Huttoft Primary & Nursery School

P R O T E C T – I N S P E C T I O N School report

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Huttoft Primary School Church Lane, Huttoft, Nr Alford, LN13 9RE

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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.  Pupils work hard, enjoy school and achieve well. They make good progress, and do exceptionally well in their reading.  Pupils behave well in class and around the school. They feel safe because any form of bullying is rare.  The teaching is good and parents say this is an important reason for them choosing this school. They appreciate the ‘family atmosphere’ of a small school where their children flourish in all areas of their development.  The Reception class gives young children a very good start to school with consistently good teaching and an exciting range of activities to help them learn quickly.  Parents feel very welcome in school and are well-informed about its work and their children’s progress.  Good leadership by the headteacher, senior leaders and the governing body means that staff work well as a team to make improvements.  The school is not just about academic achievement. Pupils learn to think carefully

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

about those less fortunate than themselves and reflect deeply on how their behaviour affects others.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There are some inconsistencies in the teaching that mean pupils learn faster in some classes than others.  Not all staff have a good enough grasp of the new systems for recording pupils’ attainment and progress. This means they cannot easily check on pupils’ achievement and ensure that all make the best possible progress.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 18 lessons, of which two were joint observations with the headteacher. The inspectors also made a number of brief visits to lessons.  Meetings were held with pupils, parents and carers, senior and middle leaders and members of the governing body.  The inspectors used the 51 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) to gain the views of parents and carers during the inspection.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own data on pupils’ progress since the creation of the academy, planning and monitoring files, behaviour records and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Terry Elston, Lead inspector Additional Inspector John Taylor Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This primary school is smaller than average.  The proportion of the pupils eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional government funding for children in local authority care and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, is below average.  The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage and none speaks English as an additional language.  The proportions of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, those supported through school action, and also those supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs, are all average.  There is no evidence yet on whether the school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expected for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school has recently achieved the Eco Silver Award and re-accreditation of the Healthy School Award.  Huttoft Primary School converted to become an academy school on 1 October 2012. When its

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Information about this school

predecessor school of the same name was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be satisfactory overall.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching from good to outstanding by teachers routinely:  ensuring that the most able pupils have opportunities to work on their own on challenging projects  maintaining a fast pace in lessons so that pupils keep interested and do not lose sight of the purpose of the tasks.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the impact of the leadership and management on school improvement by the leaders:  evaluating the quality of learning in lessons as well as the teaching, to contribute to the assessments of individual teacher’s work and the targets set to improve it  training staff on the systems that record pupils’ attainment and progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress from starting points on entry to the school that are a little above those typical of their age group. Pupils are pleased with their progress and feel well-prepared for secondary school when they leave Year 6.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children make good progress in the Reception class and parents say how well the staff prepare their children for school. Children do particularly well in their reading and writing. They quickly learn the sounds of letters and enjoy sorting real words from nonsense ones. They write well and make very good progress when writing their versions of stories they have read. Children make good use of the exciting outside area, and on one occasion, for example, made excellent progress when they worked out how to make a structure to ensure the lighthouse keeper got his lunch.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 At Key Stage 1, pupils read confidently because they know how to tackle unfamiliar words. They write exciting stories as well as informative factual accounts, such as about bats and ‘minibeasts’. In numeracy they have good calculation skills and organise data very well, for example, to produce graphs that show whether pupils with the biggest hands have the biggest feet. While progress at this key stage is good, too few of the most able pupils attain the higher levels in their work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 At Key Stage 2, this good progress continues. Nearly all of the current Year 6 pupils are attaining nationally expected levels in both English and mathematics, which is more than usually found. Pupils read fluently and widely and many scan texts in books and on computers quickly to gain information. They write very well because they learn how to make their stories interesting for the reader. Much of pupils’ writing is very thoughtful, and their work on a picture by Lowry showed good imagination about how people in the painting might be feeling.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ good calculation skills give them the confidence to tackle all forms of mathematics. They achieve well because they master basic number skills early in the key stage and use them well to tackle problems, such as about probability and ratio, as they get older.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 A weakness in pupils’ achievement is that not enough of those with exceptional abilities attain the highest levels in either English or mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress in both English and mathematics. Teachers and teaching assistants provide good support in lessons and parents speak highly of the progress made by their children.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils entitled to the pupil premium, almost all of whom are those known to be eligible for free school meals, make good progress and achieve well. The school uses the funds effectively to provide individual and group tuition. While they are around a term behind others in the school in both English and mathematics, the good support provided for them has helped close the gap with others since October 2012.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the vast majority of lessons, teachers make it clear what pupils are expected to learn and review these targets well at the end. This helps both teachers and pupils to assess their progress and what they need to learn next.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage benefit from a good balance of being taught as a whole group and opportunities to learn on their own. Adults provide many practical opportunities for these children to improve their reading, writing and number skills outside, for example, by finding words, writing on the ground and counting bricks to build their ‘house’.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers manage behaviour very well with clear rules and generous praise when pupils get organised quickly or work well in their groups. This ensures that pupils make the best of their time in lessons.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of reading is very good. Regular word-building sessions, particularly at Key Stage 1, give pupils the skills to read on their own for pleasure. Older pupils have good opportunities to build on this by researching their projects on the internet and in the library.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The good teaching in mathematics is characterised by effective quick-fire mental mathematics sessions followed by ample opportunities for pupils to work at tasks in their ability groups. The good recent focus on asking pupils to solve problems has improved their feel for number and helps them use mathematics in everyday life.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers mark pupils’ work promptly with helpful comments to help them improve. Pupils value this guidance, and subsequent work shows that they take good note of the teacher’s advice. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, the ‘learning journals’ provide children, teachers and parents and carers with a comprehensive record of their achievements.

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The quality of teaching is good

 There is some outstanding teaching that inspires pupils to do their very best work. For example, one class was given the task of designing a poster to persuade developers to save their park. Pupils of all abilities worked exceptionally well using computer programs and paper, discussing options with each other and checking on the quality of each other’s work. Their finished work showed an excellent understanding of the issues and provided a clear argument for saving their park.

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The quality of teaching is good

 On the few occasions where learning is slower, the work is too easy for the most able pupils and they lack the opportunity to work on their own. Occasionally, pupils have to sit for so long listening to what they are going to do that they lose interest.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is good. Teachers plan demanding tasks that match pupils’ abilities and ensure that they have every opportunity to ask and answer questions. Teaching assistants support these pupils well while giving them good opportunities to work on their own.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils fully deserve their reputation in the area for their good behaviour. Expectations of their conduct are high, both in class and around the school, and adults apply the rules consistently.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 In class, pupils concentrate hard and persevere when the work is challenging. When given the opportunity they work well on their own and rarely have to be reminded to get on with their work. In the playground, pupils of all ages play well together. For example, they always invite others to tackle the giant skipping rope with them.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage soon learn the rules for good behaviour. They put their hands up to answer a question and tidy up quickly after activities. They share equipment sensibly and work well together to do things like give change from the cash till to other ‘shoppers’.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils enjoy school, arrive punctually, and attendance rates are around the national average. The school places great emphasis on regular attendance and parents respond well to the regular reminders about its importance.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils feel very safe at school, and say how well staff respond to rare instances of bullying and racism. Pupils are very knowledgeable about different types of bullying, through mobile phones, for example, and know to take care when using the internet.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are very courteous towards adults and one another. They discuss issues sensibly and readily accept opinions different to their own.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils take responsibility well. Older pupils enjoy being ‘Buddies’ for younger ones and some help serve school lunches. The gardening club works hard to tend the vegetable patches and pupils say how much they enjoy the produce.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher is a good leader with high expectations of all members of the school community. Her goals for the school are ambitious and clearly stated. The staff appreciate the way the headteacher manages change at a sensible pace, and feel the conversion to an academy was accomplished smoothly. Its benefits, in terms of making spending decisions about services and training available to the school, are beginning to show.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher is supported well by others with leadership roles. As a team, they check regularly on the quality of teaching and give teachers realistic and helpful feedback on their work. Often, however, the leaders comment just on the performance of the teacher in the lesson and say too little about the achievements of different groups of pupils such as the highest- attaining. There have been no annual reviews of teachers’ performance yet because the school’s first cycle has not been completed.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has much data about the progress of pupils, but not in a format that is easy for staff to use. New computerised systems have been adopted, but these have not been used for long enough to give staff a clear view of how well pupils are doing.

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The leadership and management are good

 The leaders make good use of local schools to share expertise. These partnerships also provide very good opportunities for pupils to improve their skills in areas such as technology and sport.

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The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding systems are robust and meet all requirements. These are reviewed regularly by the leaders and the governing body. Pupils, as well as their parents, say how much these systems help them feel safe at school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Parents are pleased with the way the school informs them about the work of the school and their children’s progress. They value the regular newsletters that keep them up to date, and the well-organised website that provides easily-accessible information. Parents also appreciate the way the headteacher makes a point of greeting them each morning as they bring their children to school.  Pupils find the activities provided for them interesting and appreciate the clubs at lunchtime and after school that enhance their skills in music and sport. They enjoy the broad topics they study and the good opportunities to research using books and the internet. A wide range of visits and visitors enhance the curriculum and help to develop pupils’ academic, personal and social skills.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils enjoy many opportunities to reflect on issues such as the beauty of nature and the importance of caring for the environment. They learn about different faiths and recently gained much from a visit to a nearby Mosque. Older pupils recently had very good opportunities to research into the history of slavery and the role of figures such as Martin Luther King in the fight for racial equality.

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The governance of the school:

 The governing body has a clear understanding of the school’s effectiveness, pupils’ progress and quality of teaching gained through regular visits, observations of lessons and discussions with the leaders. It has a good understanding of the link between teachers’ performance and their pay progression, and is well-equipped to make informed decisions at the end of the school’s first year. Governors are keen to improve their skills and benefit from good training matched to their needs. Governors ensure safeguarding requirements are met and have a good awareness of the school’s budget. For example, they know how the funding for disadvantaged pupils is spent, why it is allocated in this way and the impact it has on pupils’ academic and personal development.

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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 138808 Local authority N/A Inspection number 420098

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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 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 159 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Julia Barker Headteacher Alison Hurrell Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01507 490284 Fax number 01507 490047 Email address Sarah.White@huttoft.lincs.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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