Crown Lane Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Crown Lane Primary School Crown Lane, Streatham, London SW16 3HX

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Outcome

Crown Lane Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen to demonstrate their Crown Lane ‘superpowers’ in all that they do. For example, staff encourage pupils to show resilience, curiosity and reflectiveness when they are learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have created a kind and safe place for pupils to learn. They foster a community where everyone is polite and respectful to one another. Pupils are kept safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers ensure that all pupils are supported effectively in their learning and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have introduced a new behaviour policy. This has resulted in a calm atmosphere around school and in lessons. Irrespective of what year group they are in, pupils are keen to learn and work hard. Those who are new to the school, including those children who join the Nursery class or the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision), quickly get used to routines and demonstrate positive attitudes to school life. They join in happily with everything that is on offer.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders plan a range of educational visits to enhance pupils’ learning of the curriculum. Pupils speak fondly of these visits. They understand how these are planned to enrich what they have been taught in class. Pupils also participate in a range of leadership opportunities that allow them to help shape different aspects of school life.

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

Leaders have ensured that there is an ambitious curriculum for all subjects, including in the early years. Staff are carefully trained to enable them to successfully deliver the curriculum. Senior leaders and subject leaders work together well to evaluate and modify the curriculum and its delivery. Pupils know and remember more due to leaders’ strong oversight and ambition. Teachers also use strategies which help pupils to regularly revisit and remember their learning. This also helps pupils acquire and remember secure 19 and 20 April 2023

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Leaders and teachers have planned the curriculum so that pupils are able to build on their previous knowledge. In mathematics, for example, pupils’ understanding of important concepts, such as fractions, develops in a logical manner from the early years up. For example, in the Reception Year, children learn about and practise dividing up objects into equal pieces. Later, in Year 3, pupils develop their knowledge by working out whether fractions are equal. In Year 4, pupils learn about mixed numbers and how to resolve improper fractions.

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Last year, pupils’ outcomes in national assessments were not as strong as leaders expected. In response, leaders have refined the curriculum and are providing training to staff. This work has, in the main, strengthened how well pupils learn, as well as how teachers identify and rectify any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. However, some teaching incorporates activities that are not helpful in supporting pupils to learn and remember the planned curriculum. Leaders are working with teachers to ensure that tasks and resources in lessons fully support the intended curriculum goals.

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Leaders and teachers use assessment purposefully to find out how well pupils understand knowledge. Where appropriate, teachers make adaptations to the delivery of the curriculum so that pupils can revisit ideas. If required, pupils receive focused help, sometimes in small groups, to help them to catch up.

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Leaders have prioritised early reading, and this is clear in the ambitious approach to phonics. Children begin learning phonics from the beginning of Reception. Leaders have invested in extensive training for all staff. This means that staff are skilled in supporting pupils to learn and recall sounds. Pupils use this knowledge confidently to read with fluency and accuracy. The curriculum has been planned to ensure that pupils read widely in a range of subjects and develop a love of reading and stories. Pupils spoke warmly about the stories that they have read and had read to them. They enjoy story time at the end of each school day. Curriculum leaders also expect pupils to learn and use key vocabulary in a subject.

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Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND are identified promptly. Appropriate support is then put in place. Leaders work closely with parents and carers, pupils and staff to ensure that the support is helping pupils to learn well. Pupils attending the specially resourced provision learn in a kind and supportive environment. Leaders ensure that the delivery of the curriculum supports these pupils’ academic and social development well. Parents appreciate the support that this provision offers their children.

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Leaders make sure that the new behaviour policy is applied consistently. Pupils show positive attitudes to learning in lessons. It is rare for staff to need to give them reminders. Pupils enjoy their breaktimes. They play together in safe and friendly ways.

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Leaders and teachers have thought carefully about the experiences that pupils need to support their wider development. They plan events and activities to develop pupils’ interest in and understanding of the world beyond their local area. For example, they ensure that pupils experience visits to museums and art galleries in order to broaden their 19 and 20 April 2023

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The governing body supports and challenges leaders effectively, especially with the work to ensure that staff well-being is a priority.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured that there is a strong safeguarding culture at the school. Leaders have designed and put in place a rigorous scheme of training for all staff and governors. Staff are knowledgeable and report concerns promptly. Pupils’ welfare, including that of the most vulnerable, is well supported by all who work at the school. Leaders work closely with external agencies when there are concerns.

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Safeguarding

Through the curriculum for personal, social and health education, pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including online. They learn about these themes in both lessons and assemblies. Pupils have trusted adults in school that they feel confident to talk to if they have a concern.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some activities that pupils complete in lessons are less helpful than others in supporting their learning of the curriculum. When this happens, it decreases how well pupils are supported to secure and remember knowledge. Leaders should continue their work to strengthen the implementation of the curriculum for all subjects.

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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 February 2012. 19 and 20 April 2023

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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. 19 and 20 April 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Samantha Palin (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 2 and 3 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of a soft federation with one other local school. The schools share an executive headteacher.  Leaders do not use any alternative provision.  The specially resourced provision supports 15 pupils at the school. Pupils spend a varying amount of time in the provision depending on their needs. The provision caters for pupils with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Most pupils have an education, health and care plan.

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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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with senior leaders, including the executive headteacher. He also met with the chair and other members of the governing body and the school improvement adviser.  The inspection included deep dives in these subjects: early reading, history and 19 and 20 April 2023

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mathematics. The inspector discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited lessons, reviewed pupils’ work, met with pupils to discuss their learning and met with subject leaders and teachers.  The inspector also visited lessons and reviewed pupils’ work for some other subjects, such as science.  Through discussions with leaders, governors, pupils and staff, the inspector considered how effectively pupils are safeguarded. The inspector also looked at records related to safeguarding, including records of checks carried out before staff are appointed.  The inspector met with pupils to discuss aspects of safeguarding. He spoke to pupils during lesson visits. The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. The inspector spoke to staff about behaviour and their workload in the school.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for parents, pupils and

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Inspection team

Luke Stubbles, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 19 and 20 April 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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