St Paul's CofE Primary School N11

School report St Paul’s Church of England Primary School The Avenue, Friern Barnet, London, N11 1NQ

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.  Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage and make good progress across the school.  Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. This helps them to make good and sometimes outstanding progress, particularly in reading.  Pupils enjoy reading and by the time they get to the end of Key Stage 2, their skills in reading and mathematics are above average.  Pupils behave well and feel safe. They enjoy school because they say that ‘everyone gets along’ and teachers ‘help them to learn’.  Pupils are effectively encouraged to ‘Be the best they can be’, and have excellent opportunities to visit places of educational interest and to learn from inspiring visitors.  Leaders’ monitoring of teaching is effective and has led to accurate identification of best practice, which is being shared. This is starting to improve achievement in Year 1 and strengthen teaching in Reception.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders’ self-evaluation of school performance is thorough and identifies accurately some key priorities for school improvement.  The headteacher and the deputy headteacher are well supported by staff who value working at the school.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual and moral development well; pupils have good opportunities to work together, participate in sport, music and art and to develop their cultural understanding.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers do not always move pupils’ learning on quickly or reinforce learning for pupils in lessons. Pupils do not often have an opportunity to act upon the advice given in marked work.  The most able pupils are not always challenged to reach the highest levels.  Some disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, a few of whom are supported through pupil premium funding or speak English as an additional language, make slow progress.  Targets for progress across Key Stage 1 are not always challenging. Monitoring of the way teachers help pupils to apply their knowledge of sounds and letters is not sufficiently rigorous.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in 19 lessons or part lessons in all of the school’s classes. Some of these observations were conducted jointly with senior leaders.  Meetings were held with pupils, leaders and managers, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors held informal discussions with parents. They also took account of 26 responses to the Parent View online survey, the school’s own questionnaire responses from 101 parents and 22 questionnaire responses from staff.  They looked at pupils’ work in lessons and also separately with senior leaders. Inspectors heard pupils reading and observed them in class and around the school.  A wide range of school documentation was considered. This included: information provided by the school relating to the attainment and progress of pupils; the performance management of staff; evidence of checks on teaching by the school; external evaluations of the school; the

p.2

Information about this inspection

school’s website; the school’s action plan; minutes from governing body meetings; the school’s self-evaluation; and behaviour records and safeguarding information.

p.2

Inspection team

Najoud Ensaff, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Sue Cox Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 St Paul’s Church of England Primary School is slightly smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Pupils come from a wide range of backgrounds. The largest groups are White British, other White pupils and those from Black African backgrounds. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is broadly average and the number supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium, which is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those in the care of the local authority or those with a parent in the armed services, has risen in recent years and is just below average. In this school, this funding applies to pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.

p.3

Information about this school

 The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  There has been a change to the Chair of the Governing Body and other members of the governing body since the previous inspection, and a few changes to teaching staff.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching, so that progress accelerates for all groups by ensuring that  teachers always move pupils’ learning on at an appropriate pace and reinforce learning in lessons to help pupils who have not understood material well  the most able pupils are always challenged to reach the highest levels and those with additional learning needs are always well supported in lessons  pupils are given more opportunities to act upon the advice given in marked work and make the necessary improvements .

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise leadership and management to outstanding by ensuring that:  targets for progress across Key Stage 1 are always challenging so that pupils’ attainment at the end of this key stage rises.  leaders monitor more closely the way in which teachers help pupils to apply their knowledge of sounds and letters.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter Reception with a range of skills. A sizeable number enter with skills which are below those typically found in communication, and occasionally personal and social development. They get off to a good start, and usually enter Year 1 with skills which are broadly in line with those expected. In 2013, the proportion who achieved a good level of development by the end of Reception was broadly average, and the number on track to reach a good level of development when they leave Reception this year is above average.  Pupils make good progress during their time at the school, typically leaving at the end of Year 6 with attainment which is above average in reading and mathematics and broadly in line for writing. In 2012, Year 6 pupils made outstanding progress in reading across Key Stage 2 with a high number attaining Level 5 in reading in 2012, and an above average number of boys and significantly above average number of girls attaining Level 5 in reading in 2013.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 Although progress in Key Stage 1 classes is less strong than across Key Stage 2, particularly in writing by the time pupils get to Key Stage 2, their attainment is above average in reading and mathematics across all classes. The proportion of pupils in Year 6 who are on track to have made expected and above expected progress in English and mathematics across Key Stage 2 is above average.  Key Stage 1 pupils’ scores in the national check for linking sounds and letters (phonics) were better than others nationally in 2012 but dipped in 2013. Inspectors found that pupils’ skills in linking letters and sounds are improving but that pupils do not always get enough opportunity to practise applying these skills.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs generally make similar progress to their peers, often reaching standards which are better than similar pupils nationally. In 2012, the very

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

few pupils with a statement of special educational needs made outstanding progress across Key Stage 2. However, in 2013 their progress was broadly average and for the very few individual pupils with severe learning needs was well below that of similar pupils. Current school progress information indicates that a small number of pupils supported through school action and school action plus do not always make as much progress as they should. This is because they are not always well supported in lessons so they do not understand clearly enough what they are learning.  The high proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language generally make progress which is at least similar to and often better than that of their peers. Very occasionally they make less progress, but their attainment in comparison to similar pupils nationally is higher.  Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds generally make similar progress to others; very

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

occasionally a few of these pupils make less progress because they have additional learning needs which are not always well supported in lessons.  Most pupils supported through the pupil premium make good progress so that by the time they reach the end of Key Stage 2, the gaps in attainment between them and their peers have narrowed in English and mathematics to less than half a term. Occasionally, a few make slower progress than this so that they lag behind their peers by up to two terms, particularly in writing.  More able pupils generally make good progress so that they reach the higher levels in reading and usually mathematics, but occasionally they do not make as much progress as possible in writing, because the pace of learning is not always right and they are not always challenged in their learning in lessons.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 As a result of pupils’ positive attitudes to learning and good teaching over time, the vast majority make good progress across the school. They behave well in lessons and enjoy their learning.  Teachers create a positive climate for learning with pupils’ work well celebrated, and positive working relationships between pupils and staff established.  Much teaching considers pupils’ needs and abilities appropriately and provides pupils with good opportunities to work at the right level. Learning moves at the right pace, and pupils’ progress in most lessons is good. Teachers and additional adults make the purpose of learning clear and support pupils effectively.  Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly. Pupils reported positively on the way that teachers help them to learn. However, pupils are not often given an opportunity to act upon comments in marked work and so bring about the necessary improvements, so their progress is not yet

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

outstanding.  Teachers and other adults support pupils’ different needs and abilities well. For example, in a Year 4 science lesson related to insulators and conductors, pupils developed their understanding well as a result of effective teaching.  Occasionally, where teachers do not communicate clearly or where pupils are not well supported or challenged, the pace of learning slows for them.  Teachers promote pupils’ spiritual, physical, social and moral development well.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and take pride in their work. The positive impact of a new school initiative to ‘Be the best you can be’ is evident in pupils’ clear focus in lessons.  Pupils say that they enjoy attending school because they learn new things, ‘people get along well’ and because teachers are ‘kind and helpful’.  They report that behaviour is typically good in lessons and around school, and responses from parents and staff confirm that this good behaviour is usual for pupils.  The school's work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils have an insightful understanding of different forms of bullying including verbal, physical, cyber and racist bullying and they report that bullying is rare. School records of bullying confirm that incidents are rare and well handled by the school.  Pupils say that they feel safe at school because teachers supervise them, the site is secure and

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

there are trustworthy people they can talk to if needed. They know how to keep themselves safe when travelling to school, cycling and when using the internet. Visits by the police and information about ‘ChildLine’ have helped pupils to understand how to keep themselves safe outside of school.  Pupils’ attendance is above average and there have been no permanent exclusions of pupils in the past few years. Staff know pupils well and keep a close eye on their behaviour through weekly discussions, although formal written logs of behaviour are only just starting.  The vast majority of pupils are friendly and polite, and the school is a caring community. Behaviour is not yet outstanding because in lessons where teaching is less strong, pupils do not always behave as well as possible, occasionally losing attention in lessons and chatting.  Although a few parents who responded to the online Parent View survey indicated that bullying

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

is not always effectively dealt with, school records show that where incidents are reported they are followed up effectively. All parents who responded to the online Parent View survey and who were spoken to indicated their children are happy at the school and feel safe.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and the deputy headteacher lead the school well so that previous good standards of education and the good overall effectiveness seen in the previous inspection have been maintained. They have the confidence of staff, who value working at the school.  Leaders’ evaluations of school performance are rigorous and accurate with appropriate and relevant key priorities identified. These are used effectively to inform the school’s action plans. Relevant training on the teaching of spelling, grammar and mathematics are helping the school to move forward.  Middle leaders’ skills have improved since the previous inspection, as a result of appropriate training and involvement in lesson observations so that they are more aware of the quality of teaching in the school.  Light touch support from the local authority has helped the school to look carefully at how evaluations for teaching are made and to use a range of evidence when making judgements.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 The school provides a broad and balanced range of subjects, which are well planned. Pupils are given many opportunities to participate in extra-curricular clubs, interesting educational visits, acts of worship and residential trips which pupils appreciate. These, alongside links with other schools, outside agencies and the local community, enhance pupils’ experience and enjoyment and promote their spiritual, moral, social and physical development well.  There are good systems in place to monitor pupils’ progress and attainment, and they have ensured that by the time pupils reach the end of Year 6, they have made good and sometimes outstanding progress.  Leaders monitor teaching well, accurately identifying strengths and areas for development, and sharing best practice. This has helped to improve achievement in Key Stage 1 this term, and to maintain the good quality of teaching seen in the previous inspection.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 Leaders recognise relative weaknesses in the teaching of phonics and have rightly identified the need to look more closely at the way in which teachers help pupils to apply their knowledge of sounds and letters.  While targets for progress across Key Stage 2 are challenging and have ensured that standards at the end of Year 6 are above average in reading and mathematics, targets for progress across Key Stage 1 have not yet raised attainment at the end of this key stage to consistently above average.  Leaders use the sports funding in an innovative way not only to provide high quality training for teachers and resources for the school, but also inspire pupils with visits from professional sports men and women. This is to encourage greater participation and enthusiasm for sport. Pupils have spoken excitedly about this initiative.  The school is a friendly and caring community. While there are a few differences in the

p.6

The leadership and management are good

achievement of a very small number of pupils and their peers, equality of opportunity is well promoted. As a church school, the school values every child and discrimination is not tolerated.  There are strong partnerships with the local parish and the local community. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and special educational needs coordinator have supported other schools in developing their practice. Parents are positive about their experiences at the school and almost all would recommend it to others.  The governance of the school:  The governing body supports and challenges the school well. Governors are actively involved in the work of the school and recent additions to the governing body have enhanced its skill set.  Governors have a clear understanding of how well the school is doing in comparison with others in the country and an accurate view of the quality of teaching in the school, its

p.6

The leadership and management are good

strengths and key priorities. They ask searching questions of the school, for example, about the achievement of pupils in writing and the impact of support provided to pupils as a result of the pupil premium.  The governing body oversees the school’s finances well and has clear oversight of performance management of staff and of any rewards for good teaching.  It ensures that safeguarding meets requirements and appropriate training has been undertaken.

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 101325 Local authority Barnet Inspection number 431268

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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 240 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Chris Leach Headteacher Patricia West Date of previous school inspection 10  11 March 2009 Telephone number 020 8368 4839 Fax number 020 8361 4240

p.8

Email address

office@stpaulsn11.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

Email address

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

Email address

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

Email address

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

Email address

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

Email address

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

p.9