Elmstead Wood Primary School

Inspection of Elmstead Wood Primary School Castlecombe Road, Mottingham, London SE9 4AT

p.1

Inspection dates: 15 and 16 October 2024

p.1

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

p.1

The headteacher of this school is Cat Lewis. This school is part of The Spring Partnership Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the co- chief executive officers, Gulcin Sesli and Corinne Sheehan, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by John Cliff. 15 and 16 October 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Elmstead Wood is a warm and friendly school. Pupils are happy and safe. They feel supported and cared for by the adults in the school. They enjoy learning the broad and ambitious curriculum that the school provides. Although published outcomes were low last year, pupils generally learn well during their time at the school. The school has high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has recently undergone a change of leadership. Parents and carers, pupils and staff all say that the school is ‘on the up’. The school has raised expectations of pupils’ behaviour and conduct. Typically, pupils meet these expectations. However, leaders recognise that there is still more to do in this area. In the early years, younger children listen intently and eagerly explore the vibrant learning environment.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a range of wider opportunities. They enjoy their lunchtime play, where they participate in art, sports games and building activities. They also visit the school bus. They take part in the new ‘£1 clubs’, which the school has recently introduced. These include clubs in theatre, yoga, coding and craft. They can also take up leadership roles by becoming digital leaders, sports leaders and school ‘rights council’ members.

p.2

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

The school recognises that published outcomes in 2024 were low. Improvements to the quality of education are underway. The school’s curriculum is well designed to meet the needs of pupils, including those in the mixed age classes in Years 3 to 6. The school has carefully selected and sequenced the key knowledge that pupils should learn. For example, in science pupils progressively deepen their understanding of plants. In the early years they look at how plants grow. In Years 1 and 2 they name the different parts of plants and grow their own from seeds. In older years they look at plant reproduction and classification.

p.2

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

The school prioritise the teaching of reading. Children in Nursery learn about everyday sounds and develop their language through songs, rhymes and stories. Children then learn formal phonics from the start of Reception. The books that pupils read match the sounds that they are learning in class. Pupils who are struggling are quickly identified and receive extra support. However, the school recognises that these pupils need to practise their reading more often.

p.2

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

The school is supporting increasing numbers of pupils with SEND, particularly in the younger years. Staff identify pupils’ needs at an early stage and are relentless in securing specialist support where it is needed. Staff adapt learning successfully. They use personalised approaches to help each individual achieve well. Staff ensure that pupils with SEND are fully included in all aspects of school life.

p.2

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

Staff receive regular high-quality training. For example, they use their strong subject knowledge to build pupils’ mathematical understanding and vocabulary effectively. 15 and 16 October 2024

p.2

3

Typically, staff check pupils’ learning carefully and address any misconceptions. However, on occasion, the school does not always implement the curriculum with sufficient ambition or precision. The key knowledge is not always presented clearly or returned to over time. This means that pupils do not always remember in the long term the knowledge that is specified in the curriculum.

p.3

3

The school has worked hard to improve pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school. Staff and pupils agree that this has led to recent improvements. Children in the early years are well behaved. They quickly follow adult instructions and learn cooperatively with their classmates. Typically, pupils follow the school’s behaviour rules to ‘be ready, respectful and safe’. However, pupils’ attitudes to their learning are not always as positive as they should be. Some pupils can become easily distracted and disrupt the learning of others.

p.3

3

The school has worked very hard to improve the attendance of pupils. Systems are rigorous and robust. The school works closely with families and external agencies. The ‘attendance mentor group’ supports pupils with low attendance. As a result, the attendance of pupils is high.

p.3

3

Pupils experience a range of opportunities that enhance their personal development. For example, younger children learn about the importance of exercise for a ‘healthy me’. Older pupils learn about personal finance, healthy relationships and the importance of a balanced diet. Pupils follow a high-quality programme of learning about different cultures and beliefs. For example, they recently learned about food use in Tanzania. They also support a wide range of charities, including a local foodbank.

p.3

3

Collaboration is a key trust value. Trustees, trust executive leaders, and school leaders work closely and constructively together to maintain and improve standards. Staff are now very positive about working at the school. They value the support for their wellbeing and the regular training opportunities. Everyone agrees that the school is moving in the right direction.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school does not always ensure that pupils are provided with opportunities to recall and apply key knowledge. As a result, some pupils are unable to retain this as well as they could and apply it to future learning. The school should ensure that there is sufficient focus on the things that pupils need to remember and recall so that pupils can build their knowledge more effectively over time. 15 and 16 October 2024

p.3

4

 Pupils’ attitudes to their education are not as positive as they could be. Some pupils do not know how to study effectively and are not resilient to setbacks. As a result, they are not always committed to their learning and sometimes distract and disrupt others. The school should continue to instil a culture of learning in the school and teach pupils how to behave in lessons in such a way as to support learning. The school should also work with pupils’ parents to ensure pupils’ attitudes to their education become more positive.

p.4

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.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 15 and 16 October 2024

p.4

School details

Co-CEOs of the trust Gulcin Sesli and Corinne Sheehan

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 12 and 13 February 2019

p.5

Information about this school

 The headteacher took up her post in September 2024.  The school is part of The Spring Partnership Trust.  The school uses one registered alternative provision.

p.5

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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 15 and 16 October 2024

p.5

6

 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.  During the inspection, inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. Inspectors met with leaders with responsibility for pupils with SEND, behaviour and attendance, early reading and pupils’ wider development and early years.  Inspectors met with representatives of the trust, including the co-CEOs.  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 to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central

p.6

6

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 online surveys for parents, staff and pupils.

p.6

Inspection team

Christian Hicks, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Sophie Powell Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 October 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

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.7

7

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.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7