Hugglescote Community Primary School

School report Hugglescote Community Primary School Ashburton Road, Hugglescote, Coalville, LE67 2HA

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Early years provision Good 2

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 The drive for school improvement has slowed because of uncertainty following changes in leadership as well as staffing difficulties.  School leaders have not ensured that the quality of teaching is good enough to enable pupils to achieve well and reach the standards they are capable of by the end of Year 6, especially in writing and mathematics.  Leaders do not check pupils’ work carefully or often enough to ensure pupils are making good progress over time.  Leaders of subjects and of special educational needs do not have enough impact in raising pupils’ achievement.  The management of teachers’ performance does not ensure that teaching is consistently good or better.  Improvement plans do not identify precisely the actions to be taken or how success is to be measured, so leaders cannot check closely on what is achieved and make changes if necessary.  Teachers do not use information about what pupils know and can do to set work that is challenging

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

enough to secure good achievement. Work is sometimes too easy or too hard for some disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, and for the most able.  Pupils lack opportunities to write enough in different subjects and to practise their grammar, spelling and punctuation skills.  The gap in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils is not closing quickly enough.  Marking and feedback do not tell pupils clearly how to improve the standard of their work.  Pupils do not always gain knowledge and understanding in sufficient depth in subjects other than English and mathematics.

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The school has the following strengths

 Children achieve well in the early years as a result of good leadership and teaching.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs who work in the resource base make good progress.  Pupils behave well and are safe in school. They show good respect for adults and for each other.  The acting headteacher is having a positive impact on the school. Consequently, behaviour is good, staff morale is high and subject leaders have had training to improve teaching.  Governors know well what the school’s strengths and weaknesses are, but have been unable to overcome weaknesses in teaching and achievement because of staffing difficulties.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors visited 24 lessons, three of which were seen with the acting headteacher.  The inspectors spoke with pupils while they were learning and playing, and listened to some of them reading. They watched pupils supported in small groups, including pupils working in the resource base.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils to find out their views of the school. The inspectors held meetings with the acting headteacher, subject leaders, the special educational needs leader, and the head of the resource base, three members of the governing body, a representative of the local authority and a representative of the Forest Way Teaching School Alliance.  A wide range of documentation about the school was examined including information about pupils’ achievement and the monitoring of teaching. Inspectors checked minutes of meetings of the governing body, samples of pupils’ work and policies relating to behaviour and keeping pupils safe.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors analysed the 51 parental responses to the online Ofsted questionnaire (Parent View) and spoke with several parents at the start of the school day. The 27 responses to the staff questionnaire were also considered.

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Inspection team

Lois Furness, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a much larger than average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are White British and all pupils speak English as their first language.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is average.  The school manages specially resourced provision for 10 pupils aged 7 to 11 who have special educational needs for moderate learning difficulties.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is below average. The pupil premium is extra government funding to support the education of disadvantaged pupils, who are known to be eligible for free school meals or who are looked after.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Provision for the early years is through two full-time Reception classes.  There have been substantial changes to the school’s staffing since the last inspection. Following the

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Information about this school

unexpected resignation of the headteacher in summer 2014, an experienced acting headteacher was appointed for one term. The governors were unable to appoint a headteacher to start in January 2015. Although a headteacher has now been appointed, he will not take up the post until September 2015. The acting headteacher is scheduled to remain in post until the end of the current school year.  A new deputy headteacher was appointed in September 2014. There have been a number of long-term absences. A senior leader appointed in September 2014 resigned during the autumn term, and the deputy headteacher is currently teaching the Year 6 class for three days a week.  The school is a member of the Forest Way Teaching School Alliance and the Coalville family of schools.  An after-school club is on site managed by the governing body.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and accelerate pupils’ progress, especially in writing and mathematics, by:  improving teachers’ use of assessment of pupils’ progress and attainment to set work that is suitably challenging for pupils of all abilities, particularly, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, and the most able  increasing opportunities for pupils to write more in different subjects  ensuring that teachers’ marking in all subjects shows pupils exactly how to improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make leadership and management more effective, by:  managing teachers’ performance to improve the quality of teaching and learning  developing the skills of leaders of subjects and special educational needs to have more impact on improving pupils’ achievement  increasing the frequency and rigour of checks on pupils’ written work to ensure that pupils are making good progress in all subjects  providing a curriculum in Years 1 to 6 that deepens pupils’ knowledge and understanding in the full range of National Curriculum subjects  making sure the pupil premium is used effectively, so that gaps in attainment and progress close between disadvantaged pupils and others in school and others nationally  stating clear actions and measures in school improvement plans, so that leaders and governors can regularly check that changes are having the impact intended.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Since the last inspection, leaders have not secured a consistently good rate of progress across the school or rectified the weaknesses in teaching identified at that time. Although leaders have established a culture within the school where pupils behave responsibly and well, they have not ensured consistently good teaching in all year groups.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school improvement plan and subject leaders’ action plans do not state clearly enough the actions to be completed, by when, and how success will be checked. As a result, leaders cannot measure success in managing priorities for improvement.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Systems for managing teachers’ performance are in place, and this year’s objectives for staff are linked closely to the national Teachers’ Standards and to the school improvement plan. However, the actions taken have not ensured consistently good teaching and learning. Joint observations of teaching by inspectors and school leaders confirmed that the acting headteacher assesses the quality of teaching accurately. However, observations of classroom practice are not balanced against an evaluation of pupils’ progress over time as shown in their books.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Pupils’ work is not checked often enough to confirm consistently good achievement in all subjects. Monitoring of pupils’ work is best in English and mathematics, where leaders have identified strengths and areas requiring improvement and have shared this information with staff. However, leaders of subjects, such as science, history and geography, are having insufficient impact in raising pupils’ achievement.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The leadership arrangements for special educational needs do not ensure that disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress. Assessment information is not used carefully enough to accelerate these pupils’ progress for example, by identifying when additional work should be set. Staffing arrangements are not regularly reviewed to ensure that each pupil is receiving appropriate support.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 All subjects of the National Curriculum are taught but not always in sufficient depth to ensure good gains in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Extra-curricular clubs, including the after-school club, drama club and the choir, help to enrich pupils’ learning. There are strengths in the school’s promotion of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The programme for personal, social and health education provides pupils with good guidance. Core values, such as honesty, respect and tolerance, are fostered throughout the school and pupils are prepared appropriately for life in modern Britain.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school tackles discrimination and fosters good relationships, but such action does not yet promote equality of opportunity for all groups of pupils, so that they all achieve well. The use of pupil premium funding is not used effectively to help disadvantaged pupils attain as well as other pupils at the school or others nationally.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The acting headteacher has a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and has taken steps to improve the quality of teaching. For example, all teachers have the opportunity to observe good practice and new resources for mathematics and writing are in use. She ensures that pupils attend school regularly and behaviour is much improved.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Safeguarding procedures are effective and meet statutory requirements. Consequently, pupils are safe in school and say so.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The early years provision is led well as shown by the steady improvement in children’s achievements over time.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The resource base for the pupils with moderate learning difficulties is also led effectively and previous weaknesses in the use of progress information have been rectified. This has resulted in the good achievement of pupils working in this facility.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school makes good use of the additional primary sport funding to extend the range of opportunities available for pupils and to develop teachers’ confidence and skills in teaching a wider range of sporting activities. As a result, pupils’ levels of fitness and performance have begun to improve.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The parents who responded to the online questionnaire, Parent View, are very positive about the way the school cares for their children, and inspection evidence confirms their positive views in this respect. Parents say communication has improved this year, and they feel they are much better informed about the school’s work.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The partnership work with other Coalville schools enables staff to share best practice. The local authority and the consultant from the Forest Way Teaching School Alliance provide helpful advice and additional training, including training for governors. This training has been particularly effective in supporting governors in developing their strategic role. The local authority is having a positive impact in helping the school to overcome its current difficulties.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  Governors are frustrated that staff absences and changes in leadership have slowed the pace of improvement. However, they are working well with the acting headteacher to guide the school through this period of transition until the new, experienced headteacher takes up the post in September 2015. The Chair of the Governing Body is particularly well informed and knows exactly and correctly the school’s strengths and areas for improvement.  Governors are much more involved with the school than at the time of the previous inspection. They visit regularly, and report their findings at full governing body meetings. Governors make sure that they are well trained. They have their own detailed action plan, which was completed following a helpful review of strengths and weaknesses in their practice.  Records of their meetings show that they ask challenging and detailed questions of the leaders about

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The leadership and management requires improvement

pupils’ attainment and the quality of teaching. They know that attainment in writing and mathematics requires improvement and actively seek ways to improve the current situation.  Governors know how teachers’ performance is managed, and the impact of arrangements for checking teaching quality. They tackle underperformance in teaching and link rewards for good teaching to pupils’ good progress.  Governors are well informed about the impact of additional sports funding. They know that pupil premium funding is not having the intended impact on disadvantaged pupils’ progress and attainment, but have not resolved this weakness.  Governors make sure that the curriculum promotes tolerance and respect, and prepares young people for life in modern British society.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Their good behaviour starts in the early years as a result of the strong emphasis staff give to children’s personal, social and emotional development.

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Behaviour

 Pupils speak positively about how much they enjoy this school, and their attitudes are reflected in their smart appearance and good manners. They are friendly, polite and respectful towards all adults. They respond quickly to any instructions given to them. Pupils cooperate well with each other, and listen carefully to each other’s contributions in discussions. This leads to a calm and positive learning environment.

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Behaviour

 Pupils are keen to learn. Most attend regularly and are punctual. They show good levels of concentration and persevere well with their learning tasks. They respond quickly to teachers’ instructions, so that lessons flow without interruption. All staff use praise and encouragement effectively to develop confidence, and build positive relationships with pupils.  Most pupils are keen to share ideas during lessons. Their enthusiastic contributions support their learning and progress. Occasionally, however, when teaching fails to stimulate their interest or does not challenge them enough, some pupils lose concentration and the pace of learning slows.

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Behaviour

 Pupils know how they are expected to behave and say that the new behaviour policy is very helpful. They comment that the new procedures are effective in helping those pupils who previously found it difficult to behave well to do so. Staff and governors say behaviour is much improved this year, and school behaviour logs confirm these views.

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Behaviour

 Pupils in the resource base behave well. They feel very safe in school and know that their teacher will help them if they have a concern.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils feel safe at school because they trust the adults working with them to help them deal with any problems. They have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe in potentially dangerous situations, such as near busy roads, around strangers or when using the internet.

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Safety

 Bullying is rare. Pupils understand what it means to be unkind to someone and they are aware of different kinds of bullying, including physical, name-calling and cyber bullying. They are confident that the school deals effectively with any concerns they might have.

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Safety

 Staff have received appropriate safeguarding training and know how to deal with any incidents should they arise.

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Safety

 There are good systems to check staff prior to appointment and to control access to the school. These systems are applied well.

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Safety

 Inspection findings confirm the views of all parents who responded to the online questionnaire, Parent View, that pupils are kept safe and are well looked after.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Information on pupils’ progress, observations of teaching and work in pupils’ books indicate that the quality of teaching is uneven across the school and is not consistently good over time, especially in writing and mathematics. The lack of consistently good teaching prevents some pupils from making good progress.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers too often give pupils of different abilities the same task and do not use information about what pupils know and can do to plan challenging learning activities for all abilities. Consequently, tasks are not fully effective in ensuring learning moves on. When working in main classrooms, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are given work that is too hard, but the most-able pupils are given work that does not challenge them, especially in writing.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Support for the achievement of disadvantaged pupils is not sufficiently well organised. These pupils are not a focus in teachers’ planning of learning or what is done in lessons. Consequently, they have not made consistently good progress.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Marking and feedback have improved since the last inspection but are not consistently good. Teachers’ comments do not always help pupils understand the improvements they need to make to reach higher standards in their work. Marking is more effective in English and mathematics than in other subjects.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers do not maximise opportunities for pupils to use their literacy skills or expect pupils to write enough in different subjects.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Phonics (linking sounds and letters) is taught well in the Reception classes and Years 1 and 2. Teachers adopt a consistent approach, and pupils learn to tackle unfamiliar words with confidence and sound them out for themselves to improve their reading skills. In other year groups, teachers provide reading activities which are suited to pupils’ interests.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Mathematics teaching has not been effective in enabling pupils to make good progress in this subject. However, the teaching of mathematics is improving as teachers use resources more effectively, for example, to help pupils know more about place value.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 There is a good atmosphere for learning and all lessons are characterised by good relationships. In all classrooms, pupils learn to take turns and to respect each other’s views, as was seen in a discussion in Year 6 about different characters in books and films. Classrooms are well resourced and attractive. For example, there are very appealing reading areas in some classrooms, for example in Year 4, which support pupils’ learning well.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching assistants are mainly effective, providing a careful balance between support and the encouragement for pupils to try things for themselves.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teaching of the pupils with special educational needs in the resource base is good. Work is carefully planned for them and good questioning ensures they understand how to succeed in their learning.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching in the early years is good. Well-prepared resources and interesting activities rapidly attract children to learning. For example, the ‘magic pot’ provided a good stimulus for children to write excitedly about a magic potion.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils are not making consistently good progress throughout the school. Year 6 pupils have not made good progress in reading, writing and mathematics for the past two years. Although more pupils made better progress in reading in 2014, too few did so in writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In 2014, the attainment of Year 6 pupils was a little behind that in most schools in reading, mathematics and grammar, punctuation and spelling, but below average in writing. At the end of Year 2 in 2014, attainment was broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The work in books show that pupils’ writing skills are improving, although they still require further improvement. There are gaps in pupils’ knowledge of correct grammar, punctuation and spelling. While pupils write for a range of reasons and, sometimes, enthusiastically, their written work is not always in sufficient depth and detail to move them to the higher levels. In most classes, pupils do not have sufficient opportunity to write enough to reinforce their written skills and achieve more in literacy.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ mathematical skills are improving, but are still not strong. Work has started to improve pupils’ knowledge of number and their problem-solving skills, but it is too soon to evaluate the impact of recent initiatives.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Disadvantaged pupils do not achieve well enough. In 2014, disadvantaged pupils at the end of Year 6 were around three terms behind their classmates in mathematics and reading and two terms behind in writing, including in the grammar, punctuation and spelling test. Disadvantaged pupils were further behind all pupils nationally. They were four and half terms behind in mathematics, three terms in reading, four terms in writing and two and half terms in grammar, punctuation and spelling. In 2014, the gap in attainment widened from that of the previous year in mathematics and reading, and remained similar to that of 2013 in the two other subjects.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The most-able pupils do not make good progress. They are sometimes set tasks that are too easy for them and are not challenged to use their abilities to the full. In 2014, the proportion of Year 6 pupils attaining the higher Level 5 or above was broadly in line with the national average for mathematics and reading, but below average for writing. At Key Stage 1, attainment of the higher Level 3 or above was not strong in any subject.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, who are not attached to the resources base, is not consistently good. The support given to them is not always effective as insufficient attention is given to the prior learning of these pupils and, sometimes, they are given work that is too difficult. Consequently, they do not understand it or make the progress they should.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The pupils with moderate learning difficulties in the resource base are making good progress. The work in their books and the school’s assessment information show they are learning successfully and often make rapid progress.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The results of the national check for phonics for pupils in Year 1 show that the teaching of early reading skills has improved. Consequently, although still below the national average, there was an 8% improvement in results in 2014 compared with 2013. In 2015, approximately 70% of pupils are predicted by the school to be on track to reach the currently expected level. Standards in reading are improving. Younger pupils use their phonic skills well to work out unfamiliar words, while older pupils speak confidently about the books they read in school and at home.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children enter the Reception class with skills and knowledge that are typical for their age. The proportion of children that reach a good level of development has risen. More children than last year are on target to attain this standard.

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The early years provision is good

 The early years provision gives children a better quality of education than in the main school because it is well led and managed and good teaching enables the children to achieve well.

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The early years provision is good

 Staff are knowledgeable and well trained. They work closely together, meeting regularly in order to discuss what is to be taught. Consequently, the activities and learning opportunities provided help the children to extend their knowledge and understanding well in all areas of learning.

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The early years provision is good

 Children enjoy a wide range of exciting indoor and outdoor experiences. Learning activities are particularly well thought out and closely follow the interests of the children, inspiring them to learn more. Staff encourage children to develop their skills and understanding, including through exploring and experimenting.

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The early years provision is good

 Helpful induction arrangements and information evenings enable parents to be fully informed about how well their children are doing.

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The early years provision is good

 Children work and play in a happy, safe and secure environment. Staff ensure that children have many opportunities to develop good social skills. Consequently, children’s behaviour is good. They learn to follow instructions, concentrate on activities, happily sharing equipment and discussing what they are learning with their friends.

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The early years provision is good

 Good teaching makes sure that children quickly get used to routines and expectations and are well prepared for their work in Year 1. The majority of children attain a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year. Phonics teaching is a notable strength.

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The early years provision is good

 All safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures are fully applied.

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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 119915 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 453612

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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 420 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rachel Wharred Headteacher Deborah May (Acting Headteacher) Date of previous school inspection 7 March 2013 Telephone number 01530 832721 Fax number 01530 817108 Email address hugglescote@hugglescote.leics.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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