Downsview Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of a good school: Downsview Primary and Nursery School Biggin Way, Upper Norwood, London SE19 3XE

p.1

Outcome

Downsview Primary and Nursery School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of this welcoming and inclusive school. Pupils are happy and kind to one another. The school’s one golden rule of ‘respect’ is lived by adults and pupils. This is seen in the warm and caring relationships between them. Pupils know that there are adults they can talk to if they have any worries. They are safe and are taught how to keep themselves safe, including online.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils achieve well across the curriculum. There are clear expectations for pupils’ behaviour. In lessons, pupils are focused on their learning. At breaktimes, they enjoy the activities available to them and play happily.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The provision for pupils’ personal development is a real strength. The school’s motto of ‘live it to learn it’ is evident through the deep consideration that has gone into planning and organising a wide range of trips, experiences and opportunities for pupils that enrich their learning. For example, pupils visit art galleries and places of worship. Pupils have lots of opportunities to take part in sporting competitions and events. Local community events include visiting the local care home and being part of a music video for a local music artist.

p.1

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

The school has an ambitious curriculum in place. Leaders have identified and mapped out what pupils need to learn. This starts in the early years and builds over time. Staff development is valued. This ensures that staff have secure subject knowledge to deliver the curriculum. Sometimes, the implementation of the curriculum does not match leaders’ clear, high expectations. Leaders have identified and begun working on aspects to be further improved, for example developing greater consistency to support pupils to learn new concepts. The school has focused on its aim of ‘inclusion for all’ and has developed 12 and 13 June 2024

p.1

2

staff expertise to meet all pupils’ needs. Pupils with SEND are fully included in lessons. However, on occasions adaptions made to their learning and expectations of what they can achieve are not as effective as they should be.

p.2

2

Reading is a priority. Younger pupils learn to read through daily phonics lessons. In these sessions, pupils have opportunities to practice and apply the phonics they are taught. Books that pupils read are closely matched to their phonics knowledge. Regular checks on what pupils know ensure that any pupil who is falling behind has extra support put in place. Sometimes, for the weakest readers, the focus on developing their fluency is not as sharp as it could be. This means, when reading or taking part in catch-up sessions, these pupils are sometimes not as focused on practising the core skill of decoding and blending. Beyond phonics, the ‘Downsview reading journey’ ensures that pupils continue to develop their reading skills as they get older. They are exposed to and read high-quality, carefully chosen texts. Many strategies are in place to promote a love for reading. These include reading ambassadors, a reading shed, a reading vending machine, drop everything and

p.2

2

read sessions, reading buddies and reading in the community, such as at the local care home for the elderly.

p.2

2

The governing body and school leaders have an aligned vision that focuses on developing the whole child, as well as academic success. The school’s core values are known and understood. Pupils and staff live by these each day. For example, the values of responsibility, trust and love are shown daily to Joey the school dog. Pupils and staff take great delight in helping to look after Joey and value the contribution he makes to their school experience. The restorative approach to pupils’ behaviour means that pupils learn from their mistakes and incidents are resolved. This results in pupils showing understanding and kindness to one another. Pupils develop an understanding that everyone has the right to be treated equally and with respect. Diversity is celebrated and pupils are valued for who they are. Pupils’ voice and their active involvement in school life are strong. Through the ‘junior governors’, pupils are listened to, heard and their opinions

p.2

2

are valued. The Eco-committee champions the school’s impressive approach to sustainability, which is weaved through the curriculum and provides opportunities such as taking part in a climate change project. Pupils can explain not only the role they have in the school but the difference it is making to their school experience. Pupils are very proud of the roles they have and take their responsibilities for them very seriously.

p.2

2

Leaders and the governing body are very reflective. They continually strive to improve what is already in place. Leaders closely monitor school attendance and work with families where needed to help this improve. Staff enjoy working here and feel well supported by leaders.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

3

 Sometimes, leaders’ clear vision and intent is not fully realised through the delivery of the curriculum. This means that there is variability in the implementation of some aspects. Sometimes, pupils with SEND do not have effective adaptations made to help them with their learning; teaching strategies sometimes do not support pupils to learn new concepts and the weakest readers are not supported sharply enough on developing their fluency. The school needs to continue to embed training to address these aspects and provide further training for staff where needed.

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 March 2015.

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 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). 12 and 13 June 2024

p.3

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.4

School details

Chair of governing body Philip Eracleous

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 15 January 2019, under Section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

p.4

Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.

p.4

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

p.4

Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

p.4

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 12 and 13 June 2024

p.4

5

 Inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy and assistant headteachers, subject leaders, teachers, governors, including the chair of governors, and a representative from the local authority.  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 considered the responses to Ofsted’s Parent View survey as well as responses to the staff survey.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktime.

p.5

Inspection team

Julie Wright, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Seamus Gibbons Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 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 looked after children, 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