Thomas Fairchild Community School

Inspection of Thomas Fairchild Community School Forston Street, Hoxton, London N1 7HA

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 September 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 26 and 27 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school and enjoy their learning. Leaders have created a safe environment in which pupils can achieve their best. Children in early years have settled in quickly and they are ready to learn. Being responsible is one of the school values, and pupils keenly put this into action. For example, the pupil council has worked with leaders to improve the school lunch menu.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff are committed to providing pupils with the best possible start to their education. They have created a stimulating learning environment in early years, where children thrive academically and socially.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn a broad range of subjects throughout school. Leaders have thought carefully about the key knowledge and skills they want pupils to know and remember. Pupils are keen to be reading ambassadors so that they can be involved in choosing books for the school. They recommend their favourite books to other pupils, for example in assemblies.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a calm and focused environment in lessons, where pupils are keen to learn. Staff use tokens linked to the school values to reward good behaviour. Pupils collect these tokens to gain rewards for their class. This really motivates them to do well for themselves and each other. Older pupils can also be ‘playground friends’ and help others to join in with the many activities available.

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better?

The school has implemented a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils. Leaders have identified the key subject knowledge, vocabulary and skills that they want pupils to learn in all subject areas. Leaders have planned subjects in a logical order, so that pupils build on their previous knowledge. Pupils recall with fluency the knowledge taught in previous lessons and use what they know to understand more complex ideas.

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better?

In early years, the curriculum provides children with strong foundations in all seven areas of learning and development. Leaders design children’s learning with ambition. They have thought very carefully about what children need to experience so that they are ready for what they will do in Year 1 and beyond. For example, in Reception Year, children use manipulative and pictorial resources to build a secure understanding of number and shape. This continues in Year 1, where pupils deepen their understanding through lots of practice. Staff also take every opportunity to speak with children, developing their use and understanding of language.

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better?

Teachers regularly check that pupils can recall key knowledge. For example, in physical education (PE), staff check that pupils remember what they need to do to pass a ball accurately. They make sure that this knowledge is secure and then help pupils to apply this, for instance when they are marking opponents in a game. However, checks on whether pupils have securely learned what has been taught are 26 and 27 September 2023

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not routine in all subjects. As a result, pupils might move on to new subject content with gaps in their knowledge.

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Leaders are quick to identify any pupils that may have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders make adjustments to how the curriculum is taught, so that these pupils access the same knowledge and skills as their peers. Teachers make effective use of the individual profiles of pupils with SEND. They adapt teaching and resources to meet pupils’ needs.

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Leaders have made reading a priority across the school. From the very start of Reception Year, children learn the sounds that letters represent and how to decode words. Staff read to pupils across the whole school daily. Pupils are keen readers and enjoy their lessons in the library. Pupils practise reading often and take home books that match the sounds that they know. Parents and carers are actively encouraged to support their children. If pupils struggle with learning phonics, staff identify this quickly and support them to keep them on track. Support in class and one-to-one help for some pupils mean that pupils quickly become accurate and fluent readers.

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The school is a calm learning environment. Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Staff apply the behaviour policy consistently and use positive praise to motivate pupils. If pupils do not meet leaders’ high expectations, they are asked to ‘stop and think’ about their actions using the school values to help them. Pupils’ attendance is improving. Most attend regularly. Leaders have introduced strategies to support those pupils with persistent absence, and this is starting to have an impact.

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The school provides a wide range of after-school clubs and activities free of charge for pupils. These include clubs for sports, art and drama. Leaders have planned educational outings into the school curriculum so that all pupils benefit. For example, pupils visited the Horniman Museum, where they learned about Darwin and evolution. During their time in the school, pupils learn about other faiths and visit places of worship of the world’s major religions. Pupils are keen to raise money for charity and recently collected food for a local food bank.

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Leaders have acted quickly to bring about improvement in the school. They focused on the areas that make the greatest impact first. They make sure that staff receive high-quality training and support to do their job well. Staff appreciate this. Staff said that leaders are approachable and considerate of their well-being.

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The federation governing body knows the school well. It has the skills and experience to hold leaders to account.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 26 and 27 September 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some instances, the school is not checking how well pupils have secured the vocabulary, knowledge and skills that they are expected to know and remember in all subject areas. This means that pupils may develop gaps in their knowledge or misconceptions. The school should ensure that staff purposefully check that pupils confidently and securely remember the knowledge that has been taught so that they are fully ready to move on to the next stage of their learning.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet 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). 26 and 27 September 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Christopher Howard

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School details

Headteacher Nicole Reid (Executive Headteacher) Matthew Trahair (Headteacher) Website www.thomasfairchild.hackney.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 May 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school formally joined New Wave Federation in September 2023.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.  The school has an additional resource provision for pupils with speech, language and communication difficulties.

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 26 and 27 September 2023

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 Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, the headteacher and other senior leaders. Inspectors met with the chair of the federation governing body, other governors and the local authority school improvement partner.  Inspectors did deep dives in early reading, geography, PE and mathematics. For each deep dive, inspectors 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. Inspectors also considered pupils’ learning in other subjects, including science and Spanish.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: 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.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils in all key stages. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons

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and at breaktimes was observed.  Inspectors spoke to a range of staff about the school’s work, including about safeguarding and behaviour. Inspectors spoke to parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors also looked at staff, parent and pupil responses to Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Mark Smith, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Katerina Christodoulou Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 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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