London Fields Primary School

Inspection of London Fields Primary School Westgate Street, Hackney, London E8 3RL

p.1

Inspection dates: 28 and 29 January 2025

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 Outstanding

p.1

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 January 2015. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 28 and 29 January 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is warm and welcoming. Pupils feel happy and safe here. They work together well in lessons. Pupils are kind and care about each other. They are proud of their school, particularly the inclusive and nurturing environment that is welcoming to all. From the start of the early years, the school encourages pupils to consider the question: ‘Can my mind think well and can my mind feel well?’ This helps pupils understand what they can do to support their learning and well-being, as well as help others.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary in the classroom and around the school, including in the early years. Classrooms are calm and purposeful. Pupils conduct themselves with respect and sensitivity for others, especially for pupils who, at times, may need additional support.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides an impressive range of experiences to nurture and develop pupils’ abilities and talents. The wide-ranging experiences are planned to enrich pupils’ personal development, including, for example, by promoting a strong understanding of social responsibilities.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well prepared for their next stage of learning. They are curious and keen learners. The school is highly ambitious for pupils to succeed, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This ambitious curriculum starts from the early years, where it is particularly effective at ensuring that children receive excellent foundations in learning.

p.2

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

The school has created an ambitious curriculum that is well sequenced and sets out clearly what pupils will learn. This organised and well-planned curriculum helps teachers know precisely what to teach and when, so that important knowledge builds over time. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and explain new learning clearly.

p.2

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

Children in the early years get off to an exceptionally strong start at this school. Staff provide a warm and welcoming environment, where children’s creativity and curiosity are nurtured. Skilful staff interactions throughout the day enable children to extend their vocabulary and practise speaking in accurate sentences. The curriculum’s firm focus on early language forms the cornerstone of the school’s work to get children ready for future learning.

p.2

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

Teaching across the school implements the intended curriculum carefully. Learning is organised in a way that helps pupils to connect what they are learning to what they already know. Typically, pupils recall enthusiastically what they know and can do, linking what they have learned in different subjects. Sometimes, however, in a few subjects, the school’s checks on pupils’ learning do not identify and address gaps in knowledge. When this happens, some pupils’ knowledge and recall of subject content is not secured. 28 and 29 January 2025

p.2

3

The school prioritises reading. It ensures that staff teach pupils to read effectively. Pupils develop their love of reading from the beginning of their time in the Reception class. They have ample opportunities to practise reading throughout the school day. Pupils also enjoy been read to by adults. The school’s rigorous, sequential approach to the teaching of phonics helps pupils to become accurate and fluent readers quickly. Staff are well trained and skilfully ensure that pupils practise the sounds that they have been taught. If pupils struggle, they get the right help to catch up quickly and read with confidence.

p.3

3

Pupils with SEND are included in all aspects of the school life. The school works well with other professionals to ensure that these pupils’ needs are understood. Teaching approaches are adapted so that pupils with SEND can join in with their peers. For a small number of pupils with SEND, appropriately bespoke provision is in place. Pupils with SEND achieve well.

p.3

3

The school prepares pupils effectively for life in modern Britain. Its vision, centred on encouraging pupils to ‘grow and flourish’, is realised exceptionally well. Pupils learn about how to stay safe, with a range of external experiences and visitors organised to reinforce their understanding. Pupils also learn about healthy and unhealthy relationships and different types of families. To enhance their learning of the curriculum, pupils participate in an extensive range of educational visits. The school also provides a wide choice of clubs that develop pupils’ interests and nurture their talents, including, for example, in ballet, fencing and yoga.

p.3

3

Pupils demonstrate consistently exemplary attitudes to learning and school life. This is clear in their attentiveness in lessons, as well as the consideration they show towards staff and their peers.

p.3

3

The school has worked hard to ensure that pupils attend regularly. It has put in place robust measures to identify and support pupils whose attendance causes concern.

p.3

3

The governing body provides highly effective challenge to school leadership. Governors know the school well. As a result, they have identified the right priorities and play a key role in supporting leaders to address areas for development.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, what pupils know and remember is not checked as routinely as it is in other subjects. Because of this, the school is unable to fully identify and address any gaps in recall or misconceptions. As a result, pupils’ knowledge is not secured in the way that the school intends. The school should ensure that teaching checks routinely what pupils know and remember to identify and address any gaps or misconceptions. 28 and 29 January 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). 28 and 29 January 2025

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 20 and 21 January 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school makes use of one alternative provision.

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 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. 28 and 29 January 2025

p.5

6

 Inspectors met with school leaders, including the headteacher. They also met with the governing body, including the chair and vice-chair of governors, and spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, design and technology and music. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Other subjects were also considered as part of this inspection.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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 considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and spoke to a range of

p.6

6

staff and pupils about their views of the school.  Inspectors took account of responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire, including the free-text responses.

p.6

Inspection team

Lando Du Plooy, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Daniel Burton Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 January 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