Highfield Primary School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Highfield Primary School Highfield Road, London N21 3HE

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Outcome

Highfield Primary School continues to be an outstanding school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils really enjoy attending school. This is because teachers make learning interesting and relevant. Pupils arrive each morning ready to learn. The school’s three core values of cooperation, kindness and respect are embodied in how pupils conduct themselves around the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and governors are highly ambitious for all pupils. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve exceptionally well. They enjoy caring relationships with each other. Many parents and carers described the school as ‘supportive’, ‘nurturing’ and as having ‘high expectations of all’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils work incredibly hard in lessons. They display exemplary behaviour throughout the school. Pupils value the awards that they can achieve, including the highly prized headteacher’s award.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Mini-mentors and anti-bullying ambassadors are proud to support other pupils with their friendships. Pupils are kept safe. They know that their teachers will listen to any worries that they might have. Staff resolve any issues of bullying quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take part in a wide range of experiences and opportunities outside lessons. For example, they enjoy taking part in activities such as art and French club, or learning how to play a musical instrument.

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

Governors visit the school often and know it well. They have a very strong understanding of their strategic role and are focused on achieving excellence. Leaders and staff work with one aim in mind: to improve outcomes for all pupils.

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

The school’s curriculum, including in early years, has been carefully crafted by knowledgeable subject leaders. Pupils study a broad range of subjects. Teachers’ planning 27 and 28 April 2022

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ensures that pupils develop and deepen their understanding of key concepts at every stage. For example, in early years, children learn to match objects with numbers, create patterns and compare different amounts and sizes. By Year 6, pupils tackle challenging multi-step mathematical problems with confidence. Leaders plan the curriculum so that pupils apply their knowledge regularly, including in other subjects. For example, pupils confidently use their mathematical knowledge to draw graphs in geography and history.

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In all subjects, teachers carefully plan how learning fits into a series of lessons. This makes sure that pupils develop their knowledge and skills by building on what they have learned before. For example, pupils are taught the foundational knowledge necessary to compose and perform in music. They then use this knowledge skilfully to make sure that musical performances are of the highest quality.

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Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They use this knowledge well to deliver purposeful lessons that teach the school’s curriculum. Teachers check that pupils have learned the necessary knowledge and, if not, provide pupils with further support. Leaders are ambitious for pupils with SEND. Effective adaptations ensure that pupils’ specific needs are fully catered for. Pupils successfully work towards the same ambitious goals as their peers. This is because staff know precisely what they need to do to help individual pupils learn subject content.

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Leaders make reading a priority across the school. Pupils read widely and for pleasure. Children are taught phonics as soon as they start Reception. Well-trained staff expertly deliver tailored phonics sessions in early years and in Years 1 and 2. They regularly check how well pupils are reading. Staff build pupils’ reading knowledge effectively with books that closely match the sounds that they know. Those few pupils who find reading more difficult receive additional sessions to help them catch up quickly.

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The school is calm and orderly. Adults explicitly model how they expect pupils to behave. They treat pupils with respect and kindness. Staff apply the behaviour policy consistently, so that pupils understand and rise to their high expectations. This means that pupils focus well in lessons.

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Pupils’ wider development is very well catered for. Leaders encourage pupils to be healthy in mind and body and to respect and appreciate differences between people. For example, pupils learn about the contributions made by a wide range of people in society. Pupils talk maturely about different families and relationships. Pupils contribute to the way their school is run through the school council. This year, for example, pupils have raised money to buy resources for the school.

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Staff enjoy working in the school. They are always clear about what they need to do and find this clarity refreshing. Everyone works for the benefit of the pupils. Staff, many of whom have been at the school for a long time, feel valued by leaders. They appreciate leaders’ careful attention to their workload and their professional development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 27 and 28 April 2022

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Staff have had the necessary training to spot that a pupil may be at risk. There are clear systems in place that staff use to report any concerns about specific pupils.

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Leaders act swiftly to deal with any safeguarding concerns and to make sure that pupils get the support they need. When necessary, this involves leaders securing swiftly the necessary help for pupils and their families from outside agencies.

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Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. This includes when travelling to and from school or when working on the internet.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. 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 evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in April 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 27 and 28 April 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.highfield-pri.enfield.sch.uk

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Date of previous inspection

27 and 28 April 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy and assistant headteachers, and three members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. They also spoke with a school improvement adviser.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, history, religious education and mathematics. This involved visiting lessons with subject leaders, discussing curriculum plans, talking to pupils and teachers and looking at pupils’ work.  Other subjects were also considered as part of this inspection. This included a discussion with the subject leaders for music and for personal, social, health and economic education. 27 and 28 April 2022

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school. They also talked to pupils to find out about their views of the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire.  Inspectors reviewed the responses to the staff questionnaire and the responses to the pupil questionnaire.  Inspectors checked leaders’ safeguarding procedures. They viewed a range of safeguarding documentation, including records of safeguarding concerns.

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Inspection team

Karen Matthews, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Joy Barter Ofsted Inspector 27 and 28 April 2022

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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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