Goodmayes Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have developed a welcoming culture in the school where all pupils feel valued. Staff know their pupils very well and working relationships are positive.

As a result, pupils are happy and safe in school.

Pupils behave well both during lessons and around the school site. They are confident, polite and kind.

In the early years, children follow instructions and are developing routines to ensure they are ready for Year 1.

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum is ambitious, and pupils enjoy being challenged.

Pupils are hardworking and enthus...iastic. They take pride in their achievements and enjoy learning.

Pupils in the school have access to a range of wider opportunities.

These include tag rugby, art and cooking clubs. They can also take on positions of responsibility which contribute to the school community. Pupils have the opportunity to join the school council, become reading champions and playground monitors.

All pupils attend various outings every year including visits to galleries, places of worship and museums.

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

Leaders have developed a broad curriculum. They ensure that the curriculum builds on pupils' knowledge over time progressively.

For example, in mathematics in Year 1, pupils learn basic fractions including a quarter and half before progressing to telling the time later in the year. In the early years, leaders have planned carefully to ensure children develop across all areas of learning.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge and use this to present information clearly.

Staff make adaptations to ensure pupils with SEND can access the ambitious curriculum. In the early years, staff are knowledgeable about the areas of learning they teach.

Sometimes, staff do not check pupils' learning effectively to identify gaps in understanding or to address misconceptions.

As a result, pupils are sometimes not ready to learn new content or commit knowledge to the long-term memory. This also means that in some subjects, activities in lessons do not build clearly on the knowledge that pupils have learned previously. In the early years, children's use of language and vocabulary is not routinely checked.

As a result, children do not deepen their understanding of new words and concepts.

There is a strong focus on reading from when pupils start Reception. Staff identify any pupils who fall behind the pace of the programme.

Staff provide effective support for these pupils to ensure that they learn to decode and blend phonic sounds confidently and increase their reading fluency. The staff who deliver the interventions are skilled at supporting the weakest readers in the school. There is a strong emphasis on developing pupils' passion for reading.

Pupils read a wide variety of books daily. As a result, all pupils develop their reading skills well and become fluent readers by the time they leave school.

Pupils have positive attitudes to learning.

Systems to manage behaviour are clear and effective and staff use these consistently. In early years, staff enable children to grow in confidence and understand how to take turns and share. Leaders have clear procedures and strategies in place to support pupils to have high attendance.

They communicate effectively with parents and carers to ensure pupils attend school regularly.

Leaders have developed a well thought out personal development curriculum. This builds pupils' knowledge of how to stay safe and healthy effectively and in an age-appropriate manner.

In the early years, the curriculum promotes children's emotional security and development of character. The school welcomes a variety of external speakers to the school to talk to the pupils on a range of topics. This extends their awareness of the wider world well.

Staff are well supported by leaders and have access to a helpful range of professional development opportunities. Leaders have strong communication with parents. They offer a number of parental sessions on themes including phonics and online safety.

Governors understand the strengths and priorities of the school. They provide a wide range of expertise and carry out their role effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, staff do not help pupils to embed and use knowledge fluently or use checks on understanding to inform teaching. This means that sometimes pupils are not ready to learn new content and concepts or commit knowledge to the long-term memory. The school should ensure that all staff routinely identify gaps in pupils' knowledge so that they can address misconceptions and plan appropriate activities during lessons to build on pupils' knowledge and skills.