Tollgate Primary School

Inspection of Tollgate Primary School Barclay Road, Plaistow, London E13 8SA

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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

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Ofsted has not previously inspected Tollgate Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Tollgate Primary School to be outstanding, before it opened as an academy. 7 and 8 December 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils receive a first-class education. Everything they do and learn is of the highest quality. Leaders leave nothing to chance. They ensure that the curriculum is broad and highly ambitious so that all pupils achieve extremely well. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who make huge strides in their learning and development. Leaders and staff provide pupils with a wealth of high-quality experiences, in and out of lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is exemplary. Poor behaviour is rare. No time is wasted in lessons because of interruptions. Nevertheless, pupils were clear that if something did happen, staff would be quick to deal with it. Bullying is so infrequent that pupils hardly count it as a concern. They know that staff will deal with any problems immediately. Pupils said that they felt safe in school. Leaders and staff ensure that pupils are kept safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The excellent provision for pupils’ personal development underpins the school’s success. Pupils are exceptionally respectful of others. They are polite and considerate, treating everyone as a valued member of the school community. Pupils contribute greatly to this community through their work as behaviour ambassadors, friendship buddies or school counsellors. When pupils leave Tollgate, they are extremely well prepared for their secondary school education.

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better?

Leaders ensure that pupils get the very best education. They are absolutely clear about what they want their pupils to be when they leave and the means to achieve their vision. Attention to detail is central to the school’s success, from the way the curriculum is designed to the quality of the work in pupils’ books. Everything leaders do is deliberate. Each decision is focused on getting pupils to the highest standards academically, and ensuring that their personal development is exceptionally well catered for.

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better?

The expertly designed and planned curriculum is at the centre of leaders’ and staff’s work. In every subject, including the programme in the early years, leaders at all levels ensure that there is clarity about what is taught and when. End points are clear. Learning is broken down into carefully organised chunks so that pupils build their knowledge logically and achieve extremely well.

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better?

In the early years, the curriculum is planned carefully to expand children’s knowledge and skills in all areas of learning. Getting children ready for Year 1 is front and centre of staff’s work. Planning for Year 1 builds effectively on the early years curriculum, making the most of what pupils have already learned. Careful sequencing of learning is in place across the school, from Year 1 through to Year 6. This ensures that pupils experience a curriculum that moves seamlessly from one year to the next. Pupils learn more and more as they progress through the school as a result. 7 and 8 December 2022

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Across the school, learning in classrooms is organised most effectively. For example, pupils regularly recap on previous learning. Important concepts are deliberately taught again and again. This helps pupils to remember what they have learned in the past and apply it to new, more complex, ideas.

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Teaching pupils to read epitomises this approach to learning. Early reading starts in the Nursery, where pupils begin to recognise the sounds made by letters. As they move into Reception, this is built on effectively. By the time children join Year 1, their reading is increasingly fluent. By the end of Year 1, all pupils read accurately and with increasing confidence.

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Provision for pupils with SEND is strong. The specially resourced provision catering for pupils with autism spectrum disorder is highly effective. Pupils’ individual needs are carefully identified and expert support is targeted extremely well. Across the school, too, leaders ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified accurately and are well supported. Therapists and specialist teachers add significantly to the support for pupils. As a result of this work, pupils with SEND achieve extremely well.

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The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal skills is exemplary, and includes the provision of a wide range of visits, after-school clubs and activities. The school has two orchestras, one of which has played at the Conway Hall. It also has two choirs and a jazz band. These are open to all pupils, including those with SEND. The personal, social and health education programme includes relationships and is structured exceptionally well to promote pupils’ personal development. Pupils demonstrate highly positive attitudes to all aspects of school life.

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Professional development for staff makes a strong contribution to pupils’ high-quality education. In-house and external training helps to ensure that staff remain up to date with new thinking about education. Staff workload and well-being are considered carefully by leaders. Those responsible for governance support and challenge leaders effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is a priority. Staff are well trained to recognise the risks to pupils. They know how to refer their concerns to leaders. Staff know their pupils well and pick up any concerns quickly. Detailed records are used by leaders to identify staff training needs.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that vulnerable pupils are identified, supported and nurtured. Regular meetings of the safeguarding team ensure that pupils’ needs are considered thoroughly. Leaders have strong working relationships with outside agencies. They ensure that pupils get the help that they need at the right time. 7 and 8 December 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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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. 7 and 8 December 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10228631 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Tollgate Primary School is larger than the average-sized school.  The school is part of The Boleyn Trust. Tollgate Primary School converted to become an academy school in 2017. When its predecessor school, Tollgate Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall.  Leaders do not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded 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 received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account of their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, music and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the 7 and 8 December 2022

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curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at the curriculum for some other subjects.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders, staff and pupils. Inspectors also met with the chief executive officer of The Boleyn Trust and spoke with school governors. They also spoke with parents and carers at the school gate.  Inspectors considered 63 responses to Ofsted Parent View.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils to discuss their views about many different aspects of their school. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil or staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Brian Oppenheim, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Helen Rai Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 December 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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