Haselworth Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that all pupils achieve as well as they should by: - setting high expectations and providing a high enough level of challenge in all lessons, particularly for the most able pupils - making sure that the majority of pupils learn to spell, punctuate correctly before moving into Year 3 and that their handwriting is neat and clear.
• Show precisely what pupils are intended to learn in subjects other than English and mathematics, so that leaders know how well pupils develop their skills and knowledge as they move through the school.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders are highly ambitious. They provide a clear direction so that all staff understand what they need to do to achieve the school’s agreed aims and vision. Underpinning the work of the school is that ‘The Haselworth Way will shine through everything we do’. This sets out clearly leaders’ expectations for staff and for pupils.
• School leaders and governors have an accurate view of what the school does well and where further improvements may be made. They seek guidance and support from external advisers to help them to validate their judgements. The school’s plans for improvement focus specifically on the most important actions for development.
• Leaders who are new to their roles, and to the school, have settled very quickly owing to the good quality of support that they receive from senior leaders. They have also worked with subject advisers from the local authority to help them to gain a clear oversight of what they need to do to develop their area of expertise within the school.
• The school is small and staff know each other very well. They are committed to doing the very best for all pupils. School leaders are outward looking. They have built close working relationships with local schools and this allows them to keep abreast of initiatives and to share best practice. Leaders and teachers also visit schools further afield to look for better ways of doing what they already do well. Staff work together strongly as a team and so morale is high.
• School leaders frequently visit classrooms formally as well as informally. They provide concise feedback to staff so that the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is continually improving. There is a strong programme of training and development that complements lesson visits. All staff, regardless of role, welcome the opportunities that they have to develop their skills to help them to become the best that they can be.
• Leaders know their pupils very well. As a result, they ensure that all children achieve well. They keep careful checks on the progress made by disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEND to make sure that they are doing as well as they should. The inclusion leader is currently reviewing the way in which individual learning plans can be further improved. She has noticed that current plans do not show pupils’ starting points and so it is difficult to measure precisely the progress that they make.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced and enhanced by a variety of additional activities that add to pupils’ enjoyment of school. However, there is insufficient evidence to show what exactly pupils are learning in subjects other than English and mathematics. This means that it is difficult to see how well pupils build their skills and knowledge in other subjects as they move through the school.
• Pupils understand and can articulate the school’s values, including kindness, honesty, respect and responsibility and they know how these affect their learning and their behaviour. Consequently, they gain a good understanding of British values and are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Leaders make effective use of the primary sports funding. Some of the funding has been used to employ sports coaches to work alongside teachers to help them to develop their skills. Part of the funding is also used to fund the teaching of swimming and to take part in local sporting activities.
• Parents are highly positive about the school. They like the small ‘family feel’ and agree that their children are happy and safe. This was summed up by one of the many comments made by parents, ‘The staff work really hard to make the school a nurturing and supportive environment, not just academically but also for children’s well-being.’

Governance of the school

• Governance is effective. Governors are very proud of their school and the part that they play in providing support and professional challenge to leaders. They visit school regularly and are highly visible among the school community. Governors have ensured that the school is at the heart of the community and this is reflected in the rising pupil numbers. Governors say, ‘It’s more than just a school – it’s a family.’
• Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and where further improvements are required. They receive comprehensive information from senior leaders that they use to probe and challenge school leaders to hold them to account. They monitor the impact of actions taken by leaders so that they know how well the school is performing.
• Governors have a range of professional skills and expertise. This helps them to ensure that the school complies with all statutory duties and that required policies are up to date and reviewed in a timely way. Governors make sure that safeguarding arrangements are effective and regularly checked.
• Governors keep a careful check on the school’s finances to ensure that money is spent wisely. They ensure that additional funding, including the pupil premium, is used effectively.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school has a number of pupils whose circumstances may make them more vulnerable. The safeguarding leader keeps a close check on these pupils, liaising with external agencies, to ensure that these pupils receive the support that they need.
• Within the school, safeguarding is given high priority and is a standard item on both governors meeting and staff meetings. All staff have been trained so that they know exactly what to do should they have concerns that a child may be at risk from harm. Safeguarding procedures are robust and regularly reviewed. The school maintains thorough records showing a clear chronology for all actions taken. The headteacher diligently follows up concerns so that no child slips through the net.
• Parents, staff and governors all agree that children are safe and well-looked after in school. Visitors to school are carefully checked and they are provided with helpful information, so, should a concern arise, they would be well informed of action to be taken.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Staff have established good working relationships with pupils and consequently pupils have very positive attitudes towards school and learning. Teachers encourage pupils to think about what they are learning through the application of skills learned through ‘philosophy for children’. In class, pupils are provided with plenty of opportunities to share their ideas, listen to each other and ask questions of their own.
• Teachers have good subject knowledge that they use well to help pupils to understand what they are learning. For example, in a Year 4 mathematics lesson, the teacher skilfully asked questions that explored pupils’ understanding of equivalent fractions. By asking pupils to reason and explain their answers, pupils were helped to deepen their understanding of fractions.
• In most lessons, teachers provide effective feedback to pupils and this helps them to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding. Teachers follow the school’s marking and feedback policy so that pupils learn from their mistakes. There are some good examples of teachers providing practical resources that help pupils to make sense of what they are learning.
• Some teachers are particularly skilled in using imaginative ways to capture pupils’ attention. For example, in a Year 1 English lesson, pupils were provided with wigs of various hairstyles in preparation for writing. This helped them to visualise different types of hairstyles. This generated some lively discussion and supported the development of their vocabulary.
• Leaders have introduced a new approach to teaching mathematics and this has enabled pupils to develop a thorough understanding of number and its applications. Pupils across the school are required to explain their answers, giving mathematical reasons and this has increased their confidence and enjoyment of the subject.
• Teachers know their pupils well and provide activities that mostly meet their needs. Pupils who have SEND are given good support from highly-skilled teaching assistants and this helps them to progress at similar rates to their peers.
• While most teachers have high expectations for pupils, they do not all set a high enough level of challenge, particularly for the most able pupils. Work in pupils’ books is not always presented as well as it should be. This can lead to errors in spelling and in calculations as well as spoiling the overall quality of their work.

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 welcomed into a bright and attractive learning environment where they feel safe and secure. Through their understanding of the school’s values, they learn the skills that will prepare them well to become responsible citizens of the future.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted effectively through the curriculum as well as through school assemblies. During the assembly that took place during the inspection, pupils were spellbound as they learned a spiritual song based on African culture from the past. Pupils sang beautifully and with emotion as they re-created the story through song.
• Pupils are taught life skills, including those relating to their personal safety. Consequently, pupils know how to stay safe when using modern technology as well as from potential physical dangers, including road safety. Pupils are also taught about the implications of substance misuse. Many participate in the various after-school clubs and activities that help them to be fit and healthy
• Pupils say that staff provide high quality care for them. They say that adults take their concerns seriously and that they will always listen to them. They enjoy learning because teachers make lessons interesting. However, not all teachers set high enough expectations for how pupils should present their work. This results in work in some pupils’ books being untidy because pupils do not take enough pride in their work.
• The breakfast club is very well attended and provides pupils with a nutritious start to the school day. Apart from offering a variety of healthy food, there is also a wide range of games and activities for pupils to enjoy. This facility is funded through the pupil premium and has contributed to increased rates of attendance for disadvantaged pupils.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils behave well in classrooms, the playground and as they move around the school. Most teachers apply the school’s behaviour management policy and so pupils know, and understand, the expectations for them.
• Pupils’ conduct around the school is good. They move around in a calm and orderly manner, often holding doors open for each other as well as for adults. Pupils show respect towards other pupils and adults. They listen to each other carefully in lessons.
• Pupils said that behaviour was usually good and that most pupils got on very well together. They said that they were treated equally and that discrimination on any grounds was not allowed. Records relating to pupils’ poor behaviour showed few reported incidents. There have been no recent exclusions.
• Just occasionally, when work provided for pupils is too easy or they are unclear what is expected of them, pupils become distracted and start to chat among themselves. Not all teachers apply the school’s behaviour policy consistently and so a few pupils are not aware of what is expected of them.
• Pupils’ attendance has improved since the last inspection and is now broadly in line with the national average for primary schools.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• In 2018, pupils in Year 6 made progress that was broadly similar to that made by all pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. However, their attainment in these subjects was below average with few pupils reaching the higher standard. However, this group of pupils included a high number of pupils who have SEND as well as some pupils who had complex learning needs.
• At the end of Year 2 in 2018, pupils made good progress to reach standards that were above average in reading, writing and mathematics. Disadvantaged pupils attained similar levels to other pupils with similar starting points. The percentage of pupils reaching the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check was broadly in line with the national average.
• Pupils across the school enjoy reading. In Year 2, pupils have a range of skills, including phonics that they use very well to read unfamiliar texts. They say they like reading and talk about their favourite books and stories. By the time they reach Year 6, pupils read fluently and confidently both to find information and to read for pleasure.
• School leaders have improved the way in which mathematics is taught throughout the school. After researching different methods, they have selected a programme that allows pupils to use and apply their mathematical understanding when solving problems. Pupils have to explain their answers and give reasons as to why it is correct. This allows them to talk and share their ideas and so progress well.
• Assessment information and work in pupils’ books show that pupils currently in school make good progress overall but with some inconsistencies in rates of progress between subjects. Pupils’ rate of progress in writing is slower than that in reading and mathematics. This is because they do not learn basic skills, including handwriting, spelling and punctuation quickly enough when they start school.
• While the majority of pupils make good progress, those who are most able do not always receive a high enough level of challenge in class. As a result, they do not always reach the standards of which they are capable.
• Pupils who have SEND make good progress because they receive high-quality support from trained teaching assistants. Most teaching assistants work in close cooperation with teachers and so they know exactly what support to provide.

Early years provision Good

• Children get off to a good start in the Reception Class. They are warmly welcomed into a safe environment that is bright and colourful. Staff provide high-quality care and so children feel safe and secure. There is a strong nurturing atmosphere in which children thrive and flourish.
• Many children start school with skills that are lower than those typically expected for their age, particularly in language and literacy. They make good progress across all areas of learning so that they are well prepared for Year 1. The proportion of children that reached a good level of development in 2018 was in line with that found nationally.
• Staff know children and their families well. They observe children’s development and plan activities that build on what children already know and can do. One of the strengths of early years is that teachers accurately identify those children who have SEND. They intervene quickly to make sure that these children catch up with their classmates.
• Teachers use imaginative resources for children. For example, the teacher used the story of ‘The Naughty Bus’ to inspire children’s imagination in preparation for their activities. Children delightedly told me about all the naughty things that the bus had done in their classroom the previous evening. This inspired their imaginations and equipped them well for their writing task.
• Although teaching, learning and assessment are good overall, there are times when opportunities to extend children’s learning are missed and this slows the pace at which children, particularly the most able, learn.
• The Reception Class is spacious with a large outdoor area. However, some areas are rather untidy and tired looking. Some parts of the classrooms and outdoor area lack structure and purpose so do not facilitate high-quality learning as much as they should.
• Staff plan activities for children in both areas so that children can choose to stay indoors or work and play outside. There are some activities that are led by adults and others that children choose for themselves.
• Children are very well behaved when working and playing independently and when under the direct supervision of staff. They are happy and they get along very well together. They share and take turns and they listen carefully to what each other has to say. Their moral and social skills are promoted effectively.
• Safeguarding is effective and all welfare requirements are met. Staff are well trained and fully understand their responsibility to ensure that children are safe. Leadership of the early years has been strengthened by the involvement of the new English leader. She works in close cooperation with the early years teacher to ensure that children’s language and literacy skills develop rapidly.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 116165 Hampshire 10084357 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 5 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 138 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Chris Roast Emma Steele 023 9258 3657 www.hants.gov.uk/ mary.leask@haselworth.hants.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 4 February 2015

Information about this school

• The school is smaller than most primary schools and pupils are taught in mixed- age classes for some of the time.
• The large majority of pupils are of White British background. The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average for primary school.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below average.
• The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is above the national average for primary schools.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector, accompanied by the headteacher, observed pupils working in all year groups. She looked at work in pupils’ books and she listened to pupils from Year 2 and Year 6 reading.
• The inspector met with the headteacher, subject leaders and four governors. She held a telephone meeting with a representative from the local authority.
• Among the documents scrutinised were school development plans, minutes of governors’ meetings, and information about pupils. Records relating to pupils’ outcomes and their safety and welfare were also scrutinised.
• The inspector spoke informally to pupils during a lunchtime break. She also met formally with a group of pupils from key stage 2.
• The views of parents were taken into account by analysing the 27 responses to the online survey, Parent View as well as considering the 27 free-text written responses on . The views of staff were taken into account by analysing the 22 responses to the staff survey as well as during meetings with staff.

Inspection team

Joy Considine, lead inspector

Ofsted Inspector