Henry Hinde School

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

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Mrs Rachael Allen Headteacher Henry Hinde Junior School Cornwallis Road Bilton Rugby Warwickshire CV22 7HN

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Henry Hinde Junior School

Following my visit to your school on 3 and 4 July 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken since the school’s previous monitoring inspection.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Henry Hinde Junior School

The inspection was the third monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures following the inspection that took place in November 2016. The full list of the areas for improvement that were identified during that inspection is set out in the annex to this letter. The monitoring inspection report is attached.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Henry Hinde Junior School

Having considered all the evidence, I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Henry Hinde Junior School

leaders and managers are taking effective action towards the removal of special measures.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Henry Hinde Junior School

Having considered all the evidence, I strongly recommend that the school does not seek to appoint newly qualified teachers.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Henry Hinde Junior School

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the chief executive officer for NET Academies Trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Warwickshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website. Yours sincerely

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place in November 2016

 Strengthen leadership and governance to ensure that: – there is increased capacity at senior and middle leadership level to tackle weaknesses in the school and challenge a culture of low expectations – governors challenge leaders over pupils’ outcomes, including for disadvantaged pupils, and check the impact of pupil premium funding – pay awards for teachers are linked to the effectiveness of their work – governors check that the school is fulfilling its statutory duties for safeguarding and for information it publishes on the website – all statutory arrangements for special educational needs are met to ensure that pupils have their needs accurately identified, met and reviewed – the curriculum is sufficiently broad and balanced so that pupils have a greater understanding of diversity in modern Britain and the wider world.  Improve outcomes for pupils rapidly in reading, writing and mathematics by ensuring

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place in November 2016

that teachers: – have high expectations for all pupils, including the most able pupils, disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities – plan all learning based on accurate assessments so that there is a consistently high rate of challenge for different groups of pupils – deploy additional adults effectively to enable pupils at risk of falling behind to make accelerated progress.  Improve pupils’ behaviour, personal development and welfare by ensuring that: – misbehaviour by individuals does not disrupt the learning of others – pupils’ behaviour in the dining hall area is of a high standard and noise levels are reduced – pupils’ presentation of written work is of a high quality. An external review of governance and an external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how these aspects of leadership and management may be improved.

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Evidence

In addition to observing lessons, some of them jointly with the headteacher or assistant headteacher, the inspector scrutinised documents and some pupils’ work in books. Meetings were held with the headteacher, assistant headteacher, the teacher responsible for managing special educational needs (SEN) provision and the headteacher of the local infant school who provides support and training across the local cluster of schools. The inspector met with two members of the governing body, including the chair. He also met with three groups of pupils to discuss their views, experiences and their work and progress. In addition to talking with some parents at the start of each inspection day, the inspector analysed the 60 responses to the online survey, Parent View.

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Context

Three staff have left since the previous monitoring inspection in March 2018. One teacher joined the school three weeks ago and governors have appointed another teacher who will start in September 2018. Nearly all classes are taught by permanent staff. There has been a significant reduction in the use of supply or temporary teachers since the two previous monitoring inspections.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Since the previous monitoring inspection the headteacher, assistant headteacher and governing body have continued to build capacity for sustained improvement. The oversight and management of staff performance is now a lot sharper than previously. As a result, the quality of teaching continues to improve and pupils are making better progress than previously. A significant number of pupils in every class are catching up on lost ground, although there is still a great deal to do to raise standards as these remain too low.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The intelligent recruitment of stronger teachers over the last six months has provided much welcome stability to the school. Both pupils and parents reported to the inspector that they feel, as one parent stated, ‘much better now and my child is much happier’. Staff morale is high and there is a positive atmosphere in the school with a determination among staff to continue improving outcomes for pupils. However, leaders are realistic and understand that there is still a great deal to do to make sure that all pupils achieve as well as they should.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Leaders, governors and staff recognise that there is still a great deal to do to improve pupils’ outcomes and raise standards, particularly in Year 5 where, as a result of staffing instability, these classes previously had most disruption to their learning and progress. However, middle leaders responsible for managing subjects are now better placed to monitor and identify pupils who have fallen behind. As reported previously, the assistant headteacher coordinates assessment systems well so that teachers have regular access to more accurate assessment information about every pupil in their class. Senior and middle leaders identify and target groups and individual pupils for additional support and intervention. These include, for example, disadvantaged pupils who still have a lot of ground to catch up with their peers.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Governance continues to improve. Governors have responded well to the recommendations of last year’s external review and are now exercising their roles and responsibilities better to hold school leaders to account. Regular reviews and reports to the governing body by senior and middle leaders are better informed now by detailed and accurate assessments of pupils’ progress and teachers’ performance. Governors are planning to have more focused training by commissioning the support of a national leader of governance. This is a positive move as the inspection pointed out some weaknesses in the way governors’ minutes are recorded. A scrutiny of the most recent minutes, for example, showed that discussions are not always recorded accurately enough. In addition, governors are not recording action points or issues that need following up.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

As reported at the time of the previous monitoring inspection in March 2018, the oversight and management of SEN provision has improved. This continues to be the case. The monitoring of pupils’ progress is sharper than previously and intervention programmes are now better matched to pupils’ individual needs. Records show that the SEN coordinator has set out clearly defined categories of support to help pupils meet their learning targets. Since the previous monitoring inspection, teaching and support staff have benefited from well-devised training. There are plans in place to continue a programme of staff development to increase understanding of how best to support pupils who have additional learning needs. This is particularly focusing on improving the expertise of learning support assistants so they can better support pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Staffing stability and improvements to teaching have enabled leaders and staff to broaden the curriculum and combine subjects into topics or projects that interest and engage pupils in practical indoor and outdoor activities. For example, pupils shared their experiences of a recent residential visit to Wales and commented on how much they enjoyed the range of outdoor activities such as team building, climbing and ‘gorge scrambling’. Pupils are learning about cultural and religious diversity as well as an interesting range of creative arts, music and a modern foreign language (French). Science and technology is now being incorporated better into topics and activities. The expansion of the curriculum reflects the increased confidence of leaders and staff to plan activities that are practical and engaging for pupils. However, there is now scope to improve the subject expertise of staff. The inspection found that there are still relative weaknesses in the way some subjects

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

are taught, resulting in pupils engaging in work that is either too easy or activities that are time fillers rather than improving pupils’ knowledge and understanding. As reported at the time of the previous monitoring inspection, safeguarding continues to be robust and effective. The results of the inspection survey, Parent View, also shows that increasingly more parents feel happier about their children’s education, as well as their safety and well-being.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Since the previous two monitoring inspections, leaders and governors have strengthened teaching. There has been a significant improvement in the quality of teaching since the inspection that placed the school into special measures. However, there remain pockets of weak practice that are stalling some pupils’ learning and progress. Many pupils are starting to catch up on lost ground in most classes but not at the same rate, reflecting inconsistencies in teachers’ expectations. Although teaching is improving overall, leaders have still to address this further to make sure that all teachers provide the right level of challenge in lessons.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Where learning is most effective, teachers and learning support assistants provide challenge and good-quality support. Higher expectations in lessons ensure that the pace of learning is more productive. Pupils are expected to complete tasks and go on to more challenging extension work. Sometimes learning is hampered because teaching and support staff do not ensure that pupils work hard enough. As a result, time is wasted but pupils do not disturb others because behaviour in lessons has improved well. However, in some lessons pupils’ concentration wanders and they either chat to their classmates or waste time completing the simplest of tasks when left unchallenged.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Teachers are now providing more opportunities for pupils to write independently and time for them to edit and improve their writing. The quality of handwriting and the form and structure of writing is improving well. There are increasing opportunities in most classes for pupils to talk about their writing and to share ideas with their classmates. However, in some lessons discussions are limited to short question and answer sessions, with few opportunities for pupils to articulate or explain themselves fully. There are also instances when pupils do not use standard English when answering questions and staff do not correct them in order to improve the accuracy of pupils’ speech and language.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Leaders and staff have responded well to the recommendations cited at the time of the previous monitoring inspection. In particular, leaders have introduced reading lists for all classes so that pupils are now reading more widely and more often than previously. The focus on improving spelling and punctuation is also improving the accuracy of pupils’ writing. In Year 6, for example, pupils were observed making good progress improving their use of vocabulary when writing. In this lesson, the teacher provided good opportunities for pupils to articulate and improve sentences through discussion and the productive use of word banks and thesauruses.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Improved and more accurate assessment information is helping teachers to plan lessons and work that is matched well to the learning needs of pupils of all abilities. However, some teachers are still not offering the right level of challenge for pupils capable of exceeding age-related standards in reading, writing and mathematics. There are, for example, occasions when the mathematics challenge tasks planned for pupils are too easy and only repeat what pupils already know and can do.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Pupils explained, and the inspector agrees, that behaviour in lessons and at other times is better now than it was previously. One group of pupils stated, reflecting the views of most during this inspection, ‘I like the fact that teachers support you more now and I am not afraid to ask questions or put my hand up if I need help.’ Pupils’ enjoyment of school and learning is also reflected in above average attendance rates and low levels of persistent absenteeism.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Pupils form friendships easily. They are usually polite and courteous to their classmates and adults. Boys and girls cooperate very well and work together in lessons. Pupils happily engage in conversations with others when on task, but in some lessons they are not always expected to complete enough work. As a rule, pupils do not disturb or interrupt others. However, pupils did say that in some classes there is too much noise. As reported previously, behaviour in the dining hall has improved markedly since the school’s first inspection as this was cited as needing improvement at that time.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Leaders and teachers are increasingly providing a curriculum that is stimulating and holds pupils’ interests and enthusiasm. There are, for example, good opportunities for pupils to learn outdoors about the environment, plants, trees and wildlife. Leaders are currently reviewing sports provision to expand this even further. Increasingly in lessons, tasks are varied and stimulating, engaging pupils’ interest and resulting in more purposeful learning behaviour. This is not yet consistent practice across the school and still reflects some inconsistent expectations for work and progress.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Pupils make a significant contribution to their school and community. This is having a positive impact on their self-esteem and personal development. For example, pupils enjoy becoming ‘learning mentors’ to support pupils with their handwriting. The ‘pupil leadership team’ includes ‘environment officers’ and ‘learning advisers’. The school council continues to support the school’s work by contributing ideas to improve the school. In Year 3, pupils were observed planning and drafting letters to a local supermarket to encourage its managers and staff to reduce their use of plastic bags and packaging as these can harm the environment.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Pupils are well cared for and enjoy school. They are safe and secure because staff are well trained in safeguarding and child protection. There are good safety arrangements in place before and after school. For example, adults wear coloured tabards at the start and end of the school day when escorting pupils or handing them over to their parents. The school places wardens by the school gate to make sure that pupils cross the road safely with their parents and carers.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Pupils are very aware of safe practices when using computers or other media. There are positive and trusting relationships between pupils and staff.

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Outcomes for pupils

Standards by the end of Year 6 are rising but there is still room for more improvement. Although the result of this year’s national tests in Year 6 were not known at the time of this inspection, the school’s assessments have been moderated by the local authority and show improvement. Work in pupils’ books and current up-to-date assessment information show that more pupils than previously reported in all year groups reach age-related expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. However, there is still a lot to do to ensure that standards are high enough. As reported at the time of previous inspections, many pupils fell behind when there were disruptions to staffing and leadership and, although pupils’ attainment is rising, they still have a lot of ground to catch up.

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Outcomes for pupils

Although the difference between the progress of disadvantaged pupils and others is narrowing, the rate of at which disadvantaged pupils are catching up varies across classes and year groups. As reported previously, the uplift in attainment is evident in all classes, but pupils, particularly the most able pupils, should still be doing better. There are too few of the most able pupils exceeding age-related standards or learning in greater depth, particularly in writing and mathematics.

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Outcomes for pupils

Effective management of SEN provision is improving the achievement of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. Leaders and staff are now more consistent in the way they record the progress made by pupils who have additional learning needs. Intervention programmes and increasingly skilled support for these pupils is being monitored better than before. Some parents have reported that they are pleased with their children’s support and progress.

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External support

The partnerships established with other local schools have helped to coordinate effective support and training for leaders and staff. The support provided by a local headteacher has been effective, and the well-established links with other schools in the local cluster have the potential to continue providing opportunities for teachers and support staff to see and share good practice.

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