Bannockburn Primary School

Inspection of Bannockburn Primary School Plumstead High Street, London SE18 1HE

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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 headteacher of this school is Rachel Ford. This school is part of PolyMAT, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Tim Plumb, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Sylvia Perrins. 10 and 11 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bannockburn Primary School is an oasis of calm. Pupils manage their behaviour in lessons and around the school exceptionally well. They are very proud of their school, and it shows. They are polite and welcoming to visitors. Pupils take on leadership roles with enthusiasm. They look forward to representing their school in competitions and fixtures. Parents and carers, including those of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are very positive about the many opportunities the school provides for their children.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships across the school are warm and respectful. There is a highly supportive and nurturing environment for learning. Pupils embrace new knowledge and love to talk about what they know. They strive to meet the school’s high expectations and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the importance of the school’s values. They actively look for opportunities to demonstrate them, such as being a good role model and displaying kindness and positivity to others. During breaktimes, there are lots of opportunities for active play. Pupils take part in organised games such as pickleball, as well as reading, crafts, gardening and outdoor activities. Pupils are also active in their community, where they regularly cook and sell healthy meals, raise money for charity and support younger children with reading.

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

The school puts pupils at the centre of its decision-making. Improvements to school policies, procedures and the curriculum are informed by the views and experiences of pupils. This means that decisions are made in their best interests. Staff at all levels get to know children and their families very well. Pupils are rarely absent. Leaders and those responsible for governance work tirelessly to ensure that staff have the support and training they need. This is valued by staff, who say they are happy and proud to work here.

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

The school has developed a broad, ambitious curriculum that takes national expectations as its starting point. The curriculum is carefully sequenced so that pupils build on what they already know. For example, in Year 3, pupils learn the basic patterns in music. They apply this in Year 4, where they learn about chords and chord progression on an instrument. In Year 6, pupils learn how atmosphere is created by putting together certain chords and rhythms in a sequence.

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

Staff make frequent checks on pupils’ learning. This means they quickly identify any gaps in pupils’ knowledge and address them. Teachers skilfully connect what pupils are learning to wider themes through questioning and discussion. This helps pupils to become knowledgeable and articulate learners.

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

In the early years, the school has created an exciting and enabling learning environment. Children are taught how to maintain their focus, and as a result, engage in a wide range of activities without adult supervision. Staff are highly successful in helping children to 10 and 11 June 2025

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develop their language and communication skills. This prepares children very well for Year 1.

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Behaviour is exceptional. In lessons, pupils rarely need reminding of the expectations. On the rare occasions when they do, the system for supporting pupils to make better behaviour choices is highly effective.

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Staff are skilled in identifying pupils with SEND quickly. Pupils with SEND receive appropriate support so that they can learn the curriculum alongside their peers. For example, some pupils learn important content before the activity so they can participate more fully. As a result, pupils with SEND do very well from their different starting points.

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Each day, staff bring stories to life through engaging and animated reading sessions. This contributes to the strong culture of reading across the school. In the early years, children are taught from the outset how to blend the sounds they are learning to read familiar and unfamiliar words. The phonics programme is expertly delivered by experienced and knowledgeable staff. Staff quickly identify any pupils who are struggling with their reading. These pupils are given additional help to become fluent and confident readers.

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There is an exceptional programme of personal development. From Year 2 onwards, all pupils are part of a pupil leadership group. These groups make a tangible contribution to the daily life of the school. For example, the pupil ‘media team’ helps to write the school blog and the pupil ‘premises personnel’ learn how to fix items around the school. Through the curriculum and wider opportunities, pupils develop detailed and highly relevant knowledge about the world around them. This includes important knowledge about online safety, such as the safety features of online gaming and how to respond to strangers online. Trips are carefully planned to support and enhance pupils’ learning. The Year 5 residential stay helps develop pupils’ independence and prepare them for secondary school.

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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. 10 and 11 June 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). 10 and 11 June 2025

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School details

Website www.bannockburnprimaryschool.com

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This school is part of PolyMAT.  The school operates across two sites.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  Bannockburn Primary School converted to become an academy in October 2023. When its predecessor school, Bannockburn Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding for overall effectiveness.

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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. 10 and 11 June 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.  During the inspection, inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The inspectors met with members of the local academy committee, the board of trustees, the CEO and a representative from the local authority. Inspectors also met with some members of support staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, music and geography. They met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with pupils and looked at samples of their work.  The curriculum in other subjects was considered as part of the inspection.

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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.  Inspectors gathered the views of pupils, parents and carers and staff through both discussions and responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Polly Haste, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Beth McKenzie Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 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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