St John and St James CofE Primary School Ofsted Report

Inspection report: St John and St James CE Primary School, 25−26 September 2014

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Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed 22 lessons or parts of lessons. Some lessons were seen together with members of the school leadership.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher and other staff. An inspector also met with four members of the governing body. A conversation was held with representatives from the local authority and the local diocese to discuss the support the school has received.
• Inspectors spoke to three groups of pupils about their experiences at the school.
• The inspection team listened to some pupils reading and looked at an extensive range of other evidence, including pupils’ past and present workbooks.
• There were too few responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) for the inspection team to be able to make any firm conclusions. However, the 106 responses to a recent school survey of the views of parents and carers were taken into account. Inspectors also took account of the 28 responses to the staff survey.
• Various documents and procedures, including the school improvement plan and systems for checking pupils’ progress, were examined. Documents relating to safeguarding and behaviour were also reviewed.

Inspection team

Rob Ridout, Lead inspector Fatiha Maitland Kate Robertson

Additional Inspector Additional Inspector

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Full report

Information about this school

• St John and St James CE Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school. There are now two classes in every year in the school. The school has a nursery attached.
• The school’s pupils come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. Almost three quarters of the children are of Black British, Black African or Black Caribbean heritage. Over half of all pupils in the school do not speak English as their first language. This is a higher-than-average proportion of pupils.
• The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and for whom the school receives additional government funding, known as the pupil premium, is above average. There is one looked after pupils in the school.
• Almost one in five of pupils are supported through school action. This is well above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who receive extra support through school action plus or a statement of special educational needs is average.
• There are breakfast and after-school clubs run by the school on the site and managed by the governing body. Additional activities and clubs are offered during the school holidays.
• The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further improve standards in mathematics and raise achievement to the levels seen in reading and writing by making sure that all pupils, particularly the more able, are sufficiently challenged.
• Make sure all leaders use information on pupils’ progress to improve the quality of teaching and raise pupils’ achievement, particularly in mathematics and in the early years.

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Inspection judgements

The leadership and management are good

• The headteacher is ably and effectively supported by all leaders. They do all they can to ensure that pupils are taught and achieve well. Many work with pupils in the evenings, during weekends and over holidays. One middle leader said, ‘We will do anything to support the headteacher to secure the very best for the pupils.’
• There have been strong improvements in both the quality of teaching and achievement because of the determination of staff to get things right for the pupils. However, leaders have not yet ensured that achievement in mathematics is as good as it is in reading or writing.
• The school has an accurate and honest view of itself. Teams know what the school already does well and what they need to do better. Leaders have recently focused on improving the quality of marking and feedback to pupils. They have been successful in this work. Their current priority is to raise standards further in mathematics and especially to speed up the progress of more-able pupils.
• Teaching is regularly checked to keep an accurate picture of its quality. Where improvements are needed, teachers are given support through personal programmes to improve their skills. Leaders have taken the appropriate action where teachers have not measured up to the school’s high expectations.
• The management of teachers’ performance and arrangements for their pay and promotion are linked to the quality of their teaching and the progress of their pupils.
• There are very clear systems to check on how well pupils are achieving throughout the school. Through the pupil achievement meetings, leaders identify the gaps in pupils’ knowledge, skills or understanding. Action is quickly taken and extra support provided to improve learning. However, some middle leaders have not yet fully developed their skills in using information about pupils’ achievement in their planning.
• The curriculum is well planned and is successful in capturing and keeping the interest of pupils. Teachers are particularly effective in developing pupils’ skills in reading and writing through all subjects and have introduced activities especially designed to challenge and engage the more able. The school is now developing a similar approach to mathematics. The school has put in place a new and effective curriculum in response to the recent changes made nationally.
• This is a caring school that fully involves all the pupils. It pays close attention to supporting their personal development. The pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strong feature of the school. The curriculum promotes equality of opportunity and tolerance of others. It prepares young people well to become successful British citizens.
• The sports funding is having a positive impact in the school. Good links now exist with local sporting clubs including Saracens RFU and Tottenham Hotspur FC. The school has increased the range of sporting and physical activities it offers, including dance, basketball and Zumba. Participation rates in activities and competitions within and between local schools have all increased. Pupils are taught sports skills more effectively because of better resources, a greater use of sporting coaches and well-trained teachers. As a result, pupils are keen to come to school and are developing healthier lifestyles.
• Additional government funding is used successfully to provide additional and more focused support for disadvantaged pupils. It enables them to enjoy the full range of subjects and make good progress in their learning.
• The support of both the local authority and the diocese is an example of how well such partnerships can work. This support is appreciated by the school and has helped its leaders to reshape the staffing successfully, as well as to improve teaching and pupils’ progress.
• Links with parents and carers are very strong. They value the strong Christian ethos of the school and praise the leadership for its respectful, warm and caring values.
• The governance of the school:

Governance is now good. The governing body is ambitious and has high expectations of the teachers and pupils. Governors are effective in challenging and holding school leaders to account and work hard to raise standards of teaching and the achievement of all pupils. In addition to promoting the strong Christian values held by the school, governors encourage pupils to care for others. They encourage principles of tolerance and respect for all within and beyond the school community. Governors visit the school at least termly to review specific issues. They accompany leaders into classrooms and look at pupils’ work. Governors have a good grasp of the quality of teaching within the school and understand what the data tell them about pupils’ performance in relation to national levels. Governors are familiar with the national Teachers’ Standards and use them in managing teachers’

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performance. Underperformance is appropriately supported or challenged. Increases in pay are awarded for good or better teaching, linked to improved pupils’ achievement. The school’s financial arrangements are secure. Governors oversee the spending of additional funding and are aware of the positive effect this is having on pupils’ achievement, especially in reading and writing. They are also involved in deciding how the primary school sports funding is spent and are rightly confident in the positive effect it is having on the pupils’ confidence and skills. Governors ensure that the school meets the statutory safeguarding requirements and that checks on the suitability of adults working with children in the school are appropriate.

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

• The behaviour of pupils is good. The strong Christian ethos of the school and the high expectations of all adults contribute to pupils’ good behaviour. It is not yet outstanding as pupils do not show a hunger for knowledge or a thirst for learning.
• Teachers give examples of suitable behaviour and actively encourage pupils to be respectful and consider how their actions affect others. Pupils say behaviour is good and parents and carers who gave their views agree, saying that they like the warm, caring approach of the staff.
• The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say that they like coming to school and feel very safe. Many see it is as their extended family and second home. Leaders ensure that children are well supervised at all times. Parents and carers strongly agree that their children are safe.
• Pupils behave well in and around school. They are polite and respectful to each other and all adults. Inspectors were frequently greeted by pupils with smiling faces, opening doors for them and others.
• Pupils behave well at playtimes and during lunchtimes. All enjoy the outside space. They take full advantage of the activity area and run and play within it. Basketball is popular and skipping very common. Pupils generally enter and leave the building in an orderly manner, although a small number of boys are carried away in the excitement of their games and bring the play inside.
• There are good attitudes to learning in classrooms. One girl was seen telling another to ‘hush’ when she was making too much noise in a lesson and then helped her when she realised that the other girl did not understand her work.
• Pupils have a good understanding of what bullying is. They can describe the different types of bullying and know what to do if it happens. Those who spoke to inspectors reported that very little if any bullying takes place and expressed confidence that teachers would deal with it very effectively.
• Attendance has improved and is now above average. Pupils say they like coming to school because of the additional football, dance and basketball clubs offered. The school works with parents and carers to keep the number of days lost low.

The quality of teaching is good

• The quality of teaching is now consistently good and sometimes outstanding. Teachers with good subject knowledge now work more closely together in their key stages and subject teams to prepare lessons that capture, involve and excite learners.
• Pupils come well prepared for lessons, take much care in presenting work and celebrate their achievements together. The atmosphere in classrooms is calm and purposeful.
• Staff build warm and caring relationships with pupils and use the rewards systems to encourage good attitudes towards learning and recognise good achievements.
• Pupils make good progress as teachers give precise explanations and check pupils’ understanding and progress carefully, using tests and questioning. In a mathematics lesson, pupils working on a ‘Who Dunnit?’ problem identified the guilty party without giving a reason. They were challenged to give their evidence to support their answer and the teacher checked their understanding of the mathematics.
• Work is marked regularly and written feedback is provided to pupils about how to improve it. The teachers’ written corrections are increasingly common and pupils say they learn more because they know where they have gone wrong and what to do to put it right. Corrections are acknowledged and pupils are recognised for their better understanding.
• Homework contributes well to pupils’ progress. Younger pupils are encouraged to read with parents and carers. Older pupils are set tasks which require them to apply what they have recently learned to new problems.

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• Teaching assistants plan closely with teachers and make a good contribution to the pupils’ learning. They support disabled pupils and those with special educational needs well and give extra learning sessions where they are needed. They help pupils to practise and apply their skills in new learning.
• Teachers plan activities and give guidance to help pupils of all abilities to develop what they have already learned. However, sometimes the most-able pupils are given work which is too easy and so they do not attain as well as they could. This is particularly true in mathematics where pupils do not move on quickly enough to more challenging work.
• A significant majority of parents and carers who gave their views believe that their children are taught well at the school.

The achievement of pupils is good

• Pupils join the school in the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are well below the levels expected of children of their age. A high level of challenge and good teaching ensure that they achieve well throughout the school. By the end of Year 6, their attainment is close to and sometimes better than the national average and shows that they have made good progress.
• In 2014, the school’s provisional results show an improvement since the last inspection. The attainment of pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 is close to national averages in reading, writing and mathematics, suggesting that pupils make good progress from their low starting points. Year 6 pupils are just as successful and reach average standards, which shows good progress from their often low starting points. Achievement in mathematics is not as good as it is in reading and writing.
• Information provided by the school about the achievement of pupils currently in the school confirms they are generally making good progress, especially in reading and writing. Work in books confirms that pupils’ achievement is better than expected for their ages in both English and mathematics.
• The phonics screening check of pupils’ understanding of letters and the sounds they make shows that almost all are at the expected level at the end of Year 1. All pupils read daily and some receive individual support to apply their reading skills. Some ‘have no books at home and so like to read at school’. Some ‘like princess stories’, others ‘stories about caterpillars’. All agree that they are getting better as readers. Pupils make good progress in their reading.
• The achievement of pupils supported by additional funding is improving and is now good. Last year, at the end of Year 6, pupils in this group were typically one term behind their classmates and one year behind other pupils nationally in mathematics, reading and writing. Results this year show they are making better than expected progress and have at least matched the attainment of their classmates in school and closed the gap with other pupils nationally. School data show this is continuing.
• Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress. They attain standards at Key Stage 2 that are in line with those achieved by other pupils in school and close to national averages. They experience teaching that helps them to learn well. Teachers work closely with teaching assistants to provide good support for individuals and groups, in and out of classes.
• Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and those learning to speak English as an additional language make good progress and their attainment is the same as that of other pupils in their classes.
• The achievement of the most-able pupils can be raised further. Fewer pupils reach the higher levels in mathematics than in reading or writing at the end of Key Stage 2.
• Attendance levels and punctuality to school have improved and many pupils show a great level of self-confidence. They are able to talk readily and easily to adults.

The early years provision is good

• Children make good progress, often from very low starting points. By the end of Reception Year, the children’s skills, knowledge and understanding in almost all areas are at the levels expected for their age. They are especially successful in developing their personal and social skills so they are well prepared for Year 1.
• Strong relationships between adults and children help build confident learners. Parents and carers are encouraged to ‘play and stay’ to help their children settle into the school. Later, parents and carers ‘stay to play’ with their children so that they can better support the work the school is doing. Parents and carers like the arrangement and say their children are happy, settle quickly, communicate confidently and work well with others.
• Teaching is good. Teachers’ high expectations and the good provision for indoor and outdoor learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage have speeded up children’s learning. Adults track the progress children

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make and use the information with parents and carers to plan activities which further build on the children’s skills.

• The leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage are good. However, leaders are not making the best use of the information they gain from their checks on children’s progress to raise achievement further, particularly in numeracy.

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WHAT INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS MEAN

School Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Requires improvement Grade 4 Inadequate An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number

102032 Enfield 448958 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

Type of school School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Number of pupils on the school roll

Primary Voluntary aided 3−11 Mixed 435

Appropriate authority

The governing body

Chair Headteacher

Gloria Powell Heather Knightley

Date of previous school inspection

13−14 February 2013

Telephone number Fax number Email address

020 8807 2578 020 8807 9785 office@stjohnandstjames.enfield.sch.uk

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You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’. Piccadilly Gate Store St Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk © Crown copyright 2014