Hasmonean Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Hasmonean Primary School 8-10 Shirehall Lane, Hendon, London NW4 2PD

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Outcome

Hasmonean Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and proud to belong to this inclusive school. They know the staff care for them. Pupils have strong working relationships with staff, supporting them to feel welcome and part of the school community. Parents and carers said that their children are enthusiastic to attend school. They share the values of the school, including the school’s work to encourage pupils to be kind to one another.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy playing and learning together. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), develop confidence and work hard to match the high expectations set by staff. Pupils are confident that staff will support them to resolve any worries that they may have. Staff’s consistent approach to managing behaviour helps pupils to demonstrate positive attitudes to lessons and around the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are eager to learn from the start of the early years. Pupils achieve highly in many areas of the curriculum. Teachers promote a curiosity for their subject. Pupils pursue their talents and interests in the broad range of clubs on offer, such as art and football. Pupils take on roles of responsibility, including the school council, play and class leaders. Pupils learn that they can make a positive difference in their school and community through participating in many charities and fund-raising activities.

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

In recent years, the school has developed an ambitious and well-designed curriculum. This work is still to be completed and fully embedded across some foundation subjects. The values of the school underpin the learning expectations. This has ensured a high standard of education in many subjects. Staff work effectively to provide pupils with a broad and interesting curriculum.

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

The important knowledge that pupils should learn from the early years onwards has been clearly identified in most subjects. This helps pupils broaden and deepen their understanding of key concepts and knowledge. Staff check pupils’ understanding on a 3 and 4 July 2024

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regular basis, including those pupils with SEND. Teachers spot any misconceptions pupils may have quickly and clarify what pupils need to know before moving on. In mathematics, for example, pupils are encouraged to solve problems and to discuss and explain their methods. In a few subjects, for example design and technology, the curriculum has been more recently developed. The school’s oversight and expertise in these subjects is not as strong. In some subjects, the curriculum is not fully embedded, which limits pupils’ deeper knowledge and understanding over time.

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Reading is a school priority. Staff are well trained in delivering the school’s phonics programme. Children get off to a rapid start in learning to read in early years. This learning begins in Nursery as children enjoy rhymes, stories and songs. Staff provide effective support for pupils that fall behind or are new to English. The books pupils read are well matched to the sounds that they already know. Teachers choose books that help pupils to recognise and practise new sounds and words. This helps to make sure that pupils read fluently.

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The school intervenes quickly to identify and support pupils who may need additional help, including those with SEND. Leaders work closely with external partners and specialists to ensure that pupils get the help that they need. Typically, teaching is adapted effectively to meet pupils’ needs.

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Pupils have positive attitudes to school and learning. This is reflected in their high levels of attendance and the positive behaviour choices pupils make. In the early years, children learn to take turns and share their equipment and resources. Pupil behaviour is consistently positive. Staff encourage constructive and caring relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults. Staff hold regular meetings with pupils and parents and carers where attendance is low. They also offer different types of support to parents who are struggling to ensure that their child attends school regularly.

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Pupils’ wider development is supported well by the school. Regular outings, visits and residentials are greatly appreciated by pupils. For example, pupils learned about Romans when visiting a historical settlement. Staff teach pupils about the importance of healthy eating, lifestyles, relationships and keeping safe online. Many pupils, including those with SEND, access a range of artistic, sporting and musical-enriching experiences.

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Parents are mostly positive about the school. Leaders are working to improve their work and engagement with some parents. Governors work successfully with leaders to support staff during periods of change at the school. Most staff have no concerns about their workload or well-being and said they felt well supported by leaders. Governors know the school well. They are ready to question and challenge the work of leaders when needed. They understand and fulfil their statutory duties.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 3 and 4 July 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects in particular, recent changes to the curriculum are not fully embedded. Sometimes, teaching does not build on pupils’ prior learning precisely so that pupils are fully ready for new content. In these subjects, some pupils have not achieved as well as they could. The school needs to ensure that key knowledge and skills are consistently identified in these subjects. The school should ensure that subject leaders and staff have the guidance and support to fully implement the curriculum changes.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2019.

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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). 3 and 4 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.hasmoneanprimaryschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 24 January 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Its most recent section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, was in December 2022. The next section 48 inspection is expected to take place before 2027.  Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed. There have been new appointments to the governing body.  The school provides nursery education for children from the age of two.  The school does not currently make use of any alternative provision.

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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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held discussions with the headteacher and other leaders of the school. 3 and 4 July 2024

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 The inspector spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The lead inspector spoke with representatives of the local authority.  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 observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and during lessons and spoke with pupils to discuss their views of school, their learning, their behaviour and safety.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and design and technology. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with staff, spoke to some pupils about their learning and reviewed samples of pupils’ work. The curriculum in other subjects was also

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considered.  The inspector met with the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator and reviewed samples of documentation relating to pupils with SEND.  The inspector reviewed a range of evidence about pupils’ attendance, safety and behaviour.  The inspector considered the views of parents through Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. The inspector also reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff and for pupils.  The inspector considered a range of documents shared by school leaders, including the school improvement plan, leaders’ self-evaluation document and the minutes taken at governing body meetings.

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Inspection team

Phil Garnham, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 3 and 4 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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