Selwyn Primary School

Inspection of Selwyn Primary School Selwyn Road, London E13 0ES

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The principal of this school is Helen Mawer. This school is part of the Newham Community Learning trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Anthony Wilson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Paul Leslie.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Selwyn Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Selwyn Primary School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness before it opened under the same name as a result of conversion to academy status. The school received an ungraded inspection under section 8 of the Act on 29 March 2019. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 18 and 19 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff at Selwyn have very high expectations of what pupils can achieve. The school has developed a consistent approach to supporting pupils’ learning, which is embodied in the ‘Selwyn Way.’ Pupils achieve well, including in national assessments, and produce work of high quality across the curriculum. The support provided for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is exceptional. The school is highly inclusive, with dedicated and committed staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending the school. They feel safe and well cared for while they are here. From the early years, children listen attentively to adults and learn to cooperate, take turns and share. They enjoy, and benefit from, a wide range of pupil leadership opportunities. These help them to develop important life skills as well as enabling them to contribute positively to the life of the school. Pupils show consistently positive attitudes to their learning and behave well in lessons and around the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

From the early years onwards, all pupils access an extensive range of carefully designed wider opportunities. Pupils benefit from meaningful trips and visits, which are linked to the curriculum. These broaden pupils’ horizons. Parents and carers speak highly of the school’s work with their children.

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

There is a strong culture of reading across the school. Pupils develop as confident and fluent readers. This is because staff implement the phonics programme with precision. Pupils have frequent opportunities to practise and apply what they have learned using books that are closely matched to their phonics knowledge. Staff make regular checks on pupils’ reading. Any pupils who fall behind benefit from effective support to catch up quickly. The school promotes a love of reading. Pupils have access to a well-stocked library, which exposes them to a rich variety of texts.

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

The school has developed an extremely ambitious curriculum. Leaders have identified the important knowledge and vocabulary for pupils to learn, from nursery through to Year 6. Pupils build on this knowledge over time and apply it well to new learning. Teachers benefit from a range of subject-specific training. They are experts in their subjects and present information clearly. Teachers routinely check pupils’ understanding. For example, skilful questioning helps to identify any misconceptions so that these are addressed quickly. Regular recaps of learning at the start of each lesson help pupils retain important knowledge. Pupils are encouraged to discuss and debate their ideas. They listen to and carefully consider the views of others. This enables them to embed their new knowledge and apply it to different contexts.

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

There is very strong support for pupils with SEND. The school carefully identifies pupils’ needs and shares this information with staff. Adaptations are made to the delivery of the curriculum, where necessary, so that teachers can support pupils with SEND in the classroom. For example, there are staff trained in British Sign Language to support pupils with hearing impairment. The school has an additional resourced provision for deaf 18 and 19 March 2025

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children, which is of exemplary quality. Leaders check that the additional support pupils receive is having a positive impact. The school have created a learning support provision for pupils with complex needs. Staff are well trained to support these pupils with the support of external specialists.

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The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and conduct around the school. The behaviour in lessons is excellent. Strong routines ensure that pupils are calm and polite both in and outside of the classroom. From the early years, pupils show a highly focused attitude to their learning. Pupils are taught to understand and embody the ‘5 Cs’ of courtesy, care, commitment, cooperation, and consideration. Pupils are rewarded when they demonstrate these. The school knows its pupils and families well and is responsive to any concerns.

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The wider personal development of pupils is a considerable strength of the school. Pupils study a carefully crafted curriculum that prepares them well for life in modern Britain. They learn about democracy when electing school council representatives, head boy and head girl. The school provides a rich and extensive set of extra-curricular activities for pupils, with a range of sporting, creative and curriculum-based clubs. There are opportunities for pupils to demonstrate their skills in musical and dramatic performances. This helps build their confidence and character.

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Staff are rightly proud to work here. They know that the school has taken substantive steps to reduce workload and enhance their well-being. Staff at all levels appreciate their individualised training and the opportunities for progression. The trust and those responsible for governance are highly knowledgeable about the school. They too share the exceptionally high expectations that leaders have for all pupils. Parents value being part of the school community and appreciate all that the school does to enable their child to thrive, for example, by providing comprehensive pastoral support.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 18 and 19 March 2025

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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). 18 and 19 March 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 and 15 March 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has been part of Newham Community Learning multi-academy trust since September 2022.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school has an additionally resourced provision for 21 deaf pupils.

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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. 18 and 19 March 2025

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 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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, history, and physical education. 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.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of parents, leaders, staff, and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for improvement.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documents, including records related to attendance, behaviour, and pupil movement.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, a selection of subject leaders, teachers, and support staff.  Inspectors met with representatives from the local governing body. They also spoke with executive officers and trustees of the multi-academy trust.  Inspectors considered the views of pupils and staff, including through their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys. They also considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Robert Grice, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Nick Flesher Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 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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