Beecholme Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Beecholme Primary School Edgehill Road, Mitcham, Surrey CR4 2HZ

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Outcome

Beecholme Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Hayley Lewis. This school is part of Partnership, Achievement, Community and Excellence (PACE) Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Zoe Harris, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Micon Metcalfe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are looked after well in this school and describe it as a ‘second home’ to them. They flourish under the care of adults who know them very well. Pupils look forward to the learning experiences each day brings. They are confident that staff will help them if they have any concerns. Pupils are safe and happy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff expect pupils to contribute to making the school a ‘calm community’. Pupils respond positively to this. They behave well in and out of lessons. Pupils treat adults and each other with kindness. They show mutual respect and tolerance by supporting one another in lessons and social settings.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils experience democracy first-hand as they vote for their representatives to join the pupil steering group. There are plenty of opportunities for them to develop their leadership skills. Eco-council members lead the school’s work relating to the environment. House captains lead and support pupils in a variety of activities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school wants its pupils to succeed and learn well. This is reflected in pupils’ positive achievement in most subjects. Leaders have made further improvements to the curriculum recently. As a result, pupils are now achieving well. 8 and 9 October 2024

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

The school places great emphasis on the importance of teaching pupils to read confidently. It has implemented a well-sequenced phonics curriculum. Staff are well trained to deliver it effectively. As soon as children join the early years, they begin to learn phonics. Children have a wide range of opportunities to practise their phonics knowledge and start reading books. Those who fall behind receive support and catch up quickly. As a result, more pupils now read fluently by the end of Year 1.

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

Similarly, the school has worked well to improve the teaching of early mathematics. Children in the early years are supported well to develop a strong understanding of numbers. For example, in Reception class, children learn to recognise numbers up to 10 in a clear and structured way. By Year 2, they confidently apply their understanding of larger numbers, including in practical contexts such as handling money.

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

The curriculum is broad and balanced. It sets out the end points which match the expectations of the national curriculum. Across the different subjects, the curriculum is well ordered and identifies the important knowledge that pupils should learn. In most instances, the curriculum is delivered as intended. However, in a few subjects, teaching does not check and make sure that pupils have secured important knowledge before introducing new ideas. Where this happens, some pupils struggle to deepen their understanding and make links in their learning.

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

The curriculum supports pupils’ different needs well, including those who are disadvantaged or pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This ensures that these pupils develop the essential skills that they need to access the same learning activities as their peers. Staff work hard to identify the individual needs of these pupils. They make effective adaptations which enable pupils with SEND to achieve well.

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

Overall, teachers are well trained and have strong subject knowledge. They make sure that pupils explain their understanding of the ideas and concepts taught. Teaching also incorporates examples and resources to support the development of pupils’ understanding. Sometimes, however, the curriculum is not enabling pupils’ understanding of subject vocabulary to become as secure as it could be. When this happens, pupils do not learn more of the subject content.

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

The school emphasises the importance of regular attendance. It identifies quickly any pupils who are at risk of poor attendance and provides effective support. This is leading to improvements in pupils’ rates of attendance.

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

Pupils are well prepared for life beyond school. Staff provide them with plenty of opportunities to understand and celebrate diversity in school and the community. These include celebrating the International Day of Languages and participating in Interfaith Week. Pupils learn about the importance of physical health. They talk knowledgeably about the different school trips, outdoor learning and physical activities that they experience. 8 and 9 October 2024

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The trust provides timely and effective support. The local governing board performs its key responsibilities with care. Together, they provide clarity of purpose and robust strategic direction to the school.

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Staff are proud to be part of this school. They appreciate the genuine efforts of leaders to support them in managing their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and the appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, teaching does not check and make sure that pupils have the required knowledge to understand new concepts. When this happens, pupils struggle to grasp new learning which leads to some gaps in their understanding. The school should ensure that pupils have a secure understanding of the important knowledge required before introducing new learning.  Sometimes, teaching is not enabling pupils’ understanding of subject-specific vocabulary to become as secure as it could be. This hinders pupils from progressing their knowledge of the subject content and ideas taught. The school should ensure that teaching supports pupils in knowing and understanding subject-specific vocabulary securely.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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. 8 and 9 October 2024

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This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in July 2019.

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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). 8 and 9 October 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 9 and 10 July 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the PACE Academy Trust.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held discussions with the CEO, the headteacher and other members of the senior leadership team.  The inspector also met with members of the board of trustees and members of the local governing board, including the chair of the trust. 8 and 9 October 2024

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 The inspector focused inspection activity on the following groups of subjects: early English and early mathematics, humanities and physical education. For each group of subjects, the inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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.  The inspector also considered the views of parents and carers through their responses to Ofsted’s survey.

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Inspection team

Edison David, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 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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