Coldfall Primary School

Inspection of Coldfall Primary School Coldfall Avenue, Muswell Hill, London N10 1HS

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding 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 October 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 1 and 2 April 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a high ambition for all pupils. Pupils regularly meet the school’s high expectations. This is reflected in the school’s high results in published national assessment tests. The school wants pupils to grow into well-rounded individuals as they get older. Consequently, the school places equally high importance on supporting pupils’ personal development. Pupils adhere to the school values and ‘golden threads’ exceptionally well. This ensures they are highly respectful to one another, treat each other fairly and value diversity. Pupils regularly and enthusiastically take part in activities to improve the world around them. These include supporting international children’s charities and engaging in litter picking in the nearby woods.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and happy here. Breaktimes are a fun and an exciting time of the day for everyone, where pupils engage in a rich variety of activities. These include well- supervised tree climbing, piano playing and dancing to music played through loudspeakers. Pupils play together excitedly. They behave with great maturity and treat each other with exceptional levels of kindness and respect. The school carefully selects older pupil mentors and buddies to support pupils in younger year groups. This helps pupils to understand the school routines in a supportive way.

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

The curriculum is delivered highly effectively. It is broad and ambitious, in line with the national curriculum. Precisely, the school sets out the essential knowledge and skills for pupils to learn from the early years onwards. Subject content is skilfully sequenced to ensure knowledge builds cumulatively over time. Regular revisits to previously taught information help pupils remember subject content over time and connect ideas together. For example, children in the early years learn about weather. They revisit and build on this knowledge year on year through their learning about temperature and weather conditions around the world. In Year 6, pupils use their knowledge to help them understand climate change.

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

Systematically and effectively, teaching checks how well pupils learn. The school spots quickly when misconceptions arise. Teaching addresses gaps in knowledge successfully. The robust implementation of the curriculum helps pupils to secure strong knowledge across subjects by the time they leave the school in Year 6.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive strong support to learn the curriculum. The school enlists support from experts such as psychologists and therapists to help them understand pupils’ needs. Consequently, the school recognises quickly if pupils have SEND. The school makes highly effective adaptations to teaching and resources for pupils with SEND. Pupils with SEND learn very well.

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

The school fosters a strong love of reading across the school. Reading time is an essential part of the school day which is enjoyed by all. In the early years, children enthusiastically and intently listen to stories. This includes stories read to them by visiting parents and carers who take on the role of ‘mystery reader’ for the day. Pupils receive effective help 1 and 2 April 2025

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and support to swiftly become fluent readers. Phonics teaching begins in the early years. There is a consistent approach to teaching phonics. Teaching is securely aligned to the letter sounds pupils know. Pupils read books aligned securely to the phonics they learn. This helps them to develop confidence with reading. Parents receive clear guidance so they can support their child with reading at home.

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Pupils are eager to learn here. They are rarely absent from school. If concerns about attendance arise, the school takes swift, appropriate action to improve it. This includes working closely and supportively with pupils and their families to understand and address any perceived barriers.

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The school’s provision to support pupils’ wider development is extensive and carefully thought through. In recent times, the school made significant changes to the way pupils use the outdoor space. The school uses pupils’ outdoor play to teach important skills such as negotiation, teamwork, and resilience. The school provides a vast range of extra- curricular clubs and experiences to help pupils explore their interests. These include capoeira, drama, and cooking. Pupils regularly represent the school at sporting competitions and national musical events. The school ensures pupils have equal access to what it has on offer. Pupils are taught about a range beliefs, cultural traditions, and religions. They are taught age-appropriate information about the importance of healthy, respectful relationships. The curriculum includes teaching about how to stay safe, including online.

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The governing body provides effective support and challenge to the school. It engages with leaders and school staff purposefully to ensure workload demands are balanced reasonably.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 1 and 2 April 2025

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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). 1 and 2 April 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 and 24 October 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, there have been changes in leadership at the school. The headteacher and chair of governors were appointed after the previous inspection.  The school makes use of one registered alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector 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 and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 1 and 2 April 2025

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 This was the first routine inspection 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 of the school.  Inspectors met with representatives of the governing body, the headteacher, deputy headteacher and other senior leaders. An inspector also spoke with a school improvement representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography, computing and design and technology. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central

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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 responses to Ofsted’s online surveys from pupils, parents, and staff.

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Inspection team

Andrea Bedeau, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Bailey OBE Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 April 2025

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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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