Beit Shvidler Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across the school is consistently good or better by:
  • teachers using assessment information to plan activities that are suitably challenging across all the key stages
  • continuing to develop the outdoor provision in the early years.
• Improve pupils’ outcomes by:
  • ensuring that the school’s focus on improving literacy enables all pupils to make good or better progress in all subjects and particularly in writing at key stage 2
  • raising the attainment across all subjects at key stage 1 for all groups of pupils and particularly for disadvantaged pupils.
• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:
  • robustly monitoring the effect of additional support provided to raise outcomes of groups of pupils, particularly those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities
  • strengthening positive relationships with parents so that they can support their child’s learning and progress
  • ensuring a consistent approach to school policies, so that high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, together with developing positive attitudes to learning, are promoted throughout the school.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• The school has experienced turbulence in leadership, management and staffing last year and more recently. This has contributed to lapses in learning, assessment and behaviour of pupils in a number of year groups. Despite slight improvements to pupils’ progress, most are achieving at below or well below expectations for their age, particularly in writing.
• The interim headteacher joined the school in September of this academic year. Ably supported by governors and a deputy headteacher, she has provided a sense of direction and purpose. As yet, the actions introduced to improve the school have not had sufficient time to embed and sustain good teaching. Effective behaviour management for all pupils has not been established throughout the school, and pupils’ learning has suffered as a result. All aspects of the school’s provision and leadership require improvement.
• Weaknesses in the leadership of teaching have not resulted in the rapid improvement needed to ensure that all pupils quickly make the progress that they are capable of. The high turnover of staff has proved challenging for managing teachers’ performance effectively.
• The monitoring of pupils’ outcomes does not ensure that all groups and abilities are tracked effectively. The spending of additional funds for disadvantaged pupils lacks careful assessment to confirm its effectiveness. Some disadvantaged pupils are underperforming in a number of subjects because of instability in management and poor teaching.
• The provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities has not been effective. The interim special educational needs coordinator has very recently joined the school and is starting to introduce changes for improvements. Leaders have allocated bespoke programmes to pupils to help them with their specific needs. Currently, the outcomes of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are too variable across the curriculum.
• Leaders, including governors, are tackling the weaknesses in order to bring about improvements. They have welcomed effective support from the local authority, which has provided, for instance, training for teachers through a learning network and valuable advice to enhance the early years provision. Teacher’s performance management is more focused on pupils’ outcomes. These initiatives have not, as yet, had enough time to sustain a positive impact on pupils’ learning and outcomes.
• Newly appointed middle leaders in literacy, numeracy and early years have quickly recognised the key priorities in their areas of responsibilities. They have a clear picture of where the quality of teaching and learning needs to be improved. For instance, they have identified the need to improve literacy by focusing on making writing more useful and some pupils are given individual targets to work on. To date, this is not firmly embedded for all pupils in all classes.
• Pupils’ learning is enriched across a broad and balanced curriculum. Pupils have opportunities to learn about Jewish values and practices through the ‘Kodesh’ (non-secular curriculum) and learn national curriculum subjects through the ‘Chol’ (secular curriculum). Pupils explore a wide range of subjects, including history, geography, art and science, and there are links between some subjects. For example, Year 4 pupils were seen ably developing their numeracy skills when studying maps. However, pupils, including the most able, are given fewer chances to develop their writing skills across the school.
• Nearly half of the parents who responded to the online questionnaire stated that they did not receive valuable information from the school about their child’s progress. Leaders are starting to build close links with parents, particularly regarding the learning of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The breakfast club provides some support for parents through its ‘early drop off’ service. Parents appreciate the weekly newsletters, as it helps them to support their child’s learning.
• Pupils have a selection of extra-curricular activities on offer, including trips, residential visits and sporting events. The primary sports premium fund is spent effectively. Pupils are given more opportunities to participate in a variety of activities such as climbing, archery and orienteering. Most pupils have increased their participation in at least one sport in inter-school competitions.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well in all areas of the school. Pupils are able to sustain their faith while learning about other cultures. They learn to cooperate well and respect others. Pupils with key roles, such as school council members and playground leaders, help support their peers.
• Pupils are prepared for life in modern Britain. British values of tolerance and respect underpin the curriculum. The responses of the pupils to the Ofsted online questionnaire confirmed that, in the words of one, ‘most are encouraged to respect people from other backgrounds and treat everyone equally’.

Governance of the school

• Governors are committed to the school and its values. They recognise that the recent challenges, including staff changes, have caused disruptions to teaching, learning and pupils’ outcomes. Governors have taken the decisive action to work with the local authority to drive improvements.
• Governors are ambitious for the school to improve. They acknowledge that securing stability in staffing and strengthening leadership are the key short-term goals for success. Governors have appointed a substantive headteacher for the school, who starts in the summer term.
• Governors take an active interest in all aspects of the school’s work. They are aware of their statutory duties, including safeguarding, and understand how teachers’ performance is assessed. They work alongside leaders and ask probing questions about teaching and pupils’ assessment information.
• The governing body checks the spending of additional funds, particularly the pupil premium. The progress of disadvantaged pupils across the school, although improving, is not good. Governors have commissioned an independent review of governance in order to enable them to support and challenge school leaders more effectively.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Safeguarding is underpinned by a culture of vigilance. Pupils are made aware of how to keep themselves safe. For instance, they told inspectors about the importance of e-safety. Pupils say that they feel safe because there are adults at the school whom they can talk to.
• The recruitment process is applied rigorously in checking the suitability of all staff, including volunteers to work with children. Staff have been trained to be alert and act as early as possible whenever signs of abuse or neglect should occur. They know what steps to take in the event of pupils being at risk of extremism or radicalisation.
• Senior leaders have ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are in place and records are carefully maintained. The designated safeguarding lead works well with the local authority to support pupils and their families who need additional support.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Teaching is not consistently good. Although teaching is improving in some areas, this is not evident across all classes and subjects. Some pupils have to catch up with learning missed due to the number of changes in staffing and previous weak teaching.
• Pupils’ work is not always set at the correct level. Teachers do not consistently use pupils’ assessment information to plan appropriate tasks. As a result, pupils are not purposefully challenged or moved on in their learning. This is particularly the case for the most able pupils. Scrutiny of pupils’ work confirmed this, and pupils reported that the challenge they received was inconsistent.
• The teaching of writing is not planned effectively to allow pupils, including the most able, to make good or better progress. The development of key concepts, such as the effective use of capital letters and full stops, is not always seen in pupils’ work. Similarly, some pupils repeat the same mistakes, for instance when correcting their spellings. Leaders recognise this and have begun to put measures in place.
• Where teaching is effective, there is a calm and orderly atmosphere with clear classroom routines. Inspectors saw age-appropriate work and stimulating activities that kept pupils motivated, on-task and clearly learning. This was clearly evident in the teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds that they make), the teaching of English in Year 6 and in some pupils’ learning of mathematics.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.
• There is a variable approach to the handling of bullying incidents. Pupils say that bullying exists and most are confident that, should this occur, they are dealt with swiftly. Leaders state that some pupils have a limited knowledge of what bullying means and have planned workshops to raise pupil awareness of bullying. There were mixed responses from parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, more than half agree that school leaders deal effectively with bullying.
• Some pupils demonstrate an awareness of how to keep safe. Pupils told inspectors about a video they watched on e-safety, and were able to explain how to stay safe while using the internet. Pupils reported that ‘things are not always as they seem on the computer’. Pupils say that they are safe at the school and parents agree.
• The school offers a breakfast club to all pupils, free of charge. This supports some pupils, as the teaching resources available help to provide them with a positive start to their learning day. Inspectors saw some pupils reading and engaged in craft activities which involved art and mathematics.
• Pupils know how to keep themselves healthy. Their physical well-being is well promoted through a range of sporting activities available to all of them. Additionally, leaders organise physical education specialist visits through the local authority. Pupils also assist each other, for example Year 6 play-leaders set up a range of playground games for younger children.
• A range of opportunities promote social well-being, artistic awareness and leadership skills. Pupils shared with inspectors their learning points from various outings, such as to a theatre in London. Year 6 pupils further develop a sense of community and respect for others through their roles, for instance as members of the school council and class monitors.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• Poor behaviour in some classes disrupts learning. This occurs when teaching fails to keep pupils engaged, or teachers fail to use the school’s behaviour policy to instil good learning habits. Pupils told inspectors that sometimes their learning stops because of unacceptable behaviour.
• Some pupils display poor attitudes towards their learning. They present their work untidily and do not always strive to achieve their best.
• Most pupils demonstrate self-control when not in lessons, but this is inconsistent. Some pupils do not act responsibly in corridors. They are chatty and do not respond quickly to instructions and requests from staff to be quiet.
• The high turnover of staff and lack of attention to the daily routines have affected the school’s overall learning environment. Low-level disruption in some classes is common. Pupils told inspectors about their concern of ‘coats being on the floor’ outside the dining hall. Inspectors agree with the pupils’ view because they witnessed coats being piled on the floor.
• Pupils are happy to come to school. Attendance is above the national average. The rate of persistent absence of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is falling. Leaders have introduced extra support to help them with their learning and this is starting to have a positive effect.
• Pupils enjoy their school and are happy there. During playtimes and lunchtimes, most pupils chat harmoniously and play well together in the playground.
• Pupils are polite, welcoming and courteous to visitors, often holding doors open and mostly showing a caring attitude towards their peers.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Pupils are not making consistently good progress in all year groups. Some pupils, given their starting points, make slow progress. This is because the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is not sufficient to boost good outcomes for all pupils.
• In 2016, pupils’ progress in writing at the end of key stage 2 was below the national average. Pupils who are disadvantaged and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities made equally slow progress. Pupils’ progress and standards in writing remain low. They do not make sufficient progress to reach or exceed expectations for their age. The most able pupils are not achieving greater depth in their writing because teaching is not providing them with work that challenges and extends their learning.
• In 2016, at the end of key stage 1, most pupils reached the expected standards in mathematics but failed to reach or exceed age expectations in reading and writing. Those pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, are now trying to make up lost ground in those subjects.
• Pupils in key stage 2 are not being fully prepared for the next step in their education when moving to secondary school. Pupils are given limited opportunities to develop their literacy skills in other subjects. Scrutiny of pupils’ work in science, geography and history confirmed this. In some classes, the progress of these subjects is limited.
• The use of the pupil premium funding is improving the progress of some disadvantaged pupils.
• In 2016, the progress in reading and mathematics was better than pupils’ progress in writing. Currently, pupils’ progress, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, is improving, particularly in upper key stage 2.
• From 2014, pupils’ outcomes in the Year 1 phonics screening checks have been consistently above the national average.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• The effectiveness of the early years provision is limited. Most children enter the early years with skills that are broadly typical for their age and make sufficient progress so that they move on to Year 1 with a good level of development. However, not all children who enter the school with typical levels for their age go on to reach this level and not enough make better than typical progress during the two years.
• The recently appointed early years leader has quickly understood the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. She recognises that more can be done to provide a stimulating outdoor environment and to support teaching staff. The outdoor area is dull and lacks the inspiration to facilitate high-quality learning.
• Teaching requires improvement because teachers do not take into consideration what children already know in order to plan challenging tasks. Some activities are not routinely matched to the children’s needs.
• The assessment of pupils in the early years provision has been unreliable. Leaders are starting to use the school’s assessment policy to establish the way teachers check children’s development through the early learning goals.
• Leaders have allocated additional funding to provide disadvantaged children and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities with extra help, such as art therapy. Some pupils are becoming more confident to interact with their peers due to the additional support that they receive. Leaders do not robustly monitor the impact of children’s progress through early learning goals.
• Leaders are starting to develop effective partnerships with parents. Parents are invited to attend focus work meetings and view their child’s achievements through children’s ‘special books’. The children’s next step in their learning is shared in this way with parents. Leaders are continuing to build on this relationship to support parents with children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Most children behave relatively well in early years. Leaders have ensured that the children adhere to class routines. At the end of a learning activity, inspectors witnessed some children actively tidying up their pens, pencils and play equipment before going home.
• Leaders have ensured that safeguarding arrangements for the early years are met and that children feel safe, valued and cared for.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 136402 Barnet 10000773 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Voluntary aided 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 239 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Interim Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Daniel Wynne Katie Coombes 020 8238 2746 www.beitshvidler.org.uk head@beitshvidler.org.uk Date of previous inspection 19–20 June 2012

Information about this school

• Beit Shvidler Primary School is slightly smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The school caters for pupils from Jewish Orthodox community.
• Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds, with very few who speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium funding is low compared to other schools. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is high compared to other schools.
• The school runs a breakfast club each day.
• The school uses no alternative provision.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher was appointed in September 2015. Subsequently, that headteacher left and a new interim headteacher took up post in September 2016.

form From Jewish Irthodi

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors made visits to 11 part-lessons. Some of these visits were with school leaders.
• Meetings were held with the interim headteacher, deputy headteacher, middle leaders, business manager, office staff, one group of pupils, a representative from the local authority, the chair of the governing body and three other governors.
• Inspectors examined a range of documentation provided by the school, including leaders’ evaluation of the school’s performance. Information relating to safeguarding, behaviour, attendance and minutes from governing body meetings were also scrutinised.
• Inspectors made observations throughout the school day, including at the start of the school day and at break and lunchtimes.
• In addition to meeting with pupils formally, inspectors spoke to others informally and examined their books in a wide range of subjects. Inspectors also listened to pupils read.
• Inspectors considered 70 responses to the Ofsted online pupils’ survey and questionnaires completed by six staff.
• Inspectors took account of 89 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View, and 66 text responses. Inspectors held discussions with 19 parents at the start of the school day, to hear their views about the school.

Inspection team

Rosemarie McCarthy, lead inspector Jonathan Newby Alison Martin

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector