Hazeldown School

Maudlin Drive, Teignmouth, Devon, TQ14 8SE

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 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

 Leadership and management are good. The headteacher’s resolute leadership has been strengthened over the past year by the skilled team work of many new staff and governors .  Good teamwork, refreshed governance and leadership at all levels have rapidly improved teaching and secured pupils’ good achievement.  Hazeldown School is a harmonious community where every pupil is equally valued. They are well prepared for their next stage in education and for future life in modern Britain. The school’s stimulating range of learning opportunities also promotes the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.  Pupils enjoy school and are kept safe there. Consequently, the pupils behave well and demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning.  Pupils’ attendance is consistently above average. The good quality care provided by the staff of the school is much appreciated by parents and pupils alike.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Teaching is good across the school. It is typified by challenging questioning and raised expectations of pupils’ achievements. Occasionally, teaching is outstanding.  Pupils have significantly quickened their progress and increasingly demonstrate a higher level of skills than normally expected for their age as they move through the school. This is increasingly so for disadvantaged pupils who are now supported well by the school’s very efficiently managed use of pupil premium funds.  The current skills of pupils at the end of Years 2 and 6 are higher than those normally expected for their age. They show good achievement in relation to their prior attainment in reading, writing and mathematics.  Provision for the early years is good. Children learn well in the Reception classes and are well prepared for Year 1.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The school is not making best use of its outstanding practice to model and secure more high quality teaching.  At times, teachers do not check pupils’ understanding frequently enough in lessons and miss opportunities to present them with harder work to quicken their progress.  Pupils are not always required to show that they have understood the guidance they receive from teachers by improving their next piece of work and this limits their rate of progress.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors attended two assemblies. They observed learning in 25 lessons and saw the work of 17 teachers. They were accompanied by the headteacher and assistant headteachers during several visits to lessons.  A wide range of documents was scrutinised, including records relating to behaviour and attendance, safeguarding procedures and the school’s analysis of how well it is improving. Inspectors examined the school’s systems for checking progress, records of checks on the quality of teaching, and reports of visits to the school made by the local authority.  The inspectors talked to pupils about their work, and listened to individual pupils read. They also looked at samples of pupils’ work across a range of subjects and classes, especially writing.  Inspectors held meetings with members of the governing body and staff. An inspector also met with a group of pupils from across the school. Inspectors spoke to individual pupils in lessons and around the

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Information about this inspection

school. The lead inspector held separate telephone conversations with a representative of the local authority and with a national leader of governance about the guidance they have been giving to the school.  Inspectors took account of the views expressed in the 84 online responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire. They gathered the views of some parents during informal meetings at the school during the inspection. Inspectors took note of the school’s own survey of parents’ views which took place earlier this academic year and considered an email message from a parent. Questionnaires completed by 41 members of staff were also analysed.  The inspectors considered the school’s use of additional government funding.

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Inspection team

Alex Baxter, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Hazeldown School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils attending are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs is below average and at times varies significantly from year to year.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals or who are looked after) is above average.  Children in the early years commence their schooling full-time in the Reception classes.  The school runs its own breakfast and after-school clubs.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  The school has experienced a significant amount of staff change since the previous inspection. A completely new team of teachers commenced their duties in Key Stage 2 at the beginning of this

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Information about this school

academic year.  Two new assistant headteachers also joined the school in September 2014.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that pupils make the best progress they can by:  teachers sharing the outstanding practice that exists in the school  teachers more frequently checking the pupils’ understanding during lessons so they can be moved on to harder work and quicken their progress  ensuring that pupils more fully respond to the oral and written guidance they receive from teachers by making the required improvement in their subsequent work.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and chair of governors have welcomed the arrival of many new members of staff and governors. They have taken full opportunity to support and introduce new team approaches to leadership and governance so that all leaders make valuable contributions to the running of the school.  Leaders at the school have received and taken full advantage of rigorous and effective support from the local authority and other external specialists. Consequently, leaders have raised their expectations and have secured good leadership and management.  United leadership has played a pivotal role in rapidly improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement, especially this academic year. Leaders, including governors, sustain an unwavering commitment to continued improvement. Middle leaders are also effective and share responsibility with senior colleagues in rigorously checking the quality of teaching. This has been successful in improving

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The leadership and management are good

teaching in their areas and accelerating the progress of pupils.  Leaders discuss and evaluate information about the impact of teaching on pupils’ progress effectively. As a result, senior leaders efficiently ensure that staff development and movement along pay scales are related to raising pupils’ attainment.  Arrangements for safeguarding pupils, including comprehensive assessments of risks and vetting of staff, meet all statutory requirements and are effective.  Leadership is not yet outstanding because the rapid improvements made this year have not been operating long enough to secure pupils’ outstanding achievement. Even so, high staff morale has been restored and the school again promotes a culture where good teaching and pupils’ behaviour flourishes.  Parents are kept well informed via regular newsletters and comprehensive information on the school’s website. They fully support the developments and comment upon ‘a positive transformation of the school’

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The leadership and management are good

and say that ‘staff morale is high’.  Parents also say their children are very happy at school and value the way all pupils are treated equally. Inspectors confirm this view. The securely good relationships between adults and pupils, including during the well-managed breakfast and after-school clubs, prevent discrimination and foster good relations across the whole school community.  The school promotes the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. It is underpinned by the harmonious atmosphere pupils experience in learning together at the school. Work in topics such as the Amazon, studies of Hinduism and other faiths widen pupils’ understanding and prepare them well for life in modern Britain’s multicultural society.  The school’s effective emphasis on developing pupils’ understanding of British values is clearly articulated on its website and in displays across the school. It is also evident in assemblies where pupils discuss and

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The leadership and management are good

reflect on values such as empathy and collaboration.  The school provides a broad, well-planned curriculum that provides good opportunities for each pupil to make good progress across the range of subjects. It has been carefully strengthened to enable pupils to use and develop the literacy and numeracy skills they need to learn for the future. The curriculum includes plentiful opportunities for pupils to advance their personal and social skills. For example, the frequent and much-anticipated residential visits, and the Year 2 class ‘sleepovers’ when pupils stay for a night at school, also raise their confidence and their enjoyment of school.  Leaders have significantly improved the way they manage and use additional funds. For example, the creation of a new role of Pupil Premium Champion has ensured that disadvantaged pupils receive effective support. Consequently, disadvantaged pupils now progress as well as, and sometimes faster than, their

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The leadership and management are good

classmates.  New and strong leadership of the provision for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs also ensures that these pupils are fully included and achieve well.  The school makes good use of the primary sports funding to widen the range of sporting opportunities provided to the pupils. As a result, there has been a 25% increase in the number of pupils participating in sports clubs so far this year. Funding is also used in partnership with local schools to purchase the services of a specialist sports coordinator to coach staff and pupils alike to advance their skills.  The local authority and national leader of education have supported leaders effectively in improving leadership and teaching across the school.  The governance of the school:  Over the past year, new and continuing governors have heeded and responded decisively to advice from the local authority and a national leader of education. As a result, alongside specific governor

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The leadership and management are good

training, governors use their wider skills to enable them to carry out their duties effectively. The governing body has completely reorganised the way that it fulfils its obligations. It has replaced its previous committees with a structure that enables governors to gain and share a deeper understanding of the school’s performance. Groups of governors now share the responsibility of gathering information. They hold staff leaders to account by asking challenging questions and, in turn, account for and explain to other governors about the effectiveness of the school. Consequently, governors now have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development and are better equipped to help the school to move forward. For example, governors know about the quality of teaching and are clearly aware of how the management of teachers’ performance is used to eradicate weak teaching and to reward good teaching. In particular, additional training and a wider range of educational expertise

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The leadership and management are good

across the governing body have raised governors’ knowledge of how teaching impacts on pupils’ progress. This has enabled governors to support staff in using additional funding more effectively to quicken the progress of disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils display positive attitudes and are keen to learn. Pupils work hard and readily give of their best in lessons. Pupils’ willingness to learn, in response to good and better teaching, is a key factor in their rapidly improved progress.  Pupils appreciate the stimulating range of interesting activities provided for them and enjoy school. This is seen in their above average attendance. Pupils also undertake various responsibilities effectively, for example preparing the hall for assemblies and helping to organise social events such as the Year 6 ‘Passion for Fashion Show’.  Pupils respond eagerly when asked to exchange ideas with each other and readily respond when teachers encourage them to explain their thinking to the class. The supportive relationships pupils share with adults and with each other also enrich their learning. Pupils say, ‘This school gives you so many opportunities for

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Behaviour

us to learn together.’  Pupils state that behaviour is good and the large majority of parents who spoke to an inspector or responded on the online questionnaire readily agreed.  School records show that pupils’ behaviour has steadily improved since the previous inspection, with much reduced temporary exclusions because of inappropriate behaviour in recent terms. Records also show that pupils with emotional needs greatly improve their self-confidence and behaviour in response to the caring additional adult support they receive.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Leaders ensure that carefully formulated procedures and health and safety rules are consistently implemented by staff to keep pupils safe.  Staff are swift to care for pupils and in letting parents know when accidents occur. They are diligent in recording all accidents, no matter how small.  Pupils say that they feel safe. They talk knowledgeably about how to stay safe and are mindful of each other’s needs. They value the care provided by adults and readily mention that several members of staff are always on duty in the playground at break times.  Pupils know about bullying and understand that there are different types, for example racial and physical abuse. Pupils also show good skills in using computers safely.  Pupils say that there is no bullying at the school now, and this is because ‘we are all very proud of our school and adults are quick to help us.’

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is good. School records show that teaching has been boosted by new staff with fresh ideas and by greatly improved checks and guidance from school leaders and external advisers. These have rapidly improved the quality of teaching over the past year.  Effective teamwork between leaders at all levels and within key stage teams of teachers and teaching assistants ensures that pupils are given the support they need to learn well.  This has helped teachers to make sure that pupils know what they have to do in lessons and understand what is being taught. As a result, pupils show more interest in their work and have quickened their progress. During English in Year 6, for example, the clarity of the teacher’s guidance enabled pupils to understand how to articulate and explore arguments and opinions within their writing.  Teachers mostly challenge pupils effectively to think and extend their ideas in depth. For example, during

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The quality of teaching is good

mathematics in Year 3, pupils responded enthusiastically when challenged to create their own problems based on the number four.  At times, though, some teachers do not make enough use of the checks of pupils’ developing skills to see if they are ready to move onto harder work. As a result, opportunities are sometimes missed to challenge some pupils’ learning.  Staff have good subject knowledge and use this effectively to question pupils and advance their understanding. Teachers also use discussions to skilfully boost pupils’ confidence by welcoming their ideas and encouraging them to explain their thinking to each other and to the class.  Teachers implement clearly understood routines which, alongside their supportive relationships with pupils, sustain good behaviour very successfully. As a result, pupils like and respect their teachers and are keen to please them. The pupils respond eagerly to the teachers’ and equally caring teaching assistants’

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The quality of teaching is good

encouragement and this is helping them to make faster progress.  Reading skills are taught well. Additional training for teachers and teaching assistants in recent years has secured good and sometimes outstanding practice in teaching phonics (the sounds that letters make.) This has boosted pupils’ interest and enjoyment in reading, especially in Reception and Key Stage 1 classes. The improved confidence and ability of pupils in tackling new words and in reading effectively for pleasure and to undertake research are also evident in Key Stage 2 classes.  Leaders have continued a strong emphasis on improving teaching, especially across Key Stage 2 in recent years. Initially the focus was on developing pupils’ skills and interest in mathematics. This has had a positive impact, with pupils showing particular interest and quickening their progress in solving problems.  More recently there has been an emphasis on teaching writing, particularly by increasing teachers’ ability

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The quality of teaching is good

to develop pupils’ vocabulary and use of grammar. This has also raised the quality of the oral and written guidance that teachers give to pupils.  All teachers encourage pupils to respond to their guidance by correcting mistakes. There is less consistency, however, in the degree to which pupils implement this guidance to ensure that their next piece of work is of a higher standard. On occasion, this limits progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress in Reception and Key Stage 1 classes. Pupils’ progress has been improved rapidly this academic year in Key Stage 2 classes. As a result, in relation to their starting points, pupils achieve well both academically and personally by the time they leave the school.  The headteacher, strongly supported by new leaders, has effectively managed a complete change of teachers in Years 3 to 6 classes to secure good progress across Key Stage 2. With additional help from outside agencies, school leaders have acted decisively to end weaknesses in teaching that led to the pupils’ previously inconsistent progress evident in this key stage.  School and inspection checks of pupils’ skills in Key Stage 2 now show increasing numbers of pupils working at higher levels than might be expected for their age. This is also evident in Year 6 classes this year, showing pupils’ much improved and now good achievement.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ work in books and responses in lessons show the good impact of the school’s rigorous emphasis on improving pupils’ skills in mathematics and, more recently, writing. The significantly increased number of pupils now making good progress reflects the rapid and significant nature of the school’s improvement over the past year.  Pupils’ good progress and eagerness to learn well are now evident in all classes. This is helping them to rapidly improve their skills. Most pupils initially respond well to teachers’ guidance, but occasionally some do not continue this in their subsequent work to make better progress.  Pupils develop a good knowledge of linking letters to sounds (phonics) in Reception and Key Stage 1 classes. The proportions of pupils reaching the required standard in the Year 1 phonics screening checks continue to be above average.  Pupils continue to make good progress in reading in Key Stage 2. Pupils enjoy reading. They confidently

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The achievement of pupils is good

talk about the books they read in groups at school, and read and follow instructions accurately when undertaking research using computers.  The most able pupils readily use a much wider range of vocabulary when responding to the teachers’ questions and demonstrate this in their writing. Pupils in Year 4, for example, showed their good skills when writing persuasively about the importance of recycling. As with other pupils, the most able also respond eagerly to increased opportunities to extend their mathematical understanding well by solving real-life problems.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs also make good progress relative to their starting points. The extra adult support and guidance provided by the school effectively meet their needs. Some pupils, including those receiving support for their emotional needs, make excellent progress in becoming better learners.  Due to weaknesses in provision, the progress made by disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 in 2014 was less

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The achievement of pupils is good

than that of their peers in the school and other pupils nationally. The gap in the attainment of disadvantaged pupils widened to about four terms’ progress behind their classmates and other pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics.  School records show that much better management and use of the pupil premium to provide stronger teaching and support this year have brought rapid improvement. As with their peers across the school, disadvantaged pupils now make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Currently in Year 6, gaps in levels of skill between disadvantaged pupils and their classmates have been significantly reduced. Compared to the previous year, the gap in attainment has been narrowed to one term behind their classmates in reading, writing and mathematics. The levels of skill now shown by disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 match those expected of other pupils of similar age nationally. This much

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The achievement of pupils is good

improved picture is seen across the school, with disadvantaged pupils increasingly matching the skills of other pupils of the same age in the school.

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The early years provision is good

 Leadership and management of the early years provision in the two Reception classes are good.  All staff get to know the children and their parents very well. The positive nature of the relationships between staff, children and their parents is a key factor in promoting the children’s smooth and happy start at school.  The good teaching is also underpinned by close and effective teamwork between teachers and teaching assistants. On a daily basis, they collect a wide range of information about the children’s developing skills and needs.  Staff make careful and very frequent observations of children at work and from discussions with children and their parents. Staff then share this information and use it effectively to make sure that the activities they present to children enthuse them and build on previous learning. For example, children painted rainbows and, by responding to their questions, an adult was able to extend their vocabulary and wonder

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The early years provision is good

and interest in the natural world.  Most children enter the Reception classes with skills typical for their age. Children make good progress and achieve well. By the time they complete their year in Reception, an above average proportion of children reach a good level of development. An increased number of children progress even better in developing their self-confidence and communication and language skills. This shows that children are well prepared for future learning in Year 1.  Staff ensure that early years facilities and resources, both indoors and outside, present an attractive and stimulating place in which to learn. Children across the range of abilities, including those with special educational needs and the most able, are enabled to make at least good progress in all areas of learning.  All staff are diligent in sustaining excellent care. Children are kept safe and clearly feel very safe. As a

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The early years provision is good

result, they behave extremely well and enjoy each other’s company. This is evident in the confident way they participate in the wide range of activities provided for them indoors and in the secure outdoor area. It is also evident in the way children work and play purposefully together and demonstrate resilience in learning when adults are supporting other children. For example, children were seen happily working together and sharing ideas about how to decorate and write their names on their ‘Pumpkin Pies’.  Staff ensure that the children’s communication and language skills receive close attention. Staff develop the children’s phonic understanding very effectively. This academic year, the strong focus on developing the children’s writing skills and in boosting boys’ interest in books has quickened the children’s progress.

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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 113224 Local authority Devon Inspection number 462490

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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 Michael Riley Headteacher Stuart Ludford Date of previous school inspection 16–17 May 2013 Telephone number 01626 772901 Fax number 01626 777906 Email address admin@hazeldown.devon.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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