The Children's House School

King Henry’s Walk, Islington, London N1 4PB (Upper School) 77 Elmore Street, Islington, London N1 3AQ (Nursery)

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Outcomes for pupils Good Early years provision Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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This is a good school

 The headteacher and governors have a clear vision for the school in preparing pupils to have high aspirations for their lives now and in the future. Together they have ensured that teaching and outcomes are good, and that all the independent school standards are met.  The quality of provision and outcomes in the early years are outstanding. This is the result of very effective teaching based on the early identification of children’s specific learning needs.  Teaching is strong in all subjects at Key Stage 1. Pupils make good progress and achieve above- average standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2.  Pupils’ personal development is outstanding. This is because of the excellent care they receive from all the adults around them, and regular opportunities to think creatively.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. Most work with enthusiasm in lessons and their books are well presented. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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This is a good school

development is promoted very effectively.  The school provides a very safe environment in which staff ensure the well-being of all pupils.  All members of staff are committed to the ethos of the school. They enable pupils to make strong progress over time from their various starting points.  Governors are effective in ensuring that the school works hard to achieve the priorities in the school improvement plan. This sharp focus ensures that the school is good and improving.  Parents are very supportive of the school as seen, for example, in the high proportion who responded very positively to Ofsted’s online questionnaire.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers do not consistently give pupils clear enough advice and guidance on how to improve their work. Some pupils are not, therefore, building further on the good progress they are already making.  Leaders and teachers are not using progress information, particularly on the most-able pupils well enough to provide the additional challenge needed for these pupils to make even better progress.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 The school meets the requirements of the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve the quality of teaching by: – making sure that teachers’ feedback gives pupils sufficiently clear guidance on how to improve their work, and that pupils use this information effectively – using a sharper analysis of pupils’ progress information to set more precisely targeted challenges for the most-able pupils to further accelerate their progress.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The work of the school is shaped by its positive ethos which values creativity and encourages both pupils and teachers to think ‘out of the box’. All members of the school community actively put this ethos into practice.  Leaders regularly check the quality of teaching and learning. Individual members of staff have appropriate targets for improvement, and they are provided with good opportunities for further training. As a consequence, teachers provide richer learning experiences for their pupils.  Leaders ensure that pupils actively develop aspects such as respect for, and tolerance of, others. The school’s arrangements for developing pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding are very effective. For example, pupils work well together and put a lot of energy into designing projects that illustrate the links between their learning in different subjects.  The school teaches a broad range of subjects, including music and French, which are taught to all pupils.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The design of the curriculum is based on themes and is well suited to pupils’ interests and needs. This approach is very well embedded and is successful in stimulating pupils’ curiosity and thinking. Excellent adjustments are made for pupils with special educational needs or disability so that they too enjoy the rich and stimulating learning experiences.  Leaders maintain effective, regular contact with parents, ensuring that any concerns are promptly addressed and resolved. Responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire are extremely positive; parents demonstrate strong support for the quality of teaching and care for pupils.  Leaders have sharpened their systems and approach to assessing pupils’ progress over time. However, further work is required to ensure that gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding are identified with greater precision, in particular for the most-able pupils. As a result, at times this group of pupils does not

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

receive the precisely targeted challenges needed to further improve their progress.  Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain, and British values are carefully taught. Pupils learn about the rule of law and the importance of democracy, for example when they work together on school projects that require collective decision making, and also when given the opportunity to vote.  Leaders ensure that the school’s comprehensive safeguarding policy is fully implemented so that pupils are properly protected. Leaders are acutely aware of potential risks that pupils may face and have ensured that staff are properly trained to minimise these risks.  The strong partnership with Islington’s local safeguarding children’s board ensures that the school is kept fully up to date with new requirements, for example safeguarding pupils from any potential risk of radicalisation and female genital mutilation. Consequently, the school is a very safe environment for

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

pupils’ education.  The governance of the school The governance of the school is provided by the Council of Management, which includes past and current parents. Governors, working closely with leaders, have ensured that the independent school standards have been met. The governors share the open and outward-looking vision for the school. They are knowledgeable about the school and pupils’ performance in all year groups. They ensure that robust policies and procedures are implemented and regularly reviewed, including those for safeguarding. These are now all easily accessible on the school’s new website. Leaders have recently established robust arrangements for the assessment of pupils’ progress in the early years provision and Key Stage 1. These assessments provide increasingly useful information to contribute to governors’ judgements about the effectiveness of teaching and pupils’ learning. Governors recognise that further training is needed for them to use this information to hold leaders to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

account more effectively, for example in the even better achievement of the most-able pupils. Governors review the school improvement plan on a regular basis, holding leaders to account on the monitoring arrangements and timescales for implementation.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Pupils enjoy their learning and are keen to succeed, for example, when developing their punctuation skills in literacy or their practical skill in playing the violin. Excellent examples of pupils’ project work are visible in all classrooms, which reflect their learning in a range of subjects, including mathematics, English, science and history.  Teachers’ excellent relationships with pupils are used well to create an atmosphere in which pupils thrive and build their self-esteem. For example, pupils read confidently in lessons and use appropriate strategies to correct their own mistakes when necessary. Teachers also provide pupils with good opportunities for extended writing, of which there are many good examples in pupils’ books.  Teachers bring topics and learning to life with practical and creative activities. Pupils enjoy the opportunity to make and create, for example designing and creating time capsules and special lanterns to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

celebrate the Chinese New Year.  Teaching in mathematics and literacy is strong. This is partly because teachers use questioning well to identify gaps in knowledge and build pupils’ understanding. Pupils practise their reading, writing and mathematical skills across a wide range of subjects, sometimes in the context of a real-life problem- solving activity. Adults work very well with targeted pupils to ensure that their learning is equally strong.  The high numbers of additional adults who work in the school make a strong contribution to the overall quality of teaching. For example, they are skilful in getting pupils with special educational needs or disability, as well as those who are less able, to apply their knowledge and skills to solve problems.  Pupils’ work is marked regularly and staff are clear about what pupils have done well. However, sometimes, teachers’ feedback to pupils on their work lacks guidance about how to improve. As a result,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

pupils do not make the maximum progress over time. In addition, pupils have insufficient opportunities to respond to any comments teachers do make, which is an expectation in the school’s marking and assessment policy.  Sometimes, teachers overlook the needs of the most-able pupils by not making the best use of pupils’ progress information to plan for their learning. As a consequence, these pupils are not sufficiently challenged to work at the level of which they are capable.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. Pupils bathe in the warmth of a caring and nurturing atmosphere which all staff actively promote.  The school’s positive ethos, underpinned by the values of tolerance and mutual respect, sets a context in which pupils can thrive. The frequent and very purposeful interaction between pupils and adults throughout the school day results in pupils feeling very positive and confident about themselves.  Pupils have excellent opportunities and are encouraged to have a voice in the running of the school. The formal opportunities for this include a school council and ad hoc committees focusing on a particular aspect of the school’s work. Leaders listen to and when possible respond to, what pupils say about the school.  Respect for and valuing others are central to all aspects of the school. Leaders provide many opportunities for pupils to become more aware of others in a wide variety of situations. This includes the

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Personal development and welfare

‘Wonderful World Week’ that is celebrated each year and opportunities to engage purposefully with the wider community outside the school.  The school’s systems for ensuring that pupils are safe are very effective. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, for example when they are crossing a road or when undertaking practical work in class. All parents who responded to the Ofsted online questionnaire agree that the school is very effective in keeping pupils safe and free from harm.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils respond well to the school’s high expectations of work and behaviour. They have a strong motivation to learn and show much curiosity in lessons.  Pupils take pride in their school, as demonstrated, for example, in the care they take to keep their environment clean and to present their work neatly.  Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They work hard and cooperate to ensure that everyone can learn. Occasionally, however, some boys in particular have lapses in their concentration when the teaching does not engage them well enough.  Pupils say that there is very little, if any, bullying in the school. In addition, they are confident that, should issues of any type arise, staff would respond quickly to ensure that they are resolved. The school’s records of more serious misbehaviour indicate very few incidents of any kind. These records also confirm

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Behaviour

that such incidents are followed up in a way that is likely to reduce any future re-occurrence.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils currently in the school learn quickly and make good progress. Inspectors saw this across different subjects, including English and mathematics.  Leaders make sure that a starting point is established for each pupil as they arrive at the school, using their own assessments. They then set targets from these starting points. These targets challenge most pupils to make rapid progress and reach above-average standards in reading, writing and mathematics.  In 2014 and 2015, pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics was above average by the end of Year 2. The school’s achievement information shows that current Year 2 pupils are also on track to achieve above-average standards by the end of this academic year. This is supported by the standards of work seen by inspectors in a range of pupils’ books and in lessons.  Pupils’ development of wider learning skills is strong. They are confident and articulate in describing their

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Outcomes for pupils are good

work and opinions. Pupils’ reading skills improve rapidly; they enjoy learning to read, and older pupils make full use of the wide range of books available to them.  Pupils with special educational needs or disability typically make progress at a similar rate to their peers. This is in large part the result of high-quality support at the right level by skilled teaching assistants who help to create the conditions for these pupils to learn well.  The few disadvantaged pupils make similarly good progress as a result of a clear understanding of their learning needs and making the right provision to address them.  Although the most-able pupils make good progress overall, sometimes the work provided does not challenge them enough, resulting in learning that is not as deep as it could be.  Themes such as ‘houses and homes’ or ‘transport’ provide pupils with a strong, real-life context to build and consolidate their literacy and mathematical skills. The links between subjects are strong, resulting in

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Outcomes for pupils are good

better understanding for most pupils.  The school ensures that pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their learning by building their character and resilience through a wide range of imaginative learning experiences. As a result, many pupils pass their additional seven-plus assessment to join a good or outstanding independent school in Year 3.

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Early years provision is outstanding

 Most children have skills typical for their age when they join the Nursery class, although their communication and language, and personal, social and emotional skills are a little above what is typical for their age. The school builds extremely well on this and, as a result, children make outstanding progress throughout their time in the early years.  Children make excellent progress in each of the areas of learning. This is because a wide range of activities supports their learning effectively, and their progress is assessed regularly against their individual targets. Children currently in the Reception class are making strong progress towards achieving a good level of development by the end of the year. This is preparing them very well for their learning in Year 1.  Year on year, children’s attainment by the end of Reception is above average. The small proportion of children who speak English as an additional language receive appropriate and well-targeted support. As a

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Early years provision is outstanding

result, they make swift progress in developing their speaking and listening skills so that by the end of Reception they have met at least the required expectations.  Very effective teaching ensures that all activities are purposeful, providing children with an excellent range of opportunities to develop learning in all seven areas. Moreover, teaching assistants support learning equally effectively: a good staff-to-child ratio, coupled with an in-depth knowledge of children’s needs, make a strong contribution to the very strong progress they make.  There is an excellent focus on developing children’s phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) skills. As a result, many children can read simple story books using their knowledge and skills in linking sounds and letters.  Staff help to deepen children’s learning effectively through skilful questioning. During the inspection, children enjoyed role playing the story of Little Red Riding Hood and constructing sentences about the

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Early years provision is outstanding

key characters involved.  Children are very well behaved; they take turns and share resources when choosing activities. These expectations are modelled very well by all the adults who work with them.  Nursery children engage in a range of activities to develop their mathematical language and scientific enquiry, such as mixing ingredients to make cakes and observing changes. Robust risk assessments to keep children safe are conducted and followed.  Parents report that they are very pleased that the school provides so much for their children’s needs. They say that their children feel safe at the school, and are happy that children are taught to look after themselves and understand everyday risks.  The early years provision is led and managed very effectively on both sites. Leaders have ensured that there is a strong staff team, with adults working very well together to provide excellent teaching and

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Early years provision is outstanding

learning. Staff keep a detailed record of the work children complete in the early years, and of the progress they make.

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School details

Unique reference number 130243 Inspection number 10006034 DfE registration number 206/6383 (Upper school) EY 365297 (Nursery) This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, 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 Nursery and day pre-preparatory school School status Independent school Age range of pupils 3–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 130 Proprietor The Children’s House School Limited Chair Robert Edge Headteacher Kate Orange Annual fees (day pupils) £12,795–£13,545 Telephone number 0207 3542113 Website www.thechildrenshouseschool.co.uk Email address kateorange@childrenshouseschool.co.uk Date of previous inspection 13 May 2009

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Information about this school

 The Children’s House operates across two sites which have a distance of 0.7 miles between them. Both buildings are situated in quiet residential streets in Islington.  The Children’s House was set up in 1973 as a Nursery school and moved to its current site in Elmore Street in 1991. The Upper School was set up in September 2005, when the school began to extend its provision to children aged seven.  The school is owned by the Children’s House School Limited, a charitable trust and company limited by guarantee, whose members are the parents and parents of former pupils of the school.  About 40% of the pupils are of White British heritage. The majority of pupils come from a mix of ethnic backgrounds and some are bilingual and speak English as an additional language.  There are several pupils who have an education, health and care plan; in addition, the school provides additional support for some pupils who have moderate learning difficulties.

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Information about this school

 The school has a few disadvantaged pupils who benefit from the school’s bursary scheme.  The school places a strong emphasis on helping children to develop as ‘creative, independent thinkers’ and to ‘develop genuine feelings of concern and respect for others and their environment’. The traditional values of courtesy, consideration for others and good manners are central to its ethos.  The Upper School was last inspected in May 2009; the Nursery was inspected in 2008 as a provision for three- to four-year-olds. The current headteacher, very recently appointed as an ‘acting up’ arrangement, was the previous substantive deputy headteacher of the school.  This inspection did not inspect provision for the children aged under three on the Elmore Street site as this provision is inspected separately under the early years framework.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was carried out with one day’s notice.  It was found at the time of the inspection that the school considers the 61 rising four-year-olds who are educated on the separate Elmore Road Nursery site to be part of its overall early years provision. After referring this matter to Ofsted, it was decided to inspect this setting and use the evidence obtained to feed into the overall judgements for the early years provision. This was not the case at the previous inspection. Governors and leaders have been strongly advised to contact the Department for Education after the current inspection to explain these changes.  Learning was observed in 11 lessons; three of these were joint observations with the headteacher.  Samples of pupils’ work and children’s learning journeys were scrutinised.  Inspectors spoke to teachers, the headteacher and three members of the Council of Management, including the Chair of this Governing Body. There was also a discussion with a wide range of pupils in Key

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Information about this inspection

Stage 1.  Inspectors took account of the 55 responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Parent View.  Documentation and policies were checked for compliance with the independent school standards.

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Inspection team

Nasim Butt, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Susan Vale Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted.

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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