07 Mar Ofsted report
7th March 2023
Dear Parents and Carers,
As you may recall, Ofsted, the organisation that inspects schools, visited Pooles Park Primary
School earlier in the academic year, November 2022. We now want to take a moment to update
you on the outcome of our inspection.
While there are areas where our school was rightly praised, we want to let you know that the
inspection was a difficult one.
The Ofsted report highlights the following about the school. These include:
Pupils enjoy coming to school. They are friendly and welcoming.
The personal development of pupils is good and is well considered.
Pupils are proud to take on roles of responsibility, such as being members of the school council
or part of the environment team. They enjoy keeping the school garden tidy and looking after
the plants.
Pupils enjoy participating in after-school activities, such as cooking and art. They benefit from
outings to places of interest. For example, they have visited Alexandra Palace to investigate
land use and local places of worship to learn about different faiths. Pupils like singing and have
enjoyed performing for the wider community.
Pupils say bullying is rare and staff deal with any reports of bullying swiftly, and pupils trust them
to do so. This means pupils feel safe and are kept safe.
Pupils typically behave well in the playground and enjoy the activities that are provided for
them. Behaviour in the playground is typically positive. Pupils play well together and show
kindness and consideration towards each other
The curriculum is broad and balanced and matches the scope of what is expected
nationally. The curriculum helps pupils to understand ways to keep themselves safe. For
example, pupils are taught how to manage the potential risks of working online and the
importance of consent as part of a healthy relationship.
Pupils with SEND are swiftly identified. Leaders work with a range of outside agencies to seek
advice and guidance on how to best provide support for these pupils.
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Leaders have effective systems in place to ensure that pupils are kept safe. Staff receive regular
training. This ensures that they recognise the signs which could indicate that a pupil may be at
risk of neglect or harm.
Leaders work in partnership with outside agencies to ensure that children and their families
receive the help they need.
Ofsted inspectors did raise concerns about the design of the curriculum linked to our mixed year
group classes in Year 1 to Year 4. They had similar concerns for the early years curriculum. And,
in some lessons, Ofsted noted some pupils had become easily distracted and lost focus on their
learning.
As a result of these concerns, the outcome is that the school has been graded as Inadequate
overall.
We are working closely with the Local Authority to ensure that the actions we are taking are
effective. The local authority will continue to support the school going forward.
The Ofsted report for our school will be available on the school’s website ahead of its official
publication (Tuesday 7th March 2023).
We understand that there will be questions and comments once you have read the report. Senior
staff will be on the gate in the morning and after school to answer any questions and comments
you have. Also, please feel free to make an appointment via the school office.
We will be holding a meeting to discuss the report and the implications of it at school, next
Tuesday 14th March 2023, at 2.30pm. Before this, there will be a short meeting on Thursday,
9th March at 3pm for you to ask any questions and share your thoughts ahead of the main
meeting next Tuesday. There will be representation from Islington as well as school leaders at
the meetings. The Director of Children’s Services, Jon Abbey, and the Executive member for
Children’s services Councillor Michelline Ngongo will be in attendance.
In the meantime, please be assured that your children are safe and happy at our school and that
Pooles Park School continues to be fully committed to ever-improving the quality of education
and in-school experiences for your children at every level. As your Headteacher and Chair of
Governors, we will continue to drive this forward relentlessly to ensure that the great school we
were yesterday and are today, will continue to become ever better tomorrow and beyond.
So finally, thank you. Your ongoing support for our school will be hugely appreciated.
Greg Crawford, Headteacher
Ian Norman-Bruce, Chair of Governors