Hoxton Garden Primary

Inspection of a good school: Hoxton Garden Primary Ivy Street, Hackney, London N1 5JD

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Outcome

Hoxton Garden Primary continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show a real love of learning in this school. They talk about their subjects with enthusiasm and get excited by the many opportunities they have at school. Their teachers trust them with responsibilities, such as sports, arts or digital ambassadors. Leaders consider pupils’ opinions through the school council representatives.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Leaders make sure that adults in the classroom support pupils well if they are at risk of falling behind. As a result, pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong sense of belonging in this school. Staff and pupils said it feels like a big family. Pupils told me that adults in the school look after them very well and they feel that the school is a very safe place for them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in and out of lessons. They say that, on the very few occasions when bullying occurs, adults are quick to address it. Pupils play nicely with their friends, and adults praise them for being polite. They are confident and well mannered.

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

Leaders have well-considered plans for how subjects are taught in the school. These plans set out the knowledge and skills pupils need to learn and develop from year to year. Teachers are clear on how themes in different subjects link together logically and check that pupils build on what they already know and can do.

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

For example, the plans for how writing is taught show what pupils need to learn to become skilled writers. In the early years, adults provide children with plenty of opportunities to write. Teachers support them to develop their early writing skills, making sure that they use the correct pencil grip. I saw children making lists, writing invitations to their nativity play and designing greeting cards. Across the school, teachers expose pupils to a wide range of writing types. As a result, pupils learn to write well. 4–5 December 2019

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Leaders place a very high priority on pupils learning to read. Well-trained staff deliver the school’s phonics programme effectively, starting as soon as children begin in the Nursery Year. Pupils build on this strong start. Leaders’ plans ensure that pupils regularly read books with words that match the sounds they already know so that they practise and grow in confidence. Pupils develop their comprehension skills and become fluent readers as they move up the school. Across the school, pupils and adults alike show a genuine love for reading.

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In a few subjects where leaders’ plans are working less well, they do not identify in detail the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn. Teachers do not routinely check that pupils have learned and can recall the key information needed to develop larger ideas. For example, in history and science, pupils sometimes struggle to recall the main ideas from their work in previous years. Leaders have put plans in place to train teachers on supporting pupils to remember more of what they are learning.

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Leaders are ambitious for their pupils and want them to realise their full potential. All staff work together to support pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils. Staff know their pupils very well and so match their needs with the right support so that they achieve as well as others.

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Pupils are keen to discuss their work with each other and they complete their tasks on time. Disruptions to learning are rare.

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Leaders enable pupils to broaden their experiences through a range of exciting activities. Visitors from different professions, such as an architect, a nurse, a chef and a veterinary surgeon, help pupils to develop an insight into the world of work. Teachers provide them with workshops to extend their learning. Most recently, Year 6 pupils participated in interesting experiments and demonstrations that encouraged pupils’ interest in science.

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Through assemblies and the many educational visits and extra-curricular opportunities provided by the school, pupils are motivated to think about the world around them. They work with local artists to create murals and collages showing international festivals and celebrations.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and governors have ensured that safeguarding procedures are robust and fit for purpose. Records relating to safeguarding are of high quality, detailed and up to date. Checks on the suitability of staff are rigorous.

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Safeguarding

Staff are well trained and vigilant, and they raise any concerns promptly. Senior leaders work together effectively to ensure that timely and appropriate actions are taken to reduce risks to pupils’ welfare. These include seeking advice and support from external agencies when required.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured that pupils receive many opportunities within the curriculum to 4–5 December 2019

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learn how to keep themselves safe. These include lessons on stranger danger, road safety and online safety, among others.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have put in place well-designed plans for how different subjects are taught in the school. In some subjects, such as history and science, teachers do not focus on the key information that pupils must learn and recall before they can deepen their learning and move on to more demanding concepts. Leaders and teachers should identify specifically the essential knowledge that pupils will need in the future so that their understanding builds across their studies and across different year groups. Teachers need to establish clearly what pupils have remembered. Leaders should ensure that teachers use effective strategies to enable pupils to remember more over the longer term.

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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 school to be good on 23–24 February 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.

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You can search for published performance information about the school.

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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. 4–5 December 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10110466 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23–24 February 2016

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is higher than the national average.  The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils in this school who speak English as an additional language is above the national average.

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Information about this inspection

 This is the first section 8 inspection since the school was judged to be good in February 2016.  I met with the executive headteacher, the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, curriculum leaders, teachers, pupils, three governors, including the vice-chair of the governing body, and a range of staff, including kitchen and office staff.  I completed deep dives in reading, writing and history during this inspection. As part of this focus, I held discussions with curriculum leaders about the design of the curriculum 4–5 December 2019

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and how it is being implemented. Together with leaders, I also visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and held discussions with teachers and pupils.  In considering the effectiveness of the school’s safeguarding arrangements, I looked at the single central record. I also looked at records relating to the safeguarding of children. I considered records of staff training. I also held discussions with a range of pupils, staff and leaders.  I considered opportunities for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. I made observations of pupils’ behaviour in and out of lessons.  I spoke with a range of staff and discussed how well leaders consider their well-being, including steps to help them manage their workload.

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Inspection team

Edison David, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 4–5 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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