Hugglescote Community Primary School

Hugglescote Community Primary School Ashburton Road, Hugglescote, Coalville, LE67 2HA

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Overall effectiveness

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

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

 Pupils’ progress requires improvement in English and mathematics. It varies too much in Key Stage 2 and for pupils in the specialist provision, reflecting inconsistencies in the quality of teaching.  Teachers do not always ask probing questions to check pupils’ understanding in lessons, and their comments on pupils’ work do not clearly point the way forward.  Pupils’ achievement in reading slows when teachers do not pay enough attention to improving skills such as understanding text and fluency in reading.  Behaviour has not always been consistently good.  Teachers do not give pupils enough opportunities to write at length or apply their calculation skills in working out mathematical problems.  Leadership and management require improvement. Checks made by senior leaders and governors have helped to improve children’s education, but do not focus sharply on the impact of teaching on pupils’ achievement to iron out the remaining

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

inconsistencies.  A few parents are concerned that they are not kept fully informed about their children’s progress and that their concerns are not always listened to.

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The school has the following strengths

 Teaching is improving, and more is now good. As a result, children in Reception and pupils in Key Stage 1 do well.  Good teaching in Year 6 is helping pupils to progress at a faster rate, and their attainment is rising in English and mathematics.  Pupils enjoy participating in a range of sport, music and art activities, which extend and enrich their learning.  Attendance is above average.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 24 lessons or parts of lessons, including one observed together with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with a randomly selected group of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body, and senior and middle leaders. A representative of the local authority was contacted by telephone.  Inspectors looked at a wide range of school documents, including the school’s own data concerning pupils’ current and recent progress, planning and monitoring documentation, and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding arrangements.  Inspectors took into account the views of 23 responses to the online Parent View questionnaire, together with the school’s own evidence of parents’ views.  Inspectors also considered 16 questionnaires returned by staff.

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Inspection team

Krishan Sharma, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Rosemary Barnfield Additional Inspector Keith Adams Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Almost all pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils who are supported through school action, and those at school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs, is below average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium funding is below average. This is extra funding provided by the government to support certain groups of pupils. In this school it applies only to pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority, as there are currently no pupils from forces families.  The school manages a specially resourced provision for pupils who have special educational needs. It caters for up to 10 pupils aged 7 to 11 who have moderate learning difficulties.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make teaching consistently good or better so that pupils achieve well, by ensuring that teachers:  regularly ask pupils searching questions to check how well they are learning in lessons  give pupils more opportunities to work on their own  comment precisely on pupils’ work and guide them clearly to the next steps in their learning  use ongoing progress information fully in the resourced provision to plan increasingly demanding tasks for pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ achievement in English and mathematics by:  making better use of reading sessions to improve pupils’ accuracy, understanding and fluency in reading  ensuring that pupils write longer pieces of work that are grammatically correct and are accurately spelt and punctuated  giving pupils more opportunities to practise their mathematical skills in practical and real-life situations.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen leadership and management by making sure that:  senior leaders focus their observation of teaching on the impact of teaching on the progress different groups of pupils make  governors have the training they need to fine-tune their monitoring skills, so they more effectively challenge the senior leaders to tackle the weaknesses in teaching and achievement  communication with parents is better, so that they feel fully informed about their children’s progress at school and that their concerns are listened to.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Despite some good progress and an improving picture in different year groups, pupils’ progress varies too much, particularly in Key Stage 2 and in the specially resourced provision class, for their achievement to be good.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Progress is gradually improving as pupils move up the school. Children make a good start in Reception and develop their reading, writing and mathematics skills well. When they join, their skills and knowledge are usually at the levels expected for their age. Good progress continues during Key Stage 1 and this resulted in higher standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2 in 2012.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Progress is improving but still uneven during Key Stage 2 due to inconsistencies in teaching, particularly in Years 4 and 5. Consequently, the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 tend to fluctuate, although they are now rising after a fall in test results in English and mathematics in 2012 that was partly due to this particular group of pupils starting with lower standards. Progress usually speeds up in Year 6, but overall it still requires improvement from pupils’ starting points in Year 3 and they are not yet reaching the standards they are capable of.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ knowledge of phonics (linking letters and the sounds they make) is getting stronger across the school. Reading is improving, but not consistently so. In some reading sessions, pupils show that they do not understand the underlying meaning of the text and do not read fluently.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Progress in writing is improving, but uneven. Although pupils can develop ideas through their writing, they only tend to write short pieces. Their written work shows that some pupils do not have a good grasp of the correct use of grammar and punctuation, and their spelling of commonly used words is not always correct.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In mathematics, progress is also variable. Pupils handle numbers and data with enthusiasm, but their skills in solving practical problems are weaker.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, including those taught in the specially resourced provision, make uneven progress that requires improvement. The extra help given to them is increasingly effective in meeting their varied needs, particularly in the younger year groups, although the work set for pupils in the resourced provision is not yet demanding enough to speed up their progress.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In 2012, pupils known to be eligible for extra funding through the pupil premium attained lower standards at the end of Year 6 than those not eligible for these funds. The gap in their attainment was much larger than that found nationally. In English, they were the equivalent of more than 18 months behind their classmates. The gap in mathematics was the equivalent of rather more than two years. The most recent school data shows that, as a result of the sustained extra help provided for them, including one-to-one support and extra help provided in small groups, they are beginning to make up some ground but their progress is not yet good.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because pupils’ progress is not consistently good, particularly in Key Stage 2 and in the specially resourced provision. The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection, but not yet enough to raise pupils’ achievement to good.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Typically, teachers plan lessons that have clear learning aims. They give pupils the chance to work with each other to develop their social skills. Marking has improved, but the guidance given is not always precise enough to show pupils how to improve their work.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In lessons that require improvement, teachers do not ask probing questions to check pupils’ learning and their comments on pupils’ performance tend to be superficial. As a result, the guidance they give to pupils does not always move them on. Teachers’ long instructions limit the time available for pupils to work on their own.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Examples of good teaching can be found across the school. In the most effective lessons, teachers have high expectations for what pupils can achieve. They ask searching questions regularly to check pupils’ understanding, and maintain their interest and concentration by setting suitably demanding tasks. These were common features of the good teaching seen in Reception, Key Stage 1 and parts of Key Stage 2.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teaching of phonics and writing is getting stronger, although it is not yet consistently effective across the school. Staff training in both areas has been helpful in enhancing teachers’ subject knowledge.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teaching of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, and those known to be eligible for extra pupil premium funding, is clearly aimed at improving their skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Nearly all pupils who get the extra help, in the form of support for one-to-one or in small groups, are beginning to catch up.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teaching in the specially resourced provision enables pupils to make mostly the expected progress from their individual starting points. Until recently, the staff did not systematically measure pupils’ learning and progress against national benchmarks. As a result, they did not always use this crucial information in adjusting their teaching.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 During the inspection pupils typically behaved well in lessons, and in and around the school. Occasionally some pupils showed a lack of concentration, but most were keen to learn and concentrate on their work. However, feedback from parents, staff and pupils suggests that this has not always been the case in the past, and the school’s records suggest that behaviour has not been consistently good in the recent past.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The school sets clear expectations for good behaviour. Pupils understand these rules, but a small number of pupils and staff feel that they do not yet apply them consistently well.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 A few parents, members of staff and pupils expressed concerns about unacceptable behaviour, particularly at lunchtime. However, in discussion with inspectors, pupils said that behaviour was generally good. Similar views were expressed by most of the parents the inspectors talked to before school on the second day of the inspection. The inspectors saw no evidence of recent unacceptable behaviour or bullying.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils are aware of the different forms that bullying may take, including name-calling or misuse of the internet. They say bullying is rare and if it happens, adults are on hand to deal with it. Pupils feel safe and secure at school and most of their parents agree with them.  Pupils relate well to each other and adults. In Reception, children play and work harmoniously together in the classroom and outdoors. Pupils in the specially resourced provision enjoy joining in with pupils in the main school, particularly in enrichment activities such as music and sport.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Attendance is now above average. Rigorous checks ensure good attendance and punctuality.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 So far, the steps taken by senior leaders to raise the quality of teaching for all groups of pupils and improving their achievement have met with some notable success, demonstrating the school’s strengthening capacity to improve. However, inconsistencies in both areas still persist, particularly in parts of Key Stage 2 and for pupils supported in the resourced provision.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Regular checks are made on pupils’ progress, and senior leaders use the results to arrange extra help to meet the needs of vulnerable groups and to ensure that they are fairly treated and have an equal opportunity to succeed. Senior leaders now regularly review their performance because they recognise that this process has not been fully effective for a few pupils. In particular, leadership of the resourced provision requires improvement in this respect.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Conscientious checks on teaching have helped the school to eliminate inadequate teaching and increase the proportion that is good. However, these checks do not focus sufficiently on the progress different groups of pupils make during lessons and in their written work. Consequently, inconsistencies remain and they are taking longer to iron out.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Staff performance management arrangements take into account the impact teaching has on pupils’ achievement and inform decisions on teachers’ pay. The overall improvement in teaching indicates that this process has been effective, as has the ongoing training for teachers and teaching assistants.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The range of taught subjects and activities rightly focus on developing pupils’ basic skills. Good provision for music, art, sport, educational visits and inviting visitors to school broadens pupils’ learning and contributes well to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Most parents are satisfied with the way the school cares for their children. A small minority are not satisfied with the information they receive about their children’s progress and the lack of response to their concerns.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority has provided worthwhile support in reviewing the work of the school, including checking its performance data and the quality of teaching. It has encouraged links with other schools so that staff can see good classroom practice.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  Governors have a suitable awareness of the school’s strengths, although they are less clear about the detail of the weaknesses in teaching and pupils’ achievement. This means they have not been fully effective in holding senior leaders to account for the school’s performance. They look into pupils’ performance data and, in general, understand how the school is doing in relation to other similar schools. The governing body has ensured that suitable links are made between teachers’ pay and their performance. It has also made sure that safeguarding arrangements meet national requirements. Governors manage the budget well. They are aware of how the pupil premium funding is being used to provide additional support to eligible pupils, but their knowledge of what difference it is making to the learning and progress of those pupils is limited. The governing body would benefit from further training to sharpen the

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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 119915 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 405891

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 423 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Shaun O'Donnell Headteacher Ann Husband Date of previous school inspection 3 February 2011 Telephone number 01530 832721 Fax number 01530 817108 Email address hugglescote@hugglescote.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, please

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School details

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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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