Hutton Henry CofE (Controlled) Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Increase the effectiveness of leadership and governance by:
  • sharpening subject improvement plans to focus more precisely on raising the quality of teaching and learning across the curriculum
  • tightening the link between pupils’ outdoor learning experiences and national curriculum requirements even more explicitly
  • ensuring that behaviour incident logs are chronological, suitably well detailed and analysed regularly for patterns
  • building greater consistency in adults’ skills and knowledge of phonics and early reading development.
• Further develop the quality of teaching and learning by:
  • securing better consistency in the quality of pupils’ spelling and handwriting across subjects
  • matching reading and writing tasks more meticulously to pupils’ phonics needs in Reception and key stage 1
  • offering Reception children more challenge in their reading, writing and number tasks and learning.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders and governors work effectively together to secure a good quality of education for pupils in this small village school. They evaluate the overall performance of their actions accurately, and maintain high expectations of staff and pupils. Consequently, year-on-year, most pupils make strong progress across subjects.
• The headteacher’s distinctive curriculum goals aim to instil in pupils a sense of delight and curiosity about the world around them. Weekly ‘adventure physical education’ days allow pupils to tackle new, stimulating outdoor challenges. Pupils sample the culture, history and geography of Britain by investigating local historical sites, geographical features and museums. Consequently, they develop a deepening knowledge and understanding of physical environments, human endeavour and artefacts locally and further afield. Senior leaders are now striving to map and assess more precisely pupils’ learning and progress during these experiences to the national curriculum requirements.
• Senior leaders have successfully embedded a positive and inclusive ethos throughout the school. Employing the principles of Christianity, they combine their efforts effectively, ensuring that all feel welcome and included. As a result, this is a happy place to be. Pupils and staff alike demonstrate tolerance and respect for each other.
• Leaders and governors respect the views of staff and pupils. Staff are confident that leaders are mindful of their workload and well-being. They appreciate the professional development opportunities that leaders afford them. Pupils are buoyed by the difference that their opinions make; those who shared their views were immensely proud of the new climbing frame and Lego club that they had successfully negotiated.
• Senior leaders use the tiny pots of additional funding well to benefit disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Although there are very few pupils in each of these groups, leaders evaluate the impact of funding carefully, and ensure that resources are well deployed.
• The primary school physical education and sport funding is used effectively by leaders to enrich pupils’ experiences and to develop a passion for healthy living. Pupils have access to a very wide range of sporting activities and endeavours, from archery and curling to swimming and skiing. Pupils build skills of resilience, cooperation and physical confidence while developing an adventurous spirit.
• Subject leaders demonstrate appropriate subject-specific knowledge, skills and understanding. They talk with enthusiasm about their areas of responsibility and frequently share current thinking about their subjects with staff. Their planning for improvement, however, lacks the detail needed to bring about school-wide consistency and/or change. Plans and actions too often centre on resources, activities or events; there is not a sharp enough focus on enhancing the quality of teaching and learning.
• Leadership of the early years is developing well. Leaders have a solid understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision because they evaluate practices and children’s outcomes carefully. They recognise, for example, that over time provision and learning in reading, writing and mathematics are not sufficiently challenging for all Reception children. Leaders are also intent on further strengthening partnerships with local nurseries for the benefit of children and families.

Governance of the school

• Governors are fully invested in further developing the school’s performance. They visit the school frequently and speak with staff and pupils. They offer appropriate support for leaders and staff. Minutes from meetings and records from governors’ monitoring visits show that their challenge to leaders is increasingly skilful and well directed.
• Most governors are new since the previous inspection. They are keen to further improve the quality of their contributions. To this end, they regularly take part in the good-quality training and development opportunities offered by the diocese and the local authority. Such pledges testify to governors’ commitment and result in a progressively more effective exercising of their duties.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• All adults take their responsibilities for the safety and protection of pupils seriously. There are regular opportunities for staff to keep fully up to date with current thinking and advice on pressing matters such as extremism and county lines. Consequently, adults know the signs to look out for in order to protect and care for vulnerable pupils and families.
• Leaders and staff draw on outside expertise and work well with other agencies to make sure that pupils get the support that they need. Pupils and parents who spoke with the inspector all agree that pupils’ safety and well-being are given a high priority. As a result, pupils and families feel confident that staff will listen to even small concerns and act in their best interests to help where necessary.
• Leaders’ high expectations mean that incidents of poor or discriminatory behaviour and the use of inappropriate language are rare. Any such instances are recorded, and prompt, appropriate action is taken to support and challenge pupils. Nevertheless, leaders’ records are not always detailed or stored chronologically. This means that, occasionally, the precise actions of all parties involved and/or next steps are unclear. This hampers leaders’ ability to spot repetition or patterns in behaviour that could benefit and inform their behaviour management strategies and procedures.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Typically, the quality of teaching and learning across year groups and subjects is good. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to plan tasks and learning that successfully meet the needs and interests of most pupils. Over time, therefore, most pupils make good progress and are readied for the challenges of the next year group or key stage.
• Teachers and pupils have positive and productive relationships. Adults model their high expectations well and expect good behaviour from pupils. The constructive atmosphere evident in each class is conducive to learning. Pupils’ willingness to engage and their conscientious attitudes demonstrate this effectively. Low-level disruption is rare.
• The wide variety of ‘open homework’ tasks set by teachers challenge and enthuse pupils. Pupils work collaboratively and creatively together with their families to tackle each assignment. This consolidates pupils’ knowledge and understanding of subjects across the curriculum. Completed tasks are celebrated during regular parent events, instilling pride among pupils and promoting beneficial home and school partnerships.
• Adults’ skilful questioning and clear explanations ensure that pupils think carefully about their learning. Teachers address pupils’ misconceptions in a timely manner, making clever use of mistakes to steer pupils in the right direction. As a result, pupils are unafraid to voice their ideas and share their work even when they are not entirely confident that they have grasped the learning securely. It is absolutely okay at Hutton Henry to make errors and to learn from misunderstandings.
• Teachers use their knowledge of individuals well to offer appropriate support and challenge for pupils. In subjects across the curriculum, most tasks match pupils’ needs effectively, stretching and supporting pupils well as they build their expertise, knowledge and skills. In key stage 2, for example, pupils thoroughly enjoy the thrill of the daily mathematical challenges. They become absorbed and progress is tangible.
• In English, teachers have revised their approach to reading. More regular opportunities to share and read good-quality texts together have been built into practices. There are opportunities for pupils to read books online at home and in school. Not all adults, however, match texts and reading tasks with sufficient precision to pupils’ phonics knowledge. This is particularly evident in Reception and in key stage 1, where pupils at times tackle work and books that are either too easy or too hard.
• Occasionally, adults do not address inaccuracies in pupils’ spelling or challenge poor-quality handwriting with consistency. Some pupils, therefore, do not learn or adhere to spelling conventions or sustain the quality of their work across subjects. This hampers a small proportion of pupils’ progress in writing.
• Over time, most children in Reception make strong progress from their typical starting points due to good-quality teaching. They enjoy exploring the range of activities that are provided for them, indoors and outside. Adults are particularly effective in developing children’s self-confidence, communication skills and knowledge and understanding about the world around them. Nonetheless, some tasks do not challenge children as effectively as they might in the basic skills of reading, writing and number. Children, at times, practise things they already know and can do in these areas of learning.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are confident and articulate. They take great pride in executing class and school duties well. Pupils contribute effectively, for example, to ‘equalities’, ‘reporters’ and ‘international’ committees. Such responsibilities stand pupils in good stead for their future success as they learn to negotiate, debate and discuss matters of importance.
• Pupils are proud of their own and others’ contributions to effect change in school. They use ‘ask it’ baskets, ‘worry’ boxes and ‘big ideas’ suggestions to ensure that all pupils have a voice. Recently, pupils have been particularly pleased to have shaped the type of after-school clubs on offer. They are confident that adults listen to them and take their ideas seriously.
• Pupils’ spiritual, cultural, social and moral development is noticeably strong. There are close links with the local church and partners from the diocese. Senior leaders’ ‘vision and leadership’ documentation is based on Christian principles and values. This guides teachers to thread opportunities through the curriculum for pupils to explore moral dilemmas, faith, beliefs and life choices. Bible stories, for example, are used effectively in this regard, with right and wrong and good and bad among the topics debated. Pupils thoroughly enjoy regular collective worship to discuss such weighty issues.
• The very large majority of pupils who spoke with the inspector said they feel safe in school. Older pupils in key stage 2 can confidently discuss different forms of bullying. This knowledge helps them to protect and look after themselves and their friends. Some younger pupils, however, are less aware of the signs to look out for and found it tricky to distinguish between a ‘falling out’ and bullying.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils’ attendance is a testament to their enjoyment of school. Overall rates of attendance are above national averages year-on-year. Pupils arrive on time, which means lessons can start promptly. Over time, there are very few pupils who are hampered in their learning by regular absence or poor punctuality.
• Disruption to learning is uncommon. Pupils show respect to their peers and staff, listening politely to the views and opinions of others.
• Pupils are lively and curious. At times, they become very animated, getting noisy and overly excited. The very large majority, however, respond promptly to adult direction when reminders are needed, or instructions are issued. This means that, most often, pupils conduct themselves sensibly indoors and outside.
• Pupils develop an increasingly strengthening knowledge and understanding of Christianity and its core principles as they move through year groups. This supports them effectively to acquire fundamental British values, including skills of tolerance and respect. Although evident to a degree in practice, wider ideals such as individual liberty, the rule of law and democracy are less overtly promoted.
• Leaders diligently document incidents of poor behaviour. Staff communicate with parents in several ways, for example by using written ‘sad notes’ to explain any issues that arise. Such systems and partnership ensure that parents and staff work together for the benefit of pupils. Nevertheless, leaders’ records lack a clear chronology and the detail needed to identify recurring issues or specific patterns effectively.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Currently, pupils across key stages are making good progress in mathematics, English and other subjects, such as science. Over time, most pupils reach the standards expected for their age, and a growing proportion are achieving a greater depth in their learning. In a small school such as this, differences in the performance of a few pupils can have a significant effect on end-of-key stage outcomes.
• By the end of key stage 2, pupils make average progress in reading, writing and mathematics from typical starting points. There were fewer than five pupils in Year 6 in 2018. Over time, pupils’ attainment at the expected standard in each subject has remained broadly in line with national averages.
• In key stage 1, the proportion of pupils reaching and exceeding the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics year-on-year largely matches national averages. Current key stage 1 pupils are making good gains in their learning across subjects.
• All pupils at the end of key stage 1 and 2, over the last three years, have reached the standard expected for their age in science. Current pupils are making strong progress. They experience a suitably broad range of scientific topics and engage with increasing regularity in practical experiments, enquiry and investigations. Aspects of pupils’ writing in their topic and science books, however, vary in quality.
• Over time, most pupils make good progress in writing. They use subject-specific vocabulary and content with increasing skill and understanding year-on-year. As noted above, however, the accuracy and quality of pupils’ spelling and handwriting is not sustained consistently from subject to subject.
• In Year 1, the large majority of pupils over time reach the standard expected in the phonics screening check. Currently, most pupils in Year 1 are making good progress in this essential early reading skill. They use their knowledge of sound and letter associations well to decode vocabulary and to write words and sentences. Despite these strong outcomes in phonics year-on-year, not all adults have a secure grasp of the importance of phonics in reading development. Some pupils, particularly those in Reception and key stage 1, undertake tasks and read material that are not suitably well matched to their phonics needs. Consequently, the progress of a few pupils slows.
• By the end of Reception, most children, over time, are ready for the demands of Year 1. They make especially strong progress in communication, personal, social and emotional development. Children share, take turns and listen politely to others. They also build a secure age-appropriate understanding of the world around them and its prominent features. Several children during inspection were keenly aware of the signs of spring, depicting these with enthusiasm through drawings and writing on clipboards during their investigations. Nevertheless, some children tackle things they already know and can do in reading, writing and number work. Tasks and provision lack challenge in these areas.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 114232 Durham 10059209 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Voluntary controlled 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 70 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Paul DeBrett-Watson Susan Gibbins 01429836219 http://www.huttonhenry.durham.sch.uk p3183.admin@durhamlearning.net Date of previous inspection 25 March 2014

Information about this school

• This is a much smaller than average-sized primary school. Some cohorts over time have fewer than five pupils.
• The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are entitled to pupil premium funding support is slightly lower than the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is slightly lower than national averages.
• The school offers a breakfast club and a range of after-school clubs for pupils.

Information about this inspection

• Teaching and learning were observed across classes and key stages. On day one of the inspection, the inspector and the headteacher jointly observed teaching and learning.
• The inspector talked with parents face to face during the inspection. The views expressed by parents who responded to the school’s own questionnaires were considered.
• Meetings were held with pupils, a representative from the local authority, the headteacher, subject leaders and governors, including the chair of the governing body. A telephone call was held with a representative from the diocese.
• The inspector listened to several pupils read, scrutinised pupils’ work across a wide range of subjects and talked with pupils during lesson observations. The views of pupils were considered during informal and formal discussions.
• A wide range of the school’s documentation was examined, including the self-evaluation document, improvement and subject action plans and records of the checks made on teaching and learning. Information about safeguarding policies, practices and procedures was also studied.
• The opinions of staff were taken into account via formal and informal discussions.

Inspection team

Fiona Manuel, lead inspector

Her Majesty’s Inspector