St Andrew's (Barnsbury) CofE Primary School

Inspection of St Andrew’s (Barnsbury) Church of England Primary School Matilda Street, Islington, London N1 0LB

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 14 and 15 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

The large school site is an ‘oasis of calm’ where pupils are happy and safe. Pupils are known as individuals here. They particularly appreciate the support they receive from both staff and their peers. For example, ‘worry boxes’ encourage pupils to share any concerns they may have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils follow a broad and ambitious curriculum, including in the early years. Leaders regularly review the curriculum to ensure that all pupils are achieving well. Pupils understand leaders’ high expectations and work hard in lessons. They behave well around the school, including during play times. Over time, pupils build a depth of knowledge in the majority of their subjects. As a result, pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are encouraged to become respectful and active citizens. Pupils of all ages build their confidence by regularly presenting in assemblies. During these occasions, pupils in the audience eagerly listen to their peers. Pupils take on additional responsibilities through roles such as ‘digital leaders’ and being part of the ‘green team’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

From Reception onwards, pupils take part in multiple educational visits to enhance their learning. These include visits to the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London, art galleries and different places of worship.

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

In all areas, the curriculum matches what is expected nationally. From Reception onwards, leaders have identified the key knowledge and vocabulary that they want pupils to learn. This is well sequenced to encourage pupils to build on their learning over time. For example, in science, children in Reception learn about the different fruits and vegetables and how they grow. In Year 1, pupils build on this when learning to identify common plants. Over time, knowledge continues to grow as pupils build a sophisticated understanding of the functions of different parts of plants and flowers.

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

Teachers have strong subject knowledge and present information clearly. Their checks on learning help them to track pupils’ progress through the curriculum. As a result, teachers routinely identify any misconceptions and ensure these are addressed. Leaders have made recent changes to several aspects of the curriculum. In these instances, lesson activities, on occasion, do not consistently focus on the identified knowledge that pupils need to learn. As a result, some pupils do not fully secure the knowledge and understanding they need in these subjects to tackle more complex ideas.

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

Reading is a priority for all. From the early years onwards, children have regular opportunities to practise their phonics. Staff receive a range of training to deliver the school’s chosen phonics programme. Typically, they model sounds with precision. Staff regularly check pupils’ reading accuracy and fluency. They intervene swiftly when pupils need extra help with their reading. Pupils read books appropriately matched to the sounds they have learned. On occasion, however, pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to 14 and 15 May 2025

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practise reading these books to embed their phonics knowledge further. The school fosters a love of reading. For example, all pupils regularly visit the local library to select a new book. They engage with a range of poetry and practise reading poems aloud. Leaders encourage parents and carers to support their children to read widely and often.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported effectively to follow the same ambitious curriculum as their peers wherever possible. Leaders identify different needs and liaise with pupils and their parents to ensure that appropriate information and strategies are shared with staff. Pupils with SEND benefit from a range of additional help, including specialist support from external agencies.

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The school’s high expectations of behaviour are clear and well understood. Staff apply these expectations consistently. As a result, pupils typically behave well in lessons and show highly positive attitudes towards their learning. The school provides a range of support to ensure that pupils’ attendance is high. For example, they work closely with families to understand any barriers to attendance. As a result, pupils’ attendance has sharply increased.

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The school has given careful thought to pupils’ broader development. The personal, social, health and economic education curriculum is carefully designed. Topics are sequenced to allow pupils to revisit and understand key messages, such as how to stay mentally and physically healthy. A number of external speakers enrich the curriculum. For example, children in Reception take part in workshops on the importance of hand washing and teeth brushing.

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Staff are overwhelmingly proud to work at this school. They appreciate that leaders look after their well-being and listen to their views. Staff at all levels feel their workload is well considered and managed. Those responsible for governance use their precise knowledge of the school to provide highly effective support and challenge.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum in some subjects is at an earlier stage of implementation. In these areas, pupils are sometimes not given sufficient opportunity to practise and apply the important ideas they need to secure, including in aspects of early reading. As a result, pupils’ knowledge and skills are not as secure as in other areas. The school should ensure it continues to implement its plans to strengthen these areas, including ensuring that pupils have sufficient time to practise and embed new knowledge and skills through appropriately selected tasks and activities. 14 and 15 May 2025

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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). 14 and 15 May 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Gillian Goldsworthy

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School details

Headteacher Richard Smith (Head of School) Tonnie Read (Executive Headteacher) Website www.standrews.islington.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 November 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The head of school and executive headteacher were both appointed in April 2025.  The school is designated as having a religious character as a Church of England school. The school’s most recent section 48 inspection was in February 2018.  The school uses one registered alternative provision.  The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club.

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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 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 14 and 15 May 2025

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provision.  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.  During the inspection, inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The inspectors met with members of the governing body and a representative from the diocese and the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and physical education. 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.  The curriculum in other subjects was considered as part of the inspection.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single

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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 gathered the views of pupils, parents and carers and staff through both discussions and responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Hannah Glossop, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Luke Stubbles His Majesty’s Inspector 14 and 15 May 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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