St Michael's CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Michael’s CofE Primary School Bounds Green Road, Wood Green, London N22 8HE

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Outcome

St Michael’s CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that they would recommend this school to a friend. Most pupils said that they feel safe and happy when they are at school. Pupils enjoy coming to school because their teachers want the best for them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of the pupils. Leaders have taken time to design a curriculum which clearly sets out what they want pupils to know and remember at each stage of their learning. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well in the classroom.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A small number of parents and carers expressed concerns about how bullying had been dealt with. Pupils said that any unkind behaviour was dealt with quickly. Pupils told me that they trusted that their teachers would help them to resolve any disputes they had. I saw that the school had clear and well-understood systems in place to support children with managing their behaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

During lessons, pupils join in and work well with each other. Pupils said that they understood the school’s expectations for behaviour. Pupils who had achieved the ‘Diamond Award’ for good conduct and attitude to learning were genuinely proud of their achievements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Music has a high profile in the school. Pupils listen to and comment on a wide range of musical genres. All pupils have the opportunity to play a number of musical instruments.

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

Leaders have created a curriculum that is well planned and sequenced. They have considered what they want the pupils to learn and have broken this down into a step-by- step approach. Leaders support teachers in their planning and teaching with key questions and vocabulary. This is particularly effective in mathematics. 15–16 January 2020

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Mathematics is well planned. Pupils are able to clearly explain what they have been learning previously and how this supports the area of mathematics that they are currently learning.

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The teaching of early reading is well organised. Training is in place to support teachers. Leaders have monitored the impact of the staff training. Where weaknesses in teaching have become apparent, they have put strategies in place to ensure that pupils do not fall behind. Nevertheless, as a result of staffing changes, leaders have identified that the teaching of phonics is not consistently of the highest quality. Leaders have identified the need to ensure that all staff are trained to deliver phonics well. Staff provide daily additional phonics support for children in the early years. They carefully choose reading books to improve pupils’ fluency and enjoyment of reading. Staff teach older pupils to question and infer information from texts. Pupils read a range of different books including non-fiction and poetry. Pupils said that they enjoy reading. They enjoy choosing books they want to read themselves and like to make recommendations for each other.

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Pupils learn essential vocabulary at the beginning of each lesson. This helps pupils to articulate their thoughts using the correct terminology from the outset. In science, teachers provide opportunities for pupils to complete practical experiments. These help to illustrate scientific principles and allow pupils to test these concepts for themselves. I saw pupils clearly enjoying these activities. They were able to talk to me about how lessons taught earlier in the year helped them to understand this new learning.

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Pupils with SEND are well supported. Teachers take time to ensure that all their planned activities are adapted where necessary so that these pupils can access the full curriculum. Leaders seek support from a range of outside agencies so that they meet the needs of these pupils.

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In addition to English, mathematics and science, planning for other subjects is in place. Teachers make links between subjects to connect pupils’ learning. Leaders have identified that the curriculum is new and needs time to fully embed. Staff enrich the curriculum with special events, such as Diwali lunches and visiting the London landmarks after which their classes are named. These activities spark pupils’ interest in their learning.

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St Michael’s Parish Church plays an important part in school life and the ethos of the school. Pupils told me that the school helps them to better understand and respect people from other backgrounds and to treat everyone equally. Staff provide pupils with opportunities to explore science and technology during playtimes with activities such as paper spinners and balloon rockets.

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Leaders have worked hard to involve parents in school life. They have organised ‘reading cafes’ where parents can read with their children. Staff leading the events give parents ideas and techniques to better support their children with reading. By developing these strong relationships with parents, leaders aim to work more closely with families to improve pupils’ attendance. 15–16 January 2020

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Leaders of the academy trust and the local academy committee have a clear understanding of the areas the school needs to further develop. The members of these groups work with school leaders towards these shared goals.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive training in how to keep pupils safe and how to identify the potential signs of abuse. This training is regularly updated. In regular meetings, leaders provide staff with all the necessary updates to legislation and procedures. All staff work hard to identify pupils’ needs. Leaders seek support from outside agencies when appropriate and act on this. Robust records are kept so that staff can analyse issues quickly.

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Safeguarding

Pupils told me that staff teach them how to stay safe. Outside speakers, such as the police, have been invited into the school to talk about issues which might affect pupils.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 As a result of staff turnover, the teaching of early reading and phonics is sometimes inconsistent. Leaders should ensure that all staff have the training required to teach phonics consistently well. The school has identified weaknesses in teaching and put in place additional staff to prevent pupils from falling behind. Leaders need to ensure that this support continues to help pupils learn.  Leaders have identified that, while fully planned and taught, the curriculum is in an early stage of development. Leaders should continue to monitor how well the curriculum is implemented and make changes where necessary so that all pupils achieve well in all subjects.

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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 predecessor school, St Michael’s CofE Primary School, to be good in October 2012. 15–16 January 2020

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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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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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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. 15–16 January 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10121596 Type of school Primary

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School details

Headteachers Simon Knowles (Executive Headteacher) Meera Shah (Head of School) Website www.stmichaelsn22.ldbsact.org

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Information about this school

 St Michael’s CofE Primary School has one class in each year group.  The head of school has been in post since April 2019.  The school has a breakfast club and after-school provision.

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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 local academy committee and chief executive officer of the academy trust.  I did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and science. For each of these subjects, I held discussions with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with staff and pupils and looked at pupils’ work.  I spoke with parents and considered the seven responses to Ofsted Parent View, 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. 15–16 January 2020

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Inspection team

Adam Vincent, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 15–16 January 2020

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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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