John Hunt Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the impact of leadership and management, by ensuring that leaders make more accurate use of the available information about pupils with SEND, so that they can plan effectively for the changing needs of pupils in the school, and pupils with SEND make securely good progress from their starting points.
• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, by ensuring that teachers consistently set work that is well matched to the needs of the most able pupils, so that a greater proportion attain at greater depth and at the higher standard at the end of key stages 1 and 2.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since the last inspection, the school has undergone rapid and widespread improvement. The headteacher quickly established an effective senior leadership team, whose members have worked strenuously to revitalise the quality of education provided for pupils.
• Leaders and governors have established a strong culture of high expectations for pupils and staff, exemplified in their school motto, ‘infinite possibilities’.
• Leaders’ plans for improvement are well thought out and effective. The positive impact of their actions can be seen in the improved quality of teaching and rates of progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2.
• Middle and subject leadership is strong, and continually improving. There is good capacity on the part of leaders, at all levels, to ensure that the improvements since the last inspection are strengthened and sustained.
• The deputy headteacher provides effective leadership of provision for disadvantaged pupils. His regular and precise analysis of pupils’ progress, and their needs, ensures that the additional funding provided through the pupil premium grant is used effectively to support pupils’ personal development and learning.
• The middle leader responsible for coordinating provision for pupils with SEND provides effective day-to-day management of this aspect of the school’s work. However, leaders have not made best use of the information available regarding pupils’ additional needs. This means that they have not been proactive enough in making sure that the additional funding the school receives is targeted precisely. As a result, pupils with SEND do not make as much progress as they might from their starting points.
• Staff morale is high. Staff who spoke with inspectors and who completed Ofsted’s online survey spoke warmly about the ‘massive improvements’ they have seen. Staff say that they appreciate the training provided and feel proud to work as part of a supportive, dedicated team.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well promoted. Leaders and staff have successfully refreshed and enhanced their approach to this aspect of their work, by adopting a values-based model throughout the school. Pupils learn about a range of cultures and beliefs and, in discussion, they spoke confidently about their understanding of the values of tolerance and respect. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain because the curriculum and provision for their personal development are effective from the time they start school.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced. It is clear, from pupils’ workbooks and from discussions with pupils and staff, that pupils are supported to develop knowledge and skills in a wide range of subjects. For example, the leader with responsibility for science explained how he has developed an effective link with a local secondary school to promote science, technology and mathematics (STEM) activities. Other features that enhance pupils’ scientific knowledge include the school’s pond, greenhouse, orchard and the tree-planting programme. Another significant feature of the school’s curriculum is the weekly ‘enrichment afternoon’, where pupils throughout the school can choose from a range of experiences such as pottery, yoga or archery. This is very popular with pupils and parents alike.
• The additional funding for physical education (PE) and sport is used effectively. Pupils receive a good range of opportunities to improve their health, well-being and physical fitness through the activities on offer.

Governance of the school

• Governance is strong. Members of the governing body have an accurate overview of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. This enables them to provide good support and challenge and to hold leaders to account for the school’s performance.
• Governors have responded appropriately to the recommendations from the external review of governance that was required at the time of the last inspection. This review took place in May 2017.
• In discussion with the lead inspector, governors explained their determination to retain their strong focus on pupils’ learning and progress. They rightly consider that an important feature of achieving their aims is to foster and strengthen the school’s positive links with other local schools, and especially with its partner primary school.
• Governors receive accurate and thorough information from leaders, including assessment information and reports, regarding the additional funding the school receives.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• All of the school’s employment checks are in place and are in line with statutory requirements.
• Parents, pupils and staff agree that the school is safe. In discussion, pupils confirmed that they feel safe in school because trusted adults, and their friends, make them feel secure.
• The headteacher keeps careful records of welfare concerns. She has ensured that staff training is up to date, and liaises with external agencies when necessary.
• Governors fulfil their statutory duties regarding safeguarding. They carry out regular checks on the school’s procedures and make sure that their own arrangements for training are kept up to date.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers in all year groups encourage pupils to adopt positive attitudes to learning. As a result, relationships are strong and lessons flow smoothly. Pupils respond sensibly and calmly to teachers’ instructions and make good use of their time in lessons.
• In a range of subjects, teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge that enables pupils to develop and deepen their understanding. Teachers also use questioning and a range of resources effectively to stimulate pupils’ thinking.
• Pupils’ workbooks across a range of subjects are well presented and provide strong evidence of teachers’ high expectations and pupils’ pride in their work. Teachers’ attention to detail when they review pupils’ work ensures that the feedback they provide is in line with the school’s policy and helps pupils to understand how to improve. Pupils use their teachers’ helpful feedback to improve their work.
• The teaching of reading has been an area of focus for the school. Improved teaching of phonics in key stage 1 has ensured that the school’s successful track record in the Year 1 phonics screening check is being sustained. In key stage 2, pupils make good progress in reading because teachers recognise that learning to read is at the heart of the school’s curriculum. Pupils’ enthusiasm for reading has been successfully harnessed through the whole-school reward system for reading homework. Pupils are well supported and are becoming increasingly confident and capable readers.
• The teaching of mathematics is effective. For example, in a Year 5 lesson, pupils were eager to demonstrate a range of methods for successfully solving problems involving the multiplication of fractions.
• Sometimes, teachers do not set work that is sufficiently challenging for the most able pupils. This means that those pupils are not consistently supported to reach the high standards of which they are capable.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils in all year groups show consistently positive attitudes to learning. This is having an increasingly positive impact on their progress, which is improving.
• Pupils embrace opportunities to take on extra responsibilities. For example, the play buddies, peer mentors and school prefects provide positive, aspirational role models and carry out their duties with pride. In discussion, pupils also praised the school council representatives, saying that they felt able to approach them in the case of any worries or concerns.
• Pupils who spoke with inspectors showed a mature understanding of what constitutes bullying, in its different forms. Although pupils said they were sure that instances of bullying are rare, they were confident that the trusted adults in school, or their friends, would be willing and able to help if bullying were to occur.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Their conduct throughout the inspection was calm and orderly, both in lessons and around school. The school’s ‘golden rules’ are widely understood and respected, and pupils say they appreciate the guidance and structure that these clear expectations provide.
• Pupils’ behaviour during lunchtimes is also good. The atmosphere in the dining hall is positive, promoting lunchtime as a happy, social occasion. Outside, pupils can take part in a good range of activities. These include sessions led by the school’s sports coaches. Pupils say that the mid-day staff provide good supervision and handle any unacceptable behaviour fairly and swiftly.
• Leaders’ records regarding the small proportion of behaviour-related incidents are thorough. There are a small number of pupils who require close monitoring, to ensure that their behaviour improves to the standard expected. This is handled appropriately by the senior leadership team. The very small number of fixed-term exclusions that have been required during the current academic year have been managed in line with school policy.
• Attendance has improved, as a result of leaders’ effective actions, and is just above the national average. Rates of persistent absence are below average. Leaders and governors take a strong line regarding term-time absences, giving approval in exceptional circumstances only and imposing fines when necessary. This has resulted in improved attendance.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Progress and attainment at the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of key stage 2 are improving. In 2018, progress in writing and mathematics improved to be in line with the national averages. The progress of disadvantaged pupils also improved in 2018 and was close to that of other pupils nationally.
• The school’s latest assessment information, considered alongside observations of learning and the work in pupils’ books, suggests that the improvements are being sustained and strengthened in almost all year groups and across a range of subjects.
• The proportion of pupils attaining the higher standard at the end of key stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics declined in 2017 and 2018.
• Standards of attainment at the expected standard in key stage 1 have been steadily improving over time, especially in reading and writing. Attainment at greater depth declined in writing.
• Some pupils with SEND do not make enough progress from their starting points.
• The proportion of pupils who achieve the expected standard in the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 has been improving over time and is typically in line with the national average. Although there was a dip in 2018, leaders responded quickly, and current pupils are on track to achieve outcomes at least in line with the national average in 2019.

Early years provision Good

• Leadership and teaching in early years are good. The majority of children join the Reception class from the school’s own Nursery provision, although a small proportion come from other providers. On entry, their skills are broadly in line with those typical for their age, but, in communication and language, their skills tend to be lower. As a result of effective teaching, children make good progress. The proportion of children who achieve a good level of development by the end of Reception Year has improved over time. In 2018, the proportion was in line with that found nationally. Children are very well prepared for Year 1.
• Teachers use the outcomes of their accurate and detailed assessments to match the curriculum closely to children’s needs and interests. In particular, there are frequent opportunities for children to develop their writing skills, through the well-planned activities set out for them. For example, children were observed being supported to write an account of an experiment to test what happens to a gingerbread man when it is immersed in water. Children cooperated well to carry out the experiment independently. They were then supported to record their findings clearly and carefully.
• The work in their books shows that all children have made progress from the start of the year. Some are beginning to write simple sentences independently, using good spelling and punctuation.
• The indoor and outdoor areas provide a wide range of inviting activities that support each of the areas of learning. Adults take every opportunity to promote children’s language development by careful questioning and gentle encouragement.
• Safeguarding in early years is effective, as in the main part of the school. Children are well cared for and are happy in the setting. They cooperate well with each other and with adults, responding quickly and sensibly to routines.
• Liaison with parents and carers is strong. Parents speak warmly about the care their children receive in early years. A typical comment was, ‘I couldn’t be prouder or happier with the progress.’ In the Nursery class, a display about the ‘Gruffalo’ celebrated models children had made at home. In the Reception class, the children watched attentively while the teacher shared online photos of a baking activity, uploaded by parents as part of the ‘weekly challenge’.

School details

Unique reference number 122614 Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council Inspection number 10057651 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Maintained 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 430 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Nick Hemsley Lisa Mole 01636 682007 www.johnhuntprimary.co.uk head@johnhunt.notts.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 8–9 November 2016

Information about this school

• John Hunt Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• There are 15 classes in the school. Pupils are taught in single-age classes. In key stage 2, pupils are grouped into three classes for each year group in the mornings, for English and mathematics.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is in line with the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is broadly in line with the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well below the national average.
• The school has an informal partnership with a ‘family’ of local schools. There is a more formal partnership with Redlands Primary School.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in 25 lessons or part-lessons, some jointly with senior leaders.
• Inspectors looked at work across an extensive range of pupils’ books and considered the school’s assessment information on the progress and standards achieved by current pupils.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read and talked with them about their reading.
• Inspectors met with a group of pupils from key stage 2 and spoke with pupils informally in lessons and around school.
• Inspectors observed two whole-school assemblies.
• Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and leaders with responsibility for mathematics, English, early years and pupils with SEND. Inspectors met with those responsible for safeguarding, attendance, behaviour, bullying and exclusions, the curriculum, disadvantaged pupils and the PE and sport premium. Inspectors also spoke with a range of other teachers and support staff.
• The lead inspector met with a group of governors, including the chair and vice-chair.
• The lead inspector met with a representative of the local authority.
• Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day. The inspectors considered the 67 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and the responses to the online staff survey. There were no responses to the pupil survey.
• The inspectors considered a wide range of documentation, including the school’s improvement plan and self-evaluation summary, minutes of meetings of the governing body, the school’s current information on pupils’ attainment and progress, attendance records, behaviour and bullying logs, external reports on the work of the school, monitoring and evaluation records, and a range of documents relating to safeguarding.

Inspection team

Christine Watkins, lead inspector Gary Nixon Roger Sadler Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector