The Reddings Primary School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 10–11 July 2012 Inspection number 379377 The Reddings Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 117234 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 379377 Inspection dates 10–11 July 2012 Lead inspector Nina Bee

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 145 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jude Hardcastle Headteacher Tracy Prickett Date of previous school inspection 10 September 2007 School address Bennetts End Road Hemel Hempstead HP3 8DX Telephone number 01442 406500 Fax number 01442 406501 Email address admin@reddings.herts.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. The inspector observed 10 parts of lessons taught by eight teachers. Discussions were held with staff, governors, and a representative from the local authority. The inspector took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work, and looked at school documentation, including that relating to self-evaluation, teachers’ planning of lessons, pupils’ performance data, monitoring of teaching, and safeguarding. Responses to questionnaires from 52 parents and carers were analysed, along with 28 from staff and 134 from pupils.

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Information about the school

This school is smaller than the average-size primary school. It provides a breakfast club each day for a few children that is managed by the governing body. The school houses specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs, the Primary Support Base, funded by the local authority. It caters for up to six pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is above average for those supported at school action plus, or in possession of a statement of special educational needs. Approximately two thirds of the pupils is of White British or other White heritages. The remainder comes from a range of minority ethnic groups. More pupils than average speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above average. The school meets the current floor standard, whereby the government sets the minimum expectations for attainment

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Information about the school

and progress. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 This is a good school, which places great importance on pupils’ achievement and well-being. Pupils say they enjoy school. Attendance has improved and is above average. The school is not outstanding because teaching is not yet ensuring that all pupils make sufficiently rapid progress for their achievement to be outstanding.  Achievement is good in the Nursery and Reception classes. In Years 1 to 6, pupils achieve well in most lessons. Achievement is not as rapid in reading and writing in Years 1 and 2 as elsewhere. For a few pupils, achievement is outstanding.  Teaching is good. Pupils show positive attitudes to learning. Occasionally, lessons do not challenge pupils of all abilities and teachers do not question pupils successfully to ensure that they understand fully what they are doing. Much marking is good and effectively informs pupils what they need to do to improve and reach their targets. However, that is not always the case. Too little

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Key findings

time is given to pupils sometimes to respond to comments in their books. Pupils in the Primary Support Base receive excellent teaching and make outstanding gains in their learning and behaviour.  Behaviour is good. Pupils say that adults deal with any problems or concerns they may have and that they feel safe in school. Most parents and carers agree.  The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher, who has gained the confidence of the staff and governing body. She is supported well by the senior and middle leaders, particularly in relation to raising achievement and improving teaching. Everyone works well together as a team and staff morale is high. Parents and carers are generally supportive of the work of the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make all teaching and learning consistently good or outstanding in each year group by:  ensuring that, in all lessons, teachers provide activities which support and challenge pupils’ individual needs appropriately  using questioning effectively always to check pupils’ knowledge and Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

understanding during lessons  improving the teaching of reading and writing in Years 1 and 2  ensuring that all teachers’ marking provides clear comments which inform pupils how to improve and reach their targets, while also providing them with opportunities to respond to this advice.

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Achievement of pupils

Children achieve well in the Nursery and Reception classes and make good progress in relation to their starting points, which are usually below or well below those expected for their ages. In Years 1 to 6, achievement is good in reading, writing, and mathematics for most pupils. That includes disabled pupils and those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. Progress is not quite so rapid in reading and writing for a few pupils in Years 1 and 2, because of inconsistencies in teaching. School data show clearly that, in Years 4, 5 and 6, a few pupils have recently made outstanding progress in reading, writing, and mathematics. The few pupils taught in the Primary Support Base make outstanding progress because their individual needs are catered for expertly in all they do. Almost all parents and carers who returned questionnaires are happy with the progress their

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Achievement of pupils

The current Reception-Year children are on course to reach levels which are typical for their ages. They are the highest results the school has ever had at the end of Reception. Attainment at the end of Year 2 is currently below average for reading and writing and average for mathematics. The school’s analysis of the most recent data indicates that the current Year 6 pupils are set to reach broadly average standards in English and mathematics. Reading has been promoted effectively in Key Stage 2. As a result, almost all Year 6 pupils have reached average levels with a quarter of them reaching above average levels. Pupils have reached at least expected levels in science and information and communications technology (ICT).

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils demonstrated much enjoyment during lessons and were keen to explain what they were doing. They showed particular enthusiasm when ICT was used to reinforce and promote learning. In a science lesson, in the Years 5 and 6 class, pupils watched a video clip attentively as they learnt about what athletes eat and why. Reception- Year children used tablet computers excitedly with confidence as they developed their understanding of a story, which reinforced their recent visit to the zoo. Pupils have good opportunities in all lessons to develop their speaking and listening skills as they contribute to discussions and work together in pairs or in small groups.

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Quality of teaching

In all classrooms, relationships between adults and children are warm and the learning environments are calm and conducive to good learning. Most parents and Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Quality of teaching

carers who returned inspection questionnaires agree that teaching is good. In most lessons, teachers use assessment information accurately and plan activities successfully which are matched to pupils’ abilities well. Teachers are generally good at questioning pupils to ensure that they all understand what they are learning. However, the challenge offered to some groups of pupils is not always at the right level and, occasionally, teachers are insufficiently searching in their questioning, so that learning is not as rapid as it should be. In all classes, pupils have good opportunities to gain further moral understanding, along with personal and social skills, as they work in pairs and groups. Teaching is good overall and enables all groups of pupils to learn well, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language.

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Quality of teaching

Pupils in the Primary Support Base receive exceptionally good teaching and so their learning is outstanding. Excellent relationships were observed when older pupils in the Base demonstrated very good behaviour as they learnt how to rotate a shape around a vertex. The activity was interestingly resourced, instructions and explanations were extremely clear and learning was checked constantly. Expectations were high for both learning and behaviour and the pupils responded very positively throughout. As a result, learning during the lesson was outstanding.

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Quality of teaching

During a Year 5 and 6 literacy lesson which focused on using complex sentences to create ‘intrigue’, learning was good because adults checked pupils’ knowledge and understanding skilfully as they interacted with individuals. Pupils showed good engagement and independence as they worked maturely and very sensibly. In Reception Year, learning was good as children developed their knowledge of letters and sounds. All of them were well focused and showed good levels of independence as they used individual whiteboards expertly to write letters and words.

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Quality of teaching

Pupils’ previous work shows that their work is marked regularly, but the quality of advice on how to improve is inconsistent. Pupils do not always know what they need to do to improve their work. Teachers do not always give pupils time to respond to the comments they write and miss opportunities to link their comments to pupils’ individual targets. At times, too little attention is given to showing pupils how to form letters and, sometimes, numbers correctly. In addition, punctuation and spelling are not always promoted effectively. The learning and progress of pupils in Years 1 and 2 develop in reading and writing skills are not as rapid as older year groups in the school.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Behaviour in lessons is typically good. Pupils were seen behaving well in lessons, in the dining hall, in assembly, and outside. Outstanding behaviour was seen in the Nursery and in the Primary Support Base. In a very small minority of lessons, when a few pupils may be insufficiently involved in their learning, they start to fidget and lose focus sometimes. Pupils respond promptly to instructions from adults. They are usually kind and thoughtful towards their classmates and visitors to the school. The very few incidents of poor behaviour are documented very carefully and procedures Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

and practices are consistently effective throughout the school. Pupils speak confidently about how incidents of bullying are rare these days. They talk sensibly about bullying being behaviour that should not be tolerated and, maturely, identify different types of bullying such as cyber, verbal, and physical bullying. Pupils say that behaviour is generally good during lessons and any issues are sorted out quickly by adults. Pupils’ inspection questionnaires confirm this. A few parents and carers feel that behaviour is not good and that incidents of bullying are not dealt with effectively. Inspection evidence and the school’s records do not support that view. Pupils are adamant that the school is a safe place to be and most parents and carers agree and inspection evidence supports this view. Pupils, parents, carers, and the governing body have all been involved successfully in improving attendance, which is

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Leadership and management

The headteacher is focused strongly on raising pupils’ attainment and ensuring that all pupils make at least good progress. She has an accurate understanding of the quality of teaching in the school and an impressive system to monitor teachers’ performance in the classroom, along with procedures which allow them to develop professionally. Inconsistencies in teaching have already been identified and are in the process of being tackled. Self-evaluation is accurate and staff and the governing body are fully involved in school development planning.

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Leadership and management

Pupils’ progress is tracked and analysed very carefully to ensure that all groups of pupils achieve well. As a result, achievement and attainment are rising at the end of Reception Year and a few older pupils are now making outstanding progress. Senior and subject leaders have a clear picture of how all groups and individuals are achieving in their areas of responsibility. A good range of intervention programmes is available for those pupils who are off track to meet their targets. As a result, there is no evidence of pupils underachieving. Those notable successes show that the school has good capacity to improve.

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Leadership and management

The good curriculum is organised effectively and provides a broad range of experiences that promote creativity in lessons which focus on art, literacy, and music. Pupils benefit from a wide range of after-school clubs and interesting visits, including a residential visit. Spiritual, social, moral, and cultural development is promoted well in the curriculum, for example, as pupils develop an understanding of others in school who may hold different views and opinions, which need to be respected. As a result, pupils from a wide range of different backgrounds get on with each other. A small group of pupils attends the breakfast club, where they can socialise with others and eat breakfast in a safe and caring environment.

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Leadership and management

The governing body is effective. It is well involved in the work of the school through regular visits, receiving reports and by attending training sessions, for example, related to improving their understanding of data. Consequently, it is well equipped to hold the school to account for its performance. The governing body takes its responsibilities for safeguarding seriously and policies and procedures are clear and Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Leadership and management

documented very well to ensure pupils’ safety. Equal opportunities are monitored through rigorous analysis of pupils’ performance, both academically and personally and discrimination of any kind is not tolerated.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 54 42 2 2 Primary schools 14 49 32 6 Secondary schools 20 39 34 7 Special schools 33 45 20 3 Pupil referral units 9 55 28 8 All schools 16 47 31 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September to 31 December 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attendance: the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour: how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Floor standards: the national minimum expectation of attainment and progression measures.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety: how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of The Reddings Primary School, Hemel Hempstead, HP3 8DX

The time I spent in your school recently was most enjoyable. Your teachers plan exciting things for you to do during lessons, after school and when they take you out on visits. Attendance in your school is above average now, so well done for improving that. You go to a good school which enables you to make good progress. By the time you leave in Year 6, you reach the expected levels for your ages in reading, writing, mathematics, science, and ICT.

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Inspection of The Reddings Primary School, Hemel Hempstead, HP3 8DX

These are the things I found out about your school.

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Inspection of The Reddings Primary School, Hemel Hempstead, HP3 8DX

 The children in Nursery and Reception Year learn well because teaching is good.  Learning is good overall as you move through Years 1 to 6 because, in most lessons, you are taught well.  Pupils make excellent gains in their learning and behaviour when they are working in the Primary Resource Base.  You are cared for and looked after well by the adults who help.  As you move around the school, you are polite and courteous and behaviour is good.  Your school is led and managed well and the staff and governing body work hard to make sure you all learn in an exciting and safe environment.

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Inspection of The Reddings Primary School, Hemel Hempstead, HP3 8DX

To improve the education you receive, I have asked the school to make sure that:  you are all given activities which challenge you and so allow you to learn well  all adults who work in the classrooms ask you questions during lessons to check that you all understand what you are doing and so learn well  you all make good progress in reading and writing  teachers write comments when they mark your work which tell you clearly what you need to do to improve and reach your targets and give you time to respond to these comments.

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Inspection of The Reddings Primary School, Hemel Hempstead, HP3 8DX

You can all help the school to continue to improve by always doing your best.

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Inspection of The Reddings Primary School, Hemel Hempstead, HP3 8DX

Nina Bee Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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