Herbert Morrison Primary School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Herbert Morrison Primary School Hartington Road, London SW8 2HP

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Outcome

Herbert Morrison Primary School continues to be an outstanding school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a joyful and inspirational place. Leaders have embedded an atmosphere of mutual respect. It is a truly inclusive school where all pupils flourish academically and socially. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Parents and carers echo these views, describing the school as ‘wonderful’ and ‘welcoming’. They are highly positive about sending their children here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have built exceptionally strong relationships across the whole-school community. They have high expectations of how pupils behave. Staff act as excellent role models. As a result, behaviour is impeccable. Teachers encourage ‘peer mediators’ to help with any minor issues should they occur. They help to keep pupils safe and happy. Any concerns are taken very seriously by staff and resolved quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that learning here is fun. They valued how everyone is kind and helpful. They commented that they really enjoy clubs and visits. For example, the school benefits from very strong links with The Oval Cricket Club. The choir and orchestra perform at The Royal Festival Hall.

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

Leaders have designed a rich and ambitious curriculum that provides pupils with the skills and knowledge they need in later life. They are determined that all pupils will succeed. Leaders ensure that support for pupils with SEND is exemplary. Children get off to a great start in the early years. Staff ensure that children secure a solid grounding across all areas of learning. Leaders have worked together to define key knowledge and skills across the curriculum. For example, work on map skills and understanding of geographical location in both Nursery and Reception classes is inspirational.

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

Teachers know their pupils well and adapt the curriculum to meet individual needs. This helps them create many moments when each pupil can shine. For example, teachers use 4 and 5 May 2023

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questioning and discussion skilfully to develop all pupils’ confidence, including those with SEND.

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Teachers deliver the curriculum highly effectively. They have very strong subject knowledge. Teachers use appropriate strategies to help pupils remember key content. For example, teachers helped Year 1 pupils to remember the four countries that make up the United Kingdom. Teachers strengthen pupils’ understanding across the curriculum. For instance, how traditional tales can tell us how people lived in the past.

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Teachers are finely tuned to check and address any gaps in pupils’ learning. Their excellent subject knowledge allows them to correct any misunderstandings quickly when they arise. For example, in mathematics, teachers helped pupils to understand how to use angles accurately. Consequently, all pupils, including those with SEND, achieve very well. Children in early years are exceptionally well prepared for Year 1 and beyond.

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Leaders are passionate about ensuring that pupils become confident, avid readers. This starts with a strong foundation in phonics and early reading. Staff deliver the phonics programme with a high degree of clarity. This ensures that pupils learn the sounds that letters make confidently and securely. Leaders challenge pupils to read wide-ranging books. This helps to develop pupils’ love of reading and different authors.

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The school’s approach to behaviour is built around respect. Staff and pupils alike have a deep understanding of how to show this respect in their everyday dealings. Consequently, pupils are kind, polite and work really well together. They often help each other with their learning. Pupils have exceptionally positive attitudes to learning. This means that there is a high level of focus in classes and lessons proceed without interruption.

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Leaders provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils to develop their character, resilience and responsibility. Ambassador roles, such as for different subjects and for inclusion and diversity, allow pupils to take a lead in the school. Staff think carefully about giving pupils many opportunities to visit all that London has to offer.

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Staff said they love working at the school. The great sense of teamwork supports their well-being. Staff appreciated that leaders make changes wherever possible to reduce their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured that the culture of safeguarding is deeply embedded across all aspects of the school. They provide a wide range of relevant training. Leaders help everyone to develop a strong understanding of safeguarding issues. Any concerns are reported in a timely manner and acted on swiftly.

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Safeguarding

Teachers encourage pupils to keep themselves safe. This includes workshops about gangs, and how to deal with peer pressure. 4 and 5 May 2023

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. 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 outstanding in 29 and 30 November 2016.

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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. 4 and 5 May 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10240567 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Neil Moorcroft (acting headteacher)

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School details

Website www.herbertmorrisonprimaryschool.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 29 and 30 November 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Wyvern Federation.  The school does not use any 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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the acting headteacher, groups of staff, and a representative from the local authority, as well as speaking to the executive headteacher by telephone.  The inspector also met with members of the governing body, including the chair.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 4 and 5 May 2023

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 The inspector also considered the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspector met with a range of pupils to discuss their views and talked to them informally at lunchtime and around the school.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector scrutinised a range of information, including a selection of the school’s records. The views of staff, pupils and governors were taken into account about safeguarding. The recording and reporting of safeguarding incidents was scrutinised.  The inspector considered the views of parents, pupils and staff, including from responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Jeanie Jovanova, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 May 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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