Hepworth Junior and Infant School

School report Hepworth Junior and Infant School

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Maingate, Hepworth, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, HD9 1TJ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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.  Pupils’ achievement is good because they make good progress throughout the school. By the end of Year 6, their attainment is above average. This year more pupils are set to achieve the higher levels in mathematics and writing than in previous years.  The large majority of teaching is good and some is outstanding. Teachers provide excellent suggestions for pupils to improve their work in English and mathematics. As a result, pupils’ skills in writing and mathematics have improved.  Teaching assistants provide high quality support for pupils’ learning in class and for small groups of pupils outside the classroom. This is the result of the high quality training they receive.  Pupils behave well and have positive attitudes to learning. They feel safe in school and enjoy school. Attendance is above average.  Leaders and managers use a range of information to check the progress made by all

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

pupils. They take effective actions to ensure that pupils do not fall behind in their learning.  Leaders, managers and governors have developed a strong sense of purpose amongst all staff to drive the school forward. This contributes well to ensuring good teaching and achievement. As a result, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching and a small amount still requires improvement.  In some lessons, checks made on the progress of all groups of pupils are not carried out often enough.  There are not enough opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical skills when working in other subjects.  Occasionally, teaching does not provide enough challenge for the most able pupils to reach the highest levels in both English and mathematics.  When leaders and managers plan improvements, they are not always clear about how they will recognise whether their actions have been successful in improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 10 lessons and six teachers. Three joint observations were undertaken with the headteacher.  The inspector spoke to pupils about their learning in lessons, their safety in school and listened to some pupils reading.  Meetings were held with the Chair of the Governing Body, the vice-chair, school staff and a representative of the local authority. In addition, the inspector looked at the school’s review of its performance, development plan, safeguarding information, school policies and the minutes of governing body meetings.  The inspector analysed 20 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View). The inspector spoke to some parents at the start of the inspection.  The views of 14 staff who returned inspection questionnaires were taken into account.

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Inspection team

James McGrath, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. The number of pupils in each year group is small.  Very few pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding provided for children in local authority care, those from armed services families, and those known to be eligible for free school meals).  Almost all pupils are White British. With very few exceptions, pupils speak English as their first language.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is above average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The school holds the Activemark Gold award, Healthy School status and the Artsmark Bronze award.  The headteacher was appointed in April 2012.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that more is outstanding and the small amount that requires improvement is eradicated by making sure that all teachers:  whenever possible, provide challenging work for the most able pupils in both English and mathematics  provide more opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical skills in other subjects  check the work of pupils more often during lessons to ensure that they are making good or better progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the impact of development plans by making sure that the measures used to judge success are closely linked to improvements in pupils’ learning and progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement is good. Most children start school in the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are typical for their age. Children enjoy their learning in the Reception class and this gives them a good start to their education.  Through Key Stage 1, pupils continue to make good progress. They usually reach standards that are above average in reading, writing and mathematics, with reading being particularly strong.  Through Key Stage 2, pupils make good progress overall, particularly in English, where reading remains a key strength. By the end of Year 6 in 2012, overall standards were above average with standards in English better than those in mathematics. Most pupils made the progress expected of them in mathematics, but not enough did better than this. Pupils made good progress in English, with standards in reading better than in writing.  These results led the school to recognise the need to improve further pupils’ skills in writing and

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The achievement of pupils is good

in mathematics. Because of the exceptional advice given by teachers and the good response from pupils, it is clear from pupils’ work and the school’s accurate data analysis that achievement is set to rise in writing and mathematics in 2013. Pupils are now making good progress in all aspects of English and mathematics.  Those pupils supported at school action, school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs make good progress and achieve well. There is an extremely small number of pupils in receipt of the pupil premium; this was also the case in 2012. Therefore, comparisons between their achievements and those who are not in receipt of the pupil premium are not statistically valid.  By Year 6, pupils’ reading skills are above those expected nationally. Their good reading skills support their effective learning because they interpret stories and information texts well, and are capable of developing their work independently. Pupils read widely and for pleasure. In the most

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The achievement of pupils is good

recent screening check for phonics (the sounds that letters make) at the end of Year 1, pupils’ skills were below those expected nationally. This was because some pupils could not readily use letters and sounds to help them read unfamiliar words. The school’s new reading programme is successfully developing pupils’ reading skills and they are now making better progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 All teachers make it clear to pupils what they are going to learn and what has to be done during the lesson. They use appropriate amounts of praise and encouragement to motivate the pupils. This helps pupils to settle to their work quickly and make good progress with tasks.  Good relationships and the way teachers organise their classrooms help pupils to learn well. Teachers provide a good variety of activities to meet the needs of all pupils. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 were exceptionally industrious with their artwork, using a variety of different resources to create ‘characters in the woods’.  In the best lessons, teachers check the work of all pupils regularly. They measure how much progress is made and support pupils when necessary to ensure that all pupils are making at least good progress. However, in some lessons when the teacher works with a ‘focus group’, learning slows for those who are set independent tasks because their understanding is not checked often

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The quality of teaching is good

enough to ensure they are making good progress.  Teachers use information and communication technology (ICT) well to support pupils’ learning and to capture their interest. In a Year 5 mathematics lesson, pupils worked exceptionally well in pairs to solve a ‘murder mystery’ using the internet for research. The teacher’s support was outstanding during this problem-solving activity, because pupils were encouraged to work together to share their learning and were questioned exceptionally well in order to solve the mystery.  Teachers’ planning is good because they provide a good variety of interesting tasks to meet the needs of all pupils. However, they do not always plan sufficiently well to challenge the most able pupils to reach the higher levels in English and mathematics.  Teachers’ regular marking of pupils’ work and the excellent suggestions they make for improvement, help pupils to learn well. Pupils say they find their teachers’ comments helpful and

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The quality of teaching is good

are given time to improve their work.  The analysis of pupils’ work shows that regular marking and helpful comments are supporting pupils’ rapid progress in the quality of their writing and in mathematics. Pupils have good opportunities to write well in many subjects, such as history and religious education. They use good photographic evidence as a stimulus for their writing and poetry. Opportunities for pupils to use mathematics in a wide range of subjects are not planned for as well as in English.  Good use of progress data allows teachers to identify groups of pupils who require extra support in specific areas of their learning. Highly-skilled teaching assistants provide good support for those groups of pupils, both inside and outside the classroom. Teaching assistants are clear about what is expected of them and they make a good contribution to support the learning of all pupils.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are eager to learn and follow the instructions of their teachers well. Learning from each other is encouraged throughout the school. Even the youngest children share their learning by helping each other to read and write by linking letters and sounds.  Pupils listen well to each other and to their teachers. They develop good confidence in speaking and pupils in Years 3 and 4 enjoyed the French lesson, pronouncing words well. Behaviour in most lessons is good. In the small number of lessons where teaching requires improvement, some pupils are not fully focused on their work, but this does not interrupt the flow of the lesson.  Pupils are polite and courteous to adults and treat each other with respect. They get on well together and socialise well. They are very confident and much at ease with adults with whom they enthusiastically share their thoughts and their learning.  At break and lunchtime, pupils play well together and older pupils take good care of the younger

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

children. The school council selected new play equipment, which is used well by pupils.  Pupils feel safe and say that behaviour is good in school. They say that they enjoy school and that they are cared for well. They say that ‘everyone is very friendly’. Last year attendance was above average and continues to be so. Pupils know the school rules and how they are expected to behave. The school encourages pupils to behave well and work hard through the use of ‘team points’ and ‘special mentions’ in assembly. Pupils enjoy receiving these rewards and respond well to them.  Pupils are clear about what constitutes bullying, including cyber-bullying, and know what to do should it ever occur. They have a good understanding of internet safety and say that they would not answer unknown emails and would report them to an adult.  Most parents believe that behaviour is good. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about pupils’

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has a very clear view of how successful the school can be. She has developed a strong sense of purpose amongst the staff and the governing body. More staff have been given leadership responsibilities and are supporting the headteacher well in driving forward her ambitions for the school.  The leadership team have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. The plan for improvement correctly indicates the main priorities for the school. However, measures to judge the success of planned actions do not focus sufficiently on whether actions will improve pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching, thus contributing to leaders’ understanding of how well the school is doing.  A very thorough system for checking on pupils’ progress has been introduced and is used well by leaders and teachers to identify those pupils who require additional support so they do not fall

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The leadership and management are good

behind in their learning. Leaders and managers use this information, and that from lesson observations and pupils’ books, to ascertain the progress pupils are making and what needs to be improved.  The staff are unanimous that leaders do all they can to improve teaching. The headteacher has introduced a more rigorous system for marking pupils’ work, with the addition of high quality teachers’ comments, which enable pupils to improve their work. Teachers have embraced this system and it is having a positive effect on raising the quality of pupils’ writing and their achievement in mathematics.  Performance management of teachers is robust and clearly identifies which skills they need to improve by using the national teacher standards. Teaching assistants have a performance review system to establish their training needs, which has helped them to provide good quality support for all groups of pupils with whom they work. This is a good example of the school’s

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The leadership and management are good

commitment to equality of opportunity.  Leaders are encouraged to trial new teaching methods and then share their successes with their colleagues. Teachers appreciate the support arranged by the headteacher with the local secondary school to support the further development of the teaching of mathematics.  The curriculum offers exciting opportunities for pupils to explore their local environment to support their work in science, art, mathematics and English. Pupils enjoy the many opportunities for them to take part in cricket, football, netball and swimming. Visiting authors, composers, musicians and artists, along with visits to mosques, synagogues and temples, all contribute well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The local authority has provided light touch support for this good school. It has provided effective advice in establishing a new reading scheme for the children in the Reception class and

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The leadership and management are good

provided appropriate training.  The governance of the school:  The governors are well led and use their skills well to support the school’s work. The Chair of the Governing Body knows the school exceptionally well, because she spends time in the school and in classrooms each week. Governors fully understand the data provided about pupils’ progress and hold the school to account for pupils’ achievements. They are clear about how the school’s improvement plan links to enhancing pupils’ achievement. . Governors have regular financial reports and make appropriate checks on the school’s budget. They have approved the use of the pupil premium funding to employ additional teaching support for literacy work promoting equality of opportunity for all. However, the extent to which pupils benefit from this additional support is not checked fully by the governing body. Governors understand the arrangements linking teachers’ performance and salaries. When teachers do

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The leadership and management are good

not meet their performance targets, governors challenge the headteacher to ensure that there is improvement. The governing body supported the headteacher in changing the times of the school day and they clearly challenge her about pupils’ standards and achievement. Governors have received training and check that the school’s arrangements for safeguarding meet statutory requirements.

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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 107657 Local authority Kirklees Inspection number 413085

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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 102 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Celia Poole Headteacher Sarah Newton Date of previous school inspection 11 March 2009 Telephone number 01484 222472 Fax number 01484 222474 Email address office.hepworth@edukirklees.net 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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