Franciscan Primary School

Inspection of Franciscan Primary School 221 Franciscan Road, Tooting, London SW17 8HQ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Patricia Andre-Watson. This school is part of Graveney Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Graham Stapleton, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ian Parkes. 6 and 7 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this happy school, where they are taught to be assertive and articulate right from the start in the early years. Pupils provide a warm welcome to visitors to the school and readily interact, showing a polite curiosity. They feel safe in school and are confident that staff will resolve any issues that arise.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and, as a result, pupils behave well in lessons and eagerly engage with the learning on offer to them. In the playground, pupils play well together most of the time. Pupils and staff say they feel valued and are proud to be members of the Franciscan Primary School community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ experiences in school go beyond the academic curriculum. The school provides opportunities for pupils to take on positions of responsibility, such as acting as a member of the school council, eco-council, ‘B buddies’ or reading mentors. Pupils are taught how to be active citizens, for example, in their charity work collecting for food banks and performing in the local community concert and recycling shows.

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better?

The school has recently made changes to its curriculum that are beginning to have a positive impact. Trust leaders, trustees and the governing board check in with staff and pupils regularly to extend their understanding of the impact of these changes. Staff say that they are fully behind the changes and subject leaders appreciate the training and networking opportunities offered by the trust. They are well supported by leaders to manage their workload.

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better?

The school has set out an overview of what should be taught in each subject and staff ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can access the same curriculum as their peers. Teachers know what they have to teach and when. However, in some subjects, the curriculum does not identify the key knowledge that pupils need to learn precisely enough. This means that in these subjects, pupils do not develop detailed knowledge and skills. The school recognises that the curriculum needs further embedding. For example, teachers have not yet had subject-specific training to help them build their expertise in teaching the school’s new curriculum.

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better?

The school wants pupils to develop a love of reading. Leaders organise regular reading cafes, library visits and workshops for parents and carers. They have carefully selected a rich range of diverse and inclusive key texts, as well as book lists for each year group from early years to Year 6. In the Nursery, children begin to hear and identify sounds in stories, rhymes and games. This sets them up well for Reception, where they start learning phonics straight away. Over time, the vast majority of pupils, including pupils with SEND, make good progress in learning to read. Leaders have recently reviewed the implementation of the reading curriculum and ensured that pupils who are at risk of falling behind have extra practise to help 6 and 7 March 2024

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them keep up with their peers. They make sure that pupils take home books that match their phonics knowledge accurately, which helps pupils to build their fluency.

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Pupils’ personal development is enhanced in many ways. Pupils are taught that they have the right to be heard and listened to and they are given opportunities to debate. For example, throughout the UNICEF ‘Outright week’ pupils learned about democracy and in personal, social, health and economic education they debate how to manage conflict. During ‘enterprise day’ pupils make items to sell. They apply their understanding of Fair Trade from their learning in geography and develop an understanding of finance.

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Attendance is a high priority for the school. Leaders look carefully at trends and patterns and work closely with families to identify any barriers and ensure that pupils who are persistently absent come into school more often. This is showing positive impact for some families. Pupils enjoy coming to school and have positive attitudes towards their learning. They work hard during lessons and take pride in their written work.

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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, the curriculum does not identify the key knowledge that pupils need to learn precisely enough. This means that some pupils do not develop detailed knowledge and skills across the curriculum. The school should ensure that they fully identify the key knowledge to be taught in all subjects in line with the best practice in other subjects.  In some subjects, the school has not provided teachers with subject-specific professional development. This means that some teachers have not built their expertise in these subjects. The school should ensure that they focus on improving subject, pedagogical and pedagogical content knowledge in order to enhance the teaching of the curriculum.

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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. 6 and 7 March 2024

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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). 6 and 7 March 2024

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School details

Website www.franciscan.wandsworth.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 January 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Graveney Trust.  The school has nursery provision for two-year-olds.  The school does not use 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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, teachers and pupils. The lead inspector met with the members of the board of trustees and 6 and 7 March 2024

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local governing body, including the chair of trustees. The lead inspector also held a meeting with the school’s improvement partner.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, history and design and technology. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work. The lead inspector listened to some pupils read to staff.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum in other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and consid- ered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors took account of a range of other information, including the school’s

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improvement plans, policies and minutes of governing body meetings.  Inspectors took account of the views of pupils, parents and staff through discussions and their responses to Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Sabrina Edwards, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lisa Farrow Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 March 2024

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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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