St Clement and St James CofE Primary School

Inspection of St Clement and St James CofE Primary School Penzance Place, London W11 4PG

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 6 and 7 June 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, families and staff are proud to be part of this caring community. Leaders have created a supportive and nurturing environment where pupils feel safe. Relationships between staff and pupils are very positive. Parents and carers praise the dedication of staff and the support they receive from leaders.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this school. They are eager to learn, and behave extremely well. They are highly motivated, and support and encourage each other. They are polite and courteous and develop in confidence as they move up the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthusiastic about their outdoor play areas. During breaktimes, they enjoy varied activities, including dance, sport and the mud kitchen. After-school clubs are well attended, and pupils have varied opportunities to develop their talents and interests.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are supported to develop their independence. Older pupils take on roles of responsibility, such as leading prayer circles and running ‘eco’ clubs. Pupils contribute to their communities through the ‘courageous advocates’ programme.

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better?

Leaders have established a strong and supportive culture. Staff and parents praise the exceptional level of care that leaders provide. Staff know their well-being is a priority for leaders. Staff are highly motivated, and there is a restless drive for improvement across all aspects of the school. Staff value the ongoing training they receive from across the federation as well as from external experts. As a result, teachers continue to develop their subject knowledge.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that a well-organised and well-sequenced curriculum is in place for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils access the full range of national curriculum subjects. They look forward to ‘Fantastic Fridays’, where they are taught computing, art, engineering and Arabic by subject specialists.

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better?

Leaders have highly ambitious aims for the curriculum. In some subjects, leaders continue to develop the curriculum to meet these aims. As a result, some areas of the curriculum are further advanced in their development than others. This means that currently, in some subjects, teachers select subject content, teaching strategies and resources that are not adapted to reflect the abilities of all groups of pupils.

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better?

Pupils make excellent progress in learning to read. Children start their phonics programme at the start of Reception. Staff have been well trained, and pupils know the routines. Pupils’ progress is carefully checked. Pupils who need help to catch up are given targeted support to do so. 6 and 7 June 2023

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Reading is prioritised across the school. Stories are at the heart of learning in many subjects. For example, pupils use stories to engage with the experiences of the past, and poetry is used to help teach engineering. This starts in the early years, where the curriculum is designed around core texts which spark children’s interest in the world around them. Pupils are exposed to a wide variety of authors and genres. They enjoy regular trips to the local library and look forward to reading and being read to.

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Leaders set high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is excellent. There is a calm and purposeful atmosphere around the school. Pupils are ready to learn and eager to participate. All staff are positive role models. Pupils who find it hard to regulate their behaviour are skilfully supported so they can re-engage with their learning. Leaders provide a broad therapeutic offer for pupils who need it. Pupils with SEND are helped to learn alongside their peers and enjoy doing so.

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Pupils have many and varied opportunities for play. Leaders have established a stimulating outdoor environment, where pupils enjoy building structures, reading, dressing up and dancing during their lunchtimes. The popular ‘mud kitchens’ are available for all pupils, including in the nursery. Pupils are proud of their garden and growing projects.

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Leaders prioritise pupils’ wider development. Pupils are taught how to recognise and regulate their emotions, and do so with increasing maturity. Pupils are taught about courtesy and manners and speak to adults with confidence and respect. Pupils learn the conventions of effective debate, and have opportunities to take part in debates about social issues. This includes learning how to disagree respectfully. Pupils have an excellent understanding of fundamental British values. For example, they know why we have laws, how they link to rules and how they help to keep people safe.

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Leaders have set up a carefully planned and sequenced curriculum for relationships and sex education and health education. This learning begins in the early years, where pupils learn the basics of hygiene, safety and how to recognise and talk about their feelings. Leaders work with outside agencies to ensure the curriculum is up to date. This includes learning about apps, social media and how to use the internet safely. Leaders consult with pupils about their learning and use this to develop the curriculum so that it meets pupils’ needs.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding at this school. Staff have ongoing training, and leaders ensure weekly safeguarding briefings help staff to identify and report relevant issues. Staff are clear about the system for reporting. They are alert to any small changes in pupils that might cause concern, and respond swiftly. Leaders and staff know their pupils and families very well. This means pupils and their families are confident to speak with leaders if they have concerns. Safeguarding leads work 6 and 7 June 2023

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sensitively and effectively with families to provide support. Leaders have invested in an additional family support worker to ensure that help is available when it is needed. Leaders also work closely with other external agencies and the local authority.

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Pupils are taught how to stay safe through the curriculum. This includes learning about privacy and rights over our bodies from an appropriate age. Pupils know they can talk to adults about any worries or concerns they have.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, teachers do not choose content, resources and teaching strategies that are well suited to pupils’ different needs and capabilities. This limits some pupils’ progression through the curriculum. Leaders must ensure that teachers adapt their approach so that pupils of all abilities make strong progress.

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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. 6 and 7 June 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Sarah Bouette (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 March 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average primary school.  The school has a Christian religious character. The last section 48 inspection took place in March 2016.  The school does not make any use of alternative provision.

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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 held meetings with the executive headteacher, the head of school, senior and subject leaders and other staff. Discussions were also held with members of the governing body. 6 and 7 June 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives into these subjects: reading, mathematics, history and science. To do this, they met with subject leaders, had discussions with staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work. Inspectors also visited lessons in English and geography and spoke to older pupils in single-sex groups.  The inspection team reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising records and through discussions with staff and pupils.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for parents, staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Polly Haste, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Abdul-Hayee Murshad Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 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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