Beecroft Garden Primary

Inspection of Beecroft Garden Primary Beecroft Road, London SE4 2BS

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 October 2024

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Good 15 and 16 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school is a welcoming and inclusive community where pupils are happy and feel safe. Pupils attend regularly and look forward to their school day. The school is ambitious for all pupils. Those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the support they need. Pupils engage enthusiastically in their learning. In many subjects, especially English and mathematics, pupils achieve well in Years 1 to 6. In early years, however, children’s learning and development are not promoted as effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils actively take part in various activities both within and beyond the school. This includes a wide range of clubs and community projects. Personal development is well supported. Pupils learn about the importance of contributing to their school and community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils trust their teachers and know they will be supported in their learning. The school’s positive culture is evident in how pupils care for each other and respect the wider school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils display enthusiasm for learning, particularly in creative subjects such as art and design and music. Pupils’ successes are reflected in the examples of pupils’ artwork displayed throughout the school. All pupils learn to play a range of musical instruments in the purpose-designed music block. They create collaborative art projects and music performances. These activities boost their motivation and enjoyment of learning.

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

Overall, the curriculum in Years 1 to 6 is designed to ensure that all pupils succeed. Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. Reading is a key priority. The strong approach to phonics gives pupils a solid foundation. For example, children in Reception are taught phonics from the very start, helping them to quickly gain the knowledge and skills that they need to become confident, fluent readers. The school ensures that pupils who fall behind receive the targeted support that is needed to help them to catch up. This focus on early reading prepares pupils effectively for learning the wider curriculum.

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

The curriculum for English and mathematics is well ordered and consistently enables pupils to build a deep body of knowledge. However, in a few other subjects, such as geography and history, the curriculum does not consistently promote learning as well. The curriculum for these subjects is not as clearly set out. Some teaching does not reflect the school’s aspirations for pupils’ learning. At times, pupils find it difficult to recall key knowledge from these subjects and can become confused about ideas when discussing learning.

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

Apart from in phonics, activities are not routinely designed to support children’s learning in early years. The interactions between children and adults do not consistently promote the development of children’s language and communication skills. The school’s curriculum thinking on how children should learn knowledge, including new words, lacks clarity. This 15 and 16 October 2024

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hinders staff from supporting children’s understanding and development. As a result, children in the early years are not as well prepared for Year 1 as they should be.

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Pupils with SEND are well supported. The school ensures that their needs are identified and understood by staff. For example, activities include allocated time for pupils to learn independently and build confidence. The school has worked hard to ensure that pupils with SEND receive precise support and achieve positive outcomes.

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Pupils enjoy coming to school and feel supported. Behaviour across the school is positive, with pupils generally demonstrating an understanding of the school’s rules and expectations. However, sometimes in class, pupils do not fully participate in activities or listen attentively to their teachers or peers. This can reduce how well pupils grasp what is being taught. The strategies in place to support staff to actively manage behaviour are, at times, not followed consistently.

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Pupils have access to a wide range of enrichment activities, including sports clubs and creative arts. They take on responsibilities, such as being ambassadors or council members, which helps them to develop leadership skills and a sense of responsibility. The school promotes the fundamental British values, and pupils show a general understanding of concepts such as democracy, respect and tolerance.

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Art and music are highly valued at the school, and pupils benefit from a rich and varied curriculum in these subjects. Many pupils take part in drumming clubs, choir and singing club. Pupils are given regular opportunities to perform, showcasing their musical talents in school performances and events. In art, creativity is encouraged and the school celebrates pupils’ achievements and contributions. These opportunities help to build pupils’ confidence and pride in their abilities while fostering a deep appreciation for the arts.

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The school is committed to providing a broad, balanced curriculum and works closely with staff, parents and carers to achieve this. The school is mindful of teachers’ workload and has introduced strategies to help. The governing body has a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum in a few subjects is not consistently implemented well. As a result, pupils struggle to recall prior learning, and have gaps in their understanding. The school needs to ensure that the curriculum in these subjects is sequenced and taught so that pupils build up and recall knowledge securely in the long term. 15 and 16 October 2024

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 At times, the school’s behaviour management approach is not consistently applied. Some pupils do not demonstrate the focus on their learning that the school expects. The school needs to embed its use of behaviour strategies to ensure that pupils remain attentive and fully involved in their learning.  In the early years, the curriculum is not organised and taught in a way that supports children’s development and, in turn, their readiness for Year 1. This impacts children’s progression in the key areas of learning, particularly in communication and language development. The school should ensure that the curriculum provides clear expectations in all areas of learning, and that staff understand how to develop and extend children’s knowledge effectively, based on the school’s expectations.

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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). 15 and 16 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.beecroftgarden.lewisham.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new chair of the governing body has been appointed.  The school has breakfast and after-school clubs.  The school uses one registered 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.

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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

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 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.  Inspectors spoke to the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, members of the leadership team, subject leaders, the special educational needs coordinator and the leaders responsible for safeguarding.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and geography. Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the impact of the curriculum in other subjects, including art and design and science. 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, listened to pupils read and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central

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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.  An inspector spoke to parents at the school gate. Inspectors also took account of the views of staff and parents through surveys, including Ofsted Parent View.  The lead inspector held separate meetings with a representative of the local authority and the governing body.

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Inspection team

Adam Vincent, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Teresa Neary Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 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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