Springwell School

Inspection of Springwell School Speart Lane, Heston, Hounslow, Middlesex TW5 9EF

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 6 and 7 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their time at Springwell. They feel safe and are kept safe. They appreciate the check-ins from staff each morning and know there are adults they can talk with if they have any worries. Pupils are confident that any such concerns would be resolved quickly. There is a calm and orderly environment throughout the school. Pupils look out for each other, offering support to their peers if needed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious and ensure that all pupils are supported to access the curriculum. In most subjects, these ambitions are realised. Pupils readily demonstrate the school motto ‘Aspire, Create, Achieve’. They work hard and produce work of good quality in different subjects. Pupils are generally well-prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from the leadership opportunities provided. For example, they sign-up to be language buddies, who help pupils newly arrived at the school. Similarly, they can become playtime monitors and members of the ECO and school councils. Pupils look forward to visits that enhance the curriculum, such as to the British Museum. Pupils attend a variety of activities, including a debating club, where they learn to discuss ideas such as ‘is it good to be famous?’.

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better?

Leaders have designed a curriculum which is typically ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In most subjects, the knowledge leaders expect pupils to learn and remember has been identified. This begins in early years and builds sequentially so that pupils are well- placed to tackle more ideas, learning by drawing on what they have learned previously. For example, in mathematics, children in early years practise counting in different steps and ordering numbers. This helps older pupils to use mathematical vocabulary such as numerator and denominator when explaining how they multiply fractions. Similarly, in art, pupils learn and practise different shading techniques, such as hatching, cross-hatching, stippling and circling. This helps pupils to complete more complex and refined sketches of their own.

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better?

However, a few subjects are not as carefully designed and implemented. In these instances, the most important information that pupils need to learn has not been carefully identified. This means that teachers do not consistently focus on the most important ideas. Assessment is also used less well in these areas to check pupils’ understanding. This means that errors and misconceptions are not swiftly identified and addressed. As a result, some pupils develop a less secure knowledge in these aspects of the curriculum.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised pupils’ reading. Staff have been trained to implement the agreed phonics programme. The sounds children need to learn are introduced from the start of Nursery and the phonics programme starts promptly from the beginning of Reception. Pupils practise reading books that match the sounds that they know. 6 and 7 February 2024

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Additional support is provided to those pupils who might be falling behind or who struggle to read well. This helps most pupils to read with accuracy, fluency and confidence. Leaders have given thought to the books that pupils will read over time. This includes a range of texts including, poetry, graphic novels and fiction. Pupils enjoy making use of the two school libraries.

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Pupils with SEND are swiftly identified. Leaders ensure that teachers have the information they need to provide the necessary support. As a result, teachers make appropriate adaptations to tasks and activities. This ensures that pupils with SEND access the planned curriculum wherever possible.

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Pupils behave well in the classroom and around the school. This is because systems and routines are in place that are well understood and consistently applied. Leaders are aware that improving attendance is an ongoing high priority. The school works well with external agencies to provide support for families for whom attendance needs to improve. Leaders’ expectations are communicated regularly and high and improving attendance is celebrated through, for example, the weekly attendance award for year groups.

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Pupils’ personal development is carefully considered. The curriculum helps pupils to understand important ideas such as what constitutes safe, healthy and respectful relationships. Pupils learn about managing their own mindfulness and well-being. For example, they enjoy listening to relaxing music and using breathing techniques to calm down. Pupils describe the school as a kind community where everyone is equal.

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Leaders have created a strong sense of community. Staff feel very well supported to manage their workload and that their well-being is given careful consideration. Those responsible for governance understand the school’s strengths and priorities for improvement. However, the school’s approach to evaluating the quality of the provision is not consistently robust. As a result, some priorities are not sufficiently focused on the most important areas for improvement.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember has not been clearly identified or well-sequenced. This means that teachers do not consistently focus on the most important concepts and pupils do not secure as deep an understanding in these subjects. The school should ensure that the concepts that pupils need to learn and remember in each subject are identified and sequenced. The school should also check that the curriculum is implemented 6 and 7 February 2024

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consistently, and that assessment is used with precision to check that pupils secure the important ideas in these subjects.  The school’s work to evaluate the quality of provision is not sufficiently robust. This means that self-evaluation of the school’s effectiveness is not always accurate. The school should ensure that systems are in place to provide an accurate view of the quality of provision. This will help leaders to identify more precisely future school improvement priorities.

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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 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). 6 and 7 February 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This is the first inspection of Springwell School since the amalgamation of Springwell Infant School and Springwell Junior School in 2019.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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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.

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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.  The inspection team met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and members of staff. They also spoke with a representative of the local authority, and met with a range of governors, including the chair of the governing body. 6 and 7 February 2024

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, geography, mathematics, religious education and science. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The curriculum in other subjects was considered as part of the inspection.  The inspection team scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ self- evaluation and priorities for improvement.  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.  The views of pupils, parents and staff were gathered through discussions and their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Sophie Healey-Welch, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Miz Mann Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 February 2024

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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