St John's Wood Pre-Preparatory School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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St John’s Wood Pre-Preparatory School St John’s Hall, Lord’s Roundabout, London NW8 7NE

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraph 2(1), 2(1)(a) and 2A(1), 2A(1)(e), 2A(1)(f), 2A(1)(g)  At the previous standard inspection in March 2022, the proprietor and leaders had not ensured that all subjects in Years 1 and 2 were thoroughly thought through, planned and sequenced. Leaders had not ensured that pupils in Years 1 and 2 were taught to read using a phonics programme. Staff were not well trained in teaching phonics. The proprietor and leaders did not ensure the school met the statutory requirements for relationships and sex education (RSE).  The proprietor’s action plan stated that all staff were trained in the same phonics programme during the summer term and again in September 2022. The plan outlined leaders’ intentions to develop an RSE policy and schemes of work, and to consult parents and carers about these. However, the action plan lacked detail. It did not explain how leaders would develop their curriculum thinking for pupils in Years 1 and 2.

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Main inspection findings

 This inspection found that leaders have taken decisive and effective action to resolve the weaknesses identified at the previous inspection. They have thought carefully about how to sequence the curriculum from Reception through to Year 2. Using ‘skills and progression charts’, leaders have thoroughly planned what they want pupils to know, remember and do in each subject from each year to the next. Curriculum plans are now suitably detailed and have been implemented by teachers since September 2022.  Leaders now ensure that reading is taught consistently from Reception to Year 2 using the same phonics scheme. Staff have had sufficient training to deliver the programme. The teaching of phonics from Year 1 therefore now builds on pupils’ prior learning in Reception.  The proprietor and leaders have written and published their RSE policy online, in light of feedback from the consultation with parents. RSE is now part of a clearly sequenced

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Main inspection findings

scheme of work for personal, social, health and economic education. All the RSE statutory content is now included through planned units of work on ‘relationships’, ‘living in the wider world’, and ‘health and well-being’.  The independent school standards checked in this part are now met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7–7(b) and 32(1)(c)  At the March 2022 inspection, the arrangements for keeping pupils safe were judged to be effective. This inspection found that leaders continue to maintain a strong safeguarding culture. Pupils said they felt safe at school.  Leaders and staff have been trained in light of the guidance in ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (September 2022). The school’s policy and procedures reflect these latest statutory requirements. The safeguarding policy is available online.  Leaders are suitably prepared to make use of the school’s systems for recording and following up any safeguarding concerns should they arise. They know how to take action in response to any referrals made.  These independent school standards continue to be met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a) and 34(1)(b)  The previous inspection found that the proprietor and leaders did not have sufficient awareness or understanding of their statutory responsibilities. They had not made sure that all of the requirements of the independent school standards were met. The proprietor had not ensured suitably robust arrangements for governance were in place.  The proprietor’s action plan outlined plans to organise training for leaders to develop awareness of their statutory responsibilities. The action plan did not provide further detail on the nature or effectiveness of this training, or on the proprietor’s plans to develop governance.  This inspection confirmed that the proprietor and leaders have worked hard to develop their awareness and understanding of their statutory responsibilities, including the RSE requirements and independent school standards. As a result, the previously unmet

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Main inspection findings

requirements are now met.  The proprietor is supported well by an advisory board, but the arrangements are too informal and ad-hoc. The proprietor is in the process of restructuring the advisory board so that more formal governance is put in place to hold him and his senior leadership team to account.  Overall, the proprietor and leaders are now fulfilling their responsibilities and demonstrating the required skills and knowledge to meet the independent school standards consistently.  The independent school standard checked in this part is now met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if— – 2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub-paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively.  2A(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor— – 2A(1)(e) makes and keeps up to date a separate written statement of its policy with regard to the provision of education as required by each of paragraphs (a) and (b), – 2A(1)(f) consults parents of registered pupils at the school before making or revising a statement under sub-paragraph (e), and – 2A(1)(g) publishes a copy of the statement on a website and provides a copy of the statement free of charge to anyone who asks for one.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school— – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school's suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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School details

Type of school Day pre-preparatory school

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £11,985 to £16,680

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 15 to 17 March 2022

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Information about this school

 St John’s Wood Pre-Preparatory School is an independent day school located in St John’s Wood in the City of Westminster. The school shares the building with St John’s Wood Church.  The school is registered to provide full-time education for up to 124 pupils aged three to seven. The proprietor has admitted a very small number of children under the age of three. This is a breach of the school’s registration agreement with the Department for Education.  The school was last inspected in March 2022, when its overall effectiveness was judged to require improvement and some of the independent school standards were unmet.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  This was the school’s first progress monitoring inspection since its last standard inspection in March 2022. It was conducted without notice.  Following the standard inspection, leaders were asked to submit an action plan. This was evaluated by Ofsted as not acceptable in October 2022, and was subsequently rejected by the Department for Education in November 2022.  The focus of the inspection was to check whether the school complies with particular requirements within Parts 1, 3, 6 and 8 of the independent school standards.  The inspection took account of a range of evidence to consider leaders’ work to improve

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Information about this inspection

the curriculum and the teaching of reading. The inspector also considered information relating to safeguarding and governance.  The inspector met with the principal and senior leaders responsible for the curriculum and safeguarding. The inspector met with pupils in Year 2 and heard some pupils in Years 1 and 2 read.  There were no recent responses to consider on Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

James Waite, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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