St Mary Magdalen's Catholic Primary School

Inspection of St Mary Magdalen's Catholic Primary School Worple Street, London, SW14 8HE

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since April 2013. 5 and 6 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

St Mary Magdalen’s is a special place. Relationships are warm and nurturing. Pupils enjoy coming to school and are keen to learn. Staff work closely with parents, carers and the community to deliver the best experience for all pupils. Pupils are kept safe. They flourish in this positive environment. Staff, parents, and pupils are proud of their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high ambitions for pupils’ achievement, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school’s curriculum is broad and ambitious. Pupils work hard and are very committed to their learning, attaining well in national assessments.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In classrooms and around the school pupils behave very well. This is because there are consistently high expectations that are consistently applied. This begins in early years, where children settle quickly into established routines, cooperate well and show increasing curiosity in their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides pupils with a several opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Pupils relish taking part in the rich choice of activities and visits. They are excited about the school’s residential trips, as well as performances at musical and theatrical events. Pupils participate actively in a range of clubs, which include sports, arts and languages.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is ambitious, well-sequenced and goes beyond the scope of what is expected nationally. The school has thought carefully about the knowledge they want pupils to learn. Pupils have regular opportunities to revisit learning. In most subjects they apply what they know and remember with confidence. Pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well across most subjects in the curriculum.

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better?

Teachers design activities which are purposeful and enable pupils to make connections in their learning. In art, for example, pupils study a broad and diverse range of artists, deepening their knowledge of different ideas and techniques as they move through the school. Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They explain ideas clearly and check pupils’ understanding. This ensures that any misconceptions are swiftly identified and addressed. The school has created an environment that focuses on pupils, but without creating unnecessary workload. Staff appreciate the consideration shown for their well-being.

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better?

In a small number of subjects, the curriculum is at an earlier stage of implementation. The school has rightly identified that more needs to be done to ensure that pupils develop the same depth of knowledge and understanding in all subjects. The work to strengthen implementation and improve assessment practice so that all teachers identify precisely what pupils know and can remember is underway, but not embedded. This means that, on occasion, pupils need further 5 and 6 June 2024

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consolidation of what they have learned, so that they can apply their knowledge more securely.

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The school has made early reading the bedrock of the school’s curriculum, right from the start of the Reception year. Staff have received thorough training in the teaching of phonics. Pupils, including those with SEND, have regular opportunities to practise their reading. Books are matched closely to the sounds they are learning. This helps pupils to gain the phonics knowledge they need to read with increasing fluency and confidence. Staff use assessment precisely. They swiftly identify pupils who struggle, ensuring they are given effective support to catch up quickly. The school continues to promote reading as pupils move through the school. For example, the school has reorganised the library, to ensure that pupils can choose from a wider selection of books to read for pleasure.

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The school carefully identifies pupils with SEND. Effective systems are in place to ensure that information about the needs of these pupils is communicated to staff. This helps to ensure helpful adaptations are made to support pupils with SEND to access the same curriculum as their peers, where this is possible.

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The school provides an exceptional programme for pupils’ personal development. The curriculum is designed to support pupils to become confident and resilient. Pupils are very respectful towards each other. They understand the importance of being kind and of treating everyone equally. They show appreciation of different faiths, beliefs and perspectives. Pupils make a tangible contribution to the life of the school. They actively support the well-being of others. This includes activities such as Year 6 pupils making a webpage for each child joining the school in Reception, to make them feel welcome.

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Pupils attend very well. Staff ensure that there is swift follow up, should attendance fall below the school’s expectations. They work closely with external agencies to support pupils’ welfare.

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Governors are highly strategic. They are very well informed and understand their statutory responsibilities, striking an effective balance between providing support to the school and holding leaders to account. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the education the school provides for their children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A few subjects are at an earlier stage of implementation and do not fully reflect the school’s ambitious plans. In these instances, some pupils do not consistently secure the knowledge they need. The school should ensure that staff have 5 and 6 June 2024

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suitable training to monitor the implementation of the curriculum to gauge the impact of any improvement work undertaken. The school should also ensure assessment is used well in these areas to check what pupils know and remember.

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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 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). 5 and 6 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher John Conway (executive headteacher) Sally Derby (head of school) Website www.st- marymagdalens.richmond.sch.uk/ Dates of previous inspection 18 and 19 April 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses one unregistered alternative provider managed by the local authority.  The school has a Roman Catholic religious character. The school had its last section 48 inspection by the Diocese of Westminster in September 2018.

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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.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 5 and 6 June 2024

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 During the inspection, inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher, head of school and other senior leaders. Inspectors met with governors, and representatives from the diocese and local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in in early reading, mathematics and art. They met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils. Inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The curriculum in other subjects was also considered as part of the inspection.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.  Inspectors gathered the views of pupils, parents and carers, and staff through discussions and their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Russell Bennett, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Meena Walia Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 June 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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