Stanley Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Stanley Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a highly inclusive and welcoming school. Parents and carers speak warmly of the school and consider it a nurturing and caring environment.

Pupils are happy to come to school and learn well. There is a strong sense of community here.

Pupils are safe at the school and attend very well.

The school teaches pupils about the importance of respect and kindness. Pupils are courteous and conduct themselves calmly around the school site. Many pupils take on leadership responsibilities, including as well-being ambassadors, house captains or members of the eco-council.
.../>The school has a commendable approach towards support for pupil well-being and in particular champions its young carers and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The school provides a wide range of enrichment activities and trips so that pupils gain valuable life experiences. Pupils attend a range of clubs, including running, sewing, football, drama and writing for the Stanley magazine.

Pupils are provided with opportunities to demonstrate the school values of responsibility, empathy, aspiration, contribution, resilience and happiness. This develops their character and helps them to understand the importance of contributing to society.

The school has high expectations for the achievement of all pupils.

Pupils study a broad and enriched curriculum. Leaders are evaluative and strategic in their efforts to move the school forward.

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

Teachers have strong subject knowledge and pupils typically produce work of high quality.

Explanations and demonstrations of new ideas and skills are delivered clearly. Key vocabulary is routinely taught to pupils and leaders are putting effective strategies in place to develop pupils' writing. In the early years, the learning environment is purposeful and inviting.

Activities are both fun and meaningful. For example, in the Nursery, staff used the story of 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' imaginatively so that children made and tasted porridge, fixed Baby Bear's chair with different materials in a 'crime scene' area and plotted a suitable punishment for Goldilocks' behaviour through writing and drawing tasks.

Pupils follow a curriculum that is carefully sequenced to build on prior understanding.

Important knowledge for pupils to learn is chosen well and enrichment activities help bring that learning to life. For example, the school uses its own 'living classroom' to explore the ecosystem of a pond, and pupils take part in STEM Week to underpin their learning and hear from engineers about careers in science. However, teaching is not consistently ambitious in all subjects and at times pupils complete work too easily.

When this occurs, pupils are not highly motivated to learn and occasionally do not meet their full potential.

The provision for pupils with SEND is excellent. Needs are identified quickly, and pupils often successfully work alongside their peers in the classroom.

Where pupils' needs are more significant, they receive exceptional support from highly skilled staff. The school aims to build independence and develop the talents of these pupils. Pupils with SEND make strong progress and take an active part in school life.

The school has made reading a priority. The phonics programme is set out logically to build knowledge gradually and securely. Staff deliver the programme well and are skilled in helping pupils to read.

Pupils practise reading with books that match the sounds taught in class. Those who need additional support are identified swiftly and given appropriate help so that they become fluent readers. Storytime, reading competitions and author visits support a culture of reading in the school.

The school has a strong offer for personal development, particularly for musical and sporting activities. Many pupils benefit from music tuition in a range of instruments and the orchestra and choir are active in the local community. Pupils perform well in many sporting competitions and enjoy trips to Lord's Cricket Ground, alongside taking part in endurance races and various challenges.

Leaders ensure inclusivity is at the heart of these activities so all can join in. Pupils are encouraged to aim high and benefit from talks from a range of speakers, such as Preet Chandi, who undertook an expedition to the South Pole. They are well prepared for life in modern day Britain and learn how to stay healthy and keep themselves safe, including online.

Pupils go on a range of trips which enrich the curriculum, including to Hampton Court, Kew Gardens and the London Aquarium.

Children in the early years learn and play with each other cooperatively. They learn to manage their emotions and staff carefully build their concentration skills over time.

Pupils take an anti-bullying pledge and the Happy Hive and Lunchtime Chill rooms support emotional regulation. Leaders have developed a strong approach to supporting mental health and well-being in the school. Staff have been trained to de-escalate any difficult behaviour and support pupils' emotional regulation.

This has had a significant impact on the behaviour of pupils. There is little disruption in class and pupils behave respectfully towards each other. The school works closely with families to ensure that pupils attend school regularly and have put robust systems in place to address any dips in attendance.

Staff are proud to work at this school and feel valued. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the inclusive ethos. Leaders at all levels are committed to further improvement.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Teaching is not consistently ambitious across all subjects. As a result, some pupils do not make as strong progress as they could.

Leaders should ensure that learning is routinely ambitious across the curriculum and strategies are embedded to promote deeper thinking. This will enable pupils to build on their existing knowledge in further depth and ensure they are consistently highly motivated to learn in class.

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 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 good in March 2019.

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