East Peckham Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The pupils at East Peckham are happy and well cared for in a nurturing and inclusive environment. They value being part of the school and believe in its values and ethos.

Pupils recognise how much staff care about them and rise to meet the expectations of kindness and acceptance. Leaders provide a wide range of activities for pupils to enjoy and learn from. Pupils are proud of the school swimming and water safety lessons, use of the pupil kitchen and the podcasting facilities.

They believe in the new leaders' messages about 'being their best selves' and work to live up to this expectation. In lessons, pupils are well behaved, although some pupils felt this was not alw...ays the case. They felt that, for a minority of pupils, positive reinforcement does not always work.

Pupils also felt that staff acted effectively when negative behaviours arose.

Pupils love reading and can talk about a variety of books. Their love of learning is clear in the culture and actions throughout the school.

Pupils are optimistic about the changes to the curriculum, but are less confident outside of English and mathematics about what they have learned.

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

The quality of education at East Peckham Primary School is improving. The new leadership team has reformed the curriculum so that English and mathematics are now well planned.

In these subjects, leaders ensure that pupils build their knowledge across the year in a logical sequence.

Early reading is taught consistently well. Staff teach children phonics as soon as they are settled in school.

Pupils who join the school later, or those who have not kept up with the phonics scheme, are supported effectively to keep up with their peers. Leaders ensure that pupils develop into strong readers and love reading. They ensure that a well-considered reading-for-pleasure offer helps pupils to experience a selection of genres.

Leaders are equally ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff are swift to identify pupils' individual needs. However, staff do not ensure that these pupils read books that are sufficiently well matched to their reading ability.

Children get off to a great start learning mathematics in the early years. Mathematics is taught consistently through direct teaching and outdoor free-choice opportunities. Staff support children effectively to practise and reinforce their understanding of mathematical concepts.

In key stage 1 and 2, leaders ensure that pupils continue to use and apply mathematical knowledge accurately.

The early years curriculum is now well planned and sequenced across all subject areas. This is well established and it clearly defines what leaders intend children to learn.

Staff follow this curriculum thinking closely and children get off to a strong start as a result.

The wider curriculum from Year 1 onwards is at an earlier stage of development. Staff follow a curriculum that sequences lessons and topics.

However, leaders have not yet given sufficient thought to the precise knowledge they intend pupils to learn. Consequently, this leads to variance in assessment and teaching. This is because it is the first year that the current curriculum is being taught.

Pupils do not yet remember and show their learning as leaders intend. Leaders' work to deepen and support the curriculum is progressing, but it does not yet fully match the new leaders' ambition.

The school has introduced a new behaviour policy, resulting in behaviour in lessons being calm and orderly.

Staff and pupils identify that the new system has worked for most pupils, but not all. Leaders have not kept accurate enough records to inform decision-making when managing the legacy of more challenging behaviour. However, leaders know this and are taking effective steps to address it.

Leaders' work to track attendance and provide support is accurate. As a result, both attendance and behaviour are improving.

Governors know the school well.

They are committed to supporting leaders and staff to further improve the school. However, governors recognise that there is more work to do to strengthen their understanding and skills at holding leaders to account.

The provision for pupils' personal development is a strength of the school.

There is a broad and inclusive approach, ensuring equal access to all opportunities in and out of school. The values help pupils understand their behaviour and form part of the school's inclusive nature. Pupils enjoy a wide range of trips and experiences that support their learning.

This prepares pupils for life in modern Britain and the next stage of their education. Staff support pupils to develop a deep understanding of relationships and physical and mental health.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders accurately identify where there are concerns related to pupils and adults. This information is well used to provide support and plans for adaptations to policy and provision. The school leadership have challenged the local authority appropriately when required and they welcome the challenge from staff about their concerns.

Governors are now well informed and can hold leaders effectively to account for the safeguarding policy and practice. All staff are trained and supported in safeguarding matters. This is regularly refreshed and all relevant case information is shared effectively.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum in the foundation subjects in key stage 1 and 2 is not consistently implemented. Consequently, pupils are not able to demonstrate and recall learning dependably. Leaders must continue refining and defining curriculum implementation in these areas to remove the variance in teaching and what pupils know and achieve.

• Governors' work to hold leaders to account needs strengthening. The challenge they provide for leaders is at an early stage of development. Leaders should ensure that they continue to provide governors with accurate and detailed information and governors should use this information to challenge leaders to further improve the school.