Coldfall Primary School

Coldfall Primary School Inspection report

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102097 Unique Reference Number Haringey Local Authority 286274 Inspection number 7 June 2007 Inspection date Mary Summers Reporting inspector

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

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Primary Type of school Community School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 520 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs L Butterfield Chair Mrs E B Davies Headteacher 21 May 2001 Date of previous school inspection Coldfall Avenue School address Muswell Hill London N10 1HS

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020 8883 0608 Telephone number 020 8442 2189 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 7 June 2007 Inspection date 286274 Inspection number .

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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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This large primary school serves pupils from the local community. The roll is rising and premises have recently been extended to cater for three forms of entry. Pupils represent a diverse range of ethnicities. The largest group is of White British pupils but there is also a significant number from other White families. The remainder comprises a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds. Almost a third of pupils speak English as an additional language. There are far more pupils with statements of special educational need than found in most schools. The school is in the process of expanding from two to three forms of entry. The Nursery has capacity for only 42 children and consequently, many children from other pre-school settings are admitted to the Reception class.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Coldfall Primary School, 7 June 2007

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Grade: 1

Coldfall Primary School provides an outstanding education for its pupils. Pupils thoroughly enjoy their lessons and all the other activities the school offers. Most parents are extremely satisfied with the school. As one remarked on her questionnaire, 'The school has a warm, nurturing atmosphere, but it is also a school which encourages children to meet high standards of behaviour and school work.' Children receive an exceptionally good start to their education in Nursery and Reception, transferring to Year 1 at levels which are above those expected for their age. This is due to excellent provision in this part of the school, with a curriculum that meets all the recommended areas of children's learning and which allows appropriate time to be spent on developing early skills in literacy and numeracy. Pupils continue to make excellent progress in subsequent years enabling them to gain standards at the end of Year 6 which are consistently and significantly

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Grade: 1

higher than in most schools. Achievement is outstanding. The high priority placed on identifying and meeting pupils' needs early during their school career pays dividends in terms of their academic and personal development. Very effective small group work helps children learning English as an additional language and those with learning difficulties and disabilities to make remarkable progress. The school works hard to seek additional advice to help those pupils who do not make as much progress as expected. As one parent noted, 'Teachers are open to new ideas and new ways of doing things.' Children's behaviour is excellent. They learn to act responsibly and maturely because of the way that they are treated by all the adults in the school. Through a very broad and stimulating curriculum, they develop an excellent understanding about the importance of keeping safe, fit and healthy. They take an active role within the school, local and wider communities. Their

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Grade: 1

high academic and personal standards stand them in very good stead for the future. The school is extremely well led and managed. School expansion has led to significant changes in the management structure. This has been accomplished very successfully and those in new positions have already developed a secure understanding of their roles and have had a major impact on improving provision for the pupils. The high emphasis on safeguarding pupils is shown in the robust systems when employing new staff. Staff are selected not only for their high quality teaching skills but also for their commitment towards understanding and providing for pupils' needs. Their work is monitored rigorously by senior managers to ensure that pupils receive a high quality service. Careful checks have been made to ensure that pupils' progress has not been affected adversely by the unusually high number of staff who have been absent

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Grade: 1

due to maternity leave this year. Senior staff and governors know their school well. They know what is working well and are quick to identify what needs to improve. The development of information and communication technology for instance, has been identified as a high priority but has been hindered because of the extensive work which has been taking place to extend the premises. Pupils currently are not using computers well enough in their everyday work to support them in a range of subjects. Plans are in hand to address this over the next year. The school shows an outstanding capacity to continue to improve in the future.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that pupils use computers to support their work in a range of subjects. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Coldfall Primary School, 7 June 2007

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Grade: 1

Children start school at levels which are broadly in line with those expected for their age. They achieve exceptionally well in Nursery and Reception and transfer to Year 1 with skills which are mostly in advance of those expected for their age. They achieve especially well in communication, language and literacy but less well in their creative development where levels are slightly below those expected for their age. Pupils' good progress continues through Years 1 and 2 with standards in the end of Year 2 assessments being above those expected nationally. Standards here have improved dramatically this year as a result of some excellent work undertaken to address underachievement in literacy and numeracy. There has been outstanding achievement between Years 3 to 6 in recent years, where standards are significantly above those expected nationally by the end of Year 6. Pupils with English as an additional language, including those from Black African families, achieve

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Grade: 1

particularly well, gaining levels comparable to their English speaking classmates. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, including those with statements of special educational need also do very well, gaining higher standards than their counterparts in schools nationally.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development and well-being, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are outstanding. Pupils write reflective reports about prominent figures, such as Nelson Mandela and Mohammed Ali who overcame obstacles to achieve their goals. Pupils relish the goals set for them by teachers and those they set themselves, mapping out carefully how they can 'achieve level 5 in writing' and 'give more opinions in class'. Pupils respond eagerly to teachers' questions and listen carefully to one another's ideas. 'Talk partners' help them to consolidate their understanding of new concepts as well as giving them an opportunity to use new vocabulary. Working together helps them develop very good levels of co-operation, understanding and support for each other. These skills, along with very high literacy and numeracy levels, prepare them extremely well for the future. Pupils are immensely proud of their school. Most attend regularly and attendance is above

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Grade: 1

average. School captains take their roles extremely seriously and feel that their views are valued. They are proud of the role they have played in helping to design parts of the new school buildings. Pupils feel very safe, confident in the knowledge that problems are dealt with quickly. In developing excellent healthy lifestyles, most choose healthy options in school and participate enthusiastically in sports activities in and out of school time.

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Grade: 1

Teaching is outstanding. Teachers have an excellent knowledge and understanding of the pupils in their care and go the extra mile to ensure that their needs are met. Pupils are well motivated because teachers involve them well in the learning process. Teachers explain what pupils are going to learn and how they will know if they have been successful. Consequently, pupils become used to assessing their own achievements as well as that of their classmates. They provide each other with useful feedback as well as receiving clear pointers for improvement 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Coldfall Primary School, 7 June 2007 through teachers' oral and written comments on their work. Older pupils particularly enjoy the humour which teachers bring to lessons. One girl described how her teacher was a 'terrible song and dance man,' but that this made lessons enjoyable and fun.

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Grade: 1

The curriculum, including that for children in the Nursery and Reception classes is excellent. It provides a wide range of interesting and stimulating experiences for pupils to develop their academic and personal skills. Pupils' literacy and numeracy skills are reinforced constantly in other subjects. They write accurate reports of science investigations and compile data about their findings, as well as writing sensitively for example, about their residential visit to Tollesbury during the autumn term. Art work around the school is of high quality and shows pupils' creative talents in using a variety of media. Information and communication technology work is not used well enough to support pupils' work in different subjects. Pupils' learning is enhanced well by visitors who help pupils understand how to keep safe, for example on the roads and when using London Transport. A recycling project helps Year 4 pupils

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Grade: 1

understand the importance of looking after their local environment.

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Grade: 1

The school provides excellent care, guidance and support for pupils. It is a carefully ordered, safe environment in which every pupil is well known and individual needs are catered for closely. Academic development is tracked very effectivelythrough meticulous records which highlight areas in which pupils need further support. Teachers then plan carefully to ensure that pupils can fill these gaps in their learning. Additional help given by support assistants means that pupils with learning difficulties and those for whom English is an additional language make excellent progress. Parents are involved extremely well in their children's learning. They receive very good advice about what they can do to help their children at home. New pupils are welcomed warmly and there are good systems in place to help them settle in quickly.

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Grade: 1

The school is led and managed extremely well by a dedicated team of senior staff and governors. Performance is analysed carefully to identify where improvements can be made and actions taken to ensure that these areas are addressed successfully. For example, analysis of the achievements of younger pupils last year revealed that some should be performing better in literacy and numeracy. Action was taken swiftly and this year, standards have improved dramatically. In addition, termly progress meetings between senior managers and year team leaders, has identified where individual pupils need further support or higher levels of challenge. Resources have then been targeted appropriately to meet these needs. This is contributing further to maintaining very high standards. The governing body provides a very useful source of support for the school's work. Individual expertise is drawn upon effectively when, for example, reviewing the management structure

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Grade: 1

and recruiting new staff. Governors take a keen interest in the work of the school and monitor 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Coldfall Primary School, 7 June 2007 it very carefully. They have made a real impact on the quality of school lunches, which provide pupils with very nutritious and healthy options. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Coldfall Primary School, 7 June 2007 .

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Grade: 1

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Coldfall Primary School, 7 June 2007

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Inspection judgements

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

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 1 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

1 How well do learners achieve? 1 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

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

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and interests of learners?

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

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Coldfall Primary School, 7 June 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Coldfall Primary School, 7 June 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

19 June 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Coldfall Primary School,London,N10 1HS Thank you all so much for your warm welcome during my recent visit. I really enjoyed spending time in your school, watching some of you working in lessons and chatting with you in the playground and the dining hall. Everything I saw convinced me that you go to a really outstanding school. These are some of the things that I especially liked: • You all work very hard and achieve really well - the standards you reach in the national tests and assessments are much higher than in most schools. • The teaching is excellent and helps you to learn lots of new skills. • You are growing up as confident, polite, well-behaved young people who show a real thirst for learning. • The school really helps you understand the importance of keeping fit and healthy. • Teachers and other adults take extremely good care of you and give you help if you need it.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• Adults organise lots of exciting events and activities for you to enjoy, including all the clubs at lunchtimes and after school. • The people in charge do a splendid job in running the school. There is one thing I think could be even better: • You need more opportunities to use computers during your everyday work in different subjects. I know you will continue to work hard and support your teachers and other adults so that they can help you do your very best at school. Yours sincerely Mary SummersLead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Coldfall Primary School, 7 June 2007

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