Kentish Town Church of England Primary School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Kentish Town Church of England Primary School Islip Street, London NW5 2TU

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Outcome

Kentish Town Church of England Primary School continues to be an outstanding school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school provides an inclusive and enriched education. Pupils thrive due to the school’s high academic ambitions for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school creates a love of learning at all ages and lives out its vision for ‘love, equality and compassion’. The school’s ethos based on ‘going the extra mile for others’ is embedded in the school. There is a keen sense of service for others and a strong community spirit.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe at the school. The school works hard with families so that pupils attend well. Pupils understand their responsibilities to others alongside their own rights. The school encourages a love of learning and resilience in pupils which has resulted in pupils successfully managing their own emotions and behaviours. This means that pupils are highly motivated in class and are enthusiastic learners. Their conduct around the school site is exemplary.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils gain valuable life experiences from extensive enrichment opportunities. The school provides numerous trips, clubs, workshops and activities. They ensure that all pupils can access these, including those with more complex needs and disabilities. Pupils’ individual interests and talents are nurtured. They take an active role in the school council and as peer mediators in resolving conflict and building positive relationships. Pupils are confident and rightly proud of their school.

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

Pupils follow an ambitious curriculum. The key knowledge that pupils need to learn is identified precisely and set out coherently. Pupils build strong understanding and develop a problem-solving approach. For example, in mathematics pupils can draw on their knowledge of number facts to convert and simplify fractions. Teaching also prioritises a broad curriculum so that pupils can make connections and build a strong understanding of 9 and 10 July 2024

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the world around them. In art, pupils explore a variety of mediums and textures, and draw influence from a range of artists, and in history they consider empires from both the ancient and modern world to evaluate the impact on civilisation.

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Teachers have strong subject knowledge and make learning memorable with carefully chosen enrichment activities. These include trips to museums, galleries and orienteering at the local heath. The school studies local history, including the school’s own archives. Children in early years explore and map the local town and older pupils consider how Kentish Town has changed over the last 100 years. Staff encourage pupils not only to have a sense of belonging but ownership over London and use excursions to deepen learning. Pupils develop a strong body of knowledge and skills across the subjects taught. This includes pupils with SEND, who excel at this school.

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The provision for pupils with SEND is exceptional. Needs are identified quickly, and pupils are championed. Pupils work alongside their peers in the classroom with additional, meaningful interventions when required from highly skilled staff. The needs of pupils are prioritised through the accessible building and playground, the therapy and sensory equipment, and the inclusive education and focus on the individual. Staff build pupils’ independence and foster their individual strengths and talents. These pupils make excellent progress and take active roles in the school. Difference is celebrated and all pupils benefit from the school’s approach to resilience and inclusion.

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The school has built a culture and love of reading. The phonics programme is logically sequenced to build knowledge securely. Pupils take home books which match the sounds practised in class and their progress is carefully monitored. Those who need additional support are identified swiftly and those not yet ready to learn phonics are provided with a strong foundation in the early reading programme which is delivered with expertise. Pupils across the school read diverse and high-quality texts and benefit from author visits and work with local bookshops. A group of pupils represented the school to visit 10 Downing Street for World Book Day and helped choose the books promoted.

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Provision for pupils’ personal development is excellent. Pupils take part in regular trips, including to Broadstairs, Paris and the Tower of London. The school provides extensive opportunities with a strong music and drama offering, as well as promoting fun runs, Bikeability and visits to different places of worship. Assemblies provide valuable reflection time and motivate pupils to celebrate each other’s achievements. Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britian. They are taught how to stay healthy and how to keep themselves safe, including online. The school has strong systems in place so that attendance is high and support is offered to families when needed.

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Children learn and play cooperatively in the early years. They move from one activity to the other seamlessly and develop strong social and emotional skills. Older pupils demonstrate kindness and respect, including for their surroundings, where the school has provided a vibrant garden and pond area. They are highly attentive in class and enjoy their learning. Parents and carers speak very highly of the school and its nurturing, inclusive ethos. They talk of the warmth, dedication and compassion of staff, and how the school feels like ‘an extended family’. The school’s weekly community breakfast is well received and contributes to the strong community feel. 9 and 10 July 2024

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Leaders and governors are determined that pupils will flourish. They are resourceful and highly reflective in moving the school forward. Staff are immensely proud to work at the school and feel valued. Leaders invest strongly in staff development, which supports the school’s culture of high ambition for all.

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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 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in December 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 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). 9 and 10 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 7 and 8 December 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school runs its own breakfast club and after-school club.  The school is within the Diocese of London. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in October 2019.

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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 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 senior leaders, some teachers and support staff, governors and representatives from the local authority and diocese.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. 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 9 and 10 July 2024

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learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Other subjects were also considered as part of this inspection.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for school improvement.  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 took account of the views of pupils, parents and staff, as gathered through discussions and Ofsted’s surveys.  The inspector checked the school’s policies and records, including those related to behaviour and pupils’ wider development.  The inspector held meetings with staff and spoke with pupils during social times. She observed pupils’ behaviour across the school, including as pupils arrived and left

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Inspection team

Sarah Saunders, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 9 and 10 July 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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