Gayhurst Community School

Inspection of Gayhurst Community School Gayhurst Road, Hackney, London E8 3EN

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Inspection dates: 28 February and 1 March 2023

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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 Previous inspection grade Good 28 February and 1 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this happy and friendly school. Leaders have established a community where pupils and staff are proud of their school. Pupils work hard and achieve very well. They are supported in this by an ambitious curriculum taught by caring and well-trained teachers. From the early years up to Year 6, leaders have instilled a strong sense of belonging.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A very carefully considered curriculum ensures that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. The full breadth of the curriculum, with its strong focus on creativity, is accessed by all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have enriched this curriculum with a range of regular trips and activities. They make sure that these activities are accessible to all pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite, kind and caring. They learn and play together well. Pupils say that bullying is very rare, but they know that teachers will deal with it quickly if it does happen. Parents and carers feel fully involved in the life of the school. They appreciate the regular communication from leaders, including the very detailed weekly newsletters.

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better?

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum which helps pupils to learn more and to remember more. Leaders have ensured that pupils achieve very well in their writing, reading and mathematics, and also enjoy a rich and broad curriculum. Subject specialists have put together carefully sequenced curriculum content. This helps pupils to revisit and embed earlier learning regularly, and to make links across subjects. Leaders enrich and enhance the curriculum. For example, in art, pupils have recently visited the Tate Modern, and pupils are proud to display their own artwork around the school.

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better?

The mathematics curriculum is designed so that pupils revisit important knowledge regularly. This helps them to strengthen their mathematical skills. This means that they become confident in using these skills in a range of different contexts. Across subjects, teachers use a variety of resources and visual reminders to help pupils to understand new content. This includes making adaptations to support pupils with SEND so that they can access the same broad curriculum.

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better?

Reading is prioritised across the whole school. Leaders know the importance of developing a strong start for early readers. This begins in Nursery, where children experience songs, rhymes and stories. In Reception, staff closely follow the adopted phonics scheme. Daily, structured phonics sessions help pupils to identify letters and sounds confidently from the very start. Leaders are quick to identify those who need extra help with reading, and they put carefully targeted support in place for these 28 February and 1 March 2023 pupils. As pupils get older, they read and analyse chosen books that help them develop an understanding of the wider world.

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better?

Pupils’ very positive attitude to learning starts in the early years. A nurturing and vibrant environment helps children to grow in confidence. Teachers in the early years enthuse the children and are quick to identify those who need any additional support. Parents are very positive about the way in which children are welcomed into the school, whether it be in Nursery, Reception or later in the primary years.

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better?

In lessons, pupils work well together. There is a strong sense of collaboration between pupils, who support each other to make good choices. Pupils know that unkind or discriminatory language is not tolerated. High rates of attendance show that pupils enjoy coming to school.

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better?

Leaders are committed to promoting pupils’ wider development. A carefully sequenced programme of personal, social and health education helps pupils to develop important life skills. For example, from early on pupils are taught how to stay safe online. Leaders make sure that pupils from different backgrounds have the same access to the school’s wide range of clubs and activities – the ‘Gayhurst Offer’. This includes sporting clubs, arts and crafts, as well as visits to places of cultural and historical significance. Pupils enjoy taking on additional responsibility, such as being part of the ‘Looking for Learning’ council or a member of the school council.

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better?

Governors are committed and knowledgeable. They support leaders to deliver their shared vision for the school. Governors and leaders recognise the importance of reducing unnecessary workload for staff. Teachers benefit from ongoing, high-quality training. This helps them to teach lessons with confidence. This includes teachers who are new to the profession, who say they are very well supported.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding across the whole school. Leaders ensure that staff are regularly and appropriately trained so that they are well placed to report any concerns. Leaders work with outside agencies and are tenacious in securing appropriate support for vulnerable children. Governors and leaders ensure that rigorous employment checks are carried out for all staff.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught about how to stay safe and minimise risk of harm. This includes how to stay safe online as well as in the local area. They know they can talk to any adult in the school if they have any worries.

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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 28 February and 1 March 2023 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. 28 February and 1 March 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteachers Karen Pedro (headteacher) Louise Nichols (executive headteacher) Website https://www.gayhurst.hackney.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 December 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the LEAP federation with two other primary schools. All three schools in the federation share the same executive headteacher.  On occasions, the school makes use of one registered alternative education provider.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, science, history and art. For each deep dive, they discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and talked to teachers and pupils. The inspectors also visited lessons in other subjects, including writing, music, physical 28 February and 1 March 2023 education and Spanish. They looked at pupils’ work and curriculum information. The lead inspector listened to some pupils reading.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and executive headteacher and with members of the senior leadership team, including those responsible for

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Information about this inspection

SEND, early years, pupils’ wider development and the curriculum. They also met with members of staff, as well as a range of pupils.  Inspectors looked at the school’s policies and procedures for safeguarding and supporting pupils’ welfare and well-being. This included looking at case studies and reviewing the school’s single central record of pre-employment checks.  The lead inspector met with governors, including the chair of the governing body. He also met with a representative of the local authority.  The lead inspector reviewed responses to Ofsted Parent View and to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Bob Hamlyn, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lando Du Plooy Ofsted Inspector 28 February and 1 March 2023 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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