Richard Alibon Primary School with ARP for Cognitive and Learning Difficulties : SEN Base

Inspection of Richard Alibon Primary School with ARP for Cognitive and Learning Difficulties : SEN Base Alibon Road, Dagenham, Essex RM10 8DF

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good Learning Difficulties : SEN Base 18 and 19 July 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where pupils work incredibly hard to reach the expectations leaders have for their behaviour and learning. Staff and pupils treat each other with respect and kindness.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils conduct themselves very well in class, around the school and during social times. Pupils know staff will take the time to listen to them if they have a worry, and this means they feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide many opportunities for pupils to take on positions of responsibility. This includes acting as members of the ‘safety squad’ and ‘RAPS’. RAPS are older pupils who support younger pupils to play well together during social times.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders value pupils’ opinions. They provide opportunities for pupils to debate and consider the views of others. For example, pupils discuss philosophical questions, such as whether we are ever truly equal. These experiences help pupils to develop their own ideas and share their opinions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the wide range of enrichment activities on offer. These are deliberately designed to broaden their horizons and extend learning. For example, pupils across the school learn Mandarin and learn about Chinese culture. Older pupils can visit China so they can apply their learning.

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better?

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum here. Pupils visit the school library regularly, and staff read to pupils daily. These experiences develop pupils’ love for reading. Children in the early years learn songs and rhymes, which they perform with enthusiasm.

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better?

Children are taught to read right from the start of Reception. This is because leaders want pupils to learn to read fluently and confidently. Leaders train staff to teach phonics well. Staff regularly check the sounds that pupils know. Pupils who find reading difficult are given the help they need to catch up. Books are closely matched to the sounds that pupils know, and this means they read with increasing accuracy.

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better?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to achieve well. Leaders typically make sure that staff have the subject knowledge they need to deliver the curriculum. The curriculum in most subjects is well structured. Leaders have identified what they want pupils to learn, and this is broken down into smaller steps. For example, pupils in Year 4 are able to field and catch small balls effectively because they have previously been taught about the ideal body position to adopt and how to cushion a ball on impact. In the early years, adults provide frequent opportunities for children to practise early mathematical skills independently. For example, children read numbers accurately and can say one more than a given number. This is because they have previously been taught what each number represents. However, in a few Learning Difficulties : SEN Base 18 and 19 July 2023

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subjects, pupils struggle to remember key knowledge, skills and vocabulary. This is because, in these cases, the key knowledge and skills are not sequenced as effectively as they could be. In addition, leaders and teachers do not have effective processes in place to check what pupils have been taught, know and remember over time.

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Leaders are ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They identify pupils with SEND quickly. Leaders and teachers work effectively with external professionals, such as therapists and educational psychologists. These experts provide effective training for teachers and teaching assistants. Teachers use a range of teaching strategies and resources to ensure that pupils receive the support they need to access the curriculum and achieve well. This includes pupils in the specially resourced provision.

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Pupils display excellent attitudes to their learning. This is because staff have high expectations of pupils, and routines are well established. Learning is not interrupted by inappropriate behaviour. Pupils are taught how to regulate and manage their feelings, how to share and how to collaborate. This starts in the early years.

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Leaders promote pupils’ personal development extremely well, from the early years through to Year 6. Pupils speak with sensitivity and care when discussing protected characteristics. Pupils learn in an age-appropriate way about healthy and unhealthy relationships and consent. Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to learn how to identify risks both within and beyond the school. For example, Year 6 pupils take part in workshops about knife crime. Leaders provide a range of after-school activities. These are well attended.

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Governors are ambitious for the school. They understand what the school does well and what it needs to do to be even better. Staff are incredibly proud to work here. They value the range of initiatives put in place by leaders to make sure that workload is manageable.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure safeguarding is a top priority here. Staff attend safeguarding training and receive regular updates. Staff report any concerns quickly.

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Safeguarding

Leaders keep detailed records in relation to safeguarding. They take swift action when needed to ensure that pupils and families are safe. Leaders liaise effectively with a range of external agencies to secure support for pupils and their families. Leaders complete safer recruitment checks before staff begin to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

Pupils have a good awareness of staying safe in different ways, including with regard to online safety. They know that they should not share personal information online. Learning Difficulties : SEN Base 18 and 19 July 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, pupils struggle to remember key knowledge, skills and vocabulary. This is because the curriculum is sometimes not as effectively sequenced as it could be and because leaders and teachers do not have effective processes in place to check what has been taught, learned and remembered. This means that pupils have gaps in their learning. Leaders need to ensure that the curriculum is sequenced effectively and that there are processes in place to check what has been remembered over time.

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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. Learning Difficulties : SEN Base 18 and 19 July 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Fatima Olujide-Ogunnubi

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26 June 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school operates a breakfast and after-school club.  The school makes use of two registered alternative provisions.  The school has a specially resourced provision for 20 pupils with cognition and learning difficulties.

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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 senior leadership team to discuss school development.  Inspectors met with representatives of the governing body. They also met with a representative from Impetus Education Solutions. Learning Difficulties : SEN Base 18 and 19 July 2023

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 Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documents, including those related to safeguarding, pupils’ personal development and behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education, religious education and design and technology. 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 considered the curriculum in other subjects.  The views of parents and staff were also considered, including through Ofsted’s online surveys.  Inspectors reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising records and through discussions with pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Deborah Walters, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Hannah Glossop His Majesty’s Inspector Learning Difficulties : SEN Base 18 and 19 July 2023

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