Monkfrith Primary School

Inspection of Monkfrith Primary School Knoll Drive, London N14 5NG

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 October 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding 17 and 18 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at school. They trust adults to help them with any concerns that they may have. Pupils’ behaviour is very calm and orderly. They demonstrate highly positive attitudes to learning. Pupils say bullying is rare and that if it does happen, adults sort it out quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As a result, pupils work hard and are keen to do well. Typically, most pupils achieve well across a range of subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to contribute to the life of the school. They can be on the student council, planet protectors or story sharers. Pupils enjoy taking on these responsibilities as they think that initiatives, such as protecting the environment, are important.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school offers pupils a range of activities to successfully promote their wider personal development. These include trips that link well to their subject learning, as well as residential visits for older pupils. The school also offers a wide range of clubs, such as dance and football. Pupils enjoy learning to play musical instruments and performing.

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better?

Leaders have planned an ambitious curriculum that builds well from pupils’ different starting points. In most subjects, leaders have set out the vocabulary, knowledge and skills that pupils should learn as they move through the curriculum. Typically, teachers break down learning into smaller steps. They successfully adapt their teaching when this is needed. However, occasionally teachers’ activity choices are not well matched to what they want pupils to learn. This can limit pupils’ knowledge and understanding.

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better?

Teachers recap on previous learning to make sure that pupils remember the important knowledge they need. Most teachers use questions well to check that pupils have understood what they are learning. This helps them to identify what pupils know and what they still need to learn. In mathematics, teachers make sure that there are lots of opportunities for pupils to practise their knowledge and skills. Pupils successfully tackle increasingly complex problems.

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better?

Low-level disruption is extremely rare and behaviour in lessons is exemplary. Pupils enjoy school and attend regularly. They arrive on time and are ready to learn. Leaders make sure that pupils’ attendance is high.

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better?

The school ensures that staff are well equipped to identify pupils’ additional needs accurately. Staff receive appropriate training so that they know how to support 17 and 18 October 2023

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pupils with SEND well. Staff adapt the delivery of the curriculum so that pupils with SEND can learn successfully.

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The school prioritises reading. Staff have the expertise needed to teach pupils how to read. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics across the school. Leaders quickly identify any pupils who fall behind. They then ensure that adults help pupils to keep up with their peers. Pupils enjoy reading and they love the range of diverse and engaging texts that are made available to them.

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Children in the early years make an extremely positive start to their education. They show high levels of curiosity and engagement. Children develop routines quickly. Adults’ consistently high-quality interaction helps children to fully develop key knowledge and vocabulary. The school has embedded highly effective approaches to the teaching of early reading and mathematics. The curriculum takes account of what children know and can do as they arrive at the school. It values their diverse experiences. There is a strong focus on developing children’s communication and language skills in the early years. Leaders have put considerable thought into ensuring that learning opportunities have real purpose and help children to practise their skills. For example, in one activity, children created their own maps of the local area and labelled them using the phonics sounds that they had been learning.

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Governors know the school well. They support and challenge the school to continually improve its work. Staff value the support offered by senior leaders. They feel that their workload and well-being are carefully considered. Teachers new to the profession are particularly well supported. Parents are very positive about the school and the difference that it has made to their children.

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Leaders have thought carefully about pupils’ personal development. Their strategies help pupils to develop beyond the academic curriculum. Staff teach pupils about different beliefs and cultures and to respect differences. For example, pupils visit different places of worship. The school makes sure that pupils have an age- appropriate understanding of healthy relationships and how to look after their mental health.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the school’s thinking about how pupils progress through the curriculum is not as clear as it should be. This means that sometimes staff do not give sufficient focus to the vocabulary, knowledge and skills that pupils should learn. The school should review their curriculum thinking in these subjects and refine their training for staff to help them understand how to adapt their teaching more effectively. 17 and 18 October 2023

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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 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). 17 and 18 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Jonathan Bruck (co-chair) Carolyn Hudson (co-chair) Headteacher Jude Deasey

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 13 and 14 September 2011, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently make use of an alternative provision.  The school manages its own breakfast club and after-school club.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The lead inspector also met with members of the governing body, including the co-chairs of governors. 17 and 18 October 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, geography, history and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at their work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  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 observed pupils’ behaviour in a range of situations, including in corridors, at breaktimes and at lunchtimes. Inspectors also spoke with pupils about behaviour and bullying.  Inspectors considered the responses from Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and

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pupils.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text responses. Inspectors spoke with parents at the beginning of the school day.

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Inspection team

Karen Matthews, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Tom Hart Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 October 2023

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