St Martin of Porres Catholic Primary School

St Martin of Porres Catholic Primary School Blake Road, New Southgate, London, N11 2AF

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils’ attainment at Key Stages 1 and 2 has been above average for the past three years and is improving. Pupils make good progress in Key Stage 1, and some make outstanding progress between Key Stages 1 and 2, particularly in Year 6. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make outstanding progress.  Pupils enjoy their learning and work hard in lessons. They benefit from positive relationships with their teachers, and a nurturing classroom environment which promotes good achievement.  Pupils love reading. The school encourages them to read widely in lessons, at home with their parents and carers, and with their friends.  Behaviour is outstanding; pupils are extremely polite and courteous, and have excellent attitudes to learning. They are mature, responsible and confident and feel safe in school.  Leaders lead by example and model consistently good teaching which in turn is

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

replicated in classrooms by teachers. Governors are ambitious for the school and their high expectations of pupils’ achievement have helped to bring about improvements, particularly in attainment.  The curriculum gives pupils a range of stimulating experiences which draw on the pupils’ local, national, and international communities and prepares them well for the next stage of education and life in modern Britain.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 In a minority of lessons, tasks do not challenge pupils.  Marking in books does not always help pupils to make progress.  Leaders’ and managers’ use of data does not always enable them to identify where interventions might help pupils make consistently rapid and sustained progress across all year groups.

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Information about this inspection

 Twenty-six lessons or part lessons were observed taught by nine teachers. Five lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, members of the governing body and staff.  Inspectors looked at a range of evidence, including the school’s documents on self-evaluation and safeguarding. They observed the school’s work, looked at pupils’ books and the tracking system used to monitor their progress.  Inspectors considered the 71 responses to the on-line Parent View questionnaire and the questionnaires returned by staff.

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Inspection team

Miranda Perry, Lead inspector Additional inspector John Mason Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 St Martin of Porres is an average-sized primary school.  The school has a Nursery which provides part-time places for up to 26 children in each of the morning and afternoon sessions.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is below average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and whose first language is not English is above average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs who are supported through school action or school action plus, or who have a statement of special educational needs, is average.  The school meets the current floor standards, which set the government’s minimum expectations for attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 By July 2013, increase the incidence of outstanding teaching in lessons and over time by:  matching activities in all lessons to the individual needs of pupils  ensuring that marking in books consistently helps pupils to make rapid progress.  By July 2013, accelerate progress further through a more rigorous and robust monitoring system which enables the school to take swift action to support the achievement of individual pupils across the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the Nursery Year with knowledge, skills and understanding broadly in line with national expectations. They make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage, particularly because children are well supported in their transition from Nursery to Reception. This was evident during the inspection when some children were experiencing their first day in Reception, and by lunchtime they had adopted the school’s routines, were already very settled and enjoying their learning.  Pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2 is above average, and there are examples of outstanding progress in reading. Many pupils learn to read rapidly because the school fosters a love of books. In a Year 2 reading group, one boy found it hard to contain his excitement, ‘I just can’t wait to see what the dragon in this story is going to do.’  In 2012, attainment in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6 was well above average,

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The achievement of pupils is good

and some pupils, particularly in Year 6, made outstanding progress between Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Year 6 pupils feel that their work is suitably challenging and have high expectations of themselves. When pupils were analysing a diary entry by the writer Pepys in a Year 6 lesson, every pupil was on task, and successful in interpreting language from the 17th century. ‘She gives us hard things,’ one girl said of her teacher, ‘but by the end of the lesson, we always understand them.’  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make outstanding progress because the school identifies their needs quickly, and is relentless in removing obstacles to their progress. Teachers and teaching assistants work together well so that appropriate tasks, materials and adult support give each of these pupils the resources to learn well.  Pupils from minority ethnic groups and whose first language is not English make progress

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The achievement of pupils is good

equal to that of their peers. Teachers monitor the progress of every pupil thoroughly, and put effective strategies into place if they are falling behind. As a result, pupils eligible for the pupil premium achieve well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching at St Martin of Porres is characterised by positive relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils want to do well because of their teachers’ high expectations. In all lessons, there is an atmosphere of engagement and commitment, and pupils take their learning very seriously.  Pupils learn well because routines for learning are quickly and well established. Although the inspection took place only three weeks into term, all classes were already in the habit of good listening, moving smoothly from activity to activity, and organising equipment without distraction.  Pupils benefit from their teachers’ thorough subject knowledge. For example, in a Year 4 lesson on the Trojans, pupils could confidently explore appropriate Latin sources because of the teacher’s enthusiasm for the topic area.  Pupils’ individual learning needs and preferences are understood and catered for by teachers. In a Year 5 lesson on decimal points, pupils did a decimal point dance. As a result, a group of

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The quality of teaching is good

pupils who had struggled with the concept the day before made good progress. One girl said, ‘Now I’ve cracked it. I whisper the dance to myself, and I can do every sum.’  In the Nursery, children experience lessons which are stimulating, and their success is celebrated. In the Reception Year, the teaching assistant and the teacher work as a highly effective team, so that children are challenged through outdoor and indoor play. The children often make rapid progress because they are encouraged to take risks with their learning, and always ask questions.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs learn exceptionally well because the expert adult support they receive means they can participate fully in their lessons.  Pupils are given the skills to support each other with their learning, and work with everybody else in the class, regardless of friendship groups. In a Key Stage 2 lesson on treating people

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The quality of teaching is good

fairly, when pupils were asked to work in pairs, all pupils automatically took it in turns to read to each other.  Occasionally, pupils are not given tasks that match their needs. For example, sometimes pupils have a whole-class activity which some find too easy, and some find too hard.  In the main, pupils feel confident that marking in books helps them to make progress. However, in some cases, marking is positive but not constructive in helping pupils to understand how they can make progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are highly responsible and learning well is their priority. Their attendance is above average.  Pupils’ concentration in lessons is exemplary, and pupils do not tolerate it if their peers are momentarily off task. Key Stage 2 pupils explained that they tap their neighbour on the shoulder if they are not listening properly, because, ‘we all want to do as well as we can here’.  The school expects pupils to show high levels of respect to each other. Pupils are always courteous around the school and routinely take on roles to support each other. When Reception children first have lunch at school, Year 6 pupils look after them and talk to them about their day. One Reception child said of a Year 6 pupil, ‘He has been so kind to me.’  Pupils and staff are unreservedly positive about behaviour, and 99% of parents and carers who responded to Parent View said their children felt safe at the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 When discussing bullying, pupils understood what to do if it took place, but felt it was so rare that they hardly ever had to take action. Key Stage 2 pupils attributed the lack of bullying to what they felt was a very caring school ethos.  The school appreciates that the issue of e-safety is relevant to both home and school, and it works extremely effectively with parents and carers to make sure that pupils adopt safe practices.  Pupils with particular behavioural needs make rapid improvements in their behaviour as a result of the school’s actions. The school is rigorous in exploring possible approaches to behavioural issues until it finds the right ones to bring about improvement. Pupils understand that it is their job to behave well, and appreciate how their actions affect others.

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The leadership and management are good

 All leaders and managers are very experienced teachers, and standards of teaching continue to improve because leaders and managers effectively both monitor and coach their colleagues and performance management procedures are well embedded.  The expertise of staff is recognised and developed to meet the needs of the school through targeted professional development. The local authority has provided good support to help the school improve and has helped the school recruit a special educational needs coordinator, who ensures teaching assistants are trained well to support pupils’ needs.  Leaders and managers have been instrumental in bringing about an improvement in progress and attainment over the last three years, because they make sure the individual learning needs of each pupil are understood and catered for by the relevant staff. The school identifies if a pupil is at risk of falling behind at an early stage, and is successful at putting strategies in place

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The leadership and management are good

which reduce the risk.  However, leaders’ and managers’ rigorous use of data to analyse the achievement of pupils within particular year groups is underdeveloped, and as a consequence progress across the school, while never less than good, is on occasions inconsistent.  The headteacher and her leadership team enjoy the unconditional support of staff in their pursuit of excellence.  Leaders and managers work with all staff to deliver a creative curriculum. A particular strength is the delivery of French, which the pupils enjoy and excel in. The school uses music to celebrate learning. The pupils love singing and it is an integral part of their lessons.  The school makes the most of opportunities to develop pupils spiritually, morally, socially and culturally. Pupils understand that the concepts of treating each other well are at the heart of the school.  The school is highly successful in promoting equality of opportunity and tackling discrimination.

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The leadership and management are good

As a result all groups of pupils get on noticeably well with each other. During the inspection, one Key Stage 1 boy said, ‘I hope you like our school. We like it, and we like each other.’  The governance of the school: uses its considerable expertise to support and strengthen school leadership ensures all statutory responsibilities with regard to safeguarding are met deploys resources effectively so that pupils’ achievement is a priority.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school

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Grade Judgement Description

is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 102150 Local authority Haringey Inspection number 402876

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School details

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

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School details

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 206 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Stephen Ryley Headteacher Irene Tyrrell Date of previous school inspection 16 November 2007 Telephone number 0208 3611445 Fax number 0208 3615849 Email address head@st-martinporres.haringey.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: 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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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

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. 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,

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School details

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

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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