Greek Primary School of London

Inspection of Greek Primary School of London 3 Pierrepoint Road, Acton, London W3 9JR

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Inspection dates: 12 to 14 November 2024

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate Early years provision Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a weak culture of safeguarding at the school. Staff do not have a firm enough understanding of the latest statutory guidance and the need to maintain an attitude of ‘it could happen here’. Consequently, the school’s approach to ensuring that pupils are kept safe from potential harm is not effective.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for children in the early years provision and for primary-aged pupils to achieve well. It is more successful in meeting these aspirations in terms of the Greek curriculum. However, it fails to meet its statutory requirements to teach communication, language and literacy in the early years. In other year groups, several pupils in the school do not achieve as well as they should in their English studies.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school does not teach relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education, which is a statutory requirement. Some elements of these requirements are covered within the Greek curriculum, but there are some gaps in the school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development. Visits, such as to Windsor Castle and the Bank of England, support pupils’ understanding of British institutions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at school. They value the strong family atmosphere. They enjoy positive working relationships with the adults in the school. They behave well and care for each other.

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better?

The proprietor body has not ensured that the school’s arrangements for safeguarding are effective. It has also not ensured compliance with all the independent school standards (‘the standards’) and the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage.

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better?

The school does not meet with the standards requiring schools to have a curriculum policy. Nevertheless, the curriculum meets the breadth of subjects that are required by the standards. It meets the ambitions of the Greek curriculum well. Staff have the necessary expertise to teach the Greek curriculum effectively in the Reception class and in the other year groups. The well-ordered curriculum helps pupils build their knowledge securely over time. Staff draw on the high-quality teaching resources and workbooks to teach subject content effectively. Teachers ensure that pupils have regular opportunities to recall their prior knowledge. This helps them to remember key concepts. Teachers check that pupils understand what has been taught. They identify and address any emerging gaps, including through extra help if required. As a result, pupils progress well through the Greek curriculum.

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better?

In contrast, the curriculum does not prepare pupils well enough for the next stages of their education in Britain. There is no phonics programme in place to help early readers to become fluent and confident readers. The school’s English curriculum does not meet the needs, ambitions and abilities of a few pupils, particularly those 12 to 14 November 2024 who have English as their first language. As a result, despite the strengths in the Greek curriculum, pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

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better?

Currently, the school does not have any pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). There are adapted resources and support for pupils with SEND if it is required. Teachers are aware of how to use meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

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better?

Children in the early years are ready to meet the demands of the Year 1 Greek curriculum. However, the design of the early years curriculum does not meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage framework, despite this being an area for improvement at the last inspection. Consequently, children do not develop their communication, language and literacy skills as well as they should. This leaves them ill-equipped for the next stage of their learning.

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better?

The school provides pupils with opportunities to enhance their learning. For example, pupils enter mathematics competitions. Some have had their English poetry published alongside those of pupils from other schools. Every week, pupils study topics related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) with a visiting university professor. The school also arranges visits from Greek authors and an English TV screen writer. These activities deepen pupils’ knowledge and interests.

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better?

The school develops pupils’ cultural understanding well. For example, pupils visit the National Gallery, and they work on projects with pupils in schools of other nationalities. Pupils learn about fundamental British values. This enhances what they learn in their topics about politics in Greece and Europe. The school also teaches pupils a range of other themes that are aimed at enhancing their personal development. However, some important aspects, such as safe online relationships and basic first aid, are missed out. This is because the school does not comply with the statutory requirements for teaching RSE and health education.

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better?

From the moment that children enter the Reception class, staff establish clear routines. Staff place much emphasis on teaching children how to be kind and polite. Children demonstrate these attributes when they greet and compliment each other at the start of the day. They also focus well and concentrate during their daily activities. Pupils from Year 1 to Year 6 are keen to learn and succeed. They do, on occasion, call out in class when they get over enthusiastic. However, they respond immediately when the teacher calls them to order.

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better?

Staff at the school, and the sole representative of the proprietor body, change regularly. However, the proprietor body does not make sure that there is an effective handover when staff leave and join the school. This results in a lack of oversight of the school. The proprietor body and the school have a very limited understanding of their statutory duties. This includes checking compliance with statutory requirements and the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements. 12 to 14 November 2024 The proprietor body has not put in place any mechanisms to ensure and assure themselves that all the independent school standards are met securely and consistently. The school quickly addressed some unmet standards during the inspection. However, there remain several standards and requirements. These relate mainly to safeguarding and the curriculum, including for early years.

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better?

Staff enjoy working with their colleagues in the school. However, they feel that workload expectations are unreasonable. For example, they have to conform with all the requirements of the Greek curriculum and familiarise themselves with the requirements for schools in England. With these current arrangements, the school has limited capacity to address its weaknesses.

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better?

The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The proprietor body has not done enough to make sure that staff are knowledgeable about the latest statutory guidance for keeping pupils safe. The designated safeguarding leaders (DSLs) have read the first part of this guidance. However, they have not completed the specific, more advanced training for DSLs. This means that they do not have a firm understanding of their role and responsibilities. While the school’s safeguarding policy is published on its website, it is based on outdated statutory guidance.

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Safeguarding

Staff’s understanding of the different types of risks that pupils may face is not well developed. They have not had any specific training to ensure that they understand and can act on any concerns that they may have. They have a limited grasp of some of the key risks, for example exploitation on and offline and most have not had ‘Prevent’ training.

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Safeguarding

The school has not made any contact with the local authority’s safeguarding and children’s services teams. This means that they do not know local reporting thresholds or the support that is available for pupils who may need help. It hinders the school from being able to quickly seek expert advice when required in an emergency.

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Safeguarding

The school could not show inspectors any records of reported safeguarding concerns over time. Staff know that if they have concerns, they should tell the DSL and then record their concerns in writing. However, there is no clear system for reporting and recording safeguarding concerns. This results in a lack of oversight and urgency in ensuring pupils at risk of harm receive the help that they need.

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Safeguarding

The culture for safeguarding is heavily reliant on staff’s secure and knowledgeable relationships with parents and carers. This overshadows staff’s ability to be vigilant, ask questions or remain alert to signs of potential risk and harm. 12 to 14 November 2024

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The proprietor body has not done enough to create a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff are not suitably trained and there is no clear system for raising and reporting concerns about pupils’ welfare. The proprietor body must make sure that everyone understands their statutory duties to protect pupils and that there are comprehensive procedures for reporting, recording and acting on concerns.  The proprietor body’s oversight of the school’s compliance with statutory requirements is weak. As a result, the school does not meet all of the standards. The proprietor body must ensure that the school has the knowledge and expertise to comply with statutory requirements and consistently meet the standards.  The school has not implemented the early years foundation stage statutory framework. It does not teach language, literacy and communication to children in the Reception Year. This means that there are gaps in children’s knowledge. They

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

are not prepared well enough for future learning. The proprietor body must ensure that it complies with statutory guidance for children in the early years.  The English curriculum is not ambitious or designed well enough to meet the needs of pupils whose knowledge of English goes beyond what they are being taught. In addition, there is no phonics programme to support children in the early years, or other pupils who are early readers, to learn to read. This means that pupils are not well prepared for the next stages of their education in English schools. The proprietor body must make sure that there is a suitable phonics programme in the early years. It should also ensure that pupils, who already have a strong grasp of English, learn an ambitious English curriculum so that they can achieve the best possible outcomes.  The school does not teach the statutory RSE and health education requirements. There is not a written and published RSE policy in place. This means that the

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

provision for pupils’ personal development is diluted as they do not receive some of the mandatory elements of RSE and health education. The school should ensure that there is an appropriate RSE and health education curriculum so that pupils gain the knowledge and awareness they need to be safe and informed members of their communities.

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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. 12 to 14 November 2024

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School details

Unique reference number 131788 DfE registration number 307/6080

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School details

Inspection number 10322578 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) No fees charged

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School details

Website http://dim-london.europe.sch.gr/

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School details

Email address londongreekprimary@gmail.com

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 to 12 December 2019 12 to 14 November 2024

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Information about this school

 The Greek Primary School of London was opened by the Greek Ministry of Education to serve the Greek community in London. It provides free education at the school for Greek pupils.  The proprietor body delegates its duties to a sole representative, the ‘education counsellor’. An interim education counsellor took up post in November 2024.  Almost all staff are new since the time of the last inspection. The headteacher took up her post in mid-September 2024.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school teaches the Greek national curriculum. The language of instruction is Greek. It also teaches the English language to pupils in key stages 1 and 2.  The school’s previous full standard inspection took place in December 2019.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school's suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about this inspection

The school has failed to meet the independent school standards. These are the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, including early reading, mathematics, history and environmental studies. 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. They also considered other subjects as part of this inspection.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other staff. They met with the Greek Embassy’s education counsellor. They also had formal meetings with the staff and groups of pupils.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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Information about this inspection

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. 12 to 14 November 2024  To check the school’s compliance with the independent school standards, inspectors carried out a range of activities including meeting with leaders, a site walk to check the premises, looking at the content on the school’s website and scrutinising the school’s records and documentation.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There were no responses to the Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View. They also spoke with some parents and carers at the start of the day.

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Inspection team

David Radomsky, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Nick Hitchen Ofsted Inspector 12 to 14 November 2024

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if- – 2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub-paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively; and – 2(1)(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work- – 2(1)(b)(i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan; and – 2(1)(b)(ii) do not undermine the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.  2A(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor- – 2A(1)(a) ensures that every registered pupil who is provided with primary education at the school is provided with relationships education, – 2A(1)(d) in making arrangements for the purposes of paragraphs (a), (b) or (c),

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

has regard to any guidance under section 80A of the Education Act 2002 that applies in relation to the provision of education by maintained schools, – 2A(1)(e) makes and keeps up to date a separate written statement of its policy with regard to the provision of education as required by each of paragraphs (a) and (b), – 2A(1)(f) consults parents of registered pupils at the school before making or revising a statement under sub-paragraph (e), and – 2A(1)(g) publishes a copy of the statement on a website and provides a copy of the statement free of charge to anyone who asks for one.  2A(2) Arrangements made by the proprietor for the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)(b) must ensure that where a pupil's parent requests that the pupil is wholly or partly excused from sex education provided as part of relationships and sex education, the pupil is so excused until the request is withdrawn, unless or to the extent that the head teacher considers that the pupil should not be so excused.

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and – 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.  15 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that an admission and attendance register is maintained in accordance with the School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024.

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Part 6. Provision of information

12 to 14 November 2024  32(1) The standard about the provision of information by the school is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 32(1)(b) the information specified in sub-paragraph (3) is made available to parents of pupils and parents of prospective pupils and, on request, to the Chief Inspector, the Secretary of State or an independent inspectorate; – 32(1)(c) particulars of the arrangements for meeting the standard contained in paragraph 7 are published on the school's internet website or, where no such website exists, are provided to parents on request;  32(3) The information specified in this sub-paragraph is- – 32(3)(b) particulars of educational and welfare provision for pupils with EHC plans and pupils for whom English is an additional language;

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school- – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils.

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development requirements:

– 1.7 The level of development children should be expected to have reached by the end of the EYFS is defined by the early learning goals (ELGs) as set out below. – 1.15 Providers must ensure that children have sufficient opportunities to learn and reach a good standard in English language during the EYFS, ensuring children are ready to benefit from the opportunities available to them when they begin Key Stage 1. When assessing communication, language, and literacy skills, practitioners must assess children’s skills in English. If a child does not have a strong grasp of English language, practitioners must explore the child’s skills in the home language with parents and/or carers, to establish whether there is cause for concern about language delay. 12 to 14 November 2024 to 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

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development requirements:

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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development requirements:

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development requirements:

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development requirements:

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development requirements:

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