Heathlands Primary Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve outcomes for all pupils across the school, especially for the most able and those at the end of Reception and key stage 1, by:
  • embedding teachers’ use of new assessment procedures to plan and adapt learning so that all pupils are challenged to make equally good progress, including the most able in mathematics
  • making sure that teachers provide stimulating learning experiences for pupils and sustain high expectations for well-presented work, especially to improve the development of pupils’ writing skills
  • improving the quality of teaching and learning of phonics and the development of children’s speaking and listening skills across early years and key stage 1 to secure rapid progress from their starting points.
• Strengthen leadership and management by ensuring that:
  • the roles and skills of middle leaders are extended to enable them to drive improvement and raise pupils’ standards across their areas of responsibility
  • monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning sustains fast improvements in pupils’ outcomes.
• Further improve pupils’ personal development and behaviour by:
  • ensuring that pupils engage fully in their work and become more resilient, effective learners
  • sustaining rigorous and supportive action to improve attendance and further reduce persistent absence.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• Interruptions to leadership and changes in governance have constrained the rate of improvement since the school became an academy in July 2015. At times, leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching and their subsequent actions did not bring the desired improvements quickly enough. Consequently, leaders have not yet ensured that teaching is consistently good across the school.
• The development of middle leadership has similarly been impeded and has not had the impact on school improvement that had been envisaged.
• Leaders have been taking increasingly more effective action to strengthen the work of teachers and teaching assistants across early years and key stage one. This is beginning to show some improvement. However, children’s progress in basic communication and numeracy skills and in their understanding of phonics still require improvement.
• The headteacher and deputy headteacher, with support from the experienced executive head of the multi-academy trust, pursue a determined drive for improvement. Professional development for teachers and middle leaders, across early years and key stages 1 and 2, is now in place. There is evidence of strong teaching and accelerated progress this year in some classes, especially across key stage 2.
• A key aspiration has been to improve pupils’ behaviour, and leaders’ actions have had a more positive impact this academic year. Although still not good, pupils’ learning is rarely disrupted by poor behaviour. Leaders know what needs to be done to bring further improvement and are demonstrating the capacity to improve. They are now better placed to bring this about more quickly than in the past.
• Pupils’ work, and observations of the extra adult support provided for them, show that additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is helping to raise achievement. Currently, these pupils and those who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities, benefit most from the pastoral support that they receive. For example, leaders ensure that additional funding is used well to help improve pupils’ attendance at school and participation in clubs and trips. This determined commitment to including pupils reflects the school’s effective promotion of equality of opportunity and rigour in keeping pupils safe from radicalisation and discrimination.
• Parents who responded to Ofsted’s online Parent View survey expressed their full satisfaction with the work of the school. One typical comment from a parent was : ‘The school has changed a lot in the last two years and I’m really pleased with how well my children are doing and how well they’re settling in.’
• The school makes very effective use of the additional funding for physical education and sport. Funding is used to support a wide range of clubs, such as tag rugby, sailing, tennis and multi-skills and to employ the specialist skills of coaches. Pupils greatly value these clubs, which are well organised, well attended and often have reserve lists of pupils waiting their turn to join.
• Sport is a key aspect within the broad and balanced curriculum, and lunchtime sports are improving pupils’ behaviour and social skills as well as their fitness. One parent wrote, reflecting the appreciation expressed by others, that: ‘My children particularly enjoy the Fitness Friday and they come home excited about being fit.’
• The curriculum includes an appropriate focus on developing pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. However, there is variation in the effectiveness of the teaching of these skills across the school. The curriculum includes interesting topics such as ‘Being the best we can be’ and provides opportunities for pupils to visit the local environment, for example to Corfe Castle. Visitors from Singapore, for instance, fund-raising activities and the ‘Values’ assembly on Mondays enhance the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils further extend their understanding of British values by participating in democratic elections of head boy and head girl, and they elect representatives to the school council.

Governance of the school

• For some time, changes in the local governing body and among staff leaders constrained the school’s ability to secure the rapid progress that pupils needed to make to overcome a legacy of underachievement.
• Leaders of the multi-academy trust and members of the local governing body are now increasingly informed about the school’s strengths and areas in need of improvement, including pupils’ progress. They raise pertinent questions at their meetings and during visits to the school and have supported the headteacher in bringing about improvement.
• The new school development plan identifies the right priorities for improvement and provides relevant success criteria for staff and governors to monitor actions. Governors are now better placed to drive a faster pace in rectifying weaknesses and bringing improvement. For example, they are supporting the implementation of new assessment procedures, which is helping teachers to meet pupils’ needs more effectively. This was acknowledged by parents, and a typical comment was: ‘The school has changed a lot in the last two years and I’m really pleased with how well my children are doing and how well they’re settling in.’
• Trust leaders and local governors examine the use of additional funds during their visits to the school. They discuss how well these funds help pupils to learn and make progress. They ensure that disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities benefit from extra adult support in and out of class.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• A strong culture of keeping pupils safe and nurturing their well-being supports all aspects of the day-to-day life of the school. Leaders ensure that their own safeguarding training and that of staff across the school is kept up to date and meets all the statutory requirements. Staff are trained in spotting the signs of possible threats to pupils’ safety. They know how to report concerns and, when necessary, make referrals to outside agencies.
• Administrative and specialist welfare and family support staff complete detailed and accurate records of these consultations and referrals. Leaders at trust and local governing body levels check that actions taken to support pupils, especially those considered vulnerable, help pupils to stay safe. The single central record of checks of all those who work with pupils in the school is also maintained to a similarly high standard.
• All members of the school community who expressed their views to an inspector, including parents, pupils, staff and governors, say that pupils feel safe and are kept safe at school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Actions taken by trust and school leaders in recent years have improved the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. However, this has not yet rectified inconsistent practice, especially across early years and key stage 1 classes. Consequently, the quality of teaching and, as a result, pupils’ learning are not consistently good between classes.
• Teachers do not allow pupils to distract others from learning. However, at times they do not sustain consistently high expectations that pupils should complete their work to the best of their ability. When the work that pupils are set does not challenge or stimulate them, some lose interest and either work more slowly or disengage from learning. Some teachers do not set high enough expectations of the quality of pupils’ written work, and this leads to incomplete development of pupils’ handwriting and spelling.
• Although teaching in mathematics has improved, there is inconsistency in the level of challenge in the work given to the most able pupils and in teachers’ expectations of what they should achieve. As a result, some pupils are not making the rapid progress needed to overcome gaps which stem from slow learning in the past.
• Over time, the teaching of phonics and communication skills across early years and key stage 1 has not developed pupils’ understanding and secured their progress well enough. The teaching of these aspects has improved to some extent, but the degree to which pupils’ misconceptions are identified or corrected quickly enough still varies across classes in these key stages. Teaching has not yet secured the skills expected of pupils in the Years 1 and 2 phonics screening checks.
• Teaching of phonics and reading is more consistently effective across key stage 2. Consequently, teachers are now having more success in overcoming the legacy of weak phonics knowledge and communication skills across key stage 2. Pupils who read to the inspector, and school assessments, show that pupils are making better progress in developing their reading skills than was previously the case.
• Leaders are increasingly making good use of expertise in the school, across the academy and from further afield to provide additional training for teachers and teaching assistants. Currently, leaders are embedding a new system for assessing pupils’ developing skills. This is helping to raise expectations of what pupils should achieve and is helping teachers to set work that is increasingly quickening pupils’ progress.
• In Year 4, for example, pupils responded well and deepened their thinking when challenged by the teacher, not only to provide answers to mathematical calculations, but to explain their strategies and ideas. This strong practice is developing in most classes, but is not yet the norm in all classes, especially at times in early years and key stage 1.
• Teachers plan activities to extend learning productively across the curriculum. Teachers question pupils effectively, to motivate them further and to encourage them to apply their skills and think more widely in various subjects. Teaching of sport is a particular strength and helped, for example, to stimulate boys in Year 4 to write detailed and well-considered instructions about how to kick a ball.
• Teachers and teaching assistants are increasingly securing warm relationships with pupils and encouraging them to share ideas during lessons. These relationships are enhancing pupils’ confidence in learning, especially when they are motivated to ask their own questions in lessons. Adults support the emotional needs of pupils effectively. For example, disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities derive increasing benefit from the improving teaching and support now provided for them.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement. Although most pupils are developing their understanding of what it means to be an effective learner, some are too dependent on the close adult support which sustains their learning.
• At times, in some classes, the needs of some pupils, including the most able, are not met closely enough. When this happens the pupils become restless and drift off task.
• Pupils readily express the view that they feel safe and, without prompting, say that ‘this is because adults look after us so well’. All the parents who responded to the online questionnaire also expressed the view that children feel safe and are well looked after.
• Pupils know how to keep themselves and each other safe. When questioned, pupils knowledgeably described how they would tell an adult if someone they didn’t know and trust tried to contact them on the internet. They understand and appreciate the strategies that teachers use to keep them safe. Pupils acknowledge that bullying occurs, but they quickly add that behaviour has improved and that adults listen to their concerns and take swift action to ‘sort things out’.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. Observations during the inspection and the school’s records show that a much reduced, and now small, number of pupils need extra support for their behaviour. School records show an overall reduction in exclusions over time. However, they are still used, on occasion, to prevent unacceptable behaviour. Although the effort put in has also improved in recent years, some pupils still do not work as hard as they could in lessons. This is especially the case when they are not sufficiently motivated or challenged by their work.
• The majority of pupils understand what constitutes acceptable behaviour and know that it is right to be polite to other people. This was shown during the inspection when pupils greeted inspectors and stepped back or held doors for them to pass through.
• Playtimes and lunchtime activities are well organised and purposeful. Pupils comment that they appreciate the wide range of clubs, including those that take place before and after school. Inspectors were impressed, for example, by the way that well-organised lunchtime sports are advancing pupils’ health and well-being and improving their behaviour during these times.
• Leaders and staff continue to give high priority to improving pupils’ attendance. School staff and specialists across the multi-academy ‘go the extra mile’ in their efforts to support vulnerable pupils and their families and reduce persistent absence. Parents’ views typically included: ‘As a family we are very happy in the way our child has been supported. He enjoys coming to school and has made good progress with his learning.’
• Currently, the rate of attendance is close to that found nationally. The rate of persistent absence, although reduced by the school’s determined efforts, remains above average. This aspect continues to be a priority for improvement in the school’s development plans.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• The rate of pupils’ progress has improved, but it varies too much between year groups and classes. For example, it is increasingly good across key stage 2 classes, but is still uneven across early years and key stage 1. This means that some pupils are learning well now and bridging gaps in previous learning, but others are not achieving as well.
• National assessments in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2 and phonics screening checks in Years 1 and 2 have remained below average in recent years. Checks of pupils’ developing skills now show some recent improvement. However, strengthening provision in Nursery, Reception and Year 1 classes has not yet secured the consistent and accelerated progress needed to build fully on the pupils’ low starting points.
• Key stage 2 national tests in 2017 showed some improvement in reading and mathematics attainment from standards reached in previous years. However, it also showed that pupils across the range of abilities had not made the rapid progress needed to overcome a legacy of previous underachievement.
• Current checks of pupils’ abilities and progress indicate that pupils, with the exception of some most-able pupils, are making faster progress now through key stage 2. However, despite some improvement in teaching, pupils’ progress across early years and key stage 1 is more variable. As a result, teaching is not yet enabling some pupils to catch up and reach the standards of which they are capable. This is especially the case in the development of pupils’ phonics understanding and basic numeracy and literacy skills.
• Pupils’ work in books across key stage 2 this year shows that pupils have been extending their vocabulary and making good progress in writing descriptively and imaginatively. However, some have not developed their handwriting and spelling skills well enough.
• Work in mathematics shows similar improvement, especially in basic numeracy and calculation skills. However, pupils’ reasoning and problem-solving skills, especially of the most able, are less advanced.
• Teachers across key stage 2 are using a variety of strategies effectively to increase pupils’ interest in reading. As a result, pupils have made faster progress in reading this year across this key stage. Most are now demonstrating skills closer to those expected for their age, but not enough are reaching higher-than-expected standards.
• Disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities derive benefit from extra adult support to sustain their involvement in learning. Although improving, their outcomes require improvement because they experience the same variation in their academic progress across the key stages as their classmates. Even so, pupils are participating well in sports and various other activities and are gaining in confidence and readiness to learn.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• The early years provision requires improvement, as children do not make consistently good rates of progress, particularly the most able. This is because there are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching. At times, adults do not interact or question the children enough to deepen their thinking and extend their language development.
• Over time, the starting points of children entering Nursery and Reception classes have continued to be lower than those typical for their age, especially personal, social and language and communication skills. Until recently, provision has not sufficiently developed these skills, especially to secure children’s self-confidence and suitable behaviour when learning with others.
• Although improved, the quality of teaching and learning require improvement. For example, teaching is not yet developing children’s early understanding of phonics effectively. The proportion of children achieving a good level of development by the end of Reception in aspects that include language, writing and mathematics also remain below average. Consequently, not all children are well prepared for future learning in Year 1.
• With support from senior leaders, the early years leader has accurately identified the strengths and weaknesses in the early years provision. This additional input from senior leaders has increased the capacity of the school to improve further the quality of provision. For example, additional training for teaching assistants as well as the teachers’ improving assessments of children’s learning have enriched their ability to support children with their individual needs.
• Safeguarding procedures are effective, and welfare requirements in the early years are fully met. Children across the range of abilities, including those with SEN and/or disabilities, receive timely and sensitive support and guidance from caring adults. As with other children, this helps them to feel safe, enjoy learning and increasingly behave well. For example, children in Reception learned well together dressed as Batman, or experiencing role play in the Super Heroes Cabin.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 142101 Bournemouth 10043554 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 Academy converter 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 225 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Elizabeth Allinson Naomi Shrimpton 01202 574 452 www.heathlandsprimarybournemouth.co.uk heathlands@oceanlearning.org.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Heathlands Primary Academy became an academy and joined the Ocean Learning Trust in July 2015. The multi-academy trust consists of four other primary schools.
• Governance is undertaken at a multi-academy level by a board of directors and at school level by members of a local governing body.
• Heathlands is below average in size.
• The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is well above average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well above average.
• Children experience early years provision in Nursery and Reception classes.
• The school provides its own before and after-school clubs.
• This is the school’s first inspection since the predecessor school, Heathlands Primary School, was identified as good in 24 September 2014.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed learning in 16 lessons and saw the work of nine teachers.
• The headteacher and acting headteacher accompanied the inspectors during most of these visits to lessons.
• A wide range of documents were scrutinised, including records relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance, safeguarding procedures and the school’s self-evaluation.
• The inspectors examined the school’s systems for checking progress and records of checks on the quality of teaching.
• The inspectors talked to individual pupils during lessons and breaktimes about the school and their work. They listened to individual pupils reading to teachers and teaching assistants and attended an assembly. The inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work across a range of subjects and classes.
• The lead inspector met with the chair of the local governing body and the executive headteacher of the multi-academy trust.
• The inspectors held meetings with senior leaders and spoke informally with teaching assistants and support staff. They also met at various times with other specialist staff of the multi-academy trust.
• The inspectors examined the views expressed in 14 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire and in 10 parents’ additional comments. The inspectors also considered the views expressed in 26 staff questionnaires and took note of 28 pupils’ responses to questionnaires. The team inspector gathered the views of several parents during informal meetings at the school.

Inspection team

Alexander Baxter, lead inspector Claire Mirams Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector