Garratt Park School

Inspection of a good school: Garratt Park School Waldron Road, Earlsfield, Wandsworth, London SW18 3TB

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Outcome

Garratt Park School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this friendly and happy school. They enjoy learning; they make friends and they feel safe. Pupils say that bullying hardly ever happens, and if it does, they know who they can talk to. Adults sort out any problems between pupils quickly. All pupils at the school have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and staff make sure that pupils’ safety and well-being are at the centre of everything they do.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The programme of learning that pupils follow is well thought out. It teaches pupils important academic content but also develops pupils’ social and communication skills so that they are well prepared for their next step after leaving the school. The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is a particular strength and guides pupils to learn important life skills, including the difference between right and wrong, how to keep themselves safe and how we should value and respect each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a calm and welcoming environment. Staff expect pupils to work hard and to behave well. Pupils conduct themselves around the school in a sensible and orderly way and staff are nearby to support pupils if they need help. Pupils behave well in lessons. They are respectful to the adults in the school and get on well with each other.

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

Leaders, including governors, are continuing to move the school forward. They know the school’s strengths in detail, and they also know the areas they should focus on to make it even better. The curriculum is well considered. It is ambitious for all the pupils at the school. Leaders continually review the curriculum and have identified some key areas where it could be even stronger. This includes some new aspects of the curriculum that have been recently introduced. This means that in a few areas, the curriculum is not yet fully embedded. The work of the school is enhanced by a team of therapists and other agencies who are united by the school’s values of growth, progress and success. 20 and 21 March 2024

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When pupils join the school, they are carefully assessed to find out if there are any gaps in their learning. Teaching is then adapted to the needs of the pupil. The school continues to check that pupils are making progress through the curriculum. The school has put in place a structured programme to support pupils who are still learning to read, using books and resources that are carefully chosen to interest older pupils. Reading is prioritised so that pupils can gain the literacy skills they need to access the rest of the curriculum.

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Pupils learn a broad curriculum that includes information technology, music and art and design technology, as well as the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. All pupils benefit from a strong PSHE curriculum, which teaches key skills and knowledge, including how to look after yourself, how to manage your feelings and emotions and the changes that young people experience as they move towards adulthood. Pupils learn about safe and healthy relationships and about the different ways that people live their lives. Pupils learn about the importance of regular attendance at school. Leaders take all reasonable steps to ensure pupils attend school as often as possible, including working with families and other agencies where necessary.

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Physical education (PE) is taught in an expert and imaginative way. As a result, pupils experience new activities that they haven’t tried before, including those that are adapted for pupils with SEND, as well as more traditional sports. PE is taught at school and in the community, including at local leisure centres. This helps pupils to gain important life skills and confidence so that they can take part in fitness activities as adults.

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Pupils take part in many trips and visits, which supplement the curriculum. For example, there is a regular camping trip where pupils can practise what they have learned on the Duke of Edinburgh Award programme. Pupils also visit museums and art galleries in the local area. They take part in many sporting activities in the area, not only as competitors but also helping as volunteers, for example at the London Youth Games.

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The curriculum includes opportunities for pupils to learn about the world of work and to develop independence. For those pupils who continue into the sixth form, the curriculum has a particular focus on preparing for life after school. Pupils are well prepared for their next step. The school helps pupils to plan for their future. They visit colleges in the local area, attend careers events and prepare CVs and applications. Some pupils access supported internships after leaving school.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They say that leaders consider their well-being and that they have the support and training they need to do their job.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 20 and 21 March 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders are still in the process of establishing some new aspects of the curriculum. This means that in a few areas, learning is not fully embedded in pupils’ long-term memory. Leaders should complete their implementation of these new aspects of the curriculum so that it is consistently adapted to the particular needs of the pupils and prepares them for their future lives.

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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 February 2019.

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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 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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form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Website www.garrattpark.wandsworth.sch.uk

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Dates of previous inspection 14 and 15 December 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  All pupils at the school have SEND and have an education, health and care plan. The main area of need for most pupils is either cognition and learning or communication and interaction difficulties, which may include autism. Some pupils also have social, emotional and/or mental health difficulties or physical and sensory needs in addition to their other needs.

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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. 20 and 21 March 2024

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, English and PSHE. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at the curriculum for some other subjects and visited lessons in these 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 considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders, staff and pupils.  Inspectors also met with the chair of the governing body, some other governors and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors considered the 59 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and 67 responses to

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Ofsted’s pupils survey.  Inspectors considered 15 responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, including 12 written comments.

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Inspection team

Gary Pocock, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Tom Canning Ofsted 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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