Hunts Cross Primary School

Hunts Cross Primary School Kingsthorne Road, Liverpool, Merseyside, L25 0PJ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher has created a culture where pupils can work in a calm and purposeful environment and achieve well. Parents, pupils and teachers appreciate the difference she has made to the school in improving the quality of teaching and raising standards.  Leadership at all levels has had a significant impact on teaching and achievement. This is an improving school. The standards are higher now at the end of Key Stage 1 and 2 than they have been previously.  Pupils make good progress from their different starting points. In 2014, standards of attainment were higher than the previous year and above the 2013 national average.  The early years is extremely well led by the deputy headteacher. As a result the education for the youngest children is outstanding.  The progress of disadvantaged pupils, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is outstanding.  Teaching is consistently good across the school. All

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

teachers have very high expectations of pupils. Pupils respond by working well in all situations and taking great care and pride in how they present their work.  The school’s set of values help pupils understand how to conduct themselves and become a good learner. As a result the school very effectively promotes the fundamental British values.  Pupils’ attitudes towards their learning are very good. Behaviour is good. Pupils are polite, friendly and proud of their school and their achievements. Pupils say they feel very safe.  Middle leaders are meticulous in their checking of the progress pupils make and use this information to provide appropriate support.  Hunts Cross Primary School has a very strong ethos of team work. The pupils and staff are in house teams which encourage the Olympic values, and teachers also support each other very effectively.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Occasionally, the most able pupils are set work which is too easy, especially in mathematics.  Pupils do not always make best use of modern technology to enhance their learning.  The quality of marking is inconsistent. Pupils are not always clear how they need to improve or allowed time to respond to teachers’ comments?

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 22 lessons and parts of lessons taught by 13 teachers.  The inspectors listened to pupils read and looked extensively at pupils’ exercise books.  Discussions were held with representatives of the governing body, a representative of the local authority, senior leaders, middle leaders, managers responsible for leading specific subjects, other staff and pupils.  The inspectors looked at the school’s documentation to help gain an accurate view of its performance, safeguarding policies, the school development plan, minutes of governing body meetings, records of behaviour and displays around the school.  The inspectors looked at a wide range of information on how the school checks the progress of the different pupil groups.  Inspectors took account of the 20 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View). The inspectors held conversations with parents in the playground.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors analysed eight questionnaires completed by staff.

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Inspection team

Desmond Stubbs, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is an average-size primary school.  Most pupils are from White British backgrounds and speak English as their first language.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is above average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is above the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and raise standards further by ensuring that :  teachers always provide work in mathematics that challenges the most able  best use is made of modern technology to enhance pupils’ learning in all subjects  teachers consistently apply the school’s marking policy and provide pupils with feedback that makes it clear how they must improve and always allow time for pupils to respond to the marking.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils at Hunts Cross explained to inspectors about the ‘great learning environment’, and this exemplifies what senior leaders have achieved in creating a culture throughout school where the highest standards of work and behaviour are expected from everybody.  The school has a clear set of values which pupils understand, and these are displayed in the way pupils conduct themselves both in and out of class. This school can proudly say it effectively promotes the fundamental British values.  The headteacher has put in place systems and policies which the whole-school community adhere to. Senior leaders undertake a rigorous checking of teaching and, in particular, the progress of all the different groups of pupils from their different starting points. This informs highly detailed plans which clearly focus on how teaching can be improved and standards raised further. These plans are intrinsically linked to the appraisal of teachers and improving outcomes for pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 All staff talk about the many opportunities they have for high-quality training. Middle leaders have received specific training to support them in their roles. This has led to them being particularly effective in their roles. They meticulously check the progress pupils are making and respond quickly to when pupils need additional support. Subsequently, disadvantaged pupils, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make outstanding progress.  The school is developing a curriculum which is even more relevant to the pupils. A particular strength is the well-taught programme instructing pupils how to keep safe and to manage risk. As a result pupils are very knowledgeable about how to stay safe in a range of different situations. The curriculum places a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ basic literacy and numeracy skills. School leaders know that their next step is to provide more opportunities to learn using information and communication technology so

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The leadership and management are good

that pupils are prepared even better for the next stage of their education.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is very strong. The school provides assemblies and a religious education programme which are broadly Christian but also celebrate the festivals of other world religions. The standard of art work on display around the school is of a very high standard. Pupils are very respectful of each other and all adults.  Parents are full of praise for the school and the headteacher. They say they are kept very well informed and acknowledge how their children ‘love the school’.  Arrangements for pupils moving to high school are very strong. Year 6 teachers prepare pupils well by providing them with the personal skills they will need and there are visits and meetings between teachers to pass on information. Arrangements for pupils with special educational needs are particularly good.

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The leadership and management are good

 The primary school sport and physical education funding is used effectively. By working alongside qualified coaches, teachers are better equipped to teach physical education. Pupils now receive more opportunities to compete against other schools in sports, such as water polo and curling, and also take part in a wide range of clubs after school.  The school receives termly visits to support leadership and management from the local authority. They have made a significant impact on the ability of senior leaders to check the progress of different pupil groups.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding and child protection meet statutory requirements.  The governance of the school:  Governors have a clear understanding of their role in supporting and challenging senior leaders. All committees have very clear terms of reference. Governors have received training from the local authority to enable them to understand how well the school is doing compared to other schools and, as

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The leadership and management are good

a result, they are aware of the strengths of the school and where the school needs to improve further. Governors’ observations of lessons, for example, have ensured that they are well informed about the quality of teaching. The governing body is particularly effective in measuring the impact of its work including the spending of the pupil premium funding. They are well informed about the appraisal of teachers and how this links to salary progression.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school has created a learning environment which is calm and orderly where pupils understand that teachers have high expectations of them. This is very apparent when walking around the school. In classrooms, pupils display very positive attitudes towards their learning. They take great pride in their work and show respect for adults and for each other. Inspectors saw many examples when pupils looked after each other and the school environment.  The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are polite and take a pride in their appearance and look very smart in their uniforms. Pupils explained to the inspectors that ‘behaviour has really improved and it is very rare for bullying to happen in our school’.  Very occasionally a small number of pupils lose concentration when work is not challenging enough.  Where there are incidents of misbehaviour, comprehensive details of the incident are kept including how it

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

had been resolved.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they do feel safe. The curriculum provides them with much support on how they can deal with different situations, for example, on the road, near the railway line and when using the internet. Pupils have a strong understanding of the different types of bullying and know about homophobic language and that it is unacceptable.  Visitors to the school are carefully checked to ensure that pupils are not put at risk, and receive a copy of ‘Information for Visitors’.  Attendance has improved steadily since the previous inspection and is now in line with the national average. Pupils are generally punctual.  The majority of parents who expressed their views on Parent View (the online questionnaire) have the same opinion as staff and pupils that the school does ensure that pupils behave well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is good overall and outstanding in the early years. The very positive relationships between staff and pupils and the respect pupils have for their teachers underpin everything at Hunts Cross. Pupils not only work extremely effectively when with an adult but also very well on their own.  Pupils understand fully how they are expected to behave as an effective learner. They follow the procedures for setting their work out and they show great pride in their presentation. They are enthusiastic about their lessons, which they describe as ‘terrific’. They enjoy using their imagination in English and learning new methods in mathematics. Parents also agree that their children are well taught.  Teachers use the classroom environment very effectively. English and mathematics displays are used to keep pupils informed about the learning that is going on in class. Pupils refer to this, which enables them

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The quality of teaching is good

to learn effectively, including when finding things out for themselves. The school is so skilled in this that it has supported another local school in developing this approach to teaching.  All teachers display great enthusiasm for the subjects they teach. They make it clear what learning is to take place and what is expected of their pupils. The resources provided are of a good quality.  Teachers generally set work which is challenging for pupils of all abilities enabling pupils to achieve well and make good progress. However, some of the most able pupils explained to inspectors that they sometimes find some of their mathematics work ‘too easy’.  Very effective teaching of disadvantaged pupils enables them to learn in a more relaxed way. They benefit from a more personalised approach, which enables them to make outstanding progress over time.  The school’s small number of teaching assistants support learning effectively, especially disabled pupils

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The quality of teaching is good

and those with special educational needs.  Pupils of all ages are set homework, with a strong emphasis on promoting reading and the basic skills of learning spellings and solving mathematics problems. Older pupils undertake more homework, preparing them well for moving to high school.  The transition between the early years and Year 1 is very effective. Pupils are provided with activities which are very carefully matched to their needs. Some of the younger children in Year 1 still benefit from the style of learning they experienced in the early years.  There is much good practice in marking throughout the school but it is not consistent. Sometimes, there is not enough clarity about how pupils might improve their work. Pupils do not always have the necessary time to respond to teachers’ marking or to undertake the further challenges set.  Pupils do not always make best use of modern technology to deepen and extend their learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement in the early years is outstanding and between Years 1 and 6 is good. Pupils enter the next stage of their education achieving above-average standards.  In 2014, standards in Year 6 were above those compared to those nationally in 2013. The proportion of pupils achieving the expected level of attainment was well-above average. School data shows that pupils’ progress from their varying previous starting points in reading, writing and mathematics was high compared to that proportion doing so nationally in 2013. This achievement reflects a significant improvement on the results in Year 6 in 2013, which were disappointing compared to other years.  At the end of Year 1, pupils achieved better than other pupils nationally in the test to assess their understanding and use of phonics (letters and the sounds they make). Pupils have good strategies for reading difficult words. Reading is taught very well throughout the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Standards in Key Stage 1 in reading, writing and mathematics have risen steadily over the past three years and are now above average. In 2014, results from teacher assessments were the highest in the past five years. Good progress in Key Stage 1 continues throughout Key Stage 2. Both English and mathematics books show good progress over time. For some pupils, progress is outstanding.  In Year 6 in 2013, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium in English and mathematics overall was around four terms behind non-disadvantaged pupils nationally and four terms behind other non-disadvantaged pupils in the school. School data and inspection evidence shows that this gap narrowed significantly in Year 6 in 2014. This reflects the effective action taken by both governors and senior leaders with the appointment of a coordinator with specific responsibility for the achievement and

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The achievement of pupils is good

well-being of these pupils. Disadvantaged pupils across the school are now making outstanding progress. This shows that the school’s promotion of equality of opportunity is very successful.  The achievement of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is also outstanding. Highly effective systems are in place to ensure very timely and very well tailored support is provided for these pupils.  In Year 6 in 2014, results from national tests shows that a much higher-than-average proportion of pupils reached the higher levels of attainment compared to the proportion that did so nationally in 2013. Although the most able pupils overall make good progress, occasionally their progress is held back because they are sometimes given work that they find too easy, particularly in mathematics.

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The early years provision is outstanding

 Children enter school with skills below that typical for their age. They quickly settle into school life and learn the routines. After a short time in school they are able to work for sustained periods either on their own or with an adult.  By the end of their first year in school these children have made outstanding progress, their attainment is well above the national average and they are very well prepared for the Year 1 curriculum.  Teaching caters fully for the emotional health and well-being of children. Their needs have been ascertained through very close liaison with parents and the Nursery class staff in the Children’s Centre from where most of the children come.  Leadership and management of the early years are outstanding. The deputy headteacher is relentless in her pursuit to provide the very best education for the youngest children. She has worked with Nursery staff in the Children’s Centre to ensure that the standards children enter school with are as high as

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The early years provision is outstanding

possible and that the assessment of these children is accurate.  The school works closely with parents. Staff explain to parents how well their children are doing when they enter school so they have a clear understanding of how they can support their child’s learning.  Behaviour of children in the early years is outstanding. They quickly learn what is expected of children at Hunts Cross and meet the high expectations of adults in the class.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 104549 Local authority Liverpool Inspection number 449230

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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 255 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Cathy Noord Headteacher Helen Dallison Date of previous school inspection 26 April 2011 Telephone number 0151 486 1777 Fax number 0151 448 1245 Email address huntscross-ht@huntscross.liverpool.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 and 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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