Princess Frederica CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Princess Frederica CofE Primary School College Road, London NW10 5TP

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Inspection dates: 30 November and 1 December 2022

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils really enjoy coming to school. They appreciate the extensive and very distinctive range of opportunities leaders offer them. These opportunities aim to help them to develop their talents and interests. For example, there is a comprehensive range of musical enrichment activities. Parents and carers support the school wholeheartedly and see it as a pillar of the local community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know pupils well and expect them to work hard. Senior leaders are ambitious for pupils to achieve more. They show a determination to build on the existing strengths of the school. Leaders know that some pupils are not learning as much as they could, for example, in writing and mathematics. Some teachers lack the subject knowledge they need to teach pupils well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons but the concentration of some waivers when they lose interest. Staff make sure pupils understand the power of a kind word or a smile. Pupils learn about bullying and what to do if they experience it. They have confidence in the way leaders respond to any bullying concerns. Pupils do not see bullying as a problem in the school.

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

Leaders have made sure that what they want pupils to learn is clearly identified in the curriculum. However, the subject knowledge of staff and some subject leaders is still developing. As a result, there is inconsistency in how well pupils achieve across the curriculum. For example, in writing, the curriculum supports pupils to develop their vocabulary and ideas well. However, the development of pupils’ handwriting and knowledge of spelling are not given sufficient attention. Pupils who have special 30 November and 1 December 2022

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educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are sometimes not given the resources they need to achieve as well as they might.

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Pupils achieve well in reading. The phonics programme is top of the learning agenda as soon as children start in the early years. Pupils read books that match their current abilities. Leaders provide staff with effective training so that they teach phonics accurately. Teachers usually pick up when pupils are making mistakes in pronouncing words or when they are confused about meanings. This enables them to organise additional support for pupils who need it. Leaders prioritise reading for enjoyment. They want reading to support pupils’ learning and enrich pupils’ lives. They organise a book week once a year when pupils can meet some of the authors of books they have read as a class.

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In mathematics, there is a well-established programme of study. Children in the early years get off to a secure start in learning about numbers and shapes. However, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. This is because learning is not adapted skilfully enough to allow pupils to deepen and apply their mathematical knowledge and skills.

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In other subjects, the content and sequence of the curriculum are clear and well- developed. However, staff do not design lessons which consistently enable pupils to secure subject-specific content. The way teachers check whether pupils have learned and remembered content varies in effectiveness.

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Pupils are positive about their learning and work hard in lessons. They answer teachers’ questions with enthusiasm. Children in the early years behave well.

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Leaders want pupils to have a strong sense of community. The content of the curriculum has been carefully and effectively selected with the aim of helping pupils to know more about their own community. They learn about the diversity of modern Britain. Pupils are encouraged to build up self-confidence and independence through a series of residential visits each year, from Year 3 onwards.

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Leaders and governors are mindful of the well-being of staff. Staff think leaders are fair in rewarding their efforts. Staff understand and fulfil their roles and responsibilities. This helps staff to share the workload between them.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are clear about how to report concerns about pupils. They have welcomed the move to an electronic process for reporting and following up on such concerns.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and governors provide staff with safeguarding training and updates on statutory guidance. They check systematically to ensure that staff know and understand safeguarding risks. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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Parents, staff and pupils are confident in leaders’ work to keep pupils safe. Pupils learn about recognising potential threats to their well-being, including online. Leaders respond thoroughly to concerns about pupils. They work in partnership with other professionals to ensure that pupils receive the help they need.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There are variations in the depth of subject leaders’ and teachers’ subject knowledge across a range of subjects. This means that some teachers do not secure and deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding effectively. Leaders should ensure that there is a sharp focus on developing the subject expertise of staff through the school’s ongoing programme of professional development.  Classroom resources are not deployed consistently to support pupils’ learning. As a result, some pupils, including those with SEND, do not receive the help they need to achieve well. Leaders should ensure that staff make effective use of time and resources to help pupils achieve well from their different starting points and across the whole range of 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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2012.

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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. 30 November and 1 December 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. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.princessfrederica.brent.sch.uk/

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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

 Princess Frederica CofE Primary School is larger than the average primary school.  In September 2022, the school joined a federation with two other primary schools in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. This is a temporary arrangement for two years in the first instance. The executive headteacher of the other schools in the federation now leads this school’s senior leadership team.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.  The last section 48 inspection took place in 2012. The COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the timing of the next inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with senior leaders, subject leaders and other staff. He met with members of the governing body, a representative of the local authority and a diocesan 30 November and 1 December 2022

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representative.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, English, mathematics and history. During these deep dives, he discussed the curriculum content with subject leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, spoke to pupils and met with teachers. He also observed pupils reading to an adult in the school.  The inspector looked at documents about school improvement, the curriculum and safeguarding. He took account of the responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Andrew Wright, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 30 November and 1 December 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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