North Beckton Primary School

Inspection of North Beckton Primary School Harrier Way, Beckton, London E6 5XG

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Inspection dates: 27 and 28 September 2023

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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 Outstanding Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The executive headteacher of this school is Shella Lawrenson. This school is part of the Tapscott Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Paul Harris, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Paula Jeffers. 27 and 28 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school that lives up to its vision: ‘we all belong’. Staff know every pupil well. Pupils said they enjoy coming to school and that adults keep them safe. They described adults as ‘helpful’ and ‘kind’. They explained that they can always go to a trusted adult if they are ever worried about something.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for what pupils should achieve. Pupils work hard and concentrate on their learning. They achieve well in their studies and are proud to contribute to the life of the school. As one pupil commented, they enjoy being a reading ambassador ‘to spread the love of reading throughout the school’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They walk around sensibly and show good manners to each other. Pupils enjoy playing with their friends in the playground. Older pupils take on responsibility for younger pupils. They help them to play games fairly and follow rules. Pupils said that there are occasional incidents of poor behaviour, but these are always sorted out by adults.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most parents and carers are very positive about all the changes that have been made to the school. They said that leaders communicate well and listen to any concerns that they may have.

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better?

The school prioritises making sure that pupils learn and achieve successfully. Leaders have made sure that there is an ambitious curriculum in all subjects. This helps pupils to build their knowledge and skills over time. In computing, for example, pupils used their knowledge of presentation software to gather, organise and present information about the population and climate of different countries.

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better?

The curriculum identifies the long-term goals for pupils’ learning and the steps that pupils need to take to reach these goals. However, in some instances, the subject- specific vocabulary that pupils need is not identified and taught with precision in Years 1 to 6. Although pupils learn new knowledge, at times, they find it hard to articulate their understanding confidently. For example, in mathematics, pupils identify 3D shapes correctly. However, they struggle to recall mathematical language, such as ‘faces’ and ‘vertices’, to describe these shapes with accuracy.

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better?

Teachers have good subject knowledge. They give clear explanations so that pupils understand what they are learning. Teachers also check that pupils have a good understanding of what they have learned. They give pupils extra help where they need it. In a small number of subjects, the school is less clear about pupils’ prior knowledge. Therefore, in Years 1 to 6, some aspects of teaching do not build consistently on what pupils already know.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. The school identifies and meets their needs, including through well-chosen 27 and 28 September 2023

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adaptations in lessons. For example, in physical education (PE), pupils use visual aids to help them remember key movements and follow routines.

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Children learn to love reading from the moment they start school. In early years they listen to a rich range of rhymes, songs and stories. They have lots of books to choose from. Pupils in all year groups enjoy story time every day and regular visits to the library.

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The school has set out a clear approach to teaching reading. Staff are well trained in how to teach phonics and, as a result, follow the phonics programme consistently. Staff make sure that pupils apply their phonics knowledge with fluency, and grow in confidence when reading unfamiliar words. They provide support quickly when pupils are struggling. Pupils also learn what it means to be a fluent reader. As one pupil commented, ‘It means reading as confidently as when I talk to you in a conversation.’

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Children get off to an excellent start in early years. They settle quickly and develop warm relationships with adults and with each other. They concentrate for long periods of time and enjoy their learning. The way the curriculum is designed and taught prepares children exceptionally well for learning further up the school.

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Pupils are keen to learn. They typically behave well and work hard in lessons. Where a small number of pupils struggle with behaviour, adults help them to stay calm and return to their work quickly. Working together with parents, the school takes effective, well-targeted actions to improve pupils’ attendance.

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Pupils enjoy lots of experiences in and out of school. This includes trips to the Tate Modern and British Museum. They learn about those from different faiths and cultures, including visiting different places of worship. The school uses local woodland areas to promote pupils’ awareness of and interest in nature and the wider world.

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The trust and governing body know the strengths and weaknesses of the school well. This helps to ensure that leaders have the resources they need to improve the school and give pupils the best possible quality education.

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Staff feel well supported. They said that leaders try hard to make sure workload is manageable. Staff are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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 In Years 1 to 6, subject-specific vocabulary is not consistently and systematically identified and taught over time to support pupils to embed their understanding. At times, this affects how securely and precisely pupils can articulate what they know. The trust should ensure that the important words that pupils need to know to support their learning in a subject are clearly defined and given sufficient emphasis in the teaching of all subjects.  In a small number of subjects, the school does not have a sufficiently clear picture of how well pupils have learned the curriculum over time. This means that, in some instances, teaching is not adjusted precisely to target any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. The trust should make sure that, across the curriculum, checks on learning contribute effectively to the school’s work to ensure pupils develop a secure understanding in all subjects.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with 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). 27 and 28 September 2023

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School details

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Tapscott Learning Trust.  The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with profound and multiple learning disability. This provision caters for up to 14 pupils, aged from four to 11.  Leaders do not currently make use of any alternative provision for their pupils.  North Beckton Primary School converted to become an academy in April 2019. When its predecessor school, North Beckton Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be requires improvement overall.

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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

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 27 and 28 September 2023

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, PE and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, 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 some other subjects.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteachers, senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers, teaching assistants and non-teaching staff.  The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer, trustees and members of the local governing body.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single

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central record, took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils, and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and honest culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and in the playground during social times.  Inspectors considered the views of parents shared through Ofsted Parent View. They also met with some parents at the start of the day. Inspectors gathered the views of pupils and staff through surveys as well as discussions conducted throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Andrew Rigby, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Ruth Harding Ofsted Inspector 27 and 28 September 2023

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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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