Aragon Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Aragon Primary School Aragon Primary School, Aragon Road, Morden, Surrey SM4 4QU

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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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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Clare Ryder. This school is part of The Willow 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), Steve Hume, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Simon Brown.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at Aragon Primary School. They are happy, confident, and enjoy coming to school. Strong relationships between staff and pupils create a calm and purposeful environment. Pupils feel well supported in lessons and know that adults will help them if they need it. They feel safe because they trust the staff to listen and respond to their concerns. This culture of care and high expectations underpins all aspects of school life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school follows the trust’s motto, ‘Working together for excellence,’ in everything it does. This means that staff and pupils support each other and routinely aim to do their best. Pupils work hard in lessons, and they receive high-quality support to learn and succeed. Because of this, pupils achieve exceptionally well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary and reflects the school’s aspiration: ‘to be the best that we can be’. In lessons and around the school, pupils are calm, respectful and highly engaged. They respond positively to adults and show pride in their learning and conduct. Pupils consistently meet the high expectations set by staff, demonstrating self-discipline, kindness and a strong sense of responsibility.

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

The school has carefully planned what pupils learn at each stage of the curriculum, and 20 and 21 May 2025

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this is set out so that pupils build on what they already know. For example, children in Nursery use stories to begin to understand how maps work. In Reception, they start to draw their own maps with simple landmarks and directions. This prepares them well for geography lessons in Year 1, when they learn about the cities and landmarks in the United Kingdom.

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The curriculum is delivered expertly. Teaching is underpinned by strong subject knowledge. Teachers use effective models to support pupils’ understanding. They check pupils’ knowledge and intervene promptly when misconceptions arise. Pupils have plenty of opportunities to practise and consolidate their learning. As a result, pupils remember key concepts and can apply them across different areas of the curriculum. Teachers quickly and effectively spot any special educational needs and/or disabilities. They use their careful assessments to provide highly effective adaptations so that pupils can learn the curriculum well.

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The school prepares pupils well for the next stage in their learning. As soon as they join the early years, children are well supported with their reading development. Staff are trained as expert teachers of reading. They deliver the school’s chosen phonics programme to a high standard. Teachers spot any pupils who fall behind in their phonics knowledge at the earliest opportunity. They provide effective support so that pupils catch up quickly. Across the school, pupils display a genuine love of reading. The school supports this by providing pupils with regular opportunities to hear adults read to them. It has also invested in a wide range of reading materials for pupils to access and enjoy.

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Pupils attend school regularly. They look forward to the learning each day brings and are proud of their achievements. In the very few instances when attendance becomes a concern, the school provides effective support to get pupils back to school. Leaders and staff work closely with families and external agencies to reduce or remove any barriers to school attendance. As a result, attendance levels remain high, year on year.

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Pupils said that at Aragon Primary School, there is ‘something for everyone’. They appreciate the wide range of opportunities the school provides for them to develop beyond the academic curriculum. They especially cherish the roles and responsibilities that they are entrusted with. For example, some pupils give up their lunch times to serve as reading champions, helping younger pupils to enjoy books. The school celebrates diversity through events such as themed weeks, visits to places of worship, and workshops led by a wide range of visitors. These activities and events prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain.

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Trustees, governors, leaders, and staff work together to achieve the best possible outcomes for their pupils. They accurately identify and implement effective strategies to drive improvement. As a result, the school has a positive impact on its pupils, no matter their background or starting point. Pupils achieve highly, with outcomes in English and mathematics that exceed those found nationally. 20 and 21 May 2025

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Staff are proud to be a part of this school. They appreciate that leaders have adapted systems so that they can focus their time and energy on teaching and helping pupils to learn. Staff feel supported and able to do their best work.

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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 third ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Aragon Primary School, to be good for overall effectiveness in November 2012.

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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 20 and 21 May 2025

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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). 20 and 21 May 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 December 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Willow Learning Trust.  The school 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held discussions with the chief executive officer of the trust, the headteacher, and other members of the senior leadership team.  The inspectors also met with trustees and governors, including the chair of trustees. 20 and 21 May 2025

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 The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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.  The inspectors also considered the views of parents through their responses to Ofsted’s survey, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Edison David, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Lisa Farrow Ofsted Inspector 20 and 21 May 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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