Glade Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Glade Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like coming to this school. They are friendly and polite, and behave well in lessons.

They work hard and do as they are told. Pupils work well together, help each other and enjoy their learning. This is because teachers make learning interesting and fun.

History and mathematics are favourite subjects for many.

Pupils say they feel safe at school because the teachers are around and are helpful. They say that adults 'help us to learn and follow the rules'.

At playtimes, pupils follow routines and play well together. They move around the school safely and sensib...ly. Most pupils say that bullying and bad behaviour are rare but, if they do happen, teachers deal with them quickly.

Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. They believe in the right of all pupils to have a good education. Pupils are given a wide range of activities and experiences which help them to appreciate the wider world.

Leaders emphasise how important it is to come to school every day. However, around one in every 11 pupils is persistently absent. Leaders, along with other agencies, have informed these pupils' parents of the steps needed to improve attendance.

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

The headteacher joined the school three weeks ago. Prior to her appointment, she spent a considerable amount of time working with leaders in the school. Consequently, they have clear plans about what needs to be done.

This includes identifying what pupils need to know at certain points in their education. They have used this information to plan a curriculum which aims to help pupils to learn things in a logical way and remember key information. As a result, what pupils are taught builds on their prior knowledge.

However, not all subjects are taught to a consistently high standard as they are, for example, in mathematics and history.

From the moment that pupils start school, they are taught how to become good readers. Staff in the early years and key stage 1 have a good knowledge of letters and the sounds that they make.

They check what pupils can do before moving them on to learn new sounds. Teachers read to pupils every day so that they get to love books. Staff help pupils to catch up in their reading if they struggle in class.

Pupils take reading books home regularly. However, a minority of pupils in early years and key stage 1 have difficulty in reading these books fluently. This is because they are not always carefully matched to the sounds that they have learned in school.

Mathematics is taught well. Teachers help pupils build the basic mathematical knowledge and skills that they need. They use inventive ways to interest the pupils in this subject.

Pupils are given opportunities to use new knowledge and skills in a range of situations. If pupils begin to struggle, staff are effective in helping them to catch up quickly.

Pupils enjoy learning about the past.

Recently, they particularly enjoyed finding differences between London now and at the time of the 'Great Fire'. Teachers enhance the history curriculum with exciting trips and interesting visitors.

Staff have a clear understanding of how to support all pupils, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

They support these pupils well by adapting their plans. Careful support from staff is helping these pupils to learn.

Staff enjoy working at this school because leaders offer support when needed.

It helps them to carry out their work well. Staff say that leaders consider their well-being. This makes them enjoy coming to school.

I was told that, 'The headteacher, although being new, has a human touch.'

Governors are clear about what they have to do. Their plans for improving the school are accurate and are already making a difference.

Children are safe and happy in the early years. They play well together and are able to follow routines. Staff in the early years are well trained.

They make the work that children do interesting and fun. They help children make a good start to their learning. They teach children the skills that they need to speak, read, write and work with numbers.

The wider curriculum is well planned and builds on what the children know and can do. Children concentrate on their work and do it well. Children learn quickly to do things for themselves.

This sets them up well for the move to Year 1.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Keeping children safe is given a high priority at this school.

The school has clear policies and procedures in place. Staff are well trained in spotting signs of neglect or abuse. They know what to do if they think a child may be at risk.

Leaders work well with external services to support children and their families.

Pupils feel safe in and around the school. Pupils learn how to keep safe in different situations.

For example, they learn about how to keep safe online and the dangers of joining gangs.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The curriculum in most subjects is delivered effectively. This is particularly the case in mathematics and history, where teachers have been trained to teach in exciting and imaginative ways that engage pupils.

However, in other foundation subjects, teachers need further support to continue to implement the curriculum development plans to bring all subjects to the same strong level. . In Reception and key stage 1, the books that most pupils take home to read match the sounds that pupils know.

This helps to build these pupils' reading fluency. However, some books have words in them that younger pupils cannot sound out. The school should continue to provide these pupils with books that match the words that are being learned in the classroom.

. While rates of attendance are improving at the school, leaders should continue working with families and other agencies to improve attendance for those children with low attendance.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Glade Primary School to be good on 26–27 January 2016.