Hendal Primary School

Hendal Primary School Hendal Lane, Kettlethorpe, Wakefield West Yorkshire , WF2 7QW

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Overall effectiveness

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

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This is a good school because:

 Since the previous inspection, both teaching and achievement have improved. These improvements have been led strongly by the headteacher, other senior leaders and the governing body.  Pupils behave well. They enjoy learning and try their best to succeed. Around the school, pupils are welcoming and courteous and are proud of their school.  Improvement is a result of the thorough knowledge of what is happening in classrooms and the extra help put in place for those who need it. Pupils who have special educational needs are supported well.  Teaching is good and is sometimes outstanding. It is particularly strong in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Years 5 and 6.  Pupils make good progress throughout the school and achieve well. From a below average starting point they reach standards that are similar to national levels.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not yet enough outstanding teaching and learning across the school.  In some lessons, time is not always used well enough to make sure that all pupils are learning all the time.  Not all pupils know what to do next to improve their work.  In less effective lessons, activities are not always planned precisely enough to meet every pupils’ needs.  The leaders of some subjects do not plan well enough to make sure that the actions taken result in improvements.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in all classes and this consisted of 18 lessons. The headteacher conducted one joint observation with an inspector.  Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils and to parents as they brought their children into school in the morning and collected their children at the end of the school day. They took account of responses from parents to the online Parent View survey.  Meetings were held with members of the governing body, staff and a representative from Wakefield local authority.  Inspectors looked at a number of documents, including the school’s monitoring of teaching and the school improvement plan.  Inspectors heard two groups of pupils read and checked the school’s assessment of pupil progress in reading. They also looked at the school’s tracking system showing pupils’ progress in mathematics and English.

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Inspection team

Peter Evea, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jennifer Platt Additional Inspector Jennifer Firth Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is larger than an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil-premium funding is above average.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  The majority of pupils are White British and there are few who speak English as an additional language.  The school exceeds the current government floor standards, which set the minimum standards and rate of progress expected for pupils.  There is a Behaviour Resource unit that is not managed by the school’s governing body.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by: - making sure that there is a more consistent match of work to the needs of all pupils - using all the time available in lessons for learning - providing feedback to pupils so that they always know what to do to improve.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop the role of all subject leaders so that the plans they make to improve their subjects have appropriate actions and expected results which will help the pupils achieve more.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils enter the Nursery with skills, knowledge and understanding below those typical for their age and well below in social and language skills. They make good progress, especially in their weaker skills to reach standards that are similar to those seen nationally at the end of Reception. Standards at the end of Reception Year have risen in the last two years due to improvements in teaching and a change in the organisation in Nursery and Reception.  The good progress continues through Key Stage 2 to Year 6 when pupils leave school with standards that are broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics. These pupils entered Year 1 with lower standards than those who entered Year 1 more recently.  There is some variability in the rate of progress, which is strongest in Year 2, Year 5 and Year 6, where teaching is strongest. In these classes, challenge for the more able results in good progress but this is not seen in all classes and so some pupils make slower progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In reading, the majority of pupils now use letters and sounds well to tackle longer and more difficult words. In Year 6, pupils enjoy reading although not all read with complete understanding and so make small errors.  In writing, many pupils reach their expected level in their imaginative writing. However, handwriting and presentation for some is weaker and accuracy in spelling is not always secure.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make similarly good progress and some pupils with a statement of special educational needs make very good progress because of the support they receive from experienced staff.  Pupils entitled to support through the pupil-premium funding also make good progress in part because of the short-term focused interventions such as one to one tuition, and partly because of the development of their social skill because of their participation in residential visits and

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The achievement of pupils is good

extracurricular events.  The creative nature of the curriculum gives pupils plenty of good chances to practise and improve their writing skills both in literacy lessons and when working in other subjects on themes and topics.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In Nursery and Reception, the support available and the good variety of activities mean that children enjoy learning, even outside in the rain.  In all classes, the relationships between adults and pupils and pupils’ good behaviour, ensure that there are no barriers to learning. All adults manage behaviour well.  Joint planning in Years 5 and 6 allow teachers to create interesting lessons, for example, when pupils were using the ‘Bus Stop’ method of long division. In another lesson, a class made outstanding progress as they learnt when and where to use apostrophes accurately. In a science lesson, pupils used knowledge and skills from geography and history as well as construction and problem-solving skills to create their own sundials.  Teachers use strictly timed activities to challenge pupils and skilful use of the interactive whiteboard and deployment of other adults lead to outstanding teaching in some lessons.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In some lessons, the imbalance between the teacher talking and the pupils doing results in a dip in pace and to some pupil restlessness.  Even in lessons which were good, the match of learning to ability is not always accurate enough to lead to outstanding learning for the more- and least-able pupils.  Marking is frequent with some examples of outstanding practice. However, in some classes, teachers’ comments do not always show pupils how to improve their work or how to take the next step in their learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are very positive about learning, especially in Year 5 and Year 6, where they are eager to learn, particularly mathematics.  Behaviour is typically good and in some cases exemplary, for example, in assembly. However, when left unsupervised, some pupils can misbehave. In lessons, most pupils behave well but some younger pupils get restless when their interest is not maintained because the teacher talks for too long.  A very small number of parents expressed some concern on Parent View about how the school manages behaviour.  Attendance is above average and there is little persistent absence because the pupils want to come to school to learn.  Pupils say bullying is rare and parents and staff agree. Pupils have a good understanding of the different forms of bullying. This was anti-bullying week and there were lovely posters produced by pupils on display around the school.  Pupils have a sound knowledge about how to keep safe and say they feel very safe in school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

They have a sound knowledge about safety when using the internet.  Most pupils are very polite and hoped that one inspector would, ’enjoy your lunch’. The school council not only hoped that the inspector who interviewed them, ‘Have a good afternoon.’ but they also all shook his hand.

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The leadership and management are good

 Led by a determined headteacher supported by an increasingly experienced leadership group, the staff at Hendal work as a well-motivated team. Recent initiatives such as a reorganised Nursery and Reception and an extra class in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 have already produced improvements in achievement.  Funds available through pupil premium are used to provide interventions such as one-to-one tuition and to develop pupils’ self-esteem through extra-curricular activities and residential visits to remove barriers to their learning.  The school checks on how well teachers are performing and has related career promotion and salaries to performance. New ways in which the very best teaching practice can be shared amongst all staff have been introduced so that teaching can move towards consistently good and eventually outstanding. Staff have ready access to training to improve their skills and believe that this has led to improvements in teaching.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s procedures for gaining an accurate view of its performance are good and have resulted in effective plans for development. Resulting actions have improved teaching and achievement since the last inspection. However, not all subject leaders are planning actions that will lead to improvements.  The curriculum is good and pupils enjoy the way in which topics allow them to connect different aspects of their learning. The mathematics and English curricular are organised to allow the most-able pupils to flourish and increasing numbers are reaching Levels 5 and 6 by the end of Key Stage 2.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. All staff promote equal opportunity well and all pupils have equal access to the rich extracurricular activities. The cooking club is especially popular.  The local authority provides effective advice and support.  The governance of the school:

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The leadership and management are good

 The governing body is strategic and ambitious for the achievement of all pupils. Governors have had appropriate training to help them fulfil their role well. Governors are well informed, supportive and challenge the headteacher appropriately. They ensure all finances are managed well and employed effectively, including pupil-premium funding. Safeguarding requirements are met along with other statutory duties.

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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 is

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Grade Judgement Description

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 108218 Local authority Wakefield Inspection number 405157

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 295 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Charlie Keith Headteacher Christine Platts Date of previous school inspection 26 January 2011 Telephone number 01924 303295 Fax number 01924 303295 Email address headteacher@hendal.wakefield.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, please

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School details

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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