Hayes Primary School

Hayes Primary School George Lane, Bromley, Kent, BR2 7LQ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected 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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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The school is a welcoming place where pupils are keen to learn, which helps them to make good progress.  The Reception classes give children a good start because activities are carefully planned to develop their skills, especially in writing.  Pupils achieve well and their attainment at the end of Year 6 is above average.  Pupils are courteous and behave considerately in and out of lessons. They are happy and feel safe in school.  Good-quality leadership, management and governance have ensured that the school has improved since becoming an academy.  The overwhelming majority of parents and carers strongly support the school and appreciate what it offers their children.  Teaching is good in most lessons and in some it is outstanding. Teachers know their pupils very well. The best marking helps pupils to understand the quality of their work and what they need to do to improve further.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders at all levels, including the headteacher and governing body, know the school well. Their continuous drive for improvement means that they regularly review all aspects of school life. They have a good understanding of where improvements can be made and the well- targeted actions taken have resulted in a school with improving achievement.  Pupils join enthusiastically in school activities, which has a positive impact on their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The school’s lesson observations focus too much on teaching activities and not enough on the impact they have on pupils’ learning and progress.  The work in lessons is not always matched accurately enough to the abilities of all pupils.  Pupils are not always given the opportunity to respond to advice given in teachers’ marking.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed significant parts of 26 lessons involving all teachers, some jointly with the headteacher and other senior leaders. Inspectors listened to a sample of pupils read. They also attended a class assembly to which parents and carers were invited.  Meetings were held with representatives of the governing body, a range of staff, the school council and one other group of pupils.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and checked pupils’ work, progress information, evaluation and development documents, safeguarding information, records relating to behaviour and attendance, governing body minutes and records relating to the induction of newly qualified teachers.  Inspectors took account of 93 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) as well as questionnaires completed by 55 staff. Other parental views were sought at the finish of the school day and from those parents and carers attending the class assembly.

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Inspection team

Steven Smith, Lead inspector Additional inspector Helen Hutchings Additional inspector Roger Parry Additional inspector Richard White Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Hayes Primary School converted to become an academy in June 2011. When its predecessor school, Hayes Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good.  The school is a member of the Bromley Primary Academy Chain (BPAC). This consists of 12 individual academy trust schools working in partnership. The school is a strategic partner in the Warren Road Teaching Alliance, supporting another local primary school, and is also part of the Hayes hub of the Challenge Partnership, which supports school improvement.  The school is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils are White British, although around one fifth are from minority ethnic heritages, which is below that of schools nationally. A few pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is well below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or

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Information about this school

with a statement of special educational needs is also well below average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium (additional funding made available by the government for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, or who are in local authority care or from service families) is below average. Currently, there are no pupils from service families.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching in order to speed up pupils’ progress by making sure that:  the work set closely matches pupils’ abilities to make sure pupils achieve as well as they are capable of  pupils are always given the opportunity to respond to the advice they are given when teachers mark their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Leaders at all levels strengthen their focus on the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning and progress when they observe lessons by:  talking to pupils about how well they are learning  checking pupils’ books to judge the progress pupils make over time.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The overwhelming majority of parents and carers responding to Parent View say their children make good progress. Pupils’ achievement is good and improving across the school. However, some pupils are capable of more-rapid progress in order for achievement to become outstanding.  Most children start school in Reception with knowledge, skills and understanding that are in line with expectations for their age, with some who are above and a few below. They make good progress in their personal and social development, learning to cooperate, as well as to be independent, and to share and play safely with other children. Their learning is well organised inside and outside the classroom. During the inspection, the topic of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ was well used by teachers and other adults, to link science, discovery, numeracy and creative activities, which the children talked about confidently.  Phonics (letters and their sounds) is taught well and is having a positive impact on pupils’ early

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The achievement of pupils is good

reading and writing skills. Pupils develop confidence at a young age because they understand how to attempt unfamiliar words. Pupils read regularly at home and say that they enjoy reading. In the past, outcomes at the end of Year 2 showed that pupils did better in reading and mathematics than in writing. School information shows that actions taken to narrow this gap have been effective.  By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment in the national tests is above average in English and mathematics. There is no significant difference in the standards between reading and writing but those in mathematics are slightly lower. School information shows that actions taken to raise attainment in mathematics have been effective.  Good levels of adult support, using materials and activities suited to their needs, enable disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs to make good progress within lessons.

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The achievement of pupils is good

Speakers of English as an additional language and pupils who are from minority ethnic backgrounds also receive the support they need to enable them to make good progress. This is leading to improvements in their achievement, as they are less likely to fall behind their peers.  Similarly, the achievement of pupils supported by the pupil premium is accelerating. Gaps in performance between different groups of pupils are narrowing, so there is no significant difference in the average points scores in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6 of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and others of the same age.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is typically good overall, with some that is outstanding, and parents and carers agree. One parent commented on how well the ‘approach to teaching suits my son and challenges him’. Teaching is not outstanding because teachers sometimes set work that is too easy or too hard. For example, in mathematics, higher-attaining pupils were challenged effectively, but some pupils were left behind, as misconceptions and gaps in their learning were left unresolved.  When teachers mark work, they usually tell pupils what they need to do to improve, but pupils are not always given the opportunity to respond and make the improvements identified.  The school’s focus on the monitoring of teaching has helped to move it to typically good levels. This is confirmed by the school’s monitoring of teaching and the Challenge Partnership’s monitoring, where experienced colleagues from other schools observe teaching and provide an

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The quality of teaching is good

impartial view of its quality. However, there is still some variation in the quality of teaching.  Teachers effectively raise pupils’ awareness of social, moral and cultural issues. For example, in a Reception class, children learnt about simple social conventions such as sharing and taking turns.  Group work is a regular feature of lessons, where pupils discuss their work with ‘talk partners’ to help increase their understanding. In a good Year 1 story-writing lesson, the teacher supported pupils in developing their skills of self-assessment, moving them from ‘I am pleased with my work because I have written a lot’ to understanding the features that affect the quality of different sentences they had written.  In an outstanding Year 6 literacy lesson on persuasive writing, the teacher’s high expectations for pupils’ learning were clearly seen in the rapid progress they made. Pupils were positive about

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The quality of teaching is good

their learning, and through discussion and effective marking were very engaged in improving and challenging themselves to do even better.  Information on pupils’ progress is used well in regular pupil performance reviews to spot those pupils in need of extra help, particularly if they are in danger of falling behind.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school sets high standards for behaviour and the pupils respond positively. For example, as lunchtime approached, Year 1 pupils were asked by their teacher if running out of their classroom at playtime was a good idea. Pupils responded, ‘No, we should walk sensibly.’ Pupils know how they should behave but recognise that some do not always meet the school’s expectations, for example when playing football in the playground. Nevertheless, they are very confident that the school will deal with such matters promptly and effectively.  Pupils say that the school is a happy and friendly place to be. Incidents of any form of bullying are very rare and pupils themselves confirm that, should they occur, they are dealt with swiftly and effectively. Responses to Parent View show that parents and carers agree. Pupils understand that there are different types of bullying, such as name-calling, racist comments and

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

cyber-bullying.  Older pupils have opportunities to take on responsibilities, such as prefects and playground pals. These roles help younger pupils feel happy and safe in school. Pupils spoken to are clear that everybody gets treated fairly.  Pupils enjoy coming to school and their learning. They feel safe and their parents and carers agree. They like to take an active part in their learning and they say that their best lessons are those which allow them to do this. The school provides a wide range of extra-curricular activities and work in lessons is enhanced by out-of-school experiences and trips, for example to the Natural History museum and work with other local schools.  Pupils have a very good understanding of how to stay safe generally. In particular, Year 6 pupils were keen to talk about the Bromley Junior Citizenship Scheme, which the school hosts for a number of primary schools. Pupils had learnt about how to stay safe outside school, for example

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

through a role play about being mugged for a mobile phone, by secondary school students from a partner school. They had also learnt how to help others. One pupil described the use of the recovery position if a person collapses in the street, while another summed it up when she said ‘We love this, it is great fun.’  Pupils attend well and the school has robust procedures for maintaining above-average attendance.

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The leadership and management are good

 The vast majority of parents and carers are very positive about the leadership of the headteacher. They know how she is changing things for the benefit of the children. The headteacher’s accessibility, drive and enthusiasm are bringing about steady improvement.  The school has an accurate view of its work. Leaders at all levels have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and what it needs to do to improve. Leaders benefit from the Challenge Partnership, which supports them in the development of effective strategies to move the school forward. This approach is also supporting their professional development which, in turn, is strengthening the school’s capacity to improve. However, lesson observations do not focus enough on the impact teaching has on pupils’ learning and progress, and this sometimes restricts progress.  School monitoring over time reflects the inspection evidence that teaching is typically good, and

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The leadership and management are good

regular training has brought about improvements, although leaders know that there is more to do to move it to outstanding.  The broad and balanced subjects and topics are the outcome of an ongoing review and development process. They are carefully planned to make sure the National Curriculum is covered and to make them interesting and creative for pupils. This has resulted in a range of topics which engage pupils and are used effectively for them to practise their literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects.  Pupils enjoy enrichment activities through a series of residential opportunities from Year 5 upwards, and a wide range of clubs from Mandarin to cross-country, which cater for the interests of all age ranges.  Staff actively promote equality of opportunity and tackle discrimination, and this is seen in the good progress now being made by all groups of pupils.  The governance of the school:

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The leadership and management are good

 Members of the governing body are very clear about the direction the school is taking. They are realistic about where the school is now and recognise that it is on a journey of improvement. The governors are strategic thinkers and undertake appropriate training. They have used the move to academy status to strengthen their understanding of the systems and processes involved in leading and managing the school. Governors’ aspirations for the future of the school are reflected in the rigour of their monitoring and the effective way they challenge the headteacher and other leaders. They have considerable understanding of all aspects of the school’s performance and how it relates to schools nationally. They are aware of the quality of teaching and how teachers’ performance links to pay progression. They know how the school rewards good teaching and tackles any underperformance. They have a strong focus on statutory duties and undertake careful audits to ensure nothing is missed, including

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The leadership and management are good

all aspects of safeguarding. Governors manage the budget effectively and use funding sensibly to bring about improvements. They take a lead with pupil premium funding and use it carefully, along with other identified funding, to see that all vulnerable pupils are supported and achieve in line with other pupils. They are doing this to ensure pupils’ equality of opportunity, for example the funding of additional activities.

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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 136920 Local authority Bromley Inspection number 403684

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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 Academy convertor Age range of pupils 411 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 647 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jacqui Nelson Headteacher Joanna Brinkley Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 020 8462 1769 Fax number 020 8462 5762 Email address admin@hayes-pri.bromley.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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