Hartland Primary School

Hartland Primary School North Road, Hartland, Bideford, Devon EX39 6BP

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher provides determined and ambitious leadership and has been effective in taking decisive action since the last inspection to improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning.  Governors have a strong understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They know the school well and use their knowledge to challenge leaders effectively.  The middle leaders are effective. They have contributed to improvements in the curriculum, and teaching and learning. However, leadership in subjects other than English and mathematics is underdeveloped.  Almost all parents and carers are positive about the school. They value the care provided for their children and the stimulating teaching that promotes their children’s confidence.  Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Pupils and parents say that staff deal with issues of bullying promptly on the rare occasions they occur.  Although teaching and learning are good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

overall, leaders are aware that there remain some inconsistencies, especially in science.  Current pupils’ work shows that they are making good progress. However, on occasions, teachers do not have high enough expectations of the most able pupils in writing.  Pupils are keen and enthusiastic readers. Most of the pupils enjoy their writing. However, a legacy of weakness in spelling skills limits some of the key stage 2 pupils’ writing.  Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are making good progress due to the effective support they receive in lessons.  Pupils’ attendance has improved to be broadly in line with the national average. However, a small group of pupils are persistently absent from school too often.  Children make a successful start in early years due to the good teaching and support that they receive.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further strengthen the effectiveness of leadership and management, by: – ensuring that the leadership of all subjects, and especially science, matches that of English and mathematics – continuing to improve the attendance of all groups, especially the small minority of disadvantaged pupils who are persistently absent.  Further improve the quality of teaching and learning, by: – providing enough challenge to ensure that the most able pupils write to the highest standard – improving key stage 2 pupils’ ability and confidence to spell accurately in order to enhance and develop their writing further.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The school has improved significantly since its previous inspection. The headteacher has been instrumental in securing improvements in teaching and learning across the school. Her effective drive, determination and ambition for the pupils are clear and appreciated by all stakeholders. She sets high expectations and leads by example, teaching one day a week. Consequently, pupils are making strong progress and outcomes are now in line with the national average in most areas.  Leaders and staff feel valued and morale is high. They have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Leaders’ vision for the school of ‘Listen, Learn, Enjoy and Achieve’ is evident in all areas of the school’s work and life. There is a strong drive and unity of purpose across the staff team. Consequently, the team members are working together effectively to secure improvements in pupils’ progress.  Middle leadership has strengthened since the previous inspection. These leaders are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

both confident and capable, setting a good example to colleagues. Increasingly, these leaders are asked to support other schools in the locality. Leaders are working to strengthen the coordination of the wider curriculum, particularly in science.  The leadership of SEND and inclusion across the school is strong. The SEND leader has a good understanding of the needs of the pupils with SEND and ensures that teaching targets in the ‘My Plans’ are matched well to individual pupils’ learning needs. Consequently, pupils with SEND make strong progress both academically and socially.  Over the last two years, leaders’ well-planned actions have sustained an effective momentum of improvement in all areas. For example, the teaching of mathematics is now more consistent and well structured. Leaders recognise that the strategic plans are too long and need to be refined and re-focused so that governors are even better

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

able to understand the school’s effectiveness.  Leaders ensure that the pupil premium funding is used well to benefit disadvantaged pupils. During the year, these pupils have made reasonable progress academically. However, leaders recognise that they need to work more effectively with a small minority of pupils’ families in order to improve those pupils’ attendance.  Although teaching is generally good across the school, leaders have identified some inconsistencies in a minority of lessons. They are aware of these and are taking appropriate action to address them. Leaders have been effective in their work with teachers to narrow the attainment gap between boys and girls in reading, writing and mathematics.  Leaders make good use of the physical education (PE) and sport premium funding to strengthen teaching and increase sporting skill and confidence. Consequently, pupils enjoy their physical activities, have improved skills and are extremely successful in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

external sporting festivals and tournaments. The school offers an extensive range of extra-curricular clubs, some led by professional coaches, which promote pupils’ health and fitness.  Leaders have established clear expectations of staff within a set of toolkits and non- negotiables in reading, writing, mathematics, SEND and early years. These have secured higher expectations and a better degree of consistency in teaching. The toolkits aid leaders in their checks on teaching. Consequently, leaders are effective in holding teachers to account for the quality of teaching.  The school is an active and contributing member of a cooperative trust of nine primary schools. This group provides support through professional development and the moderation of pupils’ outcomes. This has supported teacher assessment, which is now accurate and informative.  All staff who responded to the staff online questionnaire stated that they are proud to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

work at the school. Leaders deploy staff well. The school building is spacious and used well to maximise good teaching and learning.  Performance management arrangements are robust and rigorous. Whole-school improvement priorities are set as targets and these focus on pupils’ progress and achievement. Leaders provide an effective and comprehensive training programme which supports the continuing development of staff, especially in meeting the needs of pupils with SEND.  Leaders prepare the pupils well for life in modern Britain. Pupils can confidently talk about British values and how these relate to their lives at school. As a result of this and a focus on their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, pupils are knowledgeable and able to express opinions on a range of subjects.  The school welcomes new pupils into the school and 17 have joined the school since September 2018. Nearly all parents and carers who completed the online

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

questionnaire, as well as the parents who spoke to the inspector on the playground, were highly supportive of the school. One parent reflected the view of many: ‘Having had children at the school for many years, I have seen many changes. The school retains a friendly village feel, but now runs a lot more efficiently and professionally.’

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Governance of the school

 The governing body has improved significantly since the last inspection. Following a governance review, governors have a much clearer understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They acknowledge that standards declined in the past due to inconsistencies in expectations from leaders and in teaching. They have ensured that this decline has been reversed so that pupils’ progress and attainment are good.  Governors have a good grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They regularly visit to ensure that leaders’ actions are making a positive difference.  In meetings, they are increasingly asking challenging questions of leaders. The attainment and progress of the disadvantaged group are areas that they have worked on with leaders to ensure improved provision and better outcomes.  Governors are well informed and receive accurate information about the life and work of the school from the headteacher’s termly report and subject leaders’ summaries.

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Governance of the school

They use these to frame questions and offer challenges. This enables them to hold leaders to account for the outcomes achieved by the pupils.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  There is a strong culture of keeping children safe in the school, and this is endorsed by parents. Pupils’ arrival at school is carefully supervised and monitored. Parents appreciate this diligence and care.  Leaders and governors have ensured that the school’s safeguarding policy is up to date and procedures are fully understood by all staff, who are well trained and supported by several knowledgeable designated safeguarding leads (DSLs). There is a clear process for reporting concerns using an electronic format. Leaders keep detailed information where they have concerns, so that they can keep track of the support and guidance offered to families over time.  Staff are regularly trained and briefed well by leaders on the impact of extremism and radicalisation. Consequently, staff are vigilant, and act swiftly to report concerns to school leaders.

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Safeguarding

 The headteacher and leader of SEND have a detailed knowledge of the most vulnerable pupils and families. They work closely with parents and external agencies to ensure that effective help and guidance are provided when needed.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teaching across the school is now typically more consistent and well planned to meet the abilities of all pupils regardless of their needs and starting points. Improved accuracy in the assessment of learning has aided this. As a result, most pupils are making strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teachers set high expectations of pupils in most lessons. They expect them to work hard and achieve their best. As a result, most pupils are focused, and concentrate well and take pride in their work. Workbooks are well presented and most of the pupils are developing a mature, neat and well-presented handwriting style.  Teachers’ good subject knowledge is now ensuring that the key core skills in reading, writing and mathematics are systematically taught. They regularly review pupils’ progress with school leaders and plan interventions to close any learning gaps. However, for a few pupils, the legacy of poor spelling remains and hinders the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

effectiveness of their writing.  The teaching of reading and phonics is effective. Pupils regularly read at school individually to an adult or within the re-structured guided reading lessons. Books are well matched to the reading and phonic ability of each child. The school’s interventions in reading have secured pupils’ confidence, fluency and comprehension skills. Consequently, pupils can independently decode unknown words, read with increasing fluency and comprehend the books that they are reading.  The teaching of mathematics remains a strength of the school. Staff have a good understanding of the development of the key skills of reasoning and problem solving. Teaching sharpens and deepens the pupils’ mental arithmetic skills and confidence, and as a result, pupils’ arithmetical knowledge is sound.  The teaching of writing follows a clear sequence which ensures that the key skills needed to be a successful writer are taught. Although not yet fully consistent, teachers

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

look for ways to extend exciting writing and use of vocabulary across the curriculum. In Year 2, pupils used effective vocabulary to describe a pirate, such as ‘brutal, petrifying and menacing’.  In a few lessons, pupils are not challenged sufficiently, and work is not planned well enough to meet their capabilities. As a result, the progress of the most able pupils is not as strong as that of other groups in the school.  Pupils are supported well in lessons, especially those with SEND. Teaching assistants are effective. They guide and monitor the progress of pupils and groups. All adults use questioning well to probe and strengthen pupils’ learning.  There is a clear and consistent approach to providing feedback to the pupils, who respond well to this guidance. Pupils are confident in editing their work and this is leading to improved end results, especially in writing.  Teachers plan a curriculum that is based on a commercial scheme. Topics are planned

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

that provide thought-provoking questions and ideas. Parents are invited to join INSPIRE sessions, where they come to school to learn with their children. As a result, parents are well informed about their child’s learning and progress.  Teachers willingly provide a wide range of activities and experiences to combat the rural isolation of this school. The school offers a wide range of extra-curricular activities to the pupils and participation in these is high. Clubs range from tag rugby, choir, football and colouring.  The quality of teaching within the foundation subjects, especially science, is variable. While teachers have developed strong teaching sequences in reading, writing and mathematics, these strategies are not as effective in the foundation subjects.

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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 the school. They feel valued and are gaining in confidence. They take pride in their work. Their books are well presented and cared for. However, there are occasions when the most able pupils recognise that they can achieve more.  Most pupils have developed a mature and responsible attitude to their learning. They are keen to do well and take pride in the work they produce. Occasionally, some of the older pupils’ interest wanes. However, staff are generally quick to notice this and respond appropriately.  Pupils listen well to each other in lessons, respecting each other’s views and the comments made. In a Years 5 and 6 history lesson, pupils aired their varied views on the use of historical sources to help their learning about the Victorians.  Pupils enjoy their lunchbreak, and many take up the healthy cooked lunches provided

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Personal development and welfare

by the school’s own catering team. Lunchtime is calm, and pupils display good manners.  Pupils take on responsibilities willingly and help with classroom jobs and roles. Teachers have established reading teams. The older pupils read with the younger pupils on a weekly basis. As a result, the younger pupils have more opportunities to read and the Year 5 and Year 6 pupils gain in confidence and social maturity.  Pupils have a good understanding of British values and how they affect their lives in school and at home. They have learned about the importance of the ‘rule of law’ in assembly and can connect this with their own school rules.  Pupils can reflect with confidence on how staff help them to be successful learners. They talk about the learning walls in classrooms, the mathematical learning processes and tasks, and the encouragement to read more and learn their multiplication tables .

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are welcomed each morning by the headteacher. Parents value the opportunity this provides to talk with her. The headteachers’ actions ensure that most pupils arrive punctually for the start of the school day.  Levels of attendance are improving and over the last two years have drawn much closer to the national average. As a result, persistent absence has reduced except for a small minority of the disadvantaged group of pupils.  Behaviour in lessons and around the school is positive. This is due to the support and guidance offered by staff. Nearly all parents who responded to the Parent View online survey agree with this. Consequently, pupils are focused, ready to learn and hardworking in lessons.  There are clear rules and expectations which the pupils fully understand and abide by. They recognise right and wrong and nearly all pupils are reflective about their

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Behaviour

behaviour and attitudes to their learning.  Pupils feel safe at school and parents confirm this. They say that bullying is rare and promptly dealt with by staff if it occurs. Many pupils identify a trusted adult that they would go to if unhappy or upset. Staff make good use of personal development approaches to support pupils’ well-being and their mental health. Pupils are thriving, happy and enjoying their learning.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online. At safety workshops, they have designed posters about this, which are displayed around the school. They can explain what to do if they become concerned while online.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Effective action has been taken to arrest the decline in attainment and progress noted in the previous inspection. Pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has improved since the last inspection and in 2018 moved to be close to the national average. Work in pupils’ books suggests that outcomes in key stage 1 this year will be above the national average in reading and mathematics and in line with the national average in writing.  Pupils’ attainment and progress in key stage 2 in 2018 improved considerably to be close to the national average. This was a marked improvement on 2016 and 2017.  Current pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics is consistently strong in all year groups from pupils’ different starting points. Pupils are able to apply their skills and knowledge in a variety of contexts. The pupils’ workbooks show an improved quality and quantity of work in writing and mathematics.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 The standards achieved in the English grammar, punctuation and spelling national assessments have improved since the last inspection and are now closer to the national average. However, for some pupils in key stage 2, their writing is still hindered by inaccurate spelling.  Pupils’ achievements in the Year 1 phonics screening check have improved year on year. In 2018, these were well above the national average and as a result, pupils can decode and read well. When reading aloud to an adult, pupils will work out unknown words and remember those tricky words that are not decodable. For example, a Year 1 pupil decoded, ‘silent’, ‘great’ and ‘supposed’ and a Year 3 pupil, ‘separate’, ‘delivered’ and ‘briskly’.  Handwriting is consistently good across the school. Pupils meet age-related expectations. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 write neatly and fluently using a pen.  Generally, over time, the boys do less well than the girls in reading and writing.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

Attainment gaps by sex are evident in the end-of-key-stage data in early years, key stage 1 and key stage 2. However, teachers have narrowed these gaps successfully. As a result, the boys and girls are now producing work of a similar standard in both writing and mathematics.  Disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND make good progress overall from their starting points, although a small minority miss too much school, and this affects their achievements.  Although progress in Years 4, 5 and 6 in reading, writing and mathematics is good, weaker teaching and staff absence in the past have led to gaps in pupils’ knowledge, especially in spelling. Some pupils’ writing in Years 4 and 5 is limited by their lack of key vocabulary and limited experiences in reading. However, teachers are tackling these weaknesses and have planned reading lessons that provide pupils with the opportunity to explore and practise vocabulary taken from story texts.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils have opportunities to apply the key skills of reading and writing across the curriculum. In Years 5 and 6, pupils reflected on and wrote in history about remembrance and the poppy. They use data tables and graphs in their science work. However, this is not yet consistent across other year groups in the school.

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Early years provision Good

 Leadership of early years is effective and is led by the headteacher. As the early years leader, she has high expectations of staff who have supported her in providing an exciting environment which is accessible and appropriate for the youngest children.  Governors took on the running of a pre-school. This has proved popular with parents and the roll has increased to 26 children attending during the week. Parents speak highly of this provision.  Outcomes at the end of early years are broadly in line with the national average and have improved during the last three years. Children are well prepared for their start in Year 1, especially in reading and writing.  Well-planned teaching and support ensure that all children make good progress across early years. Staff have a good understanding of the development needs of the children. They assess the children accurately and contribute to the planning of relevant next

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Early years provision Good

steps in learning activities. Staff keep detailed records online of children’s progress.  The children arrive in early years with knowledge, skills and understanding broadly in line with what is typical for their age. Recently, teachers have focused on the improvement of communication, phonics and writing skills. A wide range of writing opportunities are offered within play and in more structured sessions with an adult. This is leading to children applying their phonic knowledge to spell words accurately and write sentences.  The pre-school provides appropriately for the two-year-olds on roll. Staffing ratios meet statutory guidance and there are places for these children to rest and be changed if necessary. Staff focus correctly on the prime areas of learning with the younger children. Consequently, these very young children quickly become settled in the school and readily engage in their learning activities.

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Early years provision Good

 The pre-school is a calm and orderly place. Transitions into school are well managed. Teachers make good use of their assessments. Parents are encouraged to work with their children during the summer holidays on a scrapbook project for the start of school prior to admission. This includes family photos and visits made during the long holiday. As a result, staff in the Reception class have a stronger understanding of each child’s family and the experiences they have at home.  Statutory expectations for the provision for two-year-olds are met. Policies and procedures follow government guidelines.  Children show increasing levels of independence. They are confident and learn well due to adults’ skilful intervention and questioning, which were seen in the role-play areas and when writing about ‘monster vehicles’ that the children had constructed.  There are many opportunities for the children to write in their play and more formally

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Early years provision Good

with adults. The children are increasingly able to write with confidence by the end of Reception Year and there are good examples of high-quality writing. The children can apply their phonic knowledge and the most able can construct simple sentences and sometimes a longer narrative. As a result, the most able children have written story pamphlets about ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’.  Children respond well to the adults they work with. The high expectations set by adults ensure good behaviour and an orderly environment.  Safeguarding is effective in early years.

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address admin@hartland.devon.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 8–9 March 2017

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Information about this school

 Hartland Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school. There are five classes and a pre-school.  The headteacher was appointed in January 2016.  The school is a member of the Atlantic Coast Cooperative Trust, which consists of eight other primary schools.  The school is also a member of the Dartmoor Teaching School Alliance. This is based at Okehampton College and has 25 secondary and 62 primary schools within it.  The governing body took on the running of the pre-school, which offers places for two- to four-year-olds.  The school provides before- and after-school childcare for families and this is well supported.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is lower than the national average.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector visited lessons jointly with the headteacher. A wide sample of pupils’ work from all year groups and a range of subjects was scrutinised.  The inspector met and talked to groups of pupils from Years 3, 4, 5 and 6, as well as with pupils informally across the site.  The inspector observed and listened to a selection of pupils reading, and discussed the books that they were reading.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, middle leaders and members of the governing body. A telephone conversation took place with a local authority officer.  Information and other documentary evidence were evaluated, including that relating to safeguarding, the school’s self-evaluation of recent outcomes, school improvement planning and external reviews.  The inspector took account of 30 responses to the online Parent View survey, 60 responses to the pupil online survey and 17 responses to the staff online survey. The

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Information about this inspection

inspector also spoke to parents at the beginning of both days of the inspection.

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Inspection team

Mark Lees, 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

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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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. 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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