George Carey Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: George Carey Church of England Primary School The Rivergate Centre, Minter Road, Barking IG11 0FJ

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 February 2023

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Outcome

George Carey Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy to attend this caring and inclusive school. Leaders and staff have created a warm environment that supports pupils’ learning. The school’s values of unity, respect, love and peace permeate all aspects of school life. Pupils are kind, polite and respectful. They value and celebrate differences in one another. Pupils enjoy positive working relationships with staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. Pupils work hard. They try their best to live up to the high expectations that staff have for their achievements and behaviour. Pupils behave well in and out of lessons. Classrooms are calm places where pupils focus on their learning. Most pupils achieve well. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders do not tolerate bullying. Pupils said that bullying hardly ever happens. When it does, staff deal with it straight away. This helps pupils to feel safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs and additional activities. These include karate and cricket. Pupils have opportunities to be creative and learn about the environment and their community. Parents and carers are very positive about the school and the education that their children receive.

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

Leaders have created a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils. In most subjects, leaders have carefully identified the important subject knowledge that they want pupils to learn. This includes for children in the early years. In these subjects, pupils are able to remember more over time. For example, in mathematics, pupils fluently recall previously taught vocabulary and skills when learning new concepts. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders are still fine-tuning when subject content should be taught and how this will help pupils to retain knowledge. This means that in some instances, some pupils are not able to remember what they have learned in the long term. 22 and 23 February 2023

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Staff have the knowledge that they need to deliver the curriculum confidently. They work closely with other colleagues to share ideas and expertise. Teachers prepare learning that builds on what pupils have been taught before. They plan activities that enable pupils to understand and apply subject content, and in turn, learn well across subjects. For instance, in Year 5 geography, pupils were able to use their knowledge of coordinates to find grid references on a map. When delivering the curriculum, teachers check that pupils understand the ideas and concepts being taught and help to correct any misconceptions quickly. This helps pupils to achieve well.

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Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. In the Nursery classes, pupils enjoy joining in with stories, songs and rhymes. From Reception, phonics is taught using a well-organised programme. Staff are trained well to deliver the phonics scheme consistently. Adults quickly spot pupils who struggle with reading. They ensure that these pupils get the extra help needed to catch up. Pupils read books which closely reflect the sounds that they are learning. Teachers read a wide selection of books to pupils. These books inspire pupils to become keen readers themselves.

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Children in the early years get off to a positive start in school. Their curriculum is well planned and delivered effectively. Staff design meaningful activities for children to explore and apply their new knowledge. Adults are skilled in modelling to children how to use language and express themselves. Children settle quickly and are enthusiastic learners. This means that children in Reception are well prepared for Year 1.

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Leaders identify pupils with SEND at the earliest possible opportunity. Through well- planned adaptations, these pupils learn well alongside their peers. Those pupils with more complex needs receive carefully adapted teaching, for instance through one-to-one support from adults. This supports their learning well. Those pupils who speak English as an additional language receive the extra help that they need to develop their vocabulary and communication skills.

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Leaders provide a wide range of opportunities intended to enhance pupils’ broader development. School visitors and local trips are planned with the aim of deepening pupils’ understanding of other places and cultures. Pupils learn about other faiths and visit different places of worship. They spoke confidently about what they had been taught about democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law.

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Pupils take pride in playing an active and responsible role in the life of the school and the local community. This includes being school councillors, digital leaders and librarians. Pupils are encouraged to consider the needs of others by donating food to the local food bank and raising money for charity.

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Governors regularly visit the school and talk to pupils and staff. This helps them to check what leaders tell them. Leaders and governors consider staff’s workload, and staff feel well supported.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 22 and 23 February 2023

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Leaders have created a safe culture. There are thorough checks on all staff working at the school. Staff receive regular safeguarding training. They know pupils well and are aware of any signs that could mean a pupil may be at risk of harm. When concerns are raised, leaders follow these up swiftly. Leaders work effectively with outside agencies to ensure that families and pupils get the support that they need.

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The curriculum supports pupils to learn about safety online and in the local area. Pupils are confident that adults will help them if they are worried.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have recently rearranged sequences of learning with the aim of ensuring that pupils are well supported to retain the knowledge taught. This work has not had time to embed. As a result, some pupils are not remembering what they have learned in the long term. Leaders should continue to ensure that the implementation of the curriculum enables pupils to learn and remember what is being taught.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2012.

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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. 22 and 23 February 2023

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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. 22 and 23 February 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.georgecareyprimaryschool.com Date of previous inspection 21 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 George Carey Church of England Primary School is a voluntary-aided school in the Diocese of Chelmsford. Its last section 48 inspection took place in March 2016.  The school is larger than the average-size primary school.  The school runs a specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision). There are places for up to 18 pupils with autism spectrum disorder.  The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club.  Leaders do not make use of 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, other leaders and staff at the school. They met with five governors, including the chair 22 and 23 February 2023

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of the governing body. An inspector also met with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, design and technology, geography and mathematics. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons and spoke to teachers and pupils about their learning. Inspectors also looked at samples of pupils’ work. The curriculum in other subjects was considered during the inspection. An inspector also visited the specially resourced provision.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils to talk about their work, behaviour and their experiences of school. Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktimes and lunchtimes.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View and Ofsted’s questionnaires for staff and pupils.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors viewed the school’s

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website and policies, met with the leader in charge of safeguarding, spoke with pupils, staff and governors, and checked relevant safeguarding documentation and records.

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Inspection team

Chris Birtles, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Ellie Whilby Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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