Hibaldstow Academy

Hibaldstow Academy Hopfield, Hibaldstow, Brigg, Lincolnshire, DN20 9PN

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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.  As a result of good and sometimes outstanding teaching, the overwhelming majority of pupils make at least good progress in both English and mathematics by the time they leave the school.  Teachers plan interesting lessons and prepare materials that are well matched to the different abilities of pupils. This motivates pupils and helps them to learn well.  Teaching assistants provide good support to pupils who need extra help with their work.  Pupils behave well. They listen well and follow the clear instructions given to them by their teachers. Pupils say they are safe and enjoy school. Attendance is above average.  The curriculum provides a wealth of exciting opportunities that broaden pupils’ experiences.  The leadership team has a strong focus on developing good or better teaching. This has had a positive impact on overall improvements, especially pupils’ achievement.  Governors use their skills well to support and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

challenge the leadership team in order to achieve their high ambitions for the academy.  Leaders, managers and governors have developed a strong sense of purpose among all staff to drive forward sustained improvement. This contributes well to ensuring good teaching and achievement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding.  Teachers do not always ensure that pupils respond well enough to the comments they receive on their work.  Occasionally, teachers spend too long introducing work and this slows pupils’ learning.  There are not enough opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical skills when working in other subjects.  Leaders and managers do not always set targets that are challenging enough for new joiners to the school to allow them to do even better.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed nine lessons taught by five teachers and an Early Years Practitioner. Three joint observations were undertaken with the headteacher.  The inspector spoke to pupils about their learning in lessons and their safety in school. The inspector also listened to some pupils reading.  Meetings were held with the Chair of the Governing Body, a trustee, school staff and a representative of the local authority. In addition, the inspector looked at the school’s review of its performance, its development plan, safeguarding information, school policies and the minutes of governing body meetings.  There were insufficient reponses for results to be shown to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View). The inspector spoke to some parents at the start of the inspection and analysed parents’ responses to a school questionnaire.  The views of 16 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 academy is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.  There are more girls than boys. The proportion of girls is well above the national average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is above average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  Most 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 above average.  The proportion of pupils joining or leaving the academy at other than the usual times is well above average.  Hibaldstow Academy converted to become an academy on 1 April 2012. When its predecessor

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Information about this school

school, Hibaldstow Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  Hibaldstow Academy is one of two schools in a multi-academy trust; both schools share an executive headteacher, executive deputy headteacher and governing body. The executive headteacher and deputy headteacher were appointed in September 2012.  The academy meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The academy holds the Basic Skills Quality Mark and the Artsmark Gold Award.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so as to further raise standards by making sure that all teachers:  ensure that introductions to lessons are sharp so that pupils have more time to develop their skills in the lesson  check, and insist, that all pupils respond to the feedback they receive in their books to improve their work  provide more opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical skills in other subjects.  Improve the impact of the academy’s leaders even further by setting more challenging targets for those pupils who join the school at other than the usual times, particularly those with low- levels of attainment.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children are now starting school in the Reception Year with skills that are typical for their age. However, their skills do vary considerably and for some children, they are well below those typically expected for their age. Supported by good or better teaching and good opportunities to choose their own activities, they make good progress.  Through Key Stage 1, pupils continue to make good progress and, in 2012 pupils reached broadly average standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2. Standards this year in Year 2 have risen. More pupils are now working at the higher levels of attainment.  With smaller than usual numbers in each year group this can mean that standards vary from year to year. Year 6 pupils in 2012, for example, started Key Stage 2 with standards that were below average. Throughout Key Stage 2, they made good progress from their previous lower starting points, in English and mathematics, to reach standards much closer to average. Girls

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The achievement of pupils is good

reached higher standards than the boys, however.  Similarly, variations in standards are also sometimes as affected by pupils joining the school at other than the usual times, with starting points that can sometimes by low. Generally, these pupils make good progress but this is not always enough for them to reach average standards in reading, writing and mathematics, particularly by the end of Key Stage 1.  Overall, pupils’ standards have improved. In reading, writing and mathematics in 2013, for example, boys in Year 6 reached standards much closer to the standards attained by the girls, and better than boys in 2012. Key Stage 2 unvalidated results for pupils in Year 6 in 2013, and inspection evidence show that pupils made good progress and that all pupils made at least the progress expected of them in both English and mathematics. An above average proportion made more than expected progress.  Those pupils supported at school action, school action plus or with a statement of special

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The achievement of pupils is good

educational needs usually make similar progress to others as they move up through the school.  In 2013, the small number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals in Year 6 reached standards in that were three terms ahead of other pupils in school in mathematics and four terms ahead in English. This is due to the very good support they receive from teachers and teaching assistants. The attainment of these pupils is a good example of the school’s successful promotion of equality of opportunity.  Reading is a priority in school. Pupils now read more widely because the school has purchased a good range of books to meet their interests and a computer program to support reading skills. In the most recent screening check for reading at the end of Year 1 in 2013, pupils’ skills in linking letters and sounds to read words (phonics) were above those expected nationally and this represents good progress from their lower starting points. The school has provided training

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The achievement of pupils is good

for all staff in the use of phonics and this is helping pupils to read better. Standards in reading by the end of Year 6 this year have also improved.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good relationships and the way teachers use praise to encourage and motivate pupils is a strong feature in all lessons. Pupils respond well and work diligently for their teachers.  Teachers use computers very well and create good opportunities for pupils to learn through using the internet. For example, Year 6 pupils worked in groups using computers to see different images of New York from the air and how it would look if it were `car free’. This generated high quality discussions in preparation for descriptive writing.  Teachers plan and develop lessons that capture pupils’ interests. In the Reception class, children were very excited when they mixed vinegar with bicarbonate of soda to model an erupting volcano. They all made good progress and were able to explain lava flow very clearly. Teachers are developing young children’s curiosity and an enjoyment of learning. Good teaching materials are created by teachers to support pupils’ learning. They are well matched to pupils’ different

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The quality of teaching is good

abilities. In Year 2, pupils were drawing bar charts from data collected on a visit to Cleethorpes and answering a range of different questions that were well suited to their abilities. Very occasionally, the most able pupils are not challenged enough by their work.  Teachers’ good subject knowledge means that they can link topic work to many different subjects. For example, pupils say they like the way their teachers link their work on the Aztecs and Egyptians to art, music, history, geography and other subjects.  Mostly, pupils are set to work quickly but there are occasions when the teacher’s introduction is too long. This limits the time pupils have to develop their skills by working on their own and finding things out for themselves.  Pupils are keen to answer questions and to share their learning. Teachers ask searching questions and allow pupils time to explain fully what they have learned and make sure that all

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The quality of teaching is good

the class benefits from the explanations.  An analysis of work in pupils’ books showed that marking is regular and helpful comments are given by teachers to help pupils improve their work. However, not all teachers ensure that all pupils respond often enough to improve their work and make better progress. The work in books showed good opportunities to write at length in a number of subjects but the use of mathematics in other subjects was limited.  Teaching assistants provide sensitive and skilled support when needed. They ask probing questions and encourage pupils to work as independently as possible.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are keen and eager to learn and they follow the instructions of their teachers very well. They say they enjoy school because there is something new to learn every day. In the Reception class, their attitudes to learning are exceptionally strong as they let their teacher know when they are ready for tackling something more challenging and teachers respond well.  Older pupils do as they are asked, but are not as keen to drive their learning forward. They do not always improve their work when given good advice from their teachers. However, they say that they ‘like writing best as it is creative and you can let your imagination run free’.  Pupils have developed good social skills and welcome visitors. They are courteous and confident when explaining their work to adults. They say that behaviour is generally good.  Pupils play well together at breaks and lunchtime using the ‘trim trail’ and other equipment

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

purchased by the school. Their behaviour around school is good.  Pupils take their responsibilities seriously and enjoy being members of the school council. They organise successful charity events that benefit local and national charities.  Pupils say that misbehaviour happens in lessons but it is infrequent and is managed well by teachers. During the inspection, there was no challenging behaviour observed and all lessons progressed well due to the good cooperation of all pupils.  Pupils are clear about what constitutes bullying, including cyber-bullying, and know what to do should it ever occur. Pupils are clear that bullying is rare and ‘doesn’t happen anymore as the school is like a big family’. Attendance is above average.  Pupils say they are safe because teachers are always there to help them if they have any worries or concerns. The school provides lessons for road safety, cycling proficiency and

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

swimming so that pupils can keep themselves safe.  Pupils, parents and staff are very positive about behaviour in the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and the governing body have developed a strong sense of purpose among all the staff. The headteacher has given more people responsibilities for leadership in order to help drive forward his ambitions for the academy.  The leadership team has an accurate view of the academy’s strengths and areas for development. The plans for improvement correctly indicate the main priorities for the academy. The headteacher is clear about how the actions will improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement.  There is a thorough system for checking on pupils’ achievement. This allows the headteacher to hold teachers to account at ‘pupil progress meetings’ and to identify areas for improvement. However, it has not yet been used skilfully enough to set more challenging targets for those pupils joining the school at other than the usual times so they can reach similar standards to other pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 There is a strong focus on developing good or better teaching. The staff are unanimous that leaders do all they can to improve the quality of teaching. The headteacher and other leaders model good practice for others, as well as organising the sharing of the best teaching practices with another local academy.  Performance management for teachers is robust and identifies the skills they need to improve. Teaching assistants have a performance review system to establish their training needs and this is helping them provide good support to pupils.  The curriculum provides exciting opportunities for pupils to gather information from visits to support their work. A visit to see a Lancaster bomber, at the aviation centre, provided a wealth of opportunities within the school curriculum. Many visits and visitors contribute well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The local authority is providing effective support for this good school. It has organised a local

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The leadership and management are good

headteacher network for the new headteacher to share ideas and to support leadership development. Also, it provides regular support for the academy to evaluate its performance. This has given the headteacher a very clear view of what needs to be done to improve the academy further.  The governance of the school:  The governors have high aspirations for this good school. Governors understand the information provided about the academy’s performance and compare this with other schools both locally and nationally. Governors checked in detail the academy’s improvement plan and discussed modifications with the headteacher. They know about the quality of teaching and hold the headteacher to account for the performance of the academy. Governors attend ‘pupil progress meetings’ with teachers and the leadership team and know the academy well. They receive regular financial reports and have approved the use of pupil premium funding for

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The leadership and management are good

additional adult support and the purchase of computer software to support pupils’ reading. Through regular reports from the headteacher, the governing body is beginning to monitor the impact of the pupil premium on pupils’ achievement more rigorously. Governors understand fully the operation of performance management and check closely on its link with progress up the salary scale. They use their expertise well and check that the academy’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 138085 Local authority North Lincolnshire Inspection number 400173

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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 Academy converter School category Non-maintained Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 113 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Alan West Principal Gareth Nichols Date of previous school inspection Not Previously Inspected Telephone number 01652 654369 Fax number 01652 652847 Email address admin.hibaldstow@northlincs.gov.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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