St John and St James CofE Primary School

St John and St James CofE Primary School Inspection report

p.1

102032 Unique Reference Number Enfield Local Authority 307878 Inspection number 1 °2 July 2008 Inspection dates Margaret Goodchild Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Primary Type of school Voluntary aided School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 203 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Gloria Powell Chair Mrs Heather Knightley Headteacher 26 April 2004 Date of previous school inspection Grove Street School address London N18 2TL 020 8807 2578 Telephone number 020 8807 9785 Fax number

p.1

4-11 Age group 1 °2 July 2008 Inspection dates 307878 Inspection number .

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

The majority of pupils are of Black or Black British African heritage and the next largest group is Black or Black British Caribbean. A very high percentage of pupils speak English as an additional language, though few are at early stages in acquiring English. A significant number of pupils join or leave the school during Key Stage 2, some arriving from overseas. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average. Most of these pupils have moderate learning difficulties or speech, language and communication difficulties. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is above average. The school has gained the Healthy Schools Award, Activemark, foundation level of the International Schools Award and has Investors in People status.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: St John and St James CofE Primary School, 1 °2 July 2008

p.3

Grade: 3

Senior leaders are accurate in judging that this is a satisfactory school. It is popular with parents and regularly oversubscribed. The school has a strong Christian ethos and cares very well for its pupils. Staff are highly committed to making pupils feel safe and valued and learning takes place in an atmosphere that is generally calm and orderly. A wide range of strategies has been put in place to support pupils with personal and social difficulties, and the school works very closely in partnership with parents. Pupils' personal development is good. Pupils say that they enjoy school. They readily take on responsibilities and spiritual and cultural development is very good. Pupils' achievement is satisfactory. Children join the school with very low attainment in communication, language and literacy and in personal, social and emotional development, and low attainment in other areas. They achieve well in the Foundation Stage though few children

p.4

Grade: 3

meet national expectations by the end of their time in Reception. Pupils make satisfactory progress to reach standards by Year 6 that fluctuate year on year between average and below average. Currently, standards are average in reading and mathematics in Year 2 but below average in writing. Standards in Year 6 are close to the national average in English but below average in mathematics and well below in science. Although there is no clear variation between the achievement of different ethnic groups, Black Caribbean pupils often reach higher standards than similar groups nationally whereas Black African pupils tend to do less well. Overall, teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teaching generally ranges from satisfactory to good, but occasionally lessons are either outstanding or inadequate. Where teaching is good, expectations are high, pupils are clear about what they are intended to learn and know what

p.4

Grade: 3

to do to improve their work. Where teaching is satisfactory or occasionally inadequate, teachers' expectations are not high enough and pupils are not fully engaged in learning. In these lessons, they do not work as productively as they should because the importance of what they are doing is not made clear to them and they are not always sure about how to improve. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Senior leaders are highly committed to ensuring that pupils are well cared for and to promoting their personal development. The school analyses its performance data closely and has established good systems for tracking and reviewing pupils' progress. It is quick, therefore, to identify pupils who are making less progress than they should and to put in place support programmes. The leadership of special educational needs is outstanding and a new co-ordinator has made a very good start in leading provision for gifted

p.4

Grade: 3

and talented pupils. However, the role of key stage co-ordinators and that of subject leaders is still developing, and there is no designated co-ordinator for English as an additional language.

p.4

Grade: 2

Provision is good and children develop positive attitudes to learning during their time in Reception. Teachers assess children's attainment effectively when they join the school and regularly record what they are able to do. Tracking is effective and assessment information is used well in planning sessions, although children do not have individual targets. Teaching is good and activities reflect the six areas of learning well, ensuring that a good variety of stimulating activities keeps children absorbed. High quality teaching is provided for children of minority ethnic heritage who receive support from a specialist teaching assistant. Adult-led 4 of 11 Inspection Report: St John and St James CofE Primary School, 1 °2 July 2008 and free-choice activities are matched well to the different needs of the children. The school has rightly identified the need to develop the outdoor area further; it supports children's

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise achievement, particularly in writing at Key Stage 1 and in mathematics and science at Key Stage 2. ■ Improve the quality of teaching by ensuring that all staff have consistently high expectations and engage pupils as active learners who are clear about how to improve their work. ■ Develop the role of key stage co-ordinators and subject leaders, so that they play a greater role in ensuring that all pupils achieve as well as they could. ■ Improve the co-ordination of provision for pupils with English as an additional language.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

p.5

Grade: 3

National test results in Year 2 in 2007 were broadly average, though few pupils reached the highest level overall. There has been a significant increase this year in the number of pupils reaching the highest levels in reading and mathematics because of good targeted support for more able pupils. Attainment in Year 6 was average in 2007. Currently, standards in Year 6 are below average. Pupils who have been in the school since the beginning of the key stage have made satisfactory progress. However, as a result of inconsistencies in teaching, there are variations between subjects and classes in the amount of progress pupils make. Some pupils make good progress, others make satisfactory progress, and progress is slow for a minority of pupils in some areas. The expertise of the special educational needs co-ordinator, combined with a large number of support programmes, ensures that pupils with moderate learning

p.5

Grade: 3

difficulties and speech, language and communication difficulties make good progress. Pupils excel in sports and dance, where they have performed in various venues including for the Mayor of London, and pupils make good progress in developing their musical talent.

p.5

Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy school and are happy and polite. They say, 'We especially like interactive lessons and going outside to learn'. Pupils from different backgrounds play and work together harmoniously. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils know a good deal about how to stay healthy and safe. Behaviour is good overall and pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They contribute strongly to the life of the school and the wider community. The school council has a budget and is influential in decision-making. Pupils give much support to a wide range of charities, including supporting children in Uganda. Through the progress they make in basic skills, pupils are prepared satisfactorily for the next stage of their education but they gain much in maturity and develop a good range of personal qualities. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: St John and St James CofE Primary School, 1 °2 July 2008

p.5

Grade: 3

Pupils' attainment is assessed regularly and teachers now have detailed information from which to plan lessons and see whether pupils are making as much progress as they should. In the best lessons, teachers provide challenge, engage pupils as active learners and use probing questioning to get them to think deeply. In these lessons, activities are matched well to the next steps in the learning of different groups of pupils but this is variable in the school as a whole. Where teaching is satisfactory and occasionally inadequate, teachers provide varied activities but their methods and explanations do not always enable pupils to gain maximum benefit from tasks provided. Teaching assistants make a good contribution to pupils' learning, especially through the many support groups they run.

p.6

Grade: 2

The school has put in place an extensive range of support programmes that are enabling pupils with personal and social difficulties to remain focused on learning. Regular support for various groups of pupils in literacy and numeracy is having a positive effect on their achievement, as seen by the increase in pupils reaching the highest levels at Key Stage 1 this year. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is very good and that for pupils who are gifted and talented is good and improving. However, provision for pupils with English as an additional language is only satisfactory. Personal, social and health education supports pupils' personal development very well. The wide range of extra-curricular activities adds significantly to pupils' enjoyment and achievement, and opportunities are particularly good in sport, dance and music. To help pupils to make links between subjects, the school runs various themed days,

p.6

Grade: 2

and collaboration with the local City Learning Centre has enabled all pupils at Key Stage 2 to work on extended projects. Good links with two local churches help to promote pupils' spiritual development.

p.6

Grade: 2

The school provides high quality care and very good pastoral support to its pupils. It has effective procedures in place for safeguarding pupils and pays careful attention to child protection. Good systems are in place for managing behaviour and promoting regular attendance. The school helps pupils to make healthy choices and to become aware of how to keep safe. There are very good arrangements to support vulnerable pupils, including counselling and play therapy. A well-attended breakfast club gives a significant group of pupils a good start to the day. Partnership with parents is very good and the school has been successful in gaining the Leading Parent Partnership Award. The guidance provided to pupils about how to improve their work has improved significantly since the last inspection, but marking is still variable. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: St John and St James CofE Primary School, 1 °2 July 2008

p.6

Grade: 3

Senior leaders provide very clear direction in ensuring that the school is an inclusive and harmonious community. The headteacher knows the school's strengths and is accurate in identifying where improvement is needed, because she and the deputy regularly observe teaching and check other aspects of the school's work. The school now has a wealth of data from which to set targets and analyse the school's effectiveness. Just as there are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching though, there is variation in the effectiveness with which different leadership roles are fulfilled. Consequently, the drive to raise achievement is not carried through as coherently as it should be. Some useful support is provided for less experienced teachers. They do not always receive as much intensive ongoing monitoring and guidance as they need, however, to ensure that all pupils make as much progress as they should all of the time.

p.7

Grade: 3

Governance is good. Governors bring valuable expertise to the school and have good systems in place for supporting and challenging senior staff. The school has made sound improvement since the last inspection and is satisfactorily placed to improve further. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: St John and St James CofE Primary School, 1 °2 July 2008 .

p.7

Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: St John and St James CofE Primary School, 1 °2 July 2008

p.8

Inspection judgements

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

p.9

Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

p.9

Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

p.9

learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 2 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

p.9

and interests of learners?

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

p.9

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: St John and St James CofE Primary School, 1 °2 July 2008

p.9

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 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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: St John and St James CofE Primary School, 1 °2 July 2008

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

11 July 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of St John and St James CofE Primary School,London,N18 2TL Thank you very much for being friendly and helpful when we visited your school. You told us that you enjoy coming to school and we were interested to see the work you were doing in lessons and to hear the gospel choir singing so well in assembly. I am writing now to tell you what we found out about your school. St John and St James is a satisfactory school and many of your parents wrote to tell us what they like about it. These are some of the best things about your school:

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ the staff really care about you and they look after you very well

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ if any of you are struggling, the school is quick to think of ways to help you

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ most of you want to learn and generally behave well

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ you told us that you feel safe and we were pleased to see how well you get on together

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ the school council takes its responsibilities very seriously and as you get older, most of you become mature and sensible ■ special days when you concentrate on a particular subject and visits out help to make learning interesting for you ■ you make good progress in some lessons and those of you with talents in sport, dance and music have some exciting opportunities to develop them. The headteacher, governors and teachers want to make the school better for you. We have asked them to:

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ help you to reach higher standards in writing in Years 1 and 2, and in mathematics and science in Years 3 to 6 ■ make sure teaching is always good so that you learn as much as you can and know how to make your work even better ■ make some improvements to the way things are organised, especially in subjects and key stages and for those of you learning English as an additional language. Yours sincerely Ms M J Goodchild Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: St John and St James CofE Primary School, 1 °2 July 2008

p.11