Coldfall Primary School

Coldfall Primary School Coldfall Avenue, Muswell Hill, N10 1HS

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Early years provision Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher is an outstanding leader who models exemplary practice for her team. This creates a school environment where all staff feel empowered to function at an optimum level.  Leaders and managers work relentlessly to ensure that the school community is cohesive and high performing.  Rigorous training and development programmes ensure that teachers and their assistants are highly skilled and plan lessons which are exciting and challenging.  As a result of outstanding teaching and exciting activities, children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make excellent progress in Nursery and Reception.  Pupils who receive additional funding and those who speak English as an additional language achieve high levels in speaking, reading, writing and mathematics. This is the same for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs.  Consistently high expectations lead to the most able pupils gaining exceptional knowledge in

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

speaking, reading, writing and mathematics.  Attainment is consistently high. There are no gaps in achievement between groups of pupils.  The behaviour of pupils across the school is impeccable. They respect each other, their teachers and visitors. Pupils say they feel extremely safe and happy.  Pupils are active learners during their lessons. They are eager and confident to build on their progress.  Parents and carers work closely with the school and regularly contribute their views. They are happy with pupils’ behaviour and the rate of progress their children make.  Pupils’ experience of school is very rich and inspiring because of the wide range of subjects they study. As a result they have a keen understanding of the world they live in.  The strong promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development leads to a caring, tolerant atmosphere for all members of the school and local community.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Governors have a superb understanding of the school’s strengths. They use their expertise well to challenge and support senior leaders, and to ensure pupils and staff feel safe and secure.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in 43 parts of lessons that differed in length. All members of the leadership team took part in joint observations.  Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes were observed in lessons, assemblies, playtimes, when they moved around the school and during lunchtime.  Pupils from different age groups spoke about their perceptions of the school. Some pupils from Years 2 to 5 read to inspectors. Pupils’ current and previous work in literacy and mathematics was scrutinised.  Meetings were held with staff, governors and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of 185 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, as well as responses from parent questionnaires provided by the school. Members of the inspection team also spoke to parents and carers at the start and end of the day.  Documents reviewed include the school’s self-evaluation summary and improvement plan, arrangements

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Information about this inspection

for safeguarding, and records of observations of teaching, pupils’ progress, behaviour and attendance. In addition, notes of governors’ meetings and the school policies for behaviour management and support for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs were considered.

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Inspection team

Janev Mehmet, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much larger than most primary schools nationally.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is lower than that found in most schools. This is additional government funding provided to give extra support to those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and to children who are looked after.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below the national average. This is also the same for the number of pupils supported at school action.  The proportion of pupils who are from minority ethnic backgrounds is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is similar to that of other schools nationally.  The school is part of a teacher training partnership with a local university. The headteacher also provides

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Information about this school

training for teachers and schools within the local authority and nationally.  Children in the Nursery attend part time and the Reception attend full time.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Sustain the high-quality practice across the school so that the excellent levels of enjoyment and achievement of all pupils remain at outstanding levels.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Leaders and managers successfully ensure that the school environment is vibrant, safe and inspiring. The headteacher and her team plan and carry out checks meticulously so that high-quality teaching secures the highest benefits for all pupils.  Middle leaders work together extremely well. They ensure that the outstanding learning and progress of all pupils are the school’s core purpose. Planning for improvement is detailed and focused sharply on the school’s key aims.  Leaders, managers and governors consistently reinforce high expectations for all staff and pupils. They have an excellent understanding of the school’s performance and how best to maintain exceptional achievement. Teachers and their assistants are provided with regular training and support which develops their high-quality teaching skills.  The subjects taught at the school are focused on international dimensions and a wide range of

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The leadership and management are outstanding

opportunities to learn about British culture and values. They take full account of pupils’ specific needs to enjoy and achieve through imaginative activities. Pupils refine their literacy and numeracy skills through the well-planned subjects.  The school uses its additional sports funding extremely well. Pupils enjoy taking part in a wide range of sports such as tag rugby, athletics, cricket and dance. The school regularly evaluates the impact of sports and clubs. Pupils’ participation in sports has improved. This in turn has improved their skills and understanding of particular sporting activities as well as their ability to work exceptionally well as team members. Pupils also have a better understanding of healthy living, and their self-esteem and confidence make them more aspirational about their learning.  Other additional funding is allocated extremely well. It is used to provide specialist activities and

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The leadership and management are outstanding

opportunities for pupils to experience outdoor learning such as regular visits to the forest where planned learning takes place. Specialist sporting and musical clubs also encourage pupils to develop their skills and improve their confidence.  The school’s practice in embedding all elements of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural learning across the school is exemplary. Pupils have a strong understanding of tolerance and democracy. Parents, carers and pupils collectively select a range of values to focus on each month. This is embedded and creates a reflective, diverse and respectful atmosphere in school.  Displays around the school are of the highest quality. They are vibrant and reinforce history, literature, art and cultural education. Pupils write poems on Macbeth and the Tudors, and paint in the style of artists such as Cezanne and Picasso. As well as artistic talents, pupils also develop musical skills. The school has

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The leadership and management are outstanding

its own band and pupils sing well.  The school’s work with the wider community is exemplary. It trains teachers from teaching assistant level to senior leadership. The school also shares good practice regularly with local primary schools and provides training both locally and nationally.  Safeguarding practices are effective throughout the school. Leaders and managers ensure that there is excellent understanding of keeping pupils safe.  The local authority provides light touch support for the school. Those responsible endorse partnership working with other schools and act as a critical friend in order to sustain the school’s strength within the community.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is highly effective. It works closely with the headteacher and her staff so it can understand clearly the results of setting targets for teachers. Governors are allocated to specific teams in the school so they can keep up to date with how well the school is doing. They visit regularly, speak

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The leadership and management are outstanding

to pupils and receive regular updates from staff and senior leaders. Governors ask questions that hold the school to account for the performance of both staff and pupils in terms of teaching quality and achievement. They have an excellent understanding of information on pupils' progress and use this to check that pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and supported with additional funding, are making high levels of progress.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils’ behave impeccably. They arrive to school promptly, listen intently in lessons and answer questions articulately and with confidence. They take turns to speak and listen without interrupting each other. Pupils are polite and welcoming to visitors.  Pupils dress smartly and take pride in their uniform, classrooms and their books. They make rapid progress and reach standards that are higher than those expected because they have excellent attitudes to learning.  Pupils love coming to school and are excited about learning. Assemblies demonstrate their commitment to their community. For example, in the Harvest Festival assembly, pupils learnt and presented about harvests around the world. They also contributed to the local soup kitchen and sang songs which reinforced the value of supporting each other.  Each class has a captain and pupils contribute their views to how to make their school even better. For

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Behaviour

example, they make choices on how to plan out the playground.  Pupils walk quietly and sensibly along corridors, around the school and at break times and lunchtimes. They eat sociably together in the hall. Pupils take a pride in their school and decorate it with their high- quality work. There is no litter or graffiti.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  Pupils have a clear understanding of different types of bullying and are knowledgeable about how to stay safe when using computers and the internet. They know how to keep themselves and others safe.  Pupils respect each other’s different faiths and cultures, and celebrate this through events all year round. All pupils study French. Year 5 have pen pals in France, and pupils visit Paris annually. School records and discussions with pupils confirm that racism and homophobic name calling do not occur.  All staff, parents, carers and pupils agree that the school is a safe and happy one.  Attendance is above average.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching over time of all subjects is outstanding. Teachers and their assistants are extremely committed to making sure every pupil achieves the best they possibly can. Expectations are very high.  Pupils deepen their knowledge of a wide range of subjects which link together to form projects. Pupils enjoy learning through these projects by going on trips, performing music, leading assemblies and listening to visiting speakers. An example of this is the study of India. Year 2 pupils were keen to share their stories about the Shiva (the Hindu God). They then linked their understanding of Hinduism to Diwali celebrations and a colourful dance performance for parents and carers.  The teaching of reading, writing, communication and mathematics is excellent. Children begin school with a positive attitude towards reading and writing, and number work. All staff work collaboratively to ensure every pupil’s specific targets are clear and built on. This is consistently and relentlessly practised across

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

the school so that all pupils move their skills on rapidly.  Marking in books provides clarity for pupils on what they have done well and what they need to improve further. Pupils use the colour coordinated comments to challenge themselves and respond to their teachers. In lessons pupils are also encouraged to check each other’s work and feed back to each other.  All pupils get regular homework which encourages their skills in working on their own. They are encouraged to present their work well and take pride in what they do. Consequently, pupils are extremely engaged in their learning and keen to make more progress in their subjects.

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is outstanding

 Achievement is outstanding because all pupils make consistently fantastic progress in speaking, reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils attain higher levels than their peers nationally in all subjects. This is sustained across the school.  From their different starting points, proportions of pupils exceeding expected progress in English and mathematics are high compared with national figures.  The school’s information shows that disadvantaged pupils make rapid progress in speaking, reading, writing and mathematics. There is no gap between their attainment and that of their peers. In some cases, they make better progress than their peers.  Children in Nursery and Reception make excellent progress from their starting points. Results from the recent check on their knowledge of phonics (the sounds that letters make) show that all pupils, including those supported through additional funding, attain high levels in this aspect of learning.

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is outstanding

 Pupils of all ages and abilities enjoy reading and read fluently. Younger children confidently use their knowledge of sounds and letters to read words and short sentences. All classrooms have a wide range of books, and displays throughout the school demonstrate the rich reading environment. Year 6 pupils who study British history combine their learning with the theme of poetry. Corridor walls are lined with high- quality poems about the Tudors, Macbeth and Anne Boleyn.  Pupils acquire knowledge and develop their mathematical skills extremely well as a result of the challenging questions they are asked. They are trained well to work out mathematical sums in their heads. This encourages fast thinking and keeps pupils interested.  Pupils are extremely well prepared for the next stages of their education. The school provides effective transition experiences for all pupils. They have responsibilities around the school, for example as reading

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is outstanding

buddies, helping younger pupils in class and taking part in St John’s Ambulance training. This encourages them to support each other’s development.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve exceptionally well. Pupils from different ethnic groups achieve equally well. This is because the school is fully committed to equality of opportunity and ensures that each individual pupil’s achievement is checked regularly and closely.  The most able pupils make high levels of progress and are working, on average, at significantly higher levels than their peers nationally.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are supported through high-quality teaching experiences and consequently make significant progress in all areas of their learning.

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is outstanding

 Leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage is outstanding. The leader for early years works collaboratively with her team. The team are relentless in enabling all children to grow and develop into happy, able ones.  Children start Nursery with skills that are similar to those expected for their age. All children are assessed early on arrival so that they may receive the most suitable path for learning.  Teachers and their assistants know the personalities and abilities of the children extremely well. As a result, they assess the children’s exact needs to make sure they excel in reading, writing and communication skills.  Adults are quick to establish routines and set high expectations. As a result, by the end of the Reception Year, proportions of children meeting the expected levels are well above average. These proportions include disadvantaged children, those who speak English as an additional language, disabled children and

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is outstanding

those who have special educational needs.  The areas in which children learn and play are clean, vibrant and extremely engaging. Children are confident in making choices and enjoy learning through a wide range of activities that stimulate their imagination. As a result, children are happy, comfortable and extremely well behaved. They are kind to each other and respond well to teachers, pupil helpers and visitors.  Parents and carers are very happy with the way the school cares for their children and say that they feel their ‘children are completely safe’.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 102097 Local authority Haringey Inspection number 444348

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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 Maintained Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 681 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Laura Butterfield Headteacher Evelyn Davies Date of previous school inspection 7–8 June 2007 Telephone number 020 8883 0608 Fax number 020 8442 2189 Email address e.davies@coldfall.haringey.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 and 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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