St Margaret Clitherow RC Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Margaret Clitherow RC Primary School Quainton Street, London, NW10 0BG

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Outcome

St Margaret Clitherow RC Primary School continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Ilira Heath. This school is part of All Saints’ Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Andy Prindiville, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Alloysius Frederick.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a friendly school with the community at its heart. Parents and carers hold the school in high regard. The school encourages pupils to celebrate differences and treat everyone as individuals. The school's values are evident in all that the pupils demonstrate, as they learn and share social times together.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils to achieve highly, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). There is an aspiration for pupils to meet their full potential and flourish. Pupils work hard to achieve this aim. They learn the curriculum well overall.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respect and care for one another and all members of the school community. The school focuses on rewarding positive behaviour and celebrating success. Staff are quick to deal with concerns, including bullying. They have positive, warm working relationships with pupils. Staff model respectful behaviour and attitudes, which pupils respond to very positively. Staff help to keep pupils safe and happy here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school ensures that there is a range of wider opportunities for pupils that enhance the curriculum. Learning is brought to life with workshops and subject days. Pupils talk enthusiastically about these opportunities and what they have learned. Many pupils attend clubs after school, such as for football, gymnastics, and choir. These experiences help pupils to develop their talents and pursue their interests. 8 and 9 May 2024

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

The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum that is well organised. It introduces knowledge to pupils in a logical manner. For example, in mathematics, children in the early years practise counting numbers and recognising patterns. Older pupils then use this knowledge to support their ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide. In computing, children in Reception develop an understanding of how to use directions for coding. This is built upon and extended further so that by Year 5, pupils can confidently use inputs and outputs in code.

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

Staff have the knowledge that they need to deliver the curriculum confidently. They work closely with colleagues to share ideas and expertise. In a small number of subjects, the curriculum has recently been refined, with the aim of strengthening pupils’ achievement further. In some instances, these changes are still embedding, particularly with regards to checking that pupils have securely learned what is intended. This means that, at present, some pupils are not able to remember what they have learned in the long term.

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

Reading is prioritised in the school. There is a sharp focus on learning to read as soon as children start school. Staff have high levels of expertise and confidence in teaching phonics because there is regular training and professional development. The school provides parents with guidance and resources to help them to support their children with reading at home. Leaders regularly check that the early reading curriculum is implemented well. They provide modelling for staff to help them understand how to make improvements in their classroom practice. Pupils quickly learn to read. Those who need additional support are swiftly identified and the right help is put in place.

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

Pupils with SEND are extremely well supported throughout the school. Their needs are identified early. Precise plans are put in place so that staff know how to help them. Pupils with SEND are fully included in lessons and receive the support that they need to succeed.

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

Pupils feel safe. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is calm, and there is no disruption to learning. Pupils play together happily at breaktimes in a well-resourced outdoor area. Pupils feel confident to speak to trusted adults or use the ‘worry boxes’ to raise concerns. Leaders work closely with families to prioritise attendance and punctuality. Even though persistent absence remains a challenge, leaders are diligently implementing strategies to alleviate this issue.

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

Leaders prioritise pupils’ wider development. Pupils have carefully planned experiences beyond the academic curriculum. For example, leaders organise visitors to the school and educational outings to broaden pupils’ understanding of different places and cultures. Pupils are encouraged to consider the needs of others, such as by helping at the local food bank and fundraising for a variety of charities. A programme of assemblies aims to develop pupils' empathy and understanding of other faiths and cultures. Pupils are knowledgeable about fundamental British values. They show interest in and respect for how other people in modern Britain live. Pupils enjoy the opportunities to lead assemblies; for instance, the health helpers spoke to their peers about managing emotions. Pupils also take part in events designed to help them think about careers and their role as future 8 and 9 May 2024

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citizens. For example, pupils recently had the chance to interview employees from a well- known international food manufacturer.

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Trustees and governors fulfil their statutory obligations effectively. Staff are exceptionally positive about working here. They particularly appreciate the efforts made by the school to reduce unnecessary workload and support their well-being.

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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 subjects, checking on what pupils remember long term is still being refined. As a result, some pupils are unable to connect prior learning to their new knowledge. The school must continue their work to ensure that checking for understanding is consistently aligned with the ideas and concepts identified in the curriculum.

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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 predecessor school, St Margaret Clitherow RC Primary School, to be good in July 2011.

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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. 8 and 9 May 2024

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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). 8 and 9 May 2024

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Headteacher

Ilira Heath Website www.clitherow.brent.sch.uk

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Headteacher

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 St Margaret Clitherow RC Primary School converted to become an academy school in September 2019. When its predecessor school, St Margaret Clitherow RC Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall .  This is a Catholic school. The last section 48 inspection took place in April 2023.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school runs its own after school clubs.

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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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 8 and 9 May 2024

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 The inspectors met with all senior leaders, a number of teaching staff, governors, a representative from the trust and a school improvement partner.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, the 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. Other subjects were also considered as part of this inspection.  The inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for school improvement.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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.

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 The inspectors took account of the views of pupils, parents, and staff, as gathered through discussions and Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Karen Kent, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 8 and 9 May 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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