Stockwell Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud members of the school community. They are happy and safe here.

Pupils treat each other and staff with respect. Adults have high expectations of pupils. Pupils behave sensibly.

At times, staff need to encourage pupils to remain on task. If any incidents of bullying are reported staff deal with these seriously.

Pupils have many opportunities to take on additional responsibilities.

For example, elected school-council representatives enjoy putting forward their class's views on suggestions for improvements. In recent years, they have influenced broadening the school menu and helped to choose new playground equipment. Older pupils appoint...ed as prefects and peer mediators are positive role models for younger pupils in the school.

Children who join the school at age two years have a strong sense of belonging to the school community. Pupils enjoy the clubs organised after school. They like the variety of choice, including DJ club, Portuguese, cooking and yoga, as well as the many sporting clubs.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They have provided staff with high-quality training in each subject. As a result, teachers have secure subject knowledge to deliver the curriculum from early years through to Year 6.

In mathematics, for example, children in early years, including the two-year-old provision, cement their understanding of key mathematical facts. This prepares them for Year 1 where they continue to build on their knowledge and skills.

The curriculum is ambitious in the majority of subjects.

In these subjects, pupils learn subject-specific knowledge well. In science, for example, they design experiments and know how to analyse and present data. In music, pupils learn how to appreciate music and compose it.

They learn how to play a range of instruments. However, in geography, this is not as securely the case. Pupils do not build up their knowledge of location or place as they move up through the school.

Leaders have not ensured that curriculum thinking in these subjects has identified the specific knowledge and skills that pupils need to know.

Teachers use assessment effectively to identify any gaps in pupils' learning or misconceptions in their understanding. They use this information to make adaptations to their lessons, so that all pupils, including those with SEND, have secure knowledge.

Reading is treated as a priority. Children learn to read during phonics lessons as soon as they join Reception. Leaders have recently invested in a new phonics programme.

They ensure that all staff have received training to help pupils to learn new sounds effectively. However, sometimes staff do not use consistent strategies to help pupils to read.

A minority of pupils, particularly in Years 2 and 3, have significant gaps in their phonics knowledge.

This slows down their reading and minimises their fluency and stamina. Staff know who these pupils are and provide them support to catch up quickly. Across the school, pupils have a love for reading.

They enjoy their regular story times and borrowing books from the school library.

Staff identify pupils with SEND promptly. They support them throughout their time at the school.

Leaders have established positive relationships with outside professionals. Leaders work closely with them to ensure staff meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

Pupils talk confidently about healthy relationships.

They know that families can look different to their own. Pupils respect each other's differences. They are taught about how to keep physically healthy.

Pupils talk about the benefits of mindfulness and yoga on their mental health. Adults deal with behaviour consistently and fairly across the school. There is very little disruption to learning in lessons.

Parents and carers are very positive about the recent changes in the school. They report that their children are happy and enjoy coming to school. Staff were overwhelmingly positive about leaders' support and direction.

They have a manageable workload and enjoy working at the school. The governing body understand how to best hold leaders to account for their work to improve the school further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a vigilant culture of safeguarding across the school. They understand the local risks that pupils may face. Leaders engage well with outside agencies and have rigorous systems in place to support families.

Staff are aware of their responsibilities. They know how to report any concerns about pupils and follow these up with the safeguarding team. Training for staff is regular and up to date.

The governing body understand their statutory duties.

Pupils know how to keep safe online. They have at least one adult they can speak to if they are worried.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In geography, leaders do not ensure that curricular thinking identifies key content that pupils need to learn cumulatively over time. This means that pupils' learning is not as secure as in other subjects. Leaders must ensure that the planned curriculum in all subjects ensures that pupils build up a deep body of knowledge.

• A minority of pupils in Years 2 and 3 have significant gaps in their phonics knowledge. This limits their fluency and confidence. Leaders should ensure that strategies to support these pupils are consistently used by all staff, so that all pupils can become fluent readers.

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