Starks Field Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:
  • ensuring that pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities continue to be identified quickly, and that programmes established for them are monitored and refined so that their rates of progress are increased
  • ensuring that the attendance of those pupils who are persistently absent continues to improve so that it is line with the national average.
• Improve the effectiveness of leadership in the early years by:
  • increasing the involvement of parents and carers, seeking and acting on their views to improve provision and outcomes for children.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The head of school, working closely with the executive headteacher, has successfully steered the school through a turbulent period. Together, they have focused on the actions required to improve the school. They are skilful and effective delegators and are well supported by a dedicated senior leadership team. They have also ensured that the middle leadership of the school is well trained. As a result, the school has good capacity to move to the next level.
• Leaders, including governors, have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. They have detailed plans to make it even better. The school’s improvement in standards over the past four terms demonstrates the effectiveness of leaders’ actions.
• Rigorous systems to monitor and evaluate pupils’ learning are having a positive impact on strengthening their progress. Teachers check the progress of different groups of pupils, and are alerted to any individual or year group falling behind or needing support. They then take rapid action to get pupils back on track.
• Subject leaders conduct regular checks on the quality of teaching and learning. This is done in a variety of ways, such as through formal lesson observations, learning walks and scrutiny of pupils’ work. Actions and targets set are quickly followed up.
• Performance management has a high profile in developing the effectiveness of staff. Teachers work in partnership with leaders to identify their strengths and any areas of practice they need to improve. They have access to high-quality training, coaching and mentoring support. This is having a positive impact on the consistency of teaching, learning and assessment across all year groups.
• Leaders ensure that pupil premium funding is used to benefit disadvantaged pupils. Specific interventions support learning and enable this group of pupils to participate in a wide range of opportunities, both in and out of school. During this academic year, these pupils have made the same good or better progress than their peers.
• The leadership of the provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities effectively ensures that their needs are met. Funding for these pupils is used well. Pupils are identified quickly and receive tailored support, such as speech and language therapy and emotional and behavioural support. An increasing proportion of these pupils are making the progress that leaders expect. However, rates of progress for this group could be increased.
• The curriculum meets the needs of pupils well. A wide range of exciting activities and extra-curricular opportunities are provided to enrich the curriculum and motivate pupils. Pupils’ learning is enhanced by visitors coming into school, special event days and trips to local places of interest.
• The school is justifiably proud of its work to promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural learning and British values. Pupils develop an understanding of democracy through a range of activities, for example through visits to Parliament. Leaders provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils to learn about different faiths and ways of life. For example, pupils visit buildings of historical, cultural or spiritual significance. Pupils talk reflectively and thoughtfully about these experiences, showing that they place a high value on them.
• The school is in an area of high family mobility and, as a result, a high number of pupils leave and join as the school year progresses. Many of these pupils have not attended school before and are at the early stages of learning English. However, leaders have ensured that these pupils receive extra help with their language skills, and rapidly begin to catch up with their peers.
• Leaders have taken wide-ranging action to improve the attendance of pupils, and, as a result, attendance has risen. For example, attendance documentation to parents is translated. Penalty for absence notices have been issued in some cases. Also, for example, representatives of the Bulgarian and Romanian Embassies have been involved at the school to help improve the attendance of families from these countries. Despite this, particular groups of pupils are persistently absent compared to other pupils in the school and nationally. Too many pupils are absent during term time, largely because of holidays and visits abroad, and this impedes their progress.
• The overwhelming majority of parents and carers who completed Ofsted’s online questionnaire, as well as many of the parents who spoke to inspectors, were highly supportive of the school. One parent summed up the views of the majority by explaining that: ‘The school is very well run. The staff genuinely act in the interests of the children and are constantly trying to improve their experience … they try to make it like a home.’

Governance of the school

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• There is a strong culture of safeguarding at Starks Field. The school provides a safe and caring environment for pupils. Leaders have put measures into place to ensure that all pupils stay safe.
• Leaders ensure that staff have received up-to-date safeguarding training and training for the ‘Prevent’ duty. Members of staff are familiar with the procedures employed in the school. Records are well maintained and governors effectively fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities.
• All statutory checks are in place to ensure the suitability of adults working in school. The site is secure, and staff make appropriate checks on visitors when they arrive at the school.
• Pupils spoken with during the inspection said that they felt safe. This view is shared by parents and carers who responded to the online inspection questionnaire.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment has improved since the previous inspection, and is now good. This is because senior and middle leaders regularly visit lessons and provide constructive feedback to teachers and support staff.
• Teaching and support staff ensure that their classrooms are attractive and welcoming. Displays are colourful, well maintained and assist pupils in their learning, for example by explaining the standards expected of them by the end of the year.
• Pupils show enthusiasm during lessons because staff take the time to find out about what they know and understand, and what they need to do to improve. Pupils appreciate the feedback they receive and take pride in their work.
• Teachers and support staff work well together when identifying pupils who need additional support and help. For example, younger pupils engage well and make progress in their understanding of phonics. This is because they are provided with stimulating tasks during sessions with teaching assistants.
• A notable strength in teaching is the way in which teachers consistently use effective questioning to challenge and deepen pupils’ understanding. For example, in one lesson, pupils were encouraged to read with expression as they encountered different speakers in the text. Similarly, teaching in mathematics is challenging and encourages pupils to think deeply. Pupils rise to the challenge, for example when using their knowledge of times tables to explore multiples in depth.
• Teachers work together to ensure that checks on the standards reached by pupils are accurate. There is an agreed system for assessing pupils on a regular basis in all classes. This ensures that any individual or year group falling behind or needing support is identified swiftly. As a result of teachers’ clear focus on pupils’ progress information, most pupils make good or better progress from their starting points in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can do are now consistently high.
• Staff make effective use of resources to engage pupils who speak English as an additional language or who have SEN and/or disabilities, for example when learning new words in literacy lessons.
• Very occasionally, one or two pupils could be moved on in their learning more quickly. This occurs because the task is too easy or not modified according to pupils’ levels of ability. Occasionally, opportunities to reinforce learning are missed, for example when extending the counting and mathematical skills of those who have SEN and/or disabilities.
• Staff promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Teachers incorporate pupils’ diverse backgrounds and draw on these in order to extend pupils’ understanding of people and communities beyond their immediate experience. For example, during the inspection, pupils enjoyed a dual-faith assembly, presented by representatives of the Christian and Jewish communities.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• Work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is a strength of the school.
• Pupils show strongly positive attitudes across a range of contexts, especially when engaged in lessons. They are supportive of each other and interact well when learning together. The school is a calm, happy and orderly environment. Pupils are polite and treat visitors with respect and consideration, for example by holding open a door or asking if they can be of help. They are friendly and gregarious, reflecting the school’s six core values extremely well.
• Pupils say they feel safe and they know how to keep themselves safe online. They can also explain how to keep themselves healthy. Pupils talk with great appreciation about the care and support they receive from staff.
• Pupils demonstrate a good understanding of the British values of tolerance and respect.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• If pupils make the ‘wrong choice’, other pupils respond well by letting staff know of their concerns. Pupils, including the youngest, interact and play well together. As a result, the school is a happy, harmonious place where all pupils can thrive.
• Pupils say that bullying is extremely rare. The parents that inspectors spoke to agree.
• Leaders and members of staff have established a consistent and effective approach to the management of any poor behaviour. Support systems in place have secured marked improvements since the previous inspection. For example, the number of pupils excluded has fallen sharply, and instances of unwanted behaviour have reduced.
• Many pupils join the school part way through their primary education. Some have not previously attended school. These pupils are helped to settle in quickly. As a result, they behave well.
• Pupils value their education. As a result of concerted action by school leaders, rates of attendance at the school have risen strongly, and are now close to nationally expected levels. However, there is still a small group of pupils that show a high rate of absence. Such absences hinder progress. Leaders are keenly aware of this group and are making strenuous efforts to secure improvements. Work with some families has had a positive impact for pupils. However, the rate of persistent absence for a small group of pupils remains a continuous focus for leaders.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils’ skills and needs on entry to the school are subject to wide variations. A large and rising number of pupils arrive from a wide variety of backgrounds later than the normal time of entry. Some enter having experienced little or no previous schooling. Many speak English as an additional language or are still at an early stage of communicating in English. They respond well to skilled teaching and specialist support and make good progress during their time in the school.
• The increasing percentage of children achieving a good level of development at the end of their year in Reception shows that they make a successful start to school.
• The year-on-year improvement of pupils achieving national expectations in the phonics screening checks reflects rising standards in response to good teaching. This shows that pupils are making a better start now than at the time of the previous inspection.
• Although pupils’ levels of attainment at the end of Years 2 and 6 remain below national averages, they are rising and moving close to levels expected for their age.
• Improved teaching and the development of different types of adult support in and out of class have improved pupils’ early reading and phonics skills. Pupils continue to extend their reading skills well as they move through the school. They benefit from plentiful opportunities to read with adults.
• School and inspection checks of developing skills show increasing proportions of pupils strengthening their progress as they move through the school. Checks of pupils’ responses in class and in their work show that they benefit from close adult assistance. This is the case across all subjects.
• The good progress made by the most able pupils is evident in their well-presented work. Pupils’ oral responses show their good understanding in carefully considered explanations of their work. For example, in one group, pupils could explain why a character in a story they were role playing reacted the way they did.
• Pupils make good progress in extending their writing skills. Many are supported well by broadening their vocabulary through class discussions and sharing ideas.
• Pupils respond well to improved teaching in mathematics. They say they enjoy mathematics now. This was evident in Year 1, for example, where pupils’ thoughtful responses to the teacher’s questions showed their good understanding of the vocabulary of subtraction.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities receive well-planned extra adult assistance. Staff work closely with parents and external specialists to increase pupils’ self-confidence and promote good progress. However, some pupils in this group could make even more progress.

Early years provision Good

• The bright and stimulating learning environments of the Reception and Nursery classrooms, and outdoors, encourage children to be inquisitive and interested in their learning. They cooperate with each and show good levels of concentration. This is because teaching staff take every opportunity to engage children in activities that support their learning.
• Children, including those who have SEN and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress from typically low starting points, especially in reading. Throughout the year, additional pupils join the school, many with little or no English. They are supported well to settle in and make good progress, especially in their personal and social development.
• The curriculum is well designed to meet children’s interests and extend their experiences. In particular, staff plan activities which develop the children’s imagination. Children choose areas and equipment to use, and they work well with each other.
• Teaching staff are skilled in teaching phonics, and children quickly develop confidence in reading. Children use their phonics knowledge well to develop their early writing skills.
• Children demonstrate good social skills. For example, in a Reception class, pupils were enjoying fruit and discussing the different tastes and smell of fruits with their peers and with the inspector. The effective use of questioning ensures that all children are fully included in such activities. Children have opportunities, for example, to explore their understanding of mathematical terms, such as ‘less than’, ‘more than’, and ‘in between’.
• Children behave well and show care for each other. They are safe because staff supervise them well and know when to provide close support or observe from a distance. Safeguarding arrangements in the early years are effective and meet requirements.
• The leadership of the early years is good. Additional funding is managed carefully to improve progress and attainment for disadvantaged children. Leaders deploy staff and resources appropriately and ensure that children’s progress in each aspect of their learning is recorded and shared with parents. Although children make good progress, more parents could be involved fully so that their children make even more progress.

School details

Unique reference number 134307 Local authority Enfield Inspection number 10042131 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 365 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr Bradley Jones Executive headteacher Head of school Karen Jaeggi Alison Martin Telephone number 020 8887 6060 Website www.starksfield.enfield.sch.uk/ Email address office@starksfield.enfield.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 16–17 May 2017

Information about this school

• The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is higher than the national average.
• The majority of pupils are from minority ethnic groups.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is broadly average. The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan is below the national average.
• The school has a Nursery class which provides part-time sessions in the morning, and the Reception classes provide full-time early years education.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited classrooms to observe teaching and learning, including some joint observations with school leaders. They also spent time looking through pupils’ books and listening to children read.
• Meetings were held with members of the governing body, and with a representative from the local authority. Discussions were also held with senior and middle leaders, and newly qualified staff.
• Inspectors spoke with a number of parents before the school day. They also took into account the nine responses from parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View.
• Inspectors held discussions with groups of pupils, as well as other conversations with pupils in school and on the playground. Views from 35 staff questionnaires were also taken into account. There were no responses to the pupil questionnaire.
• A wide range of documents was scrutinised, including records relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance, safeguarding procedures and the school’s analysis of how well it is improving. Inspectors also examined the school’s records of checks on the quality of teaching.

Inspection team

Martin Roberts, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Ann Pratt Ofsted Inspector Barney Geen Ofsted Inspector