs, such as choir, chess, cheerleading and many sports clubs. Teachers encourage pupils to take on roles and responsibilities across the school. For example, pupils get elected as art ambassadors and school councillors.

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

Leaders have designed a broad and balanced curriculum. In every subject, leaders have clarified the progression of skills and knowledge. They identify the important knowledge they want children to learn and remember in each subject. This helps teachers to check what pupils know and remember with accuracy. In Year 4, for example, teachers quickly picked up on misconceptions pupils had about how the Celts lived.

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

Subject leaders ensure that teachers routinely recap prior learning. They help pupils build on what they have learned in previous lessons and years. In many subjects, this is fully embedded. For example, in mathematics, pupils build deep knowledge over time. Pupils are taught a range of strategies which help them to carry out addition and subtraction calculations with accuracy. In a few subjects, teachers’ expertise is at an earlier stage of implementing these strategies. In these subjects, they do not routinely recall what pupils 2 and 3 November 2022

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have previously learned. As a result, in these subjects, pupils do not develop subject- specific knowledge and understanding in depth.

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Teachers support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to access subject content successfully. Leaders ensure that staff who support pupils with SEND know these pupils well. They work closely with outside agencies to support pupils’ individual needs. Leaders provide bespoke training to staff which enables them to provide pupils with SEND with effective help. Parents and carers value this support.

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Reading is a priority at the school. Pupils at the earlier stages of reading attend regular phonics lessons. Staff work rigorously with these pupils to help them to catch up quickly with others. These pupils read with increased confidence. The reading curriculum is carefully planned. Teachers help pupils to refine and improve their reading skills as they move up the school. Leaders ensure that texts are carefully chosen for each year group to ignite a passion and love for reading. This helps pupils to gain a broad understanding of different novels, characters and plots in stories. Pupils are knowledgeable about different books, including those written by different authors.

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Pupils celebrate each other’s differences, including in culture and faith. They are proud of the school’s diversity. Leaders have identified well-considered opportunities for pupils to learn about the importance of respecting one another in society. For example, during assemblies, pupils were encouraged to challenge gender stereotypes, such as equal access to sports. In lessons, pupils concentrate on work with little to no disruption to learning.

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The majority of staff feel supported by senior leaders. They are able to discuss any concerns with them and feel listened to and looked after. Staff said that leaders made reasonable and fair adjustments to their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders responsible for safeguarding are knowledgeable. They understand the local context well and know how to best support their families. Training is made a priority, including through weekly safeguarding updates for all staff. Staff understand their role regarding the safeguarding of pupils. They know how to manage any concerns. Leaders work closely with outside agencies. They engage positively with parents to ensure positive outcomes for pupils.

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Safeguarding

Pupils have an adult they can speak to if they have any worries or concerns. They are taught how to keep safe, including online. 2 and 3 November 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few foundation subjects, leaders’ work to ensure staff routinely recap pupils’ prior learning is at the earlier stages of implementation. As a result, pupils do not build a deep body of knowledge in these subjects. Leaders must make sure that all staff have the expertise to build on pupils’ learning so that they develop subject-specific knowledge and understanding securely.

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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 March 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. 2 and 3 November 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 November 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is in a federation with a local infant school. The executive headteacher works across both schools. They share a governing body.  A new head of school started in September 2022.

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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 senior leaders, members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, and held a discussion with the school improvement adviser from the local authority.  The inspector met pupils to understand their views about the school.  The inspector did deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons with senior leaders, met with teachers, spoke to 2 and 3 November 2022

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some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also considered the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspector considered the behaviour of pupils during lesson visits and around the school. This included observing pupils as they arrived at school in the morning.  The inspector considered the effectiveness of safeguarding through discussions with leaders, teachers and support staff. They looked at records relating to safeguarding, including pre-employment checks.  The inspector spoke to staff about their workload and well-being. The views of staff, pupils and parents were considered, including responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.  The inspector considered a wide range of documentation provided by the school. This included curriculum documentation and school policies.

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Inspection team

Aliki Constantopoulou, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 2 and 3 November 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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