Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.1

Ms Penny Smith Headteacher Shoreditch Park Primary School 113 Bridport Road London N1 5JN

p.1

Subject inspection of Shoreditch Park Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 5 December 2019, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings. The findings do not change the overall effectiveness judgement of outstanding from the last section 5 inspection.

p.1

Subject inspection of Shoreditch Park Primary School

This inspection was conducted under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 and in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for a no formal designation inspection of schools. The inspection was carried out to enable Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector to better understand the quality of education in specific subjects provided by outstanding primary schools.

p.1

Main findings

The school’s history curriculum equips pupils with rich knowledge and understanding of the periods of history they study. This includes the pupils who receive some of their education in the autism resource provision. Staff are skilled at adapting work to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) while ensuring they learn the same core content as the other pupils.

p.1

Main findings

History is well led. Your subject leader provides very effective support for staff. For example, she has recently provided training for teachers to help pupils understand the links between the different periods of history which they study. She works very effectively with external organisations to continually refine and develop the curriculum. Last year, for example, working with the Heritage Schools Programme, she introduced new units in Year 1 to Year 5 to boost pupils’ understanding of how national and international events have shaped the local community. Pupils in Year 6 told me how they learned last year of how Shoreditch was affected by the air raids during the Second World War. They told me about the maps and census information they used to see how the local environment had changed as a result of the war.

p.1

Main findings

The curriculum has been amended this year to ensure that topics are taught in chronological order. It was clear from my discussions with pupils that they have secure knowledge of chronology. Year 1 pupils told me how long it has been since dinosaurs became extinct. Pupils in Year 5 demonstrated impressive knowledge of the sequence of events which took place in Britain from the Roman withdrawal from Britain to the Norman conquest. Teachers routinely use timelines to reinforce pupils’ understanding of how the topics they are learning are sequenced. They also reinforce subject-specific vocabulary very effectively. The school’s focus on developing pupils’ oracy skills was clear to see in the lessons I visited. Pupils explained their ideas clearly, confidently and accurately, for example when discussing Danegeld in Year 5. They also talked about their learning very productively when they were asked to share their ideas with their partners.

p.2

Main findings

The work in pupils’ books shows that they learn a lot about the periods of history they study. Pupils are also able to explain how aspects of society changed. For example, pupils in Year 5 write about the changes to policing in the Victorian period. Pupils respond well to opportunities to construct historical arguments. For example, in Year 4, pupils write convincingly about the reasons why the Roman army was so successful. Leaders know that, occasionally, pupils in Year 6 are asked to make judgements about the past without drawing sufficiently on historical evidence.

p.2

Main findings

Pupils’ ability to remember what they have learned is particularly impressive. This is because teachers are skilled at bringing history to life through lessons which are engaging and rich in historical content. At the end of each topic, pupils also have a summary lesson which helps them remember what they have learned before they complete the end-of-unit test. These approaches enable teachers to know how well pupils have remembered the content they have been taught. Pupils’ ability to remember what they have learned is also enhanced by the extensive programme of enrichment which your school provides in history. Staff make the most of the school’s location in the capital city by taking pupils to a range of museums and places of historical importance. These visits enable pupils to engage first-hand with historical evidence. They are also very closely linked to the topics the pupils learn about.

p.2

Main findings

Teachers have very good subject knowledge. They undertake personal research to make sure they are well informed about the periods of history they will be teaching. They also work very well as a team, carrying out medium-term planning together. This ensures that all pupils experience the same curriculum.

p.2

Evidence

I met with you, the subject leader for history and teachers and pupils from the lessons I visited. I scrutinised pupils’ work in history and looked at a range of documentation, including curriculum planning for history and additional guidance provided for staff to support their teaching in history.

p.3

Context

Shoreditch Park Primary School has two classes in each year from Reception to Year 6. There is also one Nursery class. The large majority of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds. Many are disadvantaged. The school has specialist resource provision for pupils with autism spectrum disorder. The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is above average as is the proportion of pupils with SEND who receive school support. A small but significant proportion of pupils join or leave the school part-way through the academic year. At the time of the last section 5 inspection, the school was called Whitmore Primary School. The school is maintained by the local authority.

p.3

Context

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Hackney. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.3