Earlsmead Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Earlsmead Primary School Arundel Drive, South Harrow, Harrow HA2 8PW

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Outcome

Earlsmead Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection. The headteacher of this school is Barbara Graham. This school is part of Tithe Academy 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), John Reavely, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Kevin McEwan.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and proud to be members of Earlsmead Primary School. They enjoy their lessons and feel safe at school. They know that they have trusted adults that they can talk to about worries or concerns. The school teaches pupils how to stay healthy and safe. They learn, in an age-appropriate way, about topics such as online safety, road safety and healthy relationships. Pupils behave well. They respond positively to clear and consistently applied routines. Teachers deal with rare incidents of poor behaviour effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Adults have high expectations of pupils’ achievements. Pupils rise to these high expectations, displaying positive attitudes to learning and achieving well over time. The school is very inclusive. The many pupils who join the school mid-year are helped to settle and learn well. Equally, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are encouraged and supported to aim high, regardless of any barriers to learning that they face.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Enrichment activities are carefully woven into the curriculum. Pupils enjoy taking their classroom learning into the real world through well-considered visits, including residential opportunities. Pupils develop a range of interests through many clubs, including first aid, sign language and gardening. 3 and 4 June 2025

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

There is a broad and balanced curriculum in place. This typically supports all pupils to secure key knowledge and skills before moving on in their learning. This starts in the early years, where the essential learning, vocabulary and skills are clearly set out. High-quality training ensures that staff build their subject expertise and present knowledge clearly. As a result, pupils progress well through the curriculum. They are well prepared for their next stages. In some instances, published outcomes do not fully reflect the quality of education provided. This is due to high levels of pupils moving in and out of the school. This means that, over time, some pupils have not had the full benefit of the school’s curriculum. Nevertheless, irrespective of when they join the school, pupils are well supported to make progress through the curriculum.

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

The school’s inclusive ethos enables pupils with SEND to learn the curriculum alongside their peers. The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND accurately. In most subjects, teaching makes effective adaptations so that these pupils learn the full curriculum. For example, teachers pre-teach vocabulary and number skills to help pupils to be ready for what they will learn next. At times, the school’s checks on learning in subjects in the wider curriculum do not identify and fill pupils’ knowledge gaps. This means that, in these subjects, some pupils do not build securely on prior learning.

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

There is a sharp focus on ensuring that pupils who are at the early stages of learning to read gain the phonics knowledge and accuracy needed to become fluent readers. Starting in the early years, staff use language carefully to broaden children’s vocabulary and encourage them to form longer sentences. Pupils, including in the early years and those with SEND, become increasingly independent and confident readers.

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

Pupils are polite, friendly, and welcoming. They consistently demonstrate Earlsmead’s positive learning behaviours, such as resilience, curiosity, and cooperation. For example, during lessons pupils collaborate well, remain focused on challenges, and take pride in their progress. The atmosphere is calm. The school monitors attendance carefully and works closely with families to address potential barriers effectively. Pupils play an active role in promoting positive interactions. For example, the ‘playmakers’ teach other pupils how to play together well.

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

The school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. They learn about values such as tolerance, and how to look after their well-being. If pupils are worried about anything, they know that an adult will listen and provide them with the help they need. A wide range of opportunities extends pupils’ learning beyond the curriculum. For example, they can represent the school in sports, learn new crafts, or play board games. Pupils are proud of the role that they play in the community. Visits to care homes and singing carols at the gate give them a sense of social responsibility. Pupil leadership roles enable pupils to contribute meaningfully to school life.

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

Leaders, including those in the trust, have a clear understanding of the school’s priorities. They have taken effective steps to develop the curriculum and sustain a strong culture of 3 and 4 June 2025

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inclusion and ambition. Staff are proud to work at the school. Teachers feel supported by clear priorities and manageable workloads.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school does not consistently use assessment in the foundation subjects to identify what pupils have remembered or where they have gaps in understanding. As a result, some pupils do not build securely on prior learning. The school and the trust should ensure that assessment in foundation subjects is used effectively to support pupils to know more and remember more over time.

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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 February 2020.

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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. 3 and 4 June 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). 3 and 4 June 2025

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School details

Website www.earlsmeadprimaryschool.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 February 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Tithe Academy Trust.  The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club.  The school uses no alternative provision.  The school has an additionally resourced provision for 12 pupils with moderate learning difficulties.

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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 her evaluation of the school. 3 and 4 June 2025

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 The inspector met with a range of senior leaders, including the headteacher and trust CEO. The inspector also met with a group of governors and trustees, including the chair of governors.  The inspector 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 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 reviewed a range of school documentation and policies. These included the school development plan, the school self-evaluation form, minutes of governing board and trust board meetings, attendance information, behaviour logs and safeguarding records.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.

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 The inspector considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. She reviewed the responses to the online staff survey. In addition, the inspector spoke with pupils and staff to gather their views of the school.

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Inspection team

Sahreen Siddiqui, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 June 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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