Healing Primary Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further improve leadership and management by applying more rigour to school action plans for improvement, including:
  • addressing any underperformance, particularly that of middle- and higher-ability disadvantaged pupils, by checking pupils’ progress more frequently and adapting and implementing actions for improvement as necessary
  • ensuring that middle leaders use all evidence gathered about pupils’ progress, including reviews of pupils’ work, lesson observations and school data information to direct support appropriately and check the progress of actions taken
  • making sure that school plans and information are regularly reviewed.
• Develop pupils’ love of reading by widening their experience of whole books and different authors, so that they can embed the new skills they have learned through purposeful, engaging and enjoyable activities.
• In the early years, extend opportunities for children to explore, make independent choices, use their imagination and deepen their learning across a wider variety of activities and curriculum areas, both indoors and outdoors.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher is passionate about each pupil achieving to the best of their ability. She has an excellent knowledge of how to develop and deepen pupils’ knowledge and skills and regularly works alongside pupils in class. She is relentless in her work to improve teaching, ensuring that staff have access to frequent training and development, much of which she leads. She encourages staff to take responsibility for their own development and empowers able teachers to have a sense of autonomy in their own classrooms.
• The deputy headteacher knows the pupils well. She leads and supports staff effectively while setting high-quality standards and expectations in her own class.
• A determination to equip pupils with high standards of writing and mathematics skills is reflected in the quality of work celebrated through displays in corridors and in pupils’ books. Leaders ensure that the large proportion of pupils working at higher standards at the end of key stage 1 are supported in continuing this work at greater depth throughout key stage 2. The majority of the most able pupils are making good progress.
• Leaders’ desire to give pupils access to wide curriculum opportunities is celebrated in pupils’ work, in displays around school and in the large number of additional activities and ‘expert-led’ lessons that go on each week. Coaches, scientists and musicians are just a few of the specialists engaging pupils and giving them the chance to try new things. For example, during the inspection, pupils learned new techniques in ballet before school and, later that day, pupils experienced mixing different substances to create bath bombs in the science club. The primary school physical education and sport funding is used successfully to provide wider sport opportunities for pupils across the whole school, as well as supporting staff in improving their teaching skills in physical education.
• The leader for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities has developed good subject knowledge and a clear vision for pupils through thorough and informative training. He has made sure that there is an accurate assessment of pupils’ needs and that they are well supported in the classroom. The funding for these pupils is directed successfully. As a result, pupils make strong progress from their starting points. Parents and carers are fully involved in the support their children receive and many are very positive about their regular, effective communication with staff. Parents have confidence in the school’s work in this area.
• Arrangements for the management of staff performance are in place for all teachers and support staff. This process ensures improvement in key areas, as well as supporting the individual needs of staff.
• There is a strong partnership between school leaders, governors and the trust. Being part of the academy trust has, leaders and staff say, opened up opportunities for collaboration and sharing effective practice. The school improvement partner provides an effective link between the school and the trust in terms of checking standards and overall judgements of effectiveness. Members of the trust check the attainment and progress of pupils overall, but are refining their systems, rightly, to give more detail, for example, about the progress that specific groups of pupils are making.
• Disadvantaged pupils have their progress and attainment checked separately by leaders each term. However, leaders do not use this information to provide targeted support that ensures that disadvantaged pupils make the rapid progress of which they are capable. As a result, the middle and higher attainers in particular are not making the same strong progress as their peers.
• Middle leaders highly value the opportunity they have to lead areas of learning. They are hard-working and are becoming more confident in producing action plans to lead improvement. For example, the leaders for science and music have strong subject knowledge. They know what work is going on through school, and understand what needs to be done next to further develop pupils’ skills and experiences in these subjects. Opportunities for middle leaders to observe pupils’ learning in lessons, alongside the work in their books and assessment information, are variable. As a result, key priorities for improvement are inconsistent across subject areas. Reviews of work in pupils’ books in reading and writing, for example, are not linked consistently well from one check to the next, so identified areas for development are not visited again to see if they have improved.
• Leaders’ plans for improvement identify the right priorities overall and indicate how the impact of the school’s work will be measured at the end of the year. However, sometimes plans lack rigour, particularly in terms of checking the progress of actions taken and the precise identification of what needs to be done next. As a result, underperformance is not always addressed and reviewed quickly enough, and pupils’ progress stalls.
• Although some aspects of the school’s work and policies on the website were not up to date at the start of the inspection, such as the information and strategies for pupils who receive the pupil premium funding, these were amended quickly during the inspection and are to be presented for ratification at the next governors’ meeting. The school is in the process of designing and uploading a new website.

Governance

• Governors are fully committed to their role in making Healing Primary School a safe and high-attaining place to learn. They use information provided by the headteacher, reports from the external improvement partner and their regular visits to school to check the progress that is being made against actions for improvement. They are extremely supportive of school leaders and staff, but confident to question and challenge when necessary.
• The governors bring a diverse skill set which enables them to plan ahead carefully, for example in aspects of finance, and make well-informed decisions. The governors hold leaders to account for pupils’ outcomes, but are equally dedicated to ensuring care and support for everyone. The chair of the governing body is passionate about her role and spends much time in school working with leaders.
• Governors make sure that they keep detailed records of their questions to leaders and follow these up carefully with further challenge at governors’ meetings or during their visits and checks in school. They review how funding is directed, for example, for those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, or those who are disadvantaged. However, governors agree that the information they are given about the progress disadvantaged pupils are making is not frequent or refined enough to enable them to fully understand the impact the additional funding has for these pupils.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• All staff and governors have an excellent understanding of their role in ensuring that pupils are safe. Regular training and information sharing, as well as effective induction processes for new staff, mean that everyone knows what to do and whom to speak to if they have a concern. Systems for recording and following up concerns are effective and embedded.
• Pupils are taught how to keep safe in and out of school. For example, they understand how to keep safe when crossing the road and riding their bicycles. Much work has been done around staying safe online. Pupils know about the benefits of the internet. They understand the dangers of some sites and know what they should do if they come across a problem.
• Effective links are made with external agencies when necessary. Specific staff provide strong emotional support for pupils when they need it.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers and teaching assistants are dedicated to their roles. They have strong subject knowledge and work hard to improve their own skills to ensure that pupils are fully supported in their learning.
• Pupils’ work, staff professional development records and conversations with staff show that whenever staff are directed by leaders to make improvement, they ensure that this happens swiftly and consistently. For example, a clear focus on specific mathematics strategies, such as developing speedy mental arithmetic and using a school-wide method for number, is supporting pupils in making good gains in their learning in mathematics.
• Strong teaching in key stage 1 builds on the solid foundations set across the early years in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils know what they need to do next to improve and are supported well to deepen their understanding and extend their skills, whatever their ability. Expectations of the quality and presentation of work are consistently high.
• Key stage 2 teachers work hard to ensure that the most able pupils coming through key stage 1 are well supported in maintaining and furthering their high standards. They use effective questioning and further challenge to encourage pupils to develop confidence and extend their learning. As a result, many of the most able pupils are making strong progress. For example, during the inspection, pupils used a program successfully to address a mathematical problem, and were encouraged to talk with a partner so that they could explain and develop their ideas.
• Teaching assistants provide effective, additional support to pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities to support them in making good progress. For some disadvantaged pupils, high-quality direction is provided by a teaching assistant to support pupils in their learning. However, leaders do not always deploy this support quickly enough to address the underperformance of pupils, particularly those of middle and higher ability. Consequently, the progress these pupils make over time is variable.
• The routine teaching of phonics is embedded through Reception and key stage 1. Pupils apply their phonics skills well in reading and writing.
• Pupils have many opportunities, through a healthy diet of practical and fact-based activities, to develop skills across a wide curriculum. Pupils’ knowledge of the topics they have covered, such as the ancient Egyptians, is impressive. When talking about their learning in subjects such as science and history, pupils are animated and confident, not only to talk about the facts they have learned but also to share their personal thoughts and opinions.
• In reading, teaching to develop inference skills is having a positive impact. Pupils can make deductions and share ideas about the text. However, in key stage 2, pupils have limited opportunities to read aloud, so do not always read with fluency and expression. Analysis of text has been high profile. Pupils’ vocabulary and understanding of key features of text have developed. However, pupils have not had sufficient opportunities to share complete books or discover different authors. Consequently, many pupils do not have the same love of reading as they do of other subjects in school. They are not motivated to bring their reading books into school, and some tend to see their home reading as something that just ‘has to be done’.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• The positive relationship that teachers and support staff have with the pupils in their care results in pupils feeling safe, well cared for and able to talk freely when they have a problem. Many pupils display a quiet confidence in their learning. They know that they need to keep trying their best so that they can become successful learners, now and in the future.
• When pupils most need support, emotionally and socially, staff are there to keep a watchful eye out, providing regular check-ins and leading structured activities. Staff have undertaken specific training to help them support pupils, in a number of situations and with different needs. Pupils who have received this support are very positive about the care and kindness they have received from support staff.
• Pupils demonstrate a high level of moral understanding. They are very clear about what is right and wrong and know how important it is to make the right decisions. They are able to talk not only about the impact for themselves of doing the ‘right thing’, but also the impact on those around them.
• A focus on broadening pupils’ horizons is aiding pupils’ social and cultural development. Links with industries and workplaces locally encourage pupils to think about life opportunities. A current highlight for older pupils is their involvement in the ‘Goblin Car Project’. The project, sponsored by industry, is to design and build an electric car. There was great excitement with the arrival of the car frame and animated discussion among pupils about how they will use their mathematical and scientific skills to produce the car and then race it round the streets of Kingston upon Hull as part of the City of Culture celebrations.
• Pupils are developing a very good understanding of, and respect for, different faiths and beliefs. They are able to talk about a wide range of differences within society with a positive, matter-of-fact and open attitude.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Values of kindness, good manners, pride and respect displayed around school are tangible and embedded in pupils’ attitudes. The school’s mantra of ‘working to be proud of yourself’ is understood and aspired to by pupils and staff.
• Pupils’ attitudes to work are excellent. They are industrious in class and show respect, listening carefully to adults and each other.
• Lunchtimes and breaktimes are positive times of the day. Pupils care for each other and check that everyone has a friend to play with.
• The head boy and head girl lead by example. Their calm, positive and professional guidance is well respected by other pupils. Year 6 pupils carry out a number of tasks and ‘jobs’ to help adults and support pupils well at less structured times of the day.
• The school corridors and classrooms reflect very positive attitudes and the high expectations set. Work displayed shows how pupils rise to challenge. They take time and care to ensure that their work is something of which to be proud.
• Pupils say that bullying in school hardly ever happens, and that when pupils are unkind to each other, they ask an adult to help. They have a good understanding of different types of bullying in society, but speak confidently about their own respect for others, whatever their backgrounds and differences may be.
• Parents’ strong support of school policies and pupils’ love of being in school results in the attendance of pupils overall being consistently better than that of other pupils nationally.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• From typical or better starting points, pupils make strong progress through the early years and key stage 1. A greater proportion of pupils now leave the early years with skills that exceed those that are typical for their age.
• Leaders’ aspiration to ensure that all pupils develop skills to achieve the Year 1 phonics standard is coming to fruition. Last year, every pupil reached this standard.
• In the 2016 tests, Year 6 pupils made progress that was similar to that of pupils nationally in reading and mathematics from their stronger starting points. In writing, pupils made progress that was well above that of other pupils nationally. The work of current pupils in key stage 2 demonstrates good progress across subjects, with continued strengths in writing.
• The most able pupils are well supported to gain greater depth in their learning across subjects and across school.
• Pupils have the opportunity to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding through wide curriculum opportunities across key stages 1 and 2. Effective questioning by adults, and steering pupils to find out more themselves by researching information and discussing their learning, means that pupils make good progress across subjects such as science, music, history and art.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their starting points due to careful consideration of their needs and work that is well matched to the next steps they need to take.
• From various starting points, disadvantaged pupils overall make strong progress through key stage 1. The progress pupils make through key stage 2 is more variable, particularly for the middle-ability and those who are most able.

Early years provision Good

• The early years leader has created an environment that is safe, in which behaviour is excellent and where children’s learning in English and mathematics is given great priority to help them achieve high standards. The leader liaises carefully with local nurseries to gather information about children and their abilities. This enables the early years team to help children make a smooth transition to school life.
• All children enter the early years with skills and abilities which are in line with or above those typical for their age. Staff work hard to ensure that children’s learning is extended, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics. As a result, a much higher proportion of children are now reaching higher standards and are well prepared in these skills for the transition to Year 1. Attainment in writing is particularly strong. Children are confident in using their phonics skills to read new words. They use their previous learning to read words which are not phonetically plausible, those tricky high-frequency words such as ‘said’, well. Children form letters carefully and mostly correctly. They are proud to share their work with each other and adults in the classroom.
• Children listen carefully and follow direction well. Much learning takes place in whole-class or group sessions where children show consistently positive behaviour. They work calmly and quietly with partners. When children go off to complete set tasks they can do so on their own, sustaining concentration. However, children do not have as many opportunities to make independent choices in their learning, or to explore other areas of the curriculum. In addition, they have limited opportunities to explore learning in the outdoor environment. Consequently, their learning in other aspects of the curriculum is not as strong or embedded as it is in English and mathematics. Leaders agree that the outdoor environment needs developing to offer more opportunities across different areas of learning. They have identified this as an area of focus on this year’s improvement plan.
• Teaching assistants know the children and what they need to do next to develop their skills well. They use effective questioning and clear direction to help children improve. Much of the early years pupil premium funding is used well to provide a higher ratio of staff within these classes. All staff in the early years team understand how to keep children safe and are thorough in their risk assessments, record-keeping and general practice.
• Parents speak warmly about the excellent information they are given about their children’s progress. They recognise the school’s high expectations and say that instilling attitudes of good behaviour at school has a positive impact at home too.

School details

Unique reference number 141302 Local authority North East Lincolnshire Inspection number 10032035 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 School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Primary Academy converter 5 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 347 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Teresa Blanchard Janet Wood 01472 882 261 www.healingprimary.co.uk office@healingprimary.co.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Healing Primary School converted to become an academy school on 1 September 2014. When its predecessor school, of the same name, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.
• The school is part of the Healing Multi-Academy Trust.
• The school is a larger than average-sized primary school.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium funding is below the national average.
• There is a smaller proportion of pupils than nationally who are from an ethnic minority or who speak English as an additional language.
• The school met requirements on the publication of specified information on its website by the end of the inspection.
• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited lessons across the school, looking at pupils’ work within lessons. Some of this work took place with the headteacher.
• Middle and senior leaders worked alongside inspectors to scrutinise a range of pupils’ work in English and mathematics. Inspectors also examined work in other areas of the curriculum in books, on display and around school.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, middle leaders, administration staff, members of the governing body, pupils, staff and a representative from the trust. A discussion took place with the school improvement partner by telephone.
• Inspectors took account of 90 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and spoke to parents at the start of the school day.
• A wide range of documentation was scrutinised, including school improvement plans, minutes of meetings of the governing body and external reports. Documents and information relating to the monitoring of teaching and learning, attendance and safeguarding were also reviewed.

Inspection team

Kate Rowley, lead inspector Victoria Johnson Angela Harper Marianne Young

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector