St Jude and St Paul's CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Jude and St Paul’s CofE Primary School 10 Kingsbury Road, Islington, London N1 4AZ

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Outcome

St Jude and St Paul’s CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a small, warm and welcoming school. The school community lives its values to shine, encourage, love and learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders know families well and go above and beyond to support them. A strong ethos of care permeates throughout the school. Pupils like the school’s new approach to behaviour and feel listened to. They behave well in lessons, move around the school calmly and play co-operatively in the playground. Pupils said they feel happy and safe because ‘teachers will look after us’. Bullying is rare and, should it occur, is dealt with quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations for all pupils including those with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum is ambitious, interesting and engaging. Pupils leave the school with good outcomes and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities and have opportunities to contribute to the community, such as helping out at a local food bank. The school looks to build pupils’ future aspirations, for example by welcoming parents to talk to pupils about careers in journalism and finance. Pupils go on many visits, including to universities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers were entirely positive about the school. Parents of pupils with SEND particularly appreciate the support they receive.

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

The school has recently reviewed and refreshed the curriculum to better meet the needs of pupils. Some historical gaps in pupils’ subject-specific knowledge remain. The school’s curricular thinking is well developed to identify subject content that pupils should learn. Leaders sequence the important knowledge and skills pupils need to learn logically.

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

Teachers plan carefully what they want pupils to learn. They explain ideas clearly and address misconceptions in lessons. Typically, time is made for pupils to revisit and recap 23 April 2024

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what has already been taught. This helps to deepen pupils’ understanding. For instance, in science, pupils in Year 5 explained about climate in different regions. In mathematics, Year 2 pupils used their knowledge of counting in tens to subtract two-digit numbers.

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Reading is a high priority. Children start learning letter sounds as soon as they start in school. Staff are well trained and teach phonics consistently. Staff check pupils’ phonics knowledge regularly. Any pupil who falls behind in reading is given extra help to catch up. The school makes sure that pupils have many opportunities to practise their reading. Pupils can name favourite authors and genres. However, in a few instances, the books that younger pupils read are not as well matched to their phonics knowledge as they need to be. This makes it difficult for these pupils to practise using their phonics.

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The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND quickly so it can provide the right support. Leaders work well with outside agencies and a local special school to ensure that the right adaptations are in place. As a result, pupils are well supported to access the same curriculum as their peers. Those pupils who need a more bespoke offer benefit from tailored support from their individual starting points.

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Most pupils engage well in lessons. Any pupils that find it more difficult to focus receive effective support by staff. Lessons continue smoothly and are not disrupted by poor behaviour. Leaders prioritise good attendance at school and recent work has brought about improvement. However, some groups of pupils continue to have high absence rates.

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The school is passionate about pupils’ broader development. The school provides a wide range of trips, experiences and visitors to the school. Leaders make sure that these are at no cost to parents. Staff make sure that they include all pupils in enrichment activities. The school celebrates diversity through participation in a range of projects, such as a recent ‘World Reimagined’ project.

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Leaders recognise that in such a small school everyone has many roles and responsibilities. Staff feel that leaders listen and support them. They appreciate the recent changes made to the way they plan and assess, which has reduced their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few instances, the books that weaker readers read are not well matched to the sounds they know. This makes it difficult for these pupils to practise using their phonics. The school should ensure that teachers routinely check that reading books are well matched to pupils’ knowledge so that pupils are able to develop their reading fluency and confidence. 23 April 2024

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 The number of pupils who are persistently absent remains high, which means that some pupils miss out on educational opportunities. The school should ensure that it continues to review and build on existing strategies, including its work with parents and carers, so that a greater number of pupils attend school regularly.

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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/outstanding. 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 November 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). 23 April 2024

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provision

Appropriate authority The governing body

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provision

Date of previous inspection 9 January 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a smaller than average Church of England Primary School.  The most recent section 48 inspection, which is an inspection of the school’s religious character, took place in January 2020.  The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club.  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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other school leaders. They held discussions with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. They spoke with a representative of the London Diocesan Board. 23 April 2024

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, science and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors 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 inspectors also considered the curriculum for early mathematics.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of school 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 inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day.

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Inspection team

Helen Morrison, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

David Bryant Ofsted Inspector 23 April 2024

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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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