Gresham Primary School

Inspection of Gresham Primary School Limpsfield Road, Sanderstead, South Croydon, Surrey CR2 9EA

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 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 Good Previous inspection grade Good 11 and 12 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this school. Children in the early years settle quickly. They work and play alongside one another well. Pupils help one another, and they are kind and respectful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Classrooms, including in early years, are calm places. Pupils’ learning proceeds mostly without interruption. Pupils behave well because they know what is expected of them. Leaders make sure that routines are established as soon as children join the school. Pupils are safe and are ready to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school enriches pupils’ personal development in many ways. Pupils readily take on responsibilities to help others, such as becoming a ‘bistro buddy’ or an ‘office monitor’. Leaders organise a breadth of wider learning opportunities. Pupils represent the school, for example, competing in a range of competitions in sports and dance. They take part in performances in and outside school. In Year 6, pupils go on a residential stay to an activity centre.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, staff, governors, parents and carers are proud to be a part of this school community. One parent typically commented: ‘There is a real sense of community at this school. My children are happy, well supported and enjoy the learning environment.’ Staff get to know pupils and their families well and build positive working relationships.

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better?

The school has ambitious intentions for the curriculum. Leaders have constructed the curriculum to help pupils to be ready for their future steps in education. Curriculum thinking in many subjects identifies the important knowledge that pupils need to learn and sequences the order in which it should be taught so that pupils’ knowledge builds cumulatively. Subject content builds in complexity year on year too. Leaders support staff to manage their workload. They thoughtfully consider staff’s well-being, so staff feel valued.

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better?

Generally, the delivery of the curriculum enables pupils to do more, know more and remember more over time. Typically, teachers ensure that pupils have regular opportunities to recall, revise and practise prior learning because they know the essential knowledge that leaders intend pupils to learn. Sometimes, the curriculum is not delivered as clearly when teachers’ subject expertise is not as secure. As a consequence, there are gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding.

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better?

Reading is prioritised throughout the school and there are many opportunities for pupils to read. Leaders have introduced a new systematic phonics programme. Staff are well trained to teach early reading. Leaders identify any pupils who fall behind. Pupils who need extra help with reading are given the support that they need to catch up and keep up. Teachers read aloud to pupils every day. 11 and 12 October 2023

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Leaders ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from all that the school has to offer. Mostly, adaptations to the teaching, support and resources for pupils with SEND are made based on pupils’ personalised targets. Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers and learn alongside them. Occasionally, adaptations are not tailored precisely enough to the needs of pupils with SEND.

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The school’s personal, social and health education and wider curriculum prepare pupils effectively for life in modern Britain. Pupils are taught to be respectful and welcoming to everybody. They are encouraged to think about their own mental health and well-being. Pupils are taught about healthy and unhealthy relationships and how to keep themselves safe.

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Leaders make sure that pupils have access to rich and engaging experiences. Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures throughout the curriculum. They visit places of worship to deepen their learning. Leaders ensure that there is a wide range of clubs that develop pupils’ interests and nurture their talents, including cross-country running, hockey, netball, choir and learning to play a musical instrument, such as the violin or guitar.

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Pupils and children in the early years attend school very regularly. Leaders work in successful partnership with parents. They make clear the value of attending school every day and the positive impact that this has on pupils’ learning.

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The governing body knows the school well. Members visit the school regularly to check the quality of the school’s work. They use a wide range of information to hold leaders to account.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, the curriculum is not delivered clearly when teachers’ subject expertise is not secure. As a consequence, there are gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. The school should ensure that all teachers and leaders have subject confidence to deliver key content and check routinely what pupils know, remember and can do. 11 and 12 October 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’ 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). 11 and 12 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 24 April 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not make use of any alternative providers.  The school operates and manages a breakfast club.

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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.  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 early reading, mathematics, history and geography. To do this, they met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, had discussions with staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at samples of 11 and 12 October 2023

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pupils’ work. Inspectors also considered the curriculum in other subjects as part of this inspection.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for improvement.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record of pre-employment checks; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, teachers and the wider school team.  Inspectors met with the chair of the governing body and other governors.  Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Kieran Bird, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Robin Bosher Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 October 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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