Brookfield Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Brookfield Primary School Chester Road, London N19 5DH

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Inspection dates: 19 to 20 September 2023

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Outcome

Brookfield Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this caring school. Pupils are happy and safe at this school. Staff encourage pupils to be kind and responsible.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know the pupils well. They have kind and respectful working relationships with pupils. Staff are vigilant and deal with any concerns pupils may have appropriately.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils feel fully included in school life, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff have high expectations of pupils’ learning. Leaders have designed a broad and balanced curriculum, which helps pupils to build a deep knowledge over time, including in early years. Across the school, pupils behave well and enjoy their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Pupils can take part in after-school clubs including drumming, bridge and science. They can go on outings to the British Museum, London Zoo or the seaside. Pupils enjoy exploring during outdoor learning activities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are very positive about the school. They shared how the school feels like a family, with pupils at the heart of the school’s work.

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

Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum. It is carefully designed from Nursery onwards to ensure pupils build up their knowledge in most subjects over time. For example, in computing, pupils progress from block-based coding to writing their own simple programmes. In physical education (PE), pupils develop their ball handling skills so that they can play competitive games confidently. In mathematics, pupils deepen their understanding of key number facts from the early years through to Year 6. However, in a small number of subjects, the school has not selected the key building blocks of 19 and 20 September 2023

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knowledge they want pupils to learn. As a result, pupils’ knowledge and understanding of subject content are not deepened.

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Leaders prioritise reading throughout the school so that pupils become confident readers. From the early years, children join in with a range of familiar rhymes, songs and stories. Pupils learn to read from the start of Reception. Staff are well trained to deliver the agreed phonics programme to a high quality. They model sounds to pupils precisely. Pupils have regular opportunities to practise the sounds they need to learn. Staff intervene swiftly and effectively when pupils need extra help. Pupils have access to texts that are carefully matched to the sounds that they are learning. As a result, they develop their reading accuracy and fluency. The school promotes a love of reading. Staff encourage pupils to visit the well-stocked school library.

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Teachers present information clearly and routinely check pupils’ understanding. As a result, they address any misconceptions swiftly. Teachers adapt learning and resources for pupils with SEND skilfully. In the early years, teachers provide children with lots of opportunities to develop their communication and language, and to deepen their understanding of mathematics. Teachers ensure that children are ready for the move to Year 1.

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Leaders are ambitious for pupils with SEND. They think carefully about the help these pupils need to be successful. As a result of regular training, their needs are well understood and met by staff. Pupils with SEND are supported well to meet ambitious curriculum goals.

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Staff have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils understand how to behave well in class and around the school. When pupils do not meet these high expectations, leaders take swift action. They use a range of personalised support for any pupils who need extra support. This includes building strong relationships with local partners to support pupils with SEND. Pupils attend regularly and the school provides comprehensive support on rare occasions when pupils’ attendance needs to improve.

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Leaders encourage pupils to take on responsibilities. For instance, the school council redesigned the lunch hall, created a playground behaviour charter and led assemblies. Pupils can become reading and art ambassadors, or playground champions. All pupils take part in the ‘Arts at Brookfield Project’. This enables pupils to work together and create short films.

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Staff are proud to work at this school. They appreciate leaders’ efforts to reduce their workload and support their well-being. Teachers were positive about the training opportunities they receive. Governors know the school well. Leaders at all levels are reflective and committed to the school’s further improvement.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 19 and 20 September 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of foundation subjects, the school has not selected the key knowledge or vocabulary that it wants pupils to learn. As a result, the curriculum in these subjects is less rigorous and ambitious and pupils’ learning is more superficial. The school should review the curriculum in these subjects and decide on the key knowledge that all pupils must learn so that they can deepen their knowledge and 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 June 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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding ( this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 19 and 20 September 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 April 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also considered the curriculum and pupils’ work in other subjects, including geography, computing and PE.  The inspector met with senior leaders, a selection of subject leaders, teachers and the safeguarding and attendance officers. 19 and 20 September 2023

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 The inspector met with those responsible for governance, including the chair of the governing body.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record, took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils, and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector spoke to pupils during lesson visits and observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. The inspector spoke to staff about behaviour and their workload in the school.  The views of pupils, parents and staff were considered through discussions and looking at information collected from Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Christian Hicks, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 19 and 20 September 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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