Hempshill Hall Primary School

Hempshill Hall Primary School Armstrong Road, Hempshill Vale Estate, Nottingham, NG6 7AT

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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

 Teaching requires improvement because, over time, it has not been good enough to ensure pupils in Key Stage 2 make rapid progress.  Teachers do not always have sufficiently high expectations of what their pupils can do.  In some lessons, teachers talk for too long and pupils are not given enough time to reflect on their learning.  Not enough pupils make more than expected progress in English and mathematics.  Pupils do not get enough opportunities to practise problem-solving skills in mathematics or develop their writing in other subjects.  Leadership and management have not made rigorous use of all the statistical information the school holds to improve achievement and teaching.  Not all governors know enough about the school to provide leaders with the level of challenge needed to bring about improvements.

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The school has the following strengths

 Teaching is improving and there are examples of good and outstanding teaching across the school.  Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage and make good and sometimes outstanding progress.  Pupils feel safe and are very well cared for by adults, particularly pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable.  Behaviour is good. Pupils have good manners, treat each other and adults with respect, and behave well in lessons and at break time. They enjoy school and are proud to be part of the school community  The school has developed productive partnerships with parents.  Attendance is above average and improving.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 18 lessons. Some of these were seen with the headteacher. They also heard pupils reading and observed some part lessons  Discussions were held with the headteacher, staff, a representative from the local authority, governors, parents and pupils.  The inspectors took account of the 61 responses to the online survey (Parent View).  The inspectors examined school policies, information about pupils’ attainment and progress, teachers’ plans, pupils’ work and the school’s improvement plans.  The breakfast club was observed in action.

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Inspection team

David Edwards, Lead inspector Additional Inspector David Westall Additional Inspector Rosemary Barnfield Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a much larger primary school than most.  Most pupils are White British and the proportion from other ethnic heritages is smaller than that seen nationally.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average, as is the proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational need.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils in local authority care, those known to be eligible for free school meals or those from service families, is broadly in line with other schools.  The school has a thriving breakfast club.  The school meets the governments’ 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?

 Improve the quality of teaching, so that it is consistently good or better, by ensuring all teachers:  have high expectations about what pupils can achieve and use pupils’ responses in lessons to refocus activities when necessary so all pupils make good progress  give pupils clear guidance on what they need to concentrate on and how to improve, both during the lesson and when marking their work  use information about how well pupils are learning to plan lessons that match the needs of all pupils, and particularly the more able.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate progress in Years 1 to 6 in English and mathematics by: - creating more opportunities for pupils to undertake problem solving skills in mathematics - ensuring that all pupils have opportunities to develop their extended writing skills in other subjects. - giving pupils more opportunity to develop their skills in punctuation and grammar.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that:  swift action is taken to eliminate teaching requiring improvement  teachers are set more challenging targets for improving pupils’ achievement  systems for checking how well the school is performing make better use of statistical information on pupil achievement  improvement plans contain clear timescales and measurable criteria for success  training is provided for those governors who lack the knowledge about the school needed to challenge senior leaders about its performance and that of individual teachers.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement. The school acknowledges that good progress has not been sustained throughout Years 3 to 6, and that the proportion of pupils making better than expected progress by the end of Key Stage 2 is not as high as in other schools. The school’s own data, lessons observed by inspectors and the work in pupils’ books all show that pupils’ rates of progress is not as rapid or as consistent as it should be across the school as a whole.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ progress in English is in line with national expectations but too few make really rapid progress. Pupils’ handwriting, spelling and the presentation of their work are getting better, but there are still some inconsistencies in pupils’ grammar and punctuation. While pupils produce some good pieces of extended writing in English lessons they do not have enough opportunities to practise their writing skills in other subjects. More able pupils make better progress in reading than they do in writing. The progress of pupils in the current Year 6 is significantly better than the progress of the equivalent group last year.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Teachers place great emphasis on reading and encourage pupils to read at home. As a result, pupils enjoy reading and read regularly. By the end of Year 2 pupils use their knowledge of phonics (letters and the sounds that they make), successfully to help them to work out new words. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment is broadly in line with that expected of pupils nationally.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In mathematics, pupils’ attainment matches national averages. Even so, some pupils are not making enough progress. Pupils’ knowledge of number facts and their core skills of calculation are secure but they are unable to apply their mathematical knowledge successfully when asked to solve problems or carry out investigations. More able pupils consistently make the progress expected of them.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In 2012, the attainment of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding was above that of similar pupils nationally, and in line with other pupils in the school in both English and mathematics. The pupil premium funding has been used sensibly to provide eligible pupils with additional class support and learning materials. These have helped narrow the gaps between groups of pupils, and this demonstrates the commitment of school leaders to ensuring equal opportunities for all pupils.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children typically enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with knowledge and skills which are below those expected for their age. As a result of good teaching, they make good and sometimes better progress and standards are above average by the time they leave Reception.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Most disabled pupils and those with special educational needs achieve as well as other pupils in school in English and mathematics. The headteacher has brought in experienced staff to support these pupils, and their progress is carefully tracked to make sure that the work provided is closely matched to their learning needs.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 There is some good and outstanding teaching and, overall, it is improving. However, teaching is not yet consistently good enough to make sure that pupils’ progress is rapid enough in all classes.  In lessons that require improvement teachers often talk for too long and do not use questioning effectively enough to make the pupils think hard enough. This slows learning and progress.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Some teachers do not expect enough from pupils. They do not probe pupils’ answers enough to accurately assess their level of understanding and do not consistently use the school’s detailed pupil progress information to plan lessons that meet the needs of all pupils in their class.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Whilst there are some good examples of marking, which informs pupils how well they are doing, marking is not consistently good across the school. In some lessons pupils are not given enough opportunities to judge the quality of their own work or that of their classmates.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Relationships between adults and pupils are positive. Teachers care for pupils well, and this creates a secure environment for learning in which pupils are confident to ask questions and contribute to discussion. As a result, pupils enjoy their learning and are keen to do well.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In one exemplary Key Stage 2 mathematics lesson, observed by the inspector, pupils worked enthusiastically on calculating equivalent fractions. The teacher’s enthusiasm, creativity and subject knowledge engaged and inspired the pupils, so that all of them made rapid progress in their learning. However, pupils are not given enough opportunities to develop their problem solving skills in mathematics in this way.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Throughout the school, teachers and support staff establish strong relationships with pupils. Teachers create a positive classroom climate for learning. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. As a result, pupils show consideration and respect for others. In lessons, they work effectively in pairs or in small groups as required.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. Teachers know the children well, and provide a range of exciting activities which motivate and challenge. Consequently, children’s skills improve quickly, and particularly their social and emotional development.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In a very good lesson in the Early Years Foundation Stage, based on the theme of spiders, pupils undertook a variety of stimulating activities. These included painting, model making, counting and writing and talking about spiders, with some using a computer to aid learning. These activities thoroughly engaged and interested pupils and they made very good gains in their learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Children in the Nursery and Reception classes quickly learn and play well together. They benefit from the positive relationships established with adults. Children feel safe and secure, and grow in confidence.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are very happy in school and say that they feel safe because they know that teachers look after them. Parents agree. Pupils enjoy school. As a result, attendance is above average and pupils are punctual. The well-attended breakfast club ensures that pupils get a positive start to the school day.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The good levels of care provided by teachers and their consistent use of behaviour management strategies ensure that pupils’ behaviour in lessons is good. There have been no exclusions of any kind for several years. Pupils take pride in their work and want to do well. They are confident to ask and answer questions and to contribute to discussions.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have been provided with a range of strategies to keep themselves safe, and understand, for example, about the safe use of the internet, the potential dangers of social networking sites and the use of mobile phones. They are well aware of the different forms that bullying can take, but say that it is extremely rare and that teachers will always deal with it quickly and effectively. Parents told the inspectors that instances of bullying in the school are rare.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is above the national average and has shown an improving trend since the last inspection. The school has good systems in place to promote the importance of regular attendance, although a small number of parents remain to be convinced. The attendance of pupils who have a history of persistent absence have been addressed by the school. This improvement in the attendance of such pupils has resulted in improvements in their attainment and progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are proud of their fundraising efforts and regularly donate money to a range of charities.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Though most pupils are keen to learn most of the time, some can become a little distracted when teachers talk for too long or activities do not challenge them sufficiently.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because they have not improved achievement and teaching sufficiently since the previous inspection.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The systems for checking how well the school is doing are not rigorous enough. Whilst there is now more good and outstanding teaching, some teaching requiring improvement still remains.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders have a generous view of the school’s performance. Priorities for improvement are not always sufficiently well focused, and improvement plans lack clear and measurable criteria to measure success.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Replies to the staff questionnaire show that the headteacher has the overwhelming support of her staff and senior leaders in her drive to move the school forward.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Systems for tracking how well pupils and groups of pupils are doing are not being used precisely enough by senior leaders to hold teachers to account for the progress their pupils make. School leaders, including some governors, have not ensured that teachers’ progression through pay scales is closely linked to pupils’ progress.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Meetings to review the progress of each pupil take place regularly with the literacy and numeracy teams. These give staff a clear picture of how well each pupil is doing and helps identify those who need further support.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 A staff coaching and training programme addressing school priorities and personal development requirements has been established and the quality of teaching is now being more closely checked.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school provides an extensive range of extra-curricular activities, including visits to places of educational interest, which motivate and excite pupils. The school’s provision in creative arts is exemplary and leads to pupils producing high quality work in these areas.  Leaders have developed very effective strategies for managing and supporting pupils’ behaviour which are understood and consistently applied by all teachers. Adults are passionate in their support for pupils and provide high levels of care, liaising well with parents and outside agencies as necessary. As a result, the school is a harmonious community, and many barriers which can prevent pupils from learning have been removed. Social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is promoted well.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Discrimination, in any form, is not tolerated at Hempshill Hall. All pupils have access to the full range of opportunities that the school provides.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority has identified the school as one which is capable of managing its own improvement and has therefore adopted a 'light touch' approach to monitoring the school’s performance.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  Governance requires improvement. Governors are very committed to the school and are passionate about supporting the social and emotional needs of the pupils. They ensure that all safeguarding requirements are met. They also understand how the pupil premium is spent, and understand the impact it is having on pupil progress. They are not provided with enough accurate information by school leaders about how well pupils are doing and do not, consequently, hold leaders fully to account for pupils’ progress. Governors generally ensure that the arrangements for paying increases to individual teachers are implemented appropriately and used to reward good teaching. However, not all governors fully understand the importance of linking teachers’ targets to pupils’ achievement.

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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 122493 Local authority Nottingham Inspection number 413143

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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 473 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ann Williams Headteacher Helen Ridge Date of previous school inspection 14 May 2009 Telephone number 0115 9153275 Fax number 0115 9153275 Email address admin@hempshillhall.nottingham.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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