Garden Suburb Infant School

Inspection of a good school: Garden Suburb Infant School Childs Way, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London NW11 6XU

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Outcome

Garden Suburb Infant School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy school. Pupils appreciate leaders’ ambition that everyone feels special, has hope and a reason to smile. Pupils feel at ease and enjoy one another’s company and are respectful towards adults. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthusiastic about the subjects they learn and their lessons. They are keen to learn about historical places, such as Kenwood House, during their art lessons. Staff encourage pupils to develop their artistic and historical experiences. Pupils work hard to achieve leaders’ high expectations. They are well prepared for the next stage of their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are not worried about bullying because adults deal with any concerns immediately. They are safe and can always talk to staff about any worries they may have. Working relationships between adults and pupils are warm and friendly. Pupils enjoy playtimes, using the equipment sensibly and playing sports with staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong sense of community in the school. Parents and carers greatly appreciate the positive communication they have with staff. Typical of many, one parent commented that they feel included, involved and informed.

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum. Curriculum thinking in most subjects is organised well. This helps teachers to build pupils’ knowledge in a logical order. Pupils connect and remember their learning well over time. For example, in art, pupils experience the original work of artists, craft makers and designers, and the stimulus that inspired their work. There are excellent opportunities for pupils to learn about creative practice rooted in the locality and further afield, including other cultures. This well- 12 and 13 July 2023

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thought-out curriculum supports pupils to recall an impressive knowledge of the artists they have studied and produce work of a high standard. However, in a small number of subjects, curriculum thinking is less well developed. In these subjects, leaders have not set out as clearly for teachers the order of learning as pupils move through the school. This prevents some pupils from building securely on what they already know and from deepening their knowledge over time. Leaders know this and have plans in place to ensure improvements.

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The teaching of early reading is a strength of the school. Leaders’ oversight and checking has led to a consistent and successful approach to the teaching of phonics. Staff waste no time in teaching children how to read. Children enjoy learning well-known rhymes and songs. From Reception Year, they are taught how to recognise sounds and then use them to read and write words. In Years 1 and 2, reading and phonics lessons take place daily. Teachers provide lots of opportunities for pupils to rehearse and say the sounds they are learning aloud, which helps them to remember them. Pupils at risk of falling behind are given support quickly. They receive extra sessions from well-trained staff to help them to catch up. The books pupils read are well matched to the sounds they know. Books are an important part of the whole curriculum. This helps pupils to learn to love reading across the school.

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Leaders have prioritised pupils’ personal development. They ensure that pupils’ well-being is at the heart of everything the school does. Pupils know the school values well. This helps them to understand the importance of being tolerant towards others. Staff encourage pupils to be resilient and not give up. They recognise the importance of kindness and respecting others. They learn about different religions and beliefs.

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Leaders ensure that the school provides effective support for pupils with SEND. They identify and meet the needs of pupils with SEND well. This includes working closely with parents, who value the school’s work to support their children. Pupils with SEND are well supported by teachers, who make appropriate adaptations to support their learning.

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Members of the governing body have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and priorities for development. They provide effective support and challenge for leaders. Staff appreciated that leaders are mindful of their workload and value the support they receive. They are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding across the school. Leaders know their families well. Robust monitoring systems are in place. All staff are clear on how to report concerns. Staff and governors receive regular safeguarding training. Staff receive up-to- date information on issues pupils might face. Leaders work well with external agencies and the local authority to make sure that pupils and families get the support they need.

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Safeguarding

Through the curriculum, pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they are taught how to use the internet safely. 12 and 13 July 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A few subjects are not planned and sequenced as well as they could be. This means that pupils do not learn the curriculum in these subjects deeply. The school should ensure that the curriculum is embedded consistently across the school by supporting subject leaders to strengthen the sequence of learning and review content so that all pupils learn the curriculum in depth.

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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. 12 and 13 July 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10289810 Type of school Infant

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School details

Co-chairs of governing body Anthony Shayle and Tara Ward-Ammoun

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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 shares its site with Garden Suburb Junior School. They have a federated governing body.  Leaders do not make use of 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 and other leaders. The inspector held discussions with members of the governing body, including the chair. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, considered the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector spoke to leaders about the curriculum in other subjects. 12 and 13 July 2023

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 The inspector reviewed a wide range of documentation relating to safeguarding. This included the record of pre-employment checks.  The inspector met with parents at the start of the school day and considered the views of parents, pupils and staff, including through responses to Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Michelle Thomas, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 July 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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