Springfield Community Primary School

Inspection of Springfield Community Primary School Castlewood Road, Hackney, London N16 6DH

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 2023

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since December 2011. 11 and 12 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this nurturing and aspirational school. The school has a highly ambitious curriculum, and staff share their enthusiasm for learning with pupils. The curriculum has been designed to engage and inspire the school’s diverse community. Pupils are eager to learn and participate with enthusiasm. Behaviour in lessons is excellent. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the support they need and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school makes excellent use of the outdoor facilities. Pupils have regular opportunities for outdoor learning and play. This includes the school ‘forest’, where children from Nursery upwards explore the natural world and learn about the changing seasons. Pupils extend their learning across all subjects through a rich programme of activities, including cooking and gardening clubs and trips to sites of interest, such as museums and galleries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are supportive and respectful of one another. They develop a deep knowledge of equality and human rights issues and celebrate their differences. They aspire to be good ‘Springfield Citizens’ and have a clear sense of right and wrong.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers value being part of this small and friendly community. The school provides additional support and learning opportunities for parents, including in relation to e-safety.

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better?

The school has established a well-thought-out and clearly sequenced curriculum. The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with SEND. Staff are skilled at identifying pupils with additional needs and ensure that appropriate support is in place. Subject content is carefully broken down into small steps, with regular opportunities for pupils to recap their learning. Leaders have carefully identified the important knowledge in each subject. As a result, teachers have absolute clarity about what pupils should know and remember. This includes a sharp focus on subject-specific vocabulary. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and teach this vocabulary with precision and skill. As a result, pupils can use and apply subject-specific vocabulary with accuracy.

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better?

The curriculum is carefully ordered so that pupils develop their knowledge over time. For example, in music, children first learn how to identify the ‘strong beat’ in different musical styles before going on to learn about rhythm and tempo in Years 1 and 2. In Years 4 and 5, pupils develop their knowledge of musical notation and learn how to read basic rhythms. Pupils are exposed to a wide range of musical styles and traditions. They learn how to appreciate and respond to musical styles with which they may be familiar.

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better?

Pupils learn how to articulate their own opinions with confidence. This begins in the early years, where children’s language is developed through stories, communication, 11 and 12 October 2023

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and play. For example, in art, pupils can describe which artists they most admire and why. Pupils also learn how to respond to opinions that are different to their own. They learn the conventions of discussion and debate and use these to build on their learning. For example, in history, pupils find out how historians learn from historical objects and then debate whether such objects should be returned.

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Staff are determined that every pupil will learn to read. Books are carefully selected to build pupils’ vocabulary and to spark their curiosity and imagination. Adults read regularly to pupils, including outside and in small groups. There is a well-embedded programme for teaching phonics. This is delivered through highly skilled and engaging teaching. Children who attend the Nursery are well prepared for the routines in Reception. Those who need additional help to learn phonics are quickly identified and supported. Outcomes in reading are strong, including for those who are new to English.

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Leaders have considered pupils’ wider development. Opportunities for enrichment experiences are carefully planned for each subject. Leaders ensure that pupils first have the knowledge they need to make the most of these experiences. Pupils are taught about different forms of discrimination and how rights are protected by law. Pupils know that they can contribute their thoughts and ideas through the whole- school council. Pupils feel safe and respected and say that their voices are listened to. They trust that adults will take appropriate action if something is worrying them.

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Pupils are polite and courteous. They show interest in different ideas and enjoy talking with adults. Behaviour does not interrupt learning at Springfield. Pupils are rightly proud of the excellent behaviour in lessons and around the school.

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Staff enjoy working here. Staff share leaders’ commitment to achieving the best outcomes for pupils. Leaders consider staff well-being when making decisions. Staff value being part of a federation of schools.

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Persistent absence is an ongoing concern. Leaders have a clear strategy in place to provide support to families to help improve attendance and to take further action where needed. The school is seeing some positive outcomes from this work, and leaders continue to ensure that attendance is a priority.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 11 and 12 October 2023

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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

Headteacher Anna Case (Headteacher) Sian Davies (Executive Headteacher) Website www.springfield.hackney.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 December 2011 under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative providers.  The school is part of the Primary Advantage Federation.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  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.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single 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 positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first. 11 and 12 October 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, science, art and music. 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 discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  Inspectors also met with members of the local advisory board, the central governing body, a local authority school improvement partner, and members of the senior leadership team, including the leader for SEND.  Inspectors met with parents and considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for parents, staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Polly Haste, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Martin 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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