Bevington Primary School, located in London, underwent an inspection on February 28 and 29, 2024, and received an overall effectiveness rating of Requires Improvement. This marked a significant decline from its previous inspection, which rated the school as Outstanding eleven years ago. The current inspection highlighted several areas needing improvement, including the quality of education, behavior and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision.
The school has faced challenges since the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a high turnover of staff that has disrupted students' learning experiences. While some progress has been noted in mathematics and English, the overall quality of education across subjects remains inconsistent. Many pupils are not receiving a high-quality education, and the curriculum is not being delivered effectively in several areas. Although pupils report feeling safe and believe that bullying is not prevalent, there are concerns regarding behavior in the classroom and during transitions around the school. Some students exhibit disruptive behavior, and the school's expectations for behavior are not consistently met.
The interim leadership team, established in September 2022, has introduced a new curriculum that aims to set ambitious expectations for pupils. However, the implementation of this curriculum has not been consistent, particularly in Years 3 to 6, where students do not receive regular lessons across the full range of subjects. This has resulted in a narrow and unbalanced curriculum that fails to build knowledge and skills over time. In the early years, while some children benefit from high-quality interactions with caring adults, these opportunities are not frequent enough, leading to periods of disengagement.
Despite some pupils achieving well in mathematics and English by the end of Year 6, there is a lack of consistency across subjects, particularly for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The school has not set high enough expectations for these pupils, and some do not receive the necessary support to access the curriculum effectively. Weak readers are not learning to read quickly enough, and the additional support provided is infrequent and irregular due to inconsistent staffing.
Attendance rates at Bevington Primary School are high, and leaders work effectively with parents to promote good attendance. However, the school's behavior policy is not applied consistently, leading to disruptions in lessons and a high number of suspensions, particularly among vulnerable pupils. The school has struggled to support pupils with challenging behavior adequately, and the lack of effective management has contributed to a negative impact on the learning environment.
The school's efforts to support pupils' wider development are inconsistent, with a lack of regular lessons focused on important aspects of life in modern Britain. This has resulted in pupils not being well-prepared for the next stages of their education. While staff generally report that their well-being is considered, the high proportion of early career teachers means that they may not always have the opportunity to learn from more experienced colleagues.
Governance at the school has been identified as inconsistent, with insufficient challenge to leaders and a lack of accountability for the quality of education provided. This has hindered the strategic direction necessary for rapid improvements. The safeguarding arrangements at Bevington Primary School are effective, ensuring that pupils are kept safe.
To improve, the school must prioritize early reading support for weaker readers, ensuring they receive frequent and consistent help to catch up. The curriculum needs to be embedded more effectively to provide a broad and balanced education, allowing pupils to build knowledge across subjects. Additionally, the needs of pupils with SEND must be met more effectively, ensuring they have full access to the curriculum and achieve well. The behavior policy requires consistent application, and reasonable adjustments should be made for pupils with SEND to support positive behavior. Finally, governance arrangements need strengthening to ensure leaders are held accountable and supported in making necessary improvements for the benefit of all pupils.
