Harris Primary Academy Philip Lane Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that all pupils, particularly the most able, are moved on quickly in their work when they are ready for the next stage in their learning.
• To extend on the very positive work by leaders in some curriculum areas, particularly science and music, to improve art and computing.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• Exceptional senior and middle leadership have established an excellent standard of education. The principal provides extremely strong direction and stability following recent turbulence to the leadership team.
• Leaders have an accurate and incisive understanding of their areas of responsibility. Leaders regularly monitor the quality of teaching and learning, which leads to high levels of consistency.
• Staff morale is high, and they are very well supported. Staff told inspectors that the school was ‘like a team’ in which they could learn from each other. They receive many opportunities for their professional development, including taking on more leadership roles.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is developed very well through the school’s values, including respect and honesty. Pupils demonstrate a respectful appreciation of different faiths and cultures. This includes, for example, through assemblies about the Chinese New Year and trips to places of worship. Pupils have rich experiences through trips, workshops, competitions and inspiring external visitors. For example, pupils visited elder members of the community and entertained them through singing. One pupil shared that this helped them to think that ‘we should not always think about ourselves, but others as well’.
• Funding for pupils with SEND is used very effectively. Leaders have an insightful understanding of individual pupils’ needs. Adults provide a high level of personal development and care, including undertaking regular assessments and providing specialist support.
• Leaders use pupil premium funding very well. Disadvantaged pupils receive focused support, for example in their early reading and phonics development. As a result, these pupils attain highly. Rich provision through extra-curricular clubs, including fitness and holiday camps, provides disadvantaged pupils with well-rounded opportunities and support.
• The sports premium is used very effectively to extend pupils’ opportunities in competitive sports leading to high outcomes. Leaders use the funding wisely to provide additional clubs, including for pupils with SEND.
• Parents are highly positive about the experiences that their children receive. The majority of parents strongly support the work that leaders do, in particular the steadiness provided by the principal’s appointment.
• Subject leaders provide extremely strong oversight and are committed to improving pupils’ outcomes across the curriculum. The leadership of English, mathematics and other foundation subjects, for example PE, science and music, is excellent. The recent changes to art are positive, but at an early stage of development.

Governance of the school

• The academy trust provides systematic support to leaders and for the professional development of staff. The trust acted quickly and decisively when the school was recently found to have maladministered statutory tests. They managed changes to senior leaders well and acted swiftly to broker the support of highly skilled leaders. They have very effective oversight of many areas of the school, including safeguarding and subject specialists. As a result, the school continues to maintain high standards.
• The standards of work produced by children in the school means that it is reasonable for trustees not to have suspected maladministration before it was identified by the Standards and Testing Agency.
• Governors visit the school regularly. They meet with staff and leaders to deepen their understanding of the school’s priorities. For example, as part of governor review days, they meet with pupils and work alongside staff.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have a good understanding of the latest safeguarding guidance. Pre-employment checks are thorough. Staff receive up-to-date training, including on the ‘Prevent’ duty. They have a very good understanding of how to keep pupils safe, and how to follow up any issues with external agencies.
• Leaders develop pupils’ understanding of keeping safe through opportunities across the curriculum. For example, they learn about the dangers of knife crime, gangs and how to spot signs of grooming. Leaders help pupils learn about potential risks in the local area, including those related to public transport, drugs and gambling.
• Staff, parents and pupils who spoke to inspectors were unanimous that pupils are kept safe in the school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding because of adults’ very high expectations. They motivate pupils with interesting and enjoyable learning experiences. As a result, pupils have a love of learning and value the support and guidance they receive.
• Teachers and pupils have very positive relationships. Adults provide pupils with extremely consistent experiences across the curriculum through well-structured teaching. This enables pupils to become immersed in their learning and develop very positive attitudes.
• Teachers clarify and explain unfamiliar words with rigour, which helps pupils acquire new vocabulary extremely well. Adults rehearse and reinforce the meanings of technical words constantly, which enables pupils to include new vocabulary in their work with confidence.
• Teachers demonstrate excellent subject knowledge. They are highly skilled at developing pupils’ deeper thinking through questioning. For example, in science, pupils considered how different organs in the body functioned. Subsequently, they were encouraged to make connections to a previous experiment where they dissected a heart.
• In writing, pupils are given many opportunities to write at length. Teachers use exciting themes to motivate pupils to write very interesting and thought-provoking pieces. For example, pupils read the book ‘Journey to Jo’burg’, and learned about apartheid. They used this knowledge to write highly empathic pieces about the Soweto uprising, and the effect this had on entire communities, including through figurative language.
• In mathematics, teachers develop pupils’ understanding by using practical resources. Teachers check pupils’ understanding of mathematical concepts carefully and build on their prior learning skilfully. Pupils are challenged to apply their skills to more difficult tasks. For example, pupils reflected on finding patterns when learning about the relationship between numbers.
• Phonics is taught systematically and helps pupils’ early reading very well. Adults have strong subject knowledge and the quality of teaching is consistent. Teachers assess pupils regularly and use this information to provide focused support. In key stage 2, teachers develop pupils’ comprehension skills through probing questioning and the use of high-quality texts.
• Teachers develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills extremely well. Adults encourage pupils to discuss their learning and share their understanding. This helps to develop extremely positive environments for learning, where pupils debate and listen to each other and adults carefully. Teaching assistants are skilled at supporting pupils, including those new to the English language and pupils with SEND, to develop their independence.
• The teaching of music is a strength. Pupils have many opportunities to practise their singing and playing of instruments. Pupils reflect on the quality of their own work and are encouraged to learn from misconceptions. Adults’ close supervision and regular feedback enables pupils to be very engaged in their learning and make very strong progress.
• On a minority of occasions, adults do not sufficiently ensure that pupils, particularly the most able, are moved on in their learning when they are ready.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Relationships across the school are underpinned by mutual respect. Adults and pupils treat each other with care and consideration. This helps pupils to feel very safe in school and have adults whom they trust.
• The school’s curriculum provides pupils with excellent opportunities to raise their aspirations, including through after-school clubs, visits to museums, residential trips and workshops. Pupils take part in many sporting competitions, which they value highly. They have opportunities to learn musical instruments, including the recorder and the violin, and sing in musical festivals, for example at the Royal Albert Hall.
• Pupils are encouraged to learn from historical events and have a keen sense of understanding about the plight of others. For example, pupils learned about Anne Frank, Mohammad Ali and racial prejudice in South Africa. They reflect on these events with maturity and insight. A pupil shared a commonly held view that ‘everyone is human and the same; so, we can’t kill a certain race just because they are different’.
• Leaders’ development of pupils’ job aspirations is exemplary. Pupils benefit from very well thought-out science workshops, including links to local universities and scientific experts. As a result, pupils speak with great enthusiasm about different professions, for example, engineers and astronauts. Pupils’ first-hand experiences of meeting with authors help pupils learn about the resilience needed to publish books.
• Pupils learn about the importance of keeping safe and healthy. They know about how to keep their personal information safe while using the internet, including during online gaming. Pupils spoke to inspectors with confidence about how to recognise the potential dangers of online grooming.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils behave extremely well and are proud of their school. They listen attentively to other people’s ideas and interact maturely with adults. Pupils are highly articulate and display high levels of self-confidence.
• Pupils collaborate exceptionally well with each other during their learning. During playtimes, they interact with each other very positively, and are well supervised by adults. Pupils respond to adults’ instructions very quickly, and this helps to ensure that transitions are smooth.
• Pupils’ attendance and punctuality are high and above national average. Pupils who spoke to inspectors said how much they valued the importance of education and coming to school. Leaders have a firm oversight of pupils’ attendance and are determined to improve attendance even further.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• Outcomes for pupils are outstanding because throughout the school and across a wide range of subjects, pupils make excellent progress. The proportion of pupils achieving at least age-related expectations and at the higher standard are above the national average.
• Pupils’ progress in science is extremely high. Very high teacher expectations and subject knowledge give pupils a great insight into scientific theories and a fluent use of scientific vocabulary. Pupils are highly proficient in predicting, investigating and evaluating. By the time they leave the school, pupils develop scientific skills well above those expected for their age.
• In writing, pupils write neatly and fluently across the curriculum. Pupils demonstrate great stamina for writing extended pieces independently. Teachers encourage pupils to use wide-ranging and complex vocabulary, which pupils use competently. They spell words accurately and write with grammatical cohesion.
• In mathematics, pupils have very strong arithmetic skills. They learn to use a wide range of calculation methods and apply these well to problem-solving. Pupils’ mental mathematical skills are very well developed. Teachers’ development of pupils’ mathematical reasoning is also very strong.
• Pupils of different abilities, including pupils with SEND, receive very strong support to make sustained progress. Disadvantaged pupils attain very highly in a range of subjects.
• Pupils make excellent progress in their musical development. They have a well-developed understanding of different musical features, including rhythm, tempo, symphony and tune. Pupils become increasingly proficient at using musical instruments and have a very good grasp of different composers and the types of music they create. Pupils are very aware of the effects of different styles of music and the effects they have on listeners. In key stage 2, pupils highly value the opportunities to compose their own music and be challenged in enrichment clubs, including the ‘choir chamber’.
• Pupils attain highly across the curriculum, including in history, geography and physical education. However, pupils’ knowledge and understanding in computing and art is not as well developed as in other subjects.
• In 2018, key stage 2 pupils’ national test results in reading and mathematics were annulled because of maladministration. Inspectors carefully considered the impact of teaching over time for pupils who are currently in the school and found plenty of evidence that pupils make outstanding progress.

Early years provision Outstanding

• Children in the early years are extremely well supported by kind and caring staff. Leaders have an in-depth understanding of how children learn through regular assessments.
• Teaching is consistently outstanding. Adults maximise children’s opportunities to become inquisitive learners. Themed learning activities help children to deepen their understanding, while capturing their interest and imagination. For example, as part of reading the story, ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’, children wrote a description about a character. Teachers used the story to introduce children to growing seeds and encouraged them to predict which conditions would lead to the best growth.
• The learning environment is well resourced and vibrant. Children are highly articulate and self-regulate very well. Their behaviour in the early years is excellent. Children follow routines and adults’ instructions extremely well. Relationships are based on mutual trust and respect.
• Adults interact with children very positively, using opportunities to extend children’s communication skills. They are highly skilled at using questions to increase children’s vocabulary. As a result, children become very proficient in their speaking and listening.
• Children make excellent progress in their writing. They learn quickly how to apply their strong phonics skills to their writing, using well-developed pencil grips. Children use finger spaces, and the most able use capital letters and full stops accurately. Children challenge themselves to write increasingly difficult words using their phonics skills.
• In mathematics, children use resources with confidence. Adults use probing questions to deepen children’s understanding of early numbers. For example, adults use practical equipment to check children’s understanding of making comparisons between numbers.
• Children are engrossed in learning across all areas. Children’s physical development is very well supported through outdoor equipment, which they use sensibly. They play well with each other, sharing items and taking turns.
• Parents are very happy with their children’s start in early years. Teachers work closely with parents, and share their child’s progress, including through regular workshops. These equip parents with the necessary information to support their children at home, for example in reading and mathematics.
• Children leave the early years with skills above those found nationally. The proportion of children attaining a good level of development is above the national average. Children are extremely well prepared for Year 1.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 138447 Haringey 10088792 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy sponsor-led 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 425 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Principal Mrs Susan Head Mrs Joanne Taylor Telephone number 020 8808 3231 Website Email address www.harrisprimaryphiliplane.org.uk info@harrisprimaryphiliplane.org.uk Date of previous inspection 15 May 2018

Information about this school

• The school is larger than the average-sized primary school. During the school’s last section 8 inspection, the school demonstrated strong practice and marked improvement in specific areas. The school’s last section 5 inspection took place in June 2014, when it was judged to be good.
• The principal was appointed in January 2019.
• The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is above the national average. The majority of pupils are from a White British or Any Other White background.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND and pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan are similar to the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above average.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in all classes jointly with senior and middle leaders. Inspectors visited all year groups at least three times. Inspectors scrutinised a large number of books across all subjects and years groups, often with senior leaders.
• Inspectors held meetings with senior leaders, middle leaders, members of the trust and the chair of the governing body. Inspectors met with staff to gather their views about the school.
• Inspectors heard pupils read. They spoke to pupils about their learning and observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms and during playtimes. An inspector spoke to a group of pupils formally to find out their views of the school.
• Inspectors reviewed various documents provided by the school, including the school’s self-evaluation, safeguarding documentation and records of attendance.
• Inspectors took account of 87 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. Inspectors also took into account parental views through meeting parents at the end of the day. They also considered 18 responses from staff.

Inspection team

Noeman Anwar, lead inspector Andrew Maher Kanwaljit Singh

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector