St Robert Southwell Catholic Primary School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: St Robert Southwell Catholic Primary School Slough Lane, Kingsbury, London NW9 8YD

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Outcome

St Robert Southwell Catholic Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive and feel safe in this warm and welcoming school community. Every pupil has the opportunity to flourish here. The school vision, ‘Being the best we can be’, is deeply embedded in every aspect of school life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school develops pupils’ knowledge and confidence through a rich curriculum and thought-provoking experiences. Pupils excel in their learning. The school has high academic ambitions for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are rightly very proud of the work that they produce in different subjects. They are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They listen attentively, are highly motivated, and show respect and kindness to adults and each other. In early years, children are nurtured in a caring and purposeful environment. From the very start, they develop independence, respect and a love of learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The wider curriculum provides a variety of opportunities for promoting pupils’ development as independent, confident and successful learners. High aspirations, centred on the school’s values, permeate this school. Pupils live out these aspirations through presenting in assemblies, taking part in external competitions or engaging in fundraising activities. 3 and 4 December 2024

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

The school’s curriculum is ambitious and carefully designed to ensure that all pupils acquire essential knowledge, vocabulary and skills. Pupils develop exceptionally detailed knowledge across subjects, which they recall with confidence and ease. The content is meticulously sequenced from the early years onwards, enabling pupils to build their learning progressively. For example, in mathematics, children in Reception explore mathematical concepts such as ‘more than’ and ‘less than’. Older pupils use this growing knowledge of number to solve increasingly complex problems. Similarly, in music, younger pupils focus on replicating rhythms. As they progress, they apply this foundational understanding to perform, read musical notes notation and understand pitch.

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

Pupils with SEND are extremely well supported throughout the school. Their needs are identified early. Precise information is provided so that staff know how to help them. Pupils with SEND are fully included in lessons and receive the support that they need to succeed.

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

Reading is at the heart of the school’s curriculum. The school fosters a love of reading across all year groups. For example, older pupils enthusiastically participate in the ‘rainbow’ reading challenges, which skilfully encourage them to explore a wide range and depth of books. Staff are well trained in the school’s agreed phonics programme, teaching and modelling sounds with precision. Regular checks on pupils’ learning enable staff to identify and address any gaps in their phonics knowledge. Books are carefully matched to the sounds that pupils are learning. This helps them to read fluently and with confidence and enjoyment.

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

In early years, language and number are threaded through carefully designed activities. Adults guide children’s learning through conversations that prompt thinking and expand language. Consequently, children confidently use subject-specific vocabulary, such as ‘full’ or ‘half empty’, when discussing capacity in mathematics.

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

Pupils demonstrate exceptional respect for one another, articulating their thoughts and feelings with remarkable clarity. Their exemplary attitudes create a positive learning environment where everyone can learn without disruption. In the early years, children quickly learn routines and expectations, transitioning seamlessly between activities and behaving impeccably. Adults play a vital role in supporting children to develop secure social and emotional skills, providing them with the foundation for future success. The school remains unwavering in its commitment to maintaining high attendance among all pupils. As a result, this has been successful, as pupils attend regularly and on time.

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

The school provides pupils with a wide range of opportunities to develop and nurture their talents and interests. Pupils take on responsibilities such as pupil chaplains or members of the pupil parliament, both of which are elected democratically by their peers. Through these roles, they engage in extensive charity work, develop leadership skills and contribute to the school’s community-centred ethos. Pupils demonstrate exceedingly mature attitudes when discussing values such as equality and respect for diversity, recognising that everyone should be treated fairly. Pupils are prepared well for the move 3 and 4 December 2024

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to secondary school. For example, they learn about important topics such as knife crime, bus safety and road safety through police-led workshops.

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Leaders and governors place pupils at the heart of every decision, ensuring their needs shape the school’s direction and actions. At all levels, leaders’ passion, rigour and determination have upheld the excellent standards since the last inspection. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about how the school supports their children to succeed, both academically and pastorally. Staff take pride in working at the school. They value the dedicated support that they receive to develop professionally and manage their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 for overall effectiveness in June 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. 3 and 4 December 2024

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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 December 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Michelle Rattigan

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 4 and 5 June 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 St Robert Southwell is a Catholic school within the Diocese of Westminster.  The most recent section 48 inspection, which is an inspection of the school’s religious character, took place in March 2020.  The school runs its own breakfast club 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 evaluation 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 met with all senior leaders, a number of teaching and support staff, governors and a representative from the local authority. 3 and 4 December 2024

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around the school, at playtime and at lunchtime.  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 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff and pupils. They also took into account the views of parents using Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Karen Kent, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 3 and 4 December 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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