Rokesly Infant & Nursery School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Rokesly Infant & Nursery School Hermiston Avenue, Crouch End, London N8 8NH

p.1

Inspection dates: 10 and 11 December 2024

p.1

Outcome

Rokesly Infant & Nursery School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this nurturing and inclusive school. The school’s motto, ‘every child matters in every way’, reflects its commitment to ensuring pupils are supported and valued. Leaders have high expectations for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils typically achieve well.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have established strong relationships with families. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. One parent shared, ‘My child is very happy, and staff are very welcoming.’ This echoed the views of many.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

From the time children enter the Nursery, they are taught the importance of being kind. They are polite and follow simple rules. This continues throughout the school. Older pupils show consideration towards each other, contributing to a calm and harmonious environment.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide many opportunities for pupils’ personal development. For instance, pupils engage in the arts. Activities such as drama and dance enable them to develop their creative talents. Pupils enjoy singing as part of the school choir and recently performed at Alexandra Palace. Children in early years are confident and eager to try new activities. This is encouraged by staff who promote their independence, resilience and curiosity. As a result, pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education.

p.1

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

The school’s curriculum is ambitious and logically sequenced. In most subjects, leaders have considered the important skills and knowledge they want pupils to learn. This is carefully designed so pupils practise and embed knowledge before moving on to more complex ideas. For example, in mathematics, children in early years learn the names and 10 and 11 December 2024

p.1

2

features of common shapes. Older pupils build on this foundation when learning about lines of symmetry. However, some subjects are at an earlier stage of design. In these subjects, it is less clear what pupils should know and remember. This hinders staff in designing learning activities that emphasise this important information. As a result, some pupils do not develop knowledge as securely as they could. Leaders are aware of this and have initial plans in place to develop these aspects of the curriculum.

p.2

2

Reading is given high priority. Leaders are committed to ensuring that pupils become fluent readers. In the Nursery, children are introduced to environmental sounds by listening to, and joining in with, familiar rhymes, stories and songs. This prepares them well for learning phonics from the start of the Reception Year. Over time, pupils use their developing knowledge to blend sounds together to form and segment words. However, inconsistencies in some aspects of teaching early reading and writing prevent some younger pupils from learning as successfully as they could. The school regularly assesses pupils’ phonics knowledge to identify any gaps in learning. Pupils who fall behind, including some pupils with SEND, are provided with support to catch up quickly. As a result, by the end of key stage 1, most pupils are reading with accuracy and fluency and achieve well in the national phonics screening check. Pupils from the feeder junior school

p.2

2

visit to read to pupils, sharing their favourite stories and books. This helps younger pupils develop a love of reading, contributing to a positive reading culture in the school.

p.2

2

Children get off to a strong start in the Nursery. For example, robust routines ensure children settle quickly They develop positive relationships with adults and their peers. This supports the youngest children to develop the confidence to tackle new learning and sustain focus and concentration. Children demonstrate confidence in their learning and a willingness to share their ideas with others.

p.2

2

The school identifies pupils with SEND early. Leaders work effectively with different agencies to ensure that these pupils receive the support and care they need to access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Careful adaptations and well-focused support help pupils to make progress through the curriculum.

p.2

2

Pupils have a positive attitude towards their learning. They typically behave well in and around the school. Occasionally, a small number of pupils lose concentration when the teaching is not sufficiently ambitious, which can disrupt the learning of others. Attendance is high. The school has robust systems in place to monitor absence and provide the necessary support for families where attendance needs to improve.

p.2

2

Staff recognise that leaders and those responsible for governance are considerate of their well-being and workload. For example, additional time has been provided so subject leaders can fulfil their roles. Staff feel valued, which contributes to the positive school environment.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 10 and 11 December 2024

p.2

(information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Aspects of the early reading and writing curriculum are not implemented with consistent precision. In these instances, some younger pupils do not secure the important foundational knowledge they need to tackle more complex learning. The school should ensure that the implementation of the intended curriculum is sharpened so pupils are consistently supported to achieve well.  Some subjects are at an earlier stage of design. In these areas, the tasks and activities pupils are asked to complete are sometimes not sufficiently ambitious. As a result, pupils do not consistently develop the depth of knowledge they need. The school should fully implement its plans to ensure that the content of the curriculum is consistently ambitious so pupils are wholly supported to focus on their learning and develop the knowledge they need.

p.3

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 good for its overall effectiveness.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2015.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 10 and 11 December 2024

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 10 and 11 December 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Headteacher Bola Soneye-Thomas (Interim Headteacher)

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 1 May 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The interim headteacher joined the school in November 2024.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

p.5

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 held meetings with the interim headteacher, senior leaders, teachers and other staff.  The inspector met with a group of governors, including the chair of the governing body. She also spoke with a representative of the Haringey Education Partnership.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and leaders, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work. 10 and 11 December 2024

p.5

6

 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector reviewed the single central record of pre-employment checks; 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 scrutinised a range of documentation provided by leaders, including their priorities for improvement.  The inspector considered the views of parents, pupils and staff through discussions and their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Dawn Titus, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 December 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

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

p.7