Nelmes Primary School

Inspection of Nelmes Primary School Wingletye Lane, Hornchurch, Essex RM11 3BX

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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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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness 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 January 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 1 and 2 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish in this welcoming school, which is at the heart of the community. The school has high expectations and is ambitious for every pupil to succeed. Pupils are expected to achieve highly academically and personally. With the support of the school, they do so. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those pupils in the resource provision. Pupils respond to the school’s ambition for them with determination and go on to achieve considerable success.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand and share the responsibility for their own positive behaviour. They feel safe in this calm, nurturing and happy school. Pupils are proud of their school. Pupils know that if they have a concern, an adult is always available to help them. Staff have developed strong and meaningful relationships with pupils. Pupils treat each other with the same levels of respect and care that is shown to them. Pupils behave exceptionally well in lessons and during social times. They display very positive attitudes to their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s ambition goes beyond the classroom into the wider personal development offer the school provides. Pupils benefit from an extensive enrichment programme, including many clubs and visits out of school. They enjoy taking positions of leadership and responsibility, such as eco-leaders, computer and play leaders. Pupils contribute positively to school life.

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

The school curriculum has been carefully developed to ensure that it builds from Reception Year to Year 6. Purposeful links have been designed through topics and across year groups to deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Staff routinely check pupils’ prior knowledge and prevent any misunderstandings. Within the curriculum, pupils have opportunities to learn about the local community and the wider world. This learning is linked to the knowledge they have already learned in other subjects. For example, the youngest children in Reception used the new words they had learned when finding minibeasts in the outdoor area.

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

Staff receive training to identify and provide effective support for any difficulties that may become barriers to learning for pupils with SEND. This is particularly effective in the resource provision for pupils with specific SEND needs. Staff enable pupils with SEND to settle quickly and make impressive progress in their learning and wider skills.

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

Oversight of the school, including the curriculum, is comprehensive. Leaders, staff and the governing body share a commitment to provide the best possible education for pupils at this school. Governors are exceptionally well informed. This enables them to support the school well and hold it to account effectively.

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

The school places its reading programme at the heart of the school. Staff are trained to deliver the phonics approach consistently. Children in the Reception Year quickly learn the sounds that letters represent. Pupils receive high-quality books that match their current 1 and 2 October 2024

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knowledge. Pupils who need it are provided with timely and effective additional support. This helps these pupils to catch up quickly. Pupils become confident, fluent readers.

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Pupils develop an excitement for reading. They use the school library with enthusiasm. Visits to the local library encourage pupils to read more widely and often. Visits from different authors support pupils’ understanding of different genres. This knowledge helps them to secure a strong foundation for learning across all aspects of the curriculum.

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Expectations for pupils’ behaviour are very high. Pupils manage their own feelings and behaviour extremely well. This starts in the early years, where high levels of concentration and positive learning behaviours are quickly established. There are very few distractions from learning as pupils’ attitudes are exemplary. This begins in the early years, where staff ensure that children follow routines and instructions very well. Pupils actively follow the school rules and uphold its values. Classrooms are industrious and alive with purposeful conversations and learning activities.

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Pupils have an understanding of the fundamental British values. For example, pupils have opportunities to speak on behalf of their classmates at school council meetings, such as about the importance of democracy. Pupils represent the school in sporting competitions and participate in school productions. These opportunities are open to all pupils at the school. Pupils develop a strong sense of culture and gain knowledge of other religions. Pupils’ well-being, mental and physical health are promoted exceptionally well by the school.

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Staff value the high level of support they receive from the school and the governing body. Regular and high-quality training for staff is a priority. The school is led with passion and determination. The school positively engages with the community, including parents and carers. In response, parents are highly supportive of the school. One parent commented, ‘This is an excellent school where the staff go the ‘extra mile’ for my children.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

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, 1 and 2 October 2024

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looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 1 and 2 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 28 and 29 January 2014 under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school has introduced a unit for 12 pupils with complex SEND needs, including autism.  The school has a before- and after-school club that is run by a registered provider.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 1 and 2 October 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued 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, modern foreign languages (French), physical education and geography. 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.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors looked at records of pupils’ attendance and behaviour. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school and talked to them about behaviour, bullying and their welfare.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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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.  The inspectors talked to parents at the start of the school day and considered the Ofsted Parent View survey and free-text comments. Inspectors also reviewed the responses to the pupil and staff surveys and gathered the views of staff and pupils through discussions.  The lead inspector spoke with four governors, including the chair of governors.  An inspector spoke on the telephone with a representative from the local authority.

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Inspection team

Phil Garnham, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Caroline Stone Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 October 2024

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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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