Swaffield School

Inspection of Swaffield School St Ann’s Hill, Wandsworth, London, SW18 2SA

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 10 and 11 June 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this warm and welcoming school. They behave well and work hard. Pupils are kept safe and can name a trusted adult who they would talk to if they had any concerns. They trust staff to deal with any worries swiftly and appropriately.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils. It has created an ambitious and well- constructed curriculum that prepares pupils successfully for the next stage of education. Learning builds securely as pupils move through the school and, by the time they leave, most pupils achieve well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have warm relationships with each other and with staff. They know and follow the school rules of ‘be kind, be safe and be responsible.’ Pupils show awareness of the importance of respecting differences and treating everyone equally.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a wide range of enriching experiences for pupils. They enjoy different after-school clubs such as jazz dance, table tennis and yoga. Pupils are proud of the contribution they make to school life. This includes becoming a ‘reading ambassador’, where they read to younger children and keep the library organised and tidy.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers praise the academic progress their children make and also the wider support the school offers to both pupils and parents.

p.2

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

The school’s curriculum is broad and ambitious. The school ensures that diversity is woven into all aspects of learning, including in what pupils study, who they learn about and the texts they read and examine. For example, in the history curriculum, pupils in Year 1 study the life of the African-American explorer Matthew Henson.

p.2

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

Learning to read is a priority as soon as pupils enter the school. Pupils read fluently because phonics is well taught, and they are given sufficient time to practise their reading. If any pupils struggle, they are given effective support to catch up. A love of reading is encouraged throughout the school. Pupils visit the local library, there are inviting reading areas placed around the school and pupils participate in a local literacy festival. Pupils enjoy reading and they can discuss the characters and events that they discover in the books they read.

p.2

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

The school has designed the curriculum to build on pupils’ previous learning. Lessons often start by reminding pupils of what they have previously studied to ensure they can then recall and build on their knowledge and skills. Where needed, staff support pupils’ learning with resources. For example, in Reception, pupils make pictures out of 2- dimensional shapes and discuss their properties. By Year 4, pupils can use mirrors to help them to identify lines of symmetry in these shapes. 10 and 11 June 2025

p.2

3

Teachers identify and address any mistakes and misconceptions that pupils have in their learning. They give them regular feedback and pupils use this to improve or correct their work.

p.3

3

The school swiftly identifies any additional needs the pupils may have, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Adaptions are made to teaching to meet the needs of pupils and ensure they achieve well. Staff build on advice from external agencies and implement these in their practice in classrooms. In the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision) the curriculum is well tailored to successfully meet the individual needs of pupils. Learning here links to that of the mainstream classrooms and, where appropriate, pupils are supported to access their learning successfully in mainstream classrooms.

p.3

3

The school has created a well-structured curriculum where learning builds on what pupils already know. In most cases, teachers successfully present the learning and adapt their teaching where needed. However, at times teachers’ activity choices, presentation and adaptations are not as strong, and this can limit pupils’ learning, understanding and recall.

p.3

3

Pupils mostly behave sensibly in lessons and engage well with their learning. In the specially resourced provision pupils are supported to regulate their feelings, which helps them to remain calm and focused on learning. In the playground, pupils play happily together. The school is doing all it can to improve pupils’ attendance, which is successfully increasing year on year.

p.3

3

Pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. Pupils participate in local concerts, and they raise money for different charities. They also participate in ‘work experience’, where they help out in different roles around the school. The school ensures that different cultures are celebrated. For example, they run a food fair where families share food from their culture. The school invites visitors to enrich the curriculum too, including medical students who run a teddy bears clinic to help children get over any anxiety about doctors and hospitals.

p.3

3

The school provides appropriate training for staff. Staff know that the school is considerate of their well-being, and they appreciate this. Governors work with leaders successfully to secure ongoing improvements in the school’s work.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects the curriculum is not delivered in as consistent, knowledgeable, and effective a fashion as it could be. In these instances, pupils do not consistently develop the same depth of knowledge and understanding as they do in other subjects. The 10 and 11 June 2025

p.3

4

school should ensure it continues to develop staff’s expertise and knowledge and ensure consistency of delivery across the curriculum. This will help pupils to better secure their knowledge and understanding over time.

p.4

How can I feedback 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.

p.4

How can I feedback my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school provides a specially resourced provision for 16 pupils. It caters for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs and those with autism.

p.5

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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 10 and 11 June 2025

p.5

6

 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.  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 spoke with the headteacher, senior leaders and subject leaders. They also held meetings with members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about

p.6

6

their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors also spoke with groups of staff and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work in other subjects.  Inspectors looked at a sample of the school’s policies and records, including those related to behaviour and attendance, and pupils’ wider development.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys completed by parents, pupils and staff.

p.6

Inspection team

Eleanor Ross, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Dave Collins Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 June 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7