Hanover Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Hanover Primary School Noel Road, Islington, London N1 8BD

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Hanover Primary School. They are keen to discuss their experiences with each other and visitors. For example, they especially like sharing their musical talents through termly assemblies, including the annual celebration at ‘Hanover’s Got Talent’. Pupils are also proud to take on additional responsibilities in school, such as becoming library mentors and playground peers. They see these roles as being an important way of being able to contribute actively to school life. Pupils attend a range of extra-curricular activities that leaders make available, including swimming and drumming.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and are kept safe in school. They know that they can share any worries they may have with trusted adults. Staff typically deal with any such concerns promptly. Pupils behave sensibly in lessons because expectations are made clear. In the playground, behaviour is less sensible and considerate.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in the early years learn about the world that they live in. However, the curriculum does not consistently enable them to build the knowledge and understanding that they need to be ready for the next stage of their education. The curriculum for older pupils matches expectations nationally. While pupils are supported to learn a range of facts, the curriculum provides insufficient opportunity for pupils to deepen their understanding across subjects.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum that matches the scope of what is expected nationally. They have considered the important knowledge and vocabulary that they want pupils to remember. In some subjects, curriculum content is well organised so that learning builds on what has come before. For example, in mathematics, pupils practise 29 and 30 March 2023

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counting forward and back in different steps. This helps them later to compare and order different measurements.

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Teachers check pupils’ recall of important information and vocabulary that they have learned. This allows any errors to be identified and corrected. At times, pupils’ deeper understanding of important concepts is not checked sufficiently. Pupils do not routinely master and connect the ideas that they have learned. This reduces how well pupils develop and remember a deep body of knowledge over time.

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Leaders foster pupils’ love of reading. For example, pupils act as library mentors and are keen to recommend books to their peers. Teachers have also been trained to implement the new phonics programme with precision. Children in Reception do not begin learning phonics from the start. This holds children back from quickly securing the sounds that they need to read with fluency. Weaker readers are identified and are supported to catch up. The books that pupils read typically match the sounds that they know. However, when supporting pupils with reading practice, adults do not consistently model and reinforce the agreed strategies for decoding words.

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The curriculum for children in the early years is not sufficiently well thought through. Leaders have not established the knowledge and skills that should be developed over time. Teachers and other adults do not focus well on supporting children to develop their early language and number, as well as other important knowledge and understanding. Many children struggle to maintain focus and concentration on activities and, consequently, their behaviour deteriorates. As a result, children are not as well as prepared as they need to be for learning in Year 1 upwards.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are swiftly identified. A range of support and nurture ensures that pupils’ individual needs are well met. As a result, pupils access the same curriculum as their peers.

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In lessons, pupils are typically focused, and learning is not disrupted. This is not the case when pupils are in the playground or moving around the school building. Staff do not have consistent expectations of pupils at these times and do not routinely intervene to address instances of poor behaviour. Pupils have mixed views about behaviour around the school and how well it is managed.

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Pupils’ wider development is well considered. The curriculum has been designed to help pupils to understand important ideas such as democracy and how to vote. A programme of visits enriches the curriculum. There are a range of additional opportunities planned for pupils to develop their talents and interests, including, for example, through the school orchestra.

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Staff appreciate the ways in which their well-being is considered. They feel able to speak to leaders if they have any concerns. Those responsible for governance understand their statutory duties.

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The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Staff and governors receive appropriate training. This helps them to identify and report any concerns as they arise. Staff are aware of the contextual challenges that may pose increased risks to pupils in the local community. Leaders work effectively with external agencies, including the local authority, to ensure that pupils who may be at risk receive the support that they need.

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The curriculum has been designed to help pupils learn about how to stay safe. This includes how to respond to the potential risks they might come across when online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Staff are inconsistent in their expectations of pupils’ behaviour in the playground and around the school. As a result, some incidents of poor behaviour go unchallenged and pupils have mixed views about how well behaviour is managed. Leaders should ensure that staff consistently apply the agreed behaviour policy.  In some subjects, emphasis is placed on learning and recalling isolated facts. As a result, pupils are not supported to connect ideas and build a deep body of knowledge. Leaders should check that the planned curriculum is implemented consistently so that pupils build their knowledge and understanding cumulatively over time.  Leaders have not identified the knowledge and skills that children are expected to learn in the early years. As a result, children do not learn and practise what they need to in order to be sufficiently prepared for Year 1. Leaders need to ensure that the early years

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced. This will better support children in the early years to build what they know and can do cumulatively, and in turn be ready for their future learning.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2013. 29 and 30 March 2023

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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. 29 and 30 March 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Chris Kenyon and Jane Falcioni (co-chairs)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 February 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been several changes to staffing since the previous inspection.  Leaders organise Reception and Year 1 into three mixed-age classes.  Leaders do not use any alternative provision.

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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 school leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector completed deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. To do this, she met with subject leaders, had discussions with staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work. The inspector also considered the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for improvement. 29 and 30 March 2023

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 The inspector met with the headteacher, senior leaders, a selection of subject leaders, teachers, support staff and pupils.  The inspector held discussions with members of the governing board as well as a representative from the local authority.  The inspector reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising records and through discussions with staff and pupils.  The views of pupils, parents and staff, as gathered through discussions and Ofsted’s surveys, were considered.

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Inspection team

Matea Marcinko, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 29 and 30 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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