Heber Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Heber Primary School Heber Road, East Dulwich, London SE22 9LA

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school's work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school values of ‘responsibility, thoughtfulness and resilience’ are visible in everything that takes place here. Days begin with pupils enthusiastically greeting staff at the gate. Pupils trust and respect staff and they value their help and support. Parents and carers strongly recommend the school. They are fulsome in their praise for the school, which they refer to as ‘a family’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The academic curriculum is ambitious in both the variety and thoroughness of learning that it provides for pupils. Pupils are highly motivated by this curriculum. This is demonstrated by the excellent work that they produce, as well as their results in national tests. This is also true for those pupils who may be disadvantaged and/or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school places great value on the work that they do to develop the character of pupils. They learn the importance of helping others and they complete charitable work. Pupils eagerly take on various roles of responsibility, such as the peer mentors who help younger pupils to learn how to play together.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kept safe and will talk to staff about any worries. They appreciate the care that the school offers for their well-being. Their behaviour is exemplary, and it supports their learning.

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

The school has developed a highly ambitious curriculum. Pupils’ deep and well- sequenced learning begins in the early years and continues to the end of Year 6. It 11 and 12 March 2025

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prepares them extremely well for the next stage of their education. Pupils learn and remember knowledge very well. The strengths in the way that the curriculum is taught have been achieved through comprehensive staff training and support.

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Staff excellently check on pupils’ learning, both formally and informally. This allows staff to quickly identify and fill any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. The school also uses this evidence to refine and enhance the curriculum, where appropriate. This helps to ensure that pupils continue to receive the best possible education.

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Reading for pleasure and knowledge continually takes place throughout the school. Pupils take great pleasure in the variety of books and plays that they are exposed to. Staff teach pupils to read using a carefully planned and sequenced phonics programme. The teaching of this starts immediately at the beginning of the Reception Year. Pupils quickly learn to read. Through a range of approaches, the school knows how well pupils are reading. If needed, the school puts in place specific, carefully planned extra help so that pupils who fall behind catch up quickly.

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The school provides carefully targeted support for pupils with SEND. Parents are very positive about the impact that this support has on their children’s development. Pupils’ needs are identified when they join the school and staff are quick to act if they notice a change in the needs of a pupil. The school makes sure that staff receive training and guidance to successfully adapt teaching of the curriculum for pupils with SEND.

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Behaviour around the school and in lessons is excellent. This is because the school has high expectations of behaviour, and pupils love learning. Pupils’ attendance is above the national average. To achieve this, the school helps parents to understand how important it is for pupils to attend school every day. When pupils have struggled to come to school, extensive support is provided so that pupils and their families are able to overcome any difficulties.

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A comprehensively planned set of extra-curricular activities is pivotal to the school’s high- quality work to develop pupils beyond their academic learning. These include, for example, visits to the Tower of London, local sports competitions and clubs that range from chess to coding. Pupils are also empowered to set up their own clubs. The school ensures that these opportunities are available for and support the development of all groups of pupils.

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From the Nursery Year onwards, the school ensures that pupils learn how to support their own well-being. Pupils know how to keep themselves mentally and physically healthy. Pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain. They have a strong understanding of fundamental British values and they appreciate, and celebrate, the differences between themselves and others.

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The governors know the school well. They provide helpful support and challenge. Leaders support the well-being of staff. Through carefully planned continual professional development, the school also helps staff to carry out their roles confidently and expertly. Staff enjoy working at the school. 11 and 12 March 2025

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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 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in October 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.

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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 11 and 12 March 2025

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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). 11 and 12 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Co-chairs of governing body Jane O’Brien and Joanna Watson

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 October 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has appointed a new headteacher since the last inspection.  The school uses no 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 met with the headteacher, other senior members of staff, a representative from the local authority and the governors.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 11 and 12 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 considered the views of parents shared through Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They gathered the views of pupils and staff through Ofsted’s online pupil and staff surveys, as well as through discussions conducted throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Luke Stubbles, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 11 and 12 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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