Keston Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Keston Primary School Keston Primary School, Keston Avenue, Old Coulsdon, Coulsdon, Surrey CR5 1HP

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Outcome

Keston Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. Teachers encourage pupils to work hard and do their best, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils enjoy learning new things. Teachers support pupils in developing confidence in expressing themselves and their personalities. Staff nurture pupils and keep them safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are polite and courteous. Teachers encourage pupils to understand the importance of solving conflicts if they arise. This is because they are taught to build respectful relationships. Staff deal with incidents of bullying quickly and thoroughly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy taking part in the extensive range of clubs offered, including choir, Taekwondo, and using the school swimming pool for kayaking. Staff encourage pupils to take part in a range of enrichment experiences. For example, pupils participated in local music festivals and projects with other schools. Pupils value the responsibilities they have as prefects, travel ambassadors and team captains.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders encourage pupils to share their views and opinions. The school council works closely with leaders in developing the school. For instance, pupils made suggestions in redesigning areas of the playground to create more opportunities for pupils to read outdoors.

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

The curriculum is ambitious. Leaders consider the knowledge and skills they want pupils to know. This helps teachers to develop pupils’ subject-specific knowledge effectively across different subjects. For example, pupils in Year 2 sorted and represented information using pictograms and tally charts. However, in some subjects, leaders’ curricular thinking does not build precisely from the early years. In lessons, teachers present information clearly. They use questions effectively to check what pupils understand and remember over time. 2 and 3 February 2023

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Leaders place emphasis on ensuring that pupils learn to read. This starts in the early years where children are encouraged to develop their vocabulary. For example, children in the Nursery talked about characters and settings in traditional tales. Leaders support staff to teach phonics consistently. Children segment and blend sounds accurately to read books matched to the sounds they know. Teachers use pupils’ assessment information to identify those who may be at risk of falling behind in their reading. Adults support pupils effectively in building their fluency and comprehension of different texts.

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Pupils work collaboratively with their peers in exploring concepts. For example, in mathematics, teachers supported children in Reception to investigate different ways of making the number 10. Pupils apply their knowledge to a range of different problem- solving contexts. Teachers challenge pupils to deepen their mathematical thinking and reasoning skills. Pupils use mathematical vocabulary accurately when explaining their strategies.

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Leaders identify pupils with SEND at an early stage. Teachers adapt learning to meet these pupils’ needs. Staff ensure that pupils with SEND access an ambitious curriculum and achieve well.

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Routines are well established and followed. Pupils line up seamlessly at the end of playtimes. They move calmly and orderly around the school. Pupils are highly motivated and engaged in learning. Low-level disruptions are rare. Teachers inspire pupils to take risks and learn from their mistakes. In the early years, adults encourage children to keep on trying when things may be difficult.

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Leaders have developed a well-considered curriculum that supports pupils’ personal development. They provide opportunities for pupils to visit places of historical significance, including national stately homes and museums. Pupils are taught to challenge stereotypes and discrimination. For example, pupils in Year 6 discussed the role of women during World War 2. Adults help children in Nursery to explore equal opportunities. Leaders and staff support pupils in fostering healthy relationships. Pupils make links with schools in other cities and countries.

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Those responsible for governance are proactive in the oversight of leaders’ drive for excellence. Staff are proud to work here. They valued the support and guidance leaders provide. Staff felt workload was manageable.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Robust arrangements are in place to keep pupils safe. Staff know the procedures for reporting and recording concerns. Leaders identify pupils swiftly who may be at risk or in need of help. Leaders follow up referrals tenaciously to ensure pupils receive help as early as possible. 2 and 3 February 2023

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Teachers support pupils in understanding the importance of telling someone if something makes them feel unhappy or worried. Pupils are taught how to respond safely to adults they do not know. Teachers help pupils to recognise potential hazards. Pupils are taught how to get help if someone is hurt, including dialling the emergency services.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders’ curricular thinking does not take into account how content that pupils learn builds from early years upwards. As a result, some content and concepts are not being explicitly identified in some subjects. Leaders should ensure that the sequence of knowledge is clearly defined in all subjects and builds on from learning experiences in early years.

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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 predecessor school, Keston Primary School to be good in July 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 February 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255434 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

 Keston Primary School converted to become an academy school in October 2018. When its predecessor school, Keston Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of the PACE Academy Trust. The local governing body carries out some functions on behalf of the trustees, including holding leaders to account.  The school does not make use of any alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school had 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.  The inspector met with the chief executive officer and trustees of the PACE Academy Trust, the chair and members of the local governing body, the headteacher, senior leaders, and a range of staff and pupils. 2 and 3 February 2023

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, met with teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and considered pupils’ work.  The inspector considered the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspector considered information provided about safeguarding arrangements. The inspector scrutinised safeguarding records and the single central record. The inspector reviewed procedures and processes by talking to leaders and staff, and through discussions with pupils.  The inspector considered the views of parents, pupils and staff, including through Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Lascelles Haughton, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 2 and 3 February 2023

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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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