Hade Edge Junior, Infant and Nursery School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.1

Mr Jeffery Kilner Headteacher Hade Edge Junior and Infant School Greave Road Hade Edge Holmfirth West Yorkshire HD9 2DF

p.1

Short inspection of Hade Edge Junior and Infant School

Following my visit to the school on 18 October 2016, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in January 2012.

p.1

Short inspection of Hade Edge Junior and Infant School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You have developed an inclusive community school which is highly valued by staff, parents and pupils. You are a role model for the caring ethos which is evident throughout the school. As a result there are good relationships between pupils and between staff and pupils. Personal development and welfare of pupils are strengths of the school. Even very young pupils talk about how special the school is and explain how they must look after each other. Older pupils are very caring of the younger pupils and look after them on the playground. Parents believe that the school provides a unique environment for their children.

p.1

Short inspection of Hade Edge Junior and Infant School

Teachers are committed to providing the best for their pupils and plan activities to extend the most able pupils and support those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. In the last inspection you were asked to increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by improving pupils’ skills to learn independently and making full use of marking to engage pupils in reflecting and improving on their own work. Marking and feedback are in line with the school’s policy and have improved. Pupils understand the ‘HIT’ marking process and respond to teachers’ comments on their English and mathematics work. As a result, pupils’ independence is encouraged and their understanding is developed. Teaching, learning and assessment remain good. You recognise that there is more work to be done to increase the proportion of outstanding teaching to ensure that pupils make even better progress in all subjects.

p.1

Short inspection of Hade Edge Junior and Infant School

The curriculum, which is a strength, provides effective coverage of the national curriculum. Consequently, pupils have good opportunities to learn science, geography, history, religious education, modern foreign languages, physical education and the arts. In addition, the enterprise curriculum which all pupils study on Friday afternoon offers exciting practical opportunities for exploration in mixed- age groups. For example, pupils work in the garden and learn to grow vegetables and look after the chickens. As a result, pupils’ social skills are highly developed. Pupils for the most part are confident and self-assured.

p.2

Short inspection of Hade Edge Junior and Infant School

Assessment systems have improved. Senior leaders have developed sophisticated systems for monitoring pupils’ progress. Consequently, leaders know well how individual pupils and groups of pupils are doing and hold teachers to account for the progress of their pupils.

p.2

Short inspection of Hade Edge Junior and Infant School

Attendance of pupils is above the national average and the attendance of disadvantaged pupils has improved so that it is nearly the same as that of other pupils in the school. Pupils behave well in lessons and at breaktimes. They are well mannered and look smart in their uniforms.

p.2

Short inspection of Hade Edge Junior and Infant School

The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and records are detailed and of high quality. Every pupil in this school is well known by all the adults. Consequently, pupils feel very well cared for. Staff have had recent training about safeguarding and radicalisation and extremism. As a result, they know the warning signs to look out for, and refer concerns to you as the designated lead for safeguarding. Where necessary you have made timely referrals to social services to ensure that pupils are kept safe. The checks made on new staff meet requirements and recruitment procedures are appropriately followed. Pupils are taught how to stay safe, for example when using the school’s own social media, and about road safety.

p.2

Inspection findings

 School leaders have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Planning for school improvement is shared with staff, pupils and parents. You have enhanced the role played by all teachers as subject leaders so they have more time to monitor and evaluate their subjects and plan for improvements. This strengthening of middle leadership is at an early stage and it is too soon to see the impact.  The governors are enthusiastic advocates of the school. They ask appropriate questions to check the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and outcomes for pupils. Governors make regular visits to the school. As a result, they understand the work of the school well and challenge underperformance effectively.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment continues to be good overall. Your monitoring and evaluation suggest that there is some outstanding practice, but this is not consistent. Consequently, pupils’

p.2

Inspection findings

outcomes are not outstanding.  You have identified the need to improve the teaching, learning and assessment in the foundation subjects and science. In particular, the marking and feedback in science and the foundation subjects does not reflect the consistent approach in English and mathematics books. As a result, pupils have less opportunity to improve their understanding in these subjects by responding to feedback.  Outcomes for different groups of pupils vary year on year because of the small cohorts in each year group. However, the unvalidated results for the key stage 2 tests in 2016 show that most pupils reached at least the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics. The average test scores in all three subjects are above the unvalidated national results for 2016.  The outcomes in the phonics check at the end of Year 1 have risen following a dip in 2015. Outcomes at key stage 1 are uneven as a result

p.3

Inspection findings

of the abilities of different cohorts. However, you recognise that outcomes in English and spelling are not as strong as they should be at key stage 1.  The assessment policy has been developed in collaboration with other local schools. As a result, assessment processes have been refined and checked so they are straightforward for teachers to use and are accurate. Pupils’ progress information is collected half-termly and carefully analysed by senior leaders and teachers at progress meetings. Consequently, extra help can be allocated quickly to pupils who need it.  You have identified spelling as a key area for improvement across the school and are trialling approaches to improving spelling. The curriculum for science and the foundation subjects is used effectively as a vehicle for enhancing writing skills. However, pupils frequently misspell subject- specific vocabulary and this goes unchecked. It is too soon to see the

p.3

Inspection findings

impact of the work being done to improve spelling.  Your work to improve the outcomes of disadvantaged pupils is highly personalised. Each pupil has their own plan in which their needs are identified and appropriate interventions chosen. The pupil premium funding is carefully allocated to develop the academic and social skills of disadvantaged pupils. As a result, each one, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, has the opportunity to succeed.  Pupils’ behaviour is very good. The majority of pupils engage well with their learning and enjoy the opportunities they have to make good progress. However, a minority do not concentrate sufficiently on their work and, as a consequence, they work too slowly and make less progress.  Parents say that you are highly approachable. They value the way you ensure that the school is part of the village community, and the events in which families are included. The drive to raise funds at various events is

p.3

Inspection findings

contributing to the cost of the new school sports hall.  Bullying is rare. Pupils spoken to said there was always an adult who would help them. Pupils spoke with maturity about how they must be role models for any of their peers who did not know how to behave appropriately. Older pupils take responsibility for younger pupils acting as buddies to make sure they are safe.  Early years provision was extended to include Nursery children in 2014. Children in the early years enjoy their learning in the indoor and outdoor areas. For example, they were enjoying collecting natural artefacts for their art work in the school grounds. Children are developing their reading, writing and mathematics skills well. As a result, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development has risen over the last two years to be above the national average in 2015.  The needs of pupils who have special educational needs and/or

p.3

Inspection findings

disabilities are well known. Adults in the classroom provide effective support which enables pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to be fully involved in the learning and make good progress.

p.4

Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

p.4

Next steps for the school

 a greater proportion of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding so that outcomes for all pupils in all subjects improve further  pupils improve their spelling, particularly of subject-specific vocabulary  excellent attitudes to learning are promoted so pupils’ concentration improves.

p.4

Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Kirklees. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.4

Information about the inspection

During the inspection, I pursued the following lines of enquiry:

p.4

Information about the inspection

 Is the majority of teaching, learning and assessment now outstanding, especially in the foundation subjects and science?  How are outcomes for pupils checked to ensure good outcomes for all?  Is pupil premium funding appropriately spent to help disadvantaged pupils to make good progress?  Is safeguarding effective?  Is governance effective? I met with you, the assistant headteacher, a group of staff, a group of pupils, a representative of the local authority and members of the governing body. I made short visits to lessons with you, during which we looked at work in pupils’ books and talked to them about their learning. I listened to four pupils read. We took into account the views of parents, using the ‘Parent View’ survey, and the responses of nine members of staff to the staff questionnaire and eight pupils to the pupils’ questionnaire. I evaluated a range of documents provided by the school, including

p.4

Information about the inspection

information about pupils’ progress, attendance data, safeguarding information and school improvement plans.

p.5