St Cyprian’s Greek Orthodox Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this diverse school. They are taught to respect differences no matter what identity people have.

The school has high expectations of what pupils learn. They benefit from the school's ethos of care and aspiration “to be the best I can be”. However, pupils do not achieve as well as they should across the curriculum.

The school has experienced a period of disruption in recent years with several changes of leadership. This affected the quality of education for pupils. Published outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of 2023 were low.

However, the school is now more settled. Leaders have identified the priorities for the sch...ool and are clear about the next steps required. Children learn well in Nursery and Reception classes.

There are clear improvements in mathematics and early reading.

Working relationships between staff and pupils are warm and positive. Typically, lessons proceed without disruption.

Most pupils interact positively with adults and with each other at playtimes. However, some pupils do not feel listened to when they raise concerns about bullying. A small number of pupils use derogatory language.

This is not tackled consistently well by all staff.

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

Teaching pupils to read is a high priority. The school has introduced a new phonics programme and provided appropriate training for staff.

Pupils read books that are closely matched to the sounds that they are practising. Staff use ongoing assessment to identify those pupils who fall behind. Extra tailored support is delivered regularly, including for pupils with SEND.

Staff run workshops for parents and carers to help them support their children's reading at home. As a result, pupils learn to read with confidence and fluency.

The school has also introduced a new mathematics curriculum and provided staff with the training to teach it.

This is having a positive impact, although there are still some historical gaps in pupils' mathematical knowledge. Pupils, including children in the early years, learn a well sequenced and ambitious curriculum of Greek language and culture. This supports pupils' understanding of the birth of democracy.

Pupils can take a Greek language exam at the end of Year 6. Typically teaching checks pupils' prior learning. However, the implementation of the curriculum in some subjects does not make sure that pupils build on their knowledge and understanding routinely well.

In several subjects, the school's curriculum thinking is not rigorous. The school has not selected the key knowledge that pupils must learn and the order in which it should be taught. Pupils in Years 3 to 6, in particular, do not always have regular lessons in the full range of subjects.

This leads to an unbalanced delivery of the curriculum that means that pupils are not fully prepared for the next stage of their education.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are accurately identified. Pupils who attend the 'starlight room' are well supported.

Although leaders seek advice from external agencies, sometimes pupils' individual needs are not recognised early enough.

Children learn well in the early years. Many children who enter early years require support with their speech and language.

Leaders prioritise developing children's spoken language skills and vocabulary from the start. Children in early years are encouraged to be curious. They are attentive and work and play together sensibly.

The school has been successful in ensuring that pupils attend school regularly and on time. Leaders work effectively with parents to promote good attendance. Lessons typically proceed without disruption.

Pupils are enthusiastic about their lessons and keen to learn. A small number of pupils can sometimes be unkind around the school and in the playground.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities to develop their talents and interests.

Pupils learn two musical instruments and can perform to the community in the school choir. Pupils can attend clubs in gymnastics, arts and crafts or football. They take part in residential trips in Years 4, 5 and 6.

Pupils also benefit from trips linked to what they are learning in class, for example to the Charles Dickens Museum, London Transport Museum or the Tower of London. However, some pupils do not receive regular lessons in personal, social and health education (PSHE). This means that they sometimes miss out on important content.

Staff, including those at the early stages of their careers, feel well supported by leaders to manage their workload and well-being. They feel that leaders are approachable and considerate of their welfare. Governors are committed to the school's ongoing improvement.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The school takes prompt and appropriate action to follow up any concerns about pupils. However, not all incidents and events are recorded and reported properly.

In addition, it is not always clear what actions have taken place or what the impact of those actions might be. This means that it is not easy to get a clear picture of what the issues are or what has been done to address them.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school does not provide pupils with a broad and balanced curriculum consistently.

This is because the new curriculum is not embedded and some subjects are infrequently taught, particularly at key stage 2. As a result, pupils are not building up knowledge in a range of subjects and are not prepared for the next stage of their education. The school should strengthen its systems for checking that the curriculum is being delivered across all subjects and in all year groups as intended.

• In several subjects, the curriculum is not being implemented in such a way as to ensure that pupils know more and remember more over time and embed learning in their long-term memory. As a result, pupils do not build up a solid body of knowledge in all subjects and cannot therefore integrate new learning into larger ideas. The school must ensure that pupils are taught in such a way as to ensure that they remember what they learn over time.

• Whilst aspects of pupils' wider development are strong, pupils do not study PSHE as regularly as they should. This means that they do not develop their understanding of key content securely. The school should ensure that the ambitious PSHE programme that is in place is implemented consistently and systematically across all year groups.

• While safeguarding is effective, inspectors found some minor weaknesses in the school's safeguarding procedures. The school should sharpen oversight of safeguarding and ensure that all staff systematically and consistently report and record all safeguarding issues and that any follow-up actions are clearly signposted. The school should also ensure that all staff receive an appropriate level of training in using the online system consistently for recording concerns.