Brunswick Park Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of Brunswick Park Primary and Nursery School Osidge Lane, Southgate, London N14 5DU

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 21 and 22 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders nurture a strong sense of community in the school. Parents and carers typically praised leaders for the school’s caring, ‘family’ community where children have a happy and successful time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations that pupils will learn well and gain a wide range of educational experiences. Pupils are enthusiastic about coming to school because they enjoy learning and playing with their friends. They like the way their teachers help them to learn and to remember interesting and useful knowledge and skills. Pupils are well prepared for the next stages of their education and life beyond school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. In conversations with each other and adults, they listened respectfully, discussing different opinions sensibly. Pupils socialise cheerfully. Incidents of poor behaviour do not happen often. Pupils share any concerns with members of staff, and issues are put right quickly. Leaders ensure that there is strong support for pupils’ emotional well-being. Pupils are safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from taking on responsibilities and helping others. For example, pupil librarians encourage younger pupils to choose books to read, ‘mini-experts’ run lunchtime clubs, such as the comic, coding and basketball clubs, to share their interests with others, and school councillors organise fundraising activities, including the popular ‘sweets-in-the-jar’ competition.

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better?

Leaders have structured a well-sequenced curriculum across all subjects that matches the breadth of the national curriculum. Subject leaders know their curriculum areas well. They have identified the key content they expect pupils to learn. Teachers know and follow leaders’ expectations, so that pupils gain knowledge and skills towards ambitious end-points. Teachers follow routines that help pupils remember what they have learned previously before they move on to more demanding work.

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better?

Leaders have strong subject knowledge and support teachers to use questioning that extends pupils’ thinking skilfully. Teachers encourage pupils, and children in early years, to use more sophisticated vocabulary. Teachers make clear links between subjects that help pupils’ learning, for example to explain how a word may have a different meaning depending on the context in which it is used, such as differences in the meaning of the word ‘volume’ in mathematics, science and music. Educational outings reinforce and enrich pupils’ learning.

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better?

Occasionally, teachers’ delivery of the curriculum, including in the use of resources, does not enable pupils to learn the key knowledge and skills as well as leaders intend. In a few subjects, teachers’ checks on pupils’ recall of previously learned knowledge do not identify precisely any gaps in their learning. 21 and 22 March 2023

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Leaders have rapidly introduced a new scheme for teaching early reading. Children in early years swiftly become familiar with the routines and approaches to learning phonics. Leaders ensure that staff have a consistent approach and use resources effectively, so that pupils develop reading fluency. Leaders take great care to check that pupils read books that enable them to practise reading the sounds they have learned. Regular communication between staff who teach phonics enables leaders to identify pupils who are behind in reading and need additional help. Pupils receive targeted support to help them catch up. Leaders encourage pupils to read widely. Pupils take part in national reading competitions and help staff to choose high- quality texts to purchase for the school’s library. In early years, staff run workshops for parents to support them in helping their children’s reading at home. Staff in early

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years set aside time for parents to come into school to read a story to their child.

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Leaders place great importance on ensuring that all pupils have the same opportunities as others and that all pupils have equal opportunities to learn the same curriculum. Leaders ensure that staff are trained to identify pupils who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders make sure that staff have the guidance and resources to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

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The school’s personal, social and health education programme covers wide-ranging themes that promote pupils’ growing independence, decision-making skills and confidence. Older pupils are taught about finance and money management as they consider budgeting for school outings and special events. Leaders prioritise the integration of the school’s values, such as well-being, kindness and determination, through all aspects of pupils’ experience of school. Through physical education (PE) and sports clubs, pupils are encouraged to value teamwork and to understand the importance of positive relationships and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

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Staff value the support they receive from leaders. They appreciate the training and professional development opportunities that leaders provide, including working with colleagues in the federation and external partners and professional associations. Subject leaders benefit from ongoing support from senior leaders to further develop their roles. Staff did not express concerns about their workload and felt that leaders are supportive. The governing body is in regular communication with leaders and is familiar with the work of the school. The members of the governing body receive training to ensure that they know and fulfil their statutory responsibilities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that they and staff are suitably trained, so that all are up to date with the latest requirements. Leaders and staff know the right processes to follow if they have any concerns. Staff are alert to the least sign that a child might be at risk from harm. Leaders are aware of local safeguarding concerns. They go to great lengths to help pupils and families receive the support they need and communicate closely and frequently with outside agencies. 21 and 22 March 2023

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The curriculum teaches pupils about keeping safe in a range of situations, including when online. Staff encourage pupils to speak out if they feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Occasionally, leaders do not ensure that teachers’ delivery of the curriculum develops the precise knowledge and skills that leaders intend pupils to learn. Pupils then do not learn all the key content that leaders expect pupils to know, remember and build up. Leaders should ensure that teachers’ planning and delivery of the curriculum prioritise pupils’ learning of the intended subject content.  On occasion, checks on pupils’ learning are not routinely effective at identifying gaps in pupils’ recall of key subject content. Leaders should continue their work to ensure that gaps in learning are consistently identified and addressed by teachers.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 21 and 22 March 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Headteacher

Andy Griffiths (Executive Headteacher) Georgina Wheeler (Head of School) Website www.brunswickpark.barnet.sch.uk

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Date of previous inspection

3 and 4 December 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new head of school has been appointed. There is a new chair of governors.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with school leaders, the chair of the governing body and three other governors, and with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, geography, mathematics and PE. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their 21 and 22 March 2023

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learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also considered the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspection of safeguarding included meeting with the leaders with responsibility for safeguarding, looking at records of leaders’ work to keep pupils safe and consideration of relevant aspects of the curriculum.  Inspectors looked at responses to online surveys completed by staff and pupils. Inspectors considered the views of parents expressed in the online survey Ofsted Parent View and by speaking to parents at the start of the school day.

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Inspection team

Amanda Carter-Fraser, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Rutinderjit Mahil-Pooni Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

David Bryant Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 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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