Hartshead Junior and Infant School

Inspection of a good school: Hartshead Junior and Infant School School Lane, Hartshead, Liversedge, West Yorkshire WF15 8AW

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Outcome

Hartshead Junior and Infant School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This small village school is at the heart of the local community. Pupils and staff know each other well. Positive and caring relationships mean that pupils feel safe and well looked after. Staff work with determination to help pupils achieve their potential.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They are eager to learn and enjoy their lessons. This helps them to achieve well in their learning. The curriculum has been created to inspire pupils and is brought to life with first-hand experiences. This term these included a tractor and chickens coming to school as part of class one’s work on farms and a visit from a mobile planetarium as part of pupils’ work on the solar system. Each year, the whole school visits Filey and takes part in an assembly in the sea.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They understand the behaviour system but say that sanctions are rarely needed. Pupils told us that they are far more likely to be sent to the headteacher in celebration of their hard work and effort. Leaders have appropriate systems to deal effectively with any rare cases of bullying. Pupils are confident that adults will sort out any issues they may have.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The headteacher has created a culture that is ambitious for the achievement of all pupils. Supported well by governors and staff, she has ensured that the school is continually looking for ways to further improve. Consequently, pupils achieve well across the curriculum. Leaders have made the teaching of reading a top priority. Phonics teaching gets off to a strong start in Reception. The reading curriculum is well planned and sequenced. It builds pupils’ phonics knowledge effectively over time. Staff have all received training that makes sure they have the necessary expertise to teach phonics with success. Sessions include attention to reading, spelling and letter formation so that pupils can see the link between these skills. Activities give pupils lots of practice to help them remember new learning. Staff spot pupils straight away if they are not keeping up with the pace of the phonics 19 November 2019

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programme. These pupils receive additional support. They read books that are well matched to their phonics knowledge. This means they can read them with accuracy and with growing confidence, fluency and understanding. Pupils are highly enthusiastic about reading. Teachers read regularly to them. The books expose pupils to vocabulary and significant authors they may not otherwise encounter. Pupils understand the importance of reading. They told us, ‘reading increases your knowledge of words and can also help you relax’. Pupils access appropriately challenging books and enjoy having a say in choosing the books that are available. They find the reading competitions motivate them to read regularly. Pupils become fluent readers through their time in key stage 2. However, pupils told us that they would like to spend even more school time reading so they could get really immersed in their book. Leaders have set out what they expect pupils to know and understand in the full range of

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national curriculum subjects. Subject leaders make sure that staff are developing the expertise to deliver each subject effectively. Teachers use ongoing assessment to check pupils’ understanding and adjust their teaching accordingly. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are given the support and/or resources needed to help them develop concepts well over time. Leaders are aware that the curriculum for foundation subjects is at an earlier stage of development than in English and mathematics. Leaders make sure that pupils’ personal development is well catered for. The curriculum prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Pupils get involved in a wide range of community events, for example, through visits to the church and participation in a remembrance service in the locality. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibilities and have a voice so they can contribute to the success of the school. Older pupils help out

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with taking care of younger ones at lunchtime. The school council arranges events such as the recent school café to raise money for children in need. Pupils behave well. They listen carefully to adult instructions and are keen to participate in learning activities. They enjoy the positive encouragement they receive and are not afraid to have a go and persevere until they succeed. Pupils demonstrate good manners as they move around the school. For example, they hold open doors for each other and remember to say thank you.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a strong culture for keeping pupils safe. All staff receive training to make sure they are kept up to date. Staff are clear about the procedures for reporting a concern and the possible signs of abuse to be alert to. The designated safeguarding leader is diligent about following up concerns. She pursues cases until she is satisfied that pupils are getting the help and protection they need.

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Safeguarding

Through the curriculum, pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, for example when using the internet or when crossing roads.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A few pupils are not reading with the fluency needed to support their reading comprehension and their learning across different subjects. Leaders should make sure that the reading curriculum includes more frequent opportunities for all pupils to practise reading independently.  The curriculum for foundation subjects has been under recent development. Subject leaders are taking increasing responsibility for assuring the quality of the curriculum in their area of responsibility. Leaders are beginning to develop more consistent systems, for example for the ongoing assessment of pupils’ learning. This development should continue so that subject leaders can make the necessary adjustments to the curriculum and identify where staff need to further their expertise to increase the impact on pupils’ achievement.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2010.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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 19 November 2019

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pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 19 November 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10097586 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 December 2015

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Information about this school

 The school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The headteacher took up post in April 2017.

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Information about this inspection

 We held meetings with the headteacher, the lead teachers, subject leaders and a group of four governors (including the chair and vice-chair). A meeting also took place with a local authority representative.  We did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and science. In each of these subjects, inspection activities included: lesson visits; discussions with staff and pupils; meetings with subject leaders; and work scrutiny. The lead inspector also listened to pupils read.  A range of documentation was considered. This included the school’s self-evaluation and plans for improvement.  The 53 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, were taken into consideration. An inspector also spoke to parents informally at the start of the school day. The 14 responses to the staff survey and the 75 responses to the pupil survey 19 November 2019

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were also considered.  Many of the inspection activities gave inspectors the opportunity to evaluate the culture of safeguarding in the school. Additionally, we asked staff about the impact of the safeguarding training they have received. Child protection records and the single central record were also scrutinised.

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Inspection team

Kirsty Godfrey, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Andy Taylor Ofsted Inspector 19 November 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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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