Engayne Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Engayne Primary School Severn Drive, Cranham, Upminster, Essex RM14 1SW

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Outcome

Engayne Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this welcoming community school. Positive relationships are at the centre of everything that the school does. Staff know pupils well. They encourage pupils to be kind and responsible. Pupils are happy and safe at this school because staff are vigilant and deal with any concerns pupils may have appropriately.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers inspire pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to have high aspirations. Staff help pupils to enjoy their learning and to achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are clear and high expectations for how pupils should behave. Pupils live up to these expectations. Behaviour in lessons is excellent. Pupils remain highly focused on their learning. There is rarely any interruption to learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Enrichment beyond the academic curriculum is an important part of the school’s vision. The school has high ambitions that pupils are ‘ready for life’. Pupils take part in a variety of wider opportunities, which aim to develop their characters through a series of rich, diverse experiences. For example, at lunchtimes, pupils have opportunities to develop their imaginative play, physical confidence and resilience through the outdoor play and learning initiative.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the range of educational trips, visitors, special events and clubs offered. These include fencing, sewing, Spanish and ballet.

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

For each subject, the curriculum sets out the key knowledge and skills that children in early years and pupils across Years 1 to 6 will learn. Choices about what pupils study are ambitious. The school has established clear systems to ensure that teachers know exactly 8 and 9 November 2023

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what to teach and when. Teachers understand what pupils have learned before and what will come next. Pupils learn new knowledge and skills in small, well-ordered steps. This helps pupils to make links in their learning and deepen their understanding. Pupils achieve well and are prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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Regular training and support from colleagues ensure that all staff develop their expertise. Teachers have secure subject knowledge. This includes those who are new to the school. Teachers teach the intended curriculum with enthusiasm, using resources effectively. They use a range of different ways to check how well pupils are learning. In a few curriculum subjects, these approaches are not as fully developed. Where this is the case, the school does not spot misconceptions or gaps in pupils’ knowledge as quickly as it could.

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The school places a high priority on pupils learning to read. Children start to learn to read as soon as they join the Reception Year. All staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme to a high quality. They model sounds to pupils precisely. Pupils’ books are closely matched to the sounds that they know. They have regular opportunities to practise the sounds that they need to learn. When pupils struggle to read, knowledgeable staff provide additional support swiftly.

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Beyond phonics, there is a well-structured reading curriculum. Books are central to the curriculum and the life of the school. The school promotes a love of reading. Staff give pupils regular opportunities to visit the well-stocked school libraries. Pupils really enjoy story time. This is because teachers bring books to life and make them exciting.

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Leaders with responsibility for pupils with SEND understand the needs of these pupils well. Early identification and precisely targeted additional help from adults mean that pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers.

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The school places great emphasis on pupils’ wider development. Pupils learn about what the fundamental British values are, and older pupils are encouraged to link these to their own experiences. There are many and varied opportunities for all pupils to learn about the wider world and the different beliefs, cultures and faiths that abound. The school’s focus on developing respect, belonging and responsibility is well understood by pupils. They frequently try to demonstrate these ideas in their interactions with others. Pupils are taught about understanding the importance of healthy lifestyles and relationships.

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Pupils get along with each other and focus on learning in class. They are supported to develop their social skills by taking on responsibilities, such as digital leaders, kindness ambassadors and by becoming members of the school’s parliament. The school encourages pupils to consider the needs of others. For example, the school has provided opportunities for pupils to engage in social action projects. Through these, they have raised funds for a dog welfare charity and cancer charities. Pupils also get involved in supporting the local food bank and recycling initiatives.

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Pupils’ attendance is a top priority, with the school taking a number of effective steps to reduce absence and ensure that pupils arrive to school on time. 8 and 9 November 2023

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The governing body knows the school and community well. It supports leaders in their desire to ensure that pupils’ best interests and the promotion of equality are at the heart of all decisions.

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Staff are proud to work at this school. They appreciate leaders’ efforts to reduce their workload and support their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Approaches to checking whether pupils have learned and remembered the curriculum in some foundation subjects are still being developed. Therefore, teachers and leaders do not always have a clear understanding of how well pupils are learning in these subjects, and where any misconceptions or difficulties are arising. Leaders should continue to ensure that assessment approaches are refined so that teachers can check what pupils know and remember and address any gaps in their learning.

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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.

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Background

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

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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.

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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. 8 and 9 November 2023

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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). 8 and 9 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 April 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Engayne Primary School is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  The school provides a breakfast club.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, science, history and art and design. For each deep dive, the 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. The curriculum in other subjects was also considered as part of this inspection. 8 and 9 November 2023

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, other school leaders, teaching staff, the chair of governors and other members of the governing body. An inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  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.  Inspectors observed behaviour in lessons and around the school and reviewed behaviour logs and attendance information.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the start of the school day and considered responses to the survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View.  Discussions were held with various groups of staff. Inspectors evaluated responses to the online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Chris Birtles, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Martin Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 November 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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