Thomas Hinderwell Primary Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that teaching, learning and assessment are consistently good or better, so that the proportion of pupils who meet and exceed the expected standards by the end of key stages 1 and 2 are at least average, by making sure that:
  • new teaching approaches become embedded and are used effectively throughout key stages 1 and 2
  • teachers and other adults support pupils to quickly develop accurate letter and number formation, routinely checking that pupils correct mistakes
  • teachers use assessment information to plan tasks which are appropriately matched to pupils’ stages of development.
• Rapidly improve attendance and reduce persistent absence for pupils overall, and particularly for those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management, including governance, by making sure that:
  • self-evaluation pinpoints strengths and weaknesses precisely so that improvement actions are appropriately targeted
  • ambitious targets are set and clear measures of success are identified to help gauge the impact of school improvement actions
  • leaders routinely evaluate and analyse the impact of their actions and report this consistently to senior leaders and governors
  • analysis of assessment information is refined to give greater clarity about the progress made by groups of pupils throughout the school
  • governors hold school leaders more rigorously to account for pupils’ outcomes.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Considerable staff changes have been a barrier to improvement. Teaching has not improved quickly enough throughout the school to ensure that pupils achieve well by the end of key stages 1 and 2.
• Leaders’ self-evaluation is not always precise enough. This means that identified school improvement actions are not always specific or ambitious enough. Leaders at all levels do not sufficiently evaluate the impact of their actions and report this routinely to senior leaders and governors. Therefore, they are not held rigorously to account for improving outcomes for pupils.
• Leaders have developed links with parents and raised awareness of the importance of good attendance. However, while parental engagement has improved, attendance figures remain very low. Leaders do not provide enough detail when reporting attendance and persistent absence to governors. This means that leaders are unable to demonstrate the impact of actions to improve attendance for groups of pupils. Therefore, improvements have been limited.
• The use of pupil premium to support disadvantaged pupils has had mixed success. Leaders use it particularly well to assist pupils’ social and emotional development and readiness to learn. However, leaders’ analysis of the progress this group makes is not sharp enough to check the difference different strategies are making. Therefore, leaders are not able to determine how to most effectively target the funding.
• The new special educational needs coordinator has taken steps to make sure that funding provides individualised support so that pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities can achieve well. However, systems and processes are only in the early stages of their development, and the quality of provision for current pupils varies throughout school.
• As a result of leaders’ actions, the teaching of phonics is more effective and is resulting in improved outcomes. Children are also making much better progress in the early years so that an increasing proportion are now reaching a good level of development by the end of Reception.
• Middle leaders, most of whom are new to their role in the last year, are successfully starting to bring about improvements to the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.
• Leaders have continued to improve pupils’ behaviour. A whole-school behaviour system, raised staff expectations and effective management of incidents have resulted in considerable reductions in the severity and number of occurrences, including exclusions.
• Leaders make effective use of the links within the multi-academy trust and local schools. For example, by working with others, they have made sure that teachers’ assessments are more reliable and accurate. Support to develop the early years has also been successful. Staff have received effective training and development opportunities which have contributed to the improvements seen in the quality of teaching and learning in phonics.
• The principal has a clear vision for the curriculum and has designed it to meet the needs of the pupils and the school’s context. It ensures a strong contribution to pupils’ good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. A culture of respect for others permeates the school and helps to prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain. The curriculum offers a broad range of experiences through themes and topics which give pupils opportunities to question, reason and work practically across a range of subjects. Leaders have a passionate belief in providing a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities, including lunchtime clubs which contribute to pupils’ personal development.
• Leaders use the primary school physical education (PE) and sport funding to offer a range of sporting equipment and activities. This is helping pupils to understand the importance of developing a healthy lifestyle.

Governance of the school

• Governors and trustees have not made sure that leaders’ self-evaluation is precise enough to accurately identify appropriate actions to quickly secure the required improvements. This results in governors sometimes having an overly optimistic view of the impact of leaders’ actions. Additionally, governors do not always receive sufficient analysis of information from school leaders, for example about the progress of current pupils in all year groups or attendance outcomes overall and for different pupil groups. This hinders governors in holding leaders rigorously to account for pupils’ outcomes.
• Checks by the trust have not identified a lack of sharpness in self-evaluation, improvement planning and reporting mechanisms. However, recent changes to structures and systems within the trust are beginning to provide more appropriate support and challenge to governors and leaders.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders have created a positive culture and ethos in which safeguarding plays an important part of everyday life. Appropriate checks are made on staff who work at the school, and trust staff check this on a regular basis. Leaders make sure that all staff receive regular and suitable training about all aspects of safeguarding, which means they know how to spot possible signs of concern.
• Leaders and governors are committed to keeping pupils safe. There is a close and effective working relationship with other agencies to support this. The principal now provides governors with a safeguarding report about the overview of support for vulnerable pupils. This allows governors to check the effectiveness of safeguarding provision.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is variable. Although improving, it is not yet securely good apart from in the early years. Consequently, not enough pupils reach or exceed the expected standards by the end of key stages 1 and 2. Changes in staffing have hindered development.
• Some teachers, particularly in key stage 1, do not take into account what pupils know and can do to help them plan suitable learning in lessons. This means that pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not quickly catch up or make fast enough progress in their learning.
• Where teachers do not notice pupils’ errors quickly, pupils do not make rapid enough gains with their learning. For example, pupils’ letter and number formation is not always accurate in key stage 1. When teachers do not pick this up, pupils continue incorrectly and do not quickly develop their handwriting skills. This often becomes a barrier to their learning.
• There are several new teaching approaches to teaching aspects of English and mathematics. As teachers are at varying stages of confidence with these, the approaches are not always effective in maximising pupils’ learning. This is particularly the case with mathematics in key stage 1.
• A well-structured approach to the teaching of phonics helps pupils to develop the skills of blending sounds to read words. A new approach to the teaching of reading is broadening pupils’ reading skills. Teachers are also using displays in classrooms to effectively inspire pupils to read a wide range of quality texts.
• Positive relationships between staff and pupils create a constructive atmosphere in lessons. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ learning behaviour. As a result, pupils are developing the resilience needed to overcome mistakes when they are learning something new. Teachers encourage pupils to discuss their ideas to help clarify their thinking and involve pupils in checking their learning. Pupils in key stage 2 know how to improve their work and are taking greater responsibility for their own learning and development.
• Teaching across the curriculum helps pupils to make meaningful links with their learning in different subjects.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. There is a strong commitment by school leaders to develop pupils as rounded individuals. Consequently, pupils’ physical and emotional well-being is well supported. Pupils feel valued and are becoming confident and self-assured learners.
• The well-planned curriculum is successful in developing pupils’ awareness of diversity and the importance of tolerance and respect.
• There are positive relationships between staff and pupils which contribute well to pupils’ personal development.
• Pupils say that incidents of bullying are rare and that they know how to respond should such an issue arise. The curriculum also assists pupils in learning how to keep themselves safe, for example when online. Consequently, they are able to talk with confidence about the risks that come from using social media and how to avoid the dangers associated with online bullying.
• The school’s breakfast club supports pupils’ social interaction and provides a positive start to the day for the pupils who attend.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. Leaders’ whole-school approaches to improve attendance and reduce persistent absence are not having a strong enough effect. Consequently, attendance remains well below average overall and for pupils who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Persistent absence is reducing but not rapidly enough to improve attendance overall.
• Pupils move around school in a calm and orderly manner. Pupils are polite and well mannered to staff, visitors and each other. Their attitudes to learning are generally positive and they usually behave well in lessons and enjoy their learning.
• Records of behaviour incidents are checked carefully, and leaders identify when any additional support is required for individuals. Support for pupils’ with social and emotional needs is effective in developing pupils’ ability to regulate their own emotions and be more ready to learn. Consequently, the frequency and length of exclusions has reduced.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Current pupils are not making consistently strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics in key stages 1 and 2. Teachers do not always plan tasks which are well matched to pupils’ learning needs, and this prevents pupils from catching up rapidly and limits the progress they make.
• In 2016 at the end of key stage 1, pupils’ attainment was below the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. Indications from the 2017 key stage 1 provisional data suggest that this trend will continue. By the end of key stage 2 in 2016, pupils’ attainment was also below national figures in reading, writing and mathematics. However, provisional data for 2017 shows that an increasing proportion of pupils exceeded the expected standards. In 2016, progress in key stage 2 was significantly below the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. It improved in 2017, due to improving teaching, but not considerably.
• The recently introduced reading approach is beginning to entice pupils to take a greater interest in reading, to read more widely and to read more regularly at home. It is not yet possible to see how effective the new approach is in improving pupils’ reading skills.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities have individual support plans which identify appropriate targets to support pupils’ development of a wide range of skills. Their support varies throughout school, however, with some pupils not making fast enough progress.
• The school’s use of the pupil premium funding to target and support the achievement of disadvantaged pupils requires improvement in order to achieve greater consistency across classes.
• Too many pupils have not learned how to accurately form letters and numbers during key stage 1. This slows pupils down and is often a barrier to pupils’ success.
• The proportion of pupils who meet the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check has increased over the last three years. By 2017, the figure was very close to the national average. All of the Year 1 pupils in 2017 who were eligible for pupil premium funding met the phonics standard. Younger pupils in the early years and key stage one are increasingly using their phonics skills to read with confidence.
• Pupils usually take pride and care in the presentation of their work. Displays around the school show examples of good-quality work from across the curriculum.

Early years provision Good

• Leaders have prioritised improvement strategies in the early years so that children make a good start to their education. As a result, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development has increased since the last inspection and was above the national average in 2016.
• Children start their learning in the early years with skills and understanding which are often lower than those found typically for children of their age. This is particularly the case for children’s communication and language skills. Therefore, leaders have prioritised children’s early reading and writing development. Additional funding is used effectively to provide the specific support some children need. Teachers’ stronger subject knowledge and consistency in the teaching of phonics are resulting in a greater proportion of children meeting the early learning goals in reading and writing.
• The early years lead teacher, with the support of the vice-principal and a specialist leader of education from the trust, has ensured that there is an accurate assessment of children’s skills and understanding on entry to school. Effective systems are also in place to capture observations of children’s learning, record children’s progress and identify their next steps for development. These processes are supporting teachers to build on children’s learning from Nursery into Reception and increase the pace of progress made.
• Adults provide a variety of activities to stimulate children’s learning, both indoors and outside. As a result, children make keen use of all the areas, sustaining concentration well and developing their independence. Staff reinforce important vocabulary effectively and model how to share and play, resulting in high levels of engagement and positive behaviour. The early years lead teacher, along with the early years staff team, ensures that the statutory welfare requirements are met.
• Parents who spoke to inspectors said that staff deal well with any concerns they have and said that their children are happy and settled at school.
• Leaders are aware that the outdoor area does not offer the same high quality of opportunities for children to develop their reading, writing and mathematical skills as the indoor environment does.
• Too many children have not learned how to form numbers and letters accurately by the time they leave Reception. This is often a barrier to their learning in key stage 1.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 140018 North Yorkshire 10036551 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 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 259 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Principal Telephone number Website Email address Paul Ainsworth Susan Bland 01723 373110 www.thomashinderwell.co.uk/ office@thomashinderwell.co.uk Date of previous inspection 7–8 July 2015

Information about this school

• The school is part of the David Ross Education Trust. Since the previous inspection, there have been considerable changes to the school’s staffing. Most of the teachers are new and the vice-principal and key stage leaders are also new to their roles.
• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish. The school also meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school is an average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is above average.
• The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is much smaller than that found typically, as is the proportion who speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is just above the national average. The proportion who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is broadly 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 by the end of Year 6.
• The school runs a breakfast club.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed teaching in every class. Most observations were undertaken jointly with senior leaders. Inspectors listened to pupils read. They talked to pupils about their school and evaluated the quality of work in a sample of pupils’ books.
• Inspectors held meetings with the principal, vice-principal, key stage leaders and the early years lead teacher. They also met with two representatives from the academy improvement board and an academy improvement partner from the trust.
• The inspectors looked at pupils’ work in books along with the school’s information on pupil’s achievement to ascertain the progress that pupils are making.
• A range of documentation was considered, including the school’s self-evaluation, records of the monitoring of teaching and learning, the school improvement plan, information relating to the attendance and behaviour of pupils, safeguarding and child protection records, and minutes from governing body meetings. Documents outlining the arrangements for the use of pupil premium funding and the primary school PE and sport funding were also considered.
• Inspectors spoke to parents informally in order to seek their views about the school. Twenty responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, were taken into account. Nineteen responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff were also considered.

Inspection team

Kirsty Godfrey, lead inspector Angela Harper Lynn Kenworthy

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector