Coleridge Primary School

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

 Leaders are continuously searching for ways to improve the school. They are not complacent about its successes and strive to maintain the highest quality of teaching and provision for all pupils.  Improving teaching and learning is at the forefront of the work of leaders at all levels. The school has a tradition of training and developing its teachers and leaders very successfully. This has led to stable staffing as the school has expanded.  Governors work closely with school leaders to maintain the highest possible standards. Their questions are thoughtful and incisive. This reflects a common understanding of the school’s qualities and ambitions for its future.  Consistently challenging teaching is a major factor in the pupils’ rapid learning of new skills.  Pupils make rapid and sustained progress across the school. Their attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is high by the end of Year 6.  Children greatly enjoy their experiences in the

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

early years. Their progress is rapid because of the high quality teaching that focuses sharply on their needs in a stimulating and exciting environment.  The curriculum is creatively planned, vibrant and exciting. Art is a major strength as seen in displays of the pupils’ work throughout the school.  Pupils and staff live the school’s values in all that they do. This underscores the promotion of all aspects of the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development as well as helping them to have a very clear understanding of their place in modern Britain.  The pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at other times is exemplary. Both sites exude a very harmonious and calm atmosphere at all times.  Pupils demonstrate a genuine desire and visible enthusiasm for learning. Their learning benefits considerably from their attentiveness and their thoughtful responses to questions.  Pupils feel very happy, safe and secure in school.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

They know all staff have their well-being as the highest priority.  School leaders and governors carefully check the school’s performance and use the information gathered to plan annually for its improvement.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 34 lessons, 14 of which were visited with the headteacher or deputy headteachers, and looked at work in pupils’ books from the current academic year.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, school staff, and the Chair of the Governing Body and two other governors. A meeting was also held with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 303 responses to Ofsted’s online, Parent View questionnaire. They also met informally with a small number of parents at the start of the school day.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own information on pupils’ current progress, planning and monitoring documentation, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents relating to safeguarding.  Inspectors also took account of the 56 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Martin Beale, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is very large compared with other primary schools. It has grown considerably since its last inspection and now has four forms of entry. It operates on two sites.  The proportion of pupils from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds is above average.  The proportion of pupils speaking English as an additional language is average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for funding through the pupil premium is below average. This is additional government funding which, in this school, supports pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is broadly average.  The Nursery caters for 77 children on a part-time basis. Children attend the four Reception classes full time.  The headteacher was appointed in September 2014 following the retirement of the long-serving previous headteacher.

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Information about this school

 The school hosts privately-run breakfast and after-school clubs. These are inspected separately.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Include tighter and more measureable targets in the school improvement plan, and milestones for progress towards them, so that leaders know clearly what is expected and how to evaluate their success.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Leaders base the school’s development on careful research, thoughtful annual planning and rigorous training. The innovative assessment system and the impressive mathematics teaching are but two examples of this successful approach. High levels of achievement have been maintained since the last inspection while the school has almost doubled in size. Subject leaders are highly effective in their roles and contribute significantly to the school’s continuing improvement.  The change of headteacher is offering the opportunity for senior leaders and governors to reflect on the most effective leadership structures to keep moving the school forward. Close links with the local authority support this work in parallel with the induction of the new headteacher. The local authority has also helped the school to forge links with a mathematics teaching hub school to help developments in this area.  Improving teaching is a priority. Staff new to the school fit seamlessly into the way of teaching at

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The leadership and management are outstanding

Coleridge while the skills they bring complement the body of expertise available for teachers to draw upon. Leaders set teachers challenging targets and pay increases are only awarded if they are met.  The school’s promotion of equality of opportunity and the way it tackles discrimination are both highly effective. Staff go out of their way to make sure pupils’ needs are fully evaluated and met. The use of the pupil premium is continually under review so that adjustments could be made swiftly and successfully following a widening of attainment gaps in 2013.  Staff and governors believe fundamentally in the value of the partnership between home and school. Parents are regularly consulted about school developments and they have extremely positive views about all areas of its work. Parents are given valuable guidance on how to support their children’s learning at home and most said how much they support the homework programme.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The curriculum is vibrant and creatively planned. While English and mathematics receive appropriate attention, everything is done to make the pupils’ daily school lives exciting and interesting in a wide range of other subjects. Through their ‘forest school’ experiences, pupils extend their learning outdoors and find out more about the natural world. Art on show includes eye-catching collages of books they have read such as The Tiger who Came to Tea in Reception and James and the Giant Peach in Year 2. Art is also used very effectively as a stimulus to develop the creativity of gifted and talented pupils. After-school clubs are extensive, with all staff contributing an area of interest each Thursday. The primary sport and physical education premium is used very effectively to widen the range of sports on offer and extend the pupils’ participation.  Putting the school’s core values into practice promotes an understanding of the pupils’ role in modern

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The leadership and management are outstanding

Britain. In their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, pupils learn to respect other people and their traditions. They develop a strong moral compass, including in philosophical discussions where they take on difficult issues and listen carefully to other points of view.  Safeguarding arrangements are very secure, continually reviewed and regularly updated. All procedures are in place and implemented rigorously. Staff are very vigilant in protecting children by spotting problems and ensuring that the school acts in a very timely fashion to deal with concerns as they arise. This includes employing a school counsellor funded by the pupil premium to work with emotionally vulnerable pupils and their families.  The governance of the school:  Governors are highly effective in their role. They appreciate the school’s qualities and share its ambitions. Governors use their wide range of expertise, including in assessment data, to question senior

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The leadership and management are outstanding

leaders incisively and to hold them very closely to account for the school’s performance. Governors know that teaching is highly effective and how this quality is maintained. They make sure that there is a tight link between teachers’ performance and their salary progression. They have successfully managed a difficult budget as funding has lagged behind the increase in pupil numbers. Governors know about the impact of additional funding, such as the pupil premium, and participate in reviewing its allocation. They share in planning for the school’s improvement and in evaluating the progress of actions being taken. While the priorities of the school are clear in improvement planning, progress is sometimes hard to evaluate because the criteria for success are not always quantifiable.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. They move very sensibly around the school and show great courtesy to adults and each other. As a result, both sites exude a very harmonious and calm atmosphere at all times.  Pupils are kind and considerate. Year 6 pupils show great maturity when leading Key Stage 1 pupils at play, helping to resolve any squabbles constructively. Pupils of all ages are very confident and keen to share thoughts about their learning and enjoyment of all that the school has to offer. They take great pride in their achievements and the successes of others.  Pupils enjoy learning and want to be at school, whatever the type of activity and regardless of whether they are working in a group, individually or as a whole class. Productive and purposeful discussion and cooperation with others start in the early years and are very successful features of their outstanding behaviour as they move through the school.

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Behaviour

 Pupils’ attendance is rising now that the school is very firm about discouraging holidays in term time. Families are responding well.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils are very confident that they can take concerns to adults whom they know will listen and not takes sides. They are equally aware that they might have to pass information on if they are unable to resolve any issues themselves.  Pupils are taught how to identify possible risks and how to minimise their effect, for example through regular and highly effective e-safety training.  Pupils spoke confidently about how the school helps them to understand and deal with different forms of bullying. They said that the almost complete absence of bullying adds to their happiness in school. Their parents agreed.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Pupils said that lessons are not disrupted because teaching is so interesting and challenging and not a moment is wasted so that they become bored. Teachers encourage pupils to ask questions, use their imaginations, ‘have a go’ and be prepared to learn by their mistakes. Pupils rise to this challenge.  Teachers always check the pupils’ learning during lessons and adapt their plans and their teaching accordingly. They skilfully use the pupils’ responses to provide follow-up questions and make them think deeply.  The teaching of mathematics is exceptionally effective. Pupils learn new skills by solving problems and through practical activities and investigations. Their ability to reason is being continually extended. They have to think carefully and bring in many different areas of mathematics when responding to their teachers’ questions.  The teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make) is very effective. Starting in the early years, the

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

programme is followed carefully and pupils make rapid progress. Slightly weaker reading results for Year 6 pupils in the 2014 national tests prompted the school to look at how it teaches more advanced reading skills. A much sharper focus on successfully developing skills of comprehension, inference and deduction is beginning to have an impact.  Pupils are very clear about what they need to do to improve their work. Teachers consistently mark their work to a system fully understood by pupils. Pupils respond to teachers’ feedback thoughtfully, which leads to the elimination of mistakes and visible gains in their learning.  In lessons, teachers skilfully deploy the considerable expertise of additional adults to where it is most needed. Support staff use questions well to draw out ideas from the pupils they support, which helps them to make rapid progress. They also lead programmes for pupils needing help outside classes highly

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

effectively so that these pupils can quickly catch up with the others.  Homework makes a significant contribution to the pupils’ progress and their enjoyment of learning. The innovative home learning programme of work intended to be completed over a period of time helps to develop the pupils’ skills of research along with their ability to organise themselves to tackle extended projects.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils’ Year 6 results in national tests are consistently much higher than average. Pupils did not do so well in reading in 2014, but subsequent action by the school is leading to their attainment in reading rising again. Pupils are prepared well for secondary school.  The most able pupils make very rapid progress. This is reflected in the large number of pupils reaching levels well above those expected for their age by the end of Year 6. The national test results for this group were particularly impressive in mathematics and in grammar, punctuation and spelling in 2014.  Children make swift progress in the early years particularly in technology and art and design. A higher proportion of the children than nationally reached a good level of development by the end of Reception in 2014. Observations of classes suggested that children currently in Reception are exceeding this performance.  The pupils’ understanding of phonics develops very rapidly from the early years. Pupils’ results in the

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

phonics screening check for Year 1 pupils are consistently well above average. Pupils are very skilled at breaking down unfamiliar words into their constituent parts before reassembling them to make sense. Pupils greatly enjoy books and become avid readers. They read aloud with great expression, helped by a visiting actor who showed them how to develop their intonation.  There are no patterns to any variations in the achievement of different groups, such as pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds. Pupils who speak English as an additional language generally make the same outstanding progress as others.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make outstanding progress. For some with acute needs the steps forward can be small. However, the school assesses their progress towards their targets frequently so that programmes of support can be adjusted to have maximum impact on their learning.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Disadvantaged pupils make the same rapid progress from their starting points as others. In 2014, attainment gaps narrowed in English and mathematics between this group and others in the cohort to around one year in each subject and between one and two terms between this group and other pupils nationally. Gaps are continuing to narrow as pupils benefit from the impact of the pupil premium for a longer proportion of their time in school.

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The early years provision is outstanding

 The children’s achievement is outstanding from the moment they enter the early years. Few join with levels of knowledge and skill below those expected for their age. Those that do are helped to catch up quickly because teachers and support staff focus their attention sharply on gaps in their learning. Children develop the skills, knowledge and understanding that prepare them very well for life at Key Stage 1 in a stimulating and exciting environment. Many are already tackling aspects of the Year 1 curriculum by the end of Reception.  The outstanding teaching across the early years is based on the high expectations of teachers and support staff. They are very skilled at listening to children and they extend children’s learning and challenge their thinking through timely interventions. Staff use children’s responses to move learning forward. For example, talking about who might have pudding at lunchtime led to a skilfully handled discussion about

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The early years provision is outstanding

healthy eating.  The children’s behaviour is outstanding across all classes in the early years. They are happy to initiate learning themselves, and become adventurous as they explore new ideas. Children feel very happy, safe and secure because they have great trust and confidence in the adults who look after them. Displays are very vibrant, celebrating the children’s achievements and supporting their learning.  The setting has maintained and built on its strengths under outstanding leadership and management. All adults are determined to improve their teaching. This is leading to consistent high quality in all classes and a close link between learning inside and outdoors. The accurate evaluation of the provision and each child’s progress enables adjustments to be made swiftly. Additional support is always put in place when a child appears to be having difficulties.

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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 102121 Local authority Haringey Inspection number 453270

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 907 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mark Harber Headteacher Leon Choueke Date of previous school inspection 21 May 2009 Telephone number 020 8340 3173 Fax number 020 8348 7775 Email address admin@coleridgeprimary.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 .

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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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