Hateley Heath Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Strengthen the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so that pupils make consistently rapid progress across the school by:
  • stretching all pupils to achieve the best, especially the middle-ability pupils
  • making sure that questioning is used effectively to challenge pupils to think more deeply and develop their spoken language
  • providing pupils with more real-life problems to investigate and solve in mathematics
  • extending pupils’ use of interesting vocabulary when writing
  • giving pupils more experience of writing at length and in different subjects so that they become more confident writers.
• Improve the effectiveness of leaders by:
  • ensuring that subject leaders play a fuller role in improving the quality of teaching
  • monitoring teaching with a closer focus on the progress made by different groups of pupils
  • continuing to raise levels of attendance for all groups of pupils, so that it is at least at national levels, and to reduce persistent absence
  • making sure that the website is compliant and is checked on a regular basis to ensure that it remains so.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• The acting headteacher, with the support of the deputy headteacher and other leaders, has quickly identified what improvements need to be made in order to increase outcomes for pupils. For example, in order to increase the school’s effectiveness, she has set ambitious targets for pupils’ achievement and reviewed the school’s marking policy. However, actions taken have not yet had a strong enough impact on pupils’ progress to ensure that it is consistently good.
• The leadership team now checks more regularly on the quality of teaching and cross-references these observations with scrutiny of pupils’ work, to develop teachers’ skills and improve teaching. These changes have not yet ensured that teaching is consistently good. Leaders’ monitoring of teaching sometimes does not sufficiently record the impact of teaching on the progress made by different groups of pupils. As a result, this limits the quality of feedback on teaching to further improve any particular group’s progress.
• Teachers are held to account for the progress of pupils in their classes, and only good performance is rewarded. Leaders at all levels are supported well in developing their roles and in how they use data to improve the progress in each year group. Middle leaders, however, are not fully involved in checking and therefore developing the quality of teaching in their subjects.
• The ‘Creative’ curriculum is broad, balanced and interesting for pupils. Appealing themes, such as ‘Superheroes’ and ‘Out of this world’, excite pupils’ learning. They bring together aspects of different subjects, including history, geography and science. Pupils enjoy a wide range of extra-curricular activities. They include dance, reading, art and cooking. These activities nurture pupils’ interests and develop their skills well. However, pupils do not have enough opportunities to practise their skills in long pieces of written work across other subjects.
• The primary school physical education (PE) and sports funding is used appropriately to ensure that all pupils become more physically active. It funds a specialist coach who takes sports lessons in conjunction with the teachers, which helps to develop their skills. After-school clubs, such as basketball, fencing and football, increase pupils’ participation. As a result, pupils are becoming more physically active and healthy.
• The school is successful in promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through its own core values, which include respect, hard work, teamwork, good manners and caring. Pupils understand democracy. For example, pupils elect their school councillors. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• The pupil premium grant for disadvantaged pupils is used appropriately. Each pupil is identified, their needs assessed and funds used to give additional support, as required, or assistance for educational visits and events. This is helping them to narrow attainment differences with other pupils.
• The special educational needs coordinator ensures that funding received to support the achievement of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is used effectively. As a result, provision for these pupils has improved.
• The school website is bright, colourful and easy to navigate. However, it does not meet the current guidelines set out by the Department for Education. For example, it does not comply with the required content for pupil premium funding or fully publish the key stage 2 results.
• Termly meetings with the local authority have provided appropriate support in monitoring and challenging the school. This is helping the school to improve the quality of teaching and pupil outcomes.

Governance of the school

• There have been considerable changes to the make-up of the governing body and the appointment of a new chair of governors. Governors now think strategically and demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They support and hold the school to account to improve teaching and outcomes. They are keen to see more rapid, sustained improvements and greater consistency across the school.
• They understand how the school’s performance compares with other schools and how different groups of pupils achieve, and are knowledgeable about the quality of teaching. Governors’ commitment to the school and a desire to improve outcomes are very clear.
• Governors bring to their roles a wide set of qualities, such as professional skills and a good knowledge of the local community. The link governor role is developing current strong links with the early years and safeguarding. They are keen to see more rapid, sustained improvements and greater consistency across the school.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The leadership team has ensured that systems and procedures are fit for purpose. The designated safeguarding lead is tenacious. She has provided staff with regular and highly effective training.
• Safeguarding questionnaires are routinely given to staff. The results are analysed, any gaps in knowledge are identified and swift follow-up training is given. This ensures that everyone is fully aware of their responsibilities.
• Leaders work with external agencies as necessary and are persistent when concerned about a pupil’s welfare. Pupils’ records are detailed and catalogue the steps that leaders take to keep pupils safe.
• The school is located in an area where the ‘Prevent’ duty is high on the agenda and staff work closely with ‘Prevent’ duty officers, police and other agencies to safeguard pupils in the school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Teaching, learning and assessment require improvement. Recent changes made by school leaders, have resulted in improvement to teaching and pupils’ progress. However, teaching is not yet consistently well matched to pupils’ abilities, and this results in variations in pupils’ progress as they move though the school.
• Expectations are not consistently high for all groups of pupils, particularly the middle-ability pupils. In some lessons, the work set is not at the right level. Some tasks are too easy and do not challenge pupils. This prevents pupils from further developing their skills and knowledge, limiting their progress. On occasion, teachers do not use questioning effectively to encourage discussion and enable pupils to think more deeply.
• Pupils’ skills and standards of writing are improving. Pupils are increasingly able to write for different purposes with confidence. For example, pupils in Year 3 wrote well-structured non-chronological reports of different animals. However, in some lessons, pupils’ ranges of interesting vocabulary are less well developed.
• The teaching of mathematics is improving and helping pupils to secure their basic skills. In a Year 6 lesson, pupils were able to present the findings of their enterprise project using graphs to show the different spending patterns in relation to goods that they sold. However, teaching does not provide regular opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical skills to solve practical problems.
• The effective teaching of phonics has ensured that pupils can build words effectively, read unfamiliar words and understand what they are reading well. Pupils took pride in demonstrating their reading skills to the inspectors and showed that they understood the text effectively. Texts for the most able readers are often particularly demanding, such as poetry by Pie Corbett.
• Learning relationships are strong. Pupils enjoy working together and are keen to learn. Support staff extend and support pupils’ learning effectively, expecting them to be independent and to think for themselves.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils feel safe in school, and parents agree that the school keeps their children safe.
• Pupils know how to avoid dangers when using the internet and social media. Weekly safeguarding topics, such as ‘stranger awareness’, are discussed in class. As a result, pupils know what to do to keep themselves safe in different contexts. Pupils know about the importance of hygiene, having a balanced diet exercising regularly and drinking plenty of water.
• Pupils are proud of their school and keenly take on responsibilities, for example as school councillors, buddies and monitors. Relationships between pupils and adults are good and contribute to the positive values and sense of belonging in the school.
• Pupils have a good understanding of the different forms that bullying can take, including those relating to race and gender. They said that bullying is rare but, if they ever have any concerns, there is always an adult on hand to help them.
• Pupils learn to consider their roles in society and how to help those less fortunate than themselves. They support charities, such as Children in Need and take part in events, making and selling items to raise money, which also helps them to learn about the value of money.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• In lessons, when the work is interesting, pupils are keen to learn. When teaching is not engaging, pupils become inattentive, disconnect from learning and can distract others. This slows their progress.
• The rewards and sanctions systems are well understood by pupils. Pupils told inspectors that dojos are awarded for positive and negative behaviours based on the five school values. Certificates are presented every Friday during the praise assemblies.
• A small number of pupils present some challenging behaviours, and school staff manage these pupils very well. Leaders work with families and outside experts to make sure that pupils receive the necessary guidance and support. Consequently, these pupils are able to make the most of school.
• The breakfast club is popular and this ensures that pupils arrive at school on time. It is well organised and gives pupils a nourishing start to the day as they relax, play games and complete homework tasks.
• Attendance has improved this year. However, overall attendance remains below the national average and persistent absence remains above the national average, despite the efforts made by school leaders to ensure that pupils come to school every day.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Outcomes have declined since the last inspection. Pupils do not consistently make the progress they are capable of and so do not achieve as well as they should by the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2. From starting points that are below those typical for their age, pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics at key stage 2 has been well below average in recent years. However, although the majority of current pupils are making secure progress from their starting points, progress is not yet consistent across the school to ensure that pupils attain the standards expected for their age.
• The current progress of pupils across the school is variable. Pupils are making good progress in reading. The school has improved pupils’ reading skills through daily guided reading activities. However, gaps between pupils’ attainment in writing and mathematics and age-related expectations vary across year groups. In some classes, pupils are not making rapid enough progress.
• The proportion of pupils in Year 1 who achieve the expected standard in the phonics screening check has improved again this year. Less-able pupils are able to use their phonics skills well to read unfamiliar words. The most able pupils read fluently and with good comprehension. They talk with enthusiasm about their favourite authors, such as Roald Dahl.
• Pupils who join the school during the year and those who speak English as an additional language, are helped to settle in quickly and to catch up with others. This is because their learning needs are identified and addressed well.
• Activities and work provided sometimes do not stretch pupils to reach the expected standards for their ages. At times, pupils, especially middle-ability and the most able pupils, are presented with tasks that do not allow them to deepen their knowledge, understanding and skills. For example, in science and topic work, most-able pupils are provided with work that is similar to that of other pupils; this does not extend or challenge them sufficiently.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are now making better progress than in the past. This is because the person responsible for them liaises closely with teachers to ensure that the learning is well planned for these pupils and they receive effective support from adults. As a result, they make better progress from their starting points.
• Last year, disadvantaged pupils made less progress than other pupils with the same starting points. Their progress this year is improving, and differences between their attainment and that of other pupils are diminishing in most year groups currently in school.

Early years provision Good

• When they join the school in the Nursery or Reception classes, many of the children have weaker skills than those of typical three-or four-year olds. Their speaking, listening and mathematical skills are particularly underdeveloped. By the end of Reception, children make good progress from their starting points across all areas of learning, and the majority reach a good level of development. Children are ready to start Year 1 as confident learners.
• The early years leader has established effective links with parents and pre-schools. As a result, children settle quickly into the Nursery and Reception settings and grow in confidence and independence. Adults have high expectations of children, including of their behaviour, in nurturing environments. Consequently, children behave well and learn to share when playing together.
• Additional funding is used well to provide resources and support for disadvantaged children. Leaders have a very good understanding of the impact that this has on children’s learning. Disadvantaged children make similarly good progress to that made by other children and they achieve equally well.
• Adults model how to be good learners and thinkers, giving children problems to solve rather than immediate answers, for example, challenging children to get conkers out of a bowl without touching them. With some imagination, the children worked out that by filling the bowls with water they could then scoop the conkers out.
• The early years are well led by an effective leader who has a good understanding of the strengths of the settings and where improvements are needed. Adults are knowledgeable about how young children learn. Through accurate assessment and careful observation, activities are extended or support provided. Intervention work at the time of need has resulted in good progress for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, on occasion, tasks given to the most able children are not sufficiently demanding to challenge them to make even more progress.
• The curriculum takes into consideration children’s interests and, as a result, they show enthusiasm and enjoyment in their learning. Children enjoyed being weighed and then were able to find each other’s name and record their weight in the correct box. When asked, a child said, ‘They stood on the scale. Then I wrote down the number that they are, two or three. It showed how heavy they are.’
• Well-planned teaching enables children to master basic reading skills. For example, a child used her phonic knowledge to sight read and occasionally blend letter sounds to read words in her reading book, ‘Can’t you sleep little bear?’ With effective guidance and direction from adults, children make good progress in early writing skills. One child independently wrote, ‘I am special because I am good at baseball.’
• Adults have created a warm and welcoming environment for learning in the early years classrooms. The children are safe, well supervised and treated with kindness. Safeguarding requirements are met and adults have the relevant qualifications to ensure children’s health and safety.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 131943 Sandwell 10025281 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 Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 444 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Acting headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Rachel Morgan-Guthrie Andrea Garcha 01215 560370 www.hateleyheath.net office@hateleyheath-pri.sandwell.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 6–7 November 2010

Information about this school

• The school is much larger than the average-sized primary school.
• Early years’ provision is part time in Nursery and full time in Reception.
• An above-average proportion of pupils are from minority ethnic heritages. An average proportion speaks English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is well above average. The proportion of pupils in receipt of an education, health and care plan is average.
• The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is above average.
• There is higher mobility in the school than average.
• The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information on its website about key stage 2 outcomes or the funding for disadvantaged pupils.
• The acting headteacher was appointed in November 2016. She takes up the full-time post in September 2017.
• The school meets the Department for Education’s definition of a coasting school, based on the key stage 2 academic results in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
• The school does not meet the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum standards expected nationally for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• The school runs a breakfast club.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors gathered a range of evidence to judge the quality of teaching, learning and assessment over time. They observed learning in lessons. These included joint observations with the headteacher. In addition, inspectors listened to pupils read.
• Inspectors looked at examples of pupils’ work and talked to them about their learning.
• Inspectors talked to parents as they brought their children to school and examined their responses to the online free text survey for parents.
• Inspectors considered the views of staff that completed the online questionnaires.
• Inspectors took account of the 19 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire.
• Meetings were held with a group of pupils, the chair of governors, a representative from the local authority and school leaders.
• Inspectors looked at a wide range of school documents, including the school’s own information on pupils’ current and recent progress, planning of work in different subjects, leaders’ monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning, and records relating to behaviour, attendance and the safeguarding of pupils.

Inspection team

Steve Nelson, lead inspector Michael Appleby Julie Griffiths Kate Hanson Lindsay Nash Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector