Clockhouse Primary School in Romford given top Ofsted rating

A primary school where staff are “proud to work” has received an ‘outstanding’ rating from Ofsted.

Clockhouse Primary School, in Collier Row, was inspected on June 14 and 15 and, in a report seen by the Recorder, was described as “inspiring” and “supportive”.

Headteacher Joanna Savidge said the school is “absolutely overjoyed and proud” of the rating. 

Inspectors found that pupils participate “enthusiastically and successfully” in the “rich and well-taught” curriculum at the school.

Pupils, they said, develop as “independent learners” who are “ready when it is time to move to secondary school”.

They were found to be considerate, kind, respectful, and empathetic to people who are “different from them”.

Pupils at Clockhouse Primary School (Image: Clockhouse Primary School)

The report mentioned that on “very rare occasions” bullying occurs in the school but it is “dealt with effectively”.

Staff, it added, have high expectations of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and from underprivileged backgrounds. 

Read More: Ofsted: Elm Park nursery rated ‘outstanding’ by regulator

The report said: “Parents and carers are very positive about the school. They feel well supported and said that staff know their children extremely well.”

The report praised the school’s leaders for “continually finding ways to make things better” and ensuring that needs of all pupils are “well understood” and “kept under constant review”.  

The inspectors believed that some children, especially after the Covid pandemic, come to the school with knowledge and understanding that is “less developed than leaders expect.”

But the school, the report said, through refining its curriculum helped the pupils settle and learn confidently with their peers.

Pupils concentrate well in lessons and take great pride in their achievements, the report said (Image: Clockhouse Primary School)

The school’s ‘100 things to do before I leave Clockhouse’ was commended in the report for teaching pupils “school values and life skills” in addition to the academic curriculum.

Pupils with SEND, inspectors said, learnt the same broad and “ambitious” curriculum as others because it was carefully adapted for them.

It added: “Teachers and support staff are proud to work at the school. Leaders give careful thought to making staff workload manageable.

Leaders of the school, Ofsted said, have designed a strong reading curriculum (Image: Clockhouse Primary School)

“They also ensure that there are many opportunities for staff to engage in high-quality further training and development.”

The safeguarding arrangements at the school were also found to be effective by inspectors. Staff, the report said, are trained to recognise and report any concerns a record of which is kept by leaders.

Ms Savidge said: “It has taken a lot of hard work and determination for us to get here, with input and dedication from the whole school.

“I really would like to thank everyone involved – pupils, staff, governors, parents, in fact, the whole community.”​