Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.1

Ms Jennifer Brodkin Osidge Primary School Chase Side Southgate London N14 5HD

p.1

School

Following my visit to your school on 20 March 2017, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave me and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you are taking to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

p.1

School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in May 2016. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

School

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection in order to become a good school.

p.1

School

The school should take further action to:

p.1

School

 Further improve teaching to ensure that any inconsistencies in teaching are eradicated so that most-able pupils are consistently challenged.

p.1

Evidence

During the inspection, meetings were held with you, the deputy headteacher and other senior leaders, pupils, members of the governing body, a representative of the local authority and parents to discuss the actions taken since the last inspection. The school improvement plan was evaluated. Visits to most classes with you were undertaken and a number of books were scrutinised. Documents provided by the school, including leadership evaluations of teaching and learning, local authority notes of visits to the school, the school’s single central record and examples of the headteacher’s reports to governors, were considered.

p.1

Context

Since the recent inspection, there have been changes to the senior leadership of Osidge Primary School. You have been in post since September 2016. The deputy headteacher has been in post since January 2017. The school has a new special needs leader. There have been a number of teacher changes since the previous inspection. The staffing is now more stable as a result.

p.2

Main findings

Since your appointment as headteacher, you and the governors lost little time in prioritising the immediate actions for improvement identified in the recent section 5 inspection. Your energy, determination and relentless drive for improvement have helped set the tone for the whole school. An open and honest evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for development, have resulted in a clear path for improvement. Consequently, actions are appropriate and measured so that staff do not have too many new initiatives to work with at the same time. You have successfully improved the capacity in your senior team. This has in turn helped the improvement in teaching and learning; teachers recognise the need to raise the challenge in lessons, particularly for the most able pupils. The addition of the special needs leader has increased parents’ confidence in the support their children will receive.

p.2

Main findings

Your plans to address the identified areas are clear, and have distinct milestones to measure impact. Already, the improvement in the teaching of writing is having a positive effect on current outcomes for pupils. The school’s system for teacher guidance is clearer in identifying the next steps for pupils’ learning. Books show strong progress in pupils’ development of their writing skills over time.

p.2

Main findings

Where there remain inconsistencies in teaching, you have been successful in providing the right support. This is evident in the quality of the teaching in classes of those new to the profession. The work of the deputy headteacher is further developing these teachers and improving classroom practice.

p.2

Main findings

The informal ‘drop-ins’ by senior leaders ensure that any areas for development are followed up by high-quality training. This enables teachers to work on short-term targets that work towards improving pupils’ progress. Sharing good practice and work with other schools helps teachers to deliver good or better teaching more consistently. Teachers understand the systems that hold them to account. They use accurate assessments to inform future learning for their pupils. New tracking arrangements have been successful in identifying groups of pupils that are not achieving as well as they should. Teachers use this information to target the groups of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. As a result, senior leaders and governors have a better awareness of the impact of the pupil premium spending so that this group is not falling behind when compared to other pupils nationally.

p.2

Main findings

Pupils talk confidently about the improvements they can see since your appointment. They say the new behaviour system is clear and easy to understand. Behaviour has improved in the classrooms and in the playground. Staff use the sanctions consistently and fairly. Pupils like the reward system and say it helps them stay ‘up the ladder’. They like the additional challenges set by their teachers and find the next-step guidance useful in improving their work.

p.3

Main findings

Governors are a highly committed group. They have supported you to set the expectation for improving standards of teaching. They ensure that their regular visits validate the useful information they receive in your reports. This enables them to see the school’s actions first hand. They consistently offer appropriate challenge and support where it is necessary. This has been evident through the recent challenging restructure of the support staff.

p.3

Main findings

Safeguarding is effective, and you have made sure all records are of high quality and fit for purpose. Up-to-date training has covered all recent government requirements. This has increased staff awareness of how to raise concerns should they believe pupils may be at risk of harm.

p.3

Main findings

Parents are supportive of the changes since your appointment. They are confident any issues will be addressed quickly. This is because of your approachable style of leadership. They say that they know a high-quality team is leading the school. They recognise the energy you have brought and the uplift in morale. They like the ‘community feel’ your leadership has brought to Osidge Primary. Parents appreciate the improvement in communication. Homework that is more regular is better preparing their children for the move to secondary school.

p.3

Main findings

Ofsted may carry out further visits and, where necessary, provide further support and challenge to the school until its next section 5 inspection.

p.3

External support

The local authority support is appropriate. It has helped to support your plans for improvement. The current local authority representative knows the school well, and can see the positive changes made since your appointment. The school makes good use of the moderation work with other schools.

p.3

External support

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Barnet. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.3