South Rise Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: South Rise Primary School Brewery Road, Plumstead, London SE18 7PX

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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 Katie Cutajar. The school is part of The Compass Partnership of Schools, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), John Camp, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Susan Skidmore.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming and inclusive school which sits at the heart of the local community. Staff know the pupils and their families extremely well. Relationships between staff, pupils and parents and carers are built on mutual respect. Every pupil is valued and nurtured and staff show genuine care for them. This helps pupils to feel safe and happy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is an aspirational place. Leaders and staff have very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and achievement. Pupils live up to these expectations by listening carefully and working hard. Their behaviour is excellent, in and out of lessons. Pupils encourage and support each other. Disruptions to learning are very rare. The school has also taken highly effective actions to make sure that outcomes for disadvantaged pupils are now strong. As a result, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the range of clubs that are on offer to them, such as those for yoga, choir and mathematics problem-solving. They enjoy visits to London museums, theatres and attractions, such as the Cutty Sark, as well as to places of worship in the local area. Pupils take full advantage of what the school offers them to develop their talents and interests. They leave this school remarkably well prepared for the next stage in their education. 20 and 21 May 2025

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

The school has embedded a highly engaging and ambitious curriculum that matches the needs of pupils exceptionally well. It is well structured and carefully sequenced. Knowledge and skills have been clearly identified so that staff know precisely what pupils should learn. The school has carefully identified the key content that pupils need to revisit to help them build learning successfully over time.

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

Leadership of curriculum subjects is strong, as shown by the in-depth subject knowledge and thoughtful curriculum thinking. Teachers also have strong subject knowledge. The activities that they choose for pupils to complete help them to learn very well across the curriculum.

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

The school has taken astute and timely steps, following low outcomes for disadvantaged children in the 2024 national assessments, to understand and remove possible barriers to these pupils learning well. New approaches to promoting excellence, both in behaviour and achievement, are now consistently established. Staff expertly provide support and adaptations to ensure that disadvantaged pupils learn the curriculum well. This includes for pupils who join mid-way through the academic year. As a result, the achievement of current disadvantaged pupils is strong, including in English and mathematics.

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

Reading is at the heart of the school’s curriculum. The curriculum for early reading is very well sequenced and staff are well trained in delivering the school’s phonics programme. Regular checks on pupils’ learning enable staff to identify and address any gaps in pupils’ phonics knowledge. Books are carefully matched to the sounds that pupils are learning. This helps them to read fluently and with confidence and enjoyment. From an early age, pupils are encouraged and provided with plentiful opportunities to read, spell and write across the curriculum. In mathematics, too, daily recall and fluency sessions help pupils to gain a secure knowledge of the key number facts that they need, for example when solving mathematical problems.

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

Children in the early years settle quickly, build positive relationships with staff and each other and play well together. They follow well-established routines. Staff are skilled in developing children’s early language and number skills. This helps children to build confidence and independence. Children are very well prepared for Year 1.

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

Pupils with SEND are identified quickly. Staff are trained exceptionally well to provide support which is targeted to pupils’ needs. Calm classrooms and explicit routines, alongside effective adaptions to learning, all help pupils with SEND to develop resilience and independence. These strengths also help pupils with SEND to access the same curriculum as their peers and achieve well.

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

The school’s approaches to supporting pupils’ wider development are consistently strong. These are carefully planned to help pupils to develop a strong understanding of difference and diversity. Pupils learn about the different cultures, beliefs and religions represented in their school and wider society. They understand about healthy relationships and know what it means to be a good friend. Pupils also know the importance of being healthy and 20 and 21 May 2025

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leading safe, active lives. They learn how to become good citizens by taking on responsibilities, such as becoming school councillors, travel ambassadors and digital leaders.

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Governors and trustees know the school well. They ensure that they support and challenge school leaders effectively. Staff feel extremely well supported by leaders. There is a strong culture of mutual support and teamwork among the staff. They feel valued and well looked after and are proud to work at the school.

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Leaders have prioritised attendance. They are taking appropriate and effective action so that the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent declines. Pupils behave very well, including in lessons. They are focused and get involved actively in tasks.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, South Rise Primary, to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2013.

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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. 20 and 21 May 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). 20 and 21 May 2025

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School details

Headteachers Sophie Powell (Executive Headteacher) Katie Cutajar (Headteacher) Website http://www.southrise.compassps.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 and 15 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in January 2024.  The school currently uses one registered 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 met with the chief executive officer, the executive headteacher, headteacher, other senior leaders, school staff, the chair of the trust and members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. 20 and 21 May 2025

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 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 visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at pupils’ work. An inspector listened to pupils read to an adult.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. In addition, they met with pupils, formally and informally, to hear their views.  The inspectors spoke with some parents at the school gate and considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. They also took into consideration the responses to the online surveys for pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Chris Birtles, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Robin Bosher 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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