Heathfield Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the impact of leadership and management on sustained school improvement by ensuring that leaders:
  • use information about all aspects of the school’s work in a routine and systematic way to evaluate the impact of the school’s work and thereby improve teaching and outcomes further
  • develop self-evaluation and school improvement plans that are fully informed, further building on the good progress that has already been made.
• Continue to improve teaching across the school in order to raise standards further, especially in writing, by ensuring that:
  • teaching provides opportunities for pupils to apply their literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum
  • pupils have access to suitable resources and support to help them improve their writing
  • teachers support pupils in addressing common errors made in spelling and punctuation
  • a consistent approach to the teaching of handwriting and letter formation is developed throughout the school.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher has focused on improving teaching and learning in English and mathematics throughout the school. As a result, standards are improving. For example, because of the well-informed training provided to staff in mathematics, teachers are able to review their own lessons and identify the improvements they need to make.
• Together, leaders and the academy committee have appointed two assistant headteachers with the subject skills, knowledge and time to spend in classes to help teachers to improve their teaching. As a result, teaching throughout the school is good.
• Leaders from the multi-academy trust (MAT) support the school well to make continued improvements. For example, the school’s leadership ‘challenge days’ provide opportunities for leaders to reflect on the school’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Leaders responsible for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities provide strong leadership. They are well informed about the pupils’ needs and plan appropriate interventions. Leaders routinely monitor and review the effectiveness of these interventions and as a result they ensure that pupils receive focused and effective support.
• The school teaches pupils about the world they live in and prepares pupils well for life in their community and in modern Britain. There are plenty of opportunities for pupils to learn about and celebrate different faiths and cultures. In Year 2, for example, pupils are taught about the importance of school rules, rules in society and the rules of different faiths and cultures.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development is well supported. Pupils develop a good understanding of democracy and learn to respect each other.
• Leaders support pupils to consider and discuss sensitive issues they face or hear about in their community or the wider world. The school’s ‘Real Talk’ project carefully selects current topics for discussion such as the 2017 Manchester terror attack. Information is sent home to parents to discuss with their child, and this is then followed up through assemblies and class discussions. Debate time is planned for those pupils who would like to discuss topics in more detail. Through such activities, pupils develop a deeper understanding and have an opportunity to explore their fears and concerns.
• Leaders visit lessons, look at books and provide feedback to teachers about areas they need to improve. However, this inspection found that leaders do not routinely evaluate the effectiveness of their support to inform future areas for improvement. This has resulted in leaders having, on occasions, an overgenerous evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for development.
• This year, leaders have begun to use a new school system to consider the progress pupils are making. However, this information has not allowed leaders to have a convincing analysis about the progress of pupils. This is especially the case for those pupils who may be working at greater depth.

Governance

• The academy committee board was formed in March 2016. Board members ensure that they are well informed about the effect of improvements leaders are making. For example, they use the information that the school provides about the content of the mathematics curriculum to support them when they look at outcomes in mathematics.
• Records from academy committee meetings demonstrate that members are confident to ask challenging questions of leaders and seek further clarification on the information they are provided with.
• Members of the committee are focused on making sure pupils are making good progress at the school and review this information frequently.
• Members have a good understanding of their responsibilities for safeguarding. Members keep themselves up to date with training and complete checks to ensure that the safeguarding policy is implemented. For example, they check the training records of staff to ensure that all staff have completed the required training.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Safeguarding arrangements are strong in the school and well led by the MAT safeguarding lead. Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding and provide training and information to all adults who work with the school. For example, staff who do not ‘pass’ the school-led questionnaire about safeguarding procedures receive additional training to help them improve their understanding.
• All the necessary checks on staff and visitors are rigorous, meet current requirements and are recorded properly.
• Leaders work hard to provide parents with relevant information and training. This term, for example, the school are providing training and information to parents on issues related to the ‘Prevent’ duty. As a result, parents feel confident that their children are safe in school. Parents say that attention to the safety of their children in school has improved with the new leadership team.
• The curriculum provides a wealth of opportunities to teach pupils how to keep themselves safe. For example, pupils are taught about online safety, both in lessons and through focused days. Following input and discussions with the academy committee board, leaders have developed a new curriculum for next year to include information related to mental health and well-being.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teaching, learning and assessment have improved since the school converted to an academy. This is as a result of leaders providing regular and effective support for teachers.
• The leader for mathematics has introduced a new whole-class approach this year along with a number of initiatives across the school to develop pupils’ understanding of mathematics. For example, there is a ‘champions league’ for multiplication tables and a number club. These initiatives have helped to improve the progress pupils make in mathematics and to increase their engagement in the subject. However, teachers still need to improve the challenge for all pupils and provide more opportunities to apply their numeracy skills across the curriculum.
• Teachers plan a range of well-pitched lessons in mathematics, which build on pupils’ prior learning. There is a clear focus in lessons on teaching pupils the vocabulary they need to improve their learning. For example, in Year 6, pupils have been given £30 to ‘build a business’ and sell their products at the school’s summer fair. Through this work and class discussion, pupils begin to explore some of the ethical issues related to their ideas as well as the profit they might make.
• Teachers use assessment information to identify the next steps in pupils’ learning. They meet regularly with senior leaders to discuss and evidence the progress pupils are making. Where pupils are not making the progress the school expects, teachers consider what support pupils might need to catch up and put appropriate support in place.
• The teaching of phonics is effective and enables pupils to make good progress. Leaders provide additional support and catch-up lessons for those pupils in Year 3 who did not achieve the expected standard in the key stage 1 phonics screening check.
• Relationships between adults and pupils are strong. Adults provide engaging lessons that support pupils to develop a wide vocabulary and a confidence in learning.
• Teaching assistants provide effective support for pupils. They are well prepared for lessons by teachers and they use questions well to support pupils in their learning.
• Pupils take pride in their books and in their learning. They confidently told inspectors what they are learning in lessons and that they enjoyed school. Pupils explained to one inspector that they were using their knowledge to help their younger siblings with their work at home.
• Teachers plan a range of writing opportunities using class texts as inspiration. In the early years and key stage 1, teachers provide word banks to support pupils in their independent writing. However, pupils are not aware of how to use these to help them and some resources are not suitable. For example, a small picture frame containing 100 common words was on the independent writing table in Year 1. These are hard to read because of their size and consequently not used by the pupils at the table to improve their writing.
• There is an inconsistent approach to the teaching of handwriting across the school and staff do not consistently correct pupils’ mistakes in their writing. In key stage 1, pupils are not routinely taught the skills they need to improve their written work. This impedes their progress. As a result, pupils are not as prepared for key stage 2 as they might be. For example, pupils in key stage 2 repeatedly make the same errors in spelling and punctuation. Some pupils do not form their letters correctly or take sufficient care with presentation, and this goes unchallenged in some classes. Books of pupils in Year 5 show that a high proportion of pupils are not yet joining letters when writing.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to support pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Leaders have created a wide range of opportunities for pupils to develop their leadership skills. For example, pupils act as peer mentors and offer support to others. They are easily identified around school and in the playground by their special jackets. Pupils are proud to take on these extra responsibilities in the school to support others. Pupils know who the peer mentors are and how they can help them.
• Pupils regularly take responsibility for their school and are able to make many decisions about aspects of school life. Through their wide range of experiences at school, pupils are extremely well equipped to be thoughtful and caring members of their community. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 are currently designing plans to improve an area of the school grounds.
• Pupils’ confidence grows significantly as they move through the school because of the support and experiences adults provide for them. This has a very positive impact on pupils’ progress and well-being.
• The school equips pupils with the knowledge and skills they need to keep themselves healthy and safe, and respect differences. For example, the physical education (PE) and sports premium is used to develop an interest in sport and keeping healthy. Leaders provide opportunities to engage in a wide range of sports, clubs and competitions, which pupils might not otherwise experience.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils mostly agree that other pupils behave well in school. Pupils commented that, ‘behaviour is good, but not yet very good’.
• Pupils learn about different types of bullying through special assemblies and dedicated weeks in the school year. They know what to do if they have a concern about bullying. Most pupils feel that the school tackles any incidents of bullying well.
• Pupils are polite to each other and to visitors to the school. The school has six team houses with names that reflect the values of the school, which are: communication, commitment, teamwork, motivation, respect and honesty. The pupils collect house points when they demonstrate positive behaviours.
• Pupils attend school regularly and most are on time. Leaders work closely with the families of pupils who are regularly late. This has resulted in an improvement in punctuality for these pupils.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Overall, pupils benefit from effective teaching, support and encouragement. Consequently, pupils leave key stage 2 well prepared for learning at their secondary school.
• In key stage 2, standards have risen over the last three years in reading, writing and mathematics. In 2017, at the end of key stage 2, pupils’ results were above national averages in all three subjects. In mathematics and reading, the proportions of pupils who achieved the higher standard were also above national averages.
• Furthermore, progress measures across key stage 2 in 2017 were very strong and placed this school in the top 5% of schools nationally. This is a significant improvement on the progress seen in the previous years and is indicative of a school that has done much to strengthen its performance.
• Across the school, achievement in reading and mathematics has improved considerably. Leaders’ focus on providing more reading books is stimulating pupils to read more widely. In mathematics, several new approaches to teaching are lifting standards. Writing, too, is improving. While achievement in all three subjects is good, achievement in writing does not match that seen in reading or mathematics.
• As in key stage 2, progress across key stage 1 has strengthened. However, in 2017 attainment in reading, writing and mathematics was below national figures for key stage 1.
• Pupils’ writing books in key stage 1 show that pupils are not making as good progress as they could. This means that pupils are not as well prepared for key stage 2 as they might be.
• Leaders use the pupil premium funding well to plan effective teaching and support for eligible pupils. Overall, outcomes for disadvantaged pupils are at least as good as other pupils in the school by the end of key stage 2.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities in the school is well above the national average. The leader responsible for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities ensures that interventions are well planned and evaluated. These pupils make good progress from their starting points because of these interventions.

Early years provision Good

• Children are well cared for and safe in the early years. Adults work with small groups of children, and as a result they know their children well. There are strong relationships between adults and children.
• Teachers and teaching assistants take photographs of children’s work and use an electronic system to record assessments of children’s achievement. Parents can access these records, which keep them informed about school activities and their children’s progress. In school, teachers use this assessment information to plan work and any additional support children need.
• The early years classroom and outdoor playground offer a variety of spaces in which children can play and learn. Children move about confidently in the classroom and outdoor environment. There are clear rules in place that the children understand. Consequently, their behaviour in the classroom is good.
• Children enter the early years at varied starting points and often with a poor vocabulary. Good teaching in the early years means that children have rich experiences and are supported well to develop their spoken language. Most pupils make good progress across different areas of learning. However, a limited amount of modelled written words and resources to support children’s early writing limits progress in this aspect of learning.
• Leadership in the early years is informed and effective. The early years leader identifies and responds to the areas for improvement. For example, she has identified that children are not given opportunities to write early enough in the year and is putting measures in place to improve this.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 142231 Birmingham 10048399 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school All-through Primary School School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy converter 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 486 Appropriate authority Chair Headteacher Board of trustees Mr Martin Bennett Ms Shabana Amir-Baz Telephone number 0121 464 6474 Website Email address www.heathfld.bham.sch.uk/ enquiry@heathfld.bham.sch.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Heathfield Primary School is a larger-than-average sized primary school with a mostly two-form entry. The school converted to become an academy on 1 September 2015. When its predecessor school, Heathfield Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to require improvement overall.
• The school is part of Prince Albert Community Trust, with two other local primary schools. The trust has a single academy board committee and an executive headteacher who is responsible for the three schools within the trust.
• Since the school converted to an academy, there have been several staff changes and this year a new academy committee board was established.
• English is an additional language for most pupils in the school.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above the national average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils for whom the pupil premium funding provides support is slightly higher than the national average.
• The school is supported by an improvement adviser, commissioned by the trust.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed learning throughout the school, jointly with senior leaders.
• The inspectors talked to pupils from various year groups and took into account the 22 responses from the pupil questionnaire. The inspectors talked informally to pupils at the beginning of the day, at lunchtime and around the school. The inspectors also heard a small number of pupils read.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteachers and two members from the academy committee board.
• The inspectors and leaders carried out a book scrutiny across English and mathematics and discussed how well pupils are learning and what progress they are making.
• The inspectors looked at a range of documents provided by the school, including the school’s self-evaluation, assessment information, improvement plans and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.
• The inspectors spoke informally to parents at the start of the school day. The lead inspector took account of the three responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View.
• The lead inspector took into account the 24 responses to the staff questionnaire and spoke to a cross-section of staff to discuss their views of the school.

Inspection team

Amanda Clugston, lead inspector Michael Onyon Susan Blackburn

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector