William Tyndale Primary School

Inspection of William Tyndale Primary School Upper Street, London, Middlesex N1 2GG

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since March 2013. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 26 and 27 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy and nurturing school where pupils thrive. Pupils love coming to school every day. Their behaviour in class and as they move around the school is exemplary. Pupils are articulate and polite. They are confident, feel safe and well cared for by all staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have the highest expectations for what pupils can achieve. All pupils rise to these expectations. Pupils make strong progress from their starting points in the early years to the end of Year 6. The school’s published outcomes show pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are taught about the wider world and to be responsible and caring citizens. They represent the school’s values including ‘respect’ and ‘enterprise’, at every opportunity. For example, by taking on positions of responsibility in school, such as skills builders, dyslexia ambassadors or playground leaders.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported to access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Pupils visit a wide range of interesting places such as museums, local places of worship and art galleries. They talk with enthusiasm about how such visits help them in their learning. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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

The school’s leadership has designed a highly ambitious curriculum. It identifies the important knowledge and skills that pupils must learn and the order in which they need to learn it. This begins in early years. The exceptional start to school that pupils experience is impressive. The early years is alive with rhymes, music, painting and learning activities to build children’s communication and language skills. The environment is stimulating and there are rich opportunities for children’s physical development.

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

There are strengths in many subject areas, such as mathematics and early reading. In these subjects, staff check pupils’ learning regularly and adjust their teaching in response to pupils’ needs. However, the teaching of writing is not consistently strong. Consequently, some pupils do not learn how to form letters accurately or write with fluency. As a result, some pupils are not achieving as well as they could by the end of key stage 2.

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

The school prioritises the teaching of reading. Staff have the knowledge and skills to teach early reading effectively. They use information from assessments to spot when a pupil has fallen behind. The school uses extra reading interventions to close any gaps quickly. The books that pupils read match their phonics knowledge closely. Older pupils access a wide range of diverse and high-quality texts which builds their vocabulary and inspires them to read for pleasure. Most pupils quickly become confident and fluent readers.

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

Support for pupils with SEND is highly effective. The school identifies pupils’ needs quickly and puts appropriate support in place. Skilled staff ensure that pupils with SEND fully 26 and 27 November 2024

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access the school’s curriculum through a wide range of adaptations. These pupils acquire the knowledge they need to learn and achieve well. Pupils who require more emotional or well-being support benefit from individually tailored programmes.

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Staff have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. There is no low-level disruption in lessons. Pupils play well together in the playgrounds and the warmth and trust between pupils and staff is clear to see. Pupils can all name a trusted adult they can share any concerns with. Bullying is never tolerated and swiftly dealt with if any incidents occur.

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The school places great importance on pupils’ regular attendance and punctuality. The school supports pupils and their families when their attendance falls below the expected high levels. This work helps to bring about swift and sustained improvements in pupils’ attendance. Overall, attendance is high and persistent absence is low.

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The school’s work on pupils’ personal development is exemplary. In addition to their lessons, pupils benefit from a wide range of additional opportunities. A large selection of clubs such as choir, drama, football, gymnastics, debating and many others suits all interests and talents. School trips and residential visits are memorable and meaningful for pupils. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of different families and lifestyles. They know that everyone is unique and differences are to be celebrated.

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The school’s leadership and those responsible for governance fulfil their roles extremely well. Governors have an accurate understanding of the school. They take time to talk to pupils about their daily experiences, which gives them useful insights to guide their work. Staff are proud to be part of the school. They appreciate how leaders manage their workload and well-being. The vast majority of parents and carers are highly positive about what the school provides for their children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s work to improve pupils’ writing is still being embedded. Some pupils do not have secure writing skills, which hampers their ability to write fluently because they cannot form their letters correctly. The school must support pupils to develop secure writing skills effectively. 26 and 27 November 2024

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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). 26 and 27 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.williamtyndale-islington.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 March 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The current headteacher was appointed in September 2023.  The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club.  The school uses one registered alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management and for any relevant provision judgement, early years provision. Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 26 and 27 November 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection that the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, other senior and curriculum leaders and groups of staff and pupils.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, computing, science and physical education. To do this, they met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and met with teachers and pupils. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the governing body, including the chair and vice-chair. He also met with a school improvement partner.

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 Inspectors took account of the responses to the Ofsted Parent View and free-text responses. They considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  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.  Inspectors reviewed school documents, including those relating to governance, behaviour and attendance. Inspectors scrutinised leaders’ plans for improvement and their assessment of the school’s effectiveness.  Inspectors spoke informally to pupils at breaktimes, in the dining hall and on the playground.

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Inspection team

Sean Flood, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

David Bryant Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 November 2024

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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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