St Mary and St Pancras Church of England Primary School

St Mary and St Pancras Church of England Primary School 81 Werrington Street, London NW1 1QP

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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 Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Senior leaders have worked tirelessly since the last inspection to raise the quality of teaching and assessment to improve pupils’ progress. This work is most evident in mathematics and some aspects of the wider curriculum.  Governors have a deep knowledge of the school and have an accurate view of its strengths and weaknesses. Through this, they are able to both challenge and support school leaders. They have made judicious use of support from the local authority to ensure that the school is now successful.  Staff are committed to providing pupils with a balance of secure care and guidance and academic challenge across a range of subjects. This prepares them well for secondary school.  Pupils in all year groups make good progress. Leaders make effective use of monitoring in order to target support wherever needed.  Teachers know the pupils very well. Teaching is good overall and captures pupils’ interests,

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

including through good use of questioning.  Teaching is good, though in key stages 1 and 2 some teaching does not always challenge pupils of different abilities and consequently progress is not as good as it could be.  Teaching improves pupils’ skills most strongly in mathematics and in other subjects, including science, physical education (PE) and music. However, there is more to do to ensure that the teaching of writing in key stages 1 and 2 is equally effective.  Leaders recognise that the breadth of the curriculum needs to be further developed across all subjects of the national curriculum.  Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do well because care is taken to plan work that meets their individual needs.  Pupils’ attendance has improved over time, reflecting the importance placed on it by leaders and staff. It is now at least average for all groups of pupils.  Pupils show respect, tolerance and kindness

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

towards others. They are well behaved and willing to work hard. Leaders ensure that pupils are well cared for, and make good provision for their personal development.  In the early years, the good provision in the Nursery and Reception classes means that children make strong progress and are very well prepared for Year 1. Leadership of the early years is highly effective.  Parents have great confidence in the early years leadership; however, this confidence is not shared by some parents of pupils in key stages 1 and 2. 27–28 March 2019

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching in key stages 1 and 2 so that pupils make better progress, especially in writing, by: – eradicating inconsistencies in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment – being sure that work appropriately challenges pupils and meets their needs.  Developing the quality of teaching in the foundation subjects so that pupils make outstanding progress in all subjects through a well-balanced curriculum entitlement.  Build on the excellent work started in the early years in viewing effective parent partnership as an effective means of raising outcomes for pupils by ensuring that parents and carers understand the reasons for changes made at the school and giving them a more participatory role in its development. 27–28 March 2019

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Since the previous inspection, when the school was found to be outstanding, there have been several changes of staff, including a new headteacher. Since that time school leaders have worked effectively to improve the quality of teaching at the school. As a result, standards have risen steadily, particularly in reading and mathematics. Nevertheless, more work is needed before pupils’ progress in writing is equally strong.  Together with a dedicated governing body, the senior leadership team has established a clear set of school values which inform the school’s ethos and are understood by pupils and staff. Their work is clearly centred on ensuring the development of pupils to become responsible members of British society.  Leaders have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Their plans for improvement focus on the areas in need of most attention. The impact of leaders’ work is shown by the clear improvements in the quality of teaching made in recent

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

years. This is most evident in the teaching of mathematics and a range of other important subject areas, including PE, science and music, where standards are continuing to rise.  Middle leaders make a positive contribution to the school’s work to raise standards. They work with teachers, focusing on the quality of work produced by pupils in their areas of responsibility. Their work is leading to improvements in how well pupils are being taught and is starting to address the remaining inconsistencies in the quality of teaching in key stage 2.  Leaders use assessment information skilfully to hold teachers to account for their pupils’ progress. Leaders and teachers now have useful and accurate information to identify and support pupils at risk of underachievement. Nevertheless, not all teachers use this information well, and some inconsistency remains in the extent to which teaching routinely meets the needs of pupils of all abilities, particularly in reading and writing.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders use the pupil premium funding well to support the learning of disadvantaged pupils. Additional pastoral support and bespoke extra help for those pupils who need to catch up form the basis of this work. Consequently, disadvantaged pupils are now making the same progress as, and in some cases better progress than, disadvantaged pupils nationally.  The primary PE and sport premium enables the school to provide teaching experiences which go above and beyond what is offered in other schools, such as more access to swimming lessons, a specialist sports coach and activity clubs. Pupils benefit from a good range of clubs and extra-curricular activities, such as competitive sporting events. These opportunities are effective in promoting pupils’ fitness and enjoyment of physical activity.  The school makes excellent provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This is helping pupils to acquire a thorough understanding of life in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

modern Britain. Leaders have worked effectively to instil an ethos of teamwork within the school, with the values of friendship and forgiveness central to their work . 27–28 March 2019  Leaders realise that pupils need a broad range of skills and knowledge in order to do well. At times, however, this richness is limited in favour of teaching ‘basic skills’. The curriculum is enriched by specialist teaching of PE, Spanish and music. However, other subjects are less developed such as art, history and geography, where pupils’ skills are less developed.  The school has received useful external support from the local authority’s school improvement service and the London Diocesan Board for Schools. Both have supported the school well and have been very helpful in supporting governors with consultancy advice which has helped to improve the school.

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Governance of the school

 Governors carry out their duties diligently and have been steadfast partners with senior leaders as they work to improve the school. They understand the school’s context very well and offer both challenge and support to the school’s leadership team. They act conscientiously to enable the school to develop its vision of a school where teamwork and treating each other with respect are very much at its heart.  Governors pay frequent visits to the school to be able to corroborate the reports they receive from senior leaders and the local authority. They are keen to develop their role in helping parents to better understand the work of the school and how to work in partnership with one another.  Governors’ focus is rightly on ensuring that pupils do the best they can while at the school. They use their frequent meetings and committee structures to make sure that this remains central to their work.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders ensure that all members of staff are well trained in child protection and have the necessary skills and knowledge to promote pupils’ welfare. The school’s policies and practice are thorough. A strong culture of safety exists in the school. Leaders and staff work closely with parents, as well as external professionals, to ensure that all pupils are supported and as safe as possible.  Pupils are very confident that the school is a safe place; parents and staff at the school who responded to Ofsted’s surveys or spoke with an inspector agree with this view. Key staff have ensured that safer recruitment training and practice are up to date.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 The quality of teaching across the school is good overall. Most teaching shows high expectations of what pupils can achieve and uses time and resources well. Staff have very positive relationships with the pupils, which encourages positive attitudes.  Some variability in teaching remains, particularly in the foundation subjects and writing in key stages 1 and 2. On occasion, some teaching fails to capture the interests of all 27–28 March 2019 pupils, with consequences for both progress and behaviour. At these times, tasks set for pupils don’t challenge them appropriately and so pupils do not all do as well as they could.  The school has a consistent approach to the teaching of early reading skills. This has helped to ensure that teaching is sufficiently precise to support pupils in acquiring the knowledge of phonics expected for their age. Staff have good subject knowledge and model sounds accurately and correct pupils when they make mistakes. This helps

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

pupils to use phonics to decode words accurately and fluently.  Senior leaders have implemented a range of initiatives to improve the quality of teaching and learning. These include, for example, the introduction of self-assessment procedures and feedback to pupils. These are now used consistently and have contributed to the improved outcomes for pupils.  Senior leaders have identified weaker aspects of teaching. For example, they are aware that some teaching has not ensured that pupils apply a good understanding of technical vocabulary in their work. All classes now implement an effective ‘reminder’ system to enable pupils to keep this in focus across both English and mathematics.  Teaching of mathematics is effective in making tasks challenging and interesting for all pupils. The teaching places emphasis on developing pupils’ conceptual understanding by using practical equipment.  Additional adults support pupils with SEND effectively and motivate them to try hard.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

Pupils know that the staff want them to do well. In turn, this has developed pupils’ positive attitudes towards learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Leaders ensure that the welfare and care of pupils is central to life at the school. Pupils work and play together harmoniously because they are taught to show tolerance of diversity as well as compassion for others. Through an approach looking at philosophical situations, pupils are also taught to work hard and to demonstrate resilience when they encounter problems.  Through the curriculum, pupils develop a strong awareness of different faiths, ethnic backgrounds and cultures. Pupils demonstrate respectful and considerate attitudes and show respect for each other, even if they hold different beliefs or points of view. They are well prepared to play a positive role in modern Britain.  Positive messages about how to tackle and respond to bullying have been helpful to pupils. Pupils say that bullying does not take place at the school, though were it to

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Personal development and welfare

occur, they know the systems that exist to support them. Teachers ensure that pupils are knowledgeable about how to keep safe while working on the internet, including when online at home.  Through different subjects, including science and PE, pupils are made aware of key aspects of keeping healthy, such as the importance of a good diet and regular exercise. 27–28 March 2019

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils conduct themselves sensibly, both in classrooms and around the school site. Only at rare times, when teaching does not meet pupils’ needs, do they become distracted, so limiting their progress.  Leaders have continued to work effectively to maintain a great sense of community in the school. This is evident in how the pupils both respect and show empathy towards one another.  The school is developing its communication with parents. Leaders take feedback from parents about key aspects of their work. However, they have not been clear on how this feedback has been followed up. This has led to a number of parents feeling that their views are not represented at the school. Inspectors found no evidence to support the view of a few parents that the school does not deal effectively with bullying.  Most pupils attend school regularly and on time each day. School leaders have

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Behaviour

established very good practices to ensure that all parents understand the importance of regular and punctual school attendance. This includes the school not authorising a small number of parents to take extended trips aboard during term time.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Standards at key stage 2 have been rising since 2016. In 2018, a higher than expected number of pupils achieved above the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics. This represented better than average progress in mathematics and reading. In writing, pupils’ progress was slower, and a below-average proportion of the most able pupils attained the higher standard in writing.  In 2018, the proportion of Year 1 pupils meeting the expected standard in the phonics screening check was close to the national average. Leaders have recognised the importance of an early secure grasp of reading when pupils are in key stage 1, and this is clearly paying dividends.  Current pupils are making good progress in reading and mathematics. This is shown by the school’s assessments of their progress over time, work in their books and their learning in classrooms. This is the result of consistently good and outstanding teaching

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Outcomes for pupils Good

in these subjects.  Most pupils clearly enjoy reading, and leaders have ensured that a wide variety of good-quality reading materials are available to them. Book areas are very well resourced and include a wide selection of modern and classic texts which children read with interest. This promotion of reading is helping pupils to broaden their reading as well as improving their vocabulary and comprehension skills.  Senior leaders recognised that more should be expected of pupils in writing. Children in the early years now make a very good start to developing literacy skills, which are then built upon in key stage 1. In key stage 2, although there are strong indications of improving progress, overall, pupils’ progress in writing is uneven.  Careful use of the pupil premium funding is helping to support the good progress that 27–28 March 2019 disadvantaged pupils make in most curriculum areas. Their progress in writing is now

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Outcomes for pupils Good

improving because of the school’s careful analysis and the resulting actions.  As a result of effective support, pupils with SEND are fully included in all aspects of learning and they learn well. Leaders use assessment information effectively to monitor the progress of these pupils and ensure that they receive the help they need to make good progress.

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Early years provision Good

 Children join the Nursery class with skills that are typically below those expected for their age. However, due to effective teaching, children make good progress and increasingly reach a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year, including disadvantaged children. The best progress is made by children who experience the school’s Nursery class; however good progress is made by all children in the early years.  Leaders are ambitious to improve the proportion of children who exceed expectations for their age. Leadership of this phase is very strong. Leaders have identified the obvious strengths and the areas for development accurately. They assess children’s skills regularly and plan activities that are well matched to children’s skills and interests.  Children learn well and make strong progress from their starting points. The proportion of children attaining a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year is

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Early years provision Good

similar to other schools nationally. Children develop very positive attitudes to school life in the early years and are well prepared for moving into Year 1.  Staff use the learning environment well and have plans to improve this further to promote good-quality independent learning and multisensory experiences. The atmosphere in the early years is purposeful and thriving. Children are motivated and engrossed in the activities that are provided for them. They persevere to complete tasks and are proud of their achievements when they do so.  Across the Reception classes and Nursery class, teachers create a welcoming learning environment which interests children in activities that they find enjoyable. Very good teaching ensures that children get plenty of experiences in learning how to read and write. The qualified nursery nurses add to the team approach adopted by the staff and position themselves carefully to make best use of the time they spend with children.

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Early years provision Good

 Children are excited by the work planned for them as teachers have listened to their ideas and plan work accordingly. Children are very well behaved and respectful towards one another. The interesting work areas encourage them to practise the skills they have learned, including the use of basic number facts and writing. Children in the Reception class are already showing increased skill in writing, with many children able to write clearly and use basic punctuation, including full stops and capital letters, in their work.  Across all classes, children are very well cared for and their well-being is of paramount importance. The school has worked successfully to raise disadvantaged children’s achievement. They are now doing almost as well as their peers nationally.  The school has developed effective partnership working with parents; they are clearly 27–28 March 2019 valued and contribute to the assessments made of children’s progress throughout the

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Early years provision Good

early years. They are able to access the school’s ongoing assessment records held in their ‘special books’, which go on to become a much-valued keepsake.  Strong pastoral welfare, combined with very good teaching, ensures that children get off to a good start. Children’s work reflects the progress that they make in their all- round development. Children with SEND are supported well to develop their communication, speech and language skills. 27–28 March 2019

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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

Date of previous inspection 16 November 2011

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils with SEND is well above average. The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is also well above average. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language (EAL) is high.  Pupils come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. The largest group of children is from Bangladeshi backgrounds, with children from a White British background forming the next sizeable ethnic group. 27–28 March 2019

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited classrooms in all year groups; several of these visits were carried out jointly with members of the school’s leadership team.  The inspection team heard pupils in Year 2 read. They talked to pupils in classrooms and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents, including the school’s improvement plan and records of pupils’ behaviour, safeguarding and attendance. They also scrutinised assessment information and records of meetings of the governing body.  Inspectors met with teachers and spoke with pupils. A meeting was held with members of the governing body. A meeting was also held with a representative from the local authority and the London Diocesan Board for Schools. Several meetings were held with the headteacher and deputy headteacher.  The views of parents were obtained through informal discussions, the 54 responses to the online Parent View survey and the school’s own surveys.

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Inspection team

Tim McLoughlin, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Karen Jaeggi Ofsted Inspector 27–28 March 2019 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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