St Augustines Federated Schools: CofE Primary School

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

p.1

Ms Suzanne Parry Headteacher St Augustine’s CofE Primary School Kilburn Park Road London NW6 5XA

p.1

Short inspection of St Augustine’s CofE Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 20 February 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in October 2013.

p.1

Short inspection of St Augustine’s CofE Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Based on the evidence gathered during this short inspection, I am of the opinion that the school has demonstrated strong practice and marked improvement in certain areas. This may indicate that the school is improving towards being outstanding. Therefore, I am recommending that the school’s next inspection be a section 5 inspection.

p.1

Short inspection of St Augustine’s CofE Primary School

You, together with the leadership team and governors, have addressed the priorities for improvement identified at the previous inspection. For example, you have worked to provide more visual and stimulating practical opportunities for pupils in preparation for writing across the school. Similarly, you have increased the range of opportunities for pupils to work independently and use information technology to undertake extended research and inquiry work.

p.1

Short inspection of St Augustine’s CofE Primary School

There is a deep-rooted drive for excellence at St Augustine’s. The ambitious vision begins with you, and extends right across the school community. Working with parents, carers, leaders, staff and governors, you have secured a sustained rise in academic standards since the previous inspection. Parents’ views gathered on this inspection show that they agree with this assessment.

p.1

Short inspection of St Augustine’s CofE Primary School

You have ensured that teaching is strong. Pupils are happy, settled and engaged, and their learning is rapid. You have established a rich and well-structured curriculum, which encourages pupils to show curiosity in the world around them and use their imagination. There are many creative outlets for pupils’ talents and abilities, including Spanish and learning to play a musical instrument, such as the violin. There are also numerous engaging extra-curricular opportunities, which include residential visits, which pupils said they enjoy.

p.1

Short inspection of St Augustine’s CofE Primary School

Pupils told me that the school provides them with many opportunities, which they value greatly. They appreciate the support that the adults give. They said they feel safe and that there is no bullying. They work with adults to ensure that the school is a safe and harmonious environment.

p.2

Short inspection of St Augustine’s CofE Primary School

The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and records are detailed and of high quality. Staff support pupils’ well- being meticulously. Leaders work with outside agencies and liaise with them quickly in order to secure strong support for pupils and their families. Leaders manage concerns sensitively and effectively. Staff have secure knowledge and understanding of current safeguarding guidance and procedures. Pre-employment checks on adults working at the school meet statutory requirements. Staff training is up to date and their safeguarding practice is effective. Governors carry out appropriate checks on safeguarding during the school year.

p.2

Inspection findings

 The first focus for this inspection was to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies to improve the teaching and learning of reading and writing, particularly for the most able pupils. We agreed upon this because standards in this group dipped in 2017 and you suggested that you had put in place effective measures to address this.  Together, we visited classes. We found strong teaching of mathematics and English, including reading, writing and phonics.  You have implemented a number of changes and improvements that have secured higher standards. For example, you have introduced more challenging books for guided reading, and a stronger emphasis on teaching key skills of deduction, prediction and inference. In particular, the more advanced readers are encouraged to consider ‘the writer’s intention’. Using this knowledge, pupils demonstrate sophisticated skills in literary construction in their writing. In

p.2

Inspection findings

addition, pupils have been carefully taught how to answer complex questions. These measures have been highly effective.  Teaching is ambitious. Teachers use questioning skilfully and ensure that pupils are challenged continuously. Teachers are determined that every pupil should achieve well. Additional adults are deployed to support learners very effectively. Pupils concentrate, try hard and work well together. They enjoy the challenges presented and tackle them enthusiastically.  In their speaking and writing, the pupils can incorporate concepts they have learned and can describe these, using correct vocabulary. For example, pupils understand figures of speech, predicting what might come next, how a character might feel or react, and how writers use devices which grip the reader.  Evidence in books and from listening to readers shows that all pupils, regardless of starting points, are making strong and sustained progress. We agreed that it

p.2

Inspection findings

would be appropriate to continue the successful drive to raise standards in reading and writing for the most able pupils.  Finally, the inspection focused on measures to raise teaching and learning in mathematics. The school has a strong track record of teaching mathematics. Historically, standards are high. We agreed upon this because you wanted to show the strong practice of the school in this subject and the steps you had taken to ensure that standards remain high.  Through you and your leaders’ careful monitoring, maintaining high expectations and supporting teachers, a culture of excellence in mathematics has been established. Teachers are ambitious for the pupils in their care.  The school is notably strong at rapidly developing mathematical vocabulary, which the pupils then use freely and accurately to give answers that reflect the depth of their learning. For example, in discussions with pupils in Year 3, the

p.3

Inspection findings

inspector deliberately used the term ‘commutative’ incorrectly while discussing division. A pupil swiftly corrected the inspector and stated that the ‘commutative laws’ only apply to addition or multiplication.  In their workbooks, in discussions with pupils, and in evaluating displays of mathematical work, it is clear that all pupils, regardless of starting points, are making substantial and sustained progress.

p.3

Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

p.3

Next steps for the school

 the highly effective drive to improve the teaching and learning of reading and writing for the most able pupils is sustained.

p.3

Next steps for the school

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

p.3

Information about the inspection

I carried out the following activities during the inspection:

p.3

Information about the inspection

 I held meetings with you, the deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher  I held a meeting with the literacy manager  I held a meeting with the safeguarding leader  I held a meeting with four members of the teaching staff  I observed learning indoors and outdoors  I had a discussion with four governors, including the chair of governors  I had a discussion with a group of pupils  I observed a range of lessons, including mathematics and English  I evaluated rates of progress by looking at pupils’ workbooks, reading journals and displays  I heard pupils reading  I evaluated recent information about pupils’ progress  I considered the views of staff through looking at responses to Ofsted’s online survey  I considered the views of parents through responses to Ofsted’s survey, Parent View, and discussions with parents on the playground before school.

p.3