Sandringham Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Sandringham Primary School continues to be an outstanding school.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy and thriving place to be.

Pupils are exceedingly proud of their school. They are polite and welcoming. The behaviour of pupils is exceptionally good.

The school provides ample opportunities for pupils to make friends and learn to work and play together. Pupils are taught about and encouraged to respect all cultures and faiths. They readily celebrate each other's successes.

The curriculum is highly ambitious. The learning of pupils regularly exceeds the expectations of the national curriculum. Teachers are experts in the subjects they teach.
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They know how to get the very best from their pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve the highest possible outcomes. All pupils study a range of subjects with specialist teachers, including, for example, music, drama and art in the purpose-built studios.

These subjects do much to foster pupils' talents and interests.

The school helps pupils to become articulate and confident presenters and performers. Pupils regularly showcase their artwork and take part in dramatic performances.

All pupils learn to sing and play instruments. Pupils in the Years 5 and 6 school choir sang for King Charles at a local event.

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

The school is highly ambitious for what all pupils can achieve.

Pupils routinely attempt work that is more complex than might be expected for their stage in education. In computing, for example, pupils in Year 4 built on their earlier learning of block coding to write text-based algorithms. Children in the Nursery and Reception have weekly Spanish lessons.

By the start of Year 3, pupils confidently hold short conversations with each other by asking and answering questions in Spanish.

Teachers present new learning with clarity. The work given to pupils helps them to practise and embed what they have learned.

For example, in science, leaders have thought carefully about the order in which pupils should learn essential practical skills.Lessons where pupils carry out science practical work deepen pupils' knowledge and develop their skills in investigation. In mathematics, teachers encourage pupils to find different methods for solving problems, which develops their sophisticated reasoning skills.

Teachers know their pupils well. They check pupils' understanding highly effectively. Through discussion, teachers expertly explore and correct misconceptions when they arise.

Pupils with SEND receive high-quality support. Staff have the expertise they need to identify pupils with SEND quickly and help pupils with SEND to flourish.

In the early years, children develop strong foundations in language and communication.

Adults encourage children in early years to be inquisitive and to talk about their experiences. They have a sharp focus on building children's vocabulary and developing pupils' social skills. Reading is treated as a priority for leaders.

Pupils across the school read widely and often from a range of well-chosen texts and authors. Pupils learn to read with expert teachers. Any pupils who fall behind in the reading programme receive the support they need to become confident, fluent readers.

Pupils are very well behaved. In class, they pay close attention to their teachers so that distractions are rare. The school environment is calm and orderly.

In the early years, teachers use games and songs to help children to develop good habits of behaviour. Leaders are working hard to encourage regular attendance and to return attendance rates to pre-pandemic levels. They engage effectively with families to identify any barriers to attending school.

Pupils delight in helping others in their school and local community. Pupils of all ages take on leadership roles. For example, art leaders in Year 6 help pupils in Year 3 with their sculpture work.

The pupil-led school government petitioned their local Member of Parliament to secure quiet streets around their school.

Pupils organise fundraising events for local and international charities. They take part in a wide range of educational outings.

Pupils in Year 5 have the option to do extended project work in Spanish, culminating in an overseas Spanish residential visit. Specialist teachers in physical education (PE) support all children in their physical development. They also provide opportunities for children to compete with other schools, both locally and London-wide.

Leaders and the governing body regularly meet with staff to consider their well-being. Staff are extremely positive about working at the school. They greatly appreciate the efforts of leaders to reduce their workload.

Teachers at the early stages of their careers are exceptionally well supported.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Background

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

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

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

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in May 2017.

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