Suttons Primary School

DRAFT - not for publication Inspection of a good school: Suttons Primary School Suttons Lane, Hornchurch, Essex RM12 6RP

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Outcome

Suttons Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love their diverse school because everyone is included. The school is like a family where everyone knows each other very well. Pupils said that it never gets boring here. They learn ‘fun’ things every day. Pupils enjoy being part of a school that raises money for charities, such as a local hospice. They are appreciative of staff at the school. If pupils struggle with their work, staff will go over it again. Pupils value the excellent resources that they have in school to help them learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Poor behaviour seldom gets in the way of learning. Pupils said that staff make sure they are safe. Pupils show a strong understanding of bullying. It is a rarity at their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ achievement and behaviour. Pupils share these high expectations. They achieve well. Pupils get excited by learning and typically produce work of good quality.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a clear appreciation of fundamental British values. The school provides opportunities for pupils to put these into practice. Recently pupils enjoyed voting about the theme of their next non-uniform day. This helped pupils to get a deeper understanding of democracy.

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

Reading is at the heart of the school’s work. There is a sharp focus on communication and language in Nursery. Pupils become familiar with stories, rhymes and the alphabet. The phonics scheme is well embedded. It has a positive impact on pupils’ reading attainment. There is regular phonics training for staff. As a result, staff follow the phonics scheme with fidelity. Typically, pupils read at an age-appropriate level. Where this is not the case, they receive extra help to catch up. Pupils use phonics strategies well to help them to decode words. They take home books that helpfully match the sounds they have learned each week. 11 and 12 July 2024

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Pupils genuinely love to read. In Reception, each day starts with a story. Older pupils become immersed in their shared reading texts. There is a spirit of healthy competition between classes. For example, pupils compare the number of words and books that they have read with other classes. Pupils are keen to become ‘word millionaires’. The school celebrates reading and vocabulary through events, such as World Book Day. Staff prioritise the teaching of subject-specific vocabulary. For instance, pupils in Year 2 were keen to share their understanding of ‘denominator’ and ‘numerator’ when learning about fractions.

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Pupils experience a broad and ambitious curriculum. In some subjects, this exceeds the ambition of the national curriculum. The curriculum is well sequenced. Subject leaders have planned from the early years upwards logically. They have thought carefully about what pupils need to know and remember as they progress. For example, in history pupils learn about important concepts, such as hierarchy. They revisit these regularly and apply them to different contexts.

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Where the curriculum is still new in some subjects, it is not fully embedded. In some instances, pupils complete activities that are not closely linked to the aims and ambition of the curriculum. This affects how well pupils can recall some aspects of their learning of important subject content.

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Staff are growing in confidence in their delivery of the new curriculum. They check pupils’ understanding in class systematically. Teachers adapt their plans when they identify any gaps. There is strong provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and English as an additional language. Staff use a range of appropriate adaptations. This means that these pupils achieve well.

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The school is tenacious in its approach to behaviour and attendance. Pupils behave with courtesy and respect for others. Typically, their attendance is positive because they do not want to miss out on important learning.

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The school offers many opportunities for pupils’ wider development. Pupils enjoy outings to places of cultural interest. Recently they have visited the Tower of London and the Houses of Parliament to enhance their learning. Pupils contribute to decision-making about their school via the school council. They can build on their sporting and musical talents and interests in school. Pupils enjoy participating in competitive events.

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Staff work as a team. Leaders take account of their workload. They have piloted giving teachers a planning day each term and this has been well received. Staff value the opportunities for professional development that they get both in and out of school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 11 and 12 July 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the school’s curriculum is not firmly embedded. Staff are still getting used to delivering the new curriculum content. On occasion, pupils complete activities that are not closely linked to the aims and ambition of the curriculum. This impacts on pupils’ recall of their learning. The school should ensure that the new curriculum is firmly embedded, and that staff have the training and support they need to deliver it confidently.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2014.

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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). 11 and 12 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26 February 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been some changes to the school’s senior leadership team since the last inspection.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, they met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, had discussions with staff and looked at records of pupil’s work. The inspector also considered the curriculum in other subjects as part of this inspection. 11 and 12 July 2024

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 The inspector scrutinised a range of documents including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for improvement.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record of pre-employment checks; took account of the views of leaders and staff; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector met with senior and middle leaders, teachers and the wider school team.  The inspector met with the chair of governors and some members of the governing body.  The inspector spoke to a representative from the local authority.  The inspector spoke to some parents in person and considered responses to Ofsted’s online staff and parent surveys.

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Inspection team

Lisa Strong, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 11 and 12 July 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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