Hedon Primary School

Hedon Primary School Ketwell Lane, Hedon, Hull HU12 8BN

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 Strong leadership has been the key factor behind the marked improvements made since the previous inspection.  Governors know the school well. They hold leaders to account for the standards achieved and check that new developments benefit pupils.  Leaders have successfully addressed the issues raised at the previous inspection.  Teaching has improved and is now typically good. Teachers make accurate assessments of pupils’ work and use this information well to plan lessons which strengthen pupils’ understanding.  Pupils behave well. Their good attitudes to learning make a significant contribution to their learning.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. Pupils are thoughtful and reflective. They listen respectfully to the views of others and express their own views with confidence.  Pupils get off to a strong start to their learning in the early years. They settle quickly into school life

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This is a good school

because of the warm welcome they receive.  Standards have risen at every key stage. Most pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, now make good progress throughout school.  Pupils say that they feel safe in school and that they are well looked after. Relationships are positive. Pupils are helped to take responsibility for their own actions.  The broad and balanced curriculum provides a wide range of opportunities, which interest and engage pupils and motivate them to try their best.  Many school displays teem with a wide range of vibrant artwork.  Many more pupils are taking part in sporting activities. They are relishing the challenge of having a go at new sports and activities, such as cross-country running and lacrosse.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some lower-attaining pupils and some pupils with special educational needs do not make as much progress as other pupils. This is because the school does not always check that their activities are helping them to learn more effectively.  The outcomes for pupils in mathematics are not yet as good as they are in reading and writing.  Teachers’ subject knowledge in mathematics is not always as strong as it is in other subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Keep a careful check that any learning activities and additional support provided for lower-attaining pupils, including those with special educational needs, are helping them to catch up and make faster progress.  Further improve pupil outcomes in mathematics by: – ensuring all teachers and teaching assistants know how to systematically improve pupils’ numeracy skills – continuing to quickly identify and address any remaining weaknesses in pupils’ numeracy skills.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher, well supported by the deputy headteacher, provides aspirational leadership. There is a culture of ambition. All are united in the desire to help to ensure that every pupil at Hedon has an equal opportunity to succeed and to help to ensure that discrimination is not tolerated.  Although there is some way to go before all pupils reach their full potential, particularly in mathematics, the school has successfully improved many key aspects of its work.  Standards have risen throughout school. Classrooms and communal areas are much smarter and more conducive to learning. Teaching is now typically good. Pupils are keen to learn and they attend school more regularly.  Subject leaders have worked hard to implement the new curriculum. Self-evaluation is accurate and actions taken have largely led to improved pupil outcomes in every subject. Several leaders are engaged in professional qualifications to hone their leadership skills still further.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Leadership of teaching and learning is strong. Leaders regularly check the quality of teaching and learning in lessons to see if pupils’ work is improving. Performance management procedures are strongly focused on the key school priorities. There is a very reflective and supportive culture amongst staff. They work well together to explore how they can help pupils to do even better. Everyone is keen to improve. To this end, staff attend additional training and work alongside teachers and leaders in other schools.  The school’s rich curriculum engages pupils and provides many enjoyable learning experiences. Most classes have far more boys than girls and so topics and themes, such as pirates and heroes, are carefully chosen that interest boys as well as girls. Pupils also enjoy a good range of clubs and additional activities, ranging from skateboarding to Ultimate Frisbee.  The school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. They gain a good introduction to the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

importance of principles, such as the rule of law through holding their own school council elections and contributing to their own school rules. Pupils’ lessons focus on topics such as ‘All things British’ as well as a range of different cultures and faiths. This helps pupils to develop empathy and understanding for the cultures and beliefs of others. The curriculum also supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Pupils have the opportunity to take part in many creative activities.  Pupil premium funding is used effectively to ensure disadvantaged pupils can access all the school has to offer. It has been used to provide academic and pastoral support, where needed. As a result, gaps in attainment between these pupils and other pupils are closing, and disadvantaged pupils are attending school much more regularly.  The PE and sport premium is used well. Staff have a chance to work alongside specialist sports coaches

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

and this is helping to improve their own teaching of physical education. Pupils also take part in many more inter-school competitions now. Indeed, some pupils have discovered that they are particularly talented in sports they had rarely encountered before, such as tennis and orienteering.  Safeguarding is given high priority. Procedures are effective. They are adhered to by staff and checked regularly by governors. Leaders ensure that staff receive up-to-date training. Parents who made their views known to an inspector support the view that pupils are safe and well looked after.  The local authority has provided some effective support since the previous inspection. In particular, the local authority has been instrumental in helping the school to develop strong partnerships with other schools and has helped to improve leadership skills. Support provided by the local authority has been very much appreciated by the school. The local authority has full confidence that the school now has the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

internal capacity to maintain its fast pace of improvement.  Parents who made their views known to an inspector are largely extremely positive about the school. Parents typically comment that their child is always very happy to go to school and that their child is ‘thriving at Hedon’.  The governance of the school – The structure and membership of the governing body has changed since the previous inspection following an external review of governance. – Governors are knowledgeable about pupil outcomes and about the quality of teaching. They also have a good understanding of performance management procedures. – Governors have the necessary knowledge and skills to hold the school more stringently to account. For example, they check that any funding decisions regarding the use of pupil premium and the PE and sport grants have the desired impact. – Governors are well informed. They ensure they secure external validations of the school’s work and so

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

are not just reliant on information from the headteacher.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The quality of teaching has improved markedly since the previous inspection.  Senior leaders have a clear view of the quality of teaching. They have taken stringent steps to improve classroom practice and as a result, teaching is now much more consistent and is typically good at every key stage.  Relationships are positive. Pupils are hard-working and they are keen to learn.  Teachers generally use assessment information well to pitch work at an appropriate level of challenge. Throughout a lesson they often check what pupils know, understand and can do and usually move them on to more difficult work when they are ready  Teaching assistants usually provide effective support for pupils. They often contribute well to the quality of teaching and have an impact on pupils’ learning.  Teachers and teaching assistants skilfully question pupils and encourage pupils to explain how they have worked something out. This gets them thinking hard about their work.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 In the vast majority of lessons teachers plan activities which interest and engage pupils. This motivates pupils to work hard.  During the inspection, pupils in Key Stage 1 were extremely enthusiastic as they explored the place value of each digit in a number whilst playing dice games. Some pupils started exploring two digit numbers and then were thrilled as they went on to look at three and four digit numbers.  Year 6 pupils were fully absorbed whilst writing a set of instructions to teach someone else how to do a particular Street Dance. They had great fun as they checked whether their instructions were clear enough.  Vibrant displays show pupils’ rich learning experiences across the curriculum. Key Stage 2 pupils used research skills to find out more about life in the Stone Age. They produced artwork in the style of cave paintings and displayed them in their class ‘cave’, prior to experiencing their own ‘Stone Age Day’ in

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

school.  In one science based activity, all Key Stage 2 pupils went outdoors to physically explore the differences between solids, liquids and gases. They then investigated a substance which can be both a solid and a liquid.  Teachers have good subject knowledge in most subjects. However, occasionally teachers and teaching assistants do not have a clear enough knowledge of how to systematically improve pupils’ numeracy skills, especially when pupils find it difficult to understand new mathematical concepts and procedures.  The teaching of reading has improved. The school has invested in a much wider selection of books which encourage pupils to read more frequently.  Pupils now produce all their written work in one workbook. This makes it easier for teachers to maintain high expectations whenever pupils write, because they can easily check that pupils’ writing is of the same quality in all subjects.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Actions have been taken to improve teachers’ marking and feedback to pupils. Evidence seen in books shows that teachers follow the agreed procedures and that their marking often helps pupils improve their work over time.  The majority of parents say they think teaching in school is good. Parents say they also appreciate the more creative approach taken to homework, which is closely linked to the work pupils are doing at school.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils enjoy being at school and say that they feel safe and well looked after. They are confident they would find someone in school to speak to if they had any worries or concerns.  All of the parents who responded to Parent View agree their children are happy and safe at school. ‘The school maintains a village feel and my child is recognised by name by all staff members’ is a typical parental comment.  Pupils know how they can keep themselves safe. They can clearly explain how to stay safe when using the internet and other electronic devices, for example.  Pupils say that bullying is rare, but that they are aware of the different forms that bullying can take. The school keeps a sharp check on pupils’ well-being to help to ensure that no worrying develops.  Systematic checks are carried out on new members of staff and regular visitors to the school.

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Personal development and welfare

 Attendance has improved significantly since the previous inspection. More recently, attendance rates have risen to above average overall. The attendance of disadvantaged pupils and that of pupils with special educational needs was formerly much lower than that of other pupils. However, the attendance of these groups of pupils is now rising too and it currently matches the national average. The number of pupils who are persistently absent has reduced because the school works well with families to help avoid unnecessary absences.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are thoughtful and reflective. Indeed some older pupils recently decided to write a letter to express how saddened they were by the recent terrorist attacks in Paris.  Pupils conduct themselves well in and around school. They work well together in the classroom and play well with others at breaktimes.  Pupils who find it more difficult to manage their own behaviour are helped to understand how their actions may affect others. Pupils learn to express their own views and feelings, as well as listening to the views of others.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are largely very positive. Most pupils work very hard and try their best. Nevertheless, a small minority of pupils lose concentration a little at times. This is particularly the case when pupils have fallen behind with their learning and when they find it more difficult to understand what they need to do.

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Behaviour

 The work in pupils’ books is generally well presented. Most pupils take great pride in their work. However, sometimes the quality of pupils’ work slips a little and on occasion it is not quite as well presented.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils make good progress in most year groups and in different subjects across the curriculum.  The work in pupils’ books and the school’s own performance information show rates of progress are strongly improving in every subject. In 2015, many pupils made more than expected progress relative to their individual starting points.  Many disadvantaged pupils are now making much better progress in reading, in writing and in mathematics than at the time of the previous inspection. In most year groups, the progress disadvantaged pupils make is typically in line with or above that of other pupils in school.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs generally make expected rates of progress from their starting points, as do pupils whose standard of work is below that which is typical for their age. However, these groups of pupils do not always reach their full potential. This is because the school does

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Outcomes for pupils are good

not always check carefully enough that any learning activities and support provided is helping them to learn more quickly.  Standards fluctuate a little from year to year. This is partly due to the differing make-ups of some small class sizes. In 2014, standards dropped following a period with a significant number of staffing changes. However, standards have subsequently risen at every key stage and continue to do so.  In 2015, almost every pupil reached the expected level in reading by the end of Year 6. The proportion of pupils passing the national phonics (letters and their sounds) check in Year 1 also rose. Pupils clearly enjoy reading. They read widely and often, with fluency and comprehension.  Standards in writing have also risen markedly. Pupils readily use their phonics knowledge to read and write unfamiliar words.  Although pupil outcomes in mathematics have also improved, they are not yet quite as strong as in

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Outcomes for pupils are good

reading and writing. Many pupils have a legacy of weaknesses in their numeracy skills, which prevents them from doing as well as they could.  The most-able pupils are challenged to achieve well and typically make good progress. In 2015, in Years 2 and 6, the numbers of pupils achieving the higher levels in reading, in writing and in mathematics were close to the national average. This is a significant improvement from the previous years.  The work in pupils’ books shows that pupils across the school are now making good progress. Pupils are achieving well across the curriculum and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. Pupils are well prepared for the next stages of their education.

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Early years provision is good

 Children have good fun in the early years. They are keen to explore the range of stimulating activities on offer.  During the inspection, children could not wait to get started on their activities around a ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ theme. They planted some beans and peas to compare which one grew the fastest. They wrote some wishes on their ‘magic beans’ and designed and built a castle for the giant.  Children’s starting points when they enter the school are generally typical for their age in most areas of learning. However, this does vary from year to year. Some children have lower skills on entry, particularly those relating to their language development.  Most children make good progress in the early years and, more recently, some children have started to do even better.  The number of children reaching levels that are broadly typical for their age has risen year on year. In 2015, it was better than that found nationally. This was the case for all children and also for

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Early years provision is good

disadvantaged children.  Adults in the Reception class clearly understand the needs of very young children. Staff skilfully intervene to help children to learn and to extend their language skills.  Partnerships with parents, providers and other agencies are strong. Parents are kept well informed about how well their child is doing. Parents who made their views known to an inspector were very positive about their child’s start to school life and typically commented that the staff are all very welcoming.  Leadership of the early years is strong. Leaders ensure children are safe. Relationships are very positive and children quickly start to develop a real love of learning. Children behave very well. They are proud of their accomplishments and keen to share what they are learning.  Staff keep a careful check on children’s achievements and they are successfully closing any gaps in the relative outcomes between disadvantaged children and other children.

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Early years provision is good

 All in all, this is a setting that is improving rapidly and going from strength to strength. Staff work hard as a strong team endeavouring to improve the quality of children’s learning experiences even further to help more children make rapid rates of progress, particularly in mathematics.

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School details

Unique reference number 117851 Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire Inspection number 10002139 This inspection 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 167 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr Allan Maltby Headteacher/Principal/Teacher in charge Mrs Amanda Barnett Telephone number 01482 899327 Website www.hedonprimaryschool.co.uk Email address hedon.primary@eastriding.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 12–13 September 2013

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Information about this school

 Hedon Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  There are more boys than girls in most of the classes in school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium funding is broadly average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, those who have been eligible for free school meals in the last six years and children in the care of the local authority.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  Very few pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which sets out the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics.  Over half of the teaching staff have changed since the previous inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in a range of subjects and heard pupils read.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms, in the playground and around school.  Discussions were held with pupils, senior leaders, staff and governors. The lead inspector also conducted a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority.  A number of documents were examined. They included the school’s view of its own performance, records of the checks made on teaching and learning, the school improvement plan, information about pupils’ progress and records relating to attendance, behaviour and safeguarding.  Inspectors took account of the views of parents through informal discussion with parents, analysis of the school’s own questionnaire to parents and the 16 responses to Ofsted’s online parent questionnaire (Parent View).

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Inspection team

Fiona Gowers, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Peter Heaton Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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