Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Miss Beth Hanham Headteacher Bell Lane Primary School Bell Lane Hendon London NW4 2AS

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Requires improvement monitoring inspection of Bell Lane Primary School

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection of your school that took place on 26 January 2023, on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and took place because the school received a judgement of requires improvement at its previous graded (section 5) inspection.

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Requires improvement monitoring inspection of Bell Lane Primary School

During the inspection, I met with you, the executive headteacher, other senior leaders, governors and a representative from the local authority. We discussed the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. We discussed the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Requires improvement monitoring inspection of Bell Lane Primary School

I scrutinised plans for improvement, visited a sample of phonics lessons, and listened to pupils read. I looked at provision for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), discussed changes to the wider curriculum with subject leaders and looked at a sample of pupils’ work. I also spoke with groups of pupils. I have considered all of this in coming to my judgement.

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Bell Lane continues to require improvement. Leaders have made progress to

improve the school, but more work is necessary for the school to become good. The school should take further action to:

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Bell Lane continues to require improvement. Leaders have made progress to

 ensure that staff implement the agreed phonics programme consistently well. This includes ensuring that books are well matched to the sounds that pupils have learned.  ensure that staff implement the planned curriculum consistently so that pupils are well supported to learn and remember more over time.

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Main findings

Since the previous inspection, there have been a number of changes to staffing and governance. You were appointed as headteacher in March 2022. To secure the necessary improvements, you are working closely with the executive headteacher, who also leads another local primary school.

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Main findings

You have prioritised pupils’ reading. Staff have received further training on early reading. You have also made sure that additional support is provided for weaker readers who need help to catch up. However, there is variability in how well staff implement the agreed phonics programme. In addition, the books that pupils use to practise their reading are not consistently well matched to the sounds that they have learned. This is limiting the accuracy and fluency with which some pupils read.

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Main findings

You have thought carefully about what pupils need to learn and remember in different subjects. This knowledge has been logically sequenced so that pupils revisit, practise and embed important ideas. The implementation of this work is still at the early stages and has not had the impact you desire. You and other school leaders are aware of this and have appropriate plans in place to address the inconsistencies that exist.

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Main findings

You have also made changes to the way in which pupils with SEND are identified and supported. A programme of training has secured greater consistency of expectations for these pupils to access a broad and ambitious curriculum.

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Main findings

Working closely with the local authority and those responsible for governance, you have identified the right priorities for improvement. Your plans to address these priorities are well thought out. Recruiting staff has also secured further capacity to address these priorities. Other leaders, governors and staff are committed to the improvements you are making. You have been proactive at seeking support for your work to improve the quality of education. Working with the executive headteacher and school improvement partner has increased leaders’ capacity to develop the curriculum. You have also made useful links with a local secondary school to support the development of the science curriculum.

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Main findings

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the Department for Education’s regional director and the director of children’s services for Barnet. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website. Yours sincerely

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