Heasandford Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that pupils’ achievement in the early years and key stage 1 is reflected in their subsequent progress and attainment in key stage 2.
• Improve the quality of leadership and management by developing further the roles of subject leaders and year-group leaders to:
  • monitor the progress and attainment of all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged
  • provide teachers with effective support and guidance to ensure that teaching is of consistent high quality within and between year groups.
• Ensure that disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities in key stage 2 receive the academic support required to improve their progress and attainment further.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher and deputy headteacher have created an ambitious culture within the school, giving pupils the aspiration to achieve at a high level.
• Leaders work effectively with staff to address weaknesses in teaching. This is achieved through the provision of a broad range of training and through the sharing of good practice within the school. Leaders monitor teachers’ practice and give detailed guidance on ways to improve their performance. As a result, the quality of teaching has been strengthened.
• Senior leadership is effective. Leaders at this level have a clear understanding of pupils’ progress and have been successful in putting strategies in place to address historical weaknesses. However, subject leaders and year-group leaders are not yet fully effective in monitoring the progress of pupils within and between year groups. Additionally, leaders do not always fully address the few inconsistencies in teaching.
• The curriculum is well thought out and structured to ensure that pupils in all year groups receive a broad and balanced education. The curriculum ensures regular opportunities for pupils to develop their understanding through visits and occasions which the school calls ‘wow’ events. As part of a study of the Vikings, for example, pupils were able to ‘skype a Viking’ who was based at a museum in York. This engaged the pupils and enabled them to produce writing of a high standard.
• Pupils enjoy a wide selection of extra-curricular activities which further enhance their learning. A broad range of sporting activities takes place during and after school. Additionally, pupils are particularly proud of their choir, which recently performed at a local theatre.
• Leaders ensure that reading is a high priority. Funding has been used to purchase high-quality literature for all classes. Changes to the reading curriculum ensure that pupils receive a daily diet of high-quality texts that are appropriate to their age and ability. Leaders weave the development of vocabulary through the curriculum to improve further pupils’ speaking, listening and reading skills. Pupils have access to a library where a broad range of fiction and non-fiction books are available to take home.
• The physical education and sport premium funding is used effectively to ensure that pupils enjoy a wide range of high-quality sporting activities. Pupils are proud of their awards cabinet, which displays a broad range of trophies for sporting achievement. The early morning ‘wake-up, shake-up’ activity is very popular with pupils and encourages an active and enjoyable start to the school day. Leaders’ assessment shows that there has been a marked reduction in the number of pupils deemed to be inactive.
• Leaders are effective in ensuring that levels of attendance for all groups of pupils remain broadly in line with those nationally. When the attendance of individual pupils falls below this figure, members of the inclusion team take immediate action.
• Pupils have a clear awareness of British values and can explain how these are woven through their curriculum. Pupils elect school-council representatives and understand how this links to the process of democracy.
• Leaders use additional government funding for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities to provide additional support. As a result, such pupils currently in the school make good progress. However, Year 6 results in 2017 showed that their progress was slow compared to that of other pupils nationally. This is because, historically, leaders did not support these pupils adequately in key stage 2.
• Leaders use the pupil premium funding effectively to support the social and emotional needs of disadvantaged pupils. Leaders have identified that welfare needs such as these are the main barrier to disadvantaged pupils’ learning. Funding has been used to create an inclusion team to support disadvantaged pupils in this area. Additionally, pupils in key stage 1 receive specialist academic support. Consequently, the achievement of these pupils at this key stage is strong.
• Historically, the pupil premium funding has not provided the same level of additional support for disadvantaged pupils in key stage 2. As a result, their performance has not been as good as that of other pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders are addressing this issue and better progress is being made by disadvantaged pupils currently in this key stage.
• Leaders weave pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education through the curriculum. Training for staff ensures that they apply their teaching well in this area. Pupils are provided with a range of opportunities, for example to study different faiths and take part in a variety of religious celebrations. A Ramadan club, for example, allows pupils the opportunity to pray, to listen to religious songs and to prepare contributions to assemblies.
• Transition is a strength of the school’s provision. Effective systems are in place to ensure that pupils move from one stage of their education to the next with confidence and understanding.
• The majority of parents are positive about the quality of education provided. Most parents who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, noted that their children are taught well and that they make good progress.

Governance of the school

• Governors work in an effective manner with other leaders. Governors offer challenge and support in a range of ways. They check pupils’ attainment and progress, and work with leaders to improve pupils’ performance.
• The governing body works with the headteacher to ensure that targets set for teachers link directly to areas of pupils’ progress which require further improvement. In this way, they ensure that teachers are closely held to account for the impact of their teaching.
• Governors keep a close check on how effectively leaders allocate funding, such as the pupil premium grant for disadvantaged pupils. They are confident that leaders spend these funds wisely. This is because of the good outcomes in terms of personal development, attendance and behaviour for this group. However, governors know about the academic progress of disadvantaged pupils in key stage 2 and, therefore, challenge leaders about this.
• Governors are knowledgeable about keeping pupils safe. They have undertaken suitable training to ensure that they are aware of their statutory duties.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The single central record of checks on staff and visitors is up to date. Vetting checks on new members of staff are well organised and compliant with statutory requirements.
• Office staff check the identity of visitors on entry. Electronic locks control entry and exit points to the building.
• Staff receive regular training related to pupils’ safety. This enhances the safeguarding culture within the school. As a result, pupils feel safe.
• Almost all parents and carers who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, commented that their children feel safe at school and that staff take good care of them. This positive view of pupils’ safety was reinforced by all staff who responded to the Ofsted staff survey.
• Governors ensure that appropriate monitoring and filtering checks take place on the school’s information technology equipment. A nominated safeguarding governor makes sure that all statutory requirements are complied with.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The teaching of phonics is consistently good across classes and year groups. Teachers ensure that early reading skills are built upon in an effective manner. As a consequence, the number of pupils who reach the expected standard in the phonics screening check has increased and is in line with that seen nationally for all groups of pupils.
• Leaders provide pupils with a broad and balanced curriculum. They ensure that pupils enjoy a range of experiences which excite and engage them. Teachers weave opportunities to practise mathematics and English skills through other curriculum areas.
• Pupils enjoy their learning and feel challenged by the content. They understand the importance of a good education and note that their teachers want them to improve. One parent, reflecting the view of many spoken with during the inspection, noted: ‘The staff are amazing, my children talk about their teachers and how much they enjoy being taught by them.’
• Classrooms are bright and engaging. Pupils’ work and the curriculum information displayed on walls are used in an effective manner to support learning.
• Strong transition in the teaching of phonics between Year 2 and Year 3 ensures that pupils have the skills necessary to approach reading with understanding. In Year 5, pupils have the opportunity to engage in an engineering project with a local high school. Therefore, they are well prepared for the next phase in their school journey.
• Leaders are working hard to develop the teaching of mathematics throughout the school. They ensure that pupils have regular opportunities to broaden their understanding of mathematical concepts through problem-solving activities. Teachers provide pupils with a range of equipment to support further their learning. For example, in one Year 4 class, pupils were able to develop their understanding of time by the effective use of clocks and other associated equipment. However, teaching is not always consistent within year groups. This is most notable in key stage 2, where some teachers fail to provide appropriate levels of challenge for pupils.
• Most pupils spoken to during the inspection explained their love of reading. High-quality literature and the study of authors inspire pupils’ learning. However, a group of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities had less positive views on reading, noting that they did not enjoy reading. Such evidence indicates that the positive promotion of reading around the school requires further development. Leaders have established plans to develop further the school library and place it in a more central position for pupils.
• Teachers are effective in developing pupils’ writing skills. Progress is clear in pupils’ books, and they write imaginatively across a range of subjects. As a result, all groups of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, make good levels of progress in writing over time.
• The assessment leader uses assessment effectively to carefully track the progress and attainment of all pupils throughout the school. This information is used to inform leaders’ own evaluation of the school’s performance. However, subject leaders and year-group leaders do not currently use assessment information to offer support to class teachers.
• Leaders use additional funding well to provide additional opportunities to support pupils’ learning. In the school’s nurture room, for example, teachers and teaching assistants assess pupils’ needs and provide tailored programmes of learning. As a result, these pupils now make accelerated progress in many areas, including phonics, reading and writing.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• The pupils spoken with during the inspection were eager to talk about their learning and to share their work. They understand what makes a good learner and demonstrate high ambition for the future. Pupils talked of occupations such as zoology and pharmacy as professions that they aspire to. This is because leaders arrange career events where adults with a variety of occupations visit the school to inspire pupils in Year 6.
• Parents who spoke to inspectors, and those who responded to Parent View, were pleased with the school’s systems to support their children. Almost all parents noted that their children feel happy and safe while in the school. Similarly, all staff who responded to the survey were confident that adults in school deal effectively with bullying.
• Pupils value highly the pastoral support that they receive. They are confident, active and happy in school. This is because they have a clear understanding of the school’s rules and the expectations that are placed upon them. They understand how to stay safe and note that bullying is a rare event. When it happens, it is dealt with effectively by teachers.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils are polite and well mannered. They enter and leave school in an orderly manner and set a good example for others around them.
• Pupils’ behaviour as they move around school during the school day is good. They are polite and courteous, taking the time to address adults and other pupils with consideration. They regularly thanked inspectors for visiting their classes.
• Pupils spoken with during the inspection noted how behaviour has improved over time both in classrooms and around the school. This is due to the introduction of a new merit system. Pupils feel that the system is fair and gives appropriate rewards for good behaviour.
• Pupils greatly value the opportunities given to them to support the behaviour of younger pupils. For example, playground buddies help to arrange activities for active play outside and support others in learning games and playing safely. Pupils apply for this role and undertake training from other buddies. They are proud to gain their special red ‘playground buddy’ sweatshirt, which shows that they are allowed to undertake special ‘buddy duties’.
• A very large majority of pupils behave well in classrooms, although a small proportion are occasionally distracted and lose concentration. This happens when the teaching does not fully challenge them.
• Leaders work hard to ensure that pupils attend school regularly and are punctual. The inclusion team works closely with pupils, families and other leaders to ensure high levels of attendance. As a result, the attendance of all groups of pupils is broadly in line with that seen nationally.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Pupils make consistently strong progress in phonics over time. The proportion of pupils who meet the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check has improved since 2016 and is currently broadly in line with the national average.
• Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2. The school’s most recent published performance information in 2017 shows that the attainment of pupils in all three subjects was higher than the national average.
• In 2017, pupils at the end of key stage 2 did not achieve as well as they could. There had been a three-year decline in the progress of pupils in reading and mathematics up to 2017. Additionally, pupils’ attainment was below the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. This was due to historical weaknesses in teaching in this key stage. The headteacher and deputy headteacher, together with other leaders, are working effectively to ensure that there is increasing achievement throughout key stage 2. Although current pupils are catching up quickly, their progress is not as strong as it should be in some classes.
• The school’s current progress and attainment information for reading, writing and mathematics shows improvement in almost all classes in key stage 2. Leaders have, for example, provided staff with training on the teaching of mathematics. This has been effective and current progress rates in mathematics show that pupils are making rapid progress in almost all classes.
• Teachers ensure that pupils read regularly in school and that their choices are varied. Pupils make use of the school’s library to borrow a range of fiction and non-fiction books. The school timetable has been altered to ensure that further time is allocated to the teaching of reading skills. As a result, pupils in almost all classes make good progress in reading.
• The least able pupils receive focused support during lessons and via a range of additional support measures. As a result, the school’s most recent performance information shows that this group of pupils is making increased progress.
• The school’s published performance information in 2017 shows that disadvantaged pupils achieved well at the end of Year 2, with performance being broadly in line with that of other pupils nationally. However, by the end of Year 6, the progress of disadvantaged pupils in reading and mathematics declined over the previous three years and was below the national average for other pupils. In response, leaders are providing support to teachers in addressing the needs of this group. As a result, the school’s current performance information shows an increase in progress for disadvantaged pupils in reading, writing and mathematics in almost all year groups. Work in pupils’ books also shows that disadvantaged pupils currently in the school are making good progress.
• Pupils with English as an additional language make good progress throughout the school. The school’s most recent published performance information at the end of Year 6 shows that these pupils attain at a higher level than those for whom English is their first language. This strong progress is also clear to see in pupils’ books.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities do not consistently make good progress in key stage 2. This is because of a legacy of insufficient support. However, leaders’ current performance information shows that, where pupils have received focused additional support, progress is now stronger.

Early years provision Good

• Leadership of the early years is effective. Leaders are forward thinking and determined to bring about improvements.
• The majority of children enter the Reception classes with a level of skills, knowledge and understanding below that typical for their age in almost all areas of learning. From these starting points children make strong progress. This is because teaching is good.
• Additional funding, such as the pupil premium, is used well to provide support for children’s social and emotional needs, together with their academic requirements. The children are happy and approach their learning with confidence. As a result, they make strong levels of progress from their starting points. The school’s most recent published performance information shows that disadvantaged children achieve better than other children in many areas.
• Teachers and teaching assistants are skilled in ensuring that children work with increasing levels of independence. For example, during the inspection, children prepared their own breakfasts, placing cereal in bowls and opening cartons of milk to add to the cereal. This was undertaken in a safe and cooperative fashion. Such activities demonstrate that teachers and teaching assistants are skilled in knowing when to intervene and when to stand back.
• Children who have English as an additional language are well supported. Teachers celebrate their cultures and ensure that links with their families are strong. As a result, these children make good progress from their initial starting points.
• Children are provided with a broad range of activities both in school and via a range of visits. They enjoy a wealth of experiences both in the classroom and outdoors which challenge their thinking. However, only limited reading, writing and mathematical resources were evident in parts of the provision.
• Children’s behaviour is good. They work in a cooperative and supportive manner. Levels of engagement are high, and children particularly enjoy the opportunities for problem solving. For example, children were given a range of chutes to roll balls down. They estimated which chute would help to make the ball roll the fastest. Children received support with making predictions. They then considered whether these predictions would alter if they changed the height of the chute. This allowed the children to develop their reasoning skills in an exciting and logical manner.
• All staff in early years ensure that children’s working areas are safe and well secured. Teachers and teaching assistants receive a range of training to ensure that they follow appropriate safeguarding procedures. As a result, staff have the skills necessary to ensure the safety of the children.
• The partnership with parents is a strength of the provision. Leaders ensure that parents have many opportunities to join their children in the school and support their learning. For example, parents are invited into lessons once a week to observe teaching and develop their own skills in supporting their children at home.
• The proportion of children who achieve a good level of development at the end of Reception has increased over the last three years. Children’s performance is at least in line with that seen nationally for pupils and was above the national average in 2017 for disadvantaged pupils. Additionally, the proportion of children who achieve or exceed levels expected for their age in reading, writing and number has also increased over time. As a result, most children are well prepared for Year 1.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 119261 Lancashire 10045166 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 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 638 Appropriate authority Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Lancashire Iain Longstaff Jackie Hall 01282 422009 www.heasandford.co.uk bursar@heasandford.lancs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 1–2 April 2014

Information about this school

• This is an exceptionally large primary school. It is much larger than the average-sized school.
• The proportion of pupils receiving support for SEN and/or disabilities is below average.
• The proportion of pupils supported with an education, health and care plan or with a statement of SEN and/or disabilities is average.
• The school receives additional funding through the pupil premium funding for a higher-than-average proportion of pupils.
• The vast majority of pupils are from minority ethnic groups and speak English as an additional language.
• The school runs a breakfast club and offers a wide range of clubs during lunchtimes and after school.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• Since the previous inspection, a number of new staff have been appointed, including a new headteacher and deputy headteacher.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all year groups. Some teaching was observed jointly with the headteacher.
• Inspectors examined a range of documents, including information about pupils’ attendance, school improvement plans, the school’s own self-evaluation, safeguarding records, curriculum planning, information about managing teachers’ performance and staff training records.
• Inspectors spoke with parents at the start of the school day. They took account of 52 responses to Ofsted’s online survey (Parent View), 46 returns to the staff questionnaire and an email from a grandparent.
• An inspector met with a representative of the local authority who is the school’s improvement adviser.
• An inspector met with the chair of the governing body and two other governors.
• Inspectors talked with pupils informally at playtimes, visited the dining hall at lunchtime and observed pupils’ movement around the school.
• Inspectors looked at behaviour at the start and end of the school day and during breaks and lunchtimes.
• Inspectors undertook a detailed scrutiny of pupils’ work and talked with them about it. They listened to pupils read and talked to them about the books they enjoyed and those that they are currently reading.
• Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, the leader of the provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, and the inclusion manager.
• An inspector carried out a detailed scrutiny of current progress and attendance information for all groups of pupils.

Inspection team

Gill Pritchard, lead inspector Ian Young Suzanne Blay Mike Merva

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector