Bigland Green Primary School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Bigland Green Primary School Bigland Street, Wapping, London E1 2ND

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Outcome

Bigland Green Primary School continues to be an outstanding school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love to learn and are very happy at Bigland Green. Pupils and staff live by the school’s values and ethos. Bullying is very rare and dealt with immediately if it does occur. This is a school where pupils feel safe and are kept safe. There is a calm and orderly environment across the school. The school promotes the high expectations of all pupils. The expectation is that pupils come to school, behave and enjoy learning. Pupils rise to one of the school’s mission statements, ‘aspire to inspire’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has many wider curriculum and enrichment opportunities. This allows pupils to apply and extend their curiosity and imagination across all areas of the curriculum. Pupils have opportunities for learning about the wider world through residential trips, visits and inter-school competitions. The whole school takes part in an annual Shakespeare festival, where all pupils perform.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take part in extra-curricular clubs like archery, art and STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Pupils are being prepared for their future learning and careers. For example, in year 5 pupils take part in a project to learn about money management and enterprise. Pupils also develop leadership skills and take on roles of responsibility, such as play ambassadors and school council.

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

The school is sharply focused to improve the life chances of all pupils. Leaders have developed a highly ambitious curriculum that matches and often exceeds what is expected nationally. The school is high achieving and forward thinking. Leaders have identified the key knowledge and skills they expect pupils to learn in all subjects.

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

Starting in the early years, the curriculum is well sequenced so that pupils build their knowledge over time. They are well placed to tackle more complex ideas as they move 19 and 20 March 2024

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through the school. For example, in mathematics older pupils can solve multi-step problems because they have already secured their understanding of number and place value. Similarly, in history, children in early years learn about past, present and future. This foundational knowledge helps older pupils to identify the cause and effects of different events. In physical education, pupils build their skills over time alongside developing their understanding of healthy competition and healthy living. Teachers routinely check that pupils have understood what they have learned. This means any misconceptions are swiftly identified and corrected.

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The reading curriculum is highly effective. Staff have been well trained to implement the school’s phonics programme. This begins as soon as children start school in the early years. Targeted keep-up sessions are provided so pupils who are falling behind, catch up quickly. A positive culture of reading exists across the school. Pupils read widely and often. They enjoy visiting the school library and listening to stories. This helps pupils to develop a real love of reading. Pupils speak with confidence and enthusiasm about their favourite books and authors.

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The school is ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders are well trained and ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to support pupils’ additional needs. Pupils with SEND achieve well because learning is adapted effectively, and they continue to learn alongside their peers.

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Behaviour is excellent. Pupils are motivated to learn, there is no disruption to learning in lessons. Staff and pupils treat each other with respect. Leaders have effective systems in place to ensure pupils attend school regularly and on time.

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Pupils’ wider personal development is a real strength of this school. The curriculum is designed to help pupils to understand how to be active citizens. Staff provide exceptional support for all pupils so that they learn to stay physically and emotionally safe. Pupils are taught to demonstrate positive attitudes, such as curiosity, challenge, resilience, teamwork, pace and balance.

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School leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and priorities. They are united in their drive and ambition that all pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Governors are experienced and clearly understand their roles and responsibilities. They are particularly skilled at challenging leaders while equally offering a strong level of support to the school. Staff feel extremely well supported by governors and leaders. They are proud to work at this school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 19 and 20 March 2024

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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 26 and 27 September 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.

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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). 19 and 20 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.biglandgreen.towerhamlets.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 26 and 27 September 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in this evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher and with other senior leaders.  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 carried out deep dives in reading, history and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, 19 and 20 March 2024

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visited lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  The curriculum in other subjects was considered as part of the inspection.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ priorities for improvement.  The views of staff, pupils, parents and carers were gathered through discussions and through their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Sarah Lack, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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