Ofsted conducted a short inspection of Garfield Primary School on April 30, 2019, following its previous judgment of good in July 2015. The inspection confirmed that the school continues to maintain a good quality of education. The leadership team, under Mrs. Michele Thomas, has effectively communicated a vision for providing an excellent education in a safe and friendly environment. Leaders feel empowered to implement improvements and appreciate the collaborative culture within the school. They ensure that new initiatives are research-informed and regularly check their impact. The majority of parents express positive views about the school, particularly regarding the care provided in this inclusive environment. Staff and governors are aware of the key areas for development outlined in the school improvement plan, focusing on enhancing pupils' progress to achieve higher standards by the end of key stage two.
Pupils reported that their teachers are friendly and supportive, helping them improve their work. They enjoy the responsibility given to them to work independently and benefit from verbal feedback during lessons. Most pupils believe that behavior in school is good and trust teachers to help resolve any disagreements or instances of bullying. The inspection found that safeguarding measures are effective, with thorough checks on staff and volunteers, and comprehensive training provided to ensure staff are alert to signs of abuse or neglect. Attendance is regularly monitored and aligns with national averages.
The inspection focused on several key areas, including how effectively leaders ensure that children meet age expectations by the end of Reception. Overall development levels are in line with national averages, but some children starting with lower standards did not make sufficient progress in 2018. The leadership team has implemented various actions to improve teaching and learning in Nursery and Reception, ensuring the curriculum meets children's needs. For instance, children learn about letter sounds early on, boosting their confidence in writing. Regular monitoring of phonics teaching ensures that all pupils are challenged and make good progress.
The inspection also examined efforts to improve the proportion of pupils attaining higher standards in reading and writing. Evidence from pupils' work demonstrated good progress across different starting points, with ample opportunities for writing across various purposes. Pupils enjoy using techniques like rainbow marking to enhance their work and understand teachers' expectations. The school is currently reviewing reading instruction and trialing different approaches to enhance teaching and assessment quality.
Additionally, the school provides opportunities for pupils to develop writing skills across the curriculum. Writing homework linked to knowledge organizers is regularly sent home, containing tasks related to subjects like science and geography. This approach has led to pupils using new vocabulary in their writing, enhancing their skills across different subjects. The use of quality storybooks as a foundation for teaching various subjects has also been effective, with pupils expressing enjoyment in learning about different cultures and histories through literature.
Next steps for the school include ensuring that writing approaches are fully embedded across all subjects to help more pupils achieve higher standards and further developing the quality of teaching and assessment in reading to increase the proportion of pupils reaching expected and higher standards by the end of key stage two. The inspection findings will be shared with the governing body, regional schools commissioner, and the director of children's services for Merton, and will be published on the Ofsted website.
