Copenhagen Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the consistency and quality of teaching by:
  • increasing the subject expertise of staff teaching the new phonics programme
  • raising expectations for pupils’ handwriting and ensuring that teachers set pupils a good example
  • sharpen assessment practice and the use of information obtained to move children’s learning forward more rapidly in Reception Year.
• Increase pupils’ progress in subjects other than English, mathematics and computing by ensuring that these subjects are taught in greater depth.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• School leaders and governors have developed a very clear vision for the school. This is based on high expectations, strong values and a focus on improving teaching and learning. Secure management systems and strong leadership by the executive headteacher have maintained the momentum of improvement seen in recent years.
• Sharing expertise within the federation has helped to improve teaching and bring greater rigour to leadership. This is enhanced by a close and productive partnership with the local authority.
• Subject leaders for English and mathematics are passionate about their subjects. They have brought considerable improvements to teaching and outcomes in both subjects. These leaders have clear plans to bring further improvement.
• Leaders monitor the quality of teaching well. Leaders set clear targets for individual teachers that are linked closely to further training. As a result, the quality of teaching is good and improving.
• Leaders have successfully improved the curriculum in English and mathematics. Both meet the needs of pupils and the demands of the national curriculum. The provision for computing is also strong. It is taught in its own right and supports learning in other subjects.
• Educational visits, such as to local art and illustration galleries, are linked closely to topics being studied. The school provides a wide range of other activities and each member of staff runs a weekly club. ‘Copenhagen university’ further broadens the pupils’ experiences, with the opportunity to choose an activity each Friday afternoon.
• Leaders promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively. Pupils develop a good understanding of British values. The monthly focus on a different value such as ‘loyalty’ gives pupils time to consider what this might mean to them.
• The primary physical education and sport premium is allocated effectively to a clear plan. It has been used successfully to train teachers and develop leadership. Some of the spending is also used to extend opportunities for pupils to participate in competitive sports, and leaders have plans to broaden this even further.
• The school has a clear and successful strategy for its use of additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils. This enables them to make good progress overall. It is used particularly effectively to support pupils to develop their language and communication skills which, for many pupils, are weak when they first start school.
• Special educational needs funding is used well. Leaders identify individual pupils’ needs effectively and put in place targeted support programmes. These programmes are adapted based on a rigorous evaluation of their impact.

Governance of the school

• The governing body is effective in fulfilling its responsibilities and checking school performance.
• Working with the federation has enabled the governing body to become quickly effective. Governors have developed the skills, expertise and understanding of the school to challenge leaders constructively and incisively about its performance.
• Since requiring teachers to identify pupils who are working beyond expectations for their age, governors now have a sharper view of the school’s performance. This enables them to identify the impact of their spending decisions, where teaching has improved and what action is being taken to improve learning further.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have developed and maintained a strong culture of safeguarding within the school. All procedures are in place and rigorously implemented. Training for staff and weekly meetings emphasise child protection procedures and keep staff vigilant of potential concerns.
• Staff and governors understand where vulnerable pupils are most at risk. They work closely with families to ensure that they understand the dangers their children might face, such as from radicalisation. Leaders ensure that e-safety has a high profile and provide advice for parents about how to keep their children safe online. Leaders check carefully on pupils who transfer to other schools to ensure that they are kept safe. Staff are aware of their responsibilities related to children missing education.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Typically, teaching across the school is based on high expectations of the pupils’ behaviour and work. Behaviour is managed well so classrooms are calm and learning takes place unhindered by disturbances.
• The most effective teaching is lively and enthusiastic and generates great interest among pupils. Teachers challenge pupils to think at all times. Teachers and support staff encourage pupils to explore ideas and not to be afraid to make mistakes.
• Teachers plan lessons and provide activities that help pupils to consolidate their learning and develop new skills quickly. Teachers and support staff give helpful comments to pupils in lessons to enable pupils to improve their work and make good progress.
• Teaching continually enables pupils to deepen their understanding of new mathematical ideas, for example through practical activities, problems, puzzles and investigations. Pupils are regularly expected to explain how they have arrived at their answers and the reasoning that got them there.
• Writing is taught well. The pupils’ ideas and imaginations are often stimulated by interesting and challenging texts. Pupils are given time to plan, prepare and edit their writing to improve its quality.
• One area of weakness is that teachers do not consistently expect pupils to write in a neat and joined style. Furthermore, teachers do not always write in a neat style for the pupils to use as a model.
• The teaching of reading is improving. There is a much sharper focus on developing wider skills such as inference, deduction and comprehension. Teaching of phonics is more varied. Some adults do not have the secure subject knowledge needed to teach new sounds accurately, in line with the newly introduced phonics programme.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils want to be successful. They take pride in their work, their school and their appearance. The school’s focus on helping pupils understand how to become successful learners is having a significant impact. Most pupils are generally not afraid to try things out because they understand that they can learn by their mistakes.
• The pupils’ strong values are reflected in their respect, concern and consideration for others. Displays, such as that of a Benjamin Zephaniah poem, reflect and promote an understanding of British values.
• Pupils have many opportunities to take responsibility and develop leadership skills. They value the opportunity to represent others as members of the school council. Acting as ‘food heroes’, for example, helps pupils to support the school’s drive for healthy eating.
• Pupils happily help each other. They feel that bullying is not an issue and any incidents are dealt with immediately. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, for example online, and are confident to report concerns.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils are kind and considerate to others. This helps to generate a calm atmosphere both in lessons and in the playground. Year 6 pupils feel that behaviour has improved considerably since they were in key stage 1. The recent emphasis on ‘restorative justice’ means that pupils are able to regulate and take greater responsibility for their behaviour.
• Pupils are generally attentive in lessons. They respond immediately to their teachers. Pupils readily discuss ideas with others and work cooperatively in groups. They evaluate each other’s work sensitively and constructively. Behaviour is not outstanding because a small number of pupils occasionally lose concentration when work is not demanding enough.
• Pupils enjoy school, as shown by their regular attendance. Childcare provision before school plays a significant role in improving attendance and punctuality, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. Pupils’ attendance is average and persistent absence is below average.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils’ progress has improved since the last inspection, particularly in writing and mathematics. Pupils now make securely good progress in both subjects and in computing. Attainment is rising and was above average in Year 6 tests in 2016.
• Pupils new to learning English develop their language skills well. This supports their good progress in English and mathematics.
• Pupils develop accurate number skills, including when using formal methods of calculation. They develop a deep and secure understanding of new concepts through the regular application of these skills.
• The pupils’ writing is imaginative and creative. Pupils develop the stamina to write at length in a wide range of styles. Pupils use the skills of grammar, spelling and punctuation that they learn to enliven their writing and ensure that it is accurate.
• Pupils’ progress in reading is improving, but not as rapidly as in writing and mathematics. Pupils read regularly and widely. They enjoy books and make weekly visits to a local library from Nursery onwards. Progress is rising in phonics, but is not yet securely good.
• Pupils do not make consistently strong progress in other subjects, including science. This limits their preparedness for the full range of the key stage 3 curriculum.
• Disadvantaged pupils, who make up the majority in each class, make good progress in writing and mathematics. This includes the most able disadvantaged pupils. Their progress in reading is rising as the teaching of phonics and wider reading skills improve.
• The small number of pupils in each class who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress towards their personal targets. Some individuals make rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics. This is because of the sharp focus on their specific needs.

Early years provision Good

• Leaders are clear where strengths lie in the early years and what is needed to secure further improvement to provision in the early years. They are tackling quickly and successfully a slight decline in the quality of teaching in Reception.
• Many children enter the early years with limited language skills. They continue to make good overall progress from their starting points, particularly in becoming more confident in their language and communication. Their attainment is broadly average by the end of Reception, particularly in literacy and numeracy. This gives children a firm foundation for key stage 1.
• Children make stronger progress in the Nursery class than in Reception. This is because the quality of teaching is more effective. Adults in Reception are not always clear about what assessment information to gather in order to plan activities that quickly tackle gaps in children’s learning.
• Adults make sure that they include children who have complex needs in activities at all times. They also focus well on the learning and progress of disadvantaged children. Hence, progress for both groups is good in all areas of their learning.
• The learning environments are interesting and well resourced, both inside and out. Children are well engaged and persevere with activities for long periods, working happily with each other.
• Adults focus sharply on promoting children’s personal development. Hence, children quickly form trusting relationships with adults and each other. Children also feel safe in the setting because they know that their welfare is of prime importance to staff.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 100401 Islington 10031712 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 Community 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 225 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sarah Ward-Lilley Executive Headteacher Jo Dibb Acting Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Amardeep Panesar 0207 837 5597 www.copenhagen.islington.sch.uk office@copenhagen.islington.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 10–11 March 2015

Information about this school

• The school is below average in size.
• The school entered into a hard federation with Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School from June 2015. At this point, a new governing body was put in place. The federation is led by an executive headteacher, who is also a national leader of education.
• The school’s substantive headteacher left in March 2017. Her replacement is appointed on a temporary basis while a new leadership structure is developed.
• Almost all pupils are from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds, the largest group being of Black African heritages.
• Three quarters of pupils speak English as an additional language, which is well above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average.
• Two thirds of pupils are supported by additional government funding.
• The proportion of pupils who join or leave the school part-way through their primary education is higher than in the majority of primary schools.
• Children in the early years provision attend the Nursery and the Reception class full time.
• The school provides childcare before and after school.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards. These set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 25 lessons. Senior leaders, including the headteacher, accompanied inspectors to 18 of these. They looked at work in pupils’ books, and listened to Year 2 pupils reading.
• Meetings were held with groups of pupils, school staff, four governors (including the chair), and a representative from the local authority.
• As only three parents had responded to Parent View, inspectors took account of replies to a survey of parents carried out by the school. Inspectors also talked with a small number of parents as they brought their children to school at the start of the day and to others who attended a coffee morning.
• Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own information on pupils’ progress, planning and monitoring documentation, records related to behaviour and attendance, and documents related to safeguarding.

Inspection team

Martin Beale, lead inspector Elizabeth Hayward Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector