Henderson Green Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve teaching and raise standards further, by:
  • raising expectations of what the most able pupils can achieve, including in early years
  • ensuring that the playground and school grounds provide pupils with a variety of rich opportunities and challenges to help them develop fully.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher has established stability following a lengthy period of turbulence, securing improvements in teaching, pupils’ behaviour and outcomes. The headteacher has high expectations. He models the behaviours he expects of others and has been instrumental in improving the school. Staff morale is high.
• Leaders evaluate school effectiveness accurately. They are clear about the strengths of the school and have identified areas of concern. Leaders take prompt action to address the areas they identify. For example, recommendations from a recent review of the way phonics is taught have already been implemented and are working well.
• The MAT provides appropriate support and challenge to leaders. The school works regularly with the MAT’s head of quality assurance and standards, who provides valuable support and challenge.
• Leaders have introduced clear systems, policies and procedures, which staff know and follow, so there is consistency of practice. Leaders have taken decisive action to address weaknesses in teaching in early years and key stage 1. They have established strong improvement, stability and a positive ethos.
• Leaders frequently review the design of the curriculum to ensure that it is tailored to meet pupils’ needs. All children have equal access to a broad and balanced curriculum. It equips them with the skills required to be independent and responsible citizens.
• Leaders’ views about the quality of teaching are accurate and contribute to effective improvement work. Leaders visit lessons regularly and look at pupils’ work. They use their findings to provide effective support, challenge and professional development.
• Disadvantaged pupils are supported through a range of strategies funded by the pupil premium. These include speech and language intervention, a breakfast club, curriculum enhancement, attendance support, a pastoral manager and a parent support adviser. Leaders’ evaluation of the impact of the spending is thorough. Disadvantaged pupils have a positive attitude to learning and their attendance is high.
• School leaders ensure that additional funding provided through the physical education (PE) and sport premium is used well. The school employs additional sports professionals and pupils take part in a range of competitions. Leaders evaluate that these activities make a difference to the health and well-being of the children. Pupils’ self-esteem increases.
• Leaders have created many opportunities for pupils to develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. This is done through assemblies, the celebration of festivals and opportunities to take part in sporting events. Pupils show tolerance and respect in their day-to-day work. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• The vast majority who responded to Parent View were extremely positive about the school and would recommend the school to others. One parent summarised the views of many in saying, ‘This school has come on in leaps and bounds – it is now a fantastic little school.’ Another said, ‘Staff are always approachable and so supportive.’
• The school works in partnership with the local authority. Arrangements are in place to have termly meetings to share information. The MAT is keen to work with the local authority going forward and to be as involved as possible in the Norwich Opportunity Area initiatives.

Governance of the school

• Trustees are clear about their roles and responsibilities. They have a good understanding of the school. Their wide range of appropriate professional skills are used well. Trustees know the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They visit the school regularly and challenge the headteacher by asking searching questions.
• The school’s budget is well managed. Trustees understand the importance of monitoring and evaluating the use of additional funding, such as the pupil premium. They check provision for eligible pupils carefully and ensure that the actions taken by the headteacher are having a positive impact.
• Trustees’ oversight of the school’s safeguarding is thorough. For example, regular auditing of the single central record is undertaken to ensure that all pupils are safe.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The single central record of checks on staff employed at the school meets all statutory requirements. Staff training in safeguarding and child protection is up to date. Staff have received training on how to recognise signs of radicalisation in young people and those vulnerable to criminal exploitation.
• Leaders take safeguarding extremely seriously. The parent support adviser has a detailed understanding of all vulnerable families and works proactively to provide timely and targeted support.
• Leaders liaise well with external agencies to secure pupils’ safety. Record keeping is meticulous. Leaders demonstrate a high level of knowledge about individual safeguarding cases and those pupils being closely checked.
• Pupils say that the school is safe and that there is always someone to talk to if they have any concerns. Parents agreed that staff keep pupils safe.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

• The school’s strong focus on improving the quality of teaching has ensured that it is

Good

now consistently good. This has come about because of effective training and support. Observations of learning, and scrutiny of pupils’ work and the school’s assessment information, show that teaching across the school is good.

• The classrooms are bright, and displays celebrate pupils’ work.
• Teachers have a secure understanding of the subjects they teach. They plan lessons that interest and inspire pupils. Pupils work collaboratively or on their own. They concentrate well during lessons and are keen learners.
• Teachers establish positive relationships with the pupils in their classes. They have established clear routines and expectations of behaviour. Pupils demonstrate good attitudes to learning and this helps them to make good progress. Questions are used effectively to check pupils’ previous learning and support new teaching points.
• Scrutiny of pupils’ books shows that the presentation of pupils’ work improves over time. Their handwriting is consistently legible. Pupils are taught how to write cursively. They are encouraged to write for specific purposes and develop their literacy skills across different subjects. Misconceptions in pupils’ spelling are promptly addressed.
• Phonics is taught daily and effectively. As a result, pupils can apply their phonics skills to the reading and writing of unfamiliar words. Reading is taught well. Adults listen to pupils read regularly. Pupils make good progress and enjoy reading.
• Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have the support they need to do well. Teaching assistants are used well to help these pupils and ensure that their progress is as good as that of their classmates. Teachers provide prompt intervention to give pupils helpful support and guidance.
• The school has developed effective systems to measure progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders are reviewing their assessment of foundation subjects, as leaders judge that it does not provide them with enough information about how well pupils are doing in these subject areas.
• The progress of the most able pupils is not as strong as it could be. Teachers and adults do not consistently pose questions that prompt these pupils to think more deeply.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. The relationships between staff and pupils are very positive. Pupils feel safe in school and say that adults help them with any worries or problems that they might have.
• All pupils have an equal opportunity to succeed. Discrimination is not tolerated. Pupils are encouraged to be honest, respectful, hard-working and ambitious. These values are reinforced in lessons that specifically develop pupils’ personal and social skills.
• School leaders have a good understanding of the local community and are aspirational for all pupils. Pupils listened attentively to an assembly with the theme ‘never give up’. They discussed with their peers what prevented them from achieving and the importance of making the right choices to succeed.
• Pupils can participate in a wide range of extra-curricular activities. These include archery, fencing, football, craft club, film club, computing and street dance. Pupils are enthusiastic about these clubs.
• Pupils participate in curriculum enrichment activities during the school day. These include drama, karate, music and wilderness survival skills. These activities provide a range of opportunities for pupils to take responsibility and to develop their social, emotional and physical development.
• The democratically elected student council takes pride in representing the views of its peers. It performed an active role in designing a new outside play area. The school supports local and national charities such as The Norfolk and Norwich Association for the Blind and Children in Need. The school achieved The Prince William Award for character and resilience in September 2018.
• Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay healthy by eating well and exercising regularly. They are taught how to keep themselves safe in different situations, such as how to stay safe when crossing the road and when using the internet. They also learn about the potential dangers posed by strangers and drugs and the consequences of knife crime.
• The playground and school grounds do not promote exciting spaces for pupils to play and develop their learning.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Well-established routines ensure that pupils respond promptly to adults’ instructions. Any poor behaviour is dealt with effectively by staff. Pupils develop a clear understanding about right and wrong. There is hardly any derogatory language used in the school.
• Procedures for monitoring attendance are robust. Attendance is in line with the national average. Previously high levels of persistent absence have reduced and are no longer an issue. Punctuality is good. Pupils want to come to school because they enjoy learning.
• There have been no exclusions this academic year. The school keeps records of incidents of poor behaviour. These have reduced significantly over the past year. Pupils understand that their behaviour brings consequences.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Current pupils are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics and this can be seen in their books. This is also the same for pupils with SEND and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Pupils currently in Year 1 are making good progress in their phonics and are on course to reach broadly average standards in this year’s phonics check. This is because phonics is taught systematically and well across the whole school. Pupils use the skills they learn in phonics to read unfamiliar words.
• School information from 2018 showed that progress in Year 2 was not as strong as in other year groups. Staffing changes have removed this inconsistency.
• In the assessments at the end of key stage 2 in 2018, pupils’ attainment in reading and mathematics were broadly in line with the national average and in writing were well above average. Currently, pupils in key stage 2 are making good progress to enable them to reach the expected standards by the end of the year.
• Inspectors looked at the work of pupils currently in the school. Pupils’ progress is monitored well. Gaps in pupils’ knowledge are considered carefully during teachers’ planning to ensure that they are plugged.
• Disadvantaged pupils, including the most able disadvantaged, make as much progress as their peers and occasionally even more. They are making good progress in English and mathematics.
• Pupils with SEND make good progress. This is because their specific needs are pinpointed early. The SEN coordinator carefully plans for these pupils, ensuring that provision is well matched to their personalised needs and that they are given appropriate support. A speech and language assistant supports pupils’ language development.
• Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Early years provision Good

• Leadership of early years is good. It ensures that each child’s needs are carefully considered so that they make good progress. The leader, ably supported by her team, has improved communication with parents significantly. Parents spoken to stated that they are happy with the school’s work with their children.
• Children enter the school with skills and abilities that are below those typical for their age, particularly in speech and language. Arrangements for assessing children on entry are thorough and effective. Because of this accurate assessment, leaders can provide children with appropriate play and learning activities.
• The early years leader uses her experience to monitor children’s progress regularly. Using an online system, parents can contribute to their child’s assessments. This, along with ‘stay and play’ sessions and parent meetings, has ensured that there is strong communication between parents and staff.
• The focus on early language skills is successfully helping children to develop their literacy knowledge and understanding effectively. They speak regularly, and all adults model talk well. The teaching of phonics is good. Children are quickly learning the sounds that they need to know in order to read.
• The good teaching ensures that children make good progress. Children learn through play that is purposeful. The inspector observed children counting jewels in the sand. In 2018, the proportion of children who achieved a good level of development was above the national average. They enter Year 1 well prepared for further learning.
• Children are well behaved and show an obvious enjoyment in their learning. For example, a group of children were totally absorbed in making jelly fish. They are supported by adults to do things for themselves. Children are polite, well mannered and listen carefully when the teacher is presenting to the class.
• Children’s personal development and welfare are always of the utmost importance to staff. They are well cared for and nurtured. Adults have a good understanding of how to keep children safe. They know how to assess when children might be at risk.
• Building work to the school is preventing full use of the large outdoor area. The school has drawn up plans to provide children with a suitable range of opportunities to explore and develop their imagination.
• While teachers use assessment information well, the most able children are sometimes not challenged as well as others.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 142634 Norfolk 10056474 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 Academy converter 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 152 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Mike Tait Adam Dabin 01603 628030 www.hendersongreenprimary.co.uk office@hendersongreenprimary.co.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Henderson Green Primary School became part of the Heart Education Trust in 2016 and was renamed Henderson Green Primary Academy. The trust’s executive board, which includes the executive headteacher, is responsible for holding the academy leadership team to account.
• The school is smaller than most primary schools.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is higher than the national average.
• Most pupils are of White British heritage, with a small number of pupils from different ethnic backgrounds.
• The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is above the national average.

Information about this inspection

• Discussions were held with trustees, staff and pupils.
• Inspectors observed teaching in all year groups, including early years, with senior leaders.
• Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including the school’s self-evaluation, plans for improvement, the school’s most recent information on the progress of the pupils, information relating to the safeguarding of pupils, behaviour logs, the school’s use of pupil premium funding, and information on attendance and the quality of teaching.
• Inspectors spoke with parents informally at the start and end of the school day.
• Inspectors talked to pupils formally and informally during the school day.
• Inspectors observed an assembly, and playtime and lunchtime activities.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read and looked at their work in all year groups and in different subjects.
• Inspectors considered the 12 responses made by parents to the Ofsted online Parent View questionnaire, as well as the accompanying eight free-text responses.
• Inspectors analysed 17 responses to the staff questionnaire.
• There were no responses to the pupil questionnaire.

Inspection team

Stefanie Lipinski-Barltrop, lead inspector Heather Hann Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector