Noel Park Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Noel Park Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The principal of this school is Tamsin Brown.

This school is part of Lift Schools, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Rebecca Boomer-Clark, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Hall.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at Noel Park Primary School.

They are rightly proud to be part of the welcoming and diverse school community. Pupils are safe here and know their 'trusted adults' will resolve any worries they may have.... They appreciate the support they receive from staff, who ensure that their voices are heard.

Pupils behave in an exemplary manner.

Staff have the highest expectations of all pupils. Pupils enjoy their learning and take great pride in the high-quality work they produce.

The broad curriculum helps all pupils to achieve well. The impact of this is evident in the school's published outcomes for pupils at the end of Year 6.

From the Nursery onwards, all pupils discover a world of possibilities and opportunities.

For example, a termly careers week introduces pupils to the future world of work. Pupils talk enthusiastically about their conversations with an architect, fashion designer and film director. A carefully selected range of local visits and workshops enhance the broad curriculum, including outings to Westminster Abbey and the Natural History Museum.

Pupils delight in taking on a broad range of leadership positions, which support others in the school and local community. For example, the school council collect donations for a local food bank and the eco-council pick litter in nearby parks.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The curriculum is highly ambitious.

In many instances, it exceeds what is expected nationally. The school has carefully considered the important knowledge that pupils need to know and remember in each subject. This is sequenced effectively from early years onwards to allow pupils to build their learning over time.

In history, for example, children in the Nursery explore the past by discussing what happened yesterday. Over time, pupils build their understanding of chronology by exploring ancient history, including key events during the Stone Age, Roman and Ancient Greek periods. Similarly, in science, children in the Nursery learn what plants need to grow.

Pupils go on to build an increasingly complex understanding of plants, such as how plants reproduce and how they evolve to their habitats.

Teachers benefit from a range of subject-specific training. They are experts in their subjects and present information clearly.

They provide pupils with multiple opportunities to revisit previous learning. Teachers routinely check pupils' understanding. This allows them to immediately address any misconceptions.

Pupils have multiple opportunities to consider and then discuss their ideas. They listen to each other and politely offer points of agreement or challenge. This encourages them to embed their new knowledge and apply it to new contexts.

The school prioritise supporting all pupils to read with increasing accuracy and fluency, including those who need extra help. Staff are exceptionally well trained to deliver the phonics programme. As a result, they model sounds with precision and use consistent strategies to help pupils to decode.

Books are well matched to the sounds that pupils know. Leaders select a range of fiction and non-fiction texts to broaden pupils' literature horizons, including in different languages. From the Nursery onwards, there is a sharp focus on supporting all pupils to build a sophisticated and broad vocabulary.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are exceptionally well supported. Dedicated and well-trained staff swiftly identify any needs. This ensures that appropriately tailored provision is put in place.

This includes input from specialists, such as the in-house speech and language therapist. Effective personalised support in lessons allows pupils with SEND to follow the same curriculum as their peers, wherever possible.

The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour and conduct around the school.

Strong routines ensure that pupils are calm and polite both in and outside of the classroom. From the early years, pupils show a highly focused attitude to their learning. Leaders intervene swiftly on the rare instances when pupils need support to meet leaders' high expectations, including around attendance.

Pupils and their families know the importance of regular attendance.

Pupils' personal development sits at the heart of the school. Pupils learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe.

For example, they discuss how to stay safe online in both personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education and in computing lessons. The school provides a rich and carefully planned set of extra-curricular activities for pupils, including ballet, street dance and Japanese.

Staff are rightly proud to work here.

They know that the school has taken multiple steps to reduce workload and enhance their well-being. Staff at all levels appreciate their individualised training and the opportunities for progression. The trust and those responsible for governance are highly knowledgeable about the school.

They match the exceptionally high expectations that leaders have for all pupils. Parents and carers are grateful for the education the school provides for their children.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in March 2019.