Tower Bridge Primary School

Inspection of Tower Bridge Primary School Fair Street, London SE1 2AE

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 4 and 5 March 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe at this welcoming school. They are confident to share any concerns they have with a member of staff. They trust staff to ensure that their worries are dealt with appropriately.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is excellent across the school. Pupils talk respectfully to staff and to each other, and in lessons they are focused on their learning. They eagerly join in discussions but are quickly attentive again when teachers need them to listen. In the playground, they play together cooperatively and encourage other pupils to join their games.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils. It has created a broad and ambitious curriculum where learning is structured to build knowledge during the pupils’ journey through the school. By the time they leave the school, pupils achieve well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides its pupils with many opportunities for wider enrichment. Pupils can access after-school clubs, such as art and computing. Pupils also contribute to the school community in different ways. For example, they can be a ‘sports leader’ and help support pupils in the playground.

p.2

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

The school has designed a well-structured curriculum. Staff have mapped in detail the knowledge and skills they want pupils to know and remember over time. Children get off to a great start in early years, where well-trained staff provide a wide range of guided and independent learning activities. These ensure that pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education.

p.2

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

Learning is sequenced so that pupils practise and embed important ideas before tackling more complex work. For example, in science, pupils in Year 1 identify simple parts of the human body. By Year 6, pupils are exploring the complex life cycles of humans and other animals.

p.2

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

The school prioritises the teaching of reading. Staff teach the chosen phonics scheme clearly and effectively. Pupils understand sounds and can confidently blend sounds to read words. They successfully read books linked to the sounds they know. If any pupils fall behind, they are given effective support to catch up quickly. The school promotes a love of reading. Staff share favourite books with the pupils, and older pupils are ‘reading buddies’ for younger ones.

p.2

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

Pupils build strong mathematical foundations during their time in school. This begins in the early years. For example, while playing skittles, children practise their counting skills when keeping score. Pupils are taught to use important mathematical language. Staff provide appropriate resources to support learning, including cubes and number tracks, to help consolidate pupils’ understanding. 4 and 5 March 2025

p.2

3

The school identifies the needs of any pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities as swiftly as possible. Leaders work closely with outside agencies and put strategies in place to meet pupils’ needs. These may include the use of visual resources or support from well-trained additional adults. This ensures that pupils make strong progress across the curriculum.

p.3

3

Generally, staff present information to pupils clearly. They check and address any misconceptions in pupils’ understanding in a timely way. In some subjects, however, the learning is not consistently delivered in a knowledgeable and accurate fashion. For example, the resources used do not help to present information in a clear way, and some pupils become confused.

p.3

3

The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour that are commonly understood by all. Pupils are successfully encouraged to regulate their own behaviour. They behave maturely and sensibly in class and during breaktimes. The school is doing all it can to improve attendance, which is gradually proving successful. It offers support to families struggling to meet the school’s high expectations for attendance. There are a range of rewards for good attendance, including class awards in a weekly celebration assembly.

p.3

3

The school has crafted an extensive personal development programme. Visitors to the school enrich pupils’ learning. For example, pupils receive dance lessons from a specialist teacher, are taught how to ride bikes and learn how to keep themselves safe. Pupils know about diversity and equality, learn to debate different issues, and can discuss the different world religions they study. They enjoy an ‘international week,’ when they celebrate their different heritages and cultures.

p.3

3

Governors understand and carry out their role effectively. They hold school leaders to account while also supporting them. Staff appreciate the support and training they receive and the reduction in their workload in recent years.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the curriculum is not delivered in line with the school’s intentions. The chosen resources do not consistently present the information pupils need in a clear way and, as a result, pupils can be left confused. This can lead to them not developing the full depth of knowledge they need to be successful in these subjects. The school should ensure that there is consistency in the delivery of all curriculums, so pupils secure their knowledge and understanding over time. 4 and 5 March 2025

p.3

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). 4 and 5 March 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 9 and 10 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision for its pupils.

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.  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. 4 and 5 March 2025

p.5

6

 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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, and history. 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.  The inspectors also spoke with groups of staff and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work in other subjects.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys completed by parents, pupils, and staff.  Inspectors looked at a sample of the school’s policies and records, including those related to behaviour, attendance, and pupils’ wider development.

p.6

6

 The inspectors spoke with the headteacher, senior leaders and subject leaders. They also held meetings with members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.

p.6

Inspection team

Eleanor Ross, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Sarah Jones Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 March 2025

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