Monken Hadley CofE Primary School

Monken Hadley CofE Primary School Camlet Way, Barnet, Hertfordshire, EN4 0NJ

p.1

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 Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  School leaders and the governing body have tackled with urgency the fall in Year 6 test results in 2012. The outcome is that progress is increasing and attainment has returned to its previous well above average level.  Teaching is good and improving because leaders have renewed the way they focus on improving teaching, including using support from local authority consultants.  Pupils make good progress in reading and writing. They use a wide variety of electronic devices to develop their information and communication technology skills.  Rigorous action to improve teaching has led to a sharp rise in the pupils’ achievement in mathematics this year.  Pupils are polite and well mannered. They behave well in lessons and around the school, showing respect for adults and consideration towards each other.  The pupils’ enjoyment of school and their keen approach to learning account in part for their

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

good progress.  Pupils say they feel safe in school which reflects the care taken by staff and governors to ensure they are well cared for.  The promotion of the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is deeply embedded in everything undertaken. The school’s values are a constant reminder for all about what is expected and how to act with care and consideration towards others.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Progress is not as rapid in phonics (linking letters with sounds) as in other subjects because teaching is not as effective.  Not all teachers ensure that the more-able pupils are sufficiently challenged, particularly in mixed-age classes.  Reception children do not have enough opportunity to develop their literacy and numeracy when on free-choice activities.  Pupils do not always have the chance to respond to their teacher’s marking and so improve their work quickly.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 10 lessons or parts of lessons, of which five were joint observations with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, school staff, the Chair of the Governing Body and a representative from the local authority.  The inspector took account of the 82 responses to the online parent questionnaire (Parent View) and held informal discussions with parents and carers at the start of the school day.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own information on the pupils’ current progress, planning and monitoring documentation, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents relating to safeguarding. The inspector also listened to the reading of a sample of pupils in Year 2.

p.2

Inspection team

Martin Beale, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is below average in size.  An average proportion of the pupils are from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds but few speak English as an additional language.  Very few pupils are known to be eligible for funding through the pupil premium. This is extra money given to schools for looked after children, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children of service families.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well below average.  The school is organised into five mixed-age classes, which includes reception children being taught alongside some Year 1 pupils.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that all teaching is at least good and increase the amount that is outstanding by:  matching teaching more closely to the next learning steps for all pupils  providing free choice activities in Reception that support the development of the children’s literacy and numeracy  ensuring that teachers provide opportunities for pupils to respond to marking so that their work improves.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase progress and raise attainment in phonics through improving teaching by:  providing training to improve the teachers’ subject expertise  ensuring that sessions move learning forward at more rapid pace.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 Unvalidated Year 6 test results this year indicate a return to the well above average levels achieved in English and mathematics prior to a fall in 2012. They represent rapid progress for the pupils and are much higher than the 2012 national average. There is no pattern to any variation in achievement by pupils from different minority ethnic groups.  Children enter the Reception class with skills broadly as expected for their age. They make good progress because of the action taken to improve the quality of teaching. Children collaborate well, share resources and take turns sensibly. Their attainment is above average by the end of Reception.  A key to the pupils’ renewed success in mathematics is that the application of their skills is deeply embedded in lessons and they accurately use efficient methods of calculation. Pupils learn to be systematic and spot patterns through regularly solving problems and undertaking

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

mathematical investigations. Small booster groups have enabled almost all Year 6 pupils to reach the expected Level 4 and several to reach the high Level 6.  Pupils’ writing is developed in a wide range of styles through regular opportunities to plan and undertake extended pieces at times linked to themes being followed in other subjects. Pupils thoroughly enjoy books and read widely receiving considerable support from home. This enables them to develop refined skills of research, deduction and inference. When reading aloud they do so fluently and with expression.  Through individual tuition and the purchase of additional resources, pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium make similar progress as others. Gaps between their attainment and that of others are closing in both mathematics and English, but while almost all eligible pupils are working at levels expected for their age, these can be slightly below the levels of others in

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

the year group. No pupils in Year 6 were eligible for pupil premium support this year or last so no end of key stage comparisons can be made.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress. The small number identified means the school is able to focus sharply on their needs and put in place effective programmes of support and guidance.  Training in teaching phonics has been provided this year following broadly average results in the screening check for Year 1 pupils in 2012. More pupils have passed this year and almost all who did not reach the required standard last year have caught up. However, the rate of progress in phonics is not as high as in other areas.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching has improved significantly since the start of the year, particularly in Key Stage 2. In the most effective lessons, teachers show their high expectations by pushing learning forward at pace and challenging the pupils’ thinking.  Teachers make learning interesting and practical by the creative use of resources in mathematics and providing opportunities for pupils to use modern computer equipment and electronic microscopes. Teachers encourage pupils to learn from each other through discussion and use their questioning to probe the pupils’ thoughts and check their understanding.  Pupils are made fully aware of the aims of each lesson and what to do to be successful. Assessment information is generally used well to ensure lessons meet the needs of each pupil and the more effective teachers adapt their teaching quickly in response to the pupils’ learning. However, overlong teaching to the whole class can slow learning for the more-able pupils who

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

have already understood the skills being taught.  Teaching assistants are briefed and deployed carefully for each lesson. Additional training in how to support pupils in mathematics has greatly enhanced their contribution to learning. They work closely with teachers to adapt activities to meet the specific targets for pupils with special educational needs, which is a key factor in their good and improving progress.  This year the school has ensured that targets set for pupils in English and mathematics are pupil friendly and easy to understand. Marking has improved in the guidance it provides, although pupils do not always have the opportunity to respond to their teachers’ comments and so improve their work.  Teachers’ expertise in teaching phonics is a slightly weaker area. Sessions sometimes only move at a slow pace and do not always grab the pupils’ imaginations.

p.4

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils strive hard to live up to the school’s values of honesty, respect and empathy. They are expected to reflect on their actions and whether they have met these ideals. As a result, there are very few incidents where behaviour falls below the high standards expected.  Pupils thrive on leadership roles such as when Year 6 pupils lead assemblies for Reception and Key Stage 1. Attendance is consistently above average and pupils are punctual to school.  Most pupils enjoy lessons and want to do well. They become independent and able to explore ideas for themselves without adult help. They readily discuss ideas with their talk partners, listen carefully to the views of others and work together well on tasks and practical activities. However, these are not skills all pupils have mastered in spite of the perseverance of staff. A small number can lose concentration and do not work collaboratively without close adult

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

guidance.  Some parents and carers expressed some concerns about how effectively the school deals with bullying. This is partly because they are not aware the school’s anti-bullying policy and practices and have not been consulted over policy. However, pupils say bullying is rare and that any incidents are dealt with swiftly and the perpetrators required to reflect on the outcome of their actions. This is confirmed by school records.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 The dip in Year 6 results in 2012 galvanised school leaders to take action to improve teaching and the pupils’ achievement. Targets have been set high for pupils and teachers alike. They are rising to the challenge and as a result the school has seen a remarkable change in its performance.  The key to improving achievement in mathematics has been the identification of each teacher’s skills and providing individual training to meet their needs. Expertise from staff within and outside the school has provided guidance and training. This model has also been successful in improving teaching in general. Formal procedures for managing their performance have acted as a further catalyst for improving teaching quality.  Local authority support has been instrumental in reversing the brief decline in the school’s performance. This has led to more effective systems for evaluating performance and tangible improvement in teaching.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 Striving for equality of opportunity and not tolerating discrimination are at the heart of the school’s aims. Its success is seen in the closing of gaps in achievement between different pupil groups. The school has appropriately adjusted its spending plans to ensure the pupil premium is used fully to support eligible pupils.  The organisation and teaching of subjects meet pupils’ needs well and provide good opportunities for the development of their information and communication technology skills. The pupils’ experiences are greatly enriched by specialist teaching of physical education, the wide range of clubs and regular educational visits linked to work being undertaken in school.  The fruit of the school’s work on promoting its values is seen by the way pupils reflect on deeper issues. Pupils show their care and compassion for others by raising funds each year to sponsor the education of three children in Ghana and for other charities through their own enterprise.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 Parents and carers expressed their concerns about declining attainment at the start of the year to the headteacher and governors through a discussion forum. These concerns have diminished as teaching has improved and attainment risen. Well-attended workshops on mathematical games and e-safety have enabled parents and carers to better help their children at home and to keep them safe when using the internet.  The governance of the school:  Governors have challenged the headteacher and the school to raise their game following the disappointing 2012 test outcomes. They monitor the school’s performance carefully. The Chair of the Governing Body meets regularly with the headteacher and local authority representative to check on progress towards targets for improvement. Training, including understanding assessment data, complements individual governors’ expertise and enables them to understand the school’s strengths and where action is needed. They are aware of the success

p.6

The leadership and management are good

of action being taken to improve teaching and are challenging the headteacher to put in place systems to sustain this improvement into the future. They check the impact of spending decisions carefully and require the headteacher to use salary progression as an incentive for better teaching.

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 101318 Local authority Barnet Inspection number 413107

p.8

School details

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

p.8

School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 149 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Barbara Taylor Headteacher Steve Adams Date of previous school inspection 13 July 2009 Telephone number 020 8449 0989 Fax number 020 8440 8140 Email address office@monkenhadley.barnetmail.net 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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

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’.

p.9

School details

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

p.9