Haxby Road Primary Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve pupils’ progress further so that more pupils attain at least the expected level of knowledge, understanding and skills in a wider range of subjects, by:
  • continuing the focused work that has been put in place to improve pupils’ reading
  • increasing opportunities for pupils to explore their learning about different faiths and cultures
  • challenging the most able pupils to reach higher standards by using strong subject knowledge to question pupils effectively, developing reasoning skills and deepening understanding.
• Continue to improve attendance, in particular the persistent absence of pupils, by:
  • closely tracking and analysing attendance for different groups of pupils
  • continuing to work closely with families to make sure pupils attend school regularly.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The shared vision of all leaders and their effective communication with the whole school community have been fundamental in steering improvements in outcomes for pupils.
• There is a very strong partnership between the school and the academy trust; everyone speaks confidently about the gains this partnership has brought, particularly in terms of developing a culture of purpose and improvement.
• Improvements are well planned and based on a clear evaluation of where any weaknesses lie. Leaders are thorough in their planning and implementation of actions to support improvement. They make sure that all staff understand their role in driving improvement. A good example of this is the robust plan to improve pupils’ reading. There is a common understanding of strategies implemented and how to check regularly that pupils are making rapid progress in their knowledge of phonics, their fluency and their understanding of the books they read.
• Leaders’ management of the performance of teachers is supporting improvement. Targets for teachers relate directly to priorities on the school improvement plan. Senior leaders monitor the quality of teaching, pupils’ work and the progress pupils are making. Leaders take decisive action and swiftly put plans in place where teachers need support to improve the quality of their practice.
• Middle leaders have a good understanding of how well pupils are doing in their subjects across school, due to their regular checks on the progress of individuals and groups of pupils. They have an accurate understanding of strengths and weaknesses when looking at pupils’ work and teaching and learning in lessons. They use this information to work successfully with teachers to improve pupils’ progress.
• The special educational needs coordinator has thoroughly revised the provision and systems for checking pupils’ progress. She works closely with teachers to ensure that resources, activities and the environment are supporting pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities in making at least expected progress. Home-school links are strong. Celebrations in learning are shared and parents are supported in how to help their child at home, enabling pupils to make better progress.
• In aspects of the curriculum, pupils have the opportunity to explore and develop their learning, for example through practical activities in the ‘forest school’ and ‘cook school’. In addition, the teaching of art results in high-quality work, some of which is displayed beautifully around school, for example work on the ‘Pitmen Painters’. However, in other areas, for example in science and religious education, the opportunities for pupils to enhance their investigative skills or improve their understanding are not fully developed.
• Leaders target the use of the pupil premium funding well. Disadvantaged pupils make good progress throughout their time in school. A large amount of work goes into supporting the families of these pupils, such as those where there are young carers, or those facing challenging circumstances. These pupils receive additional support in lessons where needed, as well as pastoral support, access to the breakfast club and work with specific mentors.
• The work to improve partnerships with parents has been highly effective. The determination to make sure that parents feel welcome and part of their child’s learning is paying off. Parents speak warmly about their involvement in the school and how the school supports them and their child. For example, one parent said: ‘Staff are always there if you need some help – for children and for parents.’ The Family Café gives parents the opportunity to meet other parents, particularly when they are new to the school. Parents welcome this opportunity to be part of school in an informal way. The improved opportunities for staff and parents to work together are having a positive impact on the progress pupils are making.
• Leaders use the sport premium effectively to develop pupils’ skills in physical education, from their start in ‘Tiny Steps’ through to Year 6. Participation in competitions and events has greatly increased. Teachers are developing their own teaching skills as they work alongside coaches, and behaviour has improved as a result of clear, high expectations and the promotion of great sportsmanship.
• Leaders promote learning about tolerance and respect effectively. Pupils talk confidently about how they respect people’s differences, but they cannot articulate what these differences may be and why people have different beliefs, faiths and traditions.

Governance of the school

• Governors are passionate about their role in school improvement. They have an excellent knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Governors are not afraid to challenge leaders for further information they need to ensure that pupils are making the best progress they can, while acknowledging the good progress already made. They recognise the huge journey the school is on and support leaders effectively.
• A sense of trust and mutual confidence exists between the governing board and the academy trust. Governors feel that they ‘get to do the stuff that really matters locally’, while fully valuing the benefits of expertise and support in leadership and teaching and learning that the trust brings.
• Governors manage the performance of the head of school carefully, making sure this focuses on school improvement priorities, as well as personal development and professional opportunities.
• Governors are well informed, through school leaders’ reports, about behaviour, attainment and the plans for and impact of the spending of the pupil premium and sports funding. They ask probing questions of leaders to evaluate improvement within the school and against the wider, national picture. Governors recognise that more precise summaries of progress over time in learning and analysis of the attendance of specific groups of pupils will make this work even more robust.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have ensured that robust policies are in place and they are lived out in daily practice. Staff make every effort to ensure that the safety and welfare of pupils are of the utmost priority.
• All staff are aware of their duties and receive regular training and updates. Staff know what to do if they believe a pupil may be at risk of harm. There is a clear system of induction for pupils and new staff.
• There is strong support to help families, including close work with other agencies when appropriate.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers share the purposeful drive of leaders to improve outcomes for pupils.
• Staff welcome the opportunities to share good practice across the trust schools and beyond. They are constantly looking for ways they can improve teaching and learning.
• The teaching of English and mathematics has improved since the school became an academy, because of careful action planning, training for teachers and assistant teachers, and a well-organised system for checking the progress pupils are making.
• A wealth of new strategies to improve reading and to foster a love of books have already had a positive impact on pupils’ progress. Staff surround pupils with a vocabulary-rich environment. New books and reading materials, along with enticing activities and celebrations, are helping pupils to read fluently and with understanding. Linked drama activities, visits and initiatives such as ‘Red Ted’ (‘read every day, talk every day’) are further supporting this work. Both the most able and least able readers read with enthusiasm and confidence.
• Pupils make good progress in English and mathematics, but teachers know that this progress needs to be accelerated further to make sure that pupils reach at least the national expectations.
• Teachers in the enhanced resource provision carefully match activities to the needs of each individual pupil. Pupils go calmly and confidently about their work and make good progress in their learning from their starting points. Pupils are confident to speak to each other and aloud to the whole class.
• The support that lower-attaining pupils receive, along with those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, is good. Teachers and assistant teachers use careful questioning, give clear explanations and use practical resources to make sure that pupils make good progress. Sometimes the most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, do not receive the same level of support to help them deepen their learning.
• Homework activities link carefully to pupils’ learning in class. Teachers motivate pupils with incentives of praise and small rewards for completing activities, with a particular focus on developing a love of books and reading. Pupils speak confidently about homework and know that it is there to help them ‘practise the things from lessons’.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils know how to improve their work and love school. They speak enthusiastically of their learning in ‘cook school’ and physical education lessons, and with animation about the incentives on offer for reading and generally ‘working hard’.
• Pupils and their parents benefit from the school’s commitment to working closely with parents and carers. The extensive work and support, which begins in the early years, means parents feel welcomed and confident in coming into school. The successful ‘Inspire’ sessions have not only helped to foster positive relationships between home and school, but have informed parents about their child’s learning and showed them how they can support learning at home.
• Pupils know that it is important to show respect to everyone and to have self-belief, but are unsure about why people have different beliefs and faiths.
• The daily breakfast club provides a calm and welcoming start to the day.
• Pupils have a good understanding of developing a healthy lifestyle. They know about eating healthily and why this is important. In lessons and assemblies they learn about keeping safe, for example on the road, on their bikes and when using the computer.
• Pupils and parents say that bullying is rare and that when it does occur adults deal with it quickly and successfully.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Staff, governors, the trust and parents are in firm agreement that behaviour has improved substantially over the last two years. There is a strong focus on understanding pupils’ needs alongside having high, clear expectations.
• In class pupils generally demonstrate good attitudes to learning. They move calmly around the school building, for example after breaktimes and between lessons, and settle quickly to a new activity. Lunchtimes in the canteen are calm and well organised.
• Attendance has remained in line with national averages over the last few years. Persistent absence has been higher than national figures. Some strategies implemented to improve this are taking effect, particularly for the more vulnerable pupils, but leaders know further work needs to be done.
• Leaders have been firm in their expectations of pupils attending school regularly and on time. They have adapted some of the school routines to support this, for example an earlier start to the school day, so that pupils can be dropped off before parents go to work. Any lateness is quickly followed up and punctuality has improved.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Since the school became an academy, it has worked hard to address some historical underachievement. Children enter the early years with skills well below those typical for their age. The carefully planned work in ‘Tiny Steps’, the new provision for two-year-olds, and Nursery, means that the starting points for children entering Reception are now much stronger.
• Over their time in school, pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Because their starting points were so low, although older pupils make strong progress in reading, their attainment is still below that of pupils nationally. Leaders acknowledge this and have robust plans in place to diminish this difference.
• Training for staff and a consistency of approach to teaching phonics have resulted in a large increase in the number of pupils achieving the expected standard at the end of Year 1.
• For three years there had been a clear rising trend in outcomes for pupils at the end of key stage 1. In the 2016 assessments, pupils did not do as well in reading and writing. However, the progress these pupils are now making in Year 3 in reading and writing is strong.
• Disadvantaged pupils make good progress over their time in school from their low starting points, due to the excellent support and strategies in place. There is still a difference in attainment compared with other pupils nationally, but this is diminishing.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress due to good communication between the leader, teachers and parents about the child’s well-planned, individual programme of work.
• Displays in school and records of pupils’ work in subjects such as art and modern foreign languages show that the majority of pupils make strong progress in these subjects. However, not all subjects fully develop pupils’ enquiry or reasoning skills. In particular, opportunities are less developed in science and religious education.
• Pupils in the enhanced resource provision make good progress, not only against academic outcomes, but also in developing their confidence and self-esteem, because of appropriate support and challenge in their learning. Staff communicate carefully with teachers in school and teachers in the pupils’ ‘home school’ to ensure continuity between the two settings.

Early years provision Good

• The early years provide a wealth of opportunities for children to explore, engage in and enjoy. Areas of learning, indoors and outdoors, are well organised and inviting. They give opportunities for children to lead their own investigations through practical, first-hand experiences.
• Standards at the end of the early years are rising. This is due to the extremely effective work going on in ‘Tiny Steps’ for two-year-olds and the Nursery. A strong emphasis on developing speech and language skills and supporting well-being is raising standards. The early years pupil premium grant is used well to support this work, increasing the pace of progress children make through the early learning goals.
• Both the indoor and outside areas promote language, writing and mathematics successfully – children are confident in testing out their basic skills.
• Leadership of the early years is strong. The early years leader has ensured that rigorous assessments are in place. Adults know the starting points for each individual child and make sure that activities focus on challenging them to the next step. Adults give appropriate support and challenge to the less able and most able pupils.
• The school’s focus on improving outcomes in reading gets off to a strong start in the early years. The ‘Red Ted’ system is popular with children and parents. There is an emphasis on reading regularly and children cannot wait to earn a prize, for example having their photograph taken with ‘Red Ted’. Standards in reading are improving.
• Adults record children’s learning in ‘learning journeys’ and online. Parents can add to the detailed record of their child’s progress by writing on a ‘Proud Cloud’ to celebrate learning that has taken place at home.
• Adults constantly promote good learning behaviours and develop real-life skills. Children are settled and there are positive relationships between adults and children. Children show a high level of engagement and sustained concentration. This prepares them well for learning in Year 1.
• Children are safe and well cared for. Staff ensure that all welfare requirements are met.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 140563 York 10023801 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 2 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 221 Appropriate authority Chair Head of school Telephone number Website Email address Academy trust Rebecca Kell Zoe Lightfoot 01904 555 590 www.hrprimary.co.uk haxbyroadacademy@hr.ebor.academy Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• The school became an academy in 2013 and is part of the Ebor Academy Trust.
• The early years consists of part-time provision for two-year-olds, a part-time Nursery and a Reception class.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above the national average.
• The school runs an enhanced resource provision for 26 pupils who have a primary need of either speech, language and communication or autism.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is below the national average.
• The school runs a daily breakfast and after-school club.
• 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 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.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils learning in a range of lessons, some alongside the head of school.
• Inspectors looked at a range of pupils’ work across the curriculum. For English and mathematics this work took place alongside middle leaders.
• Inspectors looked at a wide range of school documents, including: assessment information; school improvement planning; school self-evaluation; minutes of meetings of the governing body; external reports; academy reports; information about the performance of teachers; documents relating to behaviour and safety; and documents relating to safeguarding.
• Meetings took place with representatives from the school, the executive headteacher, the head of school, senior and middle leaders, staff, representatives from the governing body and groups of pupils.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read.
• Inspectors spoke to parents and considered the 30 responses on Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire.

Inspection team

Kate Rowley, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Suzanne Lithgow Her Majesty’s Inspector