Yorke Mead Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Yorke Mead Primary School Dulwich Way, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire WD3 3PX

p.1

Inspection dates: 13 and 14 September 2023

p.1

Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might be outstanding if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Yorke Mead are happy and polite. They are kind and caring towards one another. Pupils value the three school rules of being safe, responsible and respectful. They follow this and the Yorke Mead way of ‘DARE TO’ in their learning. Pupils know how to be determined, resilient and ambitious when they approach new learning. Pupils enthusiastically take up a wide range of extra-curricular clubs.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff are ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils enjoy learning and want to do their best. They build knowledge over time in subjects they study. Pupils achieve well. They learn how to learn, including strategies for mindfulness such as breathing techniques. Pupils explain how this helps them to be better learners.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Classrooms are calm and purposeful. Pupils behave consistently well in lessons and when moving around the school. They know that staff have high expectations of their conduct and quickly correct their behaviour if needed.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have strong, positive relationships with pupils. Pupils feel safe at school. They are confident to share their concerns and worries with staff. They trust adults to resolve issues quickly. There is a strong sense of community among staff, pupils and parents.

p.1

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has developed a well organised and broad curriculum. It has arranged the knowledge and skills that pupils learn in a logical manner. Staff are confident in teaching the curriculum and have strong subject knowledge. Teachers are highly skilled at modelling the correct use of subject-specific vocabulary. Teachers use questioning effectively to check pupils’ understanding and address any misconceptions. Staff are quick 13 and 14 September 2023

p.1

2

to address gaps in learning so that pupils catch up and keep up. Pupils complete quizzes to help them to recall and reinforce their learning. Subject leaders confidently champion their subject. They support staff to continually develop their knowledge.

p.2

2

Staff have high aspirations for all pupils. They ensure that there are clear processes for identifying pupils with SEND. Staff know pupils well. The school is tenacious in ensuring that pupils’ needs are well understood. Staff use information about pupils’ individual needs particularly well. They enable all pupils to access the curriculum through a range of appropriate adaptations to their teaching.

p.2

2

From early years, staff teach phonics consistently well. They check carefully whether pupils’ knowledge is secure before moving them on to learn new sounds. Pupils read books that match the sounds they are learning. This helps them to become fluent readers. Pupils who find reading tricky get the support they need to learn to read. Staff have successfully developed pupils’ love of reading. In the early years, children regularly select books they want to share with staff. Staff are highly skilled at teaching early language and the foundations for phonics learning. Pupils enjoy exploring books from around the world through regular assemblies. Pupils benefit from the positive links within the community, including the local book shop which arranges regular author visits.

p.2

2

Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They follow routines and expectations. Staff and pupils have warm relationships. Pupils speak with passion about the importance of having an opinion. Pupils learn how to respectfully challenge and ask questions. Staff help pupils to build an inclusive environment. For example, pupils volunteer to share their experiences of what it means to think and learn in a different way.

p.2

2

Staff carefully plan pupils’ wider development. Extra-curricular clubs are very well attended. These include chess, cooking and art clubs. The school ensures that pupils learn how to play a musical instrument, such as violin or the recorder. Pupils learn about physical and emotional well-being, healthy relationships, money and citizenship in ways appropriate for their age.

p.2

2

Staff are proud to work at the school. Staff are well supported with their well-being and professional development. Governors know the school well and provide both support and challenge to get the best for pupils.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 13 and 14 September 2023

p.2

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 2014.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 13 and 14 September 2023

p.3

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.4

School details

Chairs Charlotte Gomes Derek Marshall Headteacher Lucille Pollard

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 10 May 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.4

Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school has a breakfast club and an after-school club that are run by the school.

p.4

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteachers, subject leaders and the special educational needs coordinator. The inspector also met with seven governors, including the co-chairs of the governing body.  The inspector met with a representative from the local authority to gather information about school support and development. 13 and 14 September 2023

p.4

5

 The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with the subject leader, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also looked at other curriculum plans and pupils’ work, including for history, geography, computing and science.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector scrutinised a range of documentation relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance. She also spoke to pupils and met with the designated safeguarding lead.  The inspector took account of the 154 responses and free-text comments submitted to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View.  The inspector took account of the 54 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and the 178 responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey. The inspector also spoke to pupils during playtimes

p.5

5

and lunchtimes and during lessons to seek pupils’ views. She spoke with a group of staff to gather their views.

p.5

Inspection team

Nerrissa Bear, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 13 and 14 September 2023

p.5

6

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.

p.6

6

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

6

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

6

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

6

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6