High Hazels Junior School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good or better and leads to pupils making good progress, by ensuring that:
  • teachers have high expectations of the work produced by pupils
  • work set for pupils is challenging for all abilities, especially middle-ability pupils and the most able pupils
  • pupils’ work is assessed in line with the school’s policy and additional challenge is provided when work is found to be too easy
  • pupils’ spelling is accurate and their handwriting is neat
  • skilful questioning is used consistently well to deepen pupils’ understanding of what is being learned
  • pupils’ understanding of what they are reading is checked in detail and they are challenged to develop good reading skills and good vocabulary
  • pupils have greater opportunities to practise their mathematical problem-solving and reasoning skills.
• Increase the effectiveness of leaders and governors by ensuring that:
  • senior leaders evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s work accurately over time
  • senior and subject leaders raise their expectations to make sure that pupils’ work and the quality of teaching are consistently good across the school
  • the proportion of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, regularly absent from school is reduced
  • teachers’ professional development and the additional support from the trust lead to the overall effectiveness of the school being at least good at the next inspection.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Over time, leaders, managers and governors have not ensured that the quality of teaching is consistently good and that all groups of pupils achieve well.
• Senior leaders have not had a consistently accurate view of the school’s overall effectiveness. This has led to governors and middle leaders believing that the school is better than it is. Therefore, over time, leaders have not overcome inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes across the school.
• Since the school opened, leaders have taken decisive action to eradicate what they believe were inadequacies in teaching and the poor progress of pupils in some year groups. As a result, there has been considerable turbulence in staffing. This has been resolved recently.
• Good links with local universities and teacher-training providers have helped to recruit new teachers to make sure that each class has a permanent teacher this year. Newly qualified teachers are very positive about the support and training they are receiving.
• Staff morale is high. They believe that leaders are supporting their work and they are well led and managed. Middle leaders are enthusiastic and keen to play their part in improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes. However, they have not ensured that teaching is consistently good and that expectations of what pupils can do are high.
• Leaders have developed strong links with parents and community leaders to support pupils’ learning and safety. Parents indicate that they are confident in the school, and those spoken to by inspectors believe that the school is improving. There are many opportunities for parents to engage with the school through regular coffee mornings, a monthly parent forum and training sessions for parents in mathematics and in using the internet safely. The school responds well to parents’ views and suggestions.
• Systems for checking on the performance of teachers are thorough and take into account a wide range of information. Staff are supported to improve through coaching and observing good practice in the school and other schools, as well as using leadership courses arranged by the trust. However, professional development has not led to consistently good teaching and good outcomes for pupils over time.
• The school teaches a wide range of subjects to its pupils. There is a strong emphasis on the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders have adjusted the curriculum and the way it is taught to better develop skills in these areas.
• There is a strong emphasis on the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. There are good links to pupils’ understanding of how to be a good citizen. There is a very wide range of additional activities both in school time and in after-school clubs. Visits, for example to the theatre, residential activities, and visitors make a good contribution to pupils’ personal development.
• Leaders ensure that physical education and sport funding is used well. Pupils are very active at play and there is strong engagement in a wide range of sporting activities. Pupils benefit well from the use of sports coaches, some from a local professional football club.
• Additional funding for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is used effectively by the school to support these pupils so they achieve well. Effective use is also made of the funding for disadvantaged pupils. There is evidence that the funding has supported strong improvements in the number of disadvantaged pupils engaging in clubs and the wider activities organised by the school. Nevertheless, the school is aware that attendance and attainment for these pupils can vary, as they do for other pupils.
• The trust has provided additional support for the headteacher during the executive headteacher’s secondment. It has provided a range of professional development opportunities and reviews of the school’s work. However, the work of the trust has not led to the overall effectiveness of the school being good.

Governance of the school

• The chair of the local governing body leads the governors with purpose and has done much to bring challenge and accountability to school leaders. Governors have worked well with the school to improve community links and parental engagement. They understand the main priorities for the school. Governors largely receive appropriate information to fulfil their delegated responsibilities. However, some information has not been clear and this has led to governors having an overly positive view of the school’s effectiveness.
• Governors have received training from the trust to fulfil their responsibilities. They reflect carefully on their work and are supported by the trust. Some governors have not attended meetings as frequently as the chair would like. Consequently, she and the trust have established a very new system of local governance to better support the school.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders are very effective in ensuring that staff understand that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. They have made sure that all staff are clear about their duty to keep children safe and how to report matters of concern. Record keeping is meticulous. There is evidence of good links with external agencies and parents to make sure that pupils are safe, especially the most vulnerable. The record of staff pre-employment checks and the suitability of volunteers to work with children is well kept.
• There is a designated governor for safeguarding. Regular reports are made to keep governors up to date about safeguarding. Governors, leaders and senior executives of the trust review the school’s procedures to ensure that they continue to meet the needs of pupils.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Since the opening of the school, there has been considerable turbulence in staffing. At times, leaders have noted inadequacies and taken steps to resolve them. Parents say that they recognise improvements, but that overall, the quality of teaching remains too variable across the school.
• Over time, work set is not consistently challenging pupils well enough for them to make good progress. This is particularly noticeable for middle-ability pupils and for the most able. For example, there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to practise and develop their mathematical problem-solving and reasoning skills.
• Some teachers are not using assessment and the resulting information well enough to pitch the work at a level that helps pupils to make good progress. Work in class is not adjusted well enough to provide additional challenge for pupils to make good progress. Pupils recognise that work can be too easy for them. Clearly, this is not always the case and there is some good use of assessment in the school, leading to good progress.
• Teachers’ expectations are not consistently high. This can lead to pupils’ handwriting being variable and inaccuracies in spelling and punctuation. There are times when pupils are moved on to their next piece of work without having completed work to a good standard, and this can slow their learning. When expectations are high, work is well presented and completed to a high standard and pupils make good progress.
• When questioning is used skilfully in the school, teachers probe pupils’ understanding well and make them think deeply about their learning. Pupils are keen to answer and good learning takes place. However, questioning is not used well enough overall to engage a wide range of pupils and provide greater depth in their learning.
• There are good opportunities for pupils to read, including poetry, as well as to practise comprehension skills and develop their vocabulary skills. When taught well, pupils provide comprehensive written responses to show that they fully understand the texts they are reading. However, too often, pupils’ responses lack sufficient depth for them to demonstrate a good understanding of what they are reading.
• Inspectors noted that homework makes a positive contribution to pupils’ progress.
• Teaching assistants are used well to support pupils, particularly those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Good relationships and mutual respect exist between pupils and adults. Lessons flow smoothly, with pupils appreciating the help and advice they are given.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are confident when speaking with adults. Pupils and adults treat each other with dignity and respect. The school is a harmonious community of which pupils are proud.
• Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe in school. They are clear about how to adopt safe practices when working with technology and using the internet. The school encourages internet safety through its website and its teaching assemblies, and at parent meetings. Visitors, including the fire brigade, road safety teams and other external agencies, contribute well to pupils’ good knowledge of how to stay safe.
• Pupils have good opportunities to participate in activities that will keep them fit and healthy. Pupils are active at breaktime and lunchtime and play well together under the supervision of staff and sports coaches.
• Pupils are smart in their uniforms. Usually, they take pride in their work, although the quality of handwriting can vary. Occasionally, pupils’ pride in their work varies and is dependent on the quality of teaching and the expectations of their teachers.
• Pupils vote to select the members of the junior leadership team. These pupils meet regularly with leaders and know that their views are listened to. For example, pupils were keen to tell inspectors that leaders had followed up their suggestion to have new lockers for pupils to use.
• Pupils are clear about what constitutes bullying. They say that it is rare and they are confident that staff do not tolerate it. School records confirm that the few incidents of bullying are managed well. Parents are informed quickly and incidents are resolved successfully.
• Pupils told inspectors that, should they have a problem, they are confident that staff will listen to them. There are good links with external agencies to support pupils’ emotional well-being.
• Pupils are developing a good understanding of respect, tolerance, liberty, law and democracy. Throughout the curriculum, there is a good focus on developing these values and promoting a good understanding of other cultures and religions.
• School leaders have good systems in place to support pupils’ welfare and safety, particularly the safety of the most vulnerable pupils. Pupils enjoy activities at the school, including breakfast club. Parents and staff are confident that children are safe and well cared for in school.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils manage their conduct well both inside and outside the classroom.
• Pupils know what is expected of them and behave well. They say that they enjoy the credits that are available for good behaviour and the prizes they can earn. Overall, there is good behaviour in lessons. However, pupils lose concentration when the pace of learning slows.
• Over the past two years, attendance has been below average and too many pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, are regularly absent from school. The school has good systems in place to make sure that pupils are safe, even when they are regularly absent. Checks, especially home visits, are used to establish where these pupils are and to encourage parents to send their children to school.
• The school is working with families and key people in the local community to reduce the number of extended holidays taken during term time. Currently, many pupils are attending well and have not missed a day since the start of school. However, there is still further work to do in reducing the small minority of pupils who are regularly absent.
• The school environment is well cared for and is litter free.
• Parents and staff indicate that they believe that the school ensures that pupils are well behaved.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Since the opening of the school, pupils have not made good progress because of inconsistent quality of teaching. Although there are signs of improvement, pupils’ progress remains variable and not consistently good, especially in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Published information for 2016 shows that those leaving school at the end of Year 6 made below-average progress in reading, average progress in mathematics and better than average progress in writing. In 2017, progress in mathematics and writing was above average, but in reading remained below average.
• Inspectors checked pupils’ work from last year and the current year. They checked how well pupils’ skills in reading, writing and mathematics have developed. Pupils’ work showed inconsistent challenge and teachers’ variable expectations leading to progress that is not consistently good. The most able and middle-ability pupils are not challenged well enough by the work set for them.
• Leaders introduced additional teaching time and support for those pupils leaving Year 6 in 2017 and this resulted in progress improving in reading, writing and mathematics. This is an indication of leaders’ capacity to improve the school further, although inconsistencies remain.
• Overall, those pupils leaving Year 6 in the past two years have not achieved good outcomes during their time at school. Combined attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has been much lower than average because of the low attainment in the reading test at the end of key stage 2. Pupils’ English grammar, punctuation and spelling improved to be average last year because of the extra lessons that leaders allocated to this work.
• School information shows that disadvantaged pupils are not catching up consistently well across each year group. Last year, disadvantaged pupils benefited from the extra support and teaching in Year 6 and started to catch up with others nationally in writing and mathematics, but not in reading.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are making good progress, taking into account their complex needs. Leadership makes sure that the needs of each pupil are clearly identified and well known by teachers and teaching assistants. There is high-quality, bespoke support provided for these pupils to meet their needs. Pupils’ progress is checked meticulously. Should pupils be falling behind, timely support is put in place from the school, or external agencies, to make sure that good progress continues.
• For the past two years, outcomes in reading at the end of Year 6 have been much lower than the school expected and much lower than average. Pupils were keen to read to inspectors and staff. Inspectors took many opportunities to listen to pupils reading and to check their understanding. They found a wide range of skills across the school and across classes. Overall, much is to be done to improve pupils’ skills in reading. Some pupils read well, but others are not understanding what they are reading or using the punctuation in texts to help them read well.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 141404 Sheffield 10036384 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Junior School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy sponsor-led 7 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 356 Appropriate authority The board of trustees Chair of the local governing body Huda Ahmed Headteacher Asma Maqsood-Shah Telephone number 0114 2442189 Website Email address www.highhazelsacademy.org.uk enquiries@highhazelsacademy.org.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 larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported through the pupil premium is well above average. Four out of 10 pupils are disadvantaged.
• Almost all pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, mainly Asian ethnic groups. The vast majority speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who have support for special educational needs and/or disabilities is average.
• Less than 1% of pupils have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan. This is below average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• The school is a member of United Learning Trust. It converted to become an academy on 1 January 2015. When its predecessor school, Greenlands Junior School, was last inspected by Ofsted in March 2013, it was judged to require improvement.
• There have been significant changes in staffing since the school became an academy.
• The headteacher was appointed on 1 September 2017 and was acting headteacher from January 2016.
• The executive headteacher of the school was seconded to the trust’s central team from February 2016 for 18 months. She returned to her role at High Hazels Junior School on 1 September 2017. During this time, the trust provided additional support for the leadership of the school.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed a range of teaching and learning in parts of lessons. One was jointly observed with the headteacher.
• Throughout the two days of the inspection, inspectors spoke with pupils, both individually and in groups, about learning and safety. They also spoke with parents.
• Inspectors reviewed pupils’ work in lessons and analysed samples of work in pupils’ books.
• Inspectors listened to pupils reading.
• An inspector held a meeting with the current chair of the local governing body and one other governor. A meeting was held with a representative of the governing body and a separate meeting held with a representative of the trust.
• Inspectors also held meetings with senior leaders and other staff.
• Inspectors looked at the school’s review of its own performance, its development and improvement plan, a number of key school policies and the minutes of governing body meetings. They considered a range of documentation in relation to child protection, safeguarding, behaviour and attendance.
• Inspectors analysed parents’ responses to a questionnaire organised by the trust and the school. There were too few responses from parents to Ofsted’s questionnaire, Parent View, to be recorded. Inspectors also considered 52 responses to the Ofsted questionnaire for pupils and 22 responses to the staff questionnaire.

Inspection team

Jim McGrath, lead inspector Sara Roe Simon McCarthy

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector