Sunrise Primary School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Sunrise Primary School 55 Coniston Road, London N17 0EX

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b)(i), 2(2) and 2(2)(h)  At the previous inspection, the curriculum did not meet pupils’ needs or academic abilities. This was because tasks lacked challenge, preventing pupils from gaining deep knowledge and understanding of complex concepts and skills. Consequently pupils, particularly the most able, did not make the progress of which they were capable.  The school’s action plan outlined some suitable initial actions, such as reviewing the curriculum policy, making use of the national curriculum for core subjects and obtaining relevant training. However, it was not clear how the schemes of work would be developed to support the learning needs of pupils across the ability range to ensure that they all have the opportunity to make good progress. They also lacked detail on how tasks would develop pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding as they progress

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Main inspection findings

through the school.  This inspection found that leaders have made limited progress in meeting these standards. Schemes of work are still not in place for all subjects. Those that have been developed lack detail and do not sufficiently take account of pupils’ different ages, aptitudes and interests. Teachers’ weekly planning is inconsistent. It is not securely linked to the overarching curriculum policy and schemes of work, and continues to lack detail on how learning tasks will develop pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding over time.  As a result, this paragraph continues to be not met. Paragraphs 3, 3(a), 3(c), 3(d), 3(e), 3(f) and 3(g)  At the previous inspection, pupils made inadequate progress because of weaknesses in teaching. These included poor tracking of pupils’ progress, a lack of support to improve the quality of writing and insufficient stretch and challenge for the most able.  The school’s action plan set out a wide range of actions to improve the quality of

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Main inspection findings

teaching and assessment. These included the recruitment of a new teacher, training for teachers, the introduction of a new assessment system and improvements in resources. However, it was not clear how progress would be measured from pupils’ differing starting points to check and evaluate the progress that individual pupils make over time. No documents were provided in relation to assessing pupils’ progress and using this to inform teachers’ planning.  This inspection found that leaders have made some limited progress in meeting these standards. In September 2017, a teacher was replaced and another teacher is currently being recruited to relieve the headteacher from teaching. Leaders have begun to develop an assessment system which identifies pupils’ starting points in English and mathematics. However, there is still no consistent approach to teaching or to monitoring the quality of teaching. The information from assessments has not been used to inform

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Main inspection findings

teachers’ planning and there is still no assessment system in place to identify pupils’ starting points across the other subjects.  As a result, this paragraph continues to be not met.  Leaders have not ensured that all the independent school standards in this part are met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7, 7(a) and 7(b)  At the previous inspection, safeguarding policies and procedures were out of date. Staff and members of the management committee had not received appropriate training and were unaware of their statutory duties. Checks on the suitability of staff were not robust.  This inspection confirmed leaders’ successful implementation of some of their proposed actions. For example, two reviews of the safeguarding policy and procedures have led to a much more robust approach to keeping pupils safe, which complies with statutory requirements. Adults in all roles have now received the appropriate level of training and are clear about their statutory responsibilities. Safeguarding procedures, including checking staff members’ understanding, now feature as part of weekly staff meeting agendas. The management committee is now involved in the monitoring of safeguarding

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Main inspection findings

practice.  However, while all the required vetting checks on staff, proprietors and management committee members are now undertaken, leaders were not clear until this inspection about the difference between barred list checks and prohibition from teaching and management checks. As a result, all prohibition checks were missing from the single central record, although they had been undertaken. Leaders were not clear about when a barred list check is required on a new member of staff. The completion of the single central record also lacks attention to detail, with some dates and initials of the person completing the check missing.  As a result, this paragraph continues to be not met. Paragraphs 9, 9(b), 3 and 3(h)  At the previous inspection, some pupils were reluctant to adhere to reasonable requests by staff, some pupils’ low-level disruptive behaviour prevented others from learning and some staff struggled to use the strategies listed in the behaviour policy to tackle

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Main inspection findings

inappropriate behaviour effectively.  This inspection confirmed leaders’ successful implementation of their proposed actions. These included a review of the behaviour policy, training for staff in behaviour management, putting in place support plans for pupils whose behaviour is challenging, and the involvement of pupils in creating rules. The inspector observed all pupils throughout the inspection, both learning in class and playing during break and lunchtimes. Pupils behaved well and there was no disruption. Pupils and leaders told the inspector that this is now typical.  As a result, these paragraphs are now met. Paragraphs 11, 16, 16(a) and 16(b)  At the previous inspection, risk assessments did not adequately protect pupils’ welfare because they did not provide enough information or were missing.  This inspection confirmed leaders’ successful implementation of their proposed actions. They have reviewed the health and safety policy, written a new, suitable risk assessment

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Main inspection findings

policy and reviewed all risk assessments, as well as providing appropriate training for staff. Suitably robust risk assessments are now in place for the premises, the outdoor adventure playground area and for trips and enrichment activities.  As a result, these paragraphs are now met. Paragraph 12  At the previous inspection, leaders had not ensured that their fire risk assessment was in line with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. They also had not taken appropriate action following an external review of fire safety procedures, particularly in relation to emergency lighting and alarms.  This inspection confirmed leaders’ successful implementation of their proposed actions. They have commissioned a new, external fire risk assessment, trained staff and been visited by the fire service. New emergency lighting has been installed and the three actions identified in the external risk assessment have all been completed. The school is

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Main inspection findings

now compliant with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.  As a result, this paragraph is now met. Paragraph 13  At the previous inspection, procedures for checking the expiry date of first aid equipment and for administering medicines to pupils were haphazard.  This inspection confirmed leaders’ successful implementation of their proposed actions. They have appointed a new lead for first aid, revised the policy and procedures for first aid and now ensure that weekly checks on first aid equipment are undertaken. The recording of these checks and of the administration of medication is now fit for purpose.  As a result, this paragraph is now met. Paragraph 15  At the previous inspection, leaders’ registration of pupils on a daily basis was inconsistent in its use of the codes set down by the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 2006.  This inspection confirmed that the correct attendance codes are now used to register

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Main inspection findings

pupils in the school’s attendance registers. However, checks on the admission register found key information required by the regulations to be missing, such as pupils’ previous schools. Leaders’ recording of information lacks precision.  As a result, this paragraph continues to be not met.  Leaders have not ensured that all the independent school standards in this part are met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraphs 18(2), 18(2)(b), 18(2)(c)(iv), 18(3), 20(6)(a), 20(6)(a)(ii), 20(6)(b), 20(6)(b)(i), 20(6)(c), 21(1), 21(3), 21(3)(a)(iii), 21(3)(a)(iv), 21(3)(b), 21(6), 21(7) and 21(7)(a)  At the previous inspection, the checks on the suitability of staff to work at the school were not robust. Record-keeping was poor, particularly for prohibition from teaching checks and in obtaining the original documents of staff’s qualifications. The required checks for members of the proprietorial body, including the management committee, had not been undertaken.  This inspection confirmed that all the required checks have now been undertaken on staff, proprietors and members of the management committee. However, record-keeping continues to lack precision. For example, leaders were confused about the difference between a barred list check and prohibition from teaching and management checks. As a

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Main inspection findings

result, prohibition checks are not recorded on the school’s single central record.  Leaders have ensured that the following paragraphs are now met: 18(2), 18(2)(b), 18(2)(c)(iv), 18(3), 20(6)(a), 20(6)(a)(ii), 20(6)(b), 20(6)(b)(i), 20(6)(c), 21(3)(a)(iv) and 21(6).  However, the following paragraphs continue to be not met: 21(1), 21(3), 21(3)(a)(iii), 21(3)(b), 21(7) and 21(7)(a).  Leaders have not ensured that all the independent school standards in this part are met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 6. Provision of information Paragraphs 32(1), 32(1)(b), 32(1)(c), 32(1)(j), 32(2), 32(2)(b)(ii), 32(2)(c), 32(3), 32(3)(b), 32(3)(c), 32(3)(e) and 32(3)(f)  At the previous inspection, there were a number of unmet standards relating to the availability of information. This included the non-availability of the school’s safeguarding and curriculum policies, details of the complaints procedure and number of registered complaints, and other information such as contact details for the proprietor.  This inspection confirmed that all the required information is now published on the school’s website.  As a result, this paragraph is now met.  Leaders have ensured that all the independent school standards in this part are now met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c)  At the previous inspection, the proprietors had not ensured that people with leadership and management responsibilities fulfilled their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards were met consistently. Concerns were raised over the effectiveness of the management committee in holding leaders to account.  The school’s action plan stated that the headteacher would be given time to carry out her leadership role, including keeping up with current advice and guidance. However, it was not clear how leaders and members of the management committee, other than the headteacher, would develop their skills and knowledge in holding the school’s leaders to account.  This inspection found leaders to have made some limited progress. Many of the previously unmet independent school standards are now met. However, at the time of

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Main inspection findings

the inspection, the headteacher was still fulfilling a teaching commitment and did not have the time to carry out both her leadership and governance roles. While the management committee is now far more active in monitoring the work of leaders, members do not have enough knowledge and understanding of the independent school standards to support their monitoring.  As a result, this paragraph continues to be not met.  Leaders have not ensured that all the independent school standards in this part are met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet the requirements of the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection, as set out in the annex of this report. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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School details

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.

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 11–13 July 2017

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Information about this school

 Sunrise Primary School is a non-selective independent school for pupils aged between two and 11. The school opened in 1987 and is owned by the Sunrise Education Trust.  The leaders’ vision is to provide a neohumanist education, which encourages a universal human society.  Many pupils attend part time, as they are home-educated during the rest of the week.  There is one class in the early years and two classes in the primary phase.  Since the previous inspection, pupil numbers have significantly decreased.  No pupils have an education, health and care plan.  The school’s most recent inspection was a full standard inspection which took place in July 2017, when all areas were judged to be inadequate.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  This inspection was the school’s first progress monitoring inspection and was conducted without notice.  In July 2017, a full standard inspection of the school judged it to be inadequate. The school submitted an action plan. Ofsted’s review of this plan in January 2018 judged it to be not acceptable. As a result, the Department for Education wrote to the school to confirm the action plan had been rejected.  The inspection focused on the school’s progress against specific requirements within Parts 1, 3, 4, 6 and 8 of the independent school standards.  The inspector conducted the inspection in collaboration with the headteacher. He also

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Information about this inspection

met with a member of the school’s management committee and toured the premises with the school’s assistant headteacher.  The inspector scrutinised a range of relevant documentation, including that relating to the curriculum, assessment, safeguarding, fire safety and risk assessment. He also met a group of pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 and observed learning in all three classes, as well as during pupils’ recreational time.  There were too few responses to Ofsted’s online survey (Parent View) to consider as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

James Waite, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

Standards that were not met at the previous inspection and remain unmet at this inspection

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 The standard is met if the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, is drawn up and implemented effectively; and the written policy, plans and schemes of work take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan; and that all pupils have the opportunity to learn and make progress (paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b)(i), 2(2) and 2(2)(h)).  The standard is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school: – enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught – involves well-planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time – shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught – utilises effectively classroom resources of a good quality, quantity and range – demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress (paragraphs 3, 3(a), 3(c), 3(d), 3(e), 3(f) and 3(g)).

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 The standard is met if the proprietor ensures that arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State (paragraphs 7, 7(a) and 7(b)).  The standard is met if the proprietor ensures that an admission and attendance register is maintained in accordance with the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 (paragraph 15).

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

 The standard is met if the proprietor ensures that a register is kept which shows that, in relation to each member of staff (‘S’):

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

– a check was made to establish whether S is subject to any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in such a direction – whether a check was made to establish whether S is subject to a prohibition order or an interim prohibition order, including the date on which such check was completed (paragraphs 21(1), 21(3), 21(3)(a)(iii) and 21(3)(b)).  The standard is met if the proprietor ensures that a register is kept which shows that, in relation to each member of a body of persons named as the proprietor in post on 1 August 2007 who was appointed at any time before 1 May 2007, whether each check referred to in sub-paragraph (6) was made (paragraphs 21(7) and 21(7)(a)).

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 The standard is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school: – demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently – fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently – actively promote the well-being of pupils (paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c)).

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 The standard is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school utilises effective strategies for managing behaviour and encouraging pupils to act responsibly (paragraphs 3, 3(h)).

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 The standard is met if the proprietor promotes good behaviour amongst pupils by ensuring that the policy is implemented effectively (paragraph 9(b)).  The standard is met if the proprietor ensures that relevant health and safety laws are complied with by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written health and safety policy (paragraph 11).  The standard is met if the proprietor ensures compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (paragraph 12).  The standard is met if the proprietor ensures that first aid is administered in a timely and competent manner by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written first aid policy (paragraph 13).  The standard is met if the proprietor ensures that the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy; and appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

 The standard is met if the proprietor carries out appropriate checks to confirm that no person carries out work, or intends to carry out work, at the school in contravention of a prohibition order, an interim prohibition order, or any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act, or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction that takes effect as if contained in either such direction; and where appropriate, the person's qualifications. These checks, referred to in sub-paragraphs (2)(c) and (except where sub-paragraph (4) applies) (2)(e), are completed before a person's appointment (paragraphs 18(2), 18(2)(b), 18(2)(c), 18(2)(c)(iv) and 18(3)).  The standard is met if the proprietor ensures that an individual (‘MB’), not being the Chair of the school, who is a member of a body of persons corporate or unincorporate named as the proprietor of the school in the register or in an application to enter the school in

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

the register, does not carry out work, or intend to carry out work, at the school in contravention of a prohibition order, an interim prohibition order, or any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in either such direction. Subject to sub-paragraphs (7) to (8), the Chair of the school makes the following checks relating to MB: – where relevant to the individual, an enhanced criminal record check – subject to sub-paragraph (8), where the Secretary of State makes a request for an enhanced criminal record check relating to MB countersigned by the Secretary of State to be made, such a check is made (paragraphs 20(6), 20(6)(a), 20(6)(a)(ii), 20(6)(b), 20(6)(b)(i) and 20(6)(c)).  The standard is met if the proprietor keeps a register which shows such of the information referred to in sub-paragraphs (3) to (7) as is applicable to the school in

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Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

question: – in relation to each member of staff (‘S’) appointed on or after 1 May 2007, whether checks were made to ensure, where appropriate, that S had the relevant qualifications – in relation to each member (‘MB’) of a body of persons named as the proprietor appointed on or after 1 May 2007, whether the checks referred to in paragraph 20(6)(b) were made, the date they were made and the date on which the resulting certificate was obtained (paragraphs 21(3), 21(3)(a), 21(3)(a)(iv) and 21(6)).

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Part 6. Provision of information

 The standard is met if the proprietor ensures that: – the information specified in sub-paragraph (3) is made available to parents of pupils and parents of prospective pupils and, on request, to the Chief Inspector, the Secretary of State or an independent inspectorate – particulars of the arrangements for meeting the standard contained in paragraph 7 are published on the school’s internet website or, where no such website exists, are provided to parents on request – particulars of any action specified in sub-paragraph (4) are published and maintained on the school’s website or, where no such website exists, are provided to parents (paragraphs 32(1), 32(1)(b), 32(1)(c) and 32(1)(j)).

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Part 6. Provision of information

 The standard is met if the proprietor ensures that the following information is provided: – where the proprietor is a body of persons, the address and telephone number of its registered or principal office – particulars of the policy referred to in paragraph 2 – particulars of the school’s academic performance during the preceding school year, including the results of any public examinations – details of the complaints procedure referred to in paragraph 33, and the number of complaints registered under the formal procedure during the preceding school year (paragraphs 32(2), 32(2)(b), 32(2)(b)(ii), 32(2)(c), 32(3), 32(3)(b), 32(3)(c), 32(3)(e) and 32(3)(f)). 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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Part 6. Provision of information

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Part 6. Provision of information

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Part 6. Provision of information

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Part 6. Provision of information

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Part 6. Provision of information

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Part 6. Provision of information

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