St Mary's CofE Primary School

St Mary's Church of England Primary School Church Lane, London, N8 7BU

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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 Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Senior leaders, governors and staff work closely together. They have maintained good teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1, and successfully ensured that the quality of teaching is good throughout the school. As a result, pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teaching makes a good impact on pupils’ learning and progress because teachers plan motivating lessons which pupils enjoy.  Additional adults are well directed and make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning.  Good behaviour and positive attitudes help pupils to learn effectively. They take pride in their work and are keen to do well.  Pupils develop a good knowledge of how to keep themselves safe, particularly when using information and communication technology, because the school places a strong emphasis on helping them to understand what to do to keep safe.  The school is improving because senior leaders

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and governors lead and manage the school well. They have high expectations of staff and pupils and are committed to making sure that the school continues to improve further.  Governors are knowledgeable and provide good support and challenge to leaders.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Occasionally, the most able pupils are set work that is too easy for them.  Pupils do not always respond to teachers’ marking, comments and suggestions on how to improve their work.  Leaders of subjects and key stages are not always sufficiently involved in further improving the quality of teaching in their areas of responsibility.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all year groups. They visited 30 teaching sessions, including 14 joint observations with the senior leaders.  Inspectors held discussions with groups of pupils, staff, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors listened to groups of pupils reading. They looked at work in pupils’ books and the school’s information showing pupils’ progress.  They looked at a range of documents provided by the school, including assessment information, minutes of meetings of the governing body, the school action plans, the self-evaluation report, records of the monitoring of lessons and information relating to teachers’ performance management and professional development. The school website and records relating to safeguarding were also checked.  The inspection took account of 78 responses to the Ofsted online survey (Parent View) and five

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Information about this inspection

letters received from parents. Inspectors also considered 33 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Madeleine Gerard, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Verna Plummer Additional Inspector John Mason Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 St Mary’s is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is above average.  Very few pupils are at an early stage of learning English.  The proportion of pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs and are supported through school action is above the national average. An average proportion is supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium (additional government funding for looked after children, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and the children of service families) is above the national average. There are currently a very few looked after children and no children of service families at the school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about this school

 Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in two Reception classes and one Nursery class, which children attend either part or full time.  There are two classes in each of Years 2 to 6, and three classes in Year 1.  The school was previously an infant school for pupils from Nursery to Year 2. In January 2013, it formally amalgamated with a neighbouring junior school to become a primary school for pupils from Nursery through to Year 6.  The school uses two sites that are a short distance apart from one another. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage, and pupils in Year 2 and two of the Year 1 classes are taught on one site. Pupils in the remaining Year 1 class and in Years 3 to 6 are taught on the other. There have been a number of changes in teaching staff in recent time. The school’s headteacher was previously the headteacher of the infant school.  The school organises and manages breakfast and after-school clubs on both school sites.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make sure expectations of what the most able pupils can achieve are always high in lessons.  Ensure leaders of subjects and phases play a full part in improving the quality of teaching within their areas of responsibility.  Ensure that pupils respond systematically to teachers’ feedback on their work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress from generally low starting points. All groups of pupils, including pupils from minority ethnic groups and those at the early stages of learning English, achieve well. Achievement is good and not outstanding because the most-able pupils are not always fully challenged in their learning to make even swifter progress to attain the highest levels in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Children typically enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are below those expected for their age. They make good progress as a result of good teaching, and by the end of the Reception Year most are closer to, although still below, the standards expected for their age.  Good progress continues in Key Stage 1 and, by the end of Year 2, pupils have caught up with average standards achieved nationally.  Although there is no assessment information about the progress pupils in Key Stage 2 made

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The achievement of pupils is good

before joining the school, the school’s records of their progress since joining the school, as well as pupils’ current work in exercise books, show rates of progress for all groups of pupils in reading, writing and mathematics in Years 3 to 6 are good.  Pupils in Year 6 in 2013 made particularly brisk progress during the time they were at the school. As a result, they reached standards in line with the national average in reading, writing and mathematics in national assessments at the end of Year 6.  The school uses the pupil premium effectively to fund a wide variety of support to close the gaps between pupils known to be eligible and the others. It provides one-to-one tuition and extra help in lessons, and enables the school to provide emotional support for pupils who need it to help them learn better.  In addition, the funding enables pupils to enjoy educational visits that extend their learning and

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The achievement of pupils is good

contributes to the cost of the breakfast club. Consequently, it helps pupils grow in confidence and to make similar good progress to that of their peers.  Leaders made sure eligible pupils in Year 6 benefited from the funding as soon as they joined the school so that they also made good progress. In national tests for Year 6 pupils who left the school in 2013, provisional results show eligible pupils were, on average, two terms behind their classmates in reading and writing and about four terms behind in mathematics. Nationally, the gaps are over two terms in each.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress, because they benefit from support and guidance tailored to their needs from teachers and additional adults.  Using the additional primary sports funding, the school has appointed a specialist sports teacher as part of its successful drive to increase the participation of all pupils in physical activities.

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The achievement of pupils is good

Pupils have positive attitudes to keeping fit and healthy, and enjoy their physical education lessons with the specialist teacher. They appreciate the improved sporting equipment that is available to them at break and lunchtimes which, together with the extra-curricular sporting clubs that the school organises for them, is enabling pupils to reach standards closer to those they are capable of.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils learn at a brisk pace and are motivated to work hard when teachers plan activities and projects that capture their interest, particularly in English and mathematics. For example, in an English lesson, pupils in Year 3 enjoyed writing about Roman gods and deciding which one they preferred. In discussions, older pupils commented on their increased enjoyment of their learning since joining the school because teachers make learning in lessons fun.  Children in Nursery and Reception classes quickly develop confidence in speaking and listening because the adults ask thought-provoking questions and introduce the children to new words in order to enrich their vocabulary and develop literacy and numeracy skills. Adults in the Nursery were observed encouraging children to use specific words correctly to describe two-dimensional mathematical shapes. Each week, parent volunteers and staff in Reception classes work with

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The quality of teaching is good

small groups of children, encouraging them to speak about the activities they are doing.  Children have frequent opportunities to develop writing skills, for example through practising using pencils for drawing, colouring and writing their names. Sharing books and stories and learning letters and sounds help children develop their early reading skills.  Teachers make clear what pupils will learn during lessons and encourage them to check for themselves how successful they have been in making progress. This helps pupils to concentrate in lessons.  The part additional adults play in lessons is carefully planned to make sure they contribute well to the good achievement of the pupils they support. This assists disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, as well as those known to be eligible for the pupil premium funding, to make good progress.  In a few lessons, the pace of learning for the most able pupils slows when they are expected to

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The quality of teaching is good

complete the same work as the others and it is too easy for them. This is why teaching and pupils’ achievement are not yet outstanding.  Regular marking and feedback from teachers make clear what pupils do well and what they might do to improve their work. Pupils do not always learn quickly from the advice and guidance teachers give when they do not respond to teachers’ written comments and suggestions.  The staff consistently model respect and courtesy, promoting good relationships. Pupils’ social skills are fostered well. In another English lesson, pupils in Year 6 collaborated successfully to write a detailed sales pitch for a healthy fruit drink that they had designed together and made in a previous lesson.  Pupils are enthusiastic about the outings and visits that the school organises, including a residential trip to an activity centre for pupils in Year 6.  After-school and breakfast clubs are popular. Staff make sure they provide a safe and sociable

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The quality of teaching is good

start and end to the day for those pupils who attend.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They are keen to learn and get on with their work quickly. They respond readily to established routines and listen promptly when teachers ask for their attention so that time is not wasted, for example when teachers need to explain their next task. Occasionally, when the work is not tailored as well to pupils’ interests, their attention wanders but they rarely disrupt learning.  Adults are positive role models and make their expectations of good behaviour very clear. Pupils are polite, friendly and welcoming and are keen to be rewarded for good manners and courtesy. Pupils occasionally need to be reminded of the behaviour that is expected at break time.  Children in Nursery and Reception classes also conduct themselves well. They share resources and equipment, take turns and respect the routines that the staff have established.  Pupils are confident that bullying of any form is rare, as school records show. They say there is

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

some teasing and name calling, but they are sure that the trained pupil peer mediators will help them to resolve any problems and know that they can also get help from staff if problems persist.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good and they have a good awareness of how to keep themselves safe from harm. Discussions in assembly, advice on how to avoid risks and keep safe when using information and communication technology, and learning how to cross the road all help pupils develop a good awareness of safety precautions.  The school promotes regular attendance through weekly awards for the class with the best attendance and certificates for pupils who attend school every day each term. Attendance rates are average overall.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s senior leaders and governors have worked successfully to maintain good quality teaching and achievement, and good behaviour while the school has grown in size to include pupils in Years 3 to 6. They have worked with determination to make sure that all pupils, including those who have recently joined the school in Key Stage 2, benefit from good teaching and achieve well. As a result, the school continues to give a good standard of education and demonstrates capacity to improve further.  The headteacher provides purposeful leadership. Her ambition to drive further improvements to teaching quality and pupils’ behaviour is shared by senior leaders, staff and governors. They work closely together as a cohesive team. Staff have received well-selected training to help ensure a consistency of approach in key aspects of the school’s work, and any underperformance has been tackled decisively. In the questionnaire for staff, those who

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The leadership and management are good

responded were very positive about the school.  The good progress that all pupils make shows that leaders are committed to providing equality of opportunity and tackling discrimination. They keep a close and accurate track of how well each individual and each group of pupils are achieving. Any pupils identified as at risk of falling behind receive additional help quickly to enable them to catch up.  Regular monitoring of teaching quality and accurate self-assessment ensure that senior leaders identify the most appropriate priorities for improvement and select suitable actions to steer rapid improvements. Leaders of subjects and phases are involved in monitoring aspects of the school’s work, but are not playing as full a part in securing further improvements to teaching quality and pupils’ achievement within their areas of responsibility.  The school provides an interesting and varied curriculum that is well supported by visits,

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The leadership and management are good

additional activities and clubs.  Parents are often involved in their children’s education, for example through the weekly ‘big talk’ topics for discussion in assemblies. Parents are encouraged to talk about and reflect on these with their children at home.  Activities to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are well organised and well promoted.  The local authority works closely with the school’s leaders and governors in order to ensure that the quality of teaching and pupils’ academic achievement are consistently strong throughout the school.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is effective and knowledgeable. Governors use their different areas of expertise to support the school. They understand the school’s performance data and the quality of teaching and are well informed about how any underperformance has been addressed. They provide challenge to school leaders, exploring issues in detail, and are

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The leadership and management are good

ambitious to see the school improve further. Through performance management, they make sure there is a link between teaching quality and salary. Governors make sure they take advantage of training provided by the local authority to develop their skills in order to keep up with developments in education and fulfil their roles. They are effective in their deployment of the school’s finances, including the pupil premium and sports funding. Governors make sure that safeguarding meets statutory requirements and make regular checks on the maintenance of the school’s grounds, buildings and resources.

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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 102139 Local authority Haringey Inspection number 421126

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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 480 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mark Jameson Headteacher Fran Hargrove Date of previous school inspection 2–3 November 2011 Telephone number 0208 3404898 Fax number 0208 3417284 Email address admin@stmarysn8.co.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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