St George's Hanover Square CofE Primary School

Inspection of St George’s Hanover Square CofE Primary School South Street, London W1K 2XH

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 28 and 29 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy here. This is evident in how they get on with their school work and the way that they treat one another. Pupils enjoy learning. The school is ambitious and has high aspirations for all pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All staff have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and conduct, which pupils know, understand and respect. Pupils consistently follow the school’s routines and rules. Pupils’ behaviour is sensible, calm and does not disrupt learning in class.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a range of experiences to nurture and develop pupils’ citizenship and social awareness. This begins in the early years, and the complexity of thinking progresses age-appropriately year on year. This includes encouraging pupils to reflect on their place in society, as well as that of others. As a result, pupils’ caring attitudes and community spirit are encouraged, and pupils regularly contribute to local foodbanks and discuss themes such as social justice. Pupils are taught to be thoughtful, kind and respectful of others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers commented on the school’s caring community, where their children are able to flourish. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. They feel safe. Staff help pupils to resolve any issues if they arise.

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better?

The school has successfully strengthened the curriculum since the previous inspection. Subject curriculums are ambitious, well sequenced and detail precisely what pupils will learn over time. This helps teachers to know the order in which pupils need to learn important knowledge so that pupils’ knowledge builds cumulatively. Lessons are well structured and provide regular opportunities for pupils to practise, recall and revisit prior learning. Generally, checks on what pupils know and remember are used to identify any gaps in pupils’ understanding .

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better?

Teachers have regular professional training and work closely with the partnership primary schools to build subject knowledge. However, on occasion, the knowledge, skills, and vocabulary that the school wants pupils to learn, as set out in the school’s subject curriculums, are not taught precisely, including in the early years. This means that, sometimes, pupils do not fully understand what they have been taught.

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better?

Leaders have taken appropriate and swift action to improve the school since the previous inspection. This has included strengthening the school’s approach to teaching phonics. There is an established, systematic approach to the teaching of phonics. Leaders regularly check the quality and impact of the teaching of phonics. From the moment children in Reception begin to learn phonics, they receive the right support. Pupils learn to blend words accurately and read with fluency.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in all aspects of the school. Teachers expertly adapt their teaching to ensure that all 28 and 29 November 2023

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pupils access the same learning and learn alongside their peers. The school works closely with other agencies so that, where needed, pupils with SEND benefit from the support of external expert practitioners.

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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 about healthy and unhealthy relationships and different types of families. They are encouraged to stay safe online and, in the context of living in London, how to travel safely. Children in the early years are taught to ride scooters carefully, and older pupils are guided to find alternative routes home should trains and buses be diverted.

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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 local places of interest and meet visitors to the school, who enrich the curriculum. Recent outings have included using compasses in Hyde Park, canal boat journeys and history workshops in school. The school ensures there is a wide range of clubs that develop pupils’ interests and nurture their talents, including coding, cooking, magazine and Spanish.

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The school has introduced robust procedures to improve pupils’ attendance rates. Leaders regularly inform parents about the impact that poor attendance has on pupils’ learning. They meet with parents to understand what may be hindering pupils’ regular attendance, and they work together to find appropriate solutions.

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The governing body provides effective support and challenge to leaders. It utilises the expertise of members to hold leaders to account. The school works alongside leaders and experts within the partnership of schools to ensure that the right priorities are identified and addressed. The partnership supports the professional development of staff and is helping to build leadership expertise in the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, delivery of the planned curriculum, including in the early years, is not routinely effective. This means that, sometimes, the key vocabulary, knowledge, and skills that the school intends pupils to know are not explicitly taught so that pupils can remember them. The school should ensure that the precise knowledge, skills and vocabulary it wants pupils to know and remember are taught clearly in all subjects. 28 and 29 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). 28 and 29 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Harvey Webb (Executive Headteacher), Elizabeth Barnes (Head of School) Website www.sghsprimary.co.uk/

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 October 2021, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The executive headteacher has been in post since September 2022.  The head of school has been in post since September 2022.  The school joined a partnership with three other local primary schools across Westminster and Camden in September 2022.  The school is a Church of England school in the Diocese of London.  The school’s most recent section 48 inspection of its religious character took place in March 2017.  The school operates and manages a breakfast and after-school club.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 28 and 29 November 2023

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

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open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, teachers, and the wider school and partnership team.  Inspectors met with the vice-chair of the governing body and other members of the governing body.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Kieran Bird, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 28 and 29 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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