Hemington Primary School

Hemington Primary School Main Street, Hemington, Derby, DE74 2RB

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Arrangements for leadership are not sufficiently clear and embedded. Leadership systems for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school lack sufficient rigour, particularly those to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching.  Pupil progress in English and mathematics is good in Years 2 and 3, but this is not the case in other year groups where pupils’ progress requires improvement, particularly in writing and mathematics.  There is not enough consistently good teaching to ensure that the majority of pupils make good progress and maintain pupils’ previously high attainment.

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The school has the following strengths

 Attainment in English is above average and achievement in reading is good.  The headteacher has improved systems for tracking and analysing pupils’ progress and has correctly identified the areas which require improvement.  The additional support for pupils who require extra help with their learning is well focused so that these pupils make good progress.  Additional adults in classrooms often add significantly to pupils’ learning.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well through a wide range of opportunities woven throughout the different subjects of the curriculum.  Pupils are safe. They behave well around school and at playtimes, and have positive attitudes to learning.  The classroom environments have been significantly improved to better encourage learning.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed seven lessons, six of which were held jointly with the headteacher. In addition, the inspector and the headteacher made a series of short visits to other teaching sessions including phonics, guided reading and ‘morning work’.  Meetings were held with pupils, representatives of the governing body, school leaders and a discussion took place with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector took account of the 13 responses received to the online questionnaire (Parent View). She spoke to parents informally when they brought their children to school.  The inspector observed the school’s work, looked at a number of documents, including the school’s data on progress, planning, monitoring and development documentation, records relating to behaviour and attendance and documents relating to safeguarding. She examined a representative sample of pupils’ work with the headteacher.

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Inspection team

Joanne Harvey, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Information about this school

 Hemington is considerably smaller than other schools of the same type.  Pupils leave the school at the end of Year 5.  A similar proportion of pupils is supported through school action and at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs to that found in most schools.  Most pupils are White British. A small proportion are from Traveller backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for additional pupil premium funding is much smaller than that found in most schools.  Since the last inspection there has been a considerable change to staffing in this small school. Two class teachers have left, including the headteacher. A new headteacher and two newly qualified teachers have been appointed during this time.  Pupils are organised in three mixed-age classes: the Early Years Foundation Stage with Year 1; Year 2 with Year 3; and Year 4 with Year 5.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the achievement of all pupils, particularly in writing and mathematics, by improving the proportion of good or better teaching ensuring that:  teachers plan lessons that are tailored to meet the different needs and abilities of all pupils  teachers monitor pupils’ progress closely to ensure misconceptions are immediately addressed or plans are modified to ensure that all pupils are challenged throughout lessons  pupils are not over-reliant on the teacher and are given opportunities to apply their learning, and solve problems independently, particularly in mathematics, and to write at length  marking gives pupils clear guidance on what to do to improve and that pupils are given an opportunity to respond.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the capacity of school leaders to drive school improvement by:  bringing clarity to leaders’ roles and ensuring that everyone plays their full part in carrying them out effectively  bringing more rigour to systems for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the school’s work, particularly the quality of teaching  ensuring that improvement plans include rigorous and measurable indicators of what success will look like for pupils, and identify clear points along the way that are used by leaders and the governing body to check on how well strategies are working.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 At the end of Year 5, the attainment of pupils is above average in reading and writing but closer to average in mathematics. The extensive support provided in school and by parents ensures that pupils make good progress in reading as they move through the school. There is not currently enough good teaching to ensure that above average attainment in writing previously attained, is maintained. Despite some early signs of improvement, attainment in mathematics is not improving swiftly and securely enough.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Improved systems for tracking the progress that pupils make ensure that those pupils who need extra help receive well-targeted support and make good progress under the direction of effective additional adults. Additional funding received for a small number of pupils is well used. Pupils from Traveller backgrounds are supported effectively when they are in school to close gaps in their learning.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Consistently strong teaching in Years 2 and 3 ensures that pupils in this class achieve well in a range of subjects. They are encouraged to develop and use their skills widely so that they develop confidence and independence for example. This is not consistently the case in other year groups.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 From broadly average starting points, children have previously often exceeded the levels of knowledge and skills expected for their age by the time that they leave the Early Years Foundation Stage. Provision for these children is currently not of the same consistently high quality and requires improvement because progress has slowed.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Similarly, in the remaining year groups, progress requires improvement because it is inconsistent in lessons. Pupils often make good progress when they are working under the close direction of the teacher or an additional adult. But for others in the class, progress is not quick enough to raise attainment because, for example, the work they are given is not challenging enough. As one pupil said ‘My maths is too easy.’

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The most-able pupils are not challenged well enough particularly in the work they are given in writing and mathematics. Despite some improvement, fewer than expected reach the highest level of which they are capable.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ broader understanding is developed securely in many respects. For example, the first-hand opportunities they have to visit places of worship and discussions during assembly ensure they have a good understanding of world faiths and of different cultures. They show appreciation for art and for nature. They develop a good range of social and personal skills which means they are well prepared for the next stage of their education and in their future lives.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 There is not enough good teaching. Although there is some strong practice in school, the majority now requires improvement to ensure that most pupils make good progress and achieve well over time.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers forge strong relationships with pupils. They create a positive environment so that pupils are keen to come to school, work hard and want to do their best. They plan interesting topic themes which engage pupils. They include many first hand and relevant experiences including educational visits and residential trips. These provide welcome opportunities for pupils to appreciate the world around them and to apply their learning. Teachers promote pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development well.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers’ subject knowledge is usually secure though it is evident that newer staff have not received rigorous training in teaching pupils the sounds that letters make.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Adults are well prepared to deliver targeted additional support effectively to those who need extra help or are at risk of not doing well, either individually or in small groups.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers plan diligently in their teams so that the curriculum ensures the logical progression of knowledge and skills. However, daily planning for individual lessons does not provide sufficient challenge to secure good progress for all pupils.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In the best lessons seen, the class teacher demonstrated that she knew the pupils very well. Tasks were planned at the right level to take pupils’ learning on or to fill any gaps in learning. She constantly checked on all pupils’ understanding so that misconceptions were addressed swiftly and tasks adjusted immediately. Pupils were encouraged to explain their thinking and to become confident in doing so.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Common features were seen in other lessons which required improvement. Too often work was not demanding enough, particularly for those not working directly with the teacher. Pupils were over-reliant on or over-directed by adults.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Similarly, in mathematics lessons, pupils were not given the opportunity to choose their own resources and strategies to solve problems for themselves or given the opportunity often enough to explain their ideas and show what they can do. They were not given enough opportunities to write at length and in other subjects.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Marking has improved. Pupils are praised for success and given points for improvement. They are encouraged to read their feedback at the start of every new lesson. However, feedback is not always focused enough and pupils are not always given the opportunity to address the comments made before moving on to a new piece of work.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, topics are engaging and activities well resourced. Children spend much of their time on adult directed tasks which promote learning well. However, they are not encouraged well enough to develop the skills which they need to make the most of opportunities to learn independently.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Significant changes to teaching staff have made it difficult to establish a consistent approach to teaching and to build on this. Training and support has been given to new staff, and while there is evidence that some impact is beginning to be seen there has not been sufficient time to secure good achievement across the board.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive. Pupils work hard at any tasks they are given and show the tenacity to see them through. They are well motivated by a range of rewards that are on offer to celebrate their academic and personal achievements.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave very well in lessons and on the playground. They cooperate and collaborate well right from the start. They are courteous and polite. They are also proud to play their part in helping the school to run smoothly, for example, as part of the school council or as part of a house team. They are also keen to raise money to help those who they perceive as being less fortunate than themselves.  The caring ethos of the school is a strong feature. Relationships are respectful. The school strongly promotes an understanding and tolerance of cultural and other differences through visits to a variety of places of religious worship and discussions in lessons and assemblies. Pupils from different backgrounds get on well together in school. Pupils say they would not tolerate discrimination of any kind.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say that bullying is rare and that if incidences do occur they are confident that they can go to a member of staff who will sort it out. School records for behaviour show that incidences of inappropriate behaviour are rare but dealt with swiftly and appropriately.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance has been steadily improving. The headteacher has brought more rigour to systems for monitoring attendance and every effort is made to work with families to convince them of the importance of coming to school every day.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils feel safe in school. They have a good awareness of how to keep themselves safe. For example, they were able to talk maturely about the dangers of roads, water and about fire safety. They have a suitable understanding of the possible dangers of the internet.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Parents who spoke to the inspector and who responded to Parent View are happy that behaviour in school is well managed and that should there be any incidents they are dealt with well.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 There have been significant changes in staffing, including leadership, which have slowed improvement. The arrangements for leadership are in transition. The headteacher, in partnership with the governing body, has astutely planned to grow leadership capacity by developing new staff. Roles have been allocated but plans for what these roles entail lack focus and rigour. Therefore, leadership is not evenly spread. Too many tasks fall to the headteacher and not everyone is playing their full part in driving forward school improvement.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher has correctly identified existing strengths and areas of the school’s work which require improvement. Capacity to improve has been demonstrated. For example, systems for checking how well pupils are doing have been strengthened. As a result, those who need extra help do well and attendance is steadily improving. Measures put in place to improve teaching in Key Stage 2 can be seen to be beginning to have an impact on the progress that pupils make in mathematics.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders have continued to ensure that pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development, their behaviour, and the development of their wider personal skills remains a strength of the school. There are clear boundaries about what is right and wrong and opportunities to reflect in lessons and during assembly. The curriculum is further enriched through for example, French and music lessons and a variety of clubs, visits out and residential experiences.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school development plan sets out an adequate agenda for improvement, but this is not done well enough to bring about rapid change. Some improvement activities are not planned in enough detail, about exactly what must improve, by when and how this is to be measured precisely by leaders. Plans do not identify points along the way so that leaders and the governing body can check that they are successfully on track.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The senior leadership team carry out monitoring and evaluation activities. These ensure that the headteacher has an understanding of aspects of teaching which require improvement and have resulted in appropriate staff training. However, there is not a formalised and rigorous programme. Activities are often carried out informally, and not followed up with sufficient challenge to make sure these activities bring about meaningful benefits for all pupils. Lesson observations have not been sufficiently focused on the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Partnerships with parents and carers are positive and productive. They are kept well informed, and are involved in determining some school policies. They add greatly to their children’s curriculum experiences, both by raising funds for resources and by giving time to support their children’s learning.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Given the previous success of the school, over recent times, support from the local authority has been light touch. It has therefore not focused sharply on ensuring that the quality of leadership, teaching and the progress pupils make have been maintained. Leaders have embraced the opportunity to work in partnership with other local schools in order to further promote school improvement.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  is enthusiastic, supportive and offers a good deal of practical support to the school  demonstrates thoroughness in ensuring that its statutory duties are fulfilled, particularly with regard to health and safety and the safeguarding of children  has ensured the learning environment has been significantly improved  has an increasingly accurate first-hand view of the school  requires improvement because whilst astutely recognising the need to plan for improving the capacity of leadership, it has not ensured that these plans are clear, rigorously and swiftly implemented and that everyone is playing their full part in bringing meaningful benefits to all pupils.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school

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Grade Judgement Description

is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 119934 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 395590

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–10 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 56 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Nick Burton Headteacher Jane Siddons Date of previous school inspection 12 May 2009 Telephone number 01332 810447 Fax number 01332 810447 Email address o.office@hemington.leics.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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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School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

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School details

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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School details

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 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,

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School details

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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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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