School where children can’t get detention rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted
By Adrian Zorzut, Local Democracy Reporter
A school where children can’t be put on detention has received an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted rating.
St Luke’s Church of England Primary in Fernhead Road, West Kilburn, is located in one of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the borough, according to Westminster City council.
More than half of St Luke’s pupils receive funding because they come from disadvantaged backgrounds.
In spite of these hurdles, Ofsted said the school had a “rich and ambitious” curriculum which includes reading Barack Obama’s biography and teaching kids how to regulate their emotions.
Its walls are littered with world leaders and iconic activists, including Nelson Mandela and Rosa Parks, and its front desk is manned by headteacher Adrian Evans, who covers while the admin worker goes on break.
Reading is a top priority and students kick off their day with it, followed by lessons in maths and English, and more reading.
The afternoon is set aside for foundational subjects like history, geography and arts. Pupils will have read more than 100 books by the time they leave, according to Mr Evans.
Mr Evans said: “Reading is a top priority in our school. The kids are encouraged to read and they begin reading quite early, and become competent readers quite early.
“They get taught up until Year 2 and by then they’re free readers and can read really, really confidently. We always choose really high-quality texts for the children to read.”
But it’s the school’s approach to discipline that really makes it stand out.
Mr Evans said: “We don’t have detention. We decide on the sanctions, and they can be anything like a telling off, moving a pupil to another classroom, missing their play time by doing some work in another classroom. So, it’s not detention but a sanction of some kind.”
He said the school’s behaviour system was “clear and effective” and prioritised positive behaviour.
Students who perform well get a “shout out” from teachers. They’ll be made “student of the week” or be given “smiles” to tally up on their boards.
Pictured top: Headteacher Adrian Evans in a class with Year 6 students at St Luke’s (Picture: Adrian Zorzut)
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