Havergal CofE (C) Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Strengthen the quality of teaching still further, in order to sustain the rise in outcomes for pupils, by ensuring that:
  • teachers provide a consistently high level of challenge in reading for the most able pupils in key stage 2
  • pupils move on to more challenging work as soon as they are ready to do so, especially the most able pupils in in key stage 1
  • staff use effective questioning more often to probe pupils’ answers and deepen their thinking
  • the most able children in the early years are given opportunities to take on more challenges.
• Further improve the impact of leadership and management by:
  • making sure that school improvement planning identifies more specific timescales and measures of success so that leaders can gauge the impact of their actions more precisely
  • ensuring that leaders provide specific feedback on lesson observations and work scrutiny so that teachers know exactly how to improve their practice
  • providing effective professional development for teaching assistants so that they provide a consistently high level of support to pupils.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The executive headteacher and the head of school have worked extremely hard to improve all aspects of Havergal since the school converted to become an academy. They have tackled weaker teaching by providing appropriate challenge and support to teachers. Leaders’ nurturing approach to improving teaching has had a positive impact on staff morale and the quality of outcomes for pupils.
• Teachers feel strongly that leaders have helped to improve the quality of their teaching and that they have been provided with relevant professional development. One member of staff commented, ‘Support to improve is done with us and not to us.’ This has led teachers being reflective about their practice and having an ambitious mindset of continuous improvement.
• Leaders and staff have worked with all members of the school community to develop a vision statement that permeates the ethos of the school, ‘love, laughter and learning’. This has ensured not only that pupils are happy and settled but also that they are focused on being the best learner that they can be. Leaders and staff match this ambition and have high expectations of what pupils can achieve.
• Leaders at all levels know the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Their self-evaluation is accurate, which means that they are addressing appropriate priorities. For example, leaders have identified that a higher proportion of pupils should be achieving the higher standards in key stage 1. They have taken appropriate action and there are clear early signs that this is having an impact on the progress of the most able pupils.
• Middle leaders know their subject well and have a clear understanding of the impact of their work. For example, the mathematics leader was able to explain that professional development on bar modelling and on the school’s new calculation policy has led to staff subject knowledge being improved.
• Leaders have developed an effective approach to the wider curriculum. As a result, pupils develop good knowledge, skills and understanding in a wide range of subjects. The humanities leader has worked with staff to plan exciting themes of learning through geography and history. Pupils enjoy this work and speak confidently about it. Staff plan a range of trips alongside the curriculum. For example, pupils visited the Black Country Museum, which helped bring to life their learning about the Victorians.
• Additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils and those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is used well. Leaders track these pupils closely and plan interventions that meet their needs, and this secures good progress. Pupils who have additional needs are identified early in their journey at Havergal. Special educational needs funding is used effectively to utilise external services and to add appropriate expertise where it is required.
• Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. In relation to this, pupils can speak confidently about the lively displays around school. One pupil could clearly articulate about why the value ‘forgiveness’ was important. Another pupil spoke about the British values display in regards to individual liberty: ‘It means that you have the right to make your own choices at school and in life, within reason. You can’t just do what you want − you have to be respectful still.’ Pupils have a clear understanding of the rule of law, democracy and tolerance.
• Leaders make highly effective use of the sports premium funding. Pupils enjoy high-quality physical education lessons, a range of competitive sports and extra-curricular clubs. The subject leader drives this provision in school particularly well. A physical education specialist is used to help improve the teaching of staff, which several staff commented has had an impact on their confidence in teaching the subject.
• The school improvement plans are focused on the right areas. Leaders, however, are not clear enough in identifying the exact timescales of actions, nor precise enough about how the actions will be measured for impact. This means that some priorities are not evaluated as robustly as they should be.
• Leaders operate a clear cycle of activities to review and improve teaching. This has had a good impact on the quality of teaching. However, leaders’ written feedback to teachers following monitoring activities is not consistently precise. The next steps that leaders share with teachers do not describe specifically what teachers need to do to improve. This means that some teaching has not improved as rapidly as it could have.
• While the professional development for teachers has had a strong impact, leaders have not yet had the time to put the same depth of training in place for teaching assistants. Leaders recognise that this is now a priority so that teaching assistants can support pupils even better.

Governance of the school

• Governance is effective.
• The governing body are very knowledgeable and are committed to improving the school. They are ambitious for pupils to achieve well, which is reflected in the level of challenge that they provide to leaders. This challenge is evident in minutes of meetings and in records of visits they carry out at the school. As a result of these actions, governors know the school’s strengths and weaknesses well.
• Governors are reflective about their practice and have recently carried out a review to audit their own strengths and next steps. They also induct new governors effectively and ensure that they can interrogate assessment information and ask pertinent questions early in their tenure. The governors’ handbook is extremely useful to provide support and clarification for all governors.
• The leaders of the multi-academy trust offer astute oversight, guidance and support to the school. The chief executive officer sits on the governing body and has skilfully developed the effectiveness and capacity of other governors. Furthermore, the improvement advisor for the trust supports and challenges leaders to drive effective action.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders, governors and staff have created a strong culture for keeping pupils safe in the school. Staff have a good understanding of their responsibility to safeguard pupils and they know exactly what to do if they are concerned about a pupil. Leaders have ensured that staff are trained regularly and kept up to date with current statutory guidelines.
• Leaders update and review the safeguarding policy regularly. More importantly, the safeguarding procedures and paperwork used in practice are robust and accurately match the policy. Procedures for raising concerns are clear and are followed up appropriately by the lead for safeguarding. There is cover and capacity in the school for the leadership of safeguarding, with four members of staff trained at a higher level. External agencies are used effectively and appropriately to support the safeguarding culture in the school.
• Within the school environment, there are continual reminders and prompts about safety. Staff get updates on the safeguarding policy through a secure website and a safeguarding noticeboard in school. Pupils are given clear messages on displays about how to keep safe online and what to do if they are bullied.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Since conversion to becoming an academy, the teaching in the school has improved rapidly and is now consistently good. Teachers are confident in their delivery of lessons because they know pupils well and plan learning that builds on what pupils can already do. Teachers make lessons interesting and have high expectations. As a result, pupils enjoy learning, are keen to do well and make good progress.
• Teachers’ use of assessment is a strength. They quickly and skilfully address misconceptions in lessons, so that pupils are not held up in their learning. Furthermore, teachers’ assessment information is accurate and helps them, in most cases, to identify the next steps for pupils in their class.
• Pupils are given regular opportunities to reflect about their own and other pupils’ learning. Teachers get pupils to prove what they have learned and how they could improve. Pupils’ responses are increasingly incisive as they move through the school, and teachers encourage a culture of self-improvement and peer improvement. For example, one pupil reviewed another pupil’s writing and commented, ‘You have used lots of fronted adverbials. I love your rhetorical question and how your criteria links to everything you have written.’
• The good quality of teaching in mathematics is enabling pupils to develop a very impressive depth of understanding on certain mathematical concepts. This is because teachers plan regular opportunities for pupils to reason and explain their mathematical understanding. For example, during the inspection, a pupil in Year 2 said, ‘I know that when you multiply an odd number by an odd number, you will always get an odd number: 3 x 3 = 9, 5 x 3 = 15. See!’
• Teachers’ subject knowledge in writing is secure. This is leading to good progress for pupils. Pupils are challenged to develop rich vocabulary and to edit and improve their work. The school has taken good opportunities to promote writing. For example, a children’s author came into school recently. A pupil commented, ‘She told us how hard it is to write a book.’ Opportunities like this are motivating pupils to persevere and become better writers.
• Pupils enjoy reading at school. They are encouraged to read a range of age-appropriate texts, and many pupils can discuss who their favourite authors are. The teaching of comprehension has been an area of priority for the school. Teachers are now planning activities and questions that allow pupils to practise more complex reading skills. This is securing good progress for pupils. However, the most able pupils, especially in key stage 2, are not suitably challenged in order to reach the standards of which they are capable. Their progress is curtailed because they do not consistently tackle the higher-level reading comprehension questions.
• The teaching of science is a strength in the school and pupils’ books showed a range of scientific work with knowledge, skills and understanding appropriate for their age. Pupils are given regular opportunities to carry out scientific enquiries. This is helping them to enjoy the subject and ask searching questions.
• On occasions, some pupils are not moved on to more challenging learning when they are ready to do so. During the inspection it was evident that some pupils were secure in a particular aspect of their work and then needed to work at a greater depth so that their progress could be even quicker. This is particularly the case for the most able pupils in key stage 1. However, it was also evident in other areas of the school and for pupils working close to or at the expected standard.
• Teachers’ use of questioning is not consistent. The strongest questioning in the school challenges pupils to think with greater depth and allows them to come to the solution themselves. However, occasionally some teaching does not offer these higher-level questions to help pupils think deeply and, as a result, make better progress.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils show a high level of care and support for one another. This was seen during the inspection when younger pupils were supported at lunchtimes by older pupils. One pupil summed up this ethos by saying, ‘We are a team here and we look after each other. It’s like a house being built with bricks. We fit together and are strong.’
• Pupils take pride in their work and their school. They have consistently positive attitudes to learning which have a good impact upon their progress. Leaders have rightly identified that the next step is for more pupils to be self-assured and tenacious in their learning behaviours. Some pupils do not have a high enough level of self-will and drive to challenge themselves in their learning.
• Leaders have been very thorough in planning for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. Pupils are involved in a range of activities to help support this aspect. They are encouraged to be aspirational. One display board showed the range of careers that pupils wanted in the future, including: going to acting school, going to university, becoming a vet and becoming a police officer. In key stage 2, pupils look at current news items and debate them, and this leads to them developing mature and measured views about the world.
• Pupils have a strong understanding of other faiths and cultures. In discussion with inspectors, pupils talked knowledgeably about their visit to a mosque and also about different sacred prayer books that are used in other religions, like the Torah in Judaism.
• Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe and they feel safe in school. They know exactly what bullying is and know what to do if they see it happening. Online safety is very well promoted and pupils are aware of how to stay safe online. Pupils know that they can go to adults in school, or at home, if there is anything that they are concerned about.
• Pupil leadership opportunities are encouraged and are helping to prepare pupils for the next phase of education and, indeed, life. There are play-leaders at lunchtime, sports captains, the school council, reading and maths buddies and supervisor roles. Pupils enjoy developing their leadership skills and taking on these responsibilities.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Behaviour in classrooms and around school is exemplary. Pupils work hard, listen attentively and incidents of low level disruption are extremely rare. When they do happen, staff sensitively acknowledge the issue and pupils self-correct their behaviour promptly. Parents support this view, with the vast majority agreeing that the school makes sure that pupils are well behaved.
• Pupils’ conduct is a significant strength. They are well-mannered and thoughtful, which leads to a highly supportive and caring atmosphere. Pupils support each other during break and lunchtime. During the inspection, older pupils were helping younger children with a range of tasks and pupils could be seen holding doors open for each other.
• Behaviour outside at playtime and lunchtime is excellent. Pupils adopt roles as leaders to direct purposeful play which has a strong impact on the quality of behaviour. For example, a significant number of pupils take part in what the school calls ‘boot camp’ to keep physically active and to promote working together as a team.
• The school’s behaviour policy is clear and used consistently across the school. Leaders monitor the infrequent incidents that occur and intervene to support pupils appropriately, when required.
• Leaders are very thorough in checking attendance. They have worked with pupils and parents to create a culture that promotes the importance of regular attendance. Consequently, attendance is above the national average and rising. In the academic year 2015/16, attendance was low for those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, leaders have worked hard to address this and, as a result, attendance rates for this group of pupils have been significantly raised during this current academic year.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• The school’s assessment information indicates that pupils in school are making good progress in a range of subjects. The quality of work in pupils’ books also shows that pupils are securing skills, knowledge and understanding that builds progressively over time. This leads to pupils achieving well and being very well prepared for their next stage of learning.
• The school’s methods for assessing pupils are a strength. They take part in regular moderation, internally and externally. This thoroughness is leading to teachers making accurate assessments. Overall, the school’s assessment information is accurate and reliable.
• Pupils attain well across the school. In the academic year 2015/16, the proportion of pupils that achieved the expected standards at the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2 was above the national average. Attainment was especially high in mathematics, with almost all pupils achieving the expected standard at the end of both key stages.
• The proportion of most able pupils achieving the higher standards was above the national average at the end of key stage 2 in 2016. However, at the end of key stage 1, the proportion of the most able achieving the higher standard was broadly in line with the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. This is because pupils in key stage 1 are not challenged sufficiently well.
• At the end of key stage 2 in 2016, the progress of pupils was positive in all subjects. However, the most able pupils did not make as much progress as they could in reading. This is because teaching does not require them to regularly use higher-level reading comprehension skills.
• Outcomes in the Year 1 national phonics screening tests have been above average for the previous two years. In 2015, all pupils achieved the national standard and in 2016, almost all reached the national standard. Pupils achieve well because of good-quality phonics teaching.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve well and make good progress from their starting points. They access well-planned provision and the work that they are set is supportive and challenging.
• The attainment of disadvantaged pupils is above average. For example, at the end of key stage 2 last year, national test results show that this group reached standards that were in line with other pupils who are not disadvantaged nationally in mathematics. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard was better than other pupils nationally in reading. However, in 2016 at the end of key stage 2, some disadvantaged pupils did not make as much progress from their starting points. The school provided convincing evidence that this was due to some pupils having significant learning and emotional needs. In several subjects and some year groups, disadvantaged pupils are making better progress than others in school.

Early years provision Good

• Children in the early years get off to a good start at Havergal. Relationships are positive between children and staff, which leads to children being secure, safe and happy. Staff encourage children with praise and recognise their achievements. Consequently, children are confident and keen to attempt new challenges.
• Leaders and staff work very closely with parents. This strong partnership gets off to a good start with home visits and then continues with effective ongoing communication. As a result, children settle well and make a prompt start to their education. Staff are very good at recognising some of the early individual barriers for children and then addressing them quickly. Several parents supported this view and feel that the staff know their children well and respond to their child’s needs.
• Children make good progress in Reception. Most children enter Reception with skills and knowledge that are typical for their age. Owing to good teaching and strong pastoral support, a higher proportion of children achieve the expected standard compared to the national average. Children are well prepared for Year 1.
• Staff are skilled in their questioning, which leads to children thinking deeply about their learning. For example, during an activity where children were weighing items, the teacher questioned pupils to enable them to use appropriate vocabulary in their answers. One child rightly commented, ‘This is heavier than that.’
• Children show high levels of interest and concentration when they are learning. This is because the curriculum is lively and purposeful. Activities are often practical and provide children with a full range of experience across the areas of learning. For example, during the inspection, children were carrying out a ‘funky fingers’ fine motor skills activity outside and this was supporting their physical development very effectively.
• Children make good progress in writing because they are given an effective blend of focused writing opportunities, as well as being encouraged to write independently as part of their continuous provision. During the inspection, several children were seen choosing to write outside. Work in children’s books showed children progressing from simple mark-making at the start of the year to writing full sentences with accurately formed letters and basic punctuation.
• The most able children generally make good progress. However, some are not always challenged as much as they should be during activities. Staff do not always stretch their thinking, so that more children can exceed the expected standards by the end of Reception.
• The leadership of the early years is good. There is an effective understanding of the strengths and weaknesses and self-evaluation is accurate. Leaders have ensured that a temporary staffing change has been managed seamlessly, so that there has been no interruption to children’s learning. While leaders and staff have effective methods to assess children, the baseline assessments are not analysed as robustly as they should be.
• Safeguarding procedures are effective and the welfare requirements in the early years are fully met.

Ac

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 140858 Staffordshire 10032559 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 sponsor-led 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 180 Appropriate authority St Chad’s Academy Trust Chair Executive headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Brian Churm Paul Mitchell 01922 415342 www.havergal.org.uk office@havergal.staffs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.
• The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is below average.
• Almost all pupils come from a White British background.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below the national average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics for pupils by the end of Year 6.
• The school is part of the St Chad’s Academy Trust, who have legal and strategic responsibilities for all of the schools within the trust. The Church of England Central Education Trust is the umbrella trust for St Chad’s Academy Trust. The local governing body monitors the school’s work and provides a link with the local community. The school opened as an academy in July 2014. When its predecessor school was last inspected by Ofsted in November 2013, it was judged to be inadequate.
• The executive headteacher was appointed at the school in September 2014.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 18 lessons or parts of lessons. A number of these observations were undertaken with senior leaders.
• The inspectors looked at work in pupils’ books and listened to pupils read. They met with a group of pupils to gain their views of the school. The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktime, lunchtime and at the end of the school day, as well as in lessons and in an assembly.
• Meetings were held with the executive headteacher, the head of school and three middle leaders. The lead inspector met with five members of the governing body, including the chair. The lead inspector met with two representatives from the multi-academy trust.
• The inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including assessments and records of pupils’ progress, the school’s checks and records relating to safeguarding, child protection and attendance, records of how teaching is managed and the school’s improvement plans.
• There were 43 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, for the inspectors to consider. Inspectors considered 43 free-text responses from parents. They also talked to parents at the start and end of the school day. They also considered two responses to the staff questionnaire.

Inspection team

Matt Meckin, lead inspector Rebecca Nash Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector