Ilderton Primary School

Inspection of Ilderton Primary School Varcoe Road, London SE16 3LA

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding 24 and 25 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school inspires its pupils to do their very best. Staff have the highest expectations for what pupils will achieve, and they care deeply about their personal development and well- being. They get to know pupils’ interests and needs and provide them with thoughtful support. One pupil said, capturing the view of many, ‘Teachers make you feel special here.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop detailed knowledge across the curriculum. Their work is of exceptionally high quality. Pupils achieve extremely well. They hear from professionals about a wide range of careers, including in finance, sport and musical theatre. This motivates them to make the most of their time at school and make plans for their own futures.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. Their positive attitudes shine though. Pupils are highly attentive, motivated and focused on learning. The school teaches them how to demonstrate key values in their behaviour. Pupils delight in collecting stickers for behaving like a ‘kind koala’ or ‘respectful rhino’, for instance.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school ensures that pupils make excellent use of a comprehensive enrichment offer, including cooking, coding and dance clubs. Educational visits extend pupils’ experiences, including learning to sail on the Isle of Wight in Year 6. Pupils visit museums and theatres in central London. They perform for others, including on a West End stage.

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

The curriculum is exceptionally well devised and ambitious for all pupils. The school has ordered curriculum content carefully to ensure that pupils develop deep knowledge across its breadth. This begins with the rich curriculum in the early years. Children in Nursery and Reception learn key knowledge, such as how bees assist pollination. This prepares them well for later learning, such as how plants reproduce.

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

Teachers have strong subject knowledge and a firm understanding of the curriculum. They support pupils to think deeply and make connections across subjects. For instance, staff help pupils to make links between what they learn in history and the contexts for authors’ and artists’ work. This helps pupils to understand underlying meanings in literature and artwork. Teachers check pupils’ understanding methodically and address any misconceptions swiftly. They check that pupils know ambitious vocabulary and that they use it to engage in high quality writing and discussion about the curriculum.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are extremely well catered for. The school identifies their needs swiftly and precisely. Thoughtful provision enables pupils’ growing independence. Staff use a wide range of individualised approaches to take account of pupils’ academic, social and emotional needs. Pupils with SEND achieve exceptionally well.

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

The school puts reading at the heart of the curriculum. From the start of their time at school, pupils at the early stages of reading systematically learn the phonics knowledge 24 and 25 June 2025

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they need to decode unfamiliar words and read with accuracy, fluency and confidence. The school identifies pupils who need additional support and wastes no time in providing the help they need to catch up quickly. Throughout the school, pupils are exposed to a wealth of literature, beginning with a love of nursery rhymes and stories in the early years. Older pupils develop an appreciation of classic literature, poems, plays and contemporary fiction.

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The school nurtures pupils’ personal development. Pupils are taught extensively about how to stay physically and mentally healthy. They learn how to recognise healthy relationships. Pupils have confident knowledge of how to stay safe online and offline. The school gives high priority to pupils learning about diverse cultures, beliefs and backgrounds. Pupils are knowledgeable about differences and commonalities between people in modern Britain. They are aware of the causes of discrimination and prejudice and why it is important that people are protected from these things. Pupils treat others with great consideration, including listening to others’ views respectfully. Pupils are taught important character traits, such as responsibility and active citizenship. For instance, they learn how to help their local community when participating in a ‘danceathon’ fundraiser for a nearby charity.

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Pupils’ behaviour contributes strongly to this school’s happy and safe environment. They take responsibility for helping one another with classwork and making sure nobody is left out in the playground. This begins in the early years, where children take turns, share and invite one another to play. Pupils’ attendance is high. The school’s sensitive and timely action helps to reduce any barriers to good attendance.

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Leaders, including members of the governing body, are driven to provide the best possible standards for pupils at this school. They systematically review the school’s work to ensure that pupils are safe and well cared for and receive high-quality education and experiences. In doing so, they carefully consider the views of parents, pupils and staff. Staff are proud to work at this school. Leaders do all they can to support their workload and well-being.

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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. 24 and 25 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). 24 and 25 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Simon Assig (Executive Headteacher) Derrick Ogunsola (Head of School) Website www.mayflowerfederation.org.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 June 2015

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Mayflower Federation.  The school has an executive headteacher who oversees this school and one other. There is also a head of school.  The school does not make use of any alternative providers of education.

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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 provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 24 and 25 June 2025

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 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and senior leaders.  Discussions were held with governors, including the chair of the governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, geography, mathematics and music. 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 considered the curriculum in other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the

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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 staff through discussions and their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Iles-Smith, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ann Pratt Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 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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