Sir John Lillie Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Sir John Lillie Primary School Lillie Road, Fulham SW6 7LN

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Outcome

Sir John Lillie 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?

Pupils at Sir John Lillie Primary School are happy and safe in their welcoming community. Pupils play joyfully in the extensive playground, which includes climbing frames, reading huts, sports equipment and an edible garden.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from the wider offer at the school. They can develop their leadership skills as buddies, ambassadors and playtime monitors. Pupils have opportunities to develop their interests through the clubs on offer, including karate, gardening and musical theatre. Visitors and trips outside of school enhance the curriculum. For example, pupils have served as mascots at a local football club and cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony of a local supermarket. The school also uses local arts and sports facilities so pupils can play squash at the Queen’s Club and attend the Royal Albert Hall. These opportunities help pupils to make the most of their neighbourhood and take them beyond the everyday.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. These are demonstrated in pupils’ behaviour, which supports them to be ready to learn and for the next stages of their education. As a result, pupils achieve highly, including in national assessments, and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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

Children make a strong start in early years. The school places emphasis on storytelling and language development. Staff use ambitious vocabulary around the books that children read. For example, after reading ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’, children build towers and bridges while singing the song. They are encouraged to use newly learned words and phrases to describe the trails they have constructed. This supports children’s 4 and 5 March 2025

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communication as well as their physical development. As a result, children in early years develop readiness for future learning.

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The school follow a phonics programme to help pupils to read fluently and speedily. Staff are suitably trained. As a result, pupils achieve exceptionally well in the national phonics screening check. The school place a strong emphasis on pupils being able to read widely, so they can access the broader curriculum. This is encouraged through ‘fairytale Fridays’, for example, where all children have an opportunity to hear familiar stories with a twist.

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The school’s curriculum is broad and in line with what pupils are expected to study nationally. The curriculum is designed so that, in a range of subjects, pupils return to key ideas over time. However, in some lessons, teaching does not always break down knowledge and check that the building blocks are secure. When this happens, some pupils struggle with applying their learning independently.

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Pupils with SEND have their needs accurately identified and are supported well. They are part of the school’s nurturing and inclusive environment. Staff receive appropriate training to help them understand the needs of their pupils. For example, staff have ‘SEND bibles’ which give them precise details about the needs of every pupil in their class. As a result, staff are able to make appropriate adaptations.

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The programme for pupils’ personal development has been carefully thought through. The curriculum has been designed to include sessions that respond to the needs of pupils and help them connect their learning by revisiting key ideas. For example, learning about staying healthy includes mental well-being. Beginning in early years, pupils are taught how to self-regulate and identify their emotions. Older pupils have ‘brain buddy’ sessions to help them develop a secure understanding of how the mind works, the impact of online safety and the importance of sleep hygiene for their mental health. The school works well with parents and carers by sharing, for example, what pupils are learning to encourage opportunities for practice at home.

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Behaviour is excellent. Bullying is rare and effectively dealt with if it happens. Pupils demonstrate excellent manners in their interactions with staff and peers. Staff have high expectations, and any incidents are followed up effectively. Pupils seek to live out the school values of respect, empathy, courage, resilience, kindness and curiosity. These are taught through the programme of assemblies and in lessons. As a result, throughout the school, pupils demonstrate the school’s values and praise each other for taking risks, getting the right answer and showing perseverance.

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Attendance is a high priority at the school, and leaders are aware of the causes of absence. Some pupils do not attend school as often as they should. Leaders take bespoke approaches to remedy persistent absence. Leaders continue to work with families to overcome barriers to attendance and punctuality.

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Staff are well supported by leaders who carefully manage workload and well-being. For example, staff appreciate the yoga sessions and opportunities to work from home when preparing lessons. Governors are well informed about the school’s work and support 4 and 5 March 2025

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leaders in sustaining performance to benefit pupils at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some lessons, teaching does not break down knowledge effectively and check the building blocks are secure before moving on to more complex content. This means some pupils struggle with applying their learning independently because they have not secured foundational concepts. The school should continue to review assessment strategies and ensure these are consistently applied to support pupils to deepen and connect their learning.

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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 to be good 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in April 2016.

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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. 4 and 5 March 2025

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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). 4 and 5 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Sue Hayward Victoria Hall (Co-Headteacher) Website www.sirjohnlillieprimary.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 29 and 30 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Sir John Lillie Primary School runs its own breakfast and after-school care.  The school currently 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 inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, the co-headteacher, senior leaders and teachers. The inspector met with a group of governors, including the chair of the governing body. She also spoke with the local authority school improvement partner.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and leaders, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work. 4 and 5 March 2025

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector 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 inspector scrutinised a range of documentation provided by leaders, including about their priorities for improvement.  The inspector considered the views of parents, pupils and staff through discussions and their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Matea Marcinko, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 4 and 5 March 2025

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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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