Good Shepherd RC Primary School

Inspection of Good Shepherd RC Primary School 35 Gayford Road, London W12 9BY

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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 March 2014. 9 and 10 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this nurturing and caring school in the heart of the community. The school’s mission and values are ‘rooted in love’ and include hope, compassion, respect and service. These are at the heart of everyone’s work. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), rise to the very high expectations that the school has for them. They flourish and achieve extremely well, academically, socially and personally.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show exceptional pride when speaking about their school. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and nurturing. Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They have highly positive attitudes to their learning during lessons. Pupils are extremely polite and respectful towards their peers, staff and visitors. They work and play together remarkably well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ time at school is enriched by many memorable experiences. They showcase their skills and talents at the regular art exhibitions and popular annual auction events. Staff make excellent use of resources available in the locality, such as sports centres and theatres, to enrich pupils’ learning. Pupils take part in a wide array of visits, clubs and sports. These include outdoor education, art, music and drama. Pupils relish opportunities to take on leadership roles, such as being school parliament members, volunteering and organising school events.

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better?

Leaders have successfully developed a highly ambitious curriculum for all pupils. The curriculum has been designed to ensure that children in the early years and pupils in the rest of the school build on their prior learning confidently. Staff are highly adept at spotting any pupils who may need additional help as early as possible. From the time that children begin in the Nursery Year, staff use their high levels of expertise to support pupils successfully. Staff set high expectations for pupils’ learning and help them to develop basic skills in depth.

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better?

The curriculum is delivered expertly. The school places a high importance on pupils acquiring a deep knowledge of the subjects that they are studying. This aim is underpinned by high levels of clarity about the core knowledge pupils need to know and remember in the long term. This knowledge is delivered to a consistently high standard across subjects and across all year groups. As a result, pupils achieve highly in national assessments.

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better?

In Reception, staff extend and expand children’s language when in conversation. In mathematics, teachers break down information and demonstrate how to think through the steps required to solve a problem. This helps to improve pupils’ reasoning skills and their ability to tackle more complex work. Teachers regularly check that pupils have the prior knowledge they need before beginning new learning. They constantly check that pupils remember and understand any new information, addressing any misunderstandings as soon as they arise. 9 and 10 July 2024

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The school prioritises reading. Its vision is for every pupil to be reading confidently and fluently by the time they leave. The learning of phonics begins in Reception. Well-trained staff deliver phonics sessions expertly. They carefully check that pupils are progressing well. If pupils need support, then this is swiftly put in place. Parents and carers can continue this at home using resources that the school provides. All of this ensures that pupils’ phonics knowledge is very secure. Older pupils, including those who are new to English, develop into confident and fluent readers. They enjoy talking about their favourite authors and books. Pupils achieve highly in reading by the end of Year 6.

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Pupils with SEND receive personalised support. Staff identify and check pupils’ needs carefully, working with external agencies where appropriate. Staff adapt work appropriately for pupils and for children in the early years. This enables pupils with SEND to make strong progress.

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Pupils’ attitudes to learning are exceptional. They work hard in lessons. They follow adult instructions promptly and effectively. Their positive attitude contributes greatly to successful learning. Pupils collaborate well with one another. This starts in the early years, where children learn a lot about the importance of sharing and working together.

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The school has developed an extensive range of opportunities that support pupils’ wider development. Pupils develop an understanding of democracy through a range of activities, including voting for mock leadership contests. They show respect for the beliefs and traditions of people from different faiths. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe while online and in the community. For example, they know about the dangers of knife crime and how to travel safely to and from school. These learning opportunities help to prepare pupils well for life in modern Britian.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They appreciate the school’s consideration of their workload and well-being before any changes are introduced. Staff who are new to teaching spoke highly of the support that they have received to develop their subject expertise further. Governors are knowledgeable and work very well with the school. They provide insightful challenge and support. This helps to make sure that the school provides pupils with the best possible education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 9 and 10 July 2024

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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). 9 and 10 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Catherine Goacher

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 27 and 28 March 2014 under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school offers full-time nursery provision for 26 children.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school has a religious character. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in March 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 educational provision.  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. 9 and 10 July 2024

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, other school leaders and members of staff. The lead inspector met with representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors. He also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and art. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work.  Inspectors also looked at the curriculum in physical education and science.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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.

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 Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments. They also spoke with some parents before the start of the school day to gather their views. Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff and for pupils.

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Inspection team

Nasim Butt, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Rekha Bhakoo Ofsted Inspector 9 and 10 July 2024

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