Henry Hinde Infant School

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

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Mr James Higham Headteacher Henry Hinde Infant School Grenville Close Bilton Rugby Warwickshire CV22 7JQ

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Short inspection of Henry Hinde Infant School

Following my visit to the school on 3 October 2017, 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 April 2013.

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Short inspection of Henry Hinde Infant School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You, your deputy headteacher, other senior colleagues and governors lead a school in which pupils are happy and keen to learn. Your leadership team supports you well and shows a determination to bring about further improvement. Parents commented very positively about the school’s work, highlighting how quickly their children settle in school, the good progress that their children make and how approachable members of staff are. All the parents who responded to Ofsted’s survey would recommend the school to others. The school has recently founded a multi-academy trust, Transforming Lives Educational Trust, in partnership with Ashlawn School. This change has yet to be communicated clearly to parents.

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Short inspection of Henry Hinde Infant School

Pupils spoke positively about school. They enjoy lessons, trips and extra-curricular activities, all of which help to bring the curriculum to life. For example, they talked enthusiastically about recent visits involving the Mayor of Rugby, which were linked to their topic ‘What makes a perfect town?’ Behaviour is good around school and pupils spoke about systems being fair. As they get older, pupils have increased opportunities to take on responsibilities, for example, as book monitors, school council representatives or helping to look after younger children in Reception. Pupils are proud of their contribution to school life and these opportunities help to prepare them well for the next stage in their education. You have successfully addressed the areas for improvement identified at your previous inspection. Outcomes in writing have improved and are now very close to those seen in mathematics and reading. You have taken effective action to further

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Short inspection of Henry Hinde Infant School

improve the quality of teaching by reviewing and adapting your curriculum. As a result, pupils are engaged with their learning and enjoy a wide range of active and practical learning opportunities.

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Short inspection of Henry Hinde Infant School

You and your deputy headteacher have high expectations for everyone and you have a focus on ensuring that all pupils make good progress. You regularly review the progress that pupils are making, especially those from vulnerable groups, and the use of additional resources is closely matched to pupils’ specific needs. Rates of progress are improving for all pupils. Provisional key stage 1 outcomes for 2017 indicate that the proportion of pupils who achieved the standard expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics was in line with the national average. The proportion of pupils working at the higher standards was above that seen nationally. However, you are aware that outcomes for disadvantaged pupils across the school, and across all subjects, remain below those of other pupils in school and nationally. Further improving their outcomes remains a key priority for you and your staff.

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Short inspection of Henry Hinde Infant School

Your school website contains a wide range of helpful information for parents and the school community. However, some information is currently out of date, and a small number of aspects do not fully meet statutory requirements. You and your governors agree that the website needs to be improved to more accurately reflect the school and the quality of education that it offers.

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Short inspection of Henry Hinde Infant School

There is an effective culture of safeguarding in the school. You have created a team which ensures that the school is a safe environment for pupils and that they are well cared for at all times. Safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose, and records are detailed and of a high quality. Pupils know that the adults in school are there to look after them. Pupils said that they feel safe in school and that they are taught how to stay safe, for example, by following the school rules.

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Short inspection of Henry Hinde Infant School

All staff have regular and appropriate training to help them understand their responsibilities in keeping pupils safe from harm. Staff are clear about what they should do if they have any safeguarding concerns. You work with external agencies as necessary and you are persistent when there are concerns about a pupil’s welfare. Governors understand their role in overseeing the effectiveness of safeguarding and actively monitor the effectiveness of school procedures.

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Inspection findings

 The teaching of phonics is a strength across the school. Teachers have good subject knowledge. The approach, which is introduced early in the Reception Year, is followed consistently. In 2017, the great majority of pupils reached the expected standard in the national phonics screening check at the end of Year 1.  Working with other leaders, you have created a bespoke curriculum to support the teaching of writing. This has a focus on developing pupils’ skills in grammar and punctuation. Since its introduction, it has had a positive impact on pupils’ outcomes and rates of progress. However, evidence seen in pupils’ books during the inspection indicates that the quality and presentation of some disadvantaged pupils’ writing is not yet as high as that of other pupils in school.  Your adaptations to the wider curriculum have not only helped to engage pupils through the use of practical activities but, increasingly, to provide more

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Inspection findings

opportunities for pupils to write in a real-life context and for a purpose. For example, Year 1 pupils wrote instructions for planting a seed as part of their ‘What can we learn from trees?’ topic. You regularly celebrate pupils’ achievements through ‘Magnificent Mondays’. This gives pupils the opportunity to demonstrate what they learned the previous week while it introduces them to the new theme for the coming week.  Since the last inspection, you have raised the profile of mathematics across the school. Your mathematics subject coordinator has led the introduction of a new approach to teaching mathematics that concentrates on developing pupils’ understanding of basic concepts. Pupils are encouraged to talk about their learning. This approach uses practical resources to help pupils model calculations before recording them formally. Teachers spoke positively about the impact that this approach is having on pupils’ mathematical understanding.

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Inspection findings

 At the end of the Reception Year, the proportion of children attaining the expected standard has improved over time and is now more closely in line with national outcomes. This is because there is a greater focus on addressing the needs of individual children as well as developing the basic skills of phonics and mathematics. Despite having only been in school for a few weeks, current Reception Year children have settled well and are engaged in learning. For example, during the inspection, groups of children were observed using magnifying glasses to study living mini-beasts, learning about the number 3 and developing their balancing skills through playing on outdoor equipment.  The great majority of pupils enjoy coming to school and levels of attendance are high. Across the school, celebrating good attendance has a high priority. You include information about attendance in school newsletters and award your

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Inspection findings

‘attendance ship’ to the class that has the best weekly attendance. You have identified that disadvantaged pupils continue to have lower attendance than other groups of pupils and you are taking action to improve this. For example, one-to-one meetings are held with the parents of pupils whose attendance is a concern. This approach is proving effective in increasing rates of attendance for these specific pupils.  You recognise the important difference that positive parental engagement can make to pupils’ progress and see parents as ‘partners in learning’. You encourage parents to attend workshops and events in school to help them better support their children’s learning. For example, parents of children in the Reception Year are invited to learn more about the teaching of phonics.  Along with governors, you place a high priority on ensuring that staff have opportunities to develop their own skills in teaching and leadership. This has

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Inspection findings

helped to ensure that the quality of teaching across the school is strong. You and your deputy headteacher provide support for teachers who are new to the school in order to maintain a high level of consistency for the pupils. Your work with other schools increasingly provides you, your leaders and staff with opportunities to share, and learn from, effective practice.  The school has a knowledgeable and aspirational governing body. Governors provide appropriate support and challenge to you and other school leaders. Their meeting notes reflect the steps that they take in order to help improve standards across the school. As a result of joining the multi-academy trust, a new governance structure has been put in place, and processes and systems are currently being reviewed.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 they further improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils across the school so that the gap between their outcomes and those of other pupils nationally continues to diminish  the school website is up to date and contains all the statutory information required so that parents are fully informed about all aspects of school life, including the changes taking place as a result of the school joining a multi- academy trust.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the local governing body, the chair of the board of trustees for the multi-academy trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Warwickshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During the inspection, I met with you and the deputy headteacher. Together, we visited all classes where we observed teaching and learning, spoke to some pupils and looked at work in a sample of books. Some of the books included examples of work from the previous academic year.

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Information about the inspection

I talked with parents at the start of the day and with pupils, both formally and informally. I observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school. I scrutinised a sample of documents, including your school self-evaluation and documents relating to safeguarding. I also met with a group of staff including teachers and teaching assistants. I met with two representatives from the local governing body, including the vice- chair of governors. I took account of 56 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire. I also took account of a summary of the responses to your internal staff questionnaire.

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