The James Cambell Primary School

Inspection of The James Cambell Primary School Langley Crescent, Dagenham, Essex, RM9 6TD

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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 Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Joe Wilson. This school is part of Partnership Learning Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Roger Leighton, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Saadat Mubashar. 14 and 15 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Since the school’s previous inspection, leaders have taken decisive and effective action to improve the quality of teaching and learning as well as pupils’ behaviour in and outside the classroom. Consequently, pupils’ are typically attentive and calm in lessons and academic outcomes in assessments at the end of Year 6 are typically in line with national averages. Pupils are happy and feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are respectful of one another, and they are welcoming to all kinds of people. They are taught about different faiths and cultures. Children in the early years are encouraged to be kind to each other and to animals, through turn taking activities and visits to farms.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are given opportunities to express their views and opinions through weekly debates on local and national issues. Generally, this helps pupils to develop their oracy, broaden their vocabulary and increase their confidence. Pupils have opportunities to take on responsibilities as anti-bullying ambassadors, or feeding Medusa the school’s snake, or growing and selling vegetables.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ achievements are regularly celebrated and rewarded. These achievements include success in poetry competitions, inter-borough sports games and enterprise day.

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better?

The school has in place a well-thought-through curriculum, which builds pupils’ knowledge in a logical order. This is designed to ensure that pupils and children in the early years are prepared for their next stage of learning.

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better?

Curriculum leaders have secure knowledge of the subjects they lead. They value the support they receive from the trust and opportunities for professional development. In the main, the school measures the effectiveness of subjects and identifies areas in need of refining. Typically, subject content is explained clearly, and pupils have regular opportunities to recall, revisit and practise prior learning. On a few occasions, the intended curriculum is not as equally well delivered. When subject expertise is not as secure and checks on pupils’ understanding are not as robust, what pupils know and can do is not as firmly understood. Therefore, pupils’ misconceptions sometimes go unaddressed, and pupils’ knowledge is not built up as securely over time.

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better?

The school has ensured that staff who teach early reading are well trained. Staff continuously develop their teaching skills, working alongside a range of experts. Pupils routinely practise the sounds that they have been taught. Leaders regularly check pupils’ phonic knowledge. This helps to make sure that reading books are well matched to pupils’ reading abilities. Reading checks also identify any pupils who are falling behind. Support is given where needed to ensure that they catch up and keep 14 and 15 May 2024

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up. This aids pupils to become positive about reading as well as confident and fluent readers.

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The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In the main, the school provides appropriate support and makes adaptations to teaching for pupils with SEND. As a result, pupils with SEND generally learn the same curriculum along with their peers. Occasionally, resources and adaptations for pupils with more complex needs are not as fully supportive when the essential content that pupils need to know and be able to do is not as clearly identified.

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Through raising pupils’ awareness of issues including gangs and knife crime, as well as a dental hygiene programme, pupils are encouraged to keep themselves safe and healthy.

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The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Learning typically proceeds uninterrupted, including in early years. Pupils are taught strategies to manage their feelings, from adults that they trust and with whom they have strong working relationships.

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The school monitors pupils’ attendance robustly. Leaders respond swiftly when pupils’ attendance rates drop. They work together with parents and carers to understand reasons for non-attendance. They discuss solutions and put actions in place to enable pupils to attend school regularly and promptly. As a result, most pupils attend regularly or their attendance is improving.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Adaptations to resources and teaching are not equally clearly defined or made explicit for all pupils with SEND. Occasionally, this limits the development of pupils’ skills and knowledge. Leaders should ensure that curriculum thinking and communication strategies specifically identify what all pupils with SEND need to know and be able to do.  On a few occasions, the essential knowledge leaders want pupils to know and remember is not precisely delivered and pupils’ understanding and recall is not checked as routinely in all subjects. As a result, sometimes pupils are not helped to build on what they already know or gaps or misconceptions are not identified. The school should ensure that all teaching delivers core content as intended and 14 and 15 May 2024

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what pupils know and remember is checked routinely to identify and address any gaps or misconceptions.

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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). 14 and 15 May 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 and 12 February 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not make use of any alternative providers.  The school has a behaviour recovery resourced provision for up to twelve pupils. Pupils mostly attend for short-time placements, for up to three terms. Pupils then return to their school or continue their education at a new setting.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) 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. 14 and 15 May 2024

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design, and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, had discussions with staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also considered the curriculum in other subjects as part of this inspection.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for improvement.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record of pre-employment checks; 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 met with senior leaders, teachers and the wider school team.  Inspectors met with the chief executive officer and trust improvement partners.

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 Inspectors met with the chair of the governing body and other governors.  They also considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for parents, staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Kieran Bird, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Allan McLean Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 May 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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