Huttoft Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the effectiveness of leadership, management and governance to drive more rapid improvement by ensuring that: school plans for improvement are precise, measurable and based on rigorous evaluation of the school’s performance leaders support and develop middle leaders so that they are clear on their roles and responsibilities members of the governing body develop their understanding of their roles and responsibilities to more effectively hold school leaders to account for pupils’ progress and attainment an external review of governance should be undertaken to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved attendance, particularly that of disadvantaged pupils, remains a high priority and is rigorously addressed.
• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in order to accelerate pupils’ progress by ensuring that teachers: consistently teach pupils the skills they need in mathematics to develop their problem-solving and reasoning skills teach pupils to accurately and consistently use English spelling, grammar and punctuation in their writing use assessment information effectively to ensure that pupils, including the most able pupils, are sufficiently challenged, particularly in mathematics.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• School development planning is not precise. Plans do not identify focused targets and steps of success to accurately measure the impact of actions to improve the quality of teaching and rates of pupils’ progress. Leaders, including the governing body, do not use the raft of information available as strategically as they should. As a result, they have not accurately evaluated the school’s performance or identified the immediate priorities needed to improve the school.
• Middle leaders are not consistently effective in their roles. Some have not had the training they need so that they can have a significant impact on raising standards. Frequently, middle leaders’ analysis of strengths and weaknesses in their subject areas is not rigorous or strategic enough to secure rapid and sustainable improvements.
• Leaders have not taken effective action to ensure that standards in mathematics improve rapidly enough in key stage 1 and key stage 2. Leaders have not ensured that teaching strategies for mathematics are consistent and that pupils are effectively challenged in their learning. As a result, pupils’ progress is not improving rapidly enough.
• Leaders are not sufficiently rigorous in ensuring that their actions to improve standards are having a good impact. Leaders accurately identified that English spelling, grammar and punctuation was an area for improvement for pupils across key stage 1 and key stage 2. However, they do not hold teachers to account. High expectations for pupils’ English spelling, grammar and punctuation are not consistently reinforced by teachers. As a result, pupils do not make the progress they should.
• Leaders have taken effective action to improve standards in reading and writing across the school. However, staff training has been limited and leaders have not ensured that actions to improve teaching and learning are consistently embedded in all classes.
• Leaders use the additional funding to support pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities well. Leaders carefully evaluate the impact of their actions to ensure that pupils make good progress. Leaders ensure that pupils who have disabilities and specific educational needs receive skilled support to secure their well-being as well as to meet their academic needs. Parents appreciate and highly value the support their children receive.
• School leaders make effective use of the pupil premium funding. Current school information shows that carefully targeted support ensures that eligible pupils are making progress in line with that of their peers and sometimes better.
• Leaders have reviewed the curriculum to ensure that it is broad and balanced. They have ensured that the curriculum provides a wide range of learning activities for pupils to develop skills in different areas. Staff provide enrichment activities such as external visitors, a wide range of extra-curricular clubs, the recent science investigation week and various musical opportunities including cello, recorder and violin tuition.
• Leaders promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education well through the curriculum. Pupils have a good understanding of fundamental British values and different faiths and cultures. Overall, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Leaders use the additional funding provided through the primary physical education and sport premium to good effect. In addition to providing good-quality teaching and coaching skills, pupils have increased opportunities to participate in a range of sporting activities and competitions.

Governance of the school

• The governing body does not precisely evaluate the school’s performance to set the strategic direction of the school. Governors’ understanding of information about pupils’ progress and attainment is not as good as it should be to effectively hold leaders to account.
• Members of the governing body know the school well and are ambitious for its future. Governors have a range of relevant knowledge and skills. Nevertheless, newer members of the governing body are still developing the necessary skills in order to effectively challenge and support school leaders to drive the necessary improvements.
• Governors work closely with school leaders and staff to support many aspects of development and are supportive of senior leaders. Governors have a clear understanding of the process for managing the performance of staff.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The headteacher ensures that all staff are appropriately trained in safeguarding and are aware of the risks posed by radicalisation and extremism. Staff understand they have a duty to be vigilant and are fully aware of the different forms of abuse.
• The headteacher is tenacious in her approach to the management of child protection. She keeps detailed and accurate records of those pupils who are a concern. Actions taken by outside agencies and staff are maintained on pupils’ records to ensure that the needs of pupils are being met in a timely manner.
• Leaders work well with parents and other professionals to ensure that pupils are kept safe and are well cared for. The headteacher carries out comprehensive induction for staff new to the school to ensure they can identify pupils at risk.
• Leaders make all the required checks to ensure that staff and visitors are suitable to work with children.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Teaching and learning in key stages 1 and 2 are not consistently good. Teachers do not consistently have high enough expectations of the abilities of different pupils. Consequently, some pupils, including the most able and those who are disadvantaged, sometimes do not make as much progress as they should, particularly in mathematics.
• Teachers do not use assessment information consistently well in mathematics to appropriately match activities to pupils’ abilities to enable them to make good progress. Teachers often give pupils the same activities or do not move them on to more challenging work quickly enough.
• In mathematics, teachers do not consistently ensure that pupils have regular enough opportunities to develop their problem-solving and reasoning skills. Pupils sometimes spend too long practising a skill they have already grasped, rather than moving on to more challenging work, such as by independently exploring problems. As a result, pupils, including the most able, do not consistently make the progress they should.
• Teachers do not consistently reinforce high expectations of the accuracy of pupils’ spelling, grammar and punctuation in their work across the curriculum. Teachers do not always address pupils’ misconceptions or ensure that errors are corrected. This slows pupils’ progress.
• Teachers and teaching assistants use questions well to reinforce learning and clarify misconceptions. Where this is strongest, pupils make good gains in their learning.
• Teachers and teaching assistants work well together to promote a positive environment for learning. Relationships between adults and pupils are caring and respectful. As a result, pupils behave well in their lessons.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are well supported in their learning by skilled adults. Adults provide timely intervention that gives helpful guidance and support. Particular care and consideration are given to ensuring that provision for pupils who have disabilities is suitably adapted to meet their individual needs.
• Pupils receive good-quality phonics teaching which provides them with a secure base on which to build their wider reading skills. Pupils who read to inspectors were able to use their phonics knowledge to read unfamiliar words.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• The school has a nurturing and friendly atmosphere where pupils enjoy learning. Relationships between pupils and staff are warm and caring. Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe in school and that their teachers help them with any worries or problems they might have. Pupils take care of each other. For example, inspectors saw Year 6 pupils serving younger pupils their lunch in a calm, respectful and polite manner.
• Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations. They can explain the steps taken to look after them in school, including what to do in the event of a fire and how to keep safe when using the internet. Parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, confirmed that the school keeps their child safe.
• Pupils are aware of the different forms that bullying can take. They said that incidents of bullying or poor behaviour are rare but when they do occur staff deal with them promptly and effectively.
• The vast majority of parents highly value the care and attention staff give to developing pupils as individuals. Parents particularly appreciate the availability of the headteacher who greets pupils and ensures their well-being every morning. For example, one parent stated: ‘I feel the teachers all care about the pupils and I was impressed that after only a few weeks at the school the headteacher knew my children and their personalities in depth.’
• Leaders effectively promote healthy lifestyles. Pupils were able to explain to inspectors how to stay healthy by eating well and exercising regularly. They highly value the range of sporting clubs and activities provided by the school. Pupils are aware of spaces in the school where they can relax and reflect, such as those provided in the sensory garden.
• Pupils are proud of their school and look smart in their uniform. The majority of pupils take appropriate pride in their work and present their work well.
• Pupils socialise well and enjoy positions of responsibility. They are encouraged to take part in decision-making for the school through their elected positions as members of the ‘query crew’, as well as representing the school in a variety of music and sporting activities and competitions.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. They behave well in lessons and around the school. The school is a happy, calm and friendly environment. Pupils are notably polite and well mannered to staff, each other and visitors.
• Pupils are very clear about the expectations for behaviour which are consistently and positively promoted by teachers and staff.
• In lessons, pupils are often encouraged to work together. They collaborate very well and show mutual respect for each other. Relationships are very positive. In some lessons, pupils lost focus only if their work was not well matched to their needs.
• Attendance is currently below that seen nationally. Leaders monitor attendance very closely and have raised the profile of attendance in the school and with parents. The attendance of the large majority of pupils including disadvantaged pupils, while still below that seen nationally, is improving. Leaders work closely with outside agencies and families to improve attendance.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Pupils’ progress in mathematics has been well below the national average for the last two years. Pupils, including the most able, do not make the progress they should. Pupils’ attainment in mathematics by the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2, although improved since last year, remains below the national averages for the expected and higher standards.
• Pupils’ progress by the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics remains below national average expectations.
• Pupils’ attainment in English spelling, grammar and punctuation has been below the national average for two years.
• The quality of pupils’ work is inconsistent. Too often, the quality of pupils’ writing is let down by inaccurate spelling, punctuation and grammar. In mathematics, work is sometimes too easy for pupils. There are too few examples of pupils, particularly the most able, being challenged to solve a variety of problems and develop their reasoning skills.
• The proportion of pupils who attained the required standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check improved in 2017 to above the national average as a result of staff training and improved teaching strategies. Pupils use their phonic skills well to support their reading. However, pupils do not apply their phonics knowledge and understanding consistently well in their writing.
• At the end of key stage 2, the number of pupils who attained the expected standards for their age exceeded the national averages for reading and writing. However, the proportion of pupils attaining the higher standards in writing was below national average expectations.
• The number of disadvantaged pupils in key stages 1 and 2 in 2017 was too small to report on their progress without the risk of identifying them. Current pupils across the school are making similar progress to that of their peers.
• The proportion of children in the early years who achieved a good level of development rose in 2017 to above the national average. This was as a result of effective changes to the way teachers assess and plan provision for children.
• The proportions of pupils attaining the expected standards in reading and writing at the end of key stage 1 were in line with national averages.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make good progress. Staff promptly identify where additional support is appropriate and ensure that individual needs are met well.

Early years provision Good

• Leadership and management of the early years are good. The leaders for the early years are knowledgeable and have high expectations for children’s learning. Leaders and teachers provide a range of stimulating activities that motivate and engage children in different areas of learning.
• Good teaching and warm nurturing relationships enable children to make good progress. The vast majority of children start Nursery with skills which are broadly typical for their age. In 2017, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development improved considerably from the previous year and is above national average expectations.
• Provision in the early years is inclusive. Children who have SEN and/or disabilities are supported well. Activities and additional adult support are effectively targeted to ensure that these children thrive during their time in the Nursery and Reception classes. As result, children in the Reception class who have SEN and/or disabilities, in line with other children, are well prepared for Year 1.
• Teachers continually check the progress of children’s learning. Teachers use the range of information gathered from their assessment of children’s learning to effectively ensure that activities are tailored to meet the needs of children. As a result, children make good progress across the different areas in the early years curriculum.
• Parents regularly share in their children’s achievements. Teachers encourage parents to tell them about their children’s learning experiences at home so that teachers can use the information to effectively build on children’s learning in school. Parents value the interaction with staff and the weekly information they receive to inform them about their children’s time in school. As one parent stated: ‘We are absolutely delighted with the care and opportunities our son receives, and the amazing support and respect enjoyed by the parent and staff relationships.’
• Children’s reading, writing and mathematics skills are developed well in the early years. Children are provided with regular opportunities to practise their letter sounds. For example, children in the Reception class enjoyed labelling different sea creatures using their phonics to help them spell the words. Adults were also seen by inspectors working well with children to help them develop their number skills. Children had opportunities to ‘buy’ items from the class shop. Adults skilfully used questioning and modelling to encourage children to count out the money in a variety of ways.
• Teachers and teaching assistants in the Nursery and Reception classes develop children’s independence skills well. Routines are established and children follow instructions promptly. Children are encouraged to do things for themselves, such as choose their own activities, put on their own apron and help themselves to their fruit snack. As a result, children behave sensibly, feel safe and are willing to try out new experiences.
• Disadvantaged children are closely monitored to ensure that they make good progress. This group of children have a strong start to their school life. Regular discussions take place between teachers, school leaders and parents to ensure that the quality of teaching and learning meets the needs of different groups of pupils.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 138808 Lincolnshire 10031283 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy converter 5 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 222 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Douglas Porter-Robinson Alison Hurrell 01507 490 284 www.huttoft.lincs.sch.uk office@huttoft.lincs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 3–4 July 2013

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.
• The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds or who speak English as an additional language is lower than the national average.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above the national average.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching in all year groups. They listened to pupils reading. Inspectors talked to pupils about their school and looked at samples of their work.
• Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, middle leaders and representatives of the governing body.
• Inspectors spoke to parents informally at the start of the school day. They took account of the 50 responses to Parent View and considered the responses made through the Ofsted free-text service.
• Inspectors considered the views of the 23 members of staff who shared their opinions about the school through their online survey, and the four responses to the pupil survey.
• Inspectors looked at a range of documents including the school’s self-evaluation of current performance and plans for improvement, the school’s most recent information on the achievement and progress of pupils, information relating to the safeguarding of pupils, the school’s most recent information relating to the attendance of pupils, and minutes from a number of governing body meetings.

Inspection team

Stephanie Innes-Taylor, lead inspector Heather Hawkes Emma Nuttall

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector