Brimsdown Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Brimsdown Primary School Green Street, Enfield, Middlesex EN3 7NA

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Outcome

Brimsdown Primary 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?

This is a happy and caring school. Pupils like coming to school. They enjoy learning and say lessons are fun. Pupils want to do their best and take pride in their work. Parents, carers and staff agree that pupils are happy and safe at school. Pupils confirmed this too. Everyone looks out for each other as part of a team.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The five ‘core values’ of resilience, determination, respect, honesty and responsibility are embedded in all aspects of the school. The atmosphere in classrooms and around the school is calm. This means that pupils can learn without distraction. Pupils’ behaviour is positive, and they get along with each other. Staff have very high expectations and encourage pupils to become independent and resilient. Teachers plan interesting lessons that help pupils to see a real purpose for their learning. Pupils work hard and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that bullying is rare and that when it does happen, they know that any adult will help them. Parents are very happy with the school and value the support given to their children.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a wide variety of extra opportunities. This includes clubs such as football, netball, ballet, dance, puzzle, film and art. Pupils take their jobs and responsibilities seriously.

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

Leaders want every pupil to do well. Curriculum leaders are enthusiastic about their subjects and develop these well. They have drawn up a curriculum which helps teachers to link subjects together. Teachers plan the order in which pupils learn and practise their skills. In all subjects, pupils build their knowledge and remember more. 3–4 December 2019

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This school succeeds at teaching pupils to read. Phonics lessons start in Nursery. By Year 3, most pupils are reading fluently. Anyone who still finds reading hard gets extra help from well-trained staff. Members of staff hear every pupil read at least once a week. Pupils enjoy this time and have a variety of books to take home to read independently or with their parents. Pupils achieve well in reading in all year groups.

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Mathematics is taught well. Teachers help pupils to build the basic mathematical knowledge and skills they need. They explain things clearly to the pupils. Teachers ask questions to check that pupils have understood. They expect pupils to explain their answers. As a result, pupils’ understanding builds securely over time. Pupils use their new skills in a range of situations. Pupils achieve consistently high standards in mathematics by the time they leave at the end of Year 6.

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History is well planned to ensure that pupils learn about topics such as the Second World War or Ancient Greece. Pupils have opportunities to learn through visits or through focus days. Pupils make use of the timelines in each classroom to remember key dates in history.

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In other subjects, such as computing and art, the sequence of learning is well developed. Lessons are always connected and build on what pupils have learned in the past. In these subjects as well, pupils remember what they have been taught and build on this in new learning.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive good support emotionally, socially and academically. They achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics. Experienced, well-trained learning support assistants lead effective catch-up sessions in these subjects. Deaf pupils are well supported by specialist staff. Staff ensure that these pupils achieve well.

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Attendance is improving. This is due to the effective strategies in place to support pupils to attend regularly. Leaders understand the need to work with families of pupils who are unable to attend school regularly due to ill-health.

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Pupils rise to their teachers’ high expectations of behaviour. Any incidents, including bullying, are dealt with effectively.

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Children in the early years do very well. Staff prepare them well for Year 1. Classrooms are lively, interesting places. Children and staff communicate well together. Teachers are imaginative in their planning. Children learn together well in pairs and in groups and choose appropriate play equipment safely. The broad range of resources in outdoor areas allows children to develop their creative play.

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Staff appreciate the way leaders consider their workload and well-being. Leaders have reduced the burden of assessment by reviewing policies on marking. This has included a ‘fast feedback’ marking policy as well as the introduction of a well-being committee who oversee the workload of staff. 3–4 December 2019

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Governors support leaders well. They also challenge them. For example, they ask questions about pupils’ test results and leaders’ plans for the curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding in school. All staff know their roles and responsibilities well. They respond swiftly to any sign that a pupil or family might need extra help or support. Communication between staff and leaders is a strength of the school. Leaders and governors check that staff are suitable before they begin working at the school. When required, the school works with external agencies to provide additional help for pupils. Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe and manage everyday risks in a range of situations including when they are online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 School leaders work well with families to promote good attendance and punctuality. Some pupils are not able to attend fully because of ill-health. Leaders need to continue to work with families so that these pupils have less to catch up on when they return to school.

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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 first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Brimsdown Primary School, to be good in July 2016.

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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. 3–4 December 2019

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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 10124665 Type of school Primary

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School details

Chair of local governing board Ingrid Cranfield

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Brimsdown Primary School converted to become an academy school on 1 September 2017. When its predecessor school, Brimsdown Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  Brimsdown Primary School is an above average-sized primary school. It is part of the Ivy Learning Trust. The school has specially resourced provision for deaf pupils. Currently, 10 pupils are supported through this provision.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above the national average. The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is well above the national average. The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average.

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Information about this inspection

 We did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, computing and history. We visited lessons, looked at work in pupils’ books and met with pupils, subject leaders and teachers. Other subjects were also considered as part of this inspection.  We reviewed the single central record, recruitment checks and documents related to safeguarding and child protection. We spoke with leaders, staff and pupils about the 3–4 December 2019

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school’s safeguarding arrangements. We looked at other policies related to governance, pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  We met with the headteacher, other senior leaders, teachers, the chair of the local governing board and two governors. We met with the chief executive officer and the head of school improvement and standards of the trust.  We reviewed the school’s self-evaluation documents and improvement plans.  We observed pupils in a range of situations, including at breaktime and lunchtime.  We held conversations with groups of pupils, and spoke to pupils in lessons, in the playground and in the dining hall.  We met with leaders to discuss bullying, attendance and exclusions.  We reviewed the 17 responses to Ofsted Parent View and the 41 responses to the online staff survey.

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Inspection team

Danvir Visvanathan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Helen Bailey Ofsted 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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