Wolfson Hillel Primary School

Wolfson Hillel Primary School 154 Chase Road, Southgate, London N14 4LG

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher motivates and inspires staff. Leaders at all levels, including governors, have created a culture that inspires pupils to believe, persevere and achieve extremely well.  Teachers are ambitious for pupils to achieve very well, and pupils rise to the challenges set for them.  The headteacher’s exemplary leadership and high expectations have led the school to build on and develop the good practice found at the last inspection. Senior leaders are developing new middle leaders to enable them to sustain the outstanding practice.  The quality of teaching is outstanding. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and know their pupils very well. Teachers plan lessons very carefully to meet pupils’ needs.  Pupils and parents speak highly about the academic and pastoral support teachers provide. This and the high-quality leadership have enabled the school to become outstanding.  Disadvantaged pupils make considerable

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

progress based on their starting points. They exceed the standard expected nationally in virtually all phases. The most able attain a high standard in reading at the end of key stage 2.  The most able pupils achieve the high standards expected, particularly in reading and mathematics.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress towards their targets.  The school’s system for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress is reliable and rigorous. Records show that pupils make rapid progress and are on track to attain even higher standards.  The early years provision is outstanding. Children are fully prepared for key stage 1; they are well ahead in all areas of learning.  Pupils consistently achieve high standards in the phonics screening check.  Behaviour and pupils’ personal development are outstanding. Pupils feel safe, and have confidence in the staff to look after them.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

Relationships are strong; pupils respect and value each other.  The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is of high quality. They are very well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Build on the leadership and management roles of new middle leaders, by: – sharpening their skills and enabling them to take part in relevant training courses, enabling them to contribute substantially to the current outstanding practice.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 The headteacher, other senior and middle leaders, and members of the governing body have developed a culture of high expectations. Since the last inspection, there has been an unrelenting focus on developing and sustaining systems to raise standards and improve the quality of education. As a result, the goal to create an outstanding and self-sustaining school has been realised.  Following the last inspection, rapid changes were made in relation to moving on and restructuring the staff. A well-planned teaching charter formed the foundation of staff appraisal, their training and development. As a result, the leadership of teaching is very good, as is the development of staff as future leaders.  Leaders’ assessment of teaching is very well organised and provides staff with opportunities to develop their skills. Leaders set and link ambitious targets for teaching and staff appraisal. This approach ensures that training has a direct impact on pupils’

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

learning. The quality of professional development, including mentoring, has resulted in outstanding teaching over time. Newly qualified teachers recognise the way in which they are nurtured to develop their teaching, which in turn has a positive impact on school development.  Middle leaders relatively new to their roles contribute much to maintaining the school development. They work closely with leaders to monitor and support staff. Leaders at all levels ensure that, as a teaching school, staff benefit from working with aspiring trainees, particularly as they learn about fresh practice in education.  The school’s systems for assessing and tracking pupils’ standards and progress are highly effective. Leaders at all levels hold teachers to account for pupils’ progress. They regularly check pupils’ work, and analyse a range of assessment information carefully. Leaders’ in-depth scrutiny of assessment information helps them to identify likely

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

underachievement and make sure pupils receive equal access to support that helps them achieve well.  Partnership work with other local schools to secure accuracy of assessments is very good. Moderation within the school, and among the network of subject leaders across the local authority, provides leaders with accurate and reliable assessment of pupils’ achievement. Moderators report that there is a better understanding of applying the assessment criteria compared to the way in which they applied it harshly in 2016.  The previous inspection report noted that the school’s assessment procedures were flawed. Prior to the current headteacher’s appointment in 2012, the starting points of pupils were not known and the criteria used to measure progress were imprecise. Consequently, over the last four academic years, the published data did not include accurate analyses of pupils’ outcomes. Inaccuracy is no longer the norm, and the 2016

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

Year 6 cohort is the last with imprecise assessment. The school’s assessment system is now excellent.  The curriculum is broad and balanced. It is planned to provide pupils with opportunities to master subject-specific skills and reach higher standards. The focus on depth before breadth is supported very well by the way in which subjects are now taught in smaller groups. This ensures that pupils have more time with their teachers and makes a significant difference to pupils making faster progress. The extensive range of enrichment activities enhances pupils’ learning and opportunities to learn successfully.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. The teaching of Jewish studies, with its emphasis on serving others through giving, showing respect, and obeying the law, for example, is very much intertwined with British values. Coverage of themes and topics provide pupils with insight into the diversity in Britain

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

and the world. The school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain and beyond. For example, contributions to community events and charities increase their awareness of being compassionate towards others.  The sports premium funding is used well to increase pupils’ participation in physical activities and develop their awareness of being fit and healthy. Training for teachers has meant that they are better equipped to teach physical education.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are provided with effective support because additional funding is spent well. Extensive assistance within and beyond the hub (when pupils are in mainstream classes) helps them to meet their targets. Those pupils who can access the full curriculum make good progress from their starting points.  The pupil premium funding is closely monitored and evaluated to ensure that the barriers to good achievement are removed quickly. Leaders do not allow pupils’

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

background to affect their academic achievement. The funding is used very well to make sure that all pupils have the same opportunities as their peers in the school. Historic progress data in 2015 and current assessment information, including work in books, show that in both key stages this group achieve better scores than other pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Governance of the school

 The governing body is enthusiastic and committed to the school. Governors have strong sets of skills that they use to fulfil their duties efficiently, including the arrangements for safeguarding pupils. Governors make an outstanding contribution to the school’s work and development.  Governors have a thorough understanding of the school and the community it serves. This awareness contributes to them providing a clear and strategic plan for the school’s work, and its future. Governors, in their pursuit of excellence for the school, correctly sought external advice to validate their judgement before determining the future direction.  They are passionate about the school’s development and records of minutes and notes of visits show evidence of challenge. They hold leaders to account and question them closely about the impact of the pupil premium funding on pupils’ performance.  Governors are very well informed about the quality of teaching and learning. Their

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Governance of the school

knowledge and interpretation of the academic standards and progress of pupils have improved since the last inspection. Governors’ training, and a commissioned review of their work, provides them with a deeper understanding of the link between teaching and pupils’ academic achievement. Consequently, they are acutely aware of the importance of equality of opportunity for all pupils.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The school’s attentiveness to safeguarding and protecting pupils are thorough and this is well known to both pupils and parents. As a result, pupils feel safe and parents are assured that the school is vigilant.  Leaders’ very good knowledge and understanding of the community that it serves has led to them devising early help support to meet the needs of pupils and families. The school provides excellent mentoring support and training, such as the recent non- violent resistance course training for parents. Outstanding care and work with external support services contribute highly to protecting pupils from potential harm.  Well-planned and organised training ensures that staff are up to date with relevant polices and approaches to keeping pupils safe. Staff are knowledgeable about national priorities such as extremism and children missing education. Their awareness of pupils

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Safeguarding

in the school and community not using the internet safely led to leaders taking swift actions to educate pupils about staying safe online.  The designated safeguarding leads maintain very good links with the local authorities from which pupils are drawn. Strong practice means that pupils living out of borough and requiring support are regularly checked.  Records of evidence indicate that pre-employment checks are extremely thorough.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 High-quality teaching that is never less than good means that pupils’ progress is rapid, as they lap up their learning.  Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour. This leads to pupils demonstrating a strong work ethic. They want to do well and consistently rise to the challenges.  Teachers use their very good subject knowledge and understanding of how pupils learn to plan carefully constructed lessons and match work to pupils’ needs. They provide clear explanations and use demonstrations to emphasise their expectations from the early years through to key stage 2. Where pupils need additional support to keep up with the high expectations, teachers routinely provide them with a framework to support their learning.  Highly effective teaching provides work that extends all groups. This includes a system of ‘challenges’ that is particularly effective in stretching the most able. This method of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

stretching pupils is highly successful, particularly because pupils are tested to think deeply about their work. One of the most able pupils commented on this by saying, ‘Teachers always prepare for our needs, no matter what we are learning.’  Leaders’ decision to employ three teachers in each year group has led to a reduction in supply staff and has been highly successful. Leaders have evaluated this approach as cost effective and contributing to stability in staffing, and in-depth coverage of subjects. The school no longer employs supply teachers. Smaller classes mean that teachers spend more time with pupils, particularly those needing additional support.  Teachers develop all elements of pupils’ literacy skills very well. As a result, pupils have strong oracy skills, which they use confidently when debating. Competencies in early reading skills are extremely well developed. Pupils read fluently and enjoy reading a

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

range of different types of books. Comprehension work is well planned and evidence shows that pupils are taught well to read ‘between the lines’ and justify answers with key features of quotations from the text. Similarly, pupils write fluently and accurately, though presentation skills are variable and pupils do not readily spot errors. Nevertheless, these faults do not detract from the high-quality style and language they use. Across the phases there is no evident difference between boys and girls. Both write proficiently and in depth.  The additional staff are well deployed to work with pupils requiring support with their learning. Teaching assistants at the school are highly skilled in guiding pupils and encourage them to think about their work without giving them the answer.  High-quality teaching in mathematics ensures that pupils achieve and exceed the standard expected nationally. Work scrutiny and observations of teaching and learning

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

in mathematics show strong evidence of pupils successfully tackling problem-solving questions. Pupils told inspectors that mathematics is a favourite subject because the ‘school is very good at teaching it’. Senior leaders recognise that the most able pupils with an aptitude for the subject benefit greatly from having far more complex questions set by the specialist staff.  Pupils receive homework, linked to topics and themes they are learning. Spelling is routinely set as is reading. Most parents who took part in the survey agree that the amount of homework set is appropriate.  Teachers provide parents with detailed feedback on pupils’ progress in all subjects taught. However, in spite of the information provided a few parents who responded to the Ofsted survey wish to have even more information on pupils’ progress. Evidence shows that individual reports include substantial information on pupils’ achievement.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  One parent commented, ‘My son enters the school and leaves emotionally happy each day.’ This perception summarises the view of the vast majority of parents who say that their children are extremely happy at school. Pupils are proud of their school and have a strong sense of attachment to it.  Pupils say that they are safe because their teachers are visible and they ‘fix arguments’. There are clear procedures in place to evacuate the building in the event of an attack or fire, or, as pupils describe, ‘locking it down’. All parents who took part in the Ofsted survey agree that their children are safe and well looked after. Pupils trust their teachers, and see them as ‘kind’ and caring people who they can turn to if they have concerns.  Pupils know about e-safety and the importance of keeping themselves safe online.

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Personal development and welfare

They are aware of how to protect themselves because the curriculum, assemblies and specialist external speakers cover a wide range of topics on protective measures which pupils should follow.  Pupils are highly ambitious about their future lives and the school provides high-quality experiences for them to begin finding out more about the world of work.  Pupils have a range of opportunities to take on leadership responsibilities and are excellent role models for each other. They enjoy serving others, show respect for each other and are attentive listeners. For example, pupils say that these skills help them to provide ‘good support to mentees in Years 1 and 2’. Everyone has a chance to volunteer. Pupils’ understanding of serving others extends to their contributions to charities and developing links with other communities.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  The overwhelming majority of parents agree that behaviour is impeccable. Pupils say that misbehaviour is infrequent, as is bullying. The school records confirm this. Pupils are adamant that when incidents occur, the school deals with them very quickly. The school’s high expectations of behaviour and pupils’ willingness to follow the code of conduct ensure that interruptions to learning and disagreements between friends are rare.  Pupils move around the school calmly and work with concentration and engagement. They demonstrate a high level of self-discipline and maturity.  Attendance, previously above the national average since the last inspection, is in line with the national average. Since the start of the new academic year, attendance dipped slightly because of short bursts of widespread illnesses. The health of a handful of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities affects them attending

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Behaviour

regularly. Despite their medical conditions, they persevere and attend as often as they can.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

 Pupils make excellent progress over time from their average starting points to achieve standards that are above average nationally. Evidence in literacy, mathematics and other subjects shows that pupils make consistent and rapid progress in all phases. As a result, they are very well prepared for the transition into each key stage. Pupils in Year 6 are given an excellent start for secondary school.  The school and local authority dispute the accuracy of the published 2016 data at the end of both key stages. At key stage 1, the moderators from the three local authorities’ advisory services formally acknowledged that assessments were too harsh. Scrutiny of current pupils’ work during the inspection provides substantial evidence that they make very good progress in English, mathematics and other subjects.  The key stage 2 results included a very small group of pupils working well below age- related expectations. All have now moved on to special schools. Evidence in pupils’

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

books confirms that in 2016 Year 6 pupils’ work showed that their achievement was far better than the published data indicated. This is because the initial assessments at the end of Year 2 in 2012 were inaccurate and did not reflect the correct starting points of pupils.  Across the school, pupils’ work and current assessment information show that pupils in all year groups are far ahead of age-related expectations nationally. Pupils’ rapid progress is linked to high-quality teaching and the meticulous use of accurate assessment information.  Results in 2015 and pupils’ current work show that disadvantaged pupils, including those who are most able, consistently make rapid progress. Additional enrichment activities, combined with a detailed and varied curriculum, as well as individual support from their teachers, ensure rapid and sustained progress over time.  The most able pupils achieve standards that are typically above average in all subjects.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

This is because teachers provide challenging questions for them to solve and master specific skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Current assessment information shows that the majority of pupils in this group are working at a high level and are on target to exceed the high standard expected nationally.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make very good progress in meeting their school-based targets. Work scrutiny, tracking records and discussions with pupils show that their good or better progress is sustained over time. The school has high expectations for these pupils, who often have very low starting points. This secures high-quality support at all times.  Historical outcomes show that White British pupils make well above average progress overall. The very few pupils from other minority ethnic groups within the community attain above-average standards and generally make above-average progress.

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Early years provision Outstanding

 Provision in the early years is excellent. Parents’ positive comments about the provision and the ‘speed that children learn’ are accurate. Children enter Nursery with skills that are broadly typical for their age and make exceptional progress by the end of Reception.  The setting is a hive of activity, where virtually every child attains a good level of development by the end of Reception in all areas of learning. Over the last three years, leaders’ actions to sustain and further increase the proportion of children achieving a good standard has led to children attaining highly each year. Predictions for this current academic year show that the school expects to maintain these high standards.  Initial assessment on entry to the Nursery is used very well to plan children’s learning so that they can make rapid progress. The early years phase has well-qualified and experienced staff. They ensure that children learn through high-quality activities and

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Early years provision Outstanding

direct teaching opportunities. Adults observe children well and use this to plan their next steps accurately.  The teaching of early reading and writing skills is excellent and enables pupils to make rapid progress. This is because teachers give clear rules for writing words and simple sentences. Children use basic sentence structure accurately. They spell tricky words with increasing accuracy.  As in the main school, staff move learning on at a fast pace through high-quality teaching and probing questions that encourage children to think hard. Expectations of what children can achieve are high. Teachers captivate children’s interest extremely well through demonstrations, which they use to explain the quality of work required. While the early years classrooms include a range of resources, it is high-quality teaching which motivates and stimulates children to develop a love for learning.  Children are confident and do not waste time, settling in very quickly and adhering to

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Early years provision Outstanding

the class routines. They remain focused on their work, displaying high levels of resilience. For example, they do not give up when reading unknown and complex texts that are beyond their age. Children’s writing, reading and mathematical skills develop at a rapid pace. They are confident learners and use their very good phonics effectively to read unknown and complex words. They enjoy writing and both boys and girls write equally well. Children are encouraged to think for themselves and to write independently. They do not hesitate to write imaginative sentences that express original ideas. Their excellent attitudes to learning provide them with the confidence to find things out for themselves without adult support.  Transition arrangements are well planned and there is continuity in approach to teaching and learning. As a result, children move to key stage 1 with ease.  Learning journals show that the most able are suitably challenged in all areas of

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Early years provision Outstanding

learning. Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are very well supported to keep up a good pace of work in very small groups.  Strong leadership and the excellent partnership with parents contribute to the wider family being fully involved in children’s learning and development. Parents attend the organised workshops and find them to be an invaluable asset to help improve their children’s learning.

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.wolfsonhillel.enfield.sch.uk

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School details

Email address schooloffice@wolfsonhillel.enfield.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 29-30 January 2013

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Information about this school

 The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.  The school is much larger than average-sized modern orthodox two-form entry Jewish faith school. It draws at least 15% of its pupils from the immediate Jewish community, with the remaining 85% coming from other neighbouring boroughs.  The school makes provision for 41 children in the Nursery; 30 attend full-time and eleven attend part time. The school offers 60 places for four-year-olds in Reception.  Most pupils are from a White British background and the rest are from a range of Jewish heritage, mainly Israeli.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds of Jewish ancestry is below average but the proportion who speak English as additional language is average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is low.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is

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Information about this school

average while the proportion who have a statement of special educational needs or education, health and care plan is high.  The school has a small special educational needs hub on site, which provides support for 13 pupils with specific learning needs.  The school has an early start and finish, after which pupils attend enrichment activities.  More pupils than usual join the school at different times throughout the academic year.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics for pupils by the end of Year 6.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection began as a short section 8 inspection and converted to a full section 5 inspection at the end of day one.  A team of inspectors observed a range of learning activities in each key stage, the early years and the hub over an additional two days, with the senior leaders. The inspectors observed assemblies, and a stay and learn workshop for parents who took part in activities alongside their children.  Meetings were held with the headteacher and members of the senior leadership team, middle leaders, and other staff, including two newly qualified teachers. Members of the inspection team met with the chair of the governing body and two other governors on two separate occasions on the first and third day of the converted inspection. Discussions were held with three groups of pupils and a meeting took place with a representative from the local authority  The inspectors considered 208 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and

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Information about this inspection

to the similar number of free-text comments that parents submitted online in the Ofsted survey. An inspector met with a few parents who wanted to share their views when picking up their children at school on the second day of the inspection. The inspectors also took into account 54 questionnaires completed by staff and 189 that pupils completed.  The inspection team observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documentation provided by the school. This included the school’s self-evaluation and development plan, records of pupils’ progress and current standards, behaviour, external reviews, minutes of governors’ meeting and systems for safeguarding pupils.

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Inspection team

Carmen Rodney, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Martin Roberts 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

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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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.gov.uk/ofsted

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