Belmont Infant School

Belmont Infant School Rusper Road, London, N22 6RA

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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’ progress is improving steadily. From their low starting points in Nursery, pupils make good progress so by the time they leave Key Stage 1, levels of attainment are above average in reading and are broadly average in writing and mathematics.  Teaching across the school is securely good, with some that is outstanding. Pupils are keen to learn and enjoy being at school.  All staff manage pupils’ behaviour well. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is exemplary.  Staff, parents and pupils are very positive about the school. They are proud to be part of the school community, where children in the Early Years Foundation Stage get off to a good start in their learning in a stimulating environment.  The school works very well with parents. This has enabled the school to be presented with the ‘Leading Parent Partnership’ award for the second time.  The curriculum provides many good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

opportunities through targeted activities, visitors to the school and clubs, including the popular ‘Gardening Saturdays’ for pupils and parents.  A structured programme of linking sounds and letters enables children to break words up, which is supporting their reading.  School leaders and governors work well together to keep a close eye on the quality of teaching.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 School leaders do not use assessment information effectively enough to see how the progress of different groups of pupils compares with the national picture.  Pupils are not always given enough time to write at length in literacy.  Marking and feedback does not always help pupils to improve their work.  Too little attention is paid to ensuring pupils present their work neatly.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 12 lessons, five of which were joint observations with senior leaders.  Inspectors discussed various aspects of the school with pupils and looked at a range of their work. They took account of the school’s data on pupils’ attainment and progress.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, including those with responsibility for the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, and with the Chair of the Governing Body.  An inspector met with a group of pupils, listened to pupils read, and visited an assembly.  A telephone conversation was held with a member of the local authority.  Inspectors examined the results of the school’s most recent survey of parental opinions and 58 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View.  Inspectors spoke to parents while they were bringing their children to school and collecting them at home time.  Questionnaires completed by 30 members of staff were taken into account.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed the work of the school, and looked at a range of documentation, including the school’s self-evaluation document, policies, records of pupils’ progress, monitoring records of teaching and learning, attendance figures and the school improvement plan.

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Inspection team

Monica Raphael, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Helen Hutchings Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Belmont Infant School is an average size infant school.  Over two thirds of pupils come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds and this is well above the national average.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is substantially greater than the national average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, for whom the school receives additional funding through the pupil premium, is below average. (The pupil premium provides additional funding for children in the care of the local authority, children of parents in the armed forces and for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.)  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is well below average. The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational need is broadly average. These needs relate

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Information about this school

mainly to speech, language and communication and to autistic spectrum disorder.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the proportion of outstanding teaching by:  giving pupils more opportunities to practise writing at length in literacy  making sure marking and feedback provides clear guidance on how pupils can improve their work  ensuring sufficient attention is given to how pupils present their work.  Improve the use of data by managers so that they have a clear picture of the progress of different groups of pupils and can compare their progress with national averages.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are below that which is typical for their age, especially in language and communication. They respond well to a rich and stimulating internal and outdoor environment. Children make good progress due to the care that is taken to plan for their individual needs and interests.  Attainment in Key Stage 1 is improving and is above average in reading. The most recent assessments indicate that standards in reading, writing and mathematics are continuing to improve, but writing is improving at a slower rate. This is due to children not always being given more time to write in literacy and to practise using some of the new words they are learning.  Pupils are taught phonics (letters and the sounds they make) through a structured and systematic approach. Pupils enjoy the fast pace of these lessons and respond well to directions from teachers and other support staff.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The proportion of pupils who achieved the expected standards in the phonics screening check last year was below average. The school’s predictions indicate this will be reversed this year, with more children achieving above the expected standard.  The pupil premium funding is used well to support in developing reading, communication and social skills. The interventions have raised pupils’ enjoyment of learning and attendance at school. It is helping to raise achievement of pupils and close the gap with all pupils nationally.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are well supported. The deployment of well-trained and knowledgeable staff enables these pupils to make good progress from their individual starting points.  The strong emphasis on speaking and listening contributes to the good progress being made by pupils who speak English as an additional language. They are being given lots of opportunities

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The achievement of pupils is good

to talk about their work and, as a result, they, as well as others, are being well prepared for the next phase in their education.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have created classrooms where children can learn well by trying things out for themselves.  Teachers manage their classrooms well creating a climate that enables children to enjoy learning. For example, during a design and technology lesson, children were investigating and discussing how pop-up books work before making their own.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children have a range of activities to draw from, which is supporting their development well. The activities build on and support the interest of children as well as introducing new ideas. For example, children were acting out being in a café, ordering orange juice and milk shakes.  Children are making good use of technology. For example, children in the Reception class were using the computer to support them in identifying and learning letters of the alphabet.  In lessons, teachers routinely ask pupils questions that enable them to find out whether all

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The quality of teaching is good

pupils understand what they are learning. However, teachers do not always use marking and feedback well enough to provide specific guidance about how to move on to the next step or how to improve their presentation.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well supported. There are plenty of opportunities provided for children to experience awe and wonder, as was seen in the Early Years Foundation Stage outdoor area, where children were using magnifying glasses to look closely at ‘mini-beasts’ found in the soil.  Pupils enjoy writing, and this can be seen around the school in many interesting displays and in the Early Years Foundation Stage where, for example, children were using clip boards in the outdoor area. In Years 1 and 2, teachers generally provide too few opportunities for pupils to write more than a few sentences in literacy and this holds back their progress.  Teaching assistants and learning support assistants provide good support to pupils in lessons

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The quality of teaching is good

and in targeted focused groups. They are well trained and work effectively with pupils, enabling them to learn well and to make good progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour management of pupils by teachers and all other adults in the school is highly effective and contributes much to the highly positive climate for learning. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is excellent.  The school, rightly, prides itself in how it cares for all pupils. Staff have excellent skills and are sensitive to the emotional needs of pupils.  Pupils say they feel extremely safe at school and trust the adults to keep them safe. They know how to keep safe when using computers, and say that incidents of bullying or racist incidents are rare because the school takes any unacceptable behaviour seriously, and they are taught to respect one another.  The caring ethos of the school makes excellent contribution to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils, who come from a wide variety of ethnicities and backgrounds to work exceptionally well together in this inclusive school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are proud of the school and enjoy coming to school regularly. As a result, attendance is improving and is now above average. The number of pupils who are persistently absent has fallen sharply due to the efforts of the school in encouraging parents to ensure their children are not absent for trivial reasons.  The school has a long standing and special relationship with ‘The Vale’ special school. Teachers and other staff from both schools work well together to provide highly effective support for children with physical disabilities.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior leaders and the governing body have created a positive climate which is shared by staff, enabling pupils to develop well.  The senior leadership team check the quality of teaching and the progress pupils make in order to improve provision and to provide the right support.  Leaders monitor the progress made by pupils through termly meetings. Outcomes in standards are closely linked to performance management and salary progression which is monitored by the Governing Body. Professional development is provided to all teachers and support staff to ensure they have up-to-date knowledge and skills.  The curriculum provides good opportunities for children to practise and extend their basic skills, particularly their reading and numeracy skills. A strong focus on personal development enables pupils to develop the skills they need to undertake successful transition to Key Stage 2. The gardening club helps pupils to develop social skills, to learn about food and healthy eating. The

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The leadership and management are good

curriculum is enriched through many activities, for example, a visit from a flautist and a science day. These experiences support pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.  Support for all pupils including those with disabilities, special educational needs or those new to English, is managed well and ensures these pupils make good progress from their starting points.  Self-evaluation takes into account the quality of teaching and how pupils are progressing in order to decide on priorities for improvement. However, this process is constrained because information from assessment data about how different groups are getting on is not used effectively enough to fine-tune development plans.  Parents and carers are very complementary of the school and many say that there is ‘something special about this school’. Parents comment on the ‘open door’ policy which they welcome.  The local authority provides useful light touch support. It provided specific advice after the last

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The leadership and management are good

inspection on the development of information and communication technology.  The school is committed to making sure the needs of all pupils are met. The pupil premium funding is spent on supporting the learning and progress of the pupils for whom it is intended through, for example, the provision of more teaching assistants.  All safeguarding requirements are fully met.  The governance of the school:  Governors know the strengths and areas for improvement. They ask challenging questions about different groups of pupils, the standards they meet and the progress they make. They have a good grasp of how assessment data are used to compare pupils’ performance with those in other schools. Governors attend school events and observe lessons to gather first- hand information. They rigorously manage the performance management process of the headteacher with the support of an external consultant. Governors understand how decisions

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The leadership and management are good

are made about teacher performance and pay progression. They seek assurance that resources, for example the pupil premium, are targeted appropriately and support the pupils for whom it is intended. Governors monitor the view of parents and the wider community through parent questionnaires and reports from the headteacher.

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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 is

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Grade Judgement Description

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 102079 Local authority Haringey Inspection number 412605

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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 Infant School category Community Age range of pupils 3–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 229 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Nirmalee Wanduragala Headteacher Louisa Oakley Date of previous school inspection 27 September 2007 Telephone number 020 8888 7140 Fax number 020 8881 3400 Email address admin@belmont-inf.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, please

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School details

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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