Gordon Primary School

Inspection of Gordon Primary School Earlshall Road, Eltham, London SE9 1QG

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 1 and 2 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Friendships, positive relationships and kindness are encouraged by leaders. Pupil ‘friendship ambassadors’ know their role and receive training on how to help their peers join in with games and make friends. All pupils are taught about being respectful and welcoming to everyone. Children in the early years and older pupils work and play alongside each other well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn without interruption because classrooms are calm and orderly. Children in the early years settle quickly, and routines are established as soon as they join the school. Pupils behave well and are engaged in their lessons. They have positive attitudes to learning and want to do well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school develops pupils’ talents and interests. The school has a strong focus on music. Pupils learn to play a range of instruments, such as the flute, trombone and violin. Pupils perform in bands and in the school choir.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school gets to know pupils and their families well, with one parent/carer summing up the views of many by saying, ‘The school has a great sense of community. It fosters inclusivity and kindness, as well as personal and academic achievement.’

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better?

The school’s curriculum is well thought through. Most subjects match the expectations of the national curriculum, and in some subjects, such as music, the curriculum exceeds those expectations. Subject leaders identify the exact knowledge they want pupils to learn, including by when. Teachers commented that this has helped with their workload. The governing body uses a range of information to check and understand the quality of the school’s work, as well as to challenge and hold leaders to account.

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better?

Typically, teachers have secure knowledge of the subjects they teach. They clearly explain content to pupils. Mostly, pupils have opportunities to revisit and practise prior learning, and teachers check pupils’ understanding. Sometimes, where the intended subject content is not delivered according to leaders’ thinking, pupils develop gaps in their knowledge. When this occurs, pupils’ knowledge and skills are not built up as securely over time, and checks on pupils’ understanding and the identification of any gaps and misconceptions are not as routine.

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better?

The school has embedded a systematic approach to teaching pupils to read. Reading is prioritised, and pupils have opportunities to read regularly. Pupils’ reading and understanding are checked methodically, which helps teachers to identify pupils who may be struggling. Generally, pupils who need extra support are helped to catch up and keep up. Sometimes, when listening to pupils read, staff do not follow as consistent an approach to supporting weaker readers, for example by reading words 1 and 2 November 2023

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for pupils that pupils struggle to read. This limits the amount of practice pupils receive for using phonics to sound out unfamiliar words.

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The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) swiftly and robustly. Leaders work with a range of professionals to make sure the right support is in place. This support is reviewed regularly, and changes are made if needed. Pupils and children in the early years with SEND are included in all aspects of the school and learn alongside their peers.

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The school’s personal development programme prepares pupils for their future lives in modern Britain. Pupils take on different roles and responsibilities across the school, including being part of the school council, the eco-team or as junior ‘travel ambassadors’. They discuss ways that the school can improve and come up with ideas to enable it to do so. As a result, they have contributed to projects including growing their own vegetables and encouraging more pupils to walk or cycle to school.

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Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ attendance rates. They ensure that all parents are aware of the impact on pupils’ academic and personal achievement of regular attendance at school. They make clear how regular attendance supports pupils to know and remember more. As a result, children in the early years and older pupils attend school regularly.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, where teaching does not follow the curriculum as leaders intend, pupils are not helped as routinely to know and remember more. The school should ensure that all subjects are taught in line with leaders’ curriculum thinking so that pupils’ component and disciplinary knowledge and skills build progressively, ensuring that pupils know, can do, and remember more over time.  Occasionally, the school does not ensure that staff follow a consistent approach to helping weaker readers to learn to read. When the school does not routinely encourage pupils to sound out and blend words in order to decode them, the impact of pupils’ reading practice is limited. The school should make sure that all staff follow a consistent approach to supporting pupils who are learning to read so that all pupils build up fluency and confidence swiftly. 1 and 2 November 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). 1 and 2 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Lynsey Christini-Clay

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 June 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 and after-school 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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, music 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 1 and 2 November 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 wider school team.  Inspectors met with the chair of the governing body and other members of the governing body.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Kieran Bird, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Paul Jackson Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 November 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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