St John Vianney RC Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St John Vianney RC Primary School Stanley Road, Tottenham, London, N15 3HD

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 December 2022

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Outcome

St John Vianney RC Primary School continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded (section 5) inspection now. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils come to school with real enthusiasm. They are keen to learn and they like playing with their friends. Working relationships between pupils and staff are strong and this helps pupils to enjoy their learning and try their best. Pupils feel safe and they know that staff are there to help them. Pupils really like the ‘tell me’ boxes, where they can share their worries or things that they are proud of.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff are aspirational for each aspect of pupils’ learning in a subject. These high expectations enable pupils to flourish. Teachers check what pupils know and remember very carefully, and foster pupils’ thirst for knowledge. Whether they are learning about towns and cities in geography or interpreting tables in mathematics, pupils approach their learning with confidence and enthusiasm. This is because the curriculum prepares them well to study new ideas and knowledge in a subject.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They listen to their teachers and to one another. Teachers regularly praise pupils for their good behaviour and pupils respond well to this. Pupils are kind to one another, and they said that bullying is very rare. Pupils know that, if they speak to a member of staff, any issues will get fixed.

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

Leaders are highly ambitious for all pupils. Pupils learn a broad range of subjects from Year 1 to Year 6. The curriculum is designed and taught to ensure that pupils develop rich and detailed knowledge.

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

In the Nursery and Reception classes, staff deliver a well-sequenced curriculum that prepares children for their learning in Year 1 and beyond. This includes developing 13 and 14 December 2022

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children’s language through exploring rhymes, songs and letter sounds, right from the start of the Nursery Year.

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Leaders and teachers have given a lot of thought to how they organise pupils’ learning. They know what knowledge they want pupils to remember in each subject. They have sequenced the curriculum in a way that allows pupils to build their knowledge over time and successfully master more complex ideas as they get older. For example, children learn about two-dimensional shapes. They describe these shapes using vocabulary like face, edge and side. They learn this knowledge, so that they are well prepared to study three- dimensional shapes later in the curriculum.

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Teachers have detailed knowledge of the subjects that they teach. They check what pupils have learned before. They make sure that pupils have the knowledge they need to understand new learning in a lesson. For example, pupils complete regular quizzes, so that teachers can identify any gaps in their knowledge. Teachers then adapt their teaching, so that these gaps can be filled.

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Across the curriculum, leaders and staff focus on developing pupils’ language and communication skills. They expect pupils to answer questions in full sentences using subject terminology accurately. In mathematics, for example, pupils give their answer, explain how they calculated it and why they chose that method.

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Leaders quickly identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They make sure that staff understand the needs of the pupils in their classes. Leaders provide teachers with strategies, so that they know how to support pupils with SEND. Teaching assistants also provide well-targeted support to pupils in lessons. Pupils with SEND learn the same knowledge as their classmates.

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Learning to read is a priority in this school. In Reception, children quickly begin to learn the letters and their sounds, building on their learning in the Nursery Year. Pupils read books that match the sounds that they know. Teachers assess pupils’ knowledge regularly and systematically. They intervene quickly if pupils are falling behind. Story time happens at the end of the school day for all year groups. Pupils enjoy this because teachers read with great enthusiasm.

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Pupils have an excellent attitude to their learning. They listen carefully, are curious and discuss ideas enthusiastically. Teachers praise pupils’ positive behaviour and pupils respond well to this. From the early years up, routines for learning are well established and embedded.

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Pupils experience a broad range of activities within and beyond their lessons. Pupils have recently enjoyed trips to the theatre and museums and leaders ensure that no pupils miss out.

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Pupils are taught to be kind and caring, and older pupils enjoy being buddies to younger ones. Pupils learn about different religions and beliefs and about showing respect towards everyone. For example, older pupils really enjoyed the talk given by a Jewish visitor, who spoke about their faith and beliefs. 13 and 14 December 2022

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Leaders provide staff with the training that they need to do their jobs effectively. Staff feel well supported by leaders, including the way that leaders help to make workload manageable. Staff said they can discuss issues with leaders and that their views are considered in leaders’ decision-making.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Leaders ensure that all statutory pre-employment vetting checks are carried out when recruiting new staff. Staff receive safeguarding training and regular updates via briefing meetings with the headteacher. Staff know how to record concerns that they may have and are aware of the issues that they must be alert to.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught to keep themselves safe, for example, through lessons on e-safety and healthy relationships. Pupils know who to speak to if they have concerns. Leaders work well with external agencies and keep detailed records of any referrals that are made.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2017.

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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. 13 and 14 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. 13 and 14 December 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10212498 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.st-johnvianney.haringey.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 and 15 March 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a voluntary-aided Roman Catholic School. The last Section 48 inspection was in June 2018.  The school uses no alternative provision.  The school has a Nursery provision for three- and four-year-olds.

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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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and the assistant headteacher. He met with the chair and members of the governing body as well as with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, reviewed samples of pupils’ work and met with pupils to discuss their learning. The inspector listened to a sample 13 and 14 December 2022

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of pupils read and spoke to pupils about reading. The inspector also considered pupils’ learning in other subjects, including art, music and science.  Through discussions with leaders, governors, pupils and staff, the inspector considered how pupils are safeguarded. The inspector also looked at records related to safeguarding, including records of pre-employment checks on staff.  The inspector met with groups of pupils and he observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.  The inspector spoke with a range of staff about safeguarding, behaviour and their well- being and workload. The inspector also considered the responses from pupils, staff and parents to Ofsted’s surveys, including Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Mark Smith, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 13 and 14 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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