Hammond Academy Ofsted Report

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy, feel safe and enjoy school. They appreciate the supportive, caring and nurturing ethos. Pupils’ well-being is always a focus. Staff know pupils well and want the very best for them. Pupils know that if they are struggling to cope, staff will help them. The school is calmer and more orderly than in the past. Pupils’ behaviour is good. Staff have high expectations of what is acceptable. Pupils cooperate with one another and encourage each other in lessons. At breaktimes and lunchtimes, pupils play together happily. Pupils know what bullying is. They say that bullying is rare but know to tell an adult if there are any concerns. Pupils are taught how to keep healthy. They know the importance of eating the right foods. They take part in a range of sports activities that encourage an active and healthy lifestyle, which they enjoy. Pupils enjoy the school clubs and have the opportunity to be a leader, such as playing an active role on the school council. Many pupils enjoy the subjects they learn about. Teachers set work that pupils find interesting. However, in English lessons, pupils do not get enough opportunities to build on what they already know.

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

In Reception and key stage 1, most pupils develop the phonics skills and reading abilities to become confident readers. In key stage 2, there are insufficient reading resources to match pupils’ learning needs. This is impacting particularly on pupils who are less confident readers. There are not enough opportunities for writing. This limits the development of skills that could help raise pupils’ achievement. Also, the quality of pupils’ presentation of work is too inconsistent across year groups. Not enough pupils take pride in their work. In mathematics, teachers make sure that each session they plan fits into a whole series of lessons. They make frequent checks on pupils’ learning to pick up on misconceptions. Focused teaching ensures that pupils who have fallen behind get extra support. Pupils’ work shows that they are developing the mathematical knowledge they need to succeed in the next stage of their learning. In science, the curriculum leader has thought about the content and sequence of learning, so that pupils build on their understanding. Pupils enjoy developing their scientific skills through participating in different experiments. The programme of learning for pupils’ personal, social and health education (PSHE) meets pupils’ needs well. The regular mindfulness and meditation sessions help pupils to regulate their emotions and help them feel calmer. The plans for physical education (PE) are well ordered and build on pupils’ knowledge and skills as they progress through the school. Disadvantaged pupils are included in all aspects of the school. Staff are aware of pupils’ personal development needs. As a result, effective pastoral support is in place. Children do well in early years. Leaders have created a calm, appropriate learning environment. Adults have set clear routines so that children engage immediately. Planning is detailed and pays attention to what individual pupils and groups of pupils need to do. This helps move children’s learning forward. Staff are skilled at engaging and holding children’s interest. Children play and learn together well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities experience the full curriculum. Staff identify any barriers to learning and put suitable support in place. Visits to places such as the Houses of Parliament bring the curriculum alive. Pupils recall these experiences with excitement. They relish the chance to raise money for charities such as the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). Participating in these events helps develop personal skills, such as communication skills, self-esteem and confidence. Leaders have high expectations for behaviour. Pupils say that behaviour is much better than it used to be and that disruption in lessons is rare. We agree. Pupils behave well in lessons and are keen to take part in activities. The school is well led and managed. The trust has made sure that the right people are in the right positions to make the necessary improvements. Trust members and the local advisory body (LAB) check what leaders are doing. They know there is still more work to do before the school is the very best it can be. Staff are proud to work at the school. They feel leaders consider their well-being and workload. Staff value the training and support leaders provide, including working to develop their own subject knowledge with those who have experience of improving the curriculum. Those who are new to teaching are supported so that they continue to develop their skills.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Pupils’ safety is given the utmost importance by all the adults at this school. All staff attend regular training. Staff are knowledgeable about the community they serve. This helps them to be aware of any potential risks. Staff know and use the procedures in place for reporting and recording concerns about pupils. These are acted on in a timely way. Leaders work with other agencies where necessary, ensuring that pupils receive the support they need. Pupils know that they should speak to a trusted adult if they are worried or upset.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The teaching and curriculum for English are not supporting pupils’ reading and writing well enough. Senior leaders need to ensure that the chosen approach to reading and writing is implemented consistently in all classes across the school, so that standards improve.
• The trust are currently working on building up the numbers and profile of the LAB. The LAB must assure themselves that leadership systems are suitably robust to bring about further improvement, and that the school self-evaluation and improvement plans are suitably precise to ensure that the school offers a good quality of education.

How can I feed back my views?

You can use Ofsted Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school, or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection. The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted.

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route.

School details

Unique reference number 137238 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10110341 Type of school Primary School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 3 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 481 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair of trust Dave Stent

Principal

Kerry Graham (Acting principal) Eileen Anderson (Interim principal) Lyndon Evans (Interim principal) Website www.hammondacademy.org.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Hammond Academy converted to become an academy in August 2011. This is the first inspection since it opened. When its predecessor school was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall.
• The school is one of six primary schools in Aspire Academies Trust.
• The school has two-form entry from Reception to Year 3, and three-form entry in Years 4 to 6. There is also a morning Nursery.
• The school serves an area that experiences socio-economic deprivation.
• The acting principal is on maternity leave. Two interim principals presently share the role.

Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

• This inspection was initially scheduled as a two-day exempt inspection carried out by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and an Ofsted Inspector, following concerns about the school’s performance. The inspection converted to a section 5 inspection. On the second day of the inspection, there was an HMI and three Ofsted Inspectors.
• We did deep dives in these subjects: reading, writing, mathematics and PSHE. We also considered PE and science on day two of the inspection. We visited lessons, viewed samples of pupils’ work, talked to pupils about their learning and spoke to staff.
• We observed pupils’ behaviour and spoke to pupils to gather their views about the school.
• We spoke to a number of staff across the school about the provision.
• We spoke with parents at the beginning of the school day and at the end of the school day, and analysed the 62 responses from parents to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View. We explored the school’s website to evaluate the quality of information provided to parents.
• We examined a range of documentation including the school self-evaluation, the school development plan, curriculum plans and information concerning pupils’ attendance and behaviour.
• The inspection of safeguarding included scrutinising documentation and discussions with leaders, staff, pupils and the LAB.

Inspection team

Stefanie Lipinski-Barltrop, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Katherine Douglas Ofsted Inspector Angela Savill Ofsted Inspector John Constable Ofsted Inspector