St Mary's and St John's CofE School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment to ensure that pupils’ outcomes are rapid across all key stages, particularly for those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities by:
  • building on the extra support that pupils receive to enable faster rates of progress, across a wide range of subjects.
• Increase the effectiveness of leadership and management by:
  • refining administration systems to ensure that the quality of written records is detailed and to maintain the highest possible standards
  • strengthening the communication with all parents and carers.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The principal, who is well supported by senior leaders and governors, has provided a clear sense of purpose and direction. The school’s vision, ‘Everything is possible’, represents a shared responsibility for individual pupils’ success, staff development and continuing school improvement. Consequently, the quality of education is good.
• Leaders, including governors, have established a culture of high expectations for pupils’ academic and personal development. Leadership has ensured that the school’s values of ‘nurture, inspire and excel’ are interwoven into all aspects of school life. Typically, a supportive learning environment and inspirational pupil targets enable good outcomes across the subjects that pupils learn.
• The broad and rich curriculum contributes strongly to pupils’ progress in a range of subjects, including in English and mathematics. The business and enterprise programme, part of the school’s careers education, enables pupils from Year 5 to gain essential enterprise skills. Fundamental British values are successfully promoted throughout all aspects of the school, including the active work of the school council. As a result, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is supported extremely well. Engaging assemblies provide pupils with opportunities for reflection and singing. Pupils appreciate the wide range of extra-curricular activities on offer, including educational visits, music and gardening. Effective use of the physical education and sports premium encourages pupils to take part in various sports and participate in competitions.
• Additional funding, including the Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up premium and the pupil premium grant, is used productively. Engaging resources and activities are used effectively, so that targeted Year 7 pupils make even better progress in English and mathematics than previously. Disadvantaged pupils benefit from the subsidised breakfast clubs and enjoy educational visits to support their social and academic needs.
• Systems for managing the performance of all staff are effective. Leaders use this process to develop teaching and plan appropriate training sessions for staff. Middle leaders play an active and successful role in supporting school improvement because of the effective guidance that they receive from leaders.
• The local authority and the London Diocesan Board for Schools have provided effective support to maintain this good school. Reviews of leadership, teaching and pupils’ outcomes have provided clear signposts for school improvements. This information has contributed to leaders’ accurate self-evaluation of the school’s performance.
• Additional funds received for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are used appropriately. Extra support, including from external and professional services is enabling some pupils to make good progress from their starting points, but not all. Leaders and managers recognise that more work is needed to improve outcomes for pupils who have special educational needs and/ or disabilities.
• Effective partnerships are in place with most parents. A vast majority of parents and carers who completed the Parent View survey are supportive of the school and would recommend it to others. A few parents are not fully aware of the various communication methods used by the school, including the resources available on the school’s website.

Governance of the school

• Governance is effective. Governors offer a wide range of relevant skills and experience to strategically hold leaders to account for the school’s performance. They are increasingly confident about challenging leaders, and questions identified in minutes from recent governor meetings confirm this.
• Governors work closely with school leaders and have a firm understanding of the school’s strengths and key priorities to improve. In particular, they are aware of the few parents who have concerns regarding the behaviour of a small minority of pupils and reported that this has now improved. Additionally, governors are keen to refine administration systems so that written records include more detail of the school’s actions.
• The governing body ensures that the school fulfils statutory responsibilities, including those for safeguarding. However, at the start of the inspection, there were items missing from the school’s website, including the complaints policy and Year 7 catch-up funding allocation. These are now in place.
• Governors examine the impact of expenditure decisions closely, including the additional pupil premium and primary sports funds. In 2016, a review was conducted of the provision, which supports pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, to highlight actions for improvement. Governors recognise that some pupils who are supported by the special educational needs and/or disabilities funding, are underachieving.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Safeguarding is given paramount importance at the school and it is underpinned by the idea, ‘Safer children make more successful learners.’ Pupils said that they feel safe at the school, and parents, via the Parent View survey, indicated their agreement with this.
• Leaders have ensured that procedures, including those for checking the suitability of new staff to work with children, meet current requirements. All staff are appropriately trained in child protection and are vigilant in looking after pupils’ welfare. Staff know what to do should they detect a child at risk, including that associated with radicalisation and extremism.
• Effective engagement with parents and external agencies, including the effective following up of pupils’ absences, helps to keep pupils safe. Key personnel, on both sites, collaborate effectively to ensure that vulnerable pupils at risk of harm receive early help. Leaders and staff secure pupils’ safety and they follow up planned actions diligently. However, administrative records are not always sufficiently detailed to demonstrate this.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Typically, good teaching over time enables pupils to learn effectively across all key stages. Pupils are set ambitious targets, and almost all reach them because they are appropriately challenged, including the most able.
• Positive relationships between staff and pupils across all age ranges are evident. This, alongside the nurturing and calm environment that exists, enables pupils to develop good learning habits. Pupils enjoy being at school because their learning is fun, varied and interesting.
• Assessment in the primary and secondary phase is well developed. Leaders have ensured that robust strategies are in place to effectively monitor the progress of individuals and groups of pupils. The assessment process for Year 9 pupils is particularly noteworthy, as it is preparing the first cohort of pupils to tackle the demands of the GCSE curriculum.
• The whole-school approach towards checking pupils’ work is excellent. Pupils receive regular and useful guidance, in line with the school’s assessment policy, which is consistently applied in all subjects. Pupils told inspectors that this helps them to correct their mistakes and move quickly onto harder tasks.
• Teachers’ secure subject knowledge is identified in well-planned activities that inspire pupils to learn. Pupils are provided with many opportunities to be involved in their learning, and this gives them ownership of their achievements.
• Teaching is ensuring that most pupils are acquiring at least good numeracy and literacy skills for their abilities. The teaching of writing and phonics in the primary phase has much improved since the last inspection. Even the youngest pupils demonstrate high standards in their writing and the ability to tackle unfamiliar words.
• Careers’ guidance and information are effective. Pupils learn about the world of work while acquiring key enterprise skills through organised visits to inspiring businesses, ‘drop-down’ days and project-based challenges. For instance, Year 7 pupils successfully applied their skills and knowledge to ‘designing a social enterprise’ to help homeless people.
• Most pupils receive regular homework in line with the school’s policy. Most parents check their child’s homework and communicate with teachers via home-school diaries and planners. Workshops and resources provided on the school’s website enable parents to understand the standards in various subjects.
• Parents receive information regularly about how well their child is progressing. Some parents, particularly in the secondary phase, have expressed that they would like more clarity regarding the new GCSE assessments. Additionally, a few parents are concerned about a small number of changes in teaching staff. Leaders have ensured that the majority of pupils’ outcomes do not appear to be affected by this, as most pupils make at least good progress over time.
• Support staff contribute to pupils’ learning appropriately. Some pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. However, others are not making enough progress in various subjects.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• The school’s caring atmosphere builds pupils’ self-esteem well. Pupils know how to be successful learners because clear and effective routines are in place. Pupils eagerly discuss their learning because they are proud of their achievements. Performing arts education provides opportunities to develop pupils’ self-confidence effectively in the secondary phase.
• The promotion of pupils’ physical and emotional well-being is rooted in the school’s core value of ‘nurture’. Leaders have ensured that a well-planned and effective programme of personal, social, health, citizenship and economic education is in place. Pupils are taught how to manage risks to keep themselves safe. Pupils recount strategies that they could use to reduce the possible risks of using the internet and being approach by a stranger.
• Parents and pupils value the range of extra-curricular activities on offer, which support healthy lifestyles and which include a range of sporting activities. Pupils told inspectors that it is important to eat healthily and get plenty of exercise.
• Pupils are aware of the risks they might face and different forms that bullying can take. Pupils reported that they feel safe and valued because they feel confident to talk to an adult should they need to. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, informed by intriguing assembly topics, including e-safety and the risks associated with gangs. However, a few parents who responded to the Parent View survey are unclear about how effectively the school deals with bullying.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• The school’s exciting and dynamic environment inspires all pupils to learn. Consequently, many pupils display a desire and enthusiasm for their learning, and well-presented work identified in pupils’ books demonstrates this. Pupils’ attitudes and minimal disruptions to learning contribute strongly to the good progress that they make over time.
• Pupils’ conduct outside the classroom is good. Pupils show the utmost respect for their peers across all phases because of the sense of community that exists. Pupils in the primary phase enjoy their responsibility of ‘play leaders’, in order to look after younger pupils during break and lunchtimes.
• Primary and secondary pupils are punctual to school and their attendance is above average. The attendance of pupil groups, including disadvantaged pupils, has improved due to close monitoring and is now in line with national averages. Persistent absence is rare and this is demonstrated in published information.
• The behaviour of the very few pupils who attend the off-site training is good. The school’s information shows that these pupils attend regularly and on time.
• A small minority of pupils and parents expressed their concern about poor behaviour, including bullying at the school. Inspectors carried out first-hand observations, scrutinised documents and conducted extensive discussions with stakeholders, including parents. School’s information confirms pupils’ views that bullying rarely happens, and some poor behaviour that exists is dealt with effectively through the school’s behaviour policy. The majority of parents who responded to the Parent View questionnaire feel that the school makes sure that most pupils are well behaved.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Most pupils across all key stages are making at least good progress from their starting points in a range of subjects. A culture of high expectations for pupils to achieve and well-taught skills across the curriculum underpin good outcomes.
• In 2016, attainment for pupils at the end of key stages 1 and 2 were high compared to national figures. Pupils at the end of Year 6 performed well in reading and science and above average in mathematics and writing, a marked improvement from the previous inspection. There were no pupils in Year 11 in 2016 to generate key stage 4 results.
• Historically, the most able pupils performed well at the end of key stages 1 and 2 and continue to do so. These pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils and those in key stage 3, are making good or better progress because they are suitably challenged in their learning.
• Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Pupils are learning a wide of subjects, including business and enterprise, from Year 5 when they are developing essential work-related skills.
• The standard met in the phonics screening check was high in 2015. However, in 2016, performance of Year 1 pupils dipped slightly to below the national figures. Leaders have ensured that appropriate training for staff has generated a greater consistency in the teaching of reading. Consequently, the school’s current unvalidated information indicates that the proportion of pupils meeting the phonics standard is high.
• The school’s use of the pupil premium is having a good impact on the outcomes of eligible pupils. Effective teaching is improving the progress and attainment of disadvantaged pupils in the primary and secondary phases and across the curriculum. In 2016, disadvantaged pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 achieved as well as other pupils nationally in reading, writing, mathematics and science.
• Differences in the achievement of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities exist. Extra funding is suitably planned to support pupils in their learning to match their individual needs, and some benefit from this, but not all.
• The period since the recent transfer of the very few pupils to the off-site training provision is too short to report on their progress at this time.

Early years provision Good

• Most children join the Nursery with levels of skills and understanding lower than those typical for their age. An exciting curriculum, lively teaching and excellent pastoral care enable children to make good progress towards their areas of learning and development.
• Teaching in the early years provision is effective. A key strength is the appropriate balance between the teacher-led activities and the opportunities for children to explore and investigate freely. Children in Reception marvelled at the opportunity to explain the transition of a caterpillar to a butterfly.
• A vibrant and colourful learning environment filled with eye-catching objects in both the indoor and outdoor areas successfully captures the children’s curiosity. Inspectors saw some children imitating ‘builders’ and using the ‘digger’ to pick up bricks to build a house. Scrutiny of children’s work and observation of learning show that the children enjoy their time in the early years provision immensely.
• The teaching of phonics is strong as it helps children to excel in their reading and writing. Children develop secure number skills because the excellent teaching of mathematics is interwoven throughout the early years curriculum. For instance, children in Reception were learning about how numbers can describe the position in a sequence. Teaching was preparing the children to understand the outcomes of races at the forthcoming sports day.
• Teaching is adapted effectively to support children who have special education needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged. This demonstrates that the impact of additional funding for those eligible children is having a positive effect. Leaders consult with professional services to ensure that those children who need extra help receive it.
• Children demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning and behave well. Clear and established routines promote children’s personal development and welfare. Staff ensure that safeguarding and welfare requirements are met to protect the children in their care.
• Effective links with parents and carers ensure that children settle easily into a caring and happy environment of learning. Learning journals and an online programme enable parents to track their child’s progress. Parents are extremely positive about the support and teaching that their child receives in the early years. Inspectors agree with their view.
• Leadership of the early years is maintaining a good quality of education. In 2016, the proportion of children who reached a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year fell short of the national average. Leaders have ensured that children’s needs are identified promptly due to robust tracking and detailed assessments. Consequently, the proportion of children who reached a good level of development for 2017, even though unvalidated at this time, is above average.
• The rigorous approach of leadership alongside dynamic teaching has resulted in outcomes for children steadily improving over time. As a result, more children are better prepared for their future learning in Year 1.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 103119 Barnet 10031651 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school All-through School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Voluntary aided 3 to 14 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 820 Appropriate authority The board of governors Chair Principal Telephone number Website Email address Satbinder Kooner Matthew Glenn 020 8202 0026 www.smsj.barnet.sch.uk office@smsj.barnetmail.net Date of previous inspection

28–29 November 2013

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• St Mary’s and St John’s CE School, an all-through school, is much larger than the average-sized primary school. It is part of the London Diocesan Board for Schools.
• Pupils on roll at the school are currently in Nursery to Year 9.
• The school has three sites. Nursery and Reception to Year 4 are based at the Lower School in Prothero Gardens, Years 5 to 9 at the Middle School in Sunningfields Road. Years 9 to 11 and sixth-form students will be based at Stamford Raffles, which is currently being redeveloped and is due to open in September 2017.
• Since the previous inspection, the chair of governors, the current principal and vice principal took up their posts.
• A high proportion of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and who are receiving support is below the national average. The proportion of those with a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care (EHC) plan is above the national average.
• The school receives support through the London Diocesan Board for Schools and the local authority.
• The school currently uses one off-site provider, The Pavillion Study Centre, to support the learning of a very small number of pupils.
• In 2016, the school met the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for the pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• A section 48 inspection of religious education did not take place at the same time as this inspection.
• The school operates a breakfast club and after-school clubs on each of the two separate sites each day. The breakfast club helps to prepare pupils for their day of learning.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 32 sessions in the primary and secondary phases. Senior leaders accompanied inspectors to 11 of these visits.
• Inspectors examined a range of documentation provided by school leaders, including the school’s own self-evaluation and governors’ minutes. Records relating to attendance, behaviour and safeguarding were also considered.
• Inspectors took into consideration emails from the local authority. A telephone conversation was held with a member of the team at the multi-agency safeguarding hub, based at the local authority.
• Meetings were held with the local authority, governors, senior and subject leaders, staff, including newly qualified teachers and learning support assistants.
• In addition to meeting with pupils formally, inspectors spoke to others informally and examined their books in a wide range of subjects and across all key stages.
• Discussions were held with parents to hear their views of the school. There were 107 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and inspectors considered 63 text responses.
• There were no responses to the Ofsted online staff or pupils’ questionnaire.

Inspection team

Rosemarie McCarthy, lead inspector Gerard Strong Tim Williams Kanwaljit Singh

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector