Becontree Primary School

Inspection of Becontree Primary School Stevens Road, Dagenham, Essex RM8 2QR

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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 18 and 19 July 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have developed a highly inclusive culture that ensures everyone is welcome. Pupils and staff are proud of their school and follow their motto of respecting one another. Pupils feel a strong sense of community. They are happy, safe and enjoy learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know pupils very well and have built strong working relationships with them. Leaders have high expectations of all pupils. The curriculum is ambitious for all, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well behaved during lessons and around the school site. They are polite, kind and inquisitive. In early years, children are taught how to follow instructions and routines. They play together well and learn how to share and take turns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils all take part in a range of wider opportunities in school. Leaders have developed the ‘Becontree Top 20’ programme, in which are planned experiences for all pupils to take part in each year. These include a visit to a place of worship, raising money for charity and watching a live performance. Pupils also have the opportunity to take on various leadership roles and responsibilities.

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better?

Leaders ensure that the curriculum is designed to build pupils’ knowledge over time. All subjects meet the ambition of the national curriculum. Leaders have developed a curriculum in Reception Year that enables children to learn across all areas of learning successfully.

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better?

Teachers have appropriate subject knowledge and present information clearly. However, sometimes they do not consistently identify and clarify pupils’ misunderstandings during lessons. This means that on occasions pupils are not fully ready to learn new content and concepts. In the early years, staff assess children’s progress and use this information to plan next steps in their learning. They ensure that assessment is ongoing and considers the unique needs and abilities of each child.

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better?

Leaders identify the needs of pupils with SEND effectively. The support in place for pupils with SEND is exceptional. Highly effective, bespoke and ambitious curricular aims are put in place for all pupils with SEND. Pupils with more complex needs in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND are supported by highly skilled staff.

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better?

Leaders have placed an emphasis on teaching pupils to read from the very start of the Reception Year. Staff are well trained, which ensures that phonics is taught with a high level of consistency. They identify and support pupils who fall behind the 18 and 19 July 2023

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reading programme. The books that pupils read are well matched to their ability. This enables pupils to read with accuracy, fluency and confidence across the school.

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Teachers read to pupils every day. They read a range of texts, including fiction, non- fiction and poetry. Staff encourage all pupils to read independently daily. In early years, staff develop children’s communication and language skills well.

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Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. Systems to support behaviour in classrooms are clear and consistently used by staff. There are a variety of rewards systems used in the school, which pupils value. In early years, children behave well and concentrate on activities.

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Leaders have developed a well-thought-out personal development curriculum. This builds pupils’ knowledge of how to stay safe and healthy in an age-appropriate manner. Leaders have carefully considered the local area when providing pupils with a range of experiences. Pupils attend a range of outings every year and welcome external speakers to the school, including a road safety talk and Roman experience group. Pupils can attend a range of clubs. These include a choir, various sports, cooking and debating clubs.

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Staff are extremely positive about how leaders look after their health and welfare. Leaders minimise workload where possible and provide a number of professional development opportunities for staff. Leaders have built strong relationships with parents and carers and offer a range of parental workshops. The governing body carries out its role effectively, providing challenge and support to leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are well trained to identify and report any safeguarding concerns. Leaders have put in place strong systems and safeguarding is viewed as everyone’s responsibility. Leaders take swift and appropriate action to any concerns raised.

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Safeguarding

Staff know the pupils very well. Pupils are taught how to recognise and report safeguarding concerns to a trusted adult. Leaders work effectively with a range of external agencies to provide specialist support for pupils.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, teaching does not systematically identify and clarify pupils’ misunderstandings well or ensure that pupils are secure in subject-specific vocabulary and knowledge. This means that, on occasions, pupils are not fully ready to learn new content and concepts. The school should develop the 18 and 19 July 2023

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expertise of all teachers so that they identify and address any gaps in pupils’ understanding swiftly.

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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. 18 and 19 July 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255362 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Hannah Hamid and Asim Uddin

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School details

Date of previous inspection 31 October 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school has a specialist centre for pupils with autism, which is commissioned by the local authority. It caters for up to twelve pupils.

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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 met with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, and a range of staff. They also met with members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors spoke to subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, 18 and 19 July 2023

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discussed with pupils, and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The curriculum in other subjects was also considered.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors met with the designated safeguarding leads, along with pupils and staff. The records of pre-employment checks and other relevant documentation were also reviewed.  Inspectors considered the views of parents, pupils and staff, including through responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Simon Conway, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Michelle Thomas Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 July 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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