St Paul's CofE Primary School

Inspection of St Paul’s CofE Primary School Worlidge Street, London W6 9BP

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good 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 April 2015. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 26 and 27 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

St Paul’s is a small, friendly school with the community at its heart. A positive, nurturing atmosphere permeates the school. Each morning, staff warmly greet pupils, setting a positive and welcoming tone for the day. The school’s exceptional early years provision provides a strong foundation for children’s learning, ensuring children feel supported and inspired from the start. This school is inclusive, where everyone feels welcomed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A well-considered curriculum, underpinned by the school’s aspirational aims, enables pupils to learn and achieve well. Staff maintain high expectations for behaviour, beginning as soon as children join the school. Children in early years demonstrate exceptional kindness and respect towards others. Older pupils value the outdoor space and enjoy the range of activities provided to keep them engaged during playtimes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between staff and pupils are positive and supportive. Pupils know that if they have a worry, they can speak to an adult in school who will help them. Pupils feel happy and are kept safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school offers a variety of opportunities for pupils to take on responsibilities. For example, the ‘kindness crew’ members have led an assembly, teaching others about the importance of kindness. Such roles help pupils build confidence and develop leadership skills.

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

The school is highly ambitious for every pupil to succeed and do well. It ensures that the needs of pupils are at the centre of curriculum development. The school has carefully designed a curriculum that engages all pupils, is meaningful to them and supports their achievements in clearly sequenced steps. In the early years, the curriculum is securely embedded. Adults expertly support children in developing very strong foundations of knowledge across all areas of learning. For example, in the Reception Year, children learn about the world by confidently identifying features of maps. From Year 1, the geography curriculum builds on this foundation, introducing concepts such as human and physical features.

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

Pupils achieve well in the subjects that they study. Teaching typically helps them understand the concepts and ideas outlined in the curriculum. However, in Years 1 to 6, the recently implemented curriculum in some subjects has not been fully embedded. Consequently, some pupils are not consistently building their knowledge in a logical order and have not developed a deep understanding of the concepts that they have been taught.

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

Reading is a priority in the school. A newly established library provides a wide selection of books from diverse authors and cultures. Pupils enjoy visiting the library and engaging in reading. Combined with daily reading opportunities, this fosters a love of reading. The reading journey is particularly strong in the early years, where children develop their understanding of sounds and vocabulary with expert support. This strong foundation 26 and 27 November 2024

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ensures early success in reading. Those requiring additional help are promptly identified, and appropriate support is swiftly provided. This ensures that the school makes sure pupils who fall behind in reading are able to catch up quickly.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are extremely well supported throughout the school. Their needs are identified early. Precise plans are put in place so that staff know how to help them. Pupils with SEND are fully included in lessons and receive the support that they need to succeed.

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Behaviour throughout the school is calm and orderly. Staff provide effective support for pupils who need extra help to focus and to regulate their behaviour. In the early years, staff establish strong routines and promote independence from the moment children join the school. For example, children independently selected materials to build a rocket and confidently explained their choices. The school is committed to improving attendance through robust policies and procedures, ensuring pupils and their families receive appropriate support.

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The school’s personal development programme enables pupils to develop as well-rounded individuals who are well prepared for their next steps beyond the school. The impact of this is evident when talking to older pupils. They demonstrate mature attitudes when discussing principles related to equality and respect for diversity, recognising that everyone should be treated fairly. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is enriched through a range of trips, including exploring the local environment for science or visiting different places of worship.

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Leaders, including governors, demonstrate a clear understanding of the challenges facing the school and have fostered a welcoming, ‘family’ environment. The newly established leadership team has acted decisively to achieve significant improvements in behaviour and enhance the quality of education. Staff feel valued and take pride in their work, recognising the school’s commitment to supporting their well-being and managing their workload. Additionally, the school benefits from making use of support and expertise within its partnership schools. While many of the school’s priorities need time to fully embed, the positive impact of the new leadership is already evident.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 26 and 27 November 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In Years 1 to 6, the revised curriculum for some subjects is in the early stages of implementation. As a result, pupils are not consistently building their knowledge in a logical sequence over time. This can limit pupils’ progression through the curriculum. The school should ensure that pupils develop a secure understanding of key concepts before progressing to new content, enabling them to deepen their knowledge effectively over time.

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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). 26 and 27 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Tonnie Read (Executive Headteacher) Siobhan Johnston (Headteacher) Website www.stpaulsprimary.org

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 April 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 St Paul’s is a one-form entry Church of England school.  The most recent section 48 inspection, which is an inspection of the school’s religious character, took place in November 2019.  The executive headteacher joined the school in September 2023.  The headteacher joined the school in March 2024.  The school runs its own breakfast club and after-school club.  The school does not use 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 26 and 27 November 2024

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provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with all senior leaders, a number of teaching staff and governors.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. 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.  The inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for school improvement.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: 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 inspectors took account of the views of pupils, parents and staff, as gathered through discussions and Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Karen Kent, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Milan Stevanovic Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 November 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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