Gorringe Park Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Gorringe Park Primary School Sandy Lane, Figges Marsh, Mitcham, Surrey CR4 2YA

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 February 2023

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Outcome

Gorringe Park Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils look forward to coming to school every day. They are happy to play and learn with their friends and classmates. Pupils feel safe in the company of adults who they know will look after them. They are confident that if they have worries, there will be someone in school to help them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have high expectations of pupils. As expressed in the school’s values, they aspire for all pupils to believe, achieve and succeed. Across the curriculum, pupils build up their understanding effectively. They conduct themselves in a polite, confident and articulate manner. On the rare occasion that bullying occurs, staff deal with it promptly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are supportive of each other. They are encouraged to celebrate one another’s differences. Pupils enjoy learning about people who are different from them. Promoting equality and celebrating diversity are threads that run through day-to-day school life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take pride in the leadership opportunities given to them. They experience democracy for themselves as they elect members of their pupil parliament. These elected pupil leaders have positively influenced many aspects of school life. For example, they have reviewed the school menu, and helped to design the school website. Pupils appreciate their peers who help out during breaktimes as playground buddies.

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

Leaders have put in place a curriculum that is ambitious, well organised and carefully sequenced. Children in the early years are supported effectively to develop their understanding in all areas of learning. Leaders and staff are clear about how learning in the Reception and Nursery classes prepares children for their future studies in Year 1 and beyond. For example, Reception-age children learn about what a map is and how it works. When they learn geography in Years 1 and 2, staff help pupils to build on what they have previously learned about maps. 22 and 23 February 2023

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Teachers are skilful at breaking down knowledge into small steps. They regularly assess what pupils already know and can do, and are quick to address any gaps or misconceptions. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified and supported effectively. This includes through appropriate adaptations to teaching such as well-chosen practical resources or additional help from adults. Pupils participate confidently in class discussions. They collaborate sensibly in tasks and work hard in lessons. Disruptions are rare.

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In most subjects, teaching supports pupils to learn the curriculum well. Teachers introduce concepts clearly. In the main, they support pupils’ understanding of subject- specific vocabulary. As a result, pupils learn new ideas securely and use vocabulary accurately. In mathematics, for instance, pupils can talk about how they work out calculations and problems in detail using the mathematical terms that they have learned. In a few subjects, however, the delivery of the curriculum is not helping pupils to remember and use vocabulary in a subject accurately. When this happens, pupils are less well prepared to make sense of new learning.

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Leaders prioritise early reading and have made sure that all staff are well trained. Consequently, all staff teach pupils to read in a consistent way. The early reading curriculum begins as soon as children join the Nursery. They are taught to understand that text, sounds and symbols all have meaning. This prepares them for learning letter sounds when they move to the Reception year. Teachers regularly check how well pupils are learning to read. They identify those who are falling behind at the earliest opportunity. Through appropriate support, these pupils catch up quickly. In a few instances, however, these pupils do not get lots of extra practice in blending sounds together to read a word confidently. This makes it harder for pupils to strengthen their reading fluency.

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The curriculum is complemented with a wide range of activities that are designed to promote pupils’ broader development and enrich learning. For example, in Mandarin lessons, pupils learn about traditional Chinese music and dance, calligraphy, and try martial arts. Teaching from professional sports coaches aims to inspire pupils to engage in competitive sports, such as cricket and tennis. In addition to their music lessons, pupils who are keen to take their learning further receive specialist musical instrument tuition.

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Staff feel that leaders are approachable. Leaders have streamlined some of the processes in school to reduce teachers’ workload. They have limited the time when staff receive and respond to work-related emails.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are vigilant and understand that safeguarding risks can be everywhere. Leaders and staff know pupils and their families well. They understand the signs that may indicate a pupil is at risk of neglect, abuse or exploitation. Leaders make prompt referrals to external agencies to ensure that pupils get the support that they require. 22 and 23 February 2023

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Leaders’ vetting checks on all staff working at the school are thorough and in line with statutory guidelines.

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Pupils learn information on how to keep themselves safe at school, at home, or when online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, pupils’ understanding of subject-specific vocabulary is not as accurate as it should be. As a result, this can hold them back from learning and remembering more of the subject content that they are taught. Leaders should ensure that teachers check if pupils have mastered what has been taught before they move on to new ideas and vocabulary.  Occasionally, the delivery of the phonics programme does not build in sufficient opportunities for pupils who struggle with reading to practise blending sounds in order to decode words. This then makes it more difficult for these pupils to get better at reading fluently. Leaders should ensure that these pupils receive more practice in blending together the sounds that they already know.

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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 November 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. 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

Inspection number 10255518 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 15 and 16 November 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not use any alternative provider.

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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 his evaluation of the school.  The inspector held discussions with the headteacher and other members of the senior leadership team.  The inspector also met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils, and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Other subjects were considered as part of this inspection.  In inspecting safeguarding, the inspector carried out a scrutiny of the school’s single central record of pre-employment checks, as well as other records. The inspector

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considered the views of pupils, parents and staff through discussions and their responses to Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Edison David, lead inspector 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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