St. Paul's With St. Michael's CofE Primary School

Inspection of an outstanding school: St. Paul's with St. Michael's CofE Primary School 57a Brougham Rd, Hackney, London E8 4PB

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Outcome

St. Paul's with St. Michael's CofE Primary School continues to be an outstanding school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school and show kindness and respect to each other. Whether at work or play, they are polite, happy and confident. Staff show genuine care for pupils. They build trusting relationships with pupils and their families. This is an inclusive school with a true community spirit.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. They want pupils to achieve great things. Pupils meet these expectations. They embrace the wide range of subjects on offer and enjoy the wealth of trips and visits that enrich the curriculum. Pupils work hard and show a real enthusiasm for learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave exceptionally well. From the early years, leaders establish clear routines that promote good behaviour. As pupils get older, they take an increasing responsibility for managing their own behaviour. This is a school where bullying is rare. When it does happen, leaders deal with it effectively. Pupils are safe here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils contribute to their school community in many ways. There is an active school council and older pupils act as ‘monitors’ to younger children. Some pupils are junior road safety officers. Pupils also develop their talents and interests through a range of clubs including cooking, ballet and sports.

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

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. They have chosen topics that reflect pupils’ backgrounds. This engages pupils’ interest and helps them to understand their place in the world. Leaders have identified the knowledge they want pupils to learn. They have ordered this well so that pupils build up their knowledge in increasing depth as they move through the school. In the early years, pupils learn the key knowledge they need to prepare them for Year 1 and beyond. From Year 1 onwards, pupils develop 13 and 14 March 2023

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subject-specific skills. They learn to think and work like subject specialists, such as mathematicians and historians.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same curriculum as their peers. Leaders identify pupils’ needs well. Staff provide high-quality support to pupils with SEND. This means that these pupils get exactly the extra help they need to succeed.

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From the start of Reception, pupils learn to read using phonics. Teachers teach phonics with skill and precision. They are quick to identify sounds and words that pupils find difficult, and revisit these to secure pupils’ understanding. Pupils learn to read with fluency quickly. Those pupils who need extra help get it. This helps them to catch up with their peers. Leaders ensure that pupils read often and for sustained periods of time in the older years. Pupils develop a love for reading through a variety of events and activities. For example, pupils enjoy visits from authors, regular visits to the local library and participating in World Book Day.

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Teachers have good subject knowledge. They use this well to present new information to pupils. Teachers check pupils’ understanding and give them the feedback they need to improve their work. Teachers also revisit what pupils have learned before, to secure their knowledge. For example, in mathematics, teachers regularly return to pupils’ knowledge of number. This helps pupils to succeed when they move on to more complex problem- solving work. Pupils learn without disruption. They show highly positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils, including those with SEND, produce work of high quality and achieve well.

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Leaders give high priority to developing the skills and attributes that pupils need for life. They teach pupils right from wrong and build their resilience and self-esteem. Leaders have developed a high-quality personal development programme. Pupils learn about relationships in an age-appropriate way. They also learn about physical and mental health. Leaders ensure that school life promotes pupils’ health. Pupils have led the design of a reflection space in the school grounds. There is a range of sporting equipment and climbing areas in the different playgrounds. Pupils make good use of these at break and lunch times. They also learn about equality and diversity. Pupils celebrate events such as International Day and visit mosques and temples, as well as the local church.

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Leaders are providing a high-quality education for pupils. They have high aspirations for pupils and show a real commitment to pupils and their families. Governors fulfil their role well. They ensure that the school remains true to its values, and provide school leaders with appropriate support and challenge. Staff enjoy working here. They describe themselves as one big family. Leaders listen to staff. They ensure that staff workload is manageable and they prioritise staff well-being. 13 and 14 March 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding. They provide regular training for staff. This ensures that staff remain alert to the signs of risk in pupils. Staff report any concerns about pupils swiftly and appropriately. Leaders are knowledgeable about local safeguarding risks. They respond immediately to any local events that pose a potential risk to pupils. Leaders work effectively with external agencies and show persistence in securing the help pupils need. They also work with families to raise their awareness of the risks to their children. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including online.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. 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 outstanding in February 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.

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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 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10240845 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 2 and 3 February 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses no alternative provision.  The school is a Church of England school in the Diocese of London. The school’s last section 48 inspection took place in January 2018.

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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, members of the leadership team, other school staff, members of the governing body, a representative from the local authority and a representative from the diocese.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector met with the subject leader, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 13 and 14 March 2023

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 The inspector met with the school’s designated safeguarding lead and looked at safeguarding documentation and record-keeping, including the single central record. The inspector also spoke with staff and pupils about safeguarding.  The inspector spoke to additional groups of pupils in relation to personal development.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey and staff survey, and to the online survey for parents, Parent View.

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Inspection team

Ian Rawstorne, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 13 and 14 March 2023

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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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