St Paul's CofE Primary School N11

Inspection of a good school: St Paul's CofE Primary School N11 The Avenue, Friern Barnet, London, N11 1NQ

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Outcome

St Paul's CofE Primary School N11 continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a nurturing and caring school with the community at its heart. It encourages pupils to celebrate differences and treat everyone as individuals. The school’s values of ‘wisdom, compassion and endurance with humility’ are evident in all that the pupils demonstrate. Parents and carers hold St Paul’s in high regard.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils and ensures that they achieve well. Leaders and staff work together to meet the needs of all pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes towards their learning are highly positive. There is a calm, focused and respectful atmosphere around the school. Pupils show respect and kindness towards each other and build trusting relationships with staff. The school focuses on rewarding positive behaviour and celebrating pupils’ success.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ experiences are enriched beyond the academic curriculum. Learning is brought to life with workshops and subject days. Pupils talk enthusiastically about these opportunities and what they have learned. Leaders are committed to developing pupils’ understanding of responsibility through their engagement with the wider community. Examples include pupils singing at a community centre or picking up litter in their local area.

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

The school has created a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils and is logically sequenced. For example, in mathematics, children in early years build understanding, excitement and confidence about number with hands-on activities such as using puppets to learn about sharing. As they progress, older pupils build their mathematical knowledge well. For instance, they apply their understanding to use different amounts of money to solve problems or convert fractions to decimals or percentages. Another example is in the way the curriculum promotes pupils’ development as artists. In Reception, for instance, children are taught to explore and use different textures. The art curriculum then builds 16 and 17 July 2024

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on these foundations successfully as pupils move through the school. Pupils develop and show a secure understanding of how they can use a variety of textures to invoke different feelings in their art work. They apply their understanding well, becoming proficient in creating their own pieces of work and portraying the subject matter with increasing sophistication.

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Staff develop pupils' curiosity and love of learning, addressing any misconceptions. This approach helps pupils confidently remember important subject content. For example, in geography, Year 6 pupils are able to confidently explain how to use latitude and longitude to locate places in the world. However, in some subjects, the school’s work to check and make sure that the key skills that pupils need to know and remember in the long term is still being embedded. As a result, some pupils’ recall of previously taught knowledge is not consistently secure. This sometimes makes it more difficult for pupils to connect prior learning to new concepts, and in turn, build deeper knowledge over time.

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Pupils with SEND are swiftly identified and well supported. This is because leaders have ensured staff are knowledgeable regarding pupils’ specific needs. Adaptations, such as additional visuals and language support, enable pupils to access the same curriculum as their peers and achieve success.

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Reading is given a high priority. The school’s agreed approach to the teaching of reading is implemented consistently across all year groups. This results in pupils successfully developing their fluency and comprehension. Children in Reception are excited to learn new sounds and blend them to make new words. Those at risk of falling behind are identified and supported quickly. The effective implementation of the phonics programme helps these pupils to keep up and become more confident readers. A strong culture of reading is evident throughout the school. For example, some pupils take on the role of ‘reading professors'. They actively motivate younger pupils by awarding certificates for reading during weekly assemblies.

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A purposeful atmosphere, together with a strong ethos, is clear throughout the school. Pupils behave exceptionally well around the school. This is because expectations are clear and consistently applied. In early years, staff help children to grow in confidence and independence, preparing them well for the next stage in their learning. Leaders work closely with families to ensure that their children attend school regularly and on time.

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Leaders provide a wide range of opportunities to enhance pupils’ broader development. They organise school visitors and local trips to deepen pupils’ understanding of other places and cultures. Opportunities are available for pupils to develop leadership skills by taking on responsibilities, such as becoming ‘maths professors’. As part of this role, they have introduced an award for division and encourage their peers to achieve this. Pupils take these responsibilities seriously because they know their ideas are listened to. Through these activities, pupils learn to understand democracy and how it works.

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Leaders and those responsible for governance have a detailed understanding of the school’s effectiveness. Staff enjoy working here and appreciate the support for their workload and well-being. Morale is high. Staff described the school as feeling like a ‘family’. 16 and 17 July 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the schools’ work on checking what pupils remember long term is still being embedded. As a result, some pupils’ recall of prior learning is not fully secure and they are unable to connect prior learning fluently to the new knowledge that they are being taught. The school must continue their work to ensure that checking for pupils’ understanding is consistently aligned with the ideas and concepts identified in the curriculum, and that this fully supports the school’s work to help pupils to remember knowledge in the long term.

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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 March 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. 16 and 17 July 2024

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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). 16 and 17 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Johanna Levison (Acting headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 and 20 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a voluntary-aided Church of England school. The last section 48 inspection took place in September 2019.  The school runs its own breakfast and after-school club.  The school does not use 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with all senior leaders, a number of teaching staff, governors and a representative from the diocese and local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspectors held discussions about the 16 and 17 July 2024

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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.  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 16 and 17 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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