Pardes House Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Pardes House Primary School Hendon Lane, London, Middlesex N3 1SA

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Outcome

Pardes House Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. They want pupils to leave the school with knowledge of a wide range of subjects, to read well, and to be happy. Pupils are polite and respectful to each other and to staff. Pupils behave well in lessons and when moving around school. They are proud to take on responsibilities, such as being school prefects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. The school’s curriculum is broad. It reflects the school’s faith ethos and strong community values. Leaders are ensuring that pupils catch up with work that they missed as a result of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Pupils’ writing has been affected the most.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils spoke enthusiastically about the many experiences at school which aim to build their confidence. They are looking forward to the return of the many clubs that are available for everyone, no matter what their interests are.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils demonstrate respect and tolerance towards each other. Pupils told the inspector that, in the unusual event that bullying occurs, staff act quickly to help resolve the issue. Pupils appreciate this.

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

Leaders, including governors, know the school well. Governors reassure themselves about the quality of education by questioning leaders on a range of issues. Teachers and other staff said that they are supported well by leaders, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff have opportunities to work together to develop their teaching skills. This has helped to foster a culture of support and challenge among staff.

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

Leaders have created a climate where pupils behave well with very few interruptions to lessons. Bullying is not tolerated, and pupils work hard. Leaders ensure that children settle well and have an enjoyable start to learning in the early years. 5–6 May 2021

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Leaders have thought about what pupils should learn in each subject. Leaders know that it is important that pupils learn things in the right order if they are to build up their knowledge and skills in each subject. However, writing is not taught with sufficient precision to ensure that all pupils write fluently. Improving pupils’ writing is a school priority.

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Early reading is taught well. Children learn phonics from their very first days in school. Staff keep a close check on how well children are progressing. Pupils who find reading difficult, or have fallen behind during the COVID-19 pandemic, receive the extra support they need to succeed. Older pupils read widely and often, and achieve well in reading.

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Teachers check that pupils remember what they have learned already before they move on to tackle something new or more difficult. This is important because it helps pupils to build their understanding. For example, in geography pupils begin to learn about locations on maps in Year 1. In Year 3, pupils build on their previous knowledge of maps and learn how to identify key countries and cities. This helps them to locate the major forests of the world when learning about climate changes. The maps that teachers give pupils to use become more complex as pupils’ knowledge and skills develop. On a few occasions, for example in English, teachers are not precise enough in helping pupils to learn and practise writing skills. Staff do not make the most of opportunities for pupils to practise writing for different purposes.

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Most pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn well because teachers adapt activities for them, without lowering their expectations. Teachers work with the special educational needs coordinator to ensure that pupils with SEND gain the knowledge that they need to succeed. This includes additional time to improve their writing since the partial school closures due to COVID-19. Most pupils with SEND achieve well and are ready for learning at secondary schools.

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A varied and interesting range of experiences, in and out of school, helps pupils’ personal development and prepares them for the next stage of their lives. Although some of this work has been interrupted due to COVID-19, such as ‘special learning weeks’, leaders have plans to reintroduce these as soon as possible. Teachers plan many special events, such as poetry week, to broaden pupils’ knowledge within different subjects.

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Leaders invest in professional development for staff. Staff appreciate the consideration leaders give to their work-life balance. In return, teachers work very hard to implement the well-sequenced curriculum.

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Governors and leaders take the views of parents and carers seriously. They ask parents for their ideas and feedback. Leaders are quick to act if a parent’s suggestion will help the school get better. Parents are very happy with the school and supportive of leaders and governors. 5–6 May 2021

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safety in the school. Recording systems are effectively and rigorously implemented across the school, including for children in the early years. Leaders act on any concerns about pupils’ welfare rapidly. They involve appropriate agencies effectively and are vigilant about any local safety concerns in the community. All staff have received up-to-date training in safeguarding.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe and are happy at school. All parents who returned questionnaires to inspectors said that their children are safe. Pupils are confident that adults will resolve any concerns that they may have.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders need to reflect further on the impact of COVID-19 on pupils’ writing skills. Teachers do not provide consistently good opportunities to develop pupils’ writing skills. Leaders should improve further the curriculum for writing, including the opportunities for pupils to develop and practise writing for different purposes.

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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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a good 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 on 22 and 23 March 2011.

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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. 5–6 May 2021

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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. 5–6 May 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10192577 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 29 June 2016

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Information about this school

 Pardes House Primary School is a Jewish voluntary-controlled school.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. I discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school, and have taken that into account in my evaluation.  I held meetings with senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers and pupils.  I did deep dives in these subjects: reading, English, geography and history. I discussed curriculum design with subject leaders, carried out a series of lesson visits, scrutinised pupils’ work and spoke to pupils and teachers about the curriculum.  I met with a group of pupils to ask them about safeguarding. I also met with the headteacher, governors and teachers. I reviewed documentation which included the school’s safeguarding policy, the register of checks carried out on new employees and safeguarding records.  I met with four governors. 5–6 May 2021

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 I took account of 57 responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and the additional 27 written responses.  I spoke to staff to gather their views of the school.  I met with a representative from the local authority.

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Inspection team

Phil Garnham, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 5–6 May 2021

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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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