Gurukula - The Hare Krishna Primary School

Inspection of Gurukula – The Hare Krishna Primary School Hartspring Cottage, Elton Way, Watford, Hertfordshire WD25 8HB

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their close-knit community. They value opportunities to deepen their faith. Pupils enjoy leading worship, visiting the temple and joining in with daily singing. They apply religious teachings and make the right behaviour choices. Pupils are taught about other religions and cultures, so also have a sound grasp of wider society.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are expected to work hard academically. They enjoy the variety of subjects they learn about. Pupils study a curriculum that prepares them well for life in modern Britain, while also knowing the traditions of their beliefs, such as studying Sanskrit.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils achieve well by the time they leave for secondary school. Children in the early years settle in quickly and are well cared for by a dedicated team. However, some children in early years are not making as much progress from their starting points as they should.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take an active part in school life, such as through elections to the school council. Some produce a pupil newsletter. Others are reading ambassadors. Pupils perform at festivals, go on a range of educational visits and take part in clubs, such as yoga, crochet and sports.

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better?

The school focuses effectively on the spiritual development of pupils, while ensuring that their academic education remains at the fore. Pupils use their deep-rooted religious beliefs to develop perseverance, empathy and respect. The school successfully ensures that pupils have a global outlook. They have many opportunities to study other religions, lifestyles and beliefs that are different to their own.

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better?

Pupils access an ambitious, rounded and overall well-thought-out curriculum. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can recall what they have learned. Staff do pick up and address misconceptions. They make checks on pupils’ learning to ensure knowledge has been secured in pupils’ long- term memory. Older pupils are especially adept at making links between topics to show a detailed understanding of key information.

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better?

In some instances, these checks on learning are not informing precisely what teachers plan to teach next. This means some pupils are provided with work that is not extending their understanding further. Some staff are still developing their proficiency in how to adapt the curriculum to suit the needs of pupils who are ready to learn more. For pupils with SEND, work is more closely matched to needs. Coupled with accurate support plans, pupils with SEND achieve well and meet their specific targets. 28 to 30 January 2025 Reading is a strength in the school. Pupils read daily and access texts that are rich in vocabulary and diverse in style. From early years upwards, pupils follow a systematic reading programme that develops their reading fluency. Most pupils read well for their age, with books matched to their ability. Any pupils who need extra help to catch up receive this in a timely manner.

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better?

Since the last inspection, the school has ensured that, in all subjects, it has identified the most important knowledge pupils need to know and when. However, this is not sufficiently the case with the early years curriculum. This means that children in early years are not getting opportunities to engage in activities that build on their prior learning well enough. Children do rehearse their current learning through role play, dance, art and drama, for example. However, these opportunities are not sufficient or ambitious enough to ensure the in-depth learning that the children are capable of.

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better?

There are seldom instances of unwelcome behaviour. Older pupils show exemplary conduct. Where pupils may become restless or chatty, staff deal with this quickly and effectively. Pupils do not worry about bullying, as it is rare. If it does happen, it is addressed. Most pupils attend school regularly. If this is not the case, the school takes swift action to support pupils’ return to school.

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better?

Through personal, health, social and economic lessons, worship and circle time discussions, pupils demonstrate a mature understanding of diversity and difference. Pupils benefit from visits a variety of places of worship to gain a better awareness of other faiths. They accept the choices of others without prejudice. Pupils also know that discrimination is wrong and can explain this in discussion about their own life experiences. They learn about healthy relationships and how to avoid unsafe situations. They are well prepared for their teenage years.

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better?

The proprietor body and governors have the necessary skills and expertise to oversee the school’s work effectively. They provide appropriate challenge and support to the school. The proprietor body and chair of the governing body ensure that all the independent school standards are met, including the requirements under schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. The building is well maintained and spacious. It is fit for purpose, with a range of facilities to support pupils’ education. Classrooms are appropriately resourced. Effective risk assessments are in place to ensure health and safety requirements are met.

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better?

The proprietor body and governors are mindful of the pressures that are involved in running a small school. Staff do appreciate the care the school takes for their well- being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The school ensures that pupils are kept safe. All staff have the necessary training to identify and report concerns about pupils’ well-being. The school acts upon any 28 to 30 January 2025 concerns quickly and seeks advice from the relevant agencies. The school also uses information about pupils’ behaviour and attendance to support them in assessing potential risks to any vulnerable pupils. However, the way that this information is organised means that leaders’ follow-up of concerns is not recorded as effectively as it could be to ensure rigorous oversight.

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Safeguarding

The school teaches pupils how to identify trusted adults through its use of ‘network hands’. It also ensures that pupils learn to identify inappropriate behaviours by other people and how to avoid risky situations. Visits to the school by the police provide pupils with further information on how to stay safe online and when out in the local area. Most pupils can recall this advice. However, some younger pupils are less secure in their understanding of online safety.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 The early years curriculum does not clearly outline how children’s knowledge builds over time. This limits how well children achieve as learning activities do not build securely on prior learning. The school should ensure that the early years curriculum identifies the key knowledge children should know and by when.  The school does not routinely use checks on what pupils know to inform next steps in their learning. This means that some pupils are not having their knowledge extended when they are capable of this. The school should ensure that staff have the pedagogical knowledge to adapt learning activities to specifically meet the needs of pupils who are ready to learn more.  The school’s record-keeping systems for safeguarding are not fully robust. While this does not put any pupils at risk of harm, it would strengthen safeguarding oversight if follow-up to concerns were recorded more systematically.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 28 to 30 January 2025

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School details

Unique reference number 117654 DfE registration number 919/6228

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School details

Inspection number 10342007 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

Headteacher Gwyneth Milan (also known as Gunacuda Dasi) Annual fees (day pupils) £3,900

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 to 24 March 2022 28 to 30 January 2025

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Information about this school

 The school is registered as a school with a religious character and a Hindu ethos.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  There have been no additional Ofsted visits since that last standard inspection in March 2022.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about this inspection

The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the special educational needs co-ordinator, subject leaders, teaching staff and support staff.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, history and science. For each deep dive, the inspectors spoke to leaders, visited lessons, spoke with pupils, looked at pupils’ workbooks and spoke with staff.  The lead inspector held meetings with the chair of the proprietor body, trustees and members of the governing body.  To check compliance with the independent school standards, inspectors spoke to the headteacher and proprietor, members of the governing board, staff and pupils. Inspectors visited lessons, observed social times and had a tour the school

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Information about this inspection

site.  The lead inspector scrutinised a range of documentation, including the school’s own self-evaluation, school improvement plan and governing body minutes. The lead inspector also reviewed a range of school policies.  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 considered the responses gathered through Ofsted Parent View and spoke to a selection of parents and carers at the school gate. Inspectors also reviewed the staff survey and spoke to several pupils across all year groups. 28 to 30 January 2025

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Inspection team

Sara Boyce, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Caroline Dawes Ofsted Inspector 28 to 30 January 2025 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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