Edinburgh Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Edinburgh Primary School Queen's Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 8QR

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might be outstanding if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very happy at this school. They really enjoy their learning in lessons and they have fun with their friends at break and lunchtime. Pupils know the values of their school well and they are keen to bring these to life. For example, pupils are kind to one another, they respect each other’s differences and they aim to be positive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of all pupils, including children in the early years. Children quickly learn routines so they are ready to learn. Leaders have made reading a priority so that pupils can access the broad range of subjects they learn through their time at school. Staff support all pupils to access the ambitious curriculum and pupils are extremely well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour. For example, the ‘high 5’ approach gives pupils the skills they need to resolve issues quickly and without the need for staff intervention. This might include walking away from a situation or talking kindly to the other person involved. If these approaches do not work, pupils know to speak to an adult. Pupils trust staff to resolve any problems and, as a result, feel safe.

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

The school provides pupils with a broad curriculum which is enhanced by educational visits and a variety of workshops during the school day. Leaders have recently reviewed the curriculum to ensure it meets the needs of all pupils, including those in the mixed year group classes. In some subjects, like mathematics and English, pupils are grouped according to ability rather than age. In all other subjects, pupils are taught in their main class. Leaders have thought very carefully about the order in which pupils learn different concepts in each subject. This helps pupils to build on their prior learning. For example, in 20 and 21 March 2024

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religious education (RE), pupils in Year 1 learn about what Christianity is. In Years 2 and 3 they learn about Christian festivals and in Years 4 and 5 they learn to discuss what matters most to Christians and to compare this to other faiths.

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Teachers use appropriate strategies to engage pupils in their learning. For example, children in the early years were using building blocks to help them learn to subtract numbers between one and ten. Pupils in a Year 1 learned about the ‘shabbat’ and were able to see and touch the candlesticks and ‘kiddush’ cup. This helped pupils to use the names of these items accurately in their written work. Teachers check what pupils know and remember and correct any mistakes. Teachers make sure that pupils are given the time they need to fix any errors or to develop their work further.

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Leaders are quick to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders provide teachers with the information that they need so that all pupils can access the curriculum. Subject leaders and teachers work together to break down key knowledge into small chunks. This is particularly helpful to pupils with SEND because it enables these pupils to achieve the same end point goals as others.

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Staff waste no time in helping children learn to read. The school's phonics programme enables pupils to build up their knowledge and become accurate and fluent readers. Teachers make sure that pupils take home reading books which help them to practise the sounds they have been taught. As well as in phonics, pupils throughout the school develop an enthusiasm for reading. Younger children enjoy their 'story times' and older pupils get to read everyday. Staff work closely with parents and carers to foster a love of reading at home as well as at school. Reception parents are welcomed to school on ‘family Fridays’ to read and play with their children.

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Pupils’ attitudes to their learning are excellent. They are keen to come to school and their rates of attendance are high. Pupils move around the school calmly. In lessons, pupils are focused and rarely distracted. They are keen to receive rewards, such as raffle tickets, and they try to avoid receiving any sanctions, such as loss of play time. As a result, in lessons teachers and pupils are able to focus on learning.

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Pupils enjoy the chance to get involved in several leadership activities in school. For example, pupils take on the role of ‘subject ambassadors’, in art, computing and science. The school council is active and recently created, and named, two new garden areas in the school. Pupils make good use of the activities available at break and lunchtimes as well as attending a range of after-school clubs. In addition to their personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education lessons, pupils from Year 4 to 6 also have ‘life skills’ lessons. These lessons help to prepare pupils for the next stage of education and their lives outside school.

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Leaders ensure that staff have the training and support they need to complete their roles successfully. Staff said that leaders are approachable and think about their workload when introducing new initiatives. Leaders use regular surveys to consider and respond to staff views. Governors have a good overview of the school, fulfil their statutory duties and hold leaders to account effectively. 20 and 21 March 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. 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 good in October 2018.

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How can I feed back my views?

You can use to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school, 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). 20 and 21 March 2024

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School details

Local authority London Borough of Waltham Forest

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date(s) of previous inspection 9 and 10 October 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.  The school introduced mixed year group teaching in September 2023 for Years 2 and 3 and Years 4 and 5.

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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 have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other senior leaders. The inspector also met with the chair of the governing body.  The inspector did deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and RE. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at 20 and 21 March 2024

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samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also considered pupils’ learning in other subjects, including history and French.  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 met with groups of pupils in all key stages. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at breaktimes was observed.  The inspector spoke to a range of staff about the school’s work, including about safeguarding and behaviour. The inspector spoke to parents at the start of the school day. He also looked at staff’s, parents’ and pupils’ responses to Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Mark Smith, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 20 and 21 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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