Haylands Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve pupils’ outcomes by:
  • accelerating the progress of the most able and most able disadvantaged pupils
  • ensuring that the standard of pupils’ writing in the foundation subjects matches that in English lessons.
• Improve the personal development, behaviour and welfare of pupils by raising the attendance of all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since the last inspection, the headteacher, supported by an increasingly stable and effective leadership team, has worked tirelessly to improve every aspect of the school. The improvements he has secured are well established and tangible. The school now provides a good standard of education for all its pupils.
• Leaders accurately evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They check school performance often, using this information to ensure that any weaknesses are identified quickly. Plans for improvement are clear, acted upon and evaluated well. Leaders’ pragmatic approach, combined with their determination to achieve the highest standards, means that the school is well placed to improve further.
• Leaders regularly check the quality of teaching. Staff work with the skilled lead practitioner to discuss, evaluate and improve their performance. Inadequate teaching has been eradicated completely. As a result, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is now good.
• Middle leaders’ expectations of teaching, pupils’ work and feedback are consistently high across all subject areas. Their work to track the progress of pupils in the foundation subjects has led to clear improvements in the quality of teaching. However, middle leaders do not yet have regular opportunities to observe and develop teachers in their subject areas.
• Additional funding for disadvantaged pupils has, largely, been used well. Leaders evaluate the impact of their work and adapt support for disadvantaged pupils if progress dips. Support given to these pupils closely matches their needs. Consequently, the difference between the progress of disadvantaged pupils and that of other pupils in the school is diminishing. Nevertheless, support and challenge for the most able disadvantaged pupils are not consistently effective in helping these pupils attain at a high standard.
• A high proportion of pupils in the school have SEN and/or disabilities, many with complex medical needs. Working with families and staff, leaders identify these and, where appropriate, use additional funding to provide the right support for pupils. As a result, pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make strong progress from their starting points. A small minority of parents of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities felt that the school had not communicated effectively with them. Leaders are aware of these concerns and are taking steps to address them.
• Leaders spend the sport premium funding judiciously to improve sport and exercise for pupils. A dedicated sports coach provides a range of high-quality extra-curricular clubs for pupils, including opportunities to compete with other schools on the Isle of Wight and across Hampshire. Additional training for teachers has improved the quality of physical education teaching. Pupils talked enthusiastically about the opportunities they have to take part in sport.
• The curriculum is broad, balanced and interesting. Pupils enjoy the wide range of subjects they study, particularly the arts. A wide range of themed days, trips and visits supplement the work they do in class. For example, pupils in Year 5 studied the ‘Mary Rose’ and visited the ship itself at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. These opportunities develop pupils’ enthusiasm for learning and provide rich experiences for them to discuss and consider. Nevertheless, the standard of writing in subjects such as history and geography does not yet match the high standards pupils achieve in English lessons.
• The local authority, rightly, recognises the strengths of the school and offers helpful support to school leaders. Local authority officers were instrumental in the recruitment of the current leadership team and governing body, and provide strong backing to both groups. More recently, local authority officers have trained middle leaders to evaluate and improve their subject areas more effectively.

Governance of the school

• Governors are ambitious for the school and its pupils. They check the progress of pupils carefully and ask the right questions to ensure that leaders’ actions are effective. Governors have a clear and accurate view of the school’s performance. As a result, governors are able to challenge leaders to improve the school further.
• Governors possess the appropriate skills and drive to secure further improvement. They regularly review their own skills and understanding and, wisely, use the extensive training provided by the local authority to plug any gaps in their understanding. Governors are well placed to respond to changes in the educational landscape.
• Governors reward the performance of the headteacher appropriately. Staff are set challenging targets by school leaders and are paid appropriately according to their performance.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Processes for checking staff, volunteers and governors are robust. The school completes statutory checks on adults diligently and keeps detailed records of these. New staff are inducted into the school effectively and do not start work until procedures for safeguarding pupils are understood. Governors make additional checks during their regular school visits to satisfy themselves that agreed procedures are followed.
• Staff know the families well and receive appropriate training to help them to keep pupils safe. Weekly briefings and electronic newsletters ensure that all staff have an understanding of current safeguarding issues, both nationally and in the local area. When gaps in understanding are identified, leaders are proactive in retraining staff. For example, recently, some staff requested further training to help them identify and report the signs of female genital mutilation. Leaders wasted no time and quickly organised comprehensive additional training. All members of staff are skilled, vigilant and well placed to identify and support pupils who may be at risk of harm.
• Effective collaboration with external agencies and liaison with families keep leaders well informed of any concerns about pupils. From Nursery to Year 6, all families have access to the family liaison officer, who acts as a useful link between school and home, supporting families in times of need and brokering additional help when required. An overwhelming majority of parents said that they feel their child is safe in school.
• Pupils learn how to stay safe. Recently, pupils enjoyed a performance by a local theatre company that demonstrated the potential pitfalls of sharing personal details online. Assemblies by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children encourage pupils to share with a trusted adult any concerns they may have.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Relationships between teachers and pupils are excellent. Teachers know their pupils well and consider carefully how to get the best out of them, providing innovative and exciting opportunities for pupils to learn. For example, during the inspection, pupils in Year 3 dressed up as Iron Age warriors, listened to talks from expert speakers and created their own shields. Pupils’ positive attitudes to school contribute significantly to their improving outcomes.
• Pupils listen carefully to instructions and settle to tasks quickly. Teachers monitor pupils closely during lessons and change pupils’ work if they find it too hard or too easy. Teachers use assessment information carefully to set work and offer support at just the right level for pupils. As a result, pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, make good progress.
• Teachers work with leaders to develop plans that meet the needs of pupils. Effective coaching and mentoring ensure that the quality of teaching is consistently strong across the school. Consequently, pupils make good progress in all year groups.
• Teachers read with pupils regularly and are skilled at teaching pupils to locate and analyse the information they read. The whole-school reading scheme encourages pupils to read for pleasure, both in school and at home. The vibrant library is well used and a source of great pride and enjoyment for pupils. Pupils throughout the school read well.
• Teachers’ subject knowledge in English is strong. Pupils practise writing in the style of established authors and learn the technical and grammatical features of a text. For example, in Year 2, pupils analysed the features of ‘Dinosaurs Love Underpants’ by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort and then wrote their own versions, mimicking the style and humour of the original text. Increasingly, pupils write at the expected standard for their age group. However, the most able disadvantaged pupils do not routinely attain at the highest standard.
• Teaching in mathematics is consistently strong throughout the school. Teachers use their substantial subject knowledge to develop pupils’ skills, ensuring that pupils are able to use the methods listed in the school calculation policy. Pupils use these methods to solve complex problems that offer them just the right level of challenge. Pupils across the school possess a wide range of useful mathematical skills.
• Teaching assistants provide particularly effective support to pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, using a range of methods to help pupils to access and understand their work. As a result, pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make strong progress.
• While a wide range of curriculum subjects are covered in depth, pupils do not routinely receive sufficient opportunities to write at a high standard in subjects other than English. Pupils do not consistently use writing to explain their thinking or demonstrate their understanding in subjects such as science and geography. Consequently, the quality of written work in these subjects does not reflect the high standards of which pupils are capable.

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 taught about, and encouraged to make, healthy lifestyle choices. For example, Year 1 pupils studied nutrition in science lessons, describing and discussing where food comes from and the nutritional value of different food groups. Many pupils attend extra-curricular sporting activities paid for by the school’s sport premium funding. Pupils understand that the choices they make regarding food and exercise will have long-term effects upon their physical and mental health.
• Pupils have a clear understanding of how to stay safe online and are able to express their understanding of this aspect with confidence. In computing lessons, pupils learn about the dangers posed by careless use of the internet and mobile devices.
• Pupils throughout the school are immensely proud of their school, particularly the excellent buildings and facilities. They keep shared areas neat and tidy and ensure that they use the rubbish bins to keep the site clear of litter.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Pupils reflect on their own lives and the lives of others. For example, pupils consider the beliefs of Hindus and Muslims and how religion affects the lives of others. As a result, pupils are respectful and tolerant towards those of different faiths and beliefs.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils across the school are welcoming and polite. They welcome visitors warmly, holding doors, greeting guests and describing enthusiastically what they are learning.
• Pupils show tenacity when completing their work in class. They use the feedback from adults well to improve their learning. When work is difficult, pupils try their best and know how to ask for help from friends and adults. As a result, pupils enjoy the challenge of difficult work and behave well in class.
• At breaktimes, pupils make good use of the games and equipment the school provides. They play with joy and enthusiasm. Disagreements are rare and, when they do occur, pupils know that adults are available to help.
• Leaders and governors monitor behaviour and bullying logs closely. Records show that, when incidents do occur, leaders address these effectively. Pupils, particularly those who have SEN and/or disabilities, receive useful support to play well and develop strong friendships. Incidents of poor behaviour and bullying have decreased markedly over the previous three years.
• While the attendance of all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, has improved recently, levels of absence remain higher than the national average. Leaders’ actions to tackle this issue are robust and well judged. Nevertheless, some parents do not share leaders’ high aspirations of excellent attendance for their children.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• In 2017, the proportion of Year 6 pupils attaining the expected standard in reading was in line with their peers nationally. Pupils’ attainment in writing and mathematics was slightly below the national average. Over the previous three years, the proportion of key stage 2 pupils attaining the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics has steadily increased. The proportion of pupils who attain a high standard in reading is now above the national average.
• The proportion of Year 6 pupils writing at greater depth was below the national average in 2017. Recent improvements to the teaching of grammar, punctuation and spelling have improved the quality of pupils’ writing. In addition to this, pupils are taught to focus in greater depth on the intended audience and purpose of their writing. As a result, pupils’ progress in writing has accelerated.
• Pupils undertake tasks in mathematics that require them to apply their understanding of calculation. They approach their tasks with skill and enthusiasm and are able to analyse problems, find solutions and explain their thinking. Pupils in all year groups make rapid and sustained progress in mathematics and are attaining well.
• Pupils make a great start to their reading. The development of phonics is a strength of the school and pupils enjoy the regular opportunities to read aloud and discuss the texts they are reading. Interventions are skilfully delivered and intensive, which ensures that pupils, particularly those who have SEN and/or disabilities, catch up with their peers quickly. A dedicated group of volunteers also listen to pupils read to supplement their reading with teachers. Pupils throughout the school, including those who have SEN and/or disabilities, read well, both for pleasure and as part of their work in class.
• Lower- and middle-attaining disadvantaged pupils are given helpful support to accelerate their progress. For example, additional opportunities are provided for disadvantaged pupils to practise their writing during school holidays. Consequently, differences between the rates of progress of disadvantaged pupils and others in the school are diminishing rapidly.
• The quality of support for the most able disadvantaged pupils does not match that received by the lower- and middle-attaining disadvantaged pupils. As a result, the proportion of disadvantaged pupils attaining a high standard in reading, writing and mathematics remains below the national average.
• Pupils do not consistently receive the opportunity to write about their ideas, arguments or evaluations in subjects such as science, religious education and the humanities. Pupils’ progress in these subjects is slower than in the core subject areas.

Early years provision Good

• Children in the early years join the school with levels of development below those typical for their age. By the time they start in Year 1, the proportion of children who achieve a good level of development is consistently above the national average. This represents strong progress from children’s starting points.
• The teaching of phonics is effective. Teachers model the links between letters and sounds well and encourage children to copy these. Children use their knowledge to read simple words and form short sentences when writing. Teachers guide children well and encourage them to enjoy books and stories for pleasure. As a result, children make a great start and are well prepared for the challenges of Year 1.
• Children in both the Nursery and Reception classes quickly settle in the school and form strong relationships with adults and peers. Adults plan their work carefully, tapping into children’s interests to ensure that they are excited and engaged in their activities. Children display resilience and enthusiasm in the early years.
• The inside and outdoor spaces are vibrant and interesting. Teachers ensure that there are opportunities to learn, explore and play throughout the spaces children occupy. Children move freely between the spaces and make the most of the exciting and interesting activities on offer.
• The care and safeguarding of children in the early years match the effective practice seen across the rest of the school. Staff in the early years work closely with teachers and the family liaison officer to ensure that the vital link between school and home is established before children start school. Children learn about risk, how to keep themselves safe and when to ask for help. When concerns do arise, staff work with leaders to get children the help they need.
• The early years leader has a clear and accurate understanding of the provision. She uses her knowledge of the children to plan sharply focused activities. Funding for disadvantaged children and those who have SEN and/or disabilities is used well to provide additional resources for children. Children at all levels, including those who are disadvantaged, make strong progress because they receive just the right level of challenge and support. Nevertheless, a lower-than-average proportion of pupils exceed a good level of development.
• Parents appreciate the strength of the provision and said that they feel that their children are safe, happy and learning. Parents reserved particular praise for the electronic systems used to record and share their children’s achievements.

School details

Unique reference number 118168 Local authority Isle of Wight Inspection number 10040923 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 5 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 393 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sarah Dugdale Headteacher John Bailey Telephone number 01983 563372 Website www.haylands.iow.sch.uk Email address head@haylands.iow.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 24–25 February 2016

Information about this school

• This school is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The school meets the current government floor standards.
• The proportion of pupils who are supported by the pupil premium is higher than the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is higher than the national average.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in 19 parts of lessons and one assembly, some with senior leaders.
• Meetings were held with school leaders.
• In addition to discussions with parents, 71 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, were taken into account, including 118 written comments.
• A range of school documentation was scrutinised to gather information on leaders’ evaluation of school performance, systems for managing the performance of teachers, behaviour and safety of pupils, safeguarding, the progress and attainment of pupils and curriculum leadership.
• Inspectors scrutinised the website to evaluate the quality of information for parents and whether the school meets statutory publishing requirements.
• Inspectors spoke to pupils to gather their views and heard pupils read.
• Inspectors met with representatives from the governing body, including the chair. They also had a telephone conversation with an officer from the local authority.

Inspection team

Daniel Lambert, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Krista Dawkins Ofsted Inspector Kusum Trikha Ofsted Inspector