Gospel Oak Primary School

Gospel Oak Primary School

Address: Mansfield Road, NW3 2JB Unique reference number (URN): 100025

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils have strong knowledge of subjects. They have a firm understanding of their learning. As they move up through the school, pupils use increasingly sophisticated vocabulary confidently to describe their ideas. Pupils make secure connections across their learning in different subjects. For example, pupils use their solid knowledge of mathematics to help them understand the passing of time in history.

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Achievement Strong standard

Over time, pupils have achieved well in national tests. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who have barriers to learning or face disadvantage in their lives. In many areas, over time pupils’ achievement is above performance nationally. Leaders recognise that the most recent published achievement information shows a decline in some areas when compared with previous years. They are astutely aware of the complex reasons for this. These include additional challenges caused by pupil absences. Leaders have taken robust action. For example, the school's work to promote high attendance is having a positive impact.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The broad and highly ambitious curriculum prepares pupils very well for their future. Across the range of subjects, content is organised logically so that pupils build on prior knowledge well. Staff revisit essential knowledge and important vocabulary systematically so that pupils remember them long term. This is highly successful.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The curriculum is implemented consistently well. This is because leaders make sure teachers have strong expertise. Effective teaching supports pupils to recall key information regularly. Leaders ensure there are clear and effective ways to check that pupils learn what they need to know. Consequently, teachers quickly spot gaps in pupils' knowledge and any misconceptions. Future teaching is adjusted purposefully to address errors as they arise.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Appropriately, leaders place high importance on checking pupils learn the foundations of reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils receive systematic phonics teaching and read books that are closely aligned to their knowledge. If pupils struggle, they receive effective targeted support to help them catch up and keep up with their peers. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who face disadvantage in their everyday lives.

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Early years Strong standard

The curriculum in the early years prepares children for future learning highly effectively. There is a firm focus on developing pupils' communication and language skills. Extremely knowledgeable staff use every interaction with children to competently promote speaking. For example, staff speak to children using very deliberate vocabulary to help children learn and repeat new words. Children learn to love books and reading. From the start, children listen to and join in with carefully chosen stories, rhymes and songs. Phonics teaching begins in the early years. The school tracks precisely the letters children know. Teaching is matched accordingly to help children learn to read and write so that they are completely ready for Year 1.

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Early years Strong standard

The school keeps a close eye on how children learn. If pupils struggle, the school takes swift action to help them keep up. As a result, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are recognised quickly and supported well. The school keeps parents and carers informed about how well their children learn. Parents receive pertinent information to help them know how to help their child learn at home.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The extensive, well-rounded inclusive approach means that pupils are able to flourish here. Highly effectively, leaders and staff reduce barriers for pupils who may face disadvantage in their everyday lives. The school works closely with parents and carers to understand pupils’ aspirations and any potential barriers that may be in the way to pupils reaching them. Intelligently, the school uses funding and resources to tackle any perceived obstacles. This includes providing pupils with targeted support to improve their mental health and wellbeing. Leaders ensure funding for disadvantaged pupils enables them to experience a range of opportunities at the school.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders draw on knowledgeable school staff and external professionals to pinpoint the reasons pupils may struggle with learning. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from well-targeted help and support. Careful adaptations to the curriculum and teaching help pupils make significant strides in their learning. This is because teaching staff receive effective and expert-informed training. As a result, the checks on how well pupils learn are meticulous and swiftly adjusted where necessary.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders and the governing body foster a culture of high ambition for pupils’ achievement throughout the school. There is a strong commitment to reducing any perceived barriers to equality of opportunity. This includes for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face perceived barriers to their education or wellbeing. As a result, leaders' decisions are firmly made in pupils’ best interests.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The school knows the importance of close collaboration with parents and carers. Leaders forge positive and effective working relationships with parents to help them understand how best to support their child.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders use the findings of pertinent educational research to inform their actions. They use these to provide useful and relevant professional learning for staff. Leaders support staff to build strong expertise in a structured and comprehensive way. School staff are informed and consulted when change is made that may impact their work. Staff feel committed and they appreciate leaders’ consideration for their wellbeing.

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Expected standard

The governing body has secure oversight of the school. It provides effective support and challenge for leaders to ensure the school fulfils its statutory responsibilities.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders are strongly committed to helping pupils get the most out of school so that they are well prepared for the future. Leaders and staff have created a personal development programme to support pupils to feel happy and well looked after so that they can thrive.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school provides pupils with meaningful opportunities to deepen their knowledge and broaden their horizons. For example, in addition to the taught music curriculum, all pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 learn to play a brass instrument. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school supports pupils and their families to overcome barriers so that everyone can take part. For example, where appropriate, families may receive subsidised access to instruments and music lessons. As a result, all pupils are able to take part in the many opportunities to showcase their hard work, including school performances and concerts in the local and wider community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders rigorously promote the importance of equal rights and fairness. Staff follow a structured programme to teach pupils about the rights and responsibilities of all citizens. Pupils have various opportunities to learn about democracy and take part in elections. For example, pupils vote for their peers to represent their views on the pupil Junior Leadership Council.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school prepares pupils for life in the wider world very well. The curriculum for personal, social, health and economic education is comprehensive and meets statutory requirements. The school ensures that teachers are suitably supported and trained to deliver important content to pupils. The curriculum is resourced and delivered consistently well across the school. Pupils learn age-appropriate information about the importance of healthy relationships. They know how to stay safe online. Pupils are aware of what to do if they come across concerning online content.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders ensure that parents and carers are fully informed about the importance of pupils’ regular attendance at school. The school makes effective use of specially trained staff and professionals from the local authority to promote attendance. Leaders study the reasons for pupils’ poor attendance carefully and use the findings to take informed action. This includes arranging additional school activities to engage specific pupil groups in order to reduce absence. As a result, attendance is improving steadily to meet national expectations.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders use their positive relationships with pupils and their families to support those who are absent too often. The committed approach means that there is a steady improvement in the attendance of groups of pupils. This includes for persistently absent pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school’s work has led to a decrease in the proportion of pupils who are absent too often. However, attendance for these pupils is below national expectations and remains an important focus for the school.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The school has created a calm environment where pupils learn uninterrupted by disruptive behaviour. Pupils know the expectations and routines of school from an early age. Pupils respect teachers and each other. Bullying and harassment are not tolerated.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

This is a school that cherishes its pupils. As soon as children join in the early years, they are welcomed with warm, nurturing, open arms. Leaders and staff focus sharply on getting to know pupils and their families well. The school wants to know pupils' likes and dislikes and spot early any perceived barriers to learning. This is because the school wants its pupils to enjoy their learning so that they can thrive.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils love school. They arrive in the morning keenly, ready to learn. In class, pupils are highly engaged. They learn well because teaching skilfully helps them connect ideas together. Consequently, pupils typically achieve highly in nationally assessed subjects.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils behave responsibly. They treat each other with respect. Older pupils enjoy helping younger pupils understand their rights and responsibilities in school and the wider world. For example, pupil leaders visit classes and speak at assemblies to help pupils understand the importance of human rights. Bullying rarely happens here. However, if incidents of bullying occur, the school takes decisive actions to stop them. Pupils are safe here.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school meaningfully prepares pupils for life beyond the school. For instance, in addition to the design and technology curriculum, from the early years onwards, pupils receive cookery lessons regularly. This is because the school wants all its pupils to embed deeply the essential life-long knowledge of health and nutrition. The school wants pupils to be self- confident and resilient. It provides pupils with various avenues to develop these character traits, includes working with a local arts charity to help pupils develop skills in public speaking. The school supports all pupils to have equal access to everything on offer.

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Next steps

• Leaders should continue to analyse closely the reasons for poor attendance of pupil groups and individuals and use this information to inform the actions to drive rapid improvement.

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Team inspectors:

David Bryant, Ofsted Inspector Jude Wilson, His Majesty's Inspector Ian Scotchbrook, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Marcus Goddard.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with a representative of the local authority, representatives of the governing body, the headteacher, deputy headteacher and other senior leaders during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The headteacher of the school also has the role of executive headteacher of two other schools. These are Netley Primary School and Robson House Pupil Referral Unit. Both schools are in the London Borough of Camden.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: John Hayes The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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 .

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Urgent improvement

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

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Urgent improvement

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

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