Goodwyn School

School report Goodwyn School Hammers Lane, Mill Hill, London, NW7 4DB

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Overall effectiveness Good 2

Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

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This is a good school because

 All pupils are extremely happy, enjoy school very much and achieve well in all subjects, including reading, writing and mathematics, because they are taught well.  Pupils behave well and grow into well-rounded individuals who have a strong work ethic. They are successful in gaining places at schools of their choice.  The leadership and management of the school are good. They have ensured that the teaching and achievement are good.  The school has rigorous safeguarding procedures. Pupils confirm that they feel safe at school.  Parents and carers hold the school in high regard, especially the Principal who has been at the school for many years.  Provision for Early Years is good.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There are no regular formal procedures for monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching.  Information and communication technology (ICT), especially computers, is not used sufficiently in lessons.  Although pupils receive lots of verbal praise and feedback, marking in their books does not consistently help them to improve their work or consider their next steps; and their learning targets are insufficiently precise.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 The school meets schedule 1 of The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010, as amended by The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was undertaken with one day’s notice.  The inspectors observed 17 lessons or parts of lessons, most of which were joint observations with senior staff.  Meetings were held with the school's leaders, teaching staff and pupils. A range of documentation was examined, including policies, assessment records, the curriculum and teachers’ plans. The inspectors heard pupils read and looked at their written and other work. The inspectors observed them at break times and ate lunch with them.  The views expressed by 32 members of staff through survey questionnaires were considered.  There were 14 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View survey. Many parents and carers spoke to inspectors.

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Inspection team

Jill Bainton, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Goodwyn School is a non-selective independent primary school for boys and girls aged three to 11 years of age. It is registered for 230 pupils. There are 222 pupils on roll, including 36 who attend part time. Most live in the Barnet area and represent a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. The school opened in 1938 and moved to its present premises in 1946.  The school supports a very small number of pupils with a statement of special educational needs.  The school uses an adjacent sports field and sports centre.  Pupils transfer to a number of state or independent schools at the end of Years 2 or 6.  There have been several changes in staffing since the last inspection, including a new head of curriculum and assessment and a new leader of Early Years.  The school aims to ‘combine traditional values with quality learning experiences within a caring, supportive environment’.  The school was last inspected in October 2008 with a ‘light touch’ inspection, when it met all the

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen leadership and management by implementing more monitoring and evaluation of the quality of teaching.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching by: ensuring that pupils’ targets are sufficiently focused to help them know how to improve their work ensuring that teachers’ marking clearly and consistenly shows how pupils can improve their work increasing the use of ICT in lessons ensuring that all activities closely match the learning needs of the pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leadership and management are good. Leaders ensure that teaching and learning are good, which helps the pupils to achieve well.  The senior leadership team, along with middle leaders, has devised a school development plan based on accurate evaluation of the school’s effectiveness. They rightly identify that the school’s marking and feedback systems need to be more consistent and pupils need to be more aware of their targets in order to improve their work.  A staff appraisal system includes an annual review of individuals’ performance and is used to determine the personal and professional needs of staff. However, the monitoring of teaching is not yet sufficiently rigorous to raise the quality of teaching to the highest level. Staff questionnaire responses indicate that they are highly positive about the school and proud to be a member of the staff.  Leaders have ensured that the curriculum supports pupils’ good achievement. Pupils are very well

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The leadership and management are good

prepared to take the entrance examinations for the next stage of their education and all have gained places at a school of their choice.  The pupils have the opportunity for many extra-curricular visits to places of interest including galleries and museums. Older pupils have residential visits to York and an outdoor activity centre, which older pupils confirm are great fun.  Parents and carers receive the required information through the website, school prospectus and parent handbook. The premises provide a safe and effective teaching environment. The complaints procedure fully meets requirements.  The governance of the school: The proprietor, who is also the school’s Principal, takes a very active role in the governance of the school. He knows the strengths and weaknesses of the school and what needs to be done to bring about further improvement. The senior management team works in very close liaison with the

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The leadership and management are good

Principal. The proprietor ensures that all the regulations for independent schools are met.

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Behaviour

 Pupils’ behaviour is usually good and often exemplary, both in lessons and around the school. Pupils have positive attitudes towards learning, are very enthusiastic about all aspects of their school life and apply themselves to tasks well. They become self-confident and display high self-esteem. They have a strong work ethic, as shown by their very high attendance. However, learning and engagement dip slightly when learning activities, including the introduction to lessons, are too easy or too difficult for some pupils.  Goodwyn School is long-established and has a warm, welcoming, supportive atmosphere and an ethos that pervades all aspects of school life. Many pupils said during the inspection that they enjoy their school life and the older pupils said they did not want to leave the school. Older pupils hold many posts of responsibility with great pride. Relationships between adults and pupils and between the pupils

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Behaviour

themselves are very good.  Staff ensure that provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is of a high standard. As a result pupils have a very good understanding of democratic values, public and civic responsibilities and British institutions. For example, pupils learn about how democracy works through visits outside school. Regular assemblies, which include hymns, prayers and moral stories, give pupils time for reflection. The weekly whole-school assembly is celebratory, with pupils given awards for both activities in and outside school.  Pupils have a well-developed understanding of cultural and religious diversity and are respectful of others from different backgrounds. Racial harmony is effectively promoted. The curriculum provides pupils with an increasing knowledge of different beliefs and ways of life through the very good personal, social, health and citizenship programme and the ethos of the school.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is very good. Detailed risk assessments are carried out both for activities in school and visits outside school. Pupils affirmed that the school is a safe place, as did the parents and carers.  All staff have been checked for their suitability to work with young people and the school has rigorous appointment procedures which are accurately recorded on the required single central register. There are thorough procedures for staff to be trained to the appropriate levels to ensure that all pupils are safeguarded. The safeguarding policy meets the latest guidance from the Department for Education.  Pupils believe that bullying in any form very rarely occurs and that they are free from harassment. They all mix very well at break and lunchtimes. Lunch is a relaxed occasion with pupils sitting chatting to their friends, eating the wholesome lunch cooked on the premises.

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Safety

 The school does not promote any partisan political views and ensures that any controversial issues are addressed in a balanced way.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good teaching captures pupils’ interest and helps them to achieve well. Pupils confirm that they enjoy their lessons and find learning fun. Teachers know the pupils very well and plan activities that encourage them to learn. For example, pupils were observed working in groups and pairs and they said they learn well in this way. For example, during an English lesson older pupils working in groups considered the role of the characters in a novel and enthusiastically discussed their good and bad features.  There are very good relationships between teachers and pupils. This was also commented upon by parents and carers, some of whom attended Goodwyn School themselves as pupils.  Pupils mostly respond well in lessons, are motivated and interested in their learning and eagerly answer questions posed by staff. Teachers use questioning well to encourage pupils to think carefully, to build upon previous learning and to extend their skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils are assessed carefully when they enter the school to find out what they know and can do. This process supports teachers in providing work at the correct level for each pupil. On occasion, however, pupils are given tasks which are either too easy or too difficult.  The school tracks pupils’ progress carefully. This information is also used to identify any pupils in need of further help. Pupils are given targets to work towards in English and mathematics but some of these are insufficiently specific to be useful to pupils in improving their learning over time.  Most teachers mark pupils’ work frequently and write encouraging comments to acknowledge their achievements. In response to a revised school policy, there is now better use of marking to show pupils how their work can be improved, but this is not yet consistent. This means the marking does not have as much impact as it could do in helping the pupils to make better progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. Classrooms are well resourced. Pupils have access to a good range of appropriate materials and learning aids to help them learn effectively. However provision for ICT, including computers, is not used sufficiently in lessons to aid learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress through the school. This is shown in the quality of work in their books, observations of their learning in lessons and through the school’s own information about each pupil.  Parents and carers strongly agree that their children make good progress at Goodwyn School. Pupils’ attitudes to learning support their achievement very well; many have inquisitive minds and they are good at tackling problems.  More-able pupils are sufficiently challenged to reach their potential through the planned activities.  The pupils’ work shows that they make good progress in developing their writing skills as well as their speaking and listening skills. Pupils read well and develop as confident speakers, as shown by their recitation of poems in assembly.  Their mathematical skills are developed well. For example, in a Year 6 mathematics lesson on angles, pupils learned how to measure the angles using protractors, but discussed among themselves how they

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The achievement of pupils is good

could calculate the angles in other ways.  Pupils make good progress in a range of creative subjects, particularly music. Every pupil learns the recorder and they participate in school concerts and performances for various groups in the local community.  Pupils with special educational needs, including those with a statement of special educational needs, make good progress. Specialist staff give them work which is suited to their ability and supports their learning well.

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The early years provision is good

 All groups of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage achieve well because expectations are high, support is effective and opportunities for learning are interesting and engaging.  Children start in the Nursery or Reception class (lower kindergarten) with knowledge, skills and experience just above the levels typical for this age. They all progress well and the proportion who reach a good level of development by the end of the Reception classes is high.  Children progress well in all areas of learning, although opportunities for them to use ICT, especially computers, are fairly limited. There is a good balance between adult-led activities and those which children initiate themselves, particularly in the afternoons when children are able to move around all the Early Years Foundation Stage classes.  Relationships and teamwork are strong. Children develop responsibility, resilience and perseverance in

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The early years provision is good

their work and care of resources.  Staff assess children’s progress and skills frequently and carefully. They use their accurate understanding of each child effectively to provide suitable activities and support. For example, having assessed that some children’s imagination in role play was not as developed as other areas, this was a focus of activity that included helping the children to make a pizza restaurant.  Children who may need additional help are welcomed and supported well. Those who learn more quickly or easily are challenged and extended.  On occasion, when whole-class introductions or explanations are too difficult or easy for them, the progress of a few children from all groups dips slightly.  The early years provision is well led and managed.  Children are safe and well looked after because staff are well trained, skilful and well aware of individual needs and development. Partnerships with parents and carers are strong. They are very positive about

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The early years provision is good

the school and greatly appreciate the way staff welcome, know and value them and their children.

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Grade Judgement

Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Requires improvement Grade 4 Inadequate

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Grade Judgement

Detailed grade characteristics can be viewed in the Non-association independent school inspection handbook which is published on the Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/140053 .

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School details

Unique reference number 101378 Inspection number 443491 DfE registration number 302/6064 This inspection was carried out under section 162A of the Education Act 2002, as inserted by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school. Type of school Preparatory School status Independent school Age range of pupils 3–11 years Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 222 Number of part time pupils 36 Proprietor Struan Robertson Principal Struan Robertson Date of previous school inspection 14 October 2008 Annual fees (day pupils) £4,566 – £9,630 Telephone number 020 8959 3756 Email address admin@goodwyn.barnet.sch.uk guidance 'Complaining about inspections', 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

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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.

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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

inspects to 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,

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School details

please 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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