Larkhall Primary Campus

Inspection of Larkhall Primary Campus Smedley Street, Clapham, London SW4 6PH

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 20 and 21 June 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school and are safe. They value staff’s care in the school. Teachers are encouraging and have high aspirations for all pupils. They help them to succeed in their learning. Behaviour in lessons is calm and orderly. Pupils concentrate on their learning. In early years, children take turns and follow routines well. Staff follow up any concerns that pupils may have quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school is a welcoming place. Working relationships between staff and pupils are positive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff provide pupils with many opportunities for wider enrichment. This includes regular outings such as the residential visit for Year 6 pupils, which they enjoyed. Staff arrange many visits in the local area, which pupils spoke about enthusiastically. Pupils benefit from extra clubs, including during lunchtimes. They can take on extra responsibilities, such as being members of the school council.

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better?

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is broad and ambitious. Typically, leaders have mapped in detail the exact skills and knowledge they want pupils to know and remember over time. For instance, in mathematics, children build on their knowledge of fractions so that they can identify ‘halves’ in Year 1 successfully. As they move through the school, pupils gain strong mathematical understanding. For instance, Year 6 pupils converted between mixed numbers and improper fractions confidently. In some subjects, leaders have not clarified in detail what they want pupils to know. As a result, teachers do not focus sufficiently on the key content they want pupils to remember. This limits pupils’ deeper understanding over time.

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better?

Leaders identify any pupils who may have SEND. They work closely with outside agencies and put strategies in place to meet pupils’ needs. Lessons are adapted appropriately to give pupils with SEND access to the full curriculum.

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better?

Generally, staff present information to pupils clearly. They check and address any misconceptions in pupils’ understanding in a timely way. In early years, staff know pupils well and work closely with parents and carers. Staff support children across all areas of learning effectively. On occasion, teaching in the school does not implement the intended curriculum securely, including for some pupils with education, health and care (EHC) plans.

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better?

Leaders make sure that there is a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics. They have matched the books pupils read closely to the sounds that they know. Training in early reading has been a priority for all staff across the school. Parents are updated about how to help their children with reading through regular workshops and communication. Staff identify any pupils who need additional support 20 and 21 June 2023

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with reading. They support these pupils well so that they can catch up quickly. Staff promote a love of reading across the school.

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Leaders make sure that pupils behave well. Any pupils who need extra support to manage their behaviour receive strong support and guidance. In early years, children cooperate well together and follow routines. They use a range of resources sensibly. Adults support the development of children’s independence. Leaders have clear systems in place to help pupils to attend school regularly.

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Staff teach pupils about how to be safe, including online. They encourage pupils to eat healthily and to look after their mental health. Staff enable pupils to understand the importance of differences. They provide many opportunities for pupils to learn about different religions, cultures and types of family.

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Governors understand, and carry out, their role effectively. They hold leaders to account while also supporting them. Staff are very proud to work at this school. They are grateful that leaders have taken steps to reduce their workload and said that their well-being is always a priority.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have put strong systems in place to ensure that staff are well trained to identify and report concerns. They record any concerns meticulously and work closely with external agencies. Leaders make sure that families and pupils get the help they need. Leaders know their school community well.

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Safeguarding

Pupils said that they would trust staff with any concerns they had.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not identified the most important concepts they expect pupils to learn. This means that teachers do not focus sufficiently on the important content pupils need to secure. As a result, some pupils struggle to deepen their understanding. Leaders should make sure that they make explicit what they want pupils to know and remember in these subjects.  On occasion, teaching does not routinely deliver the intended curriculum well. This limits pupils’ subject-specific knowledge and skills. The school must ensure that all teachers have the expertise and subject knowledge to meet the aims of the curriculum consistently, and to meet the needs of all pupils with EHC plans precisely. 20 and 21 June 2023

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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. 20 and 21 June 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Gary Nichol Website www.larkhallprimary.co.uk

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School details

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

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Information about this school

 The school has a resource base for pupils with autistic spectrum disorder. It currently has 48 pupils on roll, all with EHC plans. There are plans with the local authority to increase the number on roll over the next two years.  The school currently does not use any 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 senior leaders. They met with governors, including the chair.  Inspectors met pupils to understand their views about the school. 20 and 21 June 2023

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 Inspectors did deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons with senior leaders, met with teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also considered the curriculum in other subjects.  Inspectors considered the behaviour of pupils during lesson visits and around the school. They observed pupils as they arrived at school in the morning. They looked at behaviour and bullying records, and leaders’ analysis of these.  Inspectors considered the effectiveness of safeguarding through discussions with leaders, teachers and support staff. They looked at records relating to safeguarding, including pre-employment checks.  Inspectors spoke to staff about their workload and well-being. They considered

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the views of staff, pupils and parents, including responses to Ofsted’s online surveys. They spoke to some parents at the school gate.  Inspectors considered a wide range of documentation provided by the school. This included curriculum documentation and school policies.

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Inspection team

Aliki Constantopoulou, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alice Clay His Majesty’s Inspector 20 and 21 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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