Harewood Infant School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that:
  • leaders implement the recommendations from a recent review of pupil premium funding, developing a more strategic approach which results in improved progress for disadvantaged pupils
  • governors hold leaders to account, particularly for pupils’ outcomes
  • leaders’ actions improve boys’ progress across the school.
• Strengthen the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so that:
  • teachers use assessment information to plan learning that closely meets the needs of lower-attaining pupils, especially in mathematics.
• Further refine practice across the Reception Year, making sure that:
  • there is greater consistency in the quality of evidence that teachers gather to support their assessment of children’s learning
  • children have sufficient opportunities throughout the academic year to develop their writing skills
  • adults ensure that children use their knowledge of spelling in their writing.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher, supported well by her leadership team, leads a school where staff have high aspirations for pupils. Leaders embrace research opportunities and collaborate with other schools to ensure that their work is effective and steeped in evidence. They have many effective systems to improve pupils’ outcomes further. Leaders evaluate their actions regularly, reflecting on the impact they have had. When leaders refine their work, this is well informed and based on detailed monitoring and analysis. For example, where leaders put rapid action plans in place to improve a specific area of school performance, impact is evident. This was effective recently to improve writing outcomes in Year 1.
• The teaching of reading is led well. Expectations of both staff and pupils are extremely high. Through detailed and robust monitoring, the leader responsible for leading reading provides support for staff and offers up-to-date guidance to ensure that the school’s approach is as effective as possible. Furthermore, staff use assessment information well to ensure that teaching closely meets pupils’ needs. This strategy has resulted in significant recent improvements in pupils’ outcomes in reading.
• The leadership for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is effective. Leaders have a strong strategic overview. They monitor the precision of pupils’ targets and regularly evaluate pupils’ progress towards these targets. Adults update pupils’ targets so they remain current and evolve to meet their needs. Staff are suitably trained and supported. Ably assisted by the intervention team, leaders are well placed to support pupils’ individual needs. Consequently, pupils make strong progress.
• Leadership of mathematics is effective. Leaders are passionate and apply their own extensive knowledge to support pupils in developing mathematical understanding. Leaders support staff with planning to ensure that lessons build on prior learning. The design of the mathematics curriculum results in all concepts being taught in depth, effectively adhering to the national curriculum. Leaders have embedded the ‘Do it, twist it, solve it’ approach, so that pupils have opportunities to regularly develop their fluency, reasoning and problem-solving knowledge.
• Leadership of writing is strong. Where dips in pupils’ outcomes occur, leaders are instrumental in acting to bring about improvements in pupils’ outcomes. Leaders ensure that there is a consistent approach to teaching writing across the school. Decisions about the writing approach wholly consider the needs of pupils. Leaders embrace research and, through connections with other schools, ensure that the school’s writing practice is constantly evaluated and reviewed.
• Leaders ensure that pupils have access to a rich and varied curriculum. The curriculum design provides pupils with opportunities to learn a range of subjects. There are high-quality opportunities which give a context for pupils to use their writing and mathematical knowledge.
• Leaders do not use the pupil premium in a precise way. They acknowledge that more work is needed in this area and recently sought a pupil premium review to help them develop this aspect of their work. While leaders are responding to the individual needs of disadvantaged pupils as they emerge, they do not have a clear strategy behind their actions. The pupil premium report is vague in places. It does not articulate clearly how desired outcomes will benefit disadvantaged pupils’ academic progress.

Governance of the school

• The school governing body has gone through several changes over recent years, with a number of governors assuming new roles and responsibilities as others move on. Despite this, governors are familiar with the school’s performance and can provide an in-depth overview of the school’s priorities for improvement. The stability of the governing body is due to be disrupted again. However, they have plans to ensure that this is well managed and succession planning to aid this period of transition is in place.
• Governors are not challenging school leaders enough. While governors’ minutes demonstrate that governors are asking questions of school leaders, they are not probing enough. There is not enough focus on the outcomes of different groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The school’s recruitment processes are robust. Leaders ensure that they complete the necessary checks on newly appointed staff. As a further safeguard, leaders request references prior to shortlisting applicants. Appropriate leaders have been trained in safer recruitment and record-keeping demonstrates how leaders ask applicants specific safeguarding questions to ascertain their prior knowledge.
• Staff training is thorough and ensures that staff are well placed to fulfil their roles. Specific training helps to heighten staff awareness to risks. Extensive record-keeping shows how staff note any concerns they have about pupils’ safeguarding. Often these concerns do not amount to a specific child protection issue. The family support worker provides support for families as particular concerns arise, these range from guiding parents to specific support or providing a listening ear. Through this ‘early help’ work, potential child protection concerns are averted. Every parent who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, agreed that pupils feel safe in school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The teaching of reading is effective. Lessons are punchy, pacey and inspiring. Adults successfully use ongoing assessment to make sure that activities meet the emerging needs of pupils. Consequently, these lessons are well matched to pupils’ current reading ability. Lessons are well organised, with high expectations and no time wasted. Pupils make strong progress during these lessons.
• The teaching of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is highly effective. Staff provide daily opportunities for pupils to work on their individual targets. This approach is effective. During these opportunities, adults effectively support and guide pupils. While they offer guidance, adults recognise that promoting independence is also essential. As a result, pupils do not become dependent on adult support and are meeting their individual targets.
• The approach to teaching mathematics is effective. Teachers’ planning is thorough and ensures that sequences of lessons are progressive and build on prior learning. Through the school’s ‘Do it, twist it, solve it’ approach, adults provide regular opportunities for pupils to develop their fluency, reasoning and problem-solving knowledge. Activities are challenging and encourage pupils to work at the higher standard. At times, it is evident that lower-attaining pupils may be struggling to understand key concepts. It is not clear how teachers help pupils when they find work too hard.
• The teaching of writing is good. Teachers’ expectations of pupils are high, particularly in Year 2. The approach to the teaching of writing is consistent across the school. Teachers respond effectively to meet the needs of pupils and activities are challenging. Staff provide pupils with clear feedback. Pupils use this feedback effectively. Teachers adhere to leaders’ expectations that pupils will use feedback to help pupils edit and correct their own writing. Pupils are becoming increasingly confident and accurate in doing this.
• Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour in lessons. Pupils’ books reflect the pride in their work. Where teaching is stronger, no time is wasted, and pupils move seamlessly from one activity to another. Rarely, pupils finish activities early and wait for further adult instruction. This results in passivity for some pupils.
• Pupils have regular opportunities to read in school. They work effectively with their peers to share a book. Pupils’ reading books are well matched to meet the emerging needs of pupils and provide opportunities for pupils to apply their phonics knowledge. Pupils effectively use decoding strategies and can use these to self-correct when needed.
• Teachers deploy support staff effectively. All adults play a pivotal role in supporting pupils’ progress and relationships between adults and pupils are positive. Where teachers deploy support staff to work with pupils, activities are well designed to meet the needs of pupils and adults provide pupils with close guidance and support without inhibiting pupils’ independence.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. The school’s ‘gems system’ helps to develop positive learning habits such as risk-taking, managing distractions and solving problems. Furthermore, the ‘ruby gem’ promotes kindness among pupils, encouraging pupils to recognise each other’s successes. Pupils are enthusiastic about the gems, particularly because the inclusive nature of these targets means that anyone can succeed regardless of academic performance.
• Pupils have an astute understanding about how to stay safe online. Pupils speak passionately about the importance of maintaining safety when using the internet and they wax lyrical about the key strategies for achieving this.
• Pupils are well versed with British values. Despite not being familiar with the term, they can share how the school promotes values such as democracy and mutual respect. Pupils voted to raise money for chosen charities, giving each pupil a chance to offer their preferred choice. Pupils also develop a rich understanding of different faiths and cultures. They speak about how school leaders state the importance of ‘treating each other well’. Recent work on global warming has fired pupils’ imaginations and the sense of moral purpose to prevent further damage to the ozone layer.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils conduct themselves well in lessons and across the school. Pupils arrive in lessons punctually and ready to learn. Disruptions are extremely rare. The calm classroom environments are conducive to learning.
• Pupils’ behaviour at playtimes and lunchtimes is a strength. Pupils play well with one another and adults help to facilitate these games. Pupils will often engage in conversation with adults, demonstrating the presence of strong mutual relationships. Pupils respond well to adults’ instructions. They swiftly line up at the end of playtime and sensibly return to the school building. Adults are effusive with praise to promote pupils’ positive behaviour.
• Pupils’ absence rates are below national averages. In 2017, absence and persistent absence rates rose above national averages, where previously these had been lower. Leaders’ actions, alongside the work of the family support worker, to reduce absence are having an impact. There is a slightly higher rate of absence for disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. Leaders are aware of this and continue to bring about improvements. Current pupils are attending school more regularly and fewer are persistently absent.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• In 2016, pupils’ outcomes by the end of key stage 1 fell below leaders’ expectations. However, leaders acted promptly on this, which led to improved outcomes in 2017. Current pupils attain well from their starting points. Tracking information shows an increased proportion of pupils are working at expectations for their age and the higher standard. This is particularly strong in reading, where more middle-attaining pupils are now working at the higher standard.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make strong progress. Targets are well matched to meet their needs and pupils work towards these daily. Through this effective work, there are several pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities who were previously working below expectations for their age who are now on track.
• Historically, outcomes in phonics at the end of Year 1 have been in line with or above national averages. However, in 2017, the proportion of pupils meeting the standard by the end of Year 1 fell slightly below national averages. Leaders’ tracking shows that current pupils are making strong progress. As a result, a greater proportion of current Year 1 pupils are demonstrating that they have met the expected standard in phonics compared with figures from last year. The school has maintained strong outcomes for pupils who retake the phonics screening check in Year 2.
• Boys’ performance across the school is an aspect that requires attention. While progress for all pupils is strong, boys are making less progress than girls. Across literacy, the proportion of boys working at expectations for their age and the higher standard is lower than girls across the school. In mathematics, gaps are present in the Reception Year and begin to close in Year 1. However, there is very little difference between boys and girls in Year 2 and gaps have closed.
• Pupils’ writing in subjects such as history and geography are equal in quality to that seen in pupils’ writing books. In art and design technology, pupils have opportunities to develop their skills across a unit of work before evaluating their learning and, where appropriate, a finished piece of work. Pupils use their mathematical knowledge in science and geography. Links made between these subjects are well thought out, resulting in pupils using what they have learned successfully and in context.
• Outcomes in mathematics are strong, particularly for middle- and higher-attaining pupils. Work is suitably challenging, and pupils have frequent opportunities to develop their fluency, reasoning and problem-solving knowledge. As a result, assessment information for current pupils shows that an increased proportion of pupils are working at the higher standard.
• Lower-attaining pupils are struggling to catch up with their peers in mathematics. Occasionally, pupils who were previously ‘on track’ are now working below expectations for their age. Pupils’ books show that, on occasions, pupils find work too difficult. It is not clear how pupils have opportunities to address misconceptions before they move on to the next lesson. As a result, difficulties remain, and this weakens progress for these pupils.
• Disadvantaged pupils’ progress is less consistent than that of their peers, particularly in mathematics. Several pupils are making accelerated progress from their starting points, in reading, writing and mathematics. However, the proportion is greater in mathematics, when compared with reading and writing, where progress is weaker. This particularly affects pupils who were previously working at expectations for their age but have now fallen behind.

Early years provision Good

• Children in the early years get off to a strong start. The proportion of children working at expectations for their age, particularly girls, increases throughout the Reception Year. Historically, outcomes by the end of the Reception Year have been above national averages. However, in 2017, the proportion of children meeting the early learning goals fell below national averages. This is not a trend. Current tracking shows that the proportion of children meeting this standard has increased. Furthermore, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development has also increased.
• Leaders and staff work effectively to accurately capture assessment information when children begin the Reception Year. Subsequently, this valuable information informs the learning for children and allows adults to design activities that are suitably challenging and meet the needs of children. As a result, the proportion of children working at expectations for their age increases throughout the academic year.
• Children develop strong mathematical understanding. Leaders have prioritised developing their mastery knowledge across the reception year. Children have opportunities to learn about properties of shapes, length, mass and capacity as well as developing their knowledge of numbers, and applying these to solving addition and subtraction number sentences. Children are well prepared for the demands of the Year 1 curriculum. Tracking information shows that the proportion of pupils meeting the early learning goals in mathematics have improved from the previous academic year.
• Children in the Reception Year benefit from daily opportunities to develop their phonics knowledge. Adults plan these sessions well to meet the needs of pupils. Children are familiar with the routines that are established during these sessions and move between activities seamlessly. Adults’ ongoing assessments mean they can intervene if children need specific intervention.
• Children settle well and are familiar with the routines. Children confidently use the environment, both inside and outside, and work well with one another. Children in the Reception Year feel safe and are safe.
• Pupils’ learning journeys capture pupils’ progress throughout the Reception Year. There is a wealth of evidence to support teachers’ assessment judgements. However, in some cases, there is a lack of consistency in the quality of this evidence. It is not always clear why adults have opted to include particular evidence in pupils’ learning journeys. Leaders recognise that this is an area of their work which requires attention and are already acting to bring about more consistency.
• Children enjoy writing and make strong progress. At the beginning of the academic year, adults often scribe children’s ideas rather than allowing them to do this themselves. Over time, children do get more opportunities to write and, once they do, they make stronger progress. Once children are writing, they are encouraged to apply ambitious vocabulary. However, this often takes priority over the spelling of commonly used words. As a result, some children struggle to spell age-appropriate words.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority 115491 Gloucestershire Inspection number 10033165 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 Infant School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Maintained 4-7 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 267 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Amy Dyde Karen Howard 01452 526889 www.harewood-inf.gloucs.sch.uk head@harewood-inf.gloucs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 20–21 January 2010

Information about this school

• Harewood Infant School consists of nine classes. Classes are arranged as six mixed Reception and Year 1 classes and three Year 2 classes.
• The school shares its site with a neighbouring junior school and two externally run nurseries.
• The school is a member of the Gloucester Schools Partnership. This partnership consists of 39 schools whose aim is to provide challenge and support for school leaders.
• In each cohort, there are large differences between the proportion of girls and boys. In 2017, the percentage of girls in the school was in the highest 20% nationally.
• The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is lower than national averages.
• The percentage of pupils who have SEN support is in line with national averages.

Information about this inspection

• The lead inspector met with representatives from the governing body. Inspectors also met with the headteacher and deputy headteacher to discuss pupils’ progress and attainment. Inspectors spoke with subject leaders to discuss how they monitor performance in their areas of responsibility. The lead inspector also met with the early years leader.
• The lead inspector conducted a learning walk with the leader responsible for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and considered plans in place to support these pupils. A team inspector met with the pupil premium leader to consider how leaders utilise the pupil premium to support disadvantaged pupils.
• Inspectors visited classrooms. School leaders joined inspectors for some of these visits. Inspectors also scrutinised a range of pupils’ workbooks from the Reception Class and Years 1 and 2.
• Inspectors met with pupils in Years 1 and 2, listening to pupils read and discussing their understanding of British values and staying safe online.
• Inspectors took account of the views of 68 parents who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View.
• Inspectors reviewed safeguarding documentation and the school’s single central register. Furthermore, inspectors reviewed the school’s safeguarding policies, procedures and culture to ascertain whether safeguarding was effective.
• Inspectors considered a range of documentation, including external reviews of school performance, the school’s evaluations of its own performance and the current school improvement priorities.

Inspection team

Nathan Kemp, lead inspector Emma Jelley Gareth Simons

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector