Hook Lane Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

School leaders must:

• ensure that pupils are challenged to maintain high standards across all subjects when writing
• provide greater challenge for the most able pupils, particularly in reading and writing
• ensure that more is expected of pupils with education, health and care plans and statements of special educational needs, so that they are always challenged to do their best and learn well at every opportunity.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The new headteacher, ably supported by her senior leaders, has high aspirations for the school. Senior staff lead with determination and a sense of purpose. They are unwavering in their ambition for the school to become even better and as a result, the school is a good and improving school. The leadership team is supported well by the governing body and the local authority.
• The focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning continues to raise standards and improve pupils’ progress. Senior leaders check the quality of teaching and learning on a regular basis to ensure that teachers and support staff receive timely, good-quality feedback and training.
• The school’s systems for using assessment information to raise achievement have improved since the last inspection. Teachers ensure that information about what each pupil knows, can do and understand is shared with additional adults and passed on to the next teacher. This is enabling teachers to pitch the lessons more accurately and sustain good progress.
• Senior leaders have secured high-quality training for middle leaders so that they can regularly check the impact of their initiatives and provide timely support to teachers. Not all middle leaders are measuring the impact of initiatives on the progress of pupils.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is developed well through a broad and engaging curriculum. They enjoy learning about a wide range of topics and speak knowledgeably about other world religions. The school invites faith leaders to talk to pupils and, consequently, they are respectful of people of all faiths. French is taught weekly in key stage 2 and attractive displays prompt pupils to practise their vocabulary.
• The curriculum is reviewed regularly and designed to engage all groups of learners. Carefully chosen topics maintain a high level of pupil engagement, for example hurricanes, volcanoes and space. During the inspection, Year 6 went on a trip to Chislehurst Caves as part of their project on World War II and Year 1 visited a local supermarket. These opportunities made the learning more memorable for pupils.
• Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is successfully underpinned with a wide range of extra-curricular activities with equal access for all pupils. The school has used the physical education and sport premium funding well to provide pupils with opportunities to try different sports. In addition to this, the sports premium has also been used to increase subject expertise and provide young adult male role models in the school. This has had a positive impact and is motivating boys to read widely.
• The additional provision for pupils with autistic spectrum conditions is well organised and resourced. Each pupil has an effective plan to integrate mainstream classes. However, there are times when teachers do not expect enough from these pupils so that they can make the progress of which they are capable.
• Pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities are well supported and make good progress. The leader responsible ensures that partnerships with external agencies and parents are strong.
• Additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is used effectively to provide targeted work and guidance. As a result, these pupils attend school more regularly and make better progress than they did in the past.
• The majority of parents speak very positively about the school. They say that communication has improved since the arrival of the new headteacher but would like to see it improve still further. Reception parents receive regular information about topics covered in class and updates about their children’s progress. Parents would appreciate this type of information to be continued as their children move through the school.

Governance of the school

• Governors share leaders’ ambitions and high expectations. The new headteacher ensures that they are kept well informed and that they know the school’s strengths and weaknesses. As a result, they are equipped to challenge leaders about the progress of all groups of pupils. Governors use the information provided from external reviews productively.
• Governors visit the school regularly and engage with pupils in order to monitor attitudes to learning. They are particularly proud of the work that the school does around the inclusion of all pupils.
• Governors take responsibility for checking that initiatives funded by the pupil premium have a positive impact on the progress of disadvantaged pupils.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Staff at all levels are trained regularly in order to keep children safe and reduce the risk of radicalisation. As a result, staff promptly identify, and support, potentially vulnerable pupils.
• Procedures for checking the suitability of visitors and staff recruitment are secure. Leaders check the suitability of staff to work with pupils and keep careful records.
• Pupils say that they regularly learn about how to stay safe online. They say that they know who they can go to if they have any concerns. They believe that any issues are quickly rectified. All parents who responded to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View, and those interviewed, agree that their children are safe at this school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Staff at the school use a wide range of information to help them plan learning that builds on what pupils already know, can do and understand. As a result, those at risk of falling behind are given additional support quickly.
• Pupils say that they find the teacher’s feedback helpful and are able to say what they need to do to improve. Where pupils respond promptly to the teacher’s comments and advice, progress is better. In the lessons observed, teachers checked pupils’ understanding and corrected any misconceptions.
• In mathematics, number and calculation skills are taught well across the school. Teachers and additional adults insist that pupils use the appropriate mathematical subject language and this is helping pupils to reason mathematically. Pupils are being well prepared to solve more complex mathematical problems. In Year 6, the work is pitched effectively for the most able pupils to extend their mathematical understanding. This is not the same in all years, where some of the most able pupils are asked to complete simple tasks before reaching the extension activity. As a result a small minority of pupils become disengaged from their learning. Teachers use good-quality texts to inspire pupils to read and write. As a result, pupils develop comprehension skills well and increase their vocabulary. However, opportunities to challenge the more able pupils in reading are sometimes missed.
• Teachers plan a range of contexts for writing. However, the quality of writing across subjects other than English is too variable because teachers do not always remind pupils to apply their writing skills.
• Pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 enjoy reading and have a range of good-quality texts from which to choose. Pupils apply their knowledge of letter sounds to work out words they do not know and as a result are becoming fluent readers.
• Teachers use skilful questioning and this has a positive impact on learning. Additional adults are deployed well and the majority also use questioning skilfully and provide effective support to pupils who have additional needs, enabling them to participate more fully in lessons.
• In the additional provision for pupils with autistic spectrum disorders, staff and pupils have warm, productive relationships that build pupils’ confidence and receptiveness to learning. Staff know the pupils well and assessment information is used carefully to plan the learning in small, achievable steps. Teachers and additional adults consistently check the understanding of pupils, to deepen their learning. However, on occasions, pupils could be challenged further through more difficult tasks.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work in promoting pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are polite, welcoming, confident and respect the needs of others. They speak positively about their teachers and other adults in the school and how well they care for them. They are taught ways in which to resolve disagreements but know that there is always an adult who is there to help them.
• Pupils in the additional provision for children with autistic spectrum conditions feel safe and are fully integrated into mainstream school.
• Pupils say that they enjoy learning and are supported well. They say that bullying is very rare and when it does occur, it is dealt with promptly.
• Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. As a result, they listen to the opinions of others and know the difference between right and wrong. When talking about other world religions and cultures, they demonstrate the ability to reflect on traditions other than their own.
• The school teaches pupils to be good citizens with support from local community police officers. Pupils learn to eat healthily and the school’s weekly ‘fruit league’ increases their motivation.
• The vast majority of pupils are proud of their work and are eager to show the progress in their books. Most pupils present their work well.
• Pupils in the breakfast club help one another and are well prepared for the school day.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• All staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils say that the behaviour system works well and that they look forward to the award assembly each Friday. As a result, disruption to learning is rare and when it does occur is dealt with swiftly, this ensures that no teaching time is wasted. Pupils move around the school in a calm and orderly manner.
• The school’s own records of behaviour are analysed by staff and any trends noted are tackled as themes during assembly and the impact is monitored carefully. The parents’ survey is extremely positive about the way the school deals with behaviour.
• As a result of school leaders’ drive for improvement, attendance is just above the national average for primary schools. There are no groups whose attendance is causing concern.

Outcomes for pupils Good

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• The rate of progress that pupils make is improving because of good teaching.
• The results for the national key stage 2 tests in 2017 indicate that the reading, writing

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and mathematics combined attainment is in line with the national benchmark. This is an improvement on the previous year. At key stage 1, attainment in mathematics has

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improved on the previous year.

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• The majority of pupils with SEN and/or disabilities and those attending the specialist  The number of pupils with statement of special need or Educational Healthcare provision for pupils with autistic spectrum conditions, are making good progress. Plans is significantly above the national average because of its specialist provision
• The school is taking steps to ensure that boys make the required progress in reading for children with autism and other high needs pupils. The new progress measures, introduced in 2016 include children whose progress cannot be measured in the same way as all children nationally. A number of pupils did not take the tests who are included in the progress data.
• For current pupils, evidence in books and available assessment information, checked by and writing. As a result, boys are making progress that is improving. the local authority, indicate that progress overall is currently good. In topic books, work is of a good standard and there is evidence to show that pupils act upon teachers’ feedback and are improving their skills as a result. The work in pupils’ books shows that they are making good progress in maths. However, pupils make slower progress in writing than in reading and mathematics.
• Pupils make good progress towards the required standard in phonics. In 2016, the proportion of pupils meeting the required standard in phonics was in line with the national average. Overall, the actions of leaders in eradicating weak teaching and introducing more focused and effective assessment practices are improving outcomes across the school in a wide range of subjects, including English and mathematics.

Early years provision Good

• Leadership of the early years is good. Staff assess children on entry, using a wide variety of information, which helps them plan accurately for their next steps. There are strong links with parents and other local providers.
• The proportion of pupils achieving a good level of development at the end of the early years has improved over the last three years. The 2017 assessment information indicates that the proportion of children achieving a good level of development was above the 2016 national average. This demonstrates good progress from children’s starting points and ensures that pupils are well prepared for Year 1.
• Staff create a stimulating environment for both Nursery and Reception children, with a wide range of interesting activities to support learning both inside and outside. Classrooms are vocabulary rich and displays promote both reading and mathematics well. Staff establish a good balance between adult-led and child-initiated activities, encouraging children to take control of their own learning. However, the outdoor area is not tailored to meet the needs of all of the pupils that use it, in particular the most able. There are not enough activities that are challenging enough to stimulate problem-solving. As a consequence, some most-able pupils are not fully engaged.
• Relationships between children and adults, in both the Nursery and Reception classes are strong. As a result, children are happy and develop positive attitudes to learning. In one Reception class, children were very keen to talk about their learning while exploring a mixture of sand and seeds, enhancing their use of language.
• Nursery children learn to share and play using a variety of enjoyable activities and exciting resources. Additional adults use open-ended questioning effectively in order to improve pupils’ language. For example, a child was able to speak with real enthusiasm while digging for buried treasure.
• Children currently in Reception are making good progress because adults have high expectations. This is confirmed by the detailed information collected in the children’s ‘learning profiles’. Parents contribute regularly to the profiles and this helps to build a complete picture of each child’s development and supports their progress effectively.
• Phonics is taught effectively and systematically in the early years. This is beginning to have a positive impact on the development of writing and spelling.
• Staff carefully monitor children and know what to do if they have any concerns about a child’s safety. Staff receive good-quality training in all aspects of keeping children safe, including child protection and paediatric first aid.
• Parents report that they really value the information that they receive from the early years team. They feel that they can help their children more effectively because they know what is being taught each week. They appreciate the ways in which the staff make themselves available to talk about their children.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 101409 Bexley 10041053 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 436 Appropriate authority Bexley Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Anthony Staddon Natalie Cummings 0208 303 3839 www.hooklaneprimary.co.uk/ head@hooklane.bexley.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 13–14 September 2012

Information about this school

• Hook Lane Primary School meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.
• A new headteacher took up her post in September 2017.
• Hook Lane Primary is a larger-than-average primary school with a Nursery attached. There is a breakfast club and an after-school club.
• The proportion of pupils who have statements of special educational needs or education, health and care plans is significantly above the national average. The proportion of pupils deemed by the school to have SEN and/or disabilities is below the national average.
• The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage. A range of other ethnic groups are represented but numbers are small. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below that found nationally.
• The school has specialist provision for pupils with autistic spectrum conditions.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in all classes across the school and visited the school’s breakfast club. Most lessons were jointly observed with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher. Inspectors listened to pupils read and talked to them about their reading experiences.
• Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, other senior leaders, middle leaders and members of the governing body, including the chair and the vice-chair of governors. The lead inspector spoke with two local authority representatives by telephone.
• Inspectors reviewed the school’s documentation, including that related to safeguarding, achievement, attendance and behaviour.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour and conduct at break and lunchtimes.
• A sample of pupils’ work from all year groups and a range of subjects was scrutinised both during lesson observations and separately.
• Inspectors took into account the 36 responses to a survey of staff, the 63 responses from a survey of pupils’ views and the 49 responses from parents to Ofsted’s questionnaire, Parent View. Inspectors also spoke with parents and carers at the start and end of the school day to seek their opinions of the school’s work and care for their children.
• Throughout the two days of the inspection, inspectors spoke with pupils, both formally and informally, about their learning, safety and well-being.

Inspection team

Anna Bosher, lead inspector Teresa Davies Susan Conway

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector