Gordonbrock Primary School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Gordonbrock Primary School Amyruth Road, Brockley, London SE4 1HQ

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

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Outcome

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

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is an exceptional school where pupils thrive as learners.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has the highest ambition for pupils to develop as confident and capable young people. This starts in the early years. Leaders have developed a curriculum that is relevant and well structured. Teachers deliver that curriculum with care and skill. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, make strong progress through the curriculum and achieve high outcomes as a result.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is exceptionally well managed at the school. This is the result of the trusting relationships that are developed by staff who know their pupils well and understand their learning needs. Low-level disruption and bullying are rare. They are swiftly resolved by staff if they do occur. The school provides a range of enrichment activities to widen pupils’ experiences. The arts are at the core of this offer. Pupils are exceptionally well supported to develop their knowledge of life beyond school and their self-confidence as a result.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are successfully prepared for their next steps at secondary school. By the end of Year 6, they have a rich and well-developed body of knowledge in a range of areas, especially reading, writing and mathematics.

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

Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), study a curriculum that matches the breadth and scope of the national curriculum. The school has carefully set out the knowledge that it wants pupils to learn, including in the early years. 26 and 27 November 2024

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The curriculum in Nursery and Reception classes is skilfully designed to provide children with the right foundations to be successful in their future learning. This ambition is supported by engaging activities that enable children to develop and apply knowledge with growing confidence. As a result, the school’s youngest children thrive and make exceptional progress through the curriculum.

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The school prioritises reading from the moment children start school. It took the ambitious decision to change the school’s approach to phonics in order to improve already strong outcomes. As a result, the very large majority of pupils now develop the phonics knowledge they need to read confidently and write accurately. Pupils who have fallen behind with their reading are well supported to catch up and then keep up. Staff encourage pupils to engage with and enjoy a wide range of books by the end of Year 6.

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The curriculum is well designed. It includes carefully selected opportunities for pupils to revisit important knowledge and regularly recap prior learning. This provides pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, with an excellent foundation for future learning. The curriculum also provides opportunities for pupils to apply and deepen their existing understanding. For example, in Year 5, pupils use their knowledge of how to convert fractions into percentages in different contexts, such as working out the amount of water covering the earth’s surface. Provisional outcomes in the 2024 national assessments show that pupils attain highly in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The school has worked successfully to diversify the curriculum to better reflect the school’s wider community and to support pupils to understand different perspectives and experiences. For example, Year 2 pupils are taught about Jane Birch, a maid at the time of the Great Fire of London, and Year 6 pupils learn about the 16th century musician John Blanke.

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The school provides staff with high-quality and regular training to support delivery of the curriculum. This enables teachers to develop their subject knowledge effectively. Teachers routinely check on how well pupils learn and remember the curriculum. They use this information well to identify and tackle any gaps or misconceptions in pupils’ knowledge. This includes for those pupils with SEND. This results in effective development of pupils’ knowledge across the subjects.

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Staff expect pupils to behave well and to concentrate on their work. This ensures that classrooms are calm and purposeful places to learn. The promotion of positive relationships is a clear strength of the school. This encourages pupils to take greater responsibility for their own conduct. The school prioritises attendance and communicates clear expectations to families about its importance. As a result, pupils are punctual and attend exceptionally well.

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The school has developed an impressive range of experiences to support pupils’ wider development. These range from putting on an art exhibition to taking on leadership responsibilities, such as being eco-club leaders or playground buddies. The school also provides a wide range of after-school activities. Its approach helps pupils to explore their 26 and 27 November 2024

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different talents and interests. The school’s carefully planned work on developing pupils’ spoken language supports them to express themselves with clarity and confidence.

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Leaders, including governors, have a clear understanding of their strategic roles and work well together to maintain high standards. They help staff manage their workload effectively. The school promotes staff well-being with thought and care. Staff appreciate the support they receive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 outstanding 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.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in March 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. 26 and 27 November 2024

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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

Headteacher Maria Gilmore (executive headteacher) Jane Wright (head of school) Website www.gordonbrock.lewisham.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher, the head of school, senior leaders and subject leaders, including those responsible for safeguarding. They met with members of the local governing body and representatives from the local authority.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 26 and 27 November 2024

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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.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, inspectors spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  The inspectors considered the replies to Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration the online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

David Boyle, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Brian Simber 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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