Our Lady of Muswell Catholic Primary School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Our Lady of Muswell Catholic Primary School Pages Lane, Muswell Hill, London N10 1PS

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Outcome

Our Lady of Muswell Catholic Primary School continues to be an outstanding school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school provides an exceptional education for its pupils. Staff have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They expertly deliver interesting and demanding lessons, which enables pupils to understand knowledge deeply. By the time pupils leave Year 6, they are exceptionally well prepared for their move to secondary school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this happy, nurturing school where the golden rules ‘guide children day and night’. Pupils’ behaviour is commendable. Kindness is evident, starting from early years, where children play and share resources well. Bullying is very rare and dealt with immediately if it does occur. This is a school where pupils feel safe and are kept safe. Pupils know that adults will help them if they have a worry or concern. Children in early years, along with any new pupils across the school, receive a warm welcome. They settle into school life quickly. Relationships between adults and pupils are exceedingly strong.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The exceptional education that the school provides is supported by a wide range of enrichment opportunities. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about the vast array of high- quality activities on offer. Many take part in after-school clubs that include boxing, chess, Italian and Latin ballroom dancing, French and art. Pupils visit nearby woods frequently and experience outdoor learning. An annual ‘Aspirations Week’ helps pupils to think about their next steps and potential careers.

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

The school has a carefully planned and well-designed curriculum. This ambitious curriculum matches and often exceeds what is expected nationally. Leaders have identified the key knowledge and skills that they expect pupils to learn in all subjects. Lessons focus effectively on pupils gaining a rich knowledge and vocabulary that help them make sense of their learning. Pupils’ outcomes in the 2023 reading, writing and mathematics national assessments were well above the national average. 18 and 19 June 2024

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Starting in early years, the curriculum is well sequenced so that pupils build their knowledge over time. The school ensures that pupils with SEND are identified accurately and swiftly. Staff skilfully adapt resources so that these pupils can learn the same curriculum as their classmates. The school engages well with outside agencies to ensure that pupils with SEND receive expert support when it is needed.

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The reading curriculum is highly effective, and as a result, pupils become confident readers quickly. Staff have been well trained to implement the school’s phonics programme. This begins as children start school in early years. The school places communication and language at the centre of children’s learning in the early years. Children are immersed in rhyme, songs and stories. Older pupils act as reading champions. They take their role in promoting a love of books and poems with their peers seriously. Pupils read widely and often. They enjoy visiting book shops and listening to stories. This helps pupils to develop a real love of reading.

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Behaviour is excellent. Pupils are motivated to learn. Disruption to learning in lessons is exceedingly rare. Staff check often how securely pupils can remember what they have learned. They provide excellent support when it is needed, while helping pupils with SEND to develop increasing resilience and independence. Staff and pupils treat each other with respect. Pupils who struggle to regulate their emotions or display challenging behaviours receive exceptional levels of care and support.

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The school works with rigour to ensure that pupils are in school each day. Because of this, attendance rates are improving.

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The school is committed to ensuring that pupils receive a rich all-round experience, both within and beyond the academic curriculum. Staff skilfully support pupils to learn about and celebrate diversity. The school has also prioritised broadening pupils’ horizons through educational outings, including visits to museums, farms and a residential trip. Pupils are provided with plentiful opportunities to learn about different careers and professions. They relish opportunities to serve as digital leaders, eco warriors or team captains.

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The governing body has a clear vision for the school. It provides effective support and challenge. Staff feel extremely well supported by governors and leaders. They are proud to work at this school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains 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 18 and 19 June 2024

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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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This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in November 2017.

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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 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). 18 and 19 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.ourladymuswell.haringey.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school runs a breakfast club for pupils.  The school has a Catholic religious ethos. Its last section 48 inspection of its religious character took place in May 2018.

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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 inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other members of the senior leadership team.  The inspector met with representatives of the governing body, including the chair. 18 and 19 June 2024

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 The inspector spoke to a representative from the local authority.  The inspector carried our deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and art and design. 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 listened to pupils reading to a member of staff.  The inspector also discussed the curriculum and looked at pupils’ work in a number of other subjects.  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 considered the responses to parent, staff and pupils surveys.  The inspector spoke with pupils and staff to hear their experiences of the school.

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Inspection team

Sahreen Siddiqui, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 June 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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