Saturday 18 January 2020
Keep Carlton safe – the welfare of our children is paramount.
• Located in Gospel Oak, one of the borough’s most deprived areas.
About Carlton
• Diverse intake across abilities and nationalities. • Carlton supports all of its children including protecting those who have experienced trauma or relocation, those living in temporary accommodation, those living in real poverty and those with traumas in their family situation. • Carlton works hard for every child no matter what their needs. • Carlton has a good Ofsted and has won recognition for its inclusive work, including the Achievement for All Camden Awards for Inclusion. Carlton’s inclusive practice is commented on positively by other professionals.
What does Ofsted say? • This is a good school. Leaders and governors are highly ambitious for the school and its pupils. • They have been effective in raising standards year on year and improving early years provision since the previous inspection. Pupils achieve well. • They make good progress from low starting points to reach average standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2. • Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs do exceptionally well because leadership of this area is outstanding. • Provision for, and therefore achievement of, more-able pupils has improved since the previous inspection. • The work the school does to keep pupils safe is outstanding. • Pupils show each other exceptionally high levels of respect and behave well around school, for example playtimes and lunchtimes are calm and harmonious. • Staff work exceptionally well with parents. The parents inspectors spoke to were extremely positive about the school. • The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. • This ensures pupils leave Carlton as well-rounded youngsters who have every chance of success in the next phase of their education. • Early years provision is now good. Children make good progress because activities meet their needs well. • Attendance figures have risen year on year since the previous inspection.
Ofsted: short inspection (January 2019) “The school continues to be good.”
“The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.” “The leadership team and a proactive and knowledgeable governing body have an accurate and honest understanding of the school’s current strengths and weaknesses. From this, you have implemented effective strategies that have improved pupils’ outcomes. Outcomes are improving each year, particularly at the end of the early years.”
Other stats and facts Data shows that there are only eight pupils in the entire school who are not in at least one of the following categories: • Free school meals/pupil premium. • Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND). • English as an additional language. Across the whole of Camden, Carlton has the: • Highest percentage of pupils receiving SEND support (30%). • Fifth highest percentage of pupils where English is not a first language (78%). • Third highest percentage of pupils receiving free school meals (61% receive pupil premium funding). Carlton is in the highest 1.5% nationally for SEND provision and has and a vibrant outreach programme to support the families of its children, working with organisations such as the Tavistock clinic.
Our community has a lot to say too… • More than 1500 people have signed the petition. • More than 100 reasons were collected at the Winter Fair on why people love Carlton (snapshot on this page). • 230 votes for save Carlton in the library (versus just 17 against). • 49 comment sheets completed for ‘we need Carlton because’ (see next page).
Other points to consider • Carlton has a knowledge of all of its families and the barriers they may have. This means they are able to support every child. • 98% of parents (summer 2019) would recommend Carlton to other parents. • Carlton holds English as a second language (ESOL) classes for the local community as well as parenting workshops on various subjects. • Decreased footfall in the area will have an effect on business and community safety which is not in the best interests of the school or the local community. • The development of west Kentish town will need the right infrastructure in place to support people moving into the area in future. • What will the cost of making alternative provision for Carlton’s children be, especially to ensure that those who have special educational needs have proper provision? • While we acknowledge roll numbers are a challenge, cutting a community hub and school is not the answer. We urge you to consider the proposals with the needs of the community and children of the school fully taken into account. •
It would devastate both the children and the community if Carlton were to close.
What we need… • An impact assessment that includes a realistic evaluation of the value that Carlton’s nurturing approach and effective teaching has for the children, their families and the wider community - an approach that that helps children from a below average start achieve national levels of attainment. • An impact assessment to consider the level of social deprivation in the immediate area. • Agreement for Carlton to function as a one form entry school while sharing the building with other local services.