Queenswell Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Queenswell Junior School Sweets Way, Whetstone, London N20 0NQ

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Outcome

Queenswell Junior School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have developed a culture that is caring and welcoming. Pupils experience a strong sense of community. They enjoy learning and are kind to each other. Staff know all pupils very well and have built positive working relationships with them. Pupils are safe and happy in the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for what pupils can achieve. The curriculum is ambitious for all, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils enjoy being challenged in lessons, and staff regularly celebrate their achievements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well behaved during lessons and around the school site. They all have trusted adults in the school to talk to should they have a concern. Some pupils in Year 6 act as peer mentors, who support younger pupils during breaktime and lunchtime.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have access to a range of wider opportunities in the school. These include sports clubs, a choir and knitting club. Pupils take part in various outings. For example, all pupils visit a place of worship, related to the religious education curriculum. Staff provide pupils with a range of cultural opportunities, such as residential trips and visits to the theatre.

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

Leaders ensure that all subjects that pupils study have an ambitious curriculum. They have designed a curriculum that progressively builds important knowledge over time. For example, in religious education, pupils in Year 3 learn about the sacred texts of different religions. In Year 4, pupils learn how these texts influence the lives of people with different religious beliefs.

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

Teachers have strong subject knowledge and present information clearly. Sometimes, teachers do not check pupils’ understanding and address misconceptions systematically. This means that some pupils are not fully ready to learn future content. 13 and 14 June 2023

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Leaders identify pupils with SEND effectively. Staff know pupils with SEND extremely well and are trained to support them effectively. They provide pupils with strong support so that all pupils can access the full curriculum.

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Leaders place a high priority on reading. They identify pupils who are at the early stages of reading and put in place support to help these pupils improve. Pupils read in school every day. Their books are matched to the phonics sounds they know. Staff check carefully that pupils read a wide range of high-quality texts. Leaders focus on pupils developing their vocabulary during reading lessons. Sometimes, teachers do not check precisely that pupils have a secure understanding of key vocabulary.

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Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. This enables pupils to have positive attitudes to their learning. Low-level disruption is rare and does not affect pupils’ learning. Systems for managing behaviour are clear and consistently followed by staff. Pupils’ achievements are celebrated regularly. Pupils respond enthusiastically to receiving rewards.

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Leaders have developed an appropriate personal development programme. This helps to encourage pupils to understand the school’s values. Staff encourage pupils to be safe and healthy in an age-appropriate manner. They help to develop pupils’ leadership skills. For instance, pupils take part in the school parliament, which helps them to understand about democracy. Pupils help to raise money and organise events for the school. Pupils have several opportunities throughout the year to develop their speaking skills. This includes a speech writing assembly, where pupils write and deliver a speech on a topic of their choice.

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Leaders and governors help to look after the health and welfare of staff. They explore strategies to help minimise staff’s workload where possible. Leaders have worked effectively to develop strong relationships with parents and carers. They offer many sessions for parents, on themes including online safety, reading and transition to secondary school.

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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. Staff are well trained and attentive to any potential safeguarding concerns. They understand the clear systems in the school and are vigilant in reporting any safeguarding matters. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including online.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are timely in addressing safeguarding referrals. They work effectively with several external agencies to provide pupils with specific support. Leaders understand the potential local safeguarding risks and are reactive to any emerging concerns. 13 and 14 June 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, teaching does not check pupils’ understanding, including of new vocabulary, and identify misconceptions securely. This means that, sometimes, pupils are not fully ready to learn new content and to be able to commit knowledge to their long-term memory. Leaders should develop the expertise of all teachers so that they routinely identify and address any gaps in pupils’ understanding.

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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 January 2014.

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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 June 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Spencer Clayton (Executive Headteacher) Christine Donaghy (Head of School) Website www.queenswellfederation.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26 April 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Queenswell Federation.  The school does 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 leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team and a range of staff. Meetings were also held with members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and religious education. For each deep dive, the inspector spoke to subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, had discussions with pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The curriculum in other subjects was also considered. 13 and 14 June 2023

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 To inspect safeguarding, the inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead, along with pupils and staff. The records of pre-employment checks and other relevant documentation were also reviewed.  The inspector considered the views of parents, pupils and staff, including through responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Simon Conway, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 13 and 14 June 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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