All Saints' CofE Nursery and Primary School N20

All Saints' CofE Primary School N20 Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 101329 Local Authority Barnet Inspection number 354981 Inspection dates 30–31 March 2011 Reporting inspector David Gosling

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 250 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Tim Longman Headteacher Christine Read Date of previous school inspection 17 June 2008 School address 116 Oakleigh Road North Whetstone London N20 9EZ Telephone number 020 8445 2951 Fax number 020 8446 2871 Email address office.allsaintsn20.barnet@lgfl.net

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Age group 3–11 Inspection dates 30–31 March 2011 Inspection number 354981 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the documentation in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to 'Subscribe'. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors. They visited 14 lessons and observed eight teachers. Meetings were held with the Chair of the governing body, staff and pupils. Inspectors looked at a range of documentation including samples of pupils' work, pupils' records and assessments, and school policies and plans. Questionnaires from 17 staff, 121 pupils in Years 3 to 6, and 95 parents and carers were analysed. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.  Pupils' learning and progress, especially in Years 3 to 6, and in mathematics.  The quality and accuracy of the school's self-evaluation and whether leaders and managers have clearly recognised areas that need to be improved.  Improvements to teaching since the last inspection and the training and support provided for teachers.

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Information about the school

All Saints' is an average-sized primary school. It is situated in Whetstone, outside the centre of Barnet and draws pupils from a wide area. The school has a lower than usual proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals. Nearly a half are from minority ethnic heritages, and about two fifths come from homes where English is spoken as an additional language. The proportions of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with statements are similar to the national average. Most of these pupils have either emotional and behavioural, or communication difficulties. The school has received a number of awards including, Healthy Schools Status, Active Mark, the Bronze Eco Schools Award, Investors in People Award, International Schools Award and ICT Mark. The school has a nursery which children attend part-time.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Main findings

Parents and carers are right to be happy with the education their children receive in this supportive and effective school. The capacity for sustained improvement is good, mainly because of the close monitoring of each child's progress and the strong plans put in place where weaknesses are identified. Since the last inspection, there have been improvements to attainment and, despite considerable changes to teaching staff, teaching has remained good. Evaluation at whole-school level is thorough but subject and area leaders are not sufficiently rigorous in their written evaluations. The school has made some good links with schools in other countries and has strong links with a range of religious groups but it is not active enough in building bridges with local ethnic and social groups. Pupils' achievement is good and learning and progress throughout the school is good. The only group not making enough progress is the gifted and talented pupils. The attitudes of

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Main findings

pupils to their learning and their behaviour are major strengths. Pupils feel very safe in the school, partly because of the very effective measures the school takes to ensure their welfare and safety. Pupils have a sophisticated understanding of health issues, eat healthily and are very active. They make a very important contribution to the running of the school and to the wider community, for example through fundraising activities. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. They reflect upon their lives and their work with considerable maturity. Pupils are extremely well prepared for the future, especially through their development of basic skills and team work. Teaching is strongest in Years 2-6 but there is some good teaching across the school. Teachers make their lessons interesting and relevant to the pupils' interests. As one parent wrote in a questionnaire, 'The school has a lively buzz, the children have a voice and are

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Main findings

encouraged to be creative.' The targeting of work on groups of different ability, especially the gifted and talented, and lack of consistency in the quality of marking are the key weaknesses. The curriculum provides a good range of engaging activities, with particularly strong support for basic skills and the arts. Pupils whose circumstances have made them vulnerable are monitored and supported well. The school makes excellent use of partnerships to support not only those with social and emotional difficulties, but also to support sports and after-school activities, and learning in subjects where weaknesses have been identified. There have been considerable staffing changes in the Early Years Foundation Stage since the last inspection. Although children make good progress, partly because of a strong focus on developing social skills and good leadership, teachers do not always exploit opportunities to extend the children's learning, especially in writing.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

The school provides good value for money because pupils make good progress, the budget is well managed, and resources support learning effectively.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the use of assessment at all levels by ensuring: teachers make more use of pupils' assessments to target work on groups of pupils, especially the gifted and talented teachers make it clear what the pupils need to do to improve when they mark books leaders and managers keep a clearer overview of assessment data and evaluate it more rigorously.  Improve teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage by ensuring adults are consistently focused on extending children's learning in all activities  Make the promotion of community cohesion more systematic by planning and evaluating the area more rigorously, especially with regard to links with ethnic and social groups in the local community.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Attainment is above average. It has been higher in English than in mathematics and science in recent years but this has been addressed effectively and attainment in all three subjects is now above average. The rate of learning and progress, from average starting points in the Early Years Foundation Stage, is good. Pupils' work in mathematics books and lessons shows particularly good progress in number calculations and the handling of data. In two practical science lessons observed, one in Year 5 and one in Year 6, the pupils planned experiments carefully, checked that results were reliable and recorded their findings clearly. Pupils' work in English shows very good progress in spelling, punctuation and sentence structure, partly because basic accuracy is a constant focus. Some of the stories and accounts are very lively, for example some of the vivid accounts of a visit to St. Paul's Cathedral written by pupils in Year 4. A notable strength is pupils' growing

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

understanding and use of a range of vocabulary. In one Year 3 lesson, pupils talked fluently about obtuse and acute angles and in a Year 4 lesson, pupils discussed imagery and alliteration in poems. Those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities try very hard in lessons, even when the work is difficult, and they make good progress, especially in mathematics. There is no significant difference in achievement by different ethnic groups. Most parents and carers in the inspection questionnaires thought their children enjoyed school. Pupils confirmed this in their own questionnaires and they displayed a high level of enthusiasm in lessons. Pupils work very hard and have high levels of concentration. A major strength is their ability to work independently in pairs and groups. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make good progress, partly because of the excellent visual support provided in lessons. The progress of the most able pupils in a minority of

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

lessons is not as strong because they are not always targeted enough as other groups. Pupils are very polite to each other and to adults. Movement around the school is very orderly and the atmosphere in the playground is calm. Pupils are very co-operative and

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

supportive of each other. In one assembly, the whole school enthusiastically applauded a girl who sang without preparation. Pupils say there is very little bullying and that when it occurs it is dealt with promptly. Attendance has been consistently above the national average in recent years and the proportion of pupils persistently absent is much lower. Pupils make excellent progress in developing teamwork skills, in problem-solving and in the use of information and communication technology (ICT). Pupils have a good understanding of health issues but have a better grasp of healthy eating and the need for exercise than emotional health issues. The school council is very influential and pupils take on a wide range of responsibilities in school, including the interviewing of staff. Pupils are very active in the local community and undertake a considerable amount of fund-raising for charities.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 2

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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1

Taking into account: Pupils' attendance¹

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The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4

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How effective is the provision?

Parents and carers and pupils rightly think that teaching is good. It is strongest in Years 2- 6. The school has been working hard to increase the proportion of outstanding teaching but none was seen on the inspection. Pupils are very actively involved in their learning, with teachers making excellent use of paired and group work, problem-solving, and games. In one Year 3 mathematics lesson which was particularly full of vitality, pupils were enthusiastically using their arms to make different types of angles. In all lessons, resources are well organised. The deployment of teaching assistants is targeted well in

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

plans and they make a strong contribution to the learning of all groups of ability. The main weakness in teaching is that assessments are not used enough to plan activities for groups. Marking is detailed but teachers do not make clear enough the next steps needed. The setting of homework and use of targets, which were weaknesses in the last inspection, are now good. The curriculum is broad and balanced and caters well for literacy, numeracy and ICT as well as for religious education, the arts and physical education. The school provides a particularly good range of extra-curricular activities through frequent visits and visitors and a wide range of well-attended clubs. Enrichment activities and extension work for the gifted and talented pupils are not developed enough. There is carefully considered support for key changes, such as entry to the Nursery and the move to secondary school. A strength is the range of support provided for the most

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

vulnerable pupils, especially through the excellent use of outside groups. The commitment of the school to the most vulnerable is illustrated by its provision of a dedicated member of staff to support and monitor pupils who speak English as an additional language.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching 2

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

School leadership has been effective in raising attainment since the last inspection, especially through the sustained drive to improve mathematics and science. Teaching is good but the drive to increase outstanding teaching has not been successful. The joint observations during the inspection showed the school to be accurate but school observations have overestimated the amount of outstanding teaching. The headteacher has very high expectations, for example for half the teaching to be outstanding, and ambitious targets are set for pupils. Whole-school planning is very rigorous. It has a clear three-year vision, detailed actions for this year, and a strong focus on raising attainment and improving teaching. A comprehensive tracking system provides clear information on each pupil, identifies underachievers, and records the interventions put in place to support them. Although a good range of data is available and leaders and

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How effective are leadership and management?

managers know strengths and weaknesses, written evaluations are not searching enough. Teachers are held to account well for the progress pupils in their classes make. The close knowledge the school has of each child's progress is greatly enhanced by the individual meetings which are held with each child three times a year to review his or her progress. The staff inspection questionnaires indicate that the morale in the school is high.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

The governing body has an accurate view of strengths and weaknesses and attends a good range of training. It is actively involved in the writing and review of the school's aims and plans. Weaknesses are being challenged by the governing body but it has only recently started to evaluate formally how well the school is implementing the school improvement plan. Rigorous vetting procedures and risk assessments are in place and the very large majority of parents and carers in inspection questionnaires thought their children were kept safe. The school communicates regularly with parents and carers and they are involved well in their children's learning, for example through the school web site and workshops in English and mathematics. Parents and carers make a satisfactory contribution to whole-school developments. Statutory policies for equal opportunities are in place and they are monitored and evaluated effectively. Virtually no incidents of racist behaviour have been recorded and

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

different ethnic groups mix very harmoniously. A wide range of activities help develop community cohesion and pupils gain a global perspective from such initiatives as the Ghanaian school link and the 'Comenius Project' which builds links with schools in Spain and Germany. Bridges with local religious groups very strong but links with ethnic and socio-economic groups are less well developed.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for leadership and management

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2

Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children make good progress and by the end of the Reception Year, their attainment is above average in all six areas of learning. Attainment is particularly high in linking sounds and letters, and reading. Number and calculating skills, though above expectation, are the weaker areas. Children are safe and happy and they play together very well in groups. Good organisation of the indoor and outdoor areas supports strong progress in the children's physical and creative development.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides a warm and welcoming environment. Teaching is satisfactory. There is a relatively new and inexperienced teaching team which helps explain why progress is good while teaching is only satisfactory. Teaching has some strengths but is not consistently good, mainly because adults are not always focused enough on extending learning during activities, for example by extending the children's mathematical vocabulary. Opportunities to develop writing, both indoors and outdoors, are not exploited enough. Planning is sound and regular observations and assessments are made to inform activities. Support staff are well deployed and effective. Resources and the learning environment are well organised and stimulate interest. Leadership is effective partly because of the school's considerable investment in training and support in the past two years. Adults work well as a team and there are close links

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

between the Nursery and Reception, especially in planning work and assessments. Good links are established with parents and carers, including through opportunities provided to observe their children at work. Although leaders and managers are clear about key priorities, action planning does not focus enough on improving teaching.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

The very large majority of parents and carers are happy with the school and think that their children enjoy being there. Inspection findings support parents' and carers' views that the school is good at keeping their children safe and healthy and deals well with poor behaviour. A few parents and carers are unhappy with the progress their children make and some of these indicated on questionnaires that they were particularly unhappy with the progress of the most able pupils. Inspectors found learning and progress to be good but agree that gifted and talented pupils are not making enough progress. A very small minority of parents and carers were unhappy with the support provided for their children at key changes but inspectors found this to be good.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at All Saints' Church of England Primary School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

The inspector received 95 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 250 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 59 62 32 34 2 2 2 2 The school keeps my child safe 60 63 35 37 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 45 47 44 46 6 6 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 39 41 37 39 16 17 2 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 40 42 43 45 9 9 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 38 40 41 43 12 13 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 44 46 47 49 3 3 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 35 37 40 42 11 12 3 3

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 39 41 38 40 16 17 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 35 37 50 53 6 6 3 3

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 35 37 44 46 11 12 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 47 49 34 36 8 8 3 3

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 52 55 39 41 13 14 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils' needs.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2009 to 31 August 2010 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2009/10 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils' work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school's overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

 The school's capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils' attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of All Saints' Church of England Primary School, London N20 9EZ

Thank you very much for the welcome you gave us when we inspected your school. We are especially grateful to those of you who took time to talk to us about your work and tell us what you thought about the school. We thought you were very polite to us. There are lots of good things about your school, as you wrote in your questionnaires, and here are some that really stood out:  You make good progress with your work, partly as a result of good teaching.  You feel safe in the school and teachers look after you very well.  You are happy at school and keen in lessons.  You behave very well, show a high level respect for each other, and are very good at discussing ideas and solving problems.  You play a big part in helping the school run smoothly and you do a lot to help people in the local and wider area.  The school works extremely well with other schools and groups to make your learning even better.

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Inspection of All Saints' Church of England Primary School, London N20 9EZ

There are three things the school could do even better:  Teachers need to make better use of your assessments in planning work for you and they need to make it clearer in marking what you need to do to improve.  Teaching and planning is not quite as good for the children in the Nursery and Reception classes as for the older pupils.  The school needs to build more links with different groups of people in the local area. All of you can help the school even further by continuing to work hard and doing your best.

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www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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