St Andrew's Southgate Primary School (CE)

St Andrew's Southgate Primary School (C of E) 297 Chase Road, Southgate, London, N14 6JA

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because:

 Achievement requires improvement because pupils’ progress is inconsistent across the school and between subjects.  Pupils do less well in reading and writing than in mathematics. They do not have a deep understanding of what they are reading and in writing they make avoidable errors in spelling. Their handwriting is not always tidy enough.  Pupils have too few chances to write at length in subjects other than literacy and the quality of this writing is not consistent. Pupils are not routinely expected to check their writing thoroughly.  Teaching requires improvement because teachers do not consistently give pupils, especially the more able, hard enough work or purposeful tasks that move learning forward quickly.  Teachers do not always make best use of teaching assistants during whole-class discussions or give the right length of time for pupils to complete their work well.  Leadership and management require

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because:

improvement because leaders, including governors, are not making sure that all teaching is good or better so that pupils learn quickly.

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The school has the following strengths:

 Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress because they are given timely and well- focused support.  Pupils feel safe and behave well. They enjoy school and help each other to learn and play sensibly.  Leaders know what they need to do to make the school good and as a result the school is improving steadily.  Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength and helps pupils to become considerate and caring.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed 18 lessons, 12 jointly with the headteacher or deputy headteacher.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, teachers, pupils, members of the governing body and representatives from the local authority and diocese.  The inspectors took into account 43 responses to the online Parent View survey and held informal discussions with a random sample of parents and carers.  The inspection team considered the views expressed in survey responses from 21 members of staff.  A range of information supplied by the school was scrutinised, including the school’s own information about how well pupils are doing, planning documents, checks on the quality of teaching, the school development plan, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and safeguarding documents.

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Inspection team

Alison Cartlidge, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Matthew Klimcke Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a broadly average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support from pupil premium funding (additional money provided by the government for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those looked after by the local authority and the children of service families) is below average.  The proportion of pupils on the register of special educational needs at school action is low and the proportion at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is broadly average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The breakfast and after-school clubs are privately run and did not form part of this inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure teaching is consistently good or outstanding, by:  making sure that pupils, especially the more able, are provided with enough challenge to raise their levels of achievement  ensuring that the work pupils are set is purposeful and leads to quick learning  making better use of teaching assistants during whole-class discussions  giving pupils appropriate periods of time to complete their work well.  Increase the rate of pupils’ progress, especially in English, by:  developing pupils’ understanding of what they read  improving spelling so that pupils do not make avoidable errors  making sure that pupils’ handwriting is consistently tidy  ensuring that pupils check their work for mistakes  extending opportunities for pupils to write at length and at a consistent standard across subjects.  Make sure that all leaders check teaching and learning more rigorously so that it leads to rapid and sustained improvement across the school in all subjects.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Attainment on entry to the Reception class varies. In most years, the large majority of children are working within the levels typical for their age, although attainment is lower this year. The children’s progress requires improvement because their literacy lags behind their numeracy and opportunities are missed for them to be fully extended in this subject. Reception children understand school routines well and enjoy learning.  Attainment by the end of Year 6 is above average, but achievement requires improvement because pupils’ progress is uneven across the school and between subjects. Progress is more consistent in mathematics than in reading and writing.  In reading, pupils use their knowledge of sounds and letters well. As one pupil in Year 2 said, ‘I use my sounds to help me to read.’ However, pupils do not always have an in depth understanding of what they are reading so they can explain its meaning beyond the obvious.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In writing, pupils do not take enough care with their handwriting and make frequent careless errors in their spelling. The quality of their written work in subjects other than literacy does not reflect the skills they have learned.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress because work is well suited to their needs and they receive skilful support in lessons from teachers and teaching assistants.  More-able pupils are not consistently given suitably challenging work and consequently their progress requires improvement.  The attainment gap of the small number of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding is closing. The attainment gap has closed in some year groups but their progress remains uneven across the school.  Physical education lessons and well-attended clubs such as football and gymnastics support pupils’ healthy lifestyles and well-being, and enable them to reach the physical levels of which

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

they are capable. For example, during the inspection, pupils in Years 1 and 5 enjoyed extending their skills in gymnastics.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching is developing, but still requires improvement because, while there are examples of good teaching across the school, in too many lessons work is not challenging enough, especially for the more-able pupils.  It is not the pupils’ behaviour that prevents them from learning quickly. Learning slows when pupils are working on tasks that keep them busy rather than move their knowledge and skills forward quickly, or when teachers do not provide something different when pupils are tiring of an activity or are ready for something more difficult.  Good relationships between members of staff and the pupils ensure that pupils behave well and the use of interesting resources captures their interest and makes them keen to learn. For example, in Year 2, pupils took delight in playing ‘Simon Says’ when learning mathematical directions, and in Year 6, pupils enjoyed making spiral patterns with a centre of rotation.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution towards supporting pupils when they are working with small groups, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. Their time is not always used well enough during whole-class discussions, when they are often expected to sit with the pupils rather than support learning.  Teachers frequently mark pupils’ work, although it is not consistently leading to pupils improving their work quickly enough. In particular, pupils continue to make the same avoidable spelling errors in their writing and their handwriting is often untidy.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils enjoy school and their good attitudes towards learning are evident in their above average rates of attendance and good punctuality.  Pupils and members of staff are pleased with behaviour at the school and most parents and carers who responded to the Parent View online questionnaire agree that behaviour at the school is good.  Pupils say that they feel safe at school and they know how to stay safe, including when using the internet. They know what to do if they have a worry and are happy that the rare unpleasant incidents that occur are dealt with swiftly by members of staff.  The school tackles discrimination robustly and promotes equal opportunities well. This shows in the social and cultural development of the pupils. Consequently, pupils from varying backgrounds work and play together harmoniously. For example, in Year 4, pupils were keen to work with their talk partners when discussing how to insulate a flask of water and older pupils

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

enjoyed the responsibility of being playground ‘games makers’.  Pupils mirror the polite and friendly manners of the staff. Occasionally, pupils become quietly inattentive when their work is insufficiently stimulating. Their learning slows because they have not been given the right work, rather than them not being willing and keen learners.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 Changes made by leaders following the last inspection are starting to have a positive impact on teaching and learning, showing that leaders have the capacity to improve. The rate of improvement is not fast enough or sustained to ensure that teaching and learning are consistently good or better across the school and in all subjects.  Senior leaders and governors have a renewed drive to make the school good and a clear understanding of the steps needed to reach this goal. Middle leaders have received training and have a greater awareness of what needs to be done in the subjects they manage. All members of staff share the vision for improving the school.  The school has developed a wealth of information to show how well pupils are doing and is using this to challenge and support teachers in their work, leading to a steady improvement in teaching. Training and support are provided to help iron out weaknesses in teaching. Guidance

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The leadership and management require improvement

for teachers on how to improve is provided following most lesson observations, although at times this lacks clarity.  The curriculum is broad and varied but is not consistently challenging for all learners. Provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school and a key factor in supporting pupils’ good attitudes. Pupils are given clear guidance on how to be considerate and caring individuals. Close links with the church help pupils to become reflective and to respect the needs of others.  Safeguarding arrangements meet requirements. Members of staff are checked for suitability and are trained in caring for the pupils’ safety.  The local authority and diocese work together to provide the right level of support for this school that requires improvement but is moving forward steadily.  Most parents and carers would recommend the school and are especially positive that their

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The leadership and management require improvement

children feel safe and are happy at school. They typically make comments such as, ‘Teachers are really friendly’ and ‘I’m pleased with the extra help for special educational needs.’  Funding is being used appropriately to support the pupils eligible for the pupil premium. One-to- one support and financial support for visits is currently having a positive impact on the learning of some, but not all of these pupils.  The new funding to improve physical education is being put to good use. Staff training, expert teaching in gymnastics and additional clubs for the pupils are helping them to reach the physical levels of which they are capable. Pupils enjoy taking part in physical activity as seen in gymnastics lessons during the inspection.  The governance of the school:  Governance has developed well since the last inspection. Governors are well informed, understand how well the school compares with others and know that teaching is not

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The leadership and management require improvement

consistently good. They know the ways in which the school checks on how well teachers are doing and how this will result in good teaching being rewarded and weaker teaching being tackled. Recent external training and support have increased the level of challenge provided by governors and responsibilities are fully understood, making it unnecessary for governors to have a formal external review of their work.

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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 102030 Local authority Enfield Inspection number 425540

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 210 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Chris Binns Headteacher Louise Whitaker Date of previous school inspection 22–23 November 2011 Telephone number 020 8886 3379 Fax number 020 8886 1231 Email address office@st-andrews-southgate.enfield.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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