Hetton Primary School

Hetton Primary School Moorsley Road, Hetton-le-Hole, Houghton le Spring, Tyne and Wear, DH5 9ND

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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 Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils make good progress from their starting points. Standards are rising in Key Stage 1. There was also significant improvement in pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2014, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. As a result, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.  Children get a good first experience of school in the Reception class. This is because teaching is skilful in moving children on in their learning so they achieve well.  The school keeps its pupils extremely safe. Bullying is rare because pupils know how to identify signs of bullying and are entirely confident that staff will promptly address any concerns. Pupils are highly aware of the dangers when using computer technology.  Parents are supportive of the school and are pleased with the standard of education it provides.  Pupils are well behaved, polite and get on well together. They have positive attitudes to learning.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They show great respect and tolerance for those from backgrounds different to their own.  Teaching is good across the school. Teachers use assessment carefully to target work to meet the needs of pupils. Leaders track pupils’ progress and promptly tackle any areas of underachievement. Marking effectively identifies what pupils need to do to improve.  The headteacher, ably supported by other leaders, has taken successful steps to improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement.  Governors ask pertinent questions to check upon the work of the school and as a result, they know how well pupils are doing in their learning and what needs to be done to improve the quality of teaching.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers’ questioning does not always probe pupils’ understanding enough to enable them to think more deeply about what they are learning.  Children in the early years and Year 1 have not made as much progress in learning letters and sounds as they could.  Pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop their reasoning and problem-solving skills in mathematics.  The targets set for improvement in the school development plan are not specific or measurable enough to enable leaders and governors to more precisely challenge the work of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed lessons in all five classes, two jointly with the headteacher. She also conducted a learning walk to look at provision for the curriculum and at pupils’ work. A number of pupils read aloud and discussed their favourite books and authors.  The inspector held discussions with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, middle leaders, five members of the governing body and two groups of pupils, including the ‘Owl Parliament’. The inspector also held telephone discussions with a representative of the local authority and the headteacher of Gillas Lane Primary School, a school involved in the joint partnership.  The inspector evaluated a wide range of school documents including the school development plan, the school’s self-evaluation, information on pupils’ progress, monitoring files, and minutes of governing body meetings, information on safeguarding (protecting children and making sure they are safe) and a range of

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Information about this inspection

policies.  The inspector considered the views expressed in the questionnaire returns from six members of staff.  The inspector considered the 19 responses made by parents to the online questionnaire (Parent View), and parental questionnaires received by the school as part of their own consultation.

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Inspection team

Christine Inkster, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is broadly average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils for whom the pupil premium provides support is almost twice the national average. Pupil premium funding is provided to support pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority.  Almost all pupils are from a White British background.  There are currently three mixed-age classes covering Year 2 to Year 6. Children in the Reception class attend school full time.  The school meets the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school extends its services by providing a breakfast club each day.  There have been some significant changes in staffing in recent months. A new deputy headteacher has

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Information about this school

been appointed and the literacy leader is new to her role. One middle leader is on secondment to another school and another is absent on maternity leave. Two new teachers have been appointed, with one currently in the Reception class on a temporary basis since 1 January 2015 and the other teacher in the Year 1 class.  The school has been working in close collaboration with three neighbouring schools since 2011. These include Easington Lane Primary School, Gillas Lane Primary School and Hetton Lyons Primary School. A fourth school, Thorney Close Primary School, has also now joined the partnership.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to outstanding, by:  improving teachers’ questioning skills so pupils are encouraged to think more deeply about what they are learning  improving pupils’ skills in learning phonic sounds (letters and the sounds they represent)  closing the gap in early years between children’s skill levels in reading and writing and their relatively stronger achievements in other areas of learning  developing pupils’ reasoning and problem solving skills in mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the school development plan to ensure targets set are more specific and measurable so leaders and governors can more effectively check and challenge the work of the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides effective leadership, ably supported by the recently-appointed deputy headteacher and literacy leader. They are ensuring the continuing improvement of the school, despite the absence of two leaders. Leaders and managers are committed to making sure pupils enjoy learning, achieve success and become confident, caring and responsible citizens.  Middle leaders have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in the areas for which they are responsible. They have taken positive steps to address any areas of underperformance and the impact of their work can be seen in pupils’ books and in the improving quality of teaching. For example, in the Reception and Year 1 classes, there is now a strong focus on developing pupils’ speaking and listening skills so they are more readily prepared to write down their ideas.  Self-evaluation is accurate and honest. The school development plan identifies the right priorities and

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The leadership and management are good

appropriate actions to make the necessary improvements. However, the criteria by which success can be measured are not specific enough so that leaders and governors can check precisely how well the school is doing.  The school has effective systems in place in order to assess pupils’ progress. Leaders draw on a range of evidence including teachers’ assessments of pupils’ progress and attainment, observations of teaching and scrutiny of pupils’ work and teachers’ planning to assess how well pupils are learning. Leaders regularly discuss pupils’ progress with class teachers and promptly give additional support to pupils who are underachieving. They plan specific programmes of work to help these pupils catch up and regularly check the success of these interventions to make sure the pupils are making the best possible progress.  The systems in place to manage teachers’ performance are rigorous and staff are held to account for the

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The leadership and management are good

progress made by pupils. Good opportunities for training are provided to enable staff to meet their targets and to help them develop their teaching skills further. Leaders have taken appropriate steps to tackle any weaker teaching to ensure that pupils continue to make the progress of which they are capable.  Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They demonstrate good understanding of those from backgrounds different to their own and show tolerance and compassion towards others. They demonstrate a good knowledge of other faiths such as Hinduism and Islam and discuss with maturity the difficulties faced by those in the community with disabilities. Pupils are willing to take on responsibilities, not only within school but also within the community. They show respect for others, as one pupil stated, ‘It is good to be different’.  School leaders and governors have ensured the pupil premium funding is spent wisely in order to boost

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The leadership and management are good

the performance of disadvantaged pupils. The impact is evident in the attainment of disadvantaged pupils which rose considerably to above that of disadvantaged pupils nationally by the end of Key Stage 2 in 2014, resulting in the school receiving a letter of congratulations from the Minister of State for Schools in the Department of Education. Across the school most disadvantaged pupils achieve at least the same and often better than their peers and gaps are closing.  Leaders strongly promote equality of opportunity and ensure all pupils are able to participate in all the school has to offer. Leaders take positive steps to ensure pupils are given the opportunity to achieve the best they can, whatever their circumstances.  The sport funding has allowed the school to provide a wide range of sporting activities such as multi-skills, tennis, basketball and fencing. This does much to promote pupils’ health and well-being. Pupils enjoy the

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The leadership and management are good

sessions led by sports coaches and the coaches also provide training for staff in specific sports.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet all statutory requirements. All staff have recently attended child protection training and all policies and procedures are fully in place.  The school’s curriculum is broad and balanced and there are a range of interesting and stimulating topics which engage pupils in their learning. Recent whole school themes include ‘A place to call home’; ‘They made a difference’; and currently, ‘We’ve got the power’. The curriculum does much to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and pupils benefit greatly from a range of visits and visitors into school. Pupils also benefit from a wide range of after-school clubs where they can pursue their interests, for example in sporting activities.  The local authority provides valuable support to the school and has a detailed understanding of its

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The leadership and management are good

strengths and the areas which need further development. There has been support for new staff and leaders from a range of local authority officers. The school additionally has an Education Development Partner who also carries out reviews of the work of the school and supports governors in the performance management of the headteacher. The school has productive links, particularly in a joint partnership with four other schools. The governors, headteacher, leaders, staff and pupils are all involved in training and activities within the partnership.  The school has very good relationships with parents who are supportive of the school. All parents who completed the online survey (Parent View) indicate they would recommend the school to others.  The governance of the school:  Governance is effective because governors work closely with the school and therefore have a good understanding of the strengths and the areas to be developed. The minutes of governing body

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The leadership and management are good

meetings show that governors ask pertinent and challenging questions of leaders to ensure the continued improvement of the school and they effectively evaluate the school’s performance data. They are fully aware of what needs to be done to improve achievement and the quality of teaching. They carefully evaluate teachers’ performance, rewarding good teaching and tackling any underperformance. Governors work closely with the headteacher to plan for the strategic and financial aspects of the school and make sure that funding, such as pupil premium and sports funding, is used wisely. The impact of this is seen in the rapid improvements in achievement for pupils eligible for the pupil premium and the way in which the funding is used to make sure all children can access whatever the school has to offer, for example by participating in residential and school visits. Governors take their statutory duties

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The leadership and management are good

seriously, particularly in relation to the safeguarding of pupils. This has ensured that the school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils show great respect and care for one another, including in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Pupils are keen to learn and respond well in lessons. On rare occasions, a very few pupils go off task and talk when they should be working. Disruption to other pupils’ learning is minimal as behaviour is well-managed by staff. Pupils’ behaviour is good at playtimes and exemplary in the corridors and dining hall. They demonstrate courtesy and are well-mannered and highly considerate of others. They behave well in the breakfast club and engage enthusiastically in the range of activities provided.  Pupils speak very positively about the ‘FROG factor’ (Feelings, Relationships, Ownership, Giving) which they say helps to maintain good behaviour and positive attitudes to learning. Pupils are strongly motivated to become ‘School Champions’ if they sustain excellent behaviour, high attendance and complete their

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Behaviour

homework.  Pupils have a good understanding of what is right and wrong. This was particularly evident in Year 5 and Year 6 where pupils were acting as ‘detectives’ to try to solve crimes and then had to write a newspaper article. Some pupils said they were inspired to become journalists or detectives as they found this work so interesting.  Pupils are very proud of their school and take their responsibilities very seriously. They have a good understanding about modern British values, such as democracy and freedom of speech particularly through the work of the school council and the ‘OWLS’ (Our Wonderful Little School) groups which have both been democratically elected.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils say they always feel safe in school. All parents who responded to the Parent View questionnaire indicated their children were kept safe. The school works extremely closely with parents and carers, for example through family learning programmes and through ensuring families are supported to ensure their children come to school. The school is rigorous in following up absences to ensure children are safe and as a result, attendance has improved considerably over the last year.  Pupils are adamant there is no bullying and they are very knowledgeable about the different types of bullying such as homophobic or racist bullying. This is because they have been fully involved in writing the anti-bullying policy themselves. They know it is wrong to make hurtful comments about a person’s gender or because of their skin colour. They have a very good understanding of cyber bullying and know how to

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Safety

spot the signs of bullying so they can help their friends. They are reminded about what they should do if they are bullied through the ‘Captain Tell’ posters around the school. They are absolutely sure that the headteacher and staff would very promptly deal with any incidents, should they occur.  The school’s programme of work around e-safety, fire and water safety has given pupils the confidence to manage risk. During the inspection, pupils were observed working with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution staff, showing great maturity in their evaluation of risk associated with water-based activities.  The ‘OWLS’ work extremely well together to ensure the safety of other pupils and parents for example by challenging parents to ensure they park safely when near the school. They have produced a safe parking code and carry out parking patrols, wearing high visibility jackets. The pupils’ efforts have helped to make

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The quality of teaching is good

 Evidence in pupils’ books and the school’s assessment data indicate that teaching is typically good over time, enabling pupils to make good progress. Teachers have good subject knowledge and there is a strong focus on teaching skills in reading, writing and mathematics. There are numerous opportunities for pupils to apply and consolidate these skills when completing work in other subjects for example, through writing poetry or letters when studying history topics.  Leaders have reorganised the teaching of phonics in the Reception and Year 1 classes so that teaching is targeted more precisely at the needs of different groups of pupils. Staff now teach phonic sounds systematically each day but opportunities are missed to reinforce pupils’ learning of sounds in other areas of learning to ensure progress is more rapid.  Pupils are taught appropriate strategies to help them tackle new words and they say they enjoy reading.

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The quality of teaching is good

There are more opportunities for pupils to read and enjoy a range of books and this is helping pupils to make better progress in their reading, especially in Year 6.  Teachers provide work at the right level of difficulty for different groups of pupils because teachers use assessment carefully to identify the ‘next steps’ in pupils’ learning. Pupils are confident in identifying for themselves what they do or do not understand. Teachers promptly follow up pupils’ concerns to ensure they understand the concept before they move on in their learning. Teaching assistants are deployed effectively to support the learning of groups of pupils, including those with special educational needs and the most able.  While teachers generally question pupils’ effectively to ascertain their level of understanding, questions are not always probing enough to enable pupils to think more deeply about what they are learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers mark pupils’ books regularly and carefully and pupils are given clear guidance on how to improve their work. Pupils respond well to teachers’ comments and say that they are helped to produce better work.  The provision for pupils who have special educational needs is good because the needs of these pupils are precisely identified and work is planned carefully to address any areas of difficulty. The pupils are well supported by teachers and teaching assistants to learn as well as they can and this is leading to improved outcomes for these pupils across the school.  Pupils’ work in mathematics shows they are making good progress, particularly in developing their calculation skills. However, there are not enough opportunities for them to develop their reasoning and problem solving skills in different contexts.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 From their starting points, pupils make good progress across the school and by the end of Key Stage 2, their attainment is broadly average.  Children enter the Reception Year with skills and abilities which are below those typical for children of their age but with even weaker skills in reading and writing. By the time they enter Year 1, they have met or exceeded expectations in most areas of learning, particularly in their physical development and understanding of the world. However, their skills in reading and writing remain weaker.  Standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 1 have risen steadily over the last three years and are now much closer to the national average.  Published results for Key Stage 2 show that there was a significant rise in attainment in reading, writing, mathematics and spelling, grammar and punctuation in 2014. The school’s own data and pupils’ work

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The achievement of pupils is good

shows that current pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 are making more rapid progress, especially Year 6 pupils in reading.  The most able pupils make good progress as challenging work is provided for them, enabling them to reach the standards of which they are capable.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make similar progress to their peers. The good quality teaching provided by teachers and teaching assistants, targeted to meet their individual needs, is enabling them to achieve as well as they can.  The attainment of disadvantaged pupils rose notably in 2014. As cohorts of pupils are small, it is difficult to make accurate comparisons between their achievement and that of other pupils in school, or with other pupils nationally. However, across the school, disadvantaged pupils are making at least similar progress to their peers and in some year groups exceeding that of their peers and consequently, the gaps in

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The achievement of pupils is good

attainment are closing.  Progress in other subjects of the curriculum is also good and pupils have opportunities to practise their literacy and numeracy skills in other areas such as in topics in history and science.

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The early years provision is good

 Children in the Reception Year make good progress from their starting points in most areas of learning, but their skills in reading and writing are weaker. Last year, disadvantaged children achieved better than their peers in most areas of learning and similarly in their physical development because of the targeted support they received.  Teaching is good and staff have high expectations of what the children can achieve. There are strengths in the interaction between adults and children. Staff are particularly skilled in identifying exactly what children need to move them on in their learning so they make as much progress as they can. As a result, children are better prepared to enter Year 1.  There are many opportunities for children to develop their speaking and listening skills as adults ask good, open questions and expect the children to respond fully. Staff provide particular support to a few children

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The early years provision is good

who have special educational needs, particularly those who experience speech, language and communication difficulties, and these children are making good progress.  Staff take children’s interests fully into account. For example, on the first day of the inspection a small group worked cooperatively together to build a ‘long car’ so that they could go on a picnic. One child said they were going to the museum to see the dinosaurs. The next day, staff had planned a wide range of activities to include dinosaurs, such as reading books to the children which contained rhymes about dinosaurs and work in the writing area was also linked to dinosaurs. This engaged all the children and they worked with enthusiasm and interest, wanting to learn more.  Staff plan specific activities to improve children’s progress in reading, writing and mathematics. For example a member of staff shared and discussed books with a small group of children and they were fully

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The early years provision is good

engaged in talking about the pictures and the story, anticipating what might happen next. Staff also provide activities to improve children’s hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. Children are taught to develop an appropriate pencil grip which is helping them to develop good handwriting skills at an early stage.  Staff provide short, discrete sessions to improve children’s mathematical skills. For example, children were able to identify numbers to 20 with confidence and were fully engaged in learning about money using large, cardboard coins, identifying how much money they would have left if one was taken away.  Children are learning letters and sounds through specific sessions each day in small groups according to their needs. However, opportunities are missed to reinforce their learning when engaged in other activities.  Children behave very well and show kindness and consideration to one another. They work cooperatively

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The early years provision is good

together on different tasks, sharing equipment and taking turns for example, when joining in bingo games to learn their letters and sounds.  The learning environment, both indoors and outdoors is safe and children are taught to be safe in a variety of situations, for example when carrying a pair of scissors across the room. Staff carry out careful risk assessments each day to ensure there are no hazards to cause children harm.  The early years leader is currently away from school and the headteacher is providing effective leadership in her absence, making sure that there is continuity and progression in learning for children.  The Reception Year teacher had only been in post for three weeks at the time of the inspection but she is rapidly getting to know the children and is carefully assessing how well they are doing. She has quickly built up good relationships with the children and they are happy and settled in her care.

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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 108803 Local authority Sunderland Inspection number 453374

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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 116 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Julie Garland Headteacher Ann Marie Burns Date of previous school inspection 8 February 2011 Telephone number 0191 5536750 Fax number 0191 5536754 Email address hetton.primary@schools.sunderland.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 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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