St. Paul's With St. Michael's CofE Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that the questions teachers ask the most able pupils help them to think more deeply about what they are being taught.
• Continue to develop the curriculum so that learning activities for the most able pupils are consistently challenging in all subjects.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• The headteacher communicates his high expectations and vision for the school’s culture exceptionally clearly. He ensures that all members of the community understand and strive for a common goal. This collegiate approach to development, as the headteacher describes it, has ensured that the school has improved further since the last inspection. Staff and pupils are overwhelmingly positive about the impact of the work of leaders in securing this success.
• Leaders relentlessly maintain the impetus for sustaining and further developing a high standard of teaching. Middle leaders use information as skilfully as their senior colleagues to decide on priorities for teachers’ training. They follow this up with sustained, regular monitoring to ensure that the training has had an impact. The result of this is a striking consistency of effective teaching across the whole school. Teachers new to the profession say that they are very well supported to understand and live up to the high expectations of their more experienced colleagues.
• Leaders’ work to manage the performance of staff is seamlessly linked to their accurate and honest evaluation of pupils’ outcomes. Teachers are expected to evaluate their own performance honestly and accurately. They possess the necessary skills to base this on evidence from a wide range of information about pupils’ progress. Records of discussions between teachers and leaders about pupils’ achievements demonstrate how these lead to effective action to ensure that the pace of pupils’ learning remains brisk.
• Leaders have a wealth of reliable information to help them identify and tackle any underachievement promptly. This enables leaders to rethink next steps immediately if actions are not effective.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make excellent progress as a result of effective decisions made by the leader responsible for these pupils. She ensures that funding is spent wisely on the actions and resources that are proven to make the most difference to pupils’ outcomes. For example, a particular emphasis is placed on ensuring that teachers have the necessary skills and confidence to adapt learning for pupils with speech and language difficulties. The arrangements to obtain expert advice from specialist professionals are very effective in serving the needs of these pupils.
• Leaders use the pupil premium for disadvantaged pupils effectively to ensure that these pupils sustain good, and sometimes better, progress over time. Pupils whose attainment is low improves towards expected levels because of skilful teaching. Regular checks conducted by leaders help decide how well this funding is being used in the classroom. When leaders notice that the progress of a particular group of pupils dips, they use this funding well to take prompt, effective action. For example, the progress of the most able disadvantaged pupils was lower than expected in 2016. However, current pupils in this group are making excellent progress as a result of improvements that leaders have implemented.
• The broad and balanced curriculum provides excellent opportunities for pupils to prepare for their future lives and widen their cultural experiences. Leaders have been very successful in creating a curriculum which sustains the interest of pupils. It encourages them to develop a curiosity about the wider world. For example, pupils in Year 1 work with the Globe Theatre to learn the story of Shakespeare’s ‘A winter’s tale’. In music, pupils learn about styles and instruments used by musicians from a range of cultural backgrounds. This promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education extremely well.
• The school’s work to help pupils understand British values is both effective and creative. For example, recent work with the National Portrait Gallery has enabled pupils to challenge stereotypes about what it means to be British.
• The additional sports funding is used imaginatively and very effectively by leaders to focus on key priorities such as tackling childhood obesity. Leaders use information effectively to determine the use of this funding. For example, their monitoring of attendance of pupils in after-school sports clubs has enabled leaders to use the funding effectively to improve girls’ participation in sport.

Governance of the school

• Governance is excellent. Governors have a diverse range of skills; they relentlessly strive to develop their own effectiveness. Their extensive first-hand knowledge of school life complements the accurate, extensive information they receive from school leaders. This enables governors to ask the right questions and pursue powerful lines of enquiry.
• Governors undertake a well-considered cycle of policy review. They ensure that effective procedures are in place to keep up to date with the latest guidance. These are developed in response to the school’s priorities for improvement.
• Governors realise the importance of sustaining the capacity of leadership and demonstrate an excellent commitment to sustaining the high quality of education secured by leaders.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders ensure that all staff receive appropriate training and remain vigilant to any concerns about pupils’ well-being.
• Leaders demonstrate a good understanding of the risks which pupils may encounter both in and out of school. They have used their training about the ‘Prevent’ duty well to improve the curriculum. As a result, pupils develop greater resilience to the threat of them being adversely influenced by extremist views.
• Leaders’ effective work to encourage a culture of discussing sensitive issues openly and honestly contributes well to the effectiveness of safeguarding. For example, pupils spoke passionately against discrimination and know who to turn to if they need help.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• Teachers use assessment skilfully to set appropriate and inspiring work for pupils. As a result, across a wide range of subjects, pupils understand the progression in their learning and nearly all who are in danger of falling behind rapidly catch up.
• Teachers’ excellent subject knowledge in most subjects gives them the skills and confidence to recognise when to help pupils, reorganise lessons or refocus the work of additional adults.
• Teachers notice when pupils are making mistakes or misunderstand new ideas. They provide very prompt guidance which enables pupils to improve quickly. This reassures the least able, helping them to overcome barriers and sustaining their enjoyment even when they find work difficult. Teachers are typically quick to pick up when the most able pupils are ready to attempt more difficult work or to apply their skills to more challenging situations. However, the challenge that teachers provide for these pupils in some subjects across the curriculum is sometimes not quite as effective.
• The teaching of phonics is effective and accurate. Books are cherished and show high levels of presentation. Recent training to help teachers improve provision for the most able pupils in reading lessons is being put to effective use. Teachers expect pupils to use examples from books to support their views. They insist on pupils’ use of precise language in their written and verbal response to texts.
• Teachers are very skilled in ensuring that pupils understand how to improve their writing. Pupils’ books are rich in examples of how pupils of all abilities have rapidly improved specific aspects of their writing. Teachers pick up which genres the most able pupils are less confident writing in and focus on these to help them develop greater consistency. Younger pupils make rapid progress in enriching their vocabulary and using punctuation for effect, due to the excellent teaching of writing in key stage 1.
• In mathematics, teachers explain calculation methods clearly and gauge levels of pupils’ understanding accurately. Pupils’ work shows that teachers are consistently effective in setting appropriate work to meet the needs of pupils. For example, the most able pupils are regularly challenged to create ‘prove it’ statements to explain their mathematical reasoning.
• Teachers’ work to develop pupils’ skills in science is very effective. For example, pupils in Year 5 learn how to discover for themselves which conditions speed up the rate of rusting. They also learn how to explain whether and why this is a reversible or an irreversible change to the materials they are investigating.
• Teachers set clear objectives for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, which focus precisely on helping them improve one step at a time. Teachers communicate effectively with support staff to ensure that learning in additional sessions is built on and reinforced in main lessons.
• Teachers and additional adults question pupils well, reacting to pupils’ responses skilfully to reshape lessons and add more support or challenge. On occasion, some teachers use questions somewhat less skilfully with the most able pupils. Some questions do not focus sharply enough on prompting pupils to deepen their understanding.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Teachers provide effective opportunities for pupils less capable of controlling their feelings and behaviour to overcome these challenges.
• Parents overwhelmingly agree that their children are extremely well supported in their personal development. Pupils also agree with their parents’ assessment.
• Diverse sporting and cultural opportunities encourage pupils to set challenging ambitions for their future lives. For example, the school provides an ‘into university’ programme which helps pupils aim for academic excellence.
• The arrangements for teaching pupils about e-safety are reviewed as teachers keep abreast of changes in the use of the internet and social media. As a result, concerns resulting from inappropriate use of technology are very rare.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils demonstrate unerringly exemplary behaviour and attitudes. Pupils are self-motivated and committed to their learning in all subjects. This results from their secure grasp of the value of learning. As a result, rarely is a productive moment lost while children are in school.
• Pupils behave safely and with consideration to others during breaks and at lunchtime. Pupils relish the responsibilities they are given. They act as strong advocates for the school’s values. For example, pupils speak proudly of their work as road safety officers.
• Pupils learn and grow in confidence to discuss their views and feelings openly. They learn skills such as how to reduce the potential for conflict in relationships as part of the curriculum. As a result, instances of bullying or other discriminatory behaviour are extremely rare and acted upon swiftly on the rare occasions when they arise.
• Attendance is in line with national rates. A small number of pupils continue to be persistently absent, including some disadvantaged pupils. However, relentless, effective work is improving their attendance rapidly in the current school year.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• Pupils make substantial and sustained progress from low starting points so that the proportion reaching the expected standard by the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics is similar to that seen nationally.
• Outcomes for pupils in the Year 1 phonics check consistently match national averages. Disadvantaged pupils do as well as other pupils nationally. This represents outstanding progress from typically very low starting points on arrival in the early years.
• Disadvantaged pupils make similar progress to other pupils nationally. However, those with low starting points in reading make exceptional progress over time.
• Pupils make excellent progress in developing their writing skills. Work in books shows the rapid pace with which pupils of all abilities develop a personal writing style and use a wide range of vocabulary.
• Pupils quickly learn to read for meaning and pleasure. The most able can detect the distinctive style and devices used by their favourite authors.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make excellent progress from their various starting points. Each step in their progress is closely monitored to ensure that these pupils have firm foundations to build upon. Teachers use their detailed knowledge of individual pupils’ needs to judge how best to challenge them.
• Pupils who speak English as an additional language make good progress because of the effective guidance they receive.
• Pupils’ work across a range of subjects shows that standards are consistently high for most pupils. Opportunities for pupils’ personal development are entwined with learning across the curriculum. As a result, they make strong progress and leave the school with exceptionally strong attitudes to learning.
• The progress of the most able pupils over time is good. This includes the most able disadvantaged pupils. Provisional 2016 information suggested a dip in the progress of this group in reading and mathematics. However, this included a significant number of pupils relatively new to the school. Senior leaders immediately introduced more effective strategies to challenge the most able. Work seen during the inspection shows that this is working. However, leaders recognise that pupils who demonstrate high levels of ability in subjects across the wider curriculum could make even better progress.

Early years provision Outstanding

• Children make rapid and sustained progress from low starting points, particularly in their speech, language and communication. As a result, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development and well prepared for Year 1 is in line with national averages by the time they leave the Reception class.
• Members of staff know the children very well and compile detailed assessments drawing on a wide range of evidence. These are used in an expert manner to decide how to organise the setting and introduce challenge for the most able. The impact of the work is equally effective both indoors and outside. Leaders are currently focusing on increasing the participation of parents in these assessments, with some emerging success.
• The early years leader focuses on the correct priorities for improvement with a relentless drive for sustaining and developing the quality of teaching. For example, there has been a recent focus on using external specialists’ guidance to improve the way teachers introduce new vocabulary to children with low starting points.
• Teachers introduce children to reading effectively. Phonics is skilfully taught and books are treasured in a way which helps children see reading as an important part of their everyday lives.
• The Reception class and Nursery abound with intriguing activities aimed at encouraging children to broaden their knowledge and understanding of the world. For example, each setting has a musical focus with a range of percussion instruments for children to experiment with. Children can talk about what they have learned in these areas.
• Children demonstrate an excellent commitment to looking after one another and learning in their exemplary behaviour. They become absorbed in the activities on offer and quickly develop the ability to sustain concentration.
• Safeguarding is effective in the early years. Parents express confidence in the work of the school to maintain a secure setting and teach children how to recognise potential risks.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 100269 Hackney 10023647 The school was inspected on 31 January 2017 under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. This inspection was led by an Ofsted Inspector. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act, which took place between 2 February and 3 February 2017 and was led by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors. 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 215 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Alex Doherty Tom Panagiotopoulos Telephone number 020 7254 1927 Website Email address www.spsm.hackney.sch.uk head@spsm.hackney.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 7−8 November 2012

Information about this school

• The school meets the requirements for the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of key stage 2.
• The proportion of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, entitled to the pupil premium, is much higher than average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is much higher than average.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is higher than average as is the proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors made observations in lessons in each year group, including the Nursery and Reception classes. Many of these observations were conducted jointly with senior leaders. Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during playtime and at lunchtime.
• Meetings were held with senior leaders and governors. Inspectors also held discussions with a number of middle leaders.
• Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents including the school’s plans for improvement, information about pupils’ achievements and leaders’ monitoring records.
• Inspectors looked at safeguarding information related to the checks on staff, attendance information and documents about pupils’ behaviour.
• Inspectors met with parents informally at the beginning of the school day and considered eight responses to the online Parent View questionnaire. They also looked at the school’s own surveys of pupils’ and parents’ opinions.
• Pupils’ work across a wide range of subjects was scrutinised with school leaders.
• Inspectors met with a group of pupils. They heard pupils with a range of abilities read.

Inspection team

Andrew Wright, lead inspector Lando Du Plooy Martin Roberts, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector