St Mary's CofE Primary School

Inspection of St Mary's CofE Primary School Church Lane, Hornsey, London N8 7BU

p.1

Inspection dates: 9 and 10 November 2022

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Inadequate 9 and 10 November 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe at this school. They describe the atmosphere here as being kind and caring. Leaders strive to provide pupils with the education and social skills they need to prosper in life. Their work is underpinned by the school's values. Leaders succeed in these endeavours and pupils achieve well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

From the moment children join the Nursery, they are taught to respect all people. This continues throughout their time in school. Staff emphasise that all people are equal, no matter their background, faith, or individual circumstances.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils get on well with their classmates. They enjoy strong working relationships with adults. Pupils make an important contribution to ensuring that all can learn and play in a calm and purposeful manner. This is achieved, for example, through the work of pupil-elected peer mediators and anti-bullying ambassadors. Should bullying occur, leaders take effective action. As appropriate to each case, they sanction, support and reconcile the parties involved.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils relish the many enrichment clubs on offer. These range from drama, multiple sports, boxing, choir and chess. The curriculum is also enhanced with many visits, such as to various museums and a fire station. Older pupils attend a residential retreat, which aims to enhance their team-building skills.

p.2

better?

Leaders make it a priority to teach reading, right from the start of the Nursery class. Staff have gained the expertise to teach the phonics programme effectively. They give extra support to children and older pupils who fall behind, helping them to catch up. Pupils practise reading books that are matched to the sounds that they learn. They take books home regularly and read to their parents or carers. They also enjoy listening to their teachers, who read stories for pleasure to them. Pupils swiftly become confident and fluent readers.

p.2

better?

The school’s curriculum matches the ambition of the national curriculum. Pupils achieve well across the different subjects. There are, however, some variations and inconsistencies in how well pupils’ knowledge is developed across different subjects. This is, in the main, down to several recent changes. Some subject leaders are new in post. There have also been a few changes to the thinking behind and planning of programmes of study in some subjects. In subjects where curriculum thinking is firmly established, leaders have thought very carefully about exactly what they want pupils to know and remember. They plan a logical step-by-step programme, which builds upon and increases pupils’ knowledge. They plan this from the start of the early years to the end of Year 6. In physical education (PE), for example, children begin to learn about how to move with and begin to control a ball. This serves as a foundation for Year 1 when they learn and practise dribbling skills, and then

p.2

better?

progress to playing games and scoring. In some subjects, however, leaders’ 9 and 10 November 2022

p.2

3

curriculum thinking only starts from Year 1. Similarly, in a few instances, expectations for pupils’ learning in Year 3 are not precisely linked to what pupils have been taught in Year 2. This means, that in these cases, leaders have not ensured that pupils have a strong enough foundation on which to build new knowledge.

p.3

3

Leaders make sure that teachers have opportunities for professional development. This supports them in gaining the different subject expertise that they need. Teachers help pupils to master subject-specific vocabulary. They use well-chosen resources and activities to support pupils to learn and understand new knowledge and set work that is appropriately demanding. Occasionally, teachers do not teach all of the planned curriculum knowledge that they are expected to. This can mean that pupils miss out on learning or revisiting key subject content. Most times, teachers use assessment to good effect. They identify, with precision, the gaps in pupils’ knowledge, which they then address.

p.3

3

The identification, planning and support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are effective. For example, any difficulties in speech and language development are picked up early because leaders check children’s development in both Reception and Year 1. Teaching and support staff are given information and training about each pupil with SEND. This enables them to support the specific needs of those pupils. As a result, pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers.

p.3

3

Children in the early years show great focus and engagement. They learn to negotiate together and problem solve. Pupils pay attention in class and are eager to learn. Teachers respond straight away to the odd occurrence of low-level disruption. These positive attitudes contribute to pupils’ strong achievements.

p.3

3

Through assemblies and the curriculum, staff explain to pupils how to form healthy relationships. They help pupils to understand their feelings and how to act responsibly. Pupils are taught about fundamental British values. Staff also support pupils in learning about how to look after their physical and mental health.

p.3

3

Staff feel that their workload is reasonable. They appreciate that leaders are open and willing to listen to their concerns.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders and governors have made the necessary improvements to safeguarding procedures and systems. These are now rigorous, consistent and robust. Staff are clear that safeguarding is a responsibility that they all share. Training is comprehensive, frequent and up to date. Staff are vigilant and recognise the role that they have in identifying and sharing any safeguarding concerns or niggles, even at a low level, whether these are about adults or pupils. Records and contact with 9 and 10 November 2022

p.3

4

external agencies are timely. Safeguarding leads review these thoroughly and identify and act on any emerging issues.

p.4

4

Pupils are taught to have a good understanding of risks, such as those they might face when using the internet.

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Owing to some recent changes to curriculum leadership and design, there are a few inconsistencies in curriculum thinking and implementation. This means that although pupils achieve well overall across the subjects, in some curriculum areas they do not routinely build up detailed knowledge over time. Leaders should draw on the strongest practice already in the school. They should ensure and assure that any inconsistencies are ironed out, so that pupils routinely achieve highly across all subjects.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

or to 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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 9 and 10 November 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10260347 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 29 and 30 March 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is based on two sites.  Since the last routine inspection in March 2022, there has been a large turnover of staff. School leaders and governors have added capacity to the leadership team by creating new posts for reading as well as leaders of teaching and learning. These were taken up in September 2022. There have also been changes to the leadership of some subjects.  The new chair of the governing body took up her post at the start of November 2022.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  This is a voluntary-aided Church of England school. The last section 48 inspection was in 2016, when this aspect of the school’s work was judged to be good. The next section 48 inspection has not yet been scheduled. 9 and 10 November 2022

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a graded (section 5) inspection under the same Act.

p.6

Information about this inspection

In accordance with section 13(5) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty's Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, PE and history. Inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders and teachers, visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work and held discussions with pupils. Inspectors also considered other subjects as part of the inspection.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other senior leaders and the chair of governors and two other governors. They also spoke with advisers from the local authority and the diocese.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including information related to safeguarding, the checks carried out before the appointment of staff and behaviour.  Inspectors had formal meetings with staff and with pupils. They spoke with some parents and took account of the school’s own surveys of the views of parents and

p.6

Inspection team

David Radomsky, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Sacha Husnu-Beresford His Majesty's Inspector 9 and 10 November 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7