Clockhouse Primary School

Inspection of Clockhouse Primary School Clockhouse Lane, Collier Row, Romford, Essex RM5 3QR

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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 14 and 15 June 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this inspiring and supportive school. They participate enthusiastically and successfully in the rich and well-taught curriculum. They concentrate well in lessons and take great pride in their achievements. Pupils develop as independent learners who are ready when it is time to move to secondary school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a safe place. Pupils are considerate of one another. They listen to each other respectfully and develop empathy for people who are different from them. They value kindness. Through the ‘Clockhouse workforce’, pupils are supported to develop their character as responsible members of the community. On the very rare occasions bullying occurs, it is dealt with effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or from more disadvantaged backgrounds. They help pupils to build a rich body of knowledge and connect what they learn in lessons to the wider world. For example, pupils undertake carefully planned ‘Wow!’ activities to help them apply their learning to real-life situations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are very positive about the school. They feel well supported and said that staff know their children extremely well. Leaders are continually finding ways to make things even better.

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better?

Leaders ensure that the needs of pupils are well understood and kept under constant review. Some children arrive at school with knowledge and understanding that is less developed than leaders expect, for example in their personal, social and emotional development. This was especially the case following the pandemic. For example, many children joining the Nursery class had little experience of learning and playing with others. Through refining the curriculum, careful thought was given to helping children settle in and learn confidently with their peers. For example, staff teach children specific social skills and make sure that children practise these often. This, along with the focus on securing strong foundations in the other areas of learning, means that children are very well prepared for Year 1.

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better?

This thoughtfulness about what pupils should be taught pervades the school. Pupils learn an aspirational and demanding curriculum in which academic learning, school values and life skills are anchored to a programme called ‘100 things to do before I leave Clockhouse’. Through this approach, what pupils learn in each subject is linked together and sequenced purposefully. This helps pupils to apply and extend their understanding successfully. For example, Year 3 pupils learn in detail about how volcanoes and earthquakes work. They demonstrate their knowledge by making a working model of a volcano, drawing on what they have learned in design and technology. Educational outings, such as to the Natural History Museum, are used often to enrich pupils’ learning. Pupils achieve consistently highly across the subjects. 14 and 15 June 2023

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Leaders have designed a strong reading curriculum. They check pupils’ progression rigorously and intervene swiftly and effectively where pupils need additional support. For example, staff with extensive expertise in early reading provide regular catch-up sessions for these pupils. Teachers and support staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme effectively. Pupils learn a curriculum rich in texts. There is a well-stocked library that pupils regularly visit. They enjoy being able to choose and explore different books. Careful thought is also given to ensuring that pupils practise reading with a range of books that match their stage in the phonics programme.

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Staff ensure that pupils with SEND, including in the resourced provision, learn the same broad and ambitious curriculum. They consider carefully where adaptations may be needed to make this happen in practice. For example, some pupils benefit from bespoke support in lessons, where staff work hard to meet individual needs around behaviour or learning.

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Pupils are proud to learn. They keenly demonstrate the school values of nurture, respect, learning, community, excellence and excitement. They have many chances to be responsible members of the school community. Pupils are exceptionally polite and highly motivated. Staff teach them to be ambitious and independent learners and to celebrate their success. Pupils love playing in the well-designed playground and return to lessons ready to focus on learning. They enjoy attending the impressive number of clubs on offer.

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Teachers and support staff are proud to work at the school. Leaders give careful thought to making staff workload manageable. They also ensure that there are many opportunities for staff to engage in high-quality further training and development. This enables staff to constantly refresh and improve their practice. For example, they appreciate the chance to work in ‘tiger teams’ to champion and develop aspects of the school’s curriculum.

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Governors and leaders are exceptionally well informed and rigorous in their approach. They constantly reflect on how to serve their community and build on the school’s strengths. Their work is valued and respected by staff, families and the local authority.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are kept safe. Leaders ensure that staff are well trained to recognise and report concerns. They are aware of possible risks to pupils as well as the challenges faced by some families. Leaders are trusted by pupils and families to provide the right type of help when it is needed.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are confident to report concerns and equally confident that adults will help them. They learn to consider how to keep themselves safe through a well-planned curriculum. 14 and 15 June 2023

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Leaders keep organised records of concerns. They organise support within school, for example from the home-school team. They also make referrals to external agencies when needed.

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Leaders carry out appropriate checks to ensure that only suitable adults are employed at the school.

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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 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. 14 and 15 June 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.clockhouseprimaryschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 29 and 30 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.  The school has an additional resourced provision for pupils with complex SEND.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, art and French. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects. This included visits to early years and a discussion with the early years leader. 14 and 15 June 2023

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 To inspect safeguarding, leaders reviewed policies and spoke to leaders, staff and pupils. They also reviewed the single central record and records of referrals made to the designated safeguarding leader.  Inspectors reviewed responses to the Ofsted survey from staff, pupils and parents.  Inspectors spoke to leaders and reviewed records related to behaviour and attendance. They also observed pupils’ behaviour during breaktimes.  Inspectors spoke to leaders and pupils about the provision for personal development.  Inspectors spoke to school leaders and governors about their plans for the school. They also spoke with a representative from the local authority.

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Inspection team

Alice Clay, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Hannah Glossop His Majesty’s Inspector 14 and 15 June 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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