Deansfield Primary School

Inspection of Deansfield Primary School Dairsie Road, Eltham, London SE9 1XP

p.1

Inspection dates: 3 and 4 June, and 9 June 2025

p.1

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

p.1

The headteacher of this school is Clara Daly. This school is part of the Compass Partnership of Schools multi-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 Camp, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Susan Skidmore. There is also an executive headteacher, Sophie Powell, who is responsible for this school and two others.

p.1

Ofsted has not previously inspected Deansfield Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Deansfield Primary School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as an academy. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 3 and 4 June, and 9 June 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are rightly proud to attend Deansfield Primary School. They thrive in its nurturing and supportive environment. The trust’s values of optimism, ambition and resilience inform every aspect of school life. Pupils are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of their education. This begins in the early years, where children develop excellent learning behaviours and secure key learning swiftly. Older pupils attain highly in national assessments in English and mathematics. Pupils do very well here.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is exemplary. From the early years onwards, children listen attentively to adults. They learn to cooperate, take turns and share. Pupils participate eagerly in their lessons and are highly motivated learners. They are extremely considerate and support each other in the classroom and at playtime.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school offers pupils an extensive range of leadership responsibilities. For example, pupils become eco-councillors, digital leaders and school councillors. Trained peer mentors support other pupils in the playground. The school provides an impressive range of opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests, particularly through its exceptional music offer. The school has three choirs and an orchestra. Pupils regularly perform in national competitions. Many pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, learn to play a musical instrument.

p.2

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

The school has designed a broad, balanced and highly ambitious curriculum for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It has thought carefully about what pupils should learn and the order in which they learn it. For example, in art, pupils deepen their knowledge of portraiture step by step. In Year 2, they use their learning to create portraits of important historical figures. They then extend their knowledge and skills further by looking at Picasso’s portraits. By Year 6, pupils use their knowledge and skills to explore and develop their own personal, independent style. Across the curriculum, pupils’ outcomes are excellent.

p.2

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

Excellent foundations are established in early years across all areas of learning. For example, children in Reception combine reading ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ with learning about the wider world such as observing their own class caterpillars turning into butterflies. Throughout the school, the development of communication and language is promoted extensively. In Year 2, for instance, pupils learn words such as ‘precariously’, ‘palette’ and ‘absorbed’. They then use these words in their own writing. In history, older pupils skilfully debate topics such as whether Saxon or Viking governance was more effective.

p.2

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

The school prioritises reading. Children get off to a swift start with learning phonics in Reception. They then build purposefully on this in Years 1 and 2. Pupils quickly learn the sounds that letters make and use this knowledge to decode a growing range of words with accuracy. Pupils who need support with phonics receive the help that they need to catch up quickly. As a result, pupils read fluently and well across the school. 3 and 4 June, and 9 June 2025

p.2

3

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They present and explain information well. This means that pupils are very well supported in acquiring a secure and increasingly deep understanding of subject content. There is also strong support for pupils with SEND. The school identifies pupils’ needs carefully and adapts how the curriculum is taught where necessary. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve as well as their peers.

p.3

3

From the early years and throughout the school, children show a highly focused attitude to their learning. Pupils who need help to manage their behaviour receive appropriate, targeted support. The school has robust systems for ensuring that pupils attend school regularly. Staff work well with families and other agencies to support pupils’ welfare. As a result, pupils are rarely absent.

p.3

3

The school has established an exceptional programme of personal, social and health education. Pupils have a strong understanding of inclusivity, equality and diversity. They say that everyone is respected and included at their school. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including online. Teachers explain sensitive topics such as healthy relationships with care.

p.3

3

Work to encourage and nurture the wider personal development of pupils is also a considerable strength of the school. Pupils visit places that enrich their understanding of the curriculum and broaden their horizons. These include, for instance, outings to museums, galleries, historical landmarks, places of worship and nature reserves. Older pupils attend two residential trips and take part in an enterprise day, careers day and junior citizens day. This helps to build their confidence and character.

p.3

3

Leaders and governors are extremely ambitious for the school. They make sure that these ambitions are realised. They are rightly proud of all the school has to offer.

p.3

3

Staff value the consideration that leaders give to managing workload and supporting well- being. Parents and carers speak very highly of the school’s work with their children. One parent summed up the views of many when they described the school as the ‘centre of the community’.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 3 and 4 June, and 9 June 2025

p.3

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). 3 and 4 June, and 9 June 2025

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 14 and 15 July 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of The Compass Partnership of Schools multi-academy trust.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic 3 and 4 June, and 9 June 2025

p.5

6

began. The 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, the inspectors met with the headteacher, the executive headteacher, members of the school’s senior leadership team, a selection of subject leaders, teachers and support staff.  The inspectors also met with the CEO, the chair of trustees and members of the trust board and local school committee.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: mathematics, history, early reading, music and art. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  The inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documents, including those related to pupils’

p.6

6

wider development, behaviour and attendance. They also observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around school and during breaktimes.  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 considered the views of parents submitted via Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. Inspectors also reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff and pupils.  The inspection started on 3 June 2025. It was paused in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy. Inspectors returned on 9 June 2025 to complete the inspection.

p.6

Inspection team

Christian Hicks, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Diana Valcheva Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 June, and 9 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