Hebden Royd CofE VA Primary School

Hebden Royd CofE VA Primary School Church Lane, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire HX7 6DS

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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

 The headteacher provides effective leadership and, along with other school leaders and governors, has rapidly improved the quality of teaching, learning and assessment since the last inspection. As a result, this is an improving school.  Pupils now make good progress from their different starting points. This reflects the improvements in teaching, which is now good across the school.  The behaviour of pupils is good. Their positive attitudes to learning contribute to their good progress.  There is a strong sense of community in the school. Pupils say that they are well cared for and feel safe. This is supported by the views of parents.  The curriculum is well designed to meet the needs of pupils in the school and promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.  Children in the early years provision achieve well because of strong leadership and teaching. As a result, children are well prepared for when they

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This is a good school

begin Year 1.  Governors are well informed and have an accurate view of the school’s performance and what needs to improve further. They are able therefore to provide effective support and challenge to school leaders, so that the school continues to improve.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Occasionally, the most-able pupils are not always challenged well enough in mathematics.  A minority of pupils do not take enough care with the quality of presentation of their work in books.  Occasionally pupils are not given clear enough guidance on how to improve the quality of their writing.  The role of the subject leader for mathematics is not yet fully developed.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to strengthen the quality of teaching in order to further improve pupils’ achievement by: − making sure that the most-able pupils are moved on to more challenging work in mathematics when they are ready − providing more guidance and opportunities for pupils to improve their writing − making sure that pupils’ presentation and handwriting are always of the highest standard.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further develop the role of subject leader for mathematics.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher provides skilled and determined leadership. She is ably supported by a capable deputy headteacher and a very well-informed governing body. Together, these key leaders have driven improvements in teaching and pupils’ achievement since the previous inspection.  The headteacher and other leaders, including middle leaders, show good capacity to ensure further and continued improvements. They have a clear understanding of the strengths of the school and what needs to be done to improve teaching and pupils’ progress further. The subject leader for mathematics is aware of the need to improve teaching and learning in the subject; however, she is new to the role and is being given appropriate support to address effectively the changes that need to be made.  The school has rigorous systems in place to monitor the quality of teaching and its impact on pupils’ learning. Underperformance is addressed through regular pupil progress reviews, which have been

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

developed following a successful initiative between the school and the local authority.  Robust and rigorous arrangements for managing teachers’ performance are well established. Teachers have challenging targets, based on school priorities, and are clear about how they will be held to account for pupils’ progress. Teachers appreciate the good-quality training they receive.  The school has undergone significant changes in teaching staff since it was previously inspected. Newly qualified teachers are proving to be a strength of the school and are being well supported by school leaders. Provision and standards in the early years provision have improved significantly following the appointment of the deputy headteacher, who leads the early years.  The curriculum is highly effective in meeting pupils’ needs. A range of interesting topics, such as ‘Fighting Fit’ and ‘Extreme Landscapes’ ensures that all national curriculum subjects are addressed through a range

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

of interesting topics. The school places a great emphasis on the appreciation of art. Pupils have opportunities to study different artists and to participate in art festivals and exhibitions. The curriculum is enhanced by a variety of extra-curricular activities, such as sport, chess, karate, singing, school visits and a residential trip to an outdoor activity centre.  Pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is promoted well. The school places a strong emphasis on equality and tolerance. Pupils study other faiths and cultures, and a project on ‘It’s OK to be different’, for which pupils created designs for tee-shirts, helps pupils develop a greater understanding of equality, tolerance and diversity.  The school promotes British values effectively. Displays are dedicated to British values, such as democracy, laws and Parliament. Pupils have participated in debates in the local council chamber, arguing

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

for action to solve the traffic problem outside the school, and in English lessons pupils wrote persuasive letters on creating better flood defences for the area.  The small amount of funding the school receives to support disadvantaged pupils is used well. This funding is used to employ additional support staff to provide additional support for targeted pupils. School data and work in pupils’ books show that the gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers is closing.  Good use is made of the primary school physical education and sports funding to provide coaching in a range of physical programmes such as football, multi-skills and cricket. It is used well to provide training for staff and gives pupils opportunities to participate in a number of sporting tournaments and events.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The governance of the school Governors contribute immensely to the strategic direction of the school. They challenge school leaders on pupils’ achievement, based on the accurate information they receive, and the quality of teaching. They have been very proactive and meticulous in their decision making with regards to staffing by carefully balancing the needs of the school with their good understanding of the school’s budget. Governors are supportive as well as providing good challenge to school leaders. They conduct open and frank conversations with leaders and ask incisive questions. Governors know how staff performance is managed and make informed decisions about how good performance is rewarded.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Systems and policies to keep pupils safe are well maintained and consistently applied. All staff receive refresher training on child protection at the start of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Good teaching has improved pupils’ performance since the last inspection, so that progress is now good.  Writing is improving, and for most pupils currently in the school progress is good. Evidence in books shows that pupils are given frequent opportunities to write at length across a range of subjects, and the basic skills of punctuation, spelling and grammar are generally applied well.  Marking and feedback are consistent across the school, in line with school policy, and are mostly effective. Just occasionally some pupils are not given clear guidance on how their written work could be improved further.  When learning is most effective, teachers set challenging and engaging activities that stimulate discussion and the sharing of ideas. For example, a Year 6 science lesson on evolution resulted in a very mature and thought-provoking discussion based on some collaborative research that pupils had completed earlier in

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

the lesson.  Teachers use questioning well to check pupils’ understanding and to develop their thinking further. During a Year 5 English lesson on relative clauses, pupils were encouraged to share their work with their classmates, which enabled the teacher to probe and question their understanding very skilfully.  Teaching assistants work effectively, in collaboration with class teachers, to help learning move forward. They support pupils well, both individually and in small groups.  Reading is taught well, which is reflected in the standards that pupils achieve in their national tests. Older pupils read with confidence and fluency and some younger pupils use their knowledge of phonics (the sounds that letters make) to read unfamiliar words. The teaching of phonics is good and younger pupils are applying their increasing knowledge and understanding to their reading and their written work.  During mathematics lessons, pupils have good opportunities to apply their calculation skills to problem

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

solving and investigation. There is good evidence in pupils’ books that this is done regularly and to good effect. Sometimes, however, the most-able pupils are not always challenged with more demanding work when they are ready.  In some classes, the presentation and handwriting in a minority of pupils’ books are untidy.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  In discussions with parents about the level of care and support provided in the school, the inspector found the overwhelming majority to be firmly of the opinion that their children are well looked after and kept safe in school. One parent commented, ‘This is a real nurturing school’.  Staff promote good relationships and show pupils how prejudiced behaviour and inequality can affect others. A project on diversity enabled pupils to explore how differences should be accepted and celebrated. During lunchtime, some pupils were learning sign language so that they could communicate with pupils who have specific needs.  Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe. They understand the different forms of bullying and say that incidents are rare. Pupils trust the adults in the school to act on their behalf on

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Personal development and welfare

the rare occasion that inappropriate behaviour occurs. One pupil commented, ‘Teachers care for you’.  Records of inappropriate behaviour are meticulously kept; rare incidents are dealt with effectively by the headteacher and other leaders.  The very few pupils from minority ethnic heritages are made to feel welcome at the school. One parent commented on how pupils in the school were taught to say ‘hello’ in Spanish so that they could welcome her children, who had recently arrived from Spain.  The school works hard in promoting the importance of healthy lifestyles. A range of after-school clubs is available for pupils, and topics on healthy eating and the opportunity for outdoor learning help pupils develop positive attitudes towards health and well-being.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are courteous and polite to adults, and considerate and supportive of each other.  Outside lessons, around the school, on the playground and in the dining hall pupils conduct themselves sensibly and behave well.  Attendance overall is currently above national averages; pupils are rarely persistently absent.  During lessons, pupils are mostly engaged in their learning. Just occasionally when learning slows, pupils can lose interest in what they are doing.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils’ achievement has improved since the last inspection and is now good. The good start that children make in the early years provision is effectively built on as pupils move through the school.  The school’s progress information shows that pupils currently in the school are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Work in pupils’ books supports this and confirms that most pupils are achieving well and are successful learners.  The standards achieved by pupils by the end of Key Stage 1 in 2015 were above national averages in reading and writing and similar to national averages in mathematics. This represents good progress from their starting points.  In the past, pupils have reached standards in the Key Stage 1 phonics screening check that are broadly similar to national averages. School leaders have been proactive in trying to improve these outcomes, and evidence collected during the inspection shows that the quality of teaching phonics is good, with pupils

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Outcomes for pupils are good

making good progress as a result.  By the time pupils leave the school at the end of Year 6, they have attained standards that are similar to national averages and have made good progress, especially for reading and writing. Pupils are therefore well prepared for their next stage of education.  The number of pupils in the school with special educational needs or disability is extremely small and consequently it is not possible to make comparisons with national averages. However, records show that their progress is good and similar to other pupils in the school.  In 2015, the most-able pupils were above national averages in reading and writing; mathematics was below. What is particularly noticeable is the number of pupils achieving the higher Level 6 in reading, writing, English grammar, punctuation and spelling, which is above national averages.  Although there are too few pupils in receipt of pupil premium funding to make comparisons of

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Outcomes for pupils are good

achievement between them and others pupils nationally, the school has strong evidence that they are achieving as well as their classmates.

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Early years provision is good

 Leadership and management of the early years provision are effective. The vision of the early years leader, together with his high expectations, are beginning to secure significant improvements in children’s achievements. One parent to whom the inspector spoke commented that the early years provision is ‘superb and has been absolutely transformed’.  Since the last inspection, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development has improved year on year. The proportion of children achieving this level, and who are therefore well prepared for the curriculum in Year 1, is above national averages. This shows good progress from their starting points in the Nursery.  Teaching in the early years is consistently good. Excellent relationships between adults and children underpin the effective learning that takes place. Just occasionally some adults do not always seize the opportunity to build on children’s interests during play activities.

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Early years provision is good

 Children’s behaviour in the early years provision is good. They enjoy playing and learning alongside each other and share resources sensibly. This is because adults have high expectations and clear, well- established routines are in place.  The early years team ensures that all safety and safeguarding arrangements are robustly applied. Children are safe and secure at school.  The environment is stimulating, especially the outdoor play area, where good use is made of the limited amount of space available. The inside areas provide children with rich opportunities to learn from self- chosen activities as well as planned group sessions that have a focus on the important early skills of literacy and numeracy. However, opportunities for children to develop their knowledge of the world are slightly limited because of the range of resources available.

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School details

Unique reference number 107551 Local authority Calderdale Inspection number 10002164

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School details

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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 139 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Geoff Hoggarth Headteacher Gretl Young Telephone number 01422 842821 Website www.hebdenroydprimary.org.uk Email address admin@hebdenroyd.calderdale.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 21 November 2013

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Information about this school

 Hebden Royd CofE Primary School is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are from White British backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs or disability is below average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium funding is below average. The pupil premium is additional funding to support pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  In the early years, Nursery children attend part time and Reception children attend full time.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed learning in all classes. Several were observed jointly with the headteacher.  Pupils’ work was scrutinised with the headteacher.  The inspector listened to pupils read.  Meetings were held with pupils, the headteacher, other staff, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector observed pupils moving around the school outside lessons, including on the playgrounds during breaks and in the dining hall.  The inspector met with parents at the start of the school day.  The inspector analysed the 59 responses that had been submitted to the online questionnaire for parents, Parent View.  The inspector scrutinised a number of documents, including the school’s view of its own performance, school improvement plans, and documents on attendance and safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Alan Chaffey, lead inspector 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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