Canary Wharf Primary, Glenworth

Inspection of an outstanding school: Canary Wharf College, Glenworth 93 Saunders Ness Road, Isle of Dogs, London E14 3EB

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 2023

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of outstanding as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The acting principal is Shireen Sinem. This school is part of Canary Wharf College Ltd multi-academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Joanne Taylor, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Alfonso Padro.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve well at this school. They are happy, safe and benefit from a broad, balanced and stimulating curriculum. Leaders have considered carefully the subject content that pupils should learn from Reception up to Year 6. Teachers make sure that classroom activities are engaging and challenging for pupils. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who are very well supported to access the full curriculum. Teachers encourage pupils to talk about their work and discuss their views. This helps pupils to be confident and articulate.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders ensure that pupils have opportunities to develop beyond the academic curriculum. A wide-ranging programme of enrichment activities supports pupils’ learning and develops their talents. This includes educational visits to galleries, museums and places of worship.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. This leads to very positive attitudes to learning and high attendance. Pupils are polite and respectful to each other and to adults. They know that unkind language is not tolerated.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There has been a significant amount of change at the school over the past year. Many of these changes have led to improvements. However, a large proportion of the school community is unhappy with recent changes. 11 and 12 October 2023

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

The curriculum is rich, ambitious and interesting. From Reception through to Year 6, the school has thought carefully about the important content that it wants pupils to learn. This means that pupils can build on their earlier learning and develop a deeper understanding over time. The school makes sure that subject content is broken down into steps so that pupils build up their knowledge systematically. In mathematics, a very strong focus on important vocabulary helps pupils to become more confident in recognising how to solve problems. In physical education (PE), pupils learn individual skills before applying these in competitive scenarios.

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

Teachers are skilled at ensuring that pupils revisit their earlier learning. This helps pupils to learn more and remember more over time. A clear structure to lessons helps to achieve consistency of practice across the school. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. Specialist leaders of subjects from the trust also support teaching and deliver lessons. Teachers check for understanding regularly. They know their pupils well. This means that pupils with SEND can be identified quickly. These pupils are supported to access the same curriculum as their classmates.

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

The teaching of reading is prioritised. This starts very quickly in Reception. Teachers are skilled at helping pupils to decode words and develop into fluent readers. Teachers make sure that pupils read books that match the sounds they are learning. Pupils who need extra help to keep up benefit from one-to-one support as well as extra classes. A well- stocked library and a whole-school reading challenge encourage pupils to read widely and often.

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

Pupils behave very well in lessons and around the school. At social times, they play together safely. Pupils listen to their teachers and to each other. Bullying is extremely rare and is dealt with well when it does happen. Leaders have high ambitions for pupils’ attendance. Very thorough systems ensure that rates of attendance are high.

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

A carefully considered programme of personal, social and health education ensures that pupils are taught important life skills in an age-appropriate way. This starts in Reception. Pupils learn how to stay safe and about healthy relationships. In computing lessons, pupils are taught how they should keep themselves safe when online. Pupils’ wider development is also carefully considered through the books that pupils read and the subject content across the curriculum. For example, in history, pupils learn about significant people from a range of diverse backgrounds. Pupils enjoy attending a wide variety of after-school activities and clubs. These include roller-skating, choir, coding and drama clubs.

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

The school has been through a lot of change over the past year. This includes new leadership, a new school day, a new curriculum and a revised staffing structure. Many of these changes have brought about improvements to the quality of education. The school recognises that there has been unease within the school community as a result of these changes. Some staff shared concerns that workload has increased. Many parents also shared their concerns about some of the changes with the inspector. Leaders’ efforts to allay parents’ concerns have not been successful. 11 and 12 October 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are safe and staff know to look out for, and to report, any concerns that they may have. The school records these concerns, but does not consistently ensure that all follow- up actions are also recorded in a timely way. The school has not consistently ensured that those responsible for safeguarding are fully trained so they can quickly access and analyse these records.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Safeguarding records do not show how issues have been followed up. Leaders should ensure that all important information related to safeguarding concerns are recorded so that they can quickly refer to and analyse pupils’ safeguarding records.  Too many staff do not feel that their workload is taken into account when the school brings in changes. This results in some staff feeling that their workload is unnecessarily heavy. Leaders should work with staff to address such concerns, so that staff feel supported and understand the rationale for changes to working practice.  Too many parents lack trust in the school’s current leadership. The trust and school should continue to engage with parents to rebuild this trust, so that there is a positive and harmonious working relationship between school and home.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in June 2017.

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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. 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

Principal Shireen Sinem (acting principal)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 6 and 7 June 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been recent changes of leadership at both the multi-academy trust and the school. This includes the appointment of an acting principal from September 2023.  The school does not use any alternative education providers.  Since the last inspection, the school has grown significantly in pupil numbers.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and PE. For each deep dive, he discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and talked to teachers and pupils. The inspector talked to leaders and looked at 11 and 12 October 2023

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curriculum information for other subjects. The lead inspector listened to some pupils reading.  Some of the lessons visited were taught by leaders from the trust.  The inspector held meetings with the chief executive officer, the acting principal, members of the trust’s leadership team, and with members of staff, as well as a range of pupils.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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.  The inspector considered the survey responses from parents and staff. The inspector spoke with some parents and considered correspondence sent to Ofsted.  The inspector met with the chair of trustees.

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Inspection team

Bob Hamlyn, lead inspector His Majesty’s 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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