Danegrove Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Danegrove Primary School Windsor Drive, East Barnet, Barnet, Hertfordshire EN4 8UD

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Outcome

Danegrove Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning. They work hard, whether on their own or with friends. Behaviour is positive. Staff use consistent procedures and routines across both sites. This helps ensure that pupils understand what is expected of them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and teachers are ambitious for all pupils. They expect everyone to achieve well. Leaders have introduced a well-planned and structured curriculum. Pupils are confident and articulate. They take an active part in discussions about their learning. Pupils said that they enjoy their work and the changes that leaders have made to the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like coming to Danegrove and are proud of their school. Staff keep pupils safe. On the rare occasion when bullying happens, staff are quick to deal with it. They make sure that any issues have been resolved. Staff and pupils spoke of the ‘family atmosphere’ in the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the wide range of clubs on offer, both during the school day and after school. One pupil said, ‘Teachers put a lot of effort in for us. There’s so much to do here.’ This was typical of pupils’ views.

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

Leaders overhauled the curriculum at the start of this academic year. They changed their approach to how subjects other than English and mathematics are taught. Leaders have started to implement the new curriculum, but it is not embedded across all subjects. They have already identified further refinements and updated their curriculum thinking.

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

The curriculum reflects the ambition and breadth of the national curriculum. Leaders have identified the subject knowledge that pupils need to know and remember, starting from the early years, across the full range of subjects taught. They make sure that lessons are well sequenced to build on previous learning. This helps pupils develop knowledge and skills 13 and 14 July 2022

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over time. In mathematics, for example, staff plan different learning activities for children in Reception to learn about and practise counting. This helps deepen children’s understanding of numbers to 10 and beyond. Similarly, older pupils have opportunities to practise their times tables to enable more efficient calculation. As a result, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their learning.

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Teachers have secure subject knowledge. Leaders prioritise regular subject-specific training to help teachers deliver the new curriculum effectively. They provide detailed lesson sequences in subjects such as history and geography. Staff find these detailed lesson sequences useful in supporting their teaching. The same model is now being rolled out for all other subjects. Staff use assessment well to check that pupils are learning what is being taught.

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Leaders have prioritised early reading. Children start learning phonics from their first days in Reception. Staff monitor children’s reading progress closely. Those at risk of falling behind are given extra help and practice so that they catch up quickly. Staff who teach reading are well trained. They use reading books which are closely matched to the sounds pupils know. Consequently, pupils have opportunities to practise, build success and develop fluency in their reading. A love of reading is evident in the school. Leaders have included a theme of equality throughout the new curriculum. Books have been carefully chosen to reflect this.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported effectively within lessons. Staff adapt teaching to individual needs and use careful deployment of adults to support pupils. Pupils with SEND access the same learning as their peers where appropriate.

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Behaviour is a strength, both in lessons and outside on the playground. Pupils play well together and are usually kind to each other. Clear behaviour rules mean they know what is expected and they rise to that. A calm and purposeful atmosphere is evident in all lessons.

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Pupils’ wider development is high on leaders’ agenda. Pupil voice is an integral part of the school ethos. Pupils know that staff take their views seriously and they appreciate the roles of responsibility they have been given, for example as sports leaders and playground monitors. Leaders make sure that pupils learn about the importance of mental health and well-being. Pupils spoke confidently about the impact this has had.

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Leaders are considerate of staff workload and well-being. Staff spoke positively about the support they get from leaders. There has been increased workload due to recent curriculum changes, but staff said that it is manageable. They are fully committed to the changes that have been implemented.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 13 and 14 July 2022

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Leaders know their responsibilities. All staff, including governors, receive regular training. This helps them to identify any concerns that arise.

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Rigorous recording systems result in the quick identification of concerns. Strong relationships with external agencies ensure that these concerns are well managed. This means that pupils and their families get the support they need as quickly as possible.

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Leaders adapt the curriculum to address concerns that arise. For example, the programme for personal, social and health education has helped to manage some friendship issues among some older pupils. Leaders have also invested in further support for pupils’ mental health and well-being.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have recently implemented a new approach to the curriculum in foundation subjects. This is not fully embedded and pupils have not yet had the opportunities to develop secure knowledge in these subjects. Leaders should continue their work to refine and embed the changes they have made to the curriculum.

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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 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 as 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 in November 2011.

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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 . 13 and 14 July 2022

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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. 13 and 14 July 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211246 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 24 January 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The school is split over two sites. Reception and Year 1 are on one site, and Years 2 to 6 are on the other. There is a short walk between sites.  School leaders run a breakfast and after-school club at the school.  The current headteacher was appointed in September 2021.  Leaders do not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteachers and members of staff. They also spoke with a representative of the local authority and met with five governors, including the chair of governors. 13 and 14 July 2022

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in computing, design and technology, geography and music and looked at samples of pupils’ work in these subjects. Inspectors looked at early mathematics in the Reception classes.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including leaders’ priorities for improvement.  Inspectors reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising records and through discussions with leaders, staff and pupils.  The views of pupils, parents and staff were gathered through discussions and responses to Ofsted’s surveys were considered.

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Inspection team

Samantha Ingram, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Nicholas Cornell Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 July 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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