Berger Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Berger Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school, feel safe and are inspired in their lessons. One pupil said, 'When I wake up in the morning, I can't wait to come into school, meet my friends and learn something new.' The school's 'Berger Together' approach encourages pupils to do their best and respect each other.

Parents, carers and pupils are rightly proud of the school.Pupils say leaders and teachers keep them safe. Teachers are very good at helping pupils to understand and to remember.

Pupils are friendly and kind to each other and they have lots of friends. During lessons, pupils listen careful...ly to their teachers and work well together. Bullying and poor behaviour are rare but, if they happen, staff deal with them fairly and quickly.

A few pupils, however, lose concentration when activities are not matched closely to their current knowledge.Work is challenging for most pupils. Teachers bring subjects alive by planning a wide range of interesting activities.

These include visits, guest speakers, performers and learning in the outside forest school. There are also plenty of lunchtime and after-school activities and clubs.Parents are happy with Berger Primary School.

One summed up the views of others by saying, 'This a school where children thrive academically, and achievement exceeds expectations and they are reading books at a high level.'

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

School leaders make sure that pupils have a broad, well-rounded education and are ambitious for all pupils. This prepares pupils well for life.

In most subjects, teachers plan lessons which build pupils' knowledge and skills well. In early years, children are enthusiastic and happy. They talk freely about what they are learning.

Leaders and teachers are determined that pupils should become confident readers. Children get off to a good start in reading in the early years and Year 1. Teachers share their delight in reading with pupils.

Pupils love listening to stories and regularly practise reading, which improves their comprehension and vocabulary. Pupils told us that they enjoy choosing books from the attractive, well-stocked library and taking part in reading challenges. Activities in the early years are carefully planned, based on what children know and can do.

Parents say how pleased they are with how quickly their children are learning to read. They welcome the opportunity to read with their children, which creates a very positive learning environment at the beginning of each day. However, a small number of pupils' reading books are not matched closely to the letters and sounds they already know, to support their progress in reading.

Teachers help pupils to catch up if they start to fall behind in their reading. Leaders and teachers work closely with parents of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to match work to their needs.

Pupils enjoy their lessons.

They say that teachers are very good at helping them by showing them how to do things first. They also say that teachers explain everything to them well. Teachers check pupils' understanding regularly, which helps pupils to remember.

Pupils are knowledgeable about the subjects they are taught. For example, in history, Year 6 pupils can confidently describe the significance of the World Wars on the role of women in society. However, in a few subjects, such as geography, leaders and teachers are not fully aware of how teaching builds on previous learning.

Plans are not always precise about what pupils must remember. When this happens, a small number of pupils lose concentration.

Pupils have lots of opportunities to take part in rich and varied activities.

School leaders want them to become 'responsible and ambitious citizens of the future'. Pupils visit museums, theatres, places of worship and sporting venues in different parts of London. Staff encourage them to be independent and to take on responsibility.

Some are 'school ambassadors'. Pupils also enjoy a wide range of clubs. These include after-school club, multi-sports and art.

Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. Lessons are not disrupted because pupils are well supported. The headteacher and his team lead the school well.

Leaders inspire teachers to learn too. I found a positive team spirit in the school. Staff told me that leaders are considerate and supportive of their well-being and workload.

Staff are proud and happy to work at Berger Primary School. Governors fully support the school and are closely involved in its work.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils feel safe. They are taught how to stay safe. Staff understand that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

There is strong support for pupils and their families as leaders know them well. Leaders are well trained and know how to deal with a range of concerns. Leaders have invested in additional support for pupils who have SEND.

The systems for checking that staff and volunteers are suitable to work with children are effective. Leaders work closely with other professionals and agencies to make sure that the most vulnerable pupils are supported.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

In a minority of subjects, teachers' planning does not always make it clear what specific knowledge and skills pupils need to learn in order to move on to the next stage in that subject.

A small number of pupils, as a result, lose concentration when activities are not matched to their previous understanding. Leaders need to check that subject plans are always clear about what pupils need to remember. .

For a small number of children in early years and key stage 1, the books they read are not well matched to their phonic knowledge, which prevents faster reading progress. Leaders need to check that children have appropriate books to read.

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 Berger Primary School to be good on 27–28 January 2016.