South Harringay Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthusiastic and happy.

In the early years and beyond, pupils are engaged and eager to learn. They achieve well. School staff foster nurturing, supportive relationships with pupils.

Pupils are confident to tell a teacher about any worries that they might have straight away. This means that pupils feel safe and are kept safe in school.

Children settle into the early years quickly.

Teachers model positive behaviour and use stories to help children learn the routines and expectations. Pupils behave appropriately. They share and play well together.

If any bullying happens, leaders deal with it effectively.

Leaders make carefu...l decisions about the wider opportunities on offer. Leaders want to provide experiences that pupils may not have out of school.

Pupils take part in a variety of educational visits. For example, they enjoyed a recent visit to St Paul's Cathedral.

Leaders expect pupils to embody the school's values.

Many pupils spoke about the importance of not giving up when faced with setbacks. Pupils show a great deal of respect for people from different cultures and traditions. Leaders invite prominent people from the local community to share information with pupils.

These include local authors and scientists from diverse backgrounds. This is because leaders want pupils to have high ambition for their own futures.

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

Leaders are aspirational in their aim for pupils to develop a love of reading.

Pupils hear stories read to them every day. In early years, leaders have carefully selected books to help children to learn new vocabulary. Leaders check pupils' knowledge of phonics when they join the school.

This helps leaders match the delivery of the phonics programme to the letter sounds that pupils need to learn and practise. Pupils receive effective support if they fall behind. Pupils regularly take books from school to read at home.

This includes books matched to the sounds that they are learning as well as a book to share with their parent or carer. Pupils develop the confidence and fluency to read well.

Leaders have devised an ambitious curriculum that matches the breadth of what is expected nationally.

In most subjects, the knowledge that pupils should learn and remember has been carefully considered. This is typically well sequenced so that pupils embed their understanding over time. For example, in the early years, children learn important knowledge about numbers and counting.

This helps them to use numbers confidently when solving increasingly complex calculations later on.

Leaders and teachers have secure knowledge of subjects that they teach. Typically, the intended curriculum is delivered well.

While some teachers check carefully pupils' understanding of what they have learned, this is not consistent. In these instances, teachers do not routinely identify and correct misconceptions in pupils' work. As a result, errors can persist over time and limit these pupils' depth of knowledge and understanding.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn well. This is because leaders and teachers use a range of effective ways to help pupils to access the curriculum. These include providing additional resources and focused help from teaching assistants.

Some pupils receive additional well-targeted support from external experts such as therapists. Leaders and parents collaborate effectively. They work together to check that pupils with SEND receive the right help and support.

Leaders make sure that teaching staff and pupils know the expectations of behaviour. Typically, pupils are attentive in lessons. Teachers make sure that learning is not disrupted.

Pupils enjoys receiving praise and rewards for demonstrating the school's values.

The provision on offer for pupils' personal development is exceptional. Leaders provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils to learn about important issues such as diversity and equality.

For example, pupils enjoyed wearing odd socks to school to show that they are all different but equal. Pupils have many opportunities to take part in extra-curricular activities such as drama, swimming and football. Leaders ensure that all pupils can take part in these opportunities.

Pupils are taught about the importance of physical and mental health. For instance, children in the early years recently learned about dental hygiene.

Those responsible for governance are experienced and knowledgeable.

They understand their statutory responsibilities regarding pupils' safety and welfare. Governors provide effective support and challenge for leaders. Leaders and governors consider ways to make sure that staff workload is manageable.

School staff appreciate that their views are taken into account.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders prioritise safeguarding.

They provide frequent and up-to-date training for staff. This is to help them spot any signs that may indicate a pupil may need help. Leaders take effective and appropriate action to follow up any concerns.

This includes working closely with safeguarding partners at the local authority. Leaders and governors take time to reflect on actions taken. This is to check and ensure that concerns are followed up correctly.

Pupils are taught about age-appropriate healthy relationships from the early years onwards. Leaders make sure that pupils have a trusted adult to speak to in school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, teachers do not consistently identify and correct pupils' misconceptions.

As a result, errors can persist over time and limit these pupils' depth of knowledge and understanding. Leaders must ensure that teachers routinely check pupils' understanding so that misconceptions can be addressed. This will better support pupils to learn and remember more.

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