Harold Wood Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that:
  • a well-considered progression of skills and knowledge acquisition in each subject enhances pupils’ strong progress and depth of learning across the curriculum
  • all leaders’ monitoring is focused on checking the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning.
• Improve the quality of teaching by ensuring that:
  • assessment is used effectively to make sure that teaching builds on what pupils can already do
  • tasks and activities do not limit most-able pupils’ learning.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders have addressed the areas for improvement from the previous inspection with rigour and deep determination. The headteacher, through her calm and purposeful approach, has overseen a significant improvement in provision, resulting in a steady increase in outcomes and, in particular, in pupils’ personal development and welfare. Leaders are reflective and demonstrate integrity.
• Leaders have maintained the confidence of parents and carers. Parents’ comments, both those made directly to inspectors and those recorded on Parent View, exemplify their high levels of satisfaction with the school’s work.
• Staff morale is very high. All staff who responded to the online questionnaire were proud to be members of staff at the school. All respondents to the survey, and all staff spoken with during the inspection, value leaders’ support and guidance.
• Middle leaders are ambitious and adopt a systematic approach to their leadership. Their profile has been raised, particularly that of year-group leaders. They now hold teachers to account more robustly through ‘challenge meetings’ which promote an on-going dialogue about how well pupils are doing. They monitor provision closely, ensuring that pupils in each class experience a consistently delivered curriculum.
• Leaders have taken steps to increase the extent to which they check the quality of the school’s work, including the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. However, this focuses too much on what teachers do rather than on the impact that teaching has on pupils’ outcomes.
• Leaders track disadvantaged pupils’ progress closely. They are keenly aware of any gaps between their performance and that of other pupils. Respected research is used to inform decisions about how best to spend pupil premium funding. Leaders’ thoughtful and well-planned provision results in disadvantaged pupils making strong progress during their time at the school.
• The physical education and sport premium is spent effectively. The employment of a sports coach has provided effective training for teachers. The range of sports in which pupils participate has been broadened. As a result, the uptake of extended school provision has increased significantly.
• The needs of pupils with SEND are identified early. Effective tracking of pupils’ progress and individuals’ needs ensures that support is well targeted and that teaching is accessible to all pupils.
• Pupils enjoy a broad curriculum. A more robust plan for the progressive teaching of skills and knowledge exists for mathematics and English than for other subjects. Consequently, pupils’ learning is less thorough in subjects other than English and mathematics. A wide range of extra-curricular opportunities, including choir, tag rugby and mindfulness clubs, enhance pupils’ experience of school.
• Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. In particular, leaders have increased the number of opportunities for pupils to develop their cultural awareness. Pupils celebrate the fact that ‘we are all different’. A display in the school’s dining hall highlights the wide variety of pupils’ backgrounds. It plots pupils’ countries of origin on a world map and includes contextual information in pupils’ home languages alongside its English translation. It also shows pupils dressed in traditional costume. As a result of the high profile given to this work, pupils have a well-developed understanding of issues relating to cultural diversity and equality.
• Local authority reviews of different aspects of the school’s work following the previous inspection gave leaders clarity about the areas needing improvement. The local authority has kept a close eye on the school’s development since the last inspection, supporting where required and challenging through regular ‘progress review meetings’. The local authority has balanced its support and challenge well, ensuring that leaders have retained responsibility for the actions taken and their impact.

Governance of the school

• Governors have a detailed knowledge of the school’s work. They skilfully balance their support and challenge for school leaders, being aware of the distinction between their strategic role and leaders’ responsibility for the day-to-day running of the school.
• Governors are aware of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They track the school’s progress through regular committee meetings which tackle pertinent issues in depth. For example, a discrete sub-committee oversees the spending of pupil premium funding and its impact on pupils’ outcomes.
• Governors understand and carry out their statutory duties regarding safeguarding.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have established a culture which promotes vigilance, prompt responses to concerns raised and a thorough approach to monitoring previously reported cases. The school’s ‘safeguarding team’ comprises senior leaders, including the inclusion leader and the home-school liaison worker. Together they monitor any concerns about pupils who are considered to be vulnerable.
• Leaders are aware of the prevailing issues locally, including knife crime and gangs, working with other agencies to mitigate the risks to pupils.
• Online safety has a high priority, with pupils and staff receiving regular training. A recent workshop for parents provided advice about how best to support their children to use the internet and a range of social media safely beyond school.
• Staff are clear about the procedures for reporting their concerns. Leaders have refined the system for maintaining safeguarding records. Record-keeping is thorough and detailed, providing ready access to associated documentation and communications. It shows that prompt action follows any reported concern and that leaders follow up any contacts made with other agencies.
• Safeguarding leaders ensure that they update their training regularly. They each undertake training on different topics so that their combined body of knowledge provides a broad coverage of safeguarding issues. This ensures that they are aware of changes to local procedures and national legislation.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The approach to the teaching of phonics, reading, writing and mathematics is systematic. Teachers have a common understanding of what is expected of pupils in their year group due to the clear leadership of year-group leaders.
• Reading has a high profile. Leaders have invested in high-quality books to ensure that texts are relevant, interesting and suitably challenging. Leaders demonstrate a clear commitment to ensuring that there are sufficient well-trained staff to promote pupils’ reading effectively. Where pupils receive support to catch up with their reading, the majority do so quickly.
• Where teaching is most effective, teachers judge exceptionally well when to intervene in pupils’ learning and when to leave pupils to grapple with challenges. This helps to maximise pupils’ progress and supports them to gain a secure understanding of concepts and knowledge.
• Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong, particularly in English and mathematics. They use appropriate terminology when explaining concepts and skills and expect pupils to do the same.
• Provision for pupils with SEND is good. Parents speak highly of the lengths staff go to in ensuring that pupils’ needs are met. This includes providing highly effective support for individual pupils in the classroom, as well as therapeutic programmes to help pupils with more complex needs.
• Adult deployment to support pupils who speak English as an additional language is highly effective. Pupils are taught to read and write relevant and appropriate vocabulary so that they can access the curriculum alongside their peers. Staff make the most of opportunities to engage in discussion with these pupils, providing effective opportunities for them to practise their speaking and listening skills.
• Teachers’ modelling of the concepts being taught ensures that children are clear about the intended learning. This contributes to the strong progress they make. Teachers are quick to pick up pupils’ misconceptions and, as a result, provide appropriate support.
• Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ handwriting. It is taught discretely from Reception Year, with pupils using cursive script from Year 1.
• Assessment information is not used as effectively as it could be to enable pupils to build on their prior learning. Pupils’ responses and opportunities to apply skills learned previously are sometimes limited by the activities set. While providing appropriate support for pupils benefiting from a highly structured approach, the format of some activities restricts most-able pupils’ opportunities to develop their independence and creativity.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils feel safe as a result of the numerous procedures leaders have established. They understand the role of adults supervising the gates at the beginning and end of the school day and appreciate the availability of ‘worry boxes’ in classrooms despite explaining that there is rarely a need to use them. Pupils who completed the online survey, and those spoken to during the inspection, felt safe and were confident in approaching an adult to seek support when necessary.
• Pupils are proud of their school and are happy there. Several parents referred to the friendly nature of the school and teachers’ effective work to promote pupils’ confidence, resilience and independence.
• Pupils undertake a variety of leadership roles, including those of peer mentor, school council member and lunchtime helper. As a result of the training they have received, peer mentors adopt the same successful approach to supporting pupils’ excellent behaviour and positive attitudes as do staff.
• Pupils have a good understanding of the topic of mental health. It is promoted strongly throughout the school with a range of provision to support pupils’ emotional well-being.
• The school’s vision, ‘REACH’ (respect, equality, achievement, curiosity and happiness), has been central to the drive for improvement since the previous inspection. Pupils understand what it means to be tolerant of others’ views and beliefs. They demonstrate respect in their interactions with each other and with adults. Older pupils are very thoughtful, reflective and perceptive, for example explaining that what is on the inside is more important than someone’s appearance.
• Pupils’ admission to the school is well planned and managed, both for pupils who start school at the beginning of the Reception Year and for those who join the school at other times. Parents comment on the ease with which their children join, and are accepted by, the school community. Older pupils explained that they ‘go out of their way’ to welcome new friends. Pupils embody the school’s values and uphold them enthusiastically.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils move around the school in a calm and orderly manner. They walk between lessons and the playground, and to and from assemblies, without any fuss. As a result, there is no loss of learning time and a good-natured atmosphere exists throughout the building.
• The number of behavioural incidents has reduced significantly since the previous inspection as a result of the systematic approach taken to supporting pupils when they have minor disagreements. Staff are consistent in their approach, enabling pupils to reflect on their behaviour and the impact their feelings have on their actions. As a result, pupils demonstrate resilience, independence and high levels of emotional intelligence.
• No inappropriate behaviour or disruption to learning was seen during the inspection. Pupils routinely demonstrate respect and consideration for others.
• Where pupils have exhibited challenging behaviour in the past, carefully planned and delivered support has led to significant improvements. The number of exclusions has decreased, with pupils returning to school following exclusion without further incident.
• Leaders are thorough in their work to encourage high attendance. Pupils’ attendance is tracked in detail. A systematic approach allows leaders to analyse data thoroughly and to act promptly to address issues at the earliest opportunity. Procedures to ensure that pupils are safe on their first day of absence are detailed. Leaders liaise regularly with the local authority attendance improvement officer. They use a range of strategies to highlight and reward good attendance. Leaders and governors are not afraid to pursue the issuing of fixed-penalty notices where necessary.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• In 2018, a very high proportion of pupils reached the expected standard in the Year 1 national phonics screening check. Inspectors observed pupils applying their phonics knowledge confidently during the inspection to decode unknown words and to support their spelling when writing.
• In 2018, pupils’ attainment at the end of key stage 1 was above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. Similarly, the proportion of pupils exceeding expectations was higher than the national figure.
• Pupils’ progress between the ends of key stages 1 and 2 has been above average in reading, writing and mathematics for the past three years. In 2018, pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics combined was above the national average, with three quarters of pupils reaching or exceeding the expected standard. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education when they leave Harold Wood Primary School.
• Disadvantaged pupils achieve well. Gaps between their attainment and that of others narrow during their time at the school. Disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 completing key stage 2 in 2018 made stronger progress than other pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Pupils with SEND make good progress as a result of the tailored provision to support their needs. Leaders keep a close eye on pupils’ progress, checking that support has the intended impact on pupils’ outcomes.
• Pupils achieving well at the end of key stage 1 continue to do so as they progress through key stage 2. In 2018, the most able pupils made very strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Pupils currently on roll make strong progress across the curriculum. They enjoy their learning and recall their learning from previous years. For example, Year 6 pupils explained the range of activities they carried out during ‘enterprise week’, during which they successfully applied a range of skills they had gained from subjects across the curriculum.
• Although pupils make good progress in subjects other than English and mathematics, learning in these subjects is in less depth. Work has begun to ensure that content and skills are taught progressively in each subject so that prior learning supports new learning more effectively.

Early years provision Good

• The early years is well led and managed. The early years leader has a good understanding of how well children are doing in each area of learning. Regular staff training ensures that all staff adopt a consistent approach to supporting children’s learning.
• Early reading is promoted effectively. The thorough teaching of phonics lays a firm foundation for children’s subsequent learning. Children have the opportunity to trace and apply letters, and to practise sounds daily. They readily choose to do so when they initiate their own activity.
• Children are confident in speaking to adults and to each other. They are able to talk about what there are doing, using the language associated with their learning. They remain focused on their chosen activity or on the task set by adults. This is because teachers select appropriate tasks which challenge children. However, the support provided for some activities limits the development of children’s independence and creativity, restricting the extent to which they apply the skills and understanding they have gained previously.
• The proportion of children reaching a good level of development has been above average in recent years although dropped below it in 2018. Leaders have a good understanding of the reasons for this and children, nonetheless, made good progress from their starting points. Leaders’ own assessment information and inspection evidence indicate that a significant proportion of the current Reception cohort is on track to exceed expectations by the end of the academic year. Children are well prepared for Year 1, having gained the basic skills needed to access the national curriculum.
• Parents have very positive views about the progress their children make during Reception Year. They value the caring and nurturing approach which allows their children to make a smooth start to their school careers.
• The early years environment is well organised. Children make good use of the high-quality resources available inside and outside. For example, children select their own resources from the construction area, taking turns, sharing and experimenting with the equipment they have chosen.
• The environment is safe. Regular checks help leaders to identify any risks needing to be addressed. Children understand that they can contribute to keeping themselves safe, for example by not using the wooden boat in the outside area when the weather is wet.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 102269 Havering 10052831 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 Community 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 574 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Greg Brome Alison Dowding 01708 345473 www.haroldwoodprimaryschool.co.uk office@haroldwood.havering.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 6–7 July 2016

Information about this school

• The school is much larger than the averaged-sized primary school. The number of pupils on roll has increased since the previous inspection. There are three classes in each year group with the exception of Year 6, which has two. There will be three classes in each year group from September 2019.
• The proportions of disadvantaged pupils and pupils speaking English as an additional language are lower than the national averages.
• The proportion of pupils receiving support for their SEND is lower than average although the proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is above average.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors made short visits to lessons in each class, some jointly with senior leaders.
• Meetings were held with five governors, including the chair of the governing body, and with a representative of the local authority. Inspectors met with senior leaders, year-group leaders and leaders of subjects.
• Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including the school’s record of recruitment checks, records relating to child protection and safeguarding, school development planning and leaders’ own evaluation of the school’s performance.
• Inspectors heard pupils reading, both during lessons and as a discrete activity.
• Inspectors met with four groups of pupils and spoke with others informally during visits to classrooms and during lunchtime. They took account of the 196 responses to the pupil survey and of the 37 responses to the staff survey.
• Inspectors considered the 145 responses to Parent View, including 50 free-text comments. They also held discussions with parents on the playground at the beginning of the school day.

Inspection team

Jeremy Loukes, lead inspector Sarah Lack Lando Du Plooy Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector