St Edmund's Catholic Primary School

St Edmund’s Catholic Primary School Hertford Road, Edmonton, London N9 7HJ

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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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 and senior leaders, including governors, have created a clear vision for raising pupils’ achievement. This is shared by all staff.  Governors have a good understanding of the school’s performance. They have an accurate understanding of the areas for school improvement.  Overall, teaching is good. Teachers provide useful guidance that provides additional challenges, particularly for lower- and middle- ability pupils.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/ or disabilities progress well. Staff’s support ensures that these pupils produce good-quality work.  The school’s curriculum successfully meets the needs of pupils. A range of interesting activities enriches pupils’ learning and provides them with high-quality experiences.  Disadvantaged pupils make good progress because of effective support and good teaching.  In 2016, standards in reading and mathematics were broadly in line with national averages by

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

the end of key stage 2. In writing, the proportion of pupils reaching age-related expectations was above the national average.  Attendance has been above the national average for a number of years.  Pupils like coming to school. They are polite to each other and adults.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective and well managed. Pupils feel safe and demonstrate confidence in assessing risks to themselves when using online devices.  Provision in the early years is good. The lead teacher provides effective support for less experienced staff.  Parents are pleased with the standard of education their children receive.  Senior leaders accurately identified that although most-able pupils, including most-able disadvantaged, make good progress, they are capable of even more, particularly in writing.  Assessment information provides leaders with some useful evidence about pupils’ progress. However, this could be used more precisely to

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

identify when the progress of groups of pupils in key stage 2 is not as secure as it could be, particularly for the most able.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 School leaders must ensure that: – accurate assessment information is used consistently well so that the strong progress made by pupils in key stage 1 continues into key stage 2 – teachers build on pupils’ prior learning and abilities from the start of activities so that high-attaining pupils have more challenging work that matches their ability, particularly in writing.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The headteacher is ably supported by the experienced deputy headteacher and team of senior leaders. Alongside the governors, leaders have developed a cohesive staff team who share the high expectations for pupils’ achievement and well-being.  Leaders have maintained the quality of teaching since the last inspection. They have a secure understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. Senior and middle leaders share responsibilities successfully. Leaders effectively hold teachers to account through the school’s performance management system.  The school’s curriculum effectively meets the needs of pupils. Leaders ensure that pupils receive high-quality experiences through a range of external visitors and deployment of the school’s specialist teachers. For example, high-quality artwork has been produced about the Day of the Dead festival in Mexico.  Leaders make sure that teaching is effective. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

development is promoted well through the school values of ‘love, care and share’. Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. The voting process in the election for membership of the school council enables pupils to see democracy in action.  Leaders have ensured that the pupil premium funding is used well. This ensures that disadvantaged pupils have the same wider opportunities as their peers and make similar progress. For example, pupils have access to additional tutoring and a number of extra-curricular clubs.  Leadership of the provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is good and the funding spent well. The school system for identifying emerging needs ensures that referrals for additional support are made quickly. Teaching and support in class meet pupils’ needs. As a result, progress for these pupils is good.  The sports premium is being used well. It enables the school to release the lead

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

teacher for physical education to support teachers in developing their own skills. The grant is also used so that pupils successfully compete against other schools in a number of different sports. Consequently, pupils have a good awareness of how to stay fit and develop a healthy lifestyle.  Parents are positive about the school and hold the leadership in high regard. Those who spoke to inspectors appreciate the leaders’ regular presence on the playground which enables them to sort out any issues quickly. Inspectors agree with parents when they say their children are kept safe in school.

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Governance of the school

 Governors receive a wide range of useful information about the school’s performance from senior leaders. This ensures that governors have a secure knowledge of the strengths and areas for school improvement. They offer appropriate challenge and support to continue the drive to raise standards further.  Governors’ training in safeguarding requirements means they have a strong overview of their statutory duties. Through regular visits to the school, the safeguarding governor ensures that the school’s records are fit for purpose and the required staff checks are carried out effectively.  Governors are knowledgeable about how additional government funding is used to improve the progress of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders ensure that safeguarding training has sharpened staff awareness of signs that pupils may be at risk of radicalisation or female genital mutilation. As a result, staff are confident in raising concerns they may have. Leaders regularly review information logged on the school’s system. This ensures that no information regarding pupil welfare is missed.  The curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, in a workshop for Year 6 pupils were given useful information about assessing risks to their personal safety when out in the wider community. This resulted in pupils having a secure understanding of how they can raise concerns with the emergency services. Younger children show a good awareness of road safety. Pupils talk confidently about how to keep safe when using online technology or social media.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Senior leaders’ effective support for new teachers results in good teaching across the school. Experienced teachers are successfully providing beneficial advice to those who are new to the profession. As a result, these teachers are developing secure classroom practices.  Teachers’ questions deepen pupils’ understanding of their learning. Where this is most successful, pupils’ responses are more detailed. This ensures that pupils stay focused on their learning throughout their lessons.  Pupils respond well to the high expectations set by their teachers. Pupils know what they need to do to be successful in their learning. This means they quickly use the feedback they receive from their teachers in their lessons to improve their work.  Mathematics teaching ensures that pupils develop early number skills well. These skills are built on successfully as the pupils move up through the school. Pupils can explain

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

their reasoning and chosen methods of calculation.  Pupils heard reading during the inspection demonstrated how they gain fluency and confidence in their reading. They enjoy reading challenging texts and develop secure comprehension skills when studying different types of books.  The quality of pupils’ artwork demonstrates how specialist teachers help them develop painting and drawing skills rapidly. This is evident in the varied range of displays around the school.  Pupils demonstrate appropriate understanding of the grammatical features of writing and use these when producing longer pieces. They have opportunities to apply these skills when writing in a number of curriculum subjects. However, some tasks limit opportunities for the most able pupils to demonstrate how they have developed more complex writing skills.  The school’s assessment system to monitor pupils’ progress is used regularly by leaders

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

and teachers. Inspectors identified that this needs to be sharper across the school to support teachers to identify when pupils are not making expected rates of progress, particularly for most-able pupils.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Pupils demonstrate empathy for one another’s emotional needs. Pupils are expected to make positive and active contributions to the school and the wider community. Recently, the gardening club helped in the planting of a nearby area that benefits the local community. Pupils told inspectors about their responsibilities with great pride. Parents recognise and appreciate the contribution the school makes to pupils’ personal development.  A well-organised curriculum ensures that pupils develop strong skills in recognising risks and how to keep themselves safe. E-safety information is regularly updated for pupils. As a result, they understand the risks associated with using online technology.  Incidents of bullying or discriminatory behaviour are very rare. Pupils told inspectors that bullies would not last long at St Edmund’s because they did not ‘love, care and

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Personal development and welfare

share’. This demonstrates how effectively the school has developed pupils’ friendly attitude. Parents have a positive view of pupils’ behaviour in school.  Pupils are able to tackle challenging issues and complex ideas. They learn the similarities and differences between religions. They have a strong awareness of the community of the commonwealth and their place in it.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils approach their learning with enthusiasm and commitment. This is the case for pupils of all abilities. They say disruption in lessons is very rare. Behaviour logs confirm that this is the case.  Pupils are polite and friendly. They are confident and enjoy talking about their learning at school.  Pupils develop skills to socialise and play together during breaks and lunchtime. Older pupils provide positive role models for younger pupils. As a result, play times are happy and harmonious. Pupils make the most of the wide range of activities on offer in the playground.  Pupils’ commitment to learning is also demonstrated by high rates of attendance. Families who require support receive high-quality assistance from leaders and the school’s parent support adviser. Recent persistent absence from a small number of pupils has been successfully tackled. Attendance is above the national average. This

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Behaviour

has been the case for a number of years.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils enter the school with skills that are below those typical for their age. Through effective teaching, leaders have ensured that progress is good for Reception children. In 2016, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development was in line with national averages.  The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics check was around the national average in 2016. School information indicates this to be the case for current pupils.  In the 2016 key stage 1 results, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standards was in line with national averages for reading, writing and mathematics. The number of pupils exceeding these standards was also in line with the national averages. Pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, including the most able, outperformed other pupils nationally in writing and mathematics, but not in reading. Leaders have addressed this with effective support in the transition to key stage 2 for

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Outcomes for pupils Good

these pupils.  In 2016, the proportion of pupils meeting the expected standards in reading and mathematics was in line with the national average by the end of Year 6. In writing, it was above the national average. Current pupils are making good progress. Books show this to be the case.  Books, progress information and observations during lessons show that most groups of pupils are making good progress across the school and are well prepared for the next stage in their education. However, inspectors identified that greater challenge needs to be given to the most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged, to ensure a greater proportion reach the higher standards, particularly in writing.

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Early years provision Good

 The early years leader provides effective support to teachers to ensure that children get a good start to their education.  The staff ensure that a strong focus on early social skills supports successful transition into the Reception classes from a number of pre-school settings. Teachers plan good- quality activities that are developed from the children’s interests. This is the case in the classroom and in the outdoor provision.  Children in Reception currently make good progress because they are taught well. They have a wide range of stimulating activities that successfully develop their early reading and writing skills. Teachers ensure that children are challenged through their phonic sessions. For example, children show they can spell simple words accurately and form their letters well.  The results in 2016 showed that the proportion of children reaching a good level of development was in line with the national averages.

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Early years provision Good

 Positive attitudes to learning are developed quickly. As a result, children learn to cooperate and sustain concentration through challenges set by their teachers.  The early years additional funding is spent well. In 2016, the proportion of children from disadvantaged backgrounds who reached a good level of development was above national average for all children nationally.  Parents are an important part of their children’s progress in Reception. They fully support the school’s work to ensure their children are ready for their move to Year 1.

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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

Email address office@st-edmunds.enfield.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22–23 September 2011

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Information about this school

 The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.  The school is part of the Edmonton Community Partnership, which includes a number of local schools.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is higher than that seen nationally.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium funding is higher than the national average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is lower than national figures.  The school meets the government’s floor standard (the minimum expected of pupil attainment and progress).

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors carried out a series of visits to classrooms in each year group. Some of these visits were conducted jointly with senior leaders.  Discussions took place with senior leaders, governors, middle leaders, pupils, parents and a representative from the local authority.  Documentation relating to the school’s website and safeguarding, including the single central record of recruitment checks, was scrutinised.  The schools’ self-evaluation, plans for improvement and analysis of pupils’ attainment and progress were evaluated.  Pupils’ work in different subjects was scrutinised alongside senior and middle leaders on day 1. Inspectors scrutinised a number of books from each year group on day 2.  Pupils’ behaviour in lessons, as well as before school in the breakfast club and during break and lunchtimes, was observed by inspectors.  Inspectors listened to pupils from Years 1 to 6 read.  Inspectors took into account 14 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent

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Information about this inspection

View, alongside the school’s own most recent parent questionnaire results. They also considered 13 responses to the pupil survey and 23 responses to the online staff survey .

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Inspection team

Sara Morgan, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Milan Stevanovic 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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