Acton Gardens Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Berrymede Infant School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of all pupils. Language and communication are prioritised throughout the school.

Teachers encourage pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language, to speak using full sentences. Teachers consider carefully how to help pupils become confident communicators. All this helps pupils to concentrate and remember important vocabulary.

Leaders and staff want pupils to be confident and proud of their heritage. Pupils learn about historical figures linked to their backgrounds. Leaders encourage pupils to become responsible citizens through... understanding British values.

They do this by providing pupils with a range of experiences. For example, taking care of the school's vegetable garden helps pupils to learn to be responsible.

Pupils settle into school quickly when they join.

They play together happily. There is a calm and orderly atmosphere around the school. Pupils feel safe.

They said that staff are caring and treat them fairly. In the online survey, parents and carers typically agreed that behaviour is good and that leaders manage any bullying well.

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

Leaders prioritise reading.

Teachers read to pupils daily. Pupils are enthusiastic about books, including in early years. Phonics teaching is organised well.

Teachers check which sounds pupils know and remember. They use this knowledge to help pupils to practise these sounds and learn new ones. All staff receive training to make sure that they use the same methods to help pupils get better at reading.

Any pupils who are struggling are spotted quickly. These pupils receive additional help to catch up. The school's consistent approach helps pupils to become confident, fluent readers.

Leaders sequence mathematics well so that pupils can know and remember more. Leaders have made sure that there is a consistent approach to teaching mathematics across the school. Teachers use the same language and prompts to help pupils remember important mathematical content.

For example, pupils use arm gestures to represent different parts of equations. Teachers allocate time in class for pupils to recall previous knowledge. Teachers also check on pupils' learning at specific points during the year.

This helps teachers plan what to teach next. In early years, children learn what they need to know to prepare them for Year 1. Inside and outdoors, children develop their knowledge of mathematics.

Teachers manage any incidents of low-level disruption swiftly to avoid any impact on learning.

The subjects taught in the school are in line with those in the national curriculum. Generally, leaders think carefully about how subject content is sequenced.

This means that pupils can build successfully on what they have learned previously. For example, in geography, pupils start to learn about maps from early years. They develop their knowledge well and have a secure understanding by the time they get to Year 2.

However, in a few subjects, leaders have not planned the order in which key content is learned as carefully. In some instances, they have not identified the most important content that pupils need to remember for future learning.

In the past, subject leaders worked with other schools and organisations.

This helped leaders improve their knowledge. This ongoing work and training for staff are not yet completed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pupils access a range of wider opportunities.

Leaders work with external agencies to enrich the curriculum. For example, a nutritionist helps pupils and their parents understand healthy eating choices. Leaders prioritise after-school fitness clubs, such as for dancing and martial arts.

They aim to encourage pupils to be physically active. Leaders also plan educational visits linked to pupils' learning.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well catered for.

Pupils with SEND access the same subjects as their peers. They receive suitable support in class. Adaptations, such as visual resources, help all pupils to understand what is being taught.

External therapists work with pupils and provide training for staff. Leaders work closely with these experts. They check that staff are doing the right things to support pupils and their families effectively.

Governors and leaders work together to manage staff workload and well-being. Governors and leaders check the results of staff questionnaires and feedback. They use this information to find ways to reduce unnecessary burdens on staff.

Staff appreciate the work done to support their well-being. Local authority partners, governors and leaders worked together to implement a new approach to phonics. As a result, all staff receive the right training and support.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff receive training to help them identify pupils who may need support. They are aware of local and national issues that may affect pupils.

Staff know where to seek help and how to report concerns. Leaders engage with external services to make sure that pupils receive appropriate help and support. Leaders build positive relationships with parents.

This helps them identify and support families who may need early help.

Leaders are committed to safeguarding. They make sure that adults are properly vetted before they start working with pupils.

Through assemblies and discussions, pupils are encouraged to keep themselves safe. Pupils in Year 1, for example, can recite the telephone number for a national safeguarding charity. They know what support is available should they need to call.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum content that pupils need to know and the order in which it should be learned is not carefully planned in all subjects. This means that in a few subjects, pupils do not build up all the key knowledge they need for future learning. However, it is clear that leaders have already taken action to plan next year's curriculum and to train staff in how to deliver it.

For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. Leaders should make sure that in all subjects, the content is carefully selected and coherently sequenced.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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2011.

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