St Matthew's CofE Primary School

Inspection Report St Matthew's CofE Primary School

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102054 Unique Reference Number Enfield LEA LEA 276646 Inspection number 20 June 2006 to 21 June 2006 Inspection dates Carmen Rodney HMI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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South Street School address Primary Type of school Ponders End Voluntary aided School category Enfield EN3 4LA 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 02088041666 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 02083647533 Fax number 203 Number on roll Mrs Carol Clark Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Ms Jilly Evans Headteacher 22 November 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 276646 20 June 2006 - 4 to 11 21 June 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

St Matthew's CE Primary is a small and popular church school that serves the third most socially and economically deprived ward in the borough. The majority of pupils are from minority ethnic groups. Around 25% have a first language other than English. The proportion of pupils entitled to a free school meal is slightly above average, although this varies across year groups. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities (LDD) is above average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: St Matthew's CofE Primary School, 20 June 2006 to 21 June 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with many outstanding features. It has improved significantly since the last inspection in 1999. The school has demonstrated that it has the capacity and determination to buck the trend of failure in a socially deprived ward where pupils are at risk of underachieving. Under the outstandingly good leadership of the headteacher, senior team and staff there have been significant improvments in pupils' academic achievement, the quality of teaching and the overall provision. There is a clear vision for making the school a centre for creative excellence where pupils are inspired to achieve their potential. The school knows its strengths and accurately evaluates its work. It gives good value for money and is well placed to sustain its motto, 'Teaching is our core business', and raise standards further. Standards are average and significantly better in English than in mathematics and science, with good achievement overall. One of the pupils informed the inspectors

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Grade: 2

that, 'The teachers are so good and helpful; they make lessons interesting and fun'. This was seen in the consistently good quality teaching with many outstanding features. Before children enter Reception, teachers begin planning how to support them to achieve well. The transition programmes are well organised. As pupils progress through the school, expectations are high, irrespective of pupils' background or ability. Learning is enhanced by an outstanding and innovative curriculum. Stimulating projects and successful partnership work with an external arts organisation, local secondary schools and universities have a significant impact on pupils' thinking and writing skills. Around the school, displays of pupils' work including some striking art work, demonstrate how much they have benefited from the innovative changes. The pupils' positive attitudes, their good behaviour and love for learning are strengths of the school.

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Grade: 2

The governors fulfil their duties very well. Most parents are supportive however the school recognises the need to involve all parents in its work.

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What the school should do to improve further

* Improve achievement in mathematics and science to match that in English. * Ensure that all parents are involved in the school through regular consultation, and that they consistently have access to information about events and detailed reports on their children's progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' achievement is good. Results in the national tests have risen over the last three years and standards are average overall by the end of Years 2 and 6. When pupils join the school, attainment on entry is below and often well below average particularly in literacy. Although a significant number of pupils leave or join the school throughout the year, with many having complex LDD or at the early stage of learning English, the school has successfully managed to sustain their good achievement as they move up 2 Inspection Report: St Matthew's CofE Primary School, 20 June 2006 to 21 June 2006 through the year groups. In 2005, pupils' overall achievement by the end of Year 6 was in the top 20% nationally and they performed better in English than in mathematics and science. The science results were much lower, mostly for the abler pupils. The school has introduced effective measures to tackle the relative underachievement.

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Grade: 2

Children in the Reception year make good progress because the curriculum is well structured and there is a good balance of activities. Transition arrangements to Year 1 are very good and the good quality teaching encourages them to learn well so when they transfer to Year 1, most attain the expected goals for their age with some exceeding them. Pupils with LDD and those at the early stage of learning English achieve well. All pupils do better than might be expected given their starting points because of the consistently good quality of teaching, targeted support and use of performance data to monitor progress and set challenging targets. Current targets for the more able pupils are higher than the previous years and data indicates that they are likely to achieve them.

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Grade: 2

The pupils' personal development is good. Pupils' attitudes to their work in lessons, and to each other, are positive. They generally behave very well and show good levels of tolerance towards each other. Relationships are good and pupils enjoy taking responsibility; for instance, being part of the school council. Pupils approach adults in a friendly, yet polite manner, and they participate in lessons well, involving themselves fully in the activities provided. During a physical education (PE) lesson in Year 1, there was a high level of participation in the games which also benefited pupils' well-being and promoted a healthy lifestyle. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good; pupils are confident and have good self-esteem. In assemblies, they are reflective and they have a good awareness of a variety of cultural heritages. The pupils are well aware of what they need to do and to avoid to stay safe and healthy.

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Grade: 2

They are provided with water bottles, which many use to keep themselves hydrated. Attendance is above average. Most pupils attend regularly and on time, because they enjoy their education. They acquire the good basic skills pupils need to ensure their future economic security.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is consistently good with much that is excellent. Teachers have a wide breadth of expertise, which they use very well to plan well structured lessons that are carefully matched to the needs of pupils. In all lessons visited by the inspectors the pupils worked diligently and readily participated in all activities. The school has given a lot of thought to what constitutes effective teaching and learning and, as a result, expectations are high. Teachers use a range of teaching 3 Inspection Report: St Matthew's CofE Primary School, 20 June 2006 to 21 June 2006 strategies to ensure that pupils learn well, there is a strong focus on creative thinking, using visual images and extending pupils' responses, and pace is good. As a result, pupils make rapid progress and find that they are resourceful when solving a problem, writing for different purposes or using a range of skills to develop a project across the

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Grade: 2

curriculum. The teachers combine practical activities with theory ensuring that there is a good balance between these two areas of pupils' work. A pupil commented, 'Our teachers inspire us and lessons are fun especially when we do problem solving and investigative work'. The teaching assistants are proactive and use their training very well to provide excellent support for pupils with LDD. Work is carefully marked and linked to class and individual targets so that pupils know the next steps for improvement.

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Grade: 1

The school provides an outstanding and innovative curriculum which is enhanced by a variety of clubs, visits and residential trips. The curriculum is well balanced, with very good emphasis on creative work. There are many opportunities for the pupils to develop their skills in art, sports and PE and to take advantage of a range of activities, such as gardening, German lessons and steel pans. Pupils thoroughly enjoy these activities, which increase their levels of achievement and offer them excellent opportunities to be involved within the local community and beyond. The curriculum is very well matched to the different levels of ability, particularly as assessment is used very effectively to inform what pupils are to learn next, especially if they have LDD. The curriculum fully reflects the different cultural heritages within the school. There are very good opportunities for visits within the local community and beyond, for example, to practise

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Grade: 1

their ICT skills or to visit the nearby Neasden Temple. Provision for personal and social development is very good. The school helps the pupils to develop confidence and self-esteem and become responsible for evaluating their own learning and progress. They are given good opportunities to work collaboratively, for example in Year 5; they designed their own art work using a collage technique related to a study of poetry on Hiawatha.

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Grade: 1

The quality of care, guidance and support is excellent. The school has very clear procedures to care for pupils, in a productive environment which is conducive to learning. Pupils are taught to care for each other and to develop tolerance and understanding in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Educational and personal development are tracked very effectively. The systems are excellent and used extremely well to track pupils' learning, ensure they make progress and identify the steps they need to take to improve. Parents generally speak positively about the care and support the pupils receive, especially if they have specific LDD. 4 Inspection Report: St Matthew's CofE Primary School, 20 June 2006 to 21 June 2006 The school makes sure pupils are kept safe, identifying any potential hazards. The arrangements for child protection are secure. Bullying is dealt with effectively, although some pupils are a little unsure of the procedures they should follow, despite fairly

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Grade: 1

recent work on this aspect of the school's provision. External agencies are consulted regularly to support these pupils. Healthy living is fostered well and there are regular and frequent opportunities for exercise, which are a particular feature of the daily routines.

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Grade: 1

This is a very effectively led school. The headteacher has provided clarity and vision for the staff and governors, and there is a clear sense of direction. The recent stability in staffing is helping the school to accomplish its goal to improve achievement and standards further. There is a lack of complacency, primarily as there is an unrelenting focus on helping pupils to reach their potential. The senior leaders are an impressive team; they have an accurate assessment of the school's work and encourage the teachers to review and develop their work. One of the school's exemplary strength is the teamwork of all staff. For example, planning for improvement involves everyone including an effective 'creative core team' with pupil representatives. Priorities are clearly identified and evaluated to realise the challenging targets. Assessment information is well managed and used analytically to monitor achievement so that all

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Grade: 1

groups can achieve well. Governors are very well informed. They challenge the school through robust monitoring, regular checking of the school's finances and fulfilling their statutory duties well. There are strong links with the community and church. Most parents value the school as a community with a positive Christian ethos for learning. They support the school very well and play an active role as stakeholders, class representatives and volunteers. However, there is a very small minority of dissenters who are dissatisfied with the quality of education provided. Evidence from this inspection did not support their perception, for example, that all pupils do not make good progress or there is extreme misbehaviour. Nevertheless, the school acknowledges that more needs to be done to involve all parents in its work. Since the last inspection, the school has made great strides in tackling underachievement, improving teaching and the use of assessment data as well as the

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Grade: 1

provision for ICT and PE. There is limited outdoor provision for the Foundation Stage; however, the school has plans to improve the buildings and extend the use of facilities to the community. The school knows itself well and is very well placed to make further improvements. 5 Inspection Report: St Matthew's CofE Primary School, 20 June 2006 to 21 June 2006 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: St Matthew's CofE Primary School, 20 June 2006 to 21 June 2006

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 2 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 2 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 1 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 1 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 1 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Pupils Thank you for welcoming us to your school. I am writing to tell you what we thought about your work and how well you are doing. Although we met groups of pupils and saw you in lessons and around the school, some of you approached us to give us your personal views about your school. Thank you. You said, 'The teachers inspire us'. We fully agree with your very thoughtful view. St Matthew's is a good school with many excellent qualities. It is helping all of you to do very well in your work. The teachers think very carefully about your learning and we saw how much you are stimulated to learn. You know the next steps to improve your work because the staff give you clear targets. The school cares very well for you and has helped you to become confident learners. You behave very well and enjoy coming to school and you all get on well with the adults and each other. We were impressed with the way you showed your patience and understanding towards others

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

who need a lot of special support. The school gives you many opportunities to give your views such as on the school council or on the Creative Partnership committee. The displays of your work and the work in your books show that you are doing some exciting work in ICT and art. This is really helping you to express your ideas in quite clever ways. Your teachers and teaching assistants wok well together and do all they can to help you. They think you could achieve even better and we agree with them. They will be working with you to make sure that you do equally well in English, mathematics and science. They will also find different ways of making sure that all of your parents work with them to help you do your best. With good wishes Carmen Rodney HMI Lead inspector

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