James Dixon Primary School

Inspection of a good school: James Dixon Primary School William Booth Road, Anerley, London SE20 8BW

p.1

Outcome

James Dixon Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils come to school each day with a smile on their face. They greet everyone with enthusiasm. They are safe and well looked after at this school. Their attitudes reflect the school’s five ‘golden rules’ of being honest, kind, respectful, doing their best and treating people and property with care.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where pupils thrive and where everyone is treated equally. Pupils have access to a broad curriculum with numerous educational visits to broaden their experiences. Pupils love talking to each other about their learning. These strengths help them to achieve well. The school has high expectations for all pupils.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is calm and sensible from the early years to Year 6. Adults resolve any issues quickly. Pupils attend school regularly. One pupil said, ‘I attend because school makes me feel happy. I’m supported and cared for by staff.’ This is typical of pupils’ comments.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take up a range of leadership opportunities, including as peer mediators, pupil principals and as part of the ‘eco-team’. They attend various clubs, which develop their interests and talents, including football and creative writing clubs.

p.1

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

The school has developed an ambitious curriculum for all, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The requirements of the national curriculum are met. The knowledge pupils need to know is sequenced clearly. Pupils from the early years to Year 6 and in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision) experience outdoor learning in the school’s forest-school area.

p.1

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

The early years curriculum promotes learning in all relevant areas. Learning captures children’s interest, develops their spoken language and helps them to work independently. Children gain the knowledge and skills they need to learn successfully in Years 1 and 2. 4 and 5 June 2024

p.1

2

Staff check carefully what pupils know and remember during lessons. Adults in the specially resourced provision adapt their teaching and resources appropriately. This enables pupils with SEND to access the intended curriculum.

p.2

2

The impact of changes to the way mathematics is taught from Years 1 to 6 can be seen in pupils’ national test outcomes at the end of Year 6, which are improving year-on-year. Pupils retain their mathematics knowledge from previous years and relate this to their current learning. However, sometimes in Years 1 to 6, teaching does not enable pupils to remember the knowledge taught in previous years as securely. This sometimes limits pupils from building new knowledge on what they have learned previously and hinders learning.

p.2

2

The school’s phonics programme is embedded well and helps pupils in all year groups to read at the earliest opportunity. Reading using daily phonics begins from the first week of children joining the school in the Reception Year. All adults receive phonics training. Reading books is matched to the sounds pupils know. Any pupils at risk of falling behind are quickly provided with additional daily support to catch up. Generally, pupils become fluent readers by the end of Year 1. A strong reading culture is evident across the school. Both daily storytelling and the careful choice of reading books encourage pupils to love reading. Parents and carers are encouraged to spend time reading with their children in the Reception Year.

p.2

2

Staff understand the specific needs of pupils who receive extra help. This includes pupils who learn in the school’s specially resourced provision.

p.2

2

Low-level disruption is rare. Pupils show high levels of respect towards others. The school has effective systems in place that encourage and support pupils to attend school regularly.

p.2

2

The school’s curriculum prepares pupils for life beyond primary school and encourages pupils to be ambitious for their futures. Pupils are taught the importance of fundamental British values, diversity, respecting the beliefs, religions and cultures of others, and to keep themselves safe online and from different forms of abuse. Pupils have remarkably mature and considered attitudes when discussing these topics.

p.2

2

The governing body and the trust have an accurate view of the school’s effectiveness. They work together with leaders and hold them to account effectively. They maintain effective strategic oversight of the school. Leaders have planned priorities for improvement based on clearly defined actions. Staff said that leaders are approachable and consider their workload carefully when making decisions. The trust also supports the well-being of staff.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 4 and 5 June 2024

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, teaching does not enable pupils to remember the content taught during previous years as securely as in other subjects. This means that in some subjects, pupils’ recall of their previous knowledge is less secure, which sometimes hinders them from building new knowledge as effectively. The school should ensure that teaching enables pupils to successfully remember the long-term content taught.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2019.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

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). 4 and 5 June 2024

p.3

School details

Headteacher Michelle Aldred (Executive Headteacher) Kevin Minnott (Head of School) Website www.jamesdixon.bromley.sch.uk

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 5 February 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.4

Information about this school

 James Dixon Primary School is one of 19 schools in Swale Academy Trust.  The executive headteacher and head of school have been in post since September 2020. The executive headteacher was previously the headteacher, and the head of school was previously the deputy headteacher at James Dixon Primary School.  The school has a specially resourced provision on site for up to 10 primary-age pupils with complex SEND needs who are between the ages of four and seven.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.  The school currently uses one registered alternative provider.

p.4

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time about the quality of the school’s education provision. 4 and 5 June 2024

p.4

5

 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 the evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the executive headteacher, the head of school and other school leaders, including subject leaders and the inclusion leader.  The inspector met with members of the local governing body and representatives of the trust.  The inspector spoke by telephone with a senior leader of the alternative provider used by the school and with school leaders about its use.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, physical education and mathematics. For the deep dives, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector spoke to pupils about

p.5

5

their views of the school and their learning, behaviour and safety.  The curriculum in science was also considered as part of this inspection by looking at the science curriculum planning documents, speaking to a group of pupils and looking at the work in the science class workbooks.  The inspector observed behaviour in lessons and at other times of the school day and visited the school’s specially resourced provision.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents, including those relating to safeguarding, behaviour, attendance and pupils’ wider development, the school’s strategic plan and leaders’ evaluation of the school.  Responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey for parents and carers, including parents’ free-text comments, were considered. The inspector also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.

p.5

5

 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.

p.5

Inspection team

Pamela Fearnley Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 June 2024

p.5

6

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.

p.6

6

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

6

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

6

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

6

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6