Brunswick Park Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of a good school: Brunswick Park Primary and Nursery School Osidge Lane, Southgate, London N14 5DU

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Outcome

Brunswick Park Primary and Nursery School continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a section 5 inspection now.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are extremely positive about their school. They told me that staff care about them. Pupils were also very eager to tell me about the great work that they do in class.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils move around the school politely. There is rarely any disruption during teaching time. Pupils reported that bullying is rare. If there is ever any unkindness in the playground, pupils said that they could find one of the ‘buddies’. They said that adults were there for them if ever situations needed it. Older pupils modelled expectations of behaviour through their anti-bullying assembly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils to do well. Pupils said that they feel well supported by their teachers. Parents and carers who spoke with me said that they feel that the school prepares their children well for secondary school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils in Year 1 were especially proud of the work they do on the life of Sir Thomas Lipton – the tea merchant and philanthropist – who lived in the area in the late 1800s. The school has a real focus on reading and a love of books. Adults read to pupils and pupils read with each other and sometimes even to one of the school’s dogs.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders of all subjects want pupils to become experts in those subjects, whether that is to become a historian, artist or musician, for example. Pupils’ achievement is high. Pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 has been consistently in the highest quintile nationally for the past three years.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils achieve very well in reading. The teaching of phonics begins from the first day children start in the early years. Pupils learn phonics well and quickly become fluent readers. Pupils’ phonics knowledge is regularly assessed, and pupils who have gaps in 3–4 December 2019

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their knowledge are given additional support. This support is in addition to the main teaching session, so that pupils do not fall further behind. Adults read regularly with pupils. Reading records are used as a means of communication between home and school to inform parents about how well their children are reading.

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The school has appointed an enthusiastic ‘reading champion’. She has helped to develop a positive reading culture in the school. Pupils make recommendations to their peers through the ‘tweet’ board. These tweets are then published online, and authors have responded, adding to the pupils’ interest in reading. Pupils of all ages enjoy listening to stories read to them by staff. Pupils especially enjoy the ‘secret reader’ activity, where parents will surprise their children by coming into school to share some of their favourite stories.

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Pupils read and share texts as a whole class. Although pupils explore the meaning of texts, sometimes teachers do not make the best use of opportunities to extend pupils’ understanding of the texts. Teachers’ questioning does not enable pupils to consistently explain a deep understanding of the text.

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Children in the Nursery are extremely proud of the work they do in school and want to tell visitors about their achievements. An example of how children are encouraged to participate in social settings can be seen in early years. I saw children following picture instructions to help them cook cheese puffs. The food that they have cooked is shared with the class during carpet sessions.

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Subject leaders have planned the skills and knowledge that pupils need to learn as they move through the school. Displays of pupils’ work show the development of skills and techniques. For example, one of the art displays shows how pupils’ skills in printing have developed over time.

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In art, pupils look at the work of a range of contemporary and historical artists. Leaders support staff to widen their own knowledge of these artists so that they are more informed to teach pupils. Teachers model art skills well, and pupils are given opportunities to practise these new skills before attempting final works. Pupils enjoy activities where they compare and critique their work with other members of the class. Pupils’ art work is displayed and celebrated around the school.

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I saw children in the early years working on ‘transient art’, using found objects to create patterns and pictures. These works could be photographed for a permanent record or swept away to create a new work.

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Leaders ensure that the curriculum enables pupils to make meaningful links between subjects. Pupils develop a firm understanding of the chronology of events. For example, pupils studying Mayan Civilization were able to describe this in relation to events in northern Europe. They were able to explain their learning about the late Stone Age and Bronze Age through to the Spanish conquest of the Maya during the Spanish colonisation of the Americas.

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Pupils know that their teachers care for them. The school has a worry box which pupils know they can use to share issues. Pupils told me that these issues are always dealt with. 3–4 December 2019

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The federated governing body challenges leaders to focus on the quality of education. Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. Meetings are organised so that governors have opportunities to see the school in action. Governors hold leaders to account for the performance of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff know what they should do to keep pupils safe. School leaders have ensured that all staff have received safeguarding training, and this is regularly reflected upon during staff meetings. The school has effective systems in place for monitoring and tracking incidents to keep pupils safe.

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Safeguarding

Pupils were able to tell me how the school has taught them to keep themselves safe online. The school teaches pupils about the risks of cyber bullying.

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Safeguarding

When needed, the school works with outside agencies to support pupils’ well-being. The staff are passionate about this and will challenge agencies when they feel that there has been insufficient action to keep pupils safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers’ questioning of pupils’ reading comprehension does not consistently enable pupils to demonstrate a deep understanding of the texts studied. By developing the use of questions, pupils will be able to show an expanded understanding of the texts.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good. 3–4 December 2019

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 3–4 December 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10110463 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteachers Andy Griffiths (Executive Headteacher) Jo Kennedy (Head of School) Website www.brunswickpark.barnet.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9 February 2016

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Information about this school

 In April 2018, the school formed a hard federation with Church Hill School, East Barnet.  The school is now two-form entry from Reception to Year 6.

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Information about this inspection

 I met with the executive headteacher, head of school and members of staff. I also met with members of the governing body and a local authority representative.  I did deep dives in these subjects: reading, art and history. For each of these subjects, I held discussions with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with staff and pupils, and I looked at pupils’ work.  I spoke with parents and considered the 135 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including the free-text responses from parents.  I spoke with pupils and staff about the school’s work to keep pupils safe. I also considered safeguarding records, documentation and the school’s single central record of staff suitability checks. 3–4 December 2019

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Inspection team

Adam Vincent, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 3–4 December 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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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