Hoxton Garden Primary

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Hoxton Garden Primary Ivy Street, Hackney, London N1 5JD

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school’s work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this highly inclusive school. Pupils know that staff care for them deeply and that there is always an adult there for them when needed. Pupils are eager to live up to the high expectations that the school has for them, both with learning and behaviour. Pupils love their time in school and achieve excellent outcomes in a wide range of subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour throughout the school is impeccable. The school’s values reinforce the way that pupils treat each other with respect. This is clear in how pupils keenly include others in learning and at playtime without hesitation. Pupils have exemplary manners, welcome visitors to their school and are eager to share their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school places high importance on helping pupils to learn how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. Pupils develop a strong awareness of how to stay safe, including when online. They are also keen to take on leadership responsibilities. These include being on the school council, librarians, subject ambassadors and peer mediators. Pupils appreciate the wide range of clubs that they can attend, including arts, sports, music and street dancing. Participation rates are high, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

The school has put in place a well-ordered and aspirational curriculum. This curriculum identifies the precise knowledge that pupils need to know. New learning builds on what has been taught before. Staff deliver this very skilfully and revisit the key knowledge that is essential for pupils to know and remember. Pupils make strong links between the 8 and 9 July 2025

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subjects and concepts that they study. This supports them to develop a secure and deep body of knowledge. As a result, pupils achieve highly during their time at school.

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Teaching expertly questions pupils to check their understanding and resolve any misconceptions swiftly. This helps to ensure that pupils build their knowledge sequentially over time. They talk about their learning in different subjects with confidence. For example, in history, pupils confidently explain the origins of the welfare state in post-war Britain. In science, they draw on their previous knowledge to explain the results of experiments that they have carried out.

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Children get off to an excellent start in the early years. They follow well-established routines and learn together enthusiastically. The curriculum and carefully designed environment ensure that children engage with a wide range of purposeful learning opportunities that build their knowledge well. Teaching skilfully develops children’s language and vocabulary through purposeful interactions. For instance, staff use rhymes and number songs to help children develop their communication skills and mathematical understanding.

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Well-trained staff deliver a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics. They skilfully give opportunities for pupils to practise the sounds that they have been taught. This helps pupils to read with fluency and confidence. When gaps in their knowledge are identified by staff, pupils are quickly given the right support to catch up. Reading is prioritised across the school. Children begin to learn to read as soon as they join the school in the early years. Staff read aloud to pupils regularly, and pupils enjoy choosing a range of books to read widely and often. These experiences develop their love of reading.

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The school quickly identifies the needs of pupils with SEND. Staff ensure that these pupils receive the precise support that they need. When necessary, teachers skilfully adapt teaching of the curriculum to ensure that these pupils make the best possible progress through it. When needed, the school works well with a range of external partners to draw on expert advice about supporting pupils with SEND. As a result, these pupils achieve very well.

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The school places a great emphasis on the importance of pupils’ wider personal development. Pupils learn about different religious festivals and explore equality and diversity through school assemblies and a whole host of special events. These foster the understanding, tolerance and respect that are deeply embedded in the school’s community. Pupils are knowledgeable about fundamental British values, showing, for example, a secure understanding of democracy and the rule of law. This leads to highly articulate pupils who are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Governors help to set high aspirations for all aspects of the school’s work. They hold leaders to account effectively while supporting the school’s vision and priorities. Staff are very proud to work at the school. They value the support that they receive for their well- being, workload and continued professional development. Parents and carers are typically glowing in their praise for all the school does for their children and their families. 8 and 9 July 2025

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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 good 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in February 2016.

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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, 8 and 9 July 2025

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looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 8 and 9 July 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Victoria Crawford

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School details

Headteachers Rachael Carr (headteacher) Stephen O’Brien (executive headteacher) Website www.hoxtongarden.hackney.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 4 and 5 December 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school is part of a federation of three local primary schools with one shared governing body.

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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 held meetings with the executive headteacher, the headteacher and other members of the senior team.  The inspector met with members of the governing body and the local authority school improvement partner. 8 and 9 July 2025

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and personal development and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for parents and staff. This included any free-text responses in Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Nasim Butt, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 July 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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