Great Hucklow CE Primary

Inspection of a good school: Great Hucklow CE Primary School Lane, Great Hucklow, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 8RG

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Outcome

Great Hucklow CE Primary continues to be a good school. However, inspectors have some concerns that standards may be declining, as set out below.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite, friendly and confident. Staff are supportive and caring. Pupils behave well throughout the school day. Pupils say they feel safe. Pupils know what bullying is and say that it does not happen in their school. They are confident that should they have a worry, staff will do their best to sort things out. Staff ensure that pupils understand how important it is to respect others who may be different to themselves.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn to be responsible. Inspectors saw older pupils teaching younger pupils ball skills at playtime, for example. Pupils really enjoy the roles they can have such as being members of the new school council, working in the library and acting as ‘well-being ministers’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school. They were seen excitedly jumping over hurdles at playtime. They like the extra things the school offers, such as forest school learning, and the school clubs. They say that everyone is friendly, and in their school ‘You know everyone’s name and personality.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between staff and pupils and between pupils are positive. Sometimes staff do not have high expectations of what pupils can learn. When this happens, pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

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

Leaders and governors share the ambition that the school’s curriculum will meet the needs of all pupils. They want it to be relevant to the community that the pupils are growing up in. Leaders and staff have begun to make some changes to the curriculum. However, much of their work is at a very early stage of development. Leaders have not yet identified the most important things that they want the pupils to learn in different subjects. Sometimes, teachers do not ensure that what pupils are learning builds on what they already know. Teachers do not always check what pupils understand. Sometimes 3 December 2019

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tasks are not demanding enough for the pupils. This means that pupils do not always achieve as well as they should.

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Sometimes teachers help pupils to make connections in what they are learning. For example, some pupils used their knowledge about forces when they were finding out more about tornadoes. In mathematics, some pupils could use what they knew to solve problems. However, some pupils do not remember important mathematics skills. They do not always have the chance to practise what they have not understood.

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All staff understand the importance of teaching pupils to read. Changes that leaders have made are beginning to have a positive impact. Staff teach pupils to understand and use a wide vocabulary. Pupils have positive attitudes to reading and enjoy books. However, leaders have not ensured that the teaching of reading is consistent. They have not made sure all staff have the subject knowledge that they need. Leaders have not checked that the books sent home match the sounds that pupils know. Some pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are not as fluent in their reading as they could be.

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Leaders know the things the school needs to improve. They are working closely within the federation of schools to share the expertise that the staff across the schools have. They have plans for how they want to improve the leadership and teaching of reading and other subjects.

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The school offers many different opportunities for pupils to become well-rounded individuals. Pupils demonstrate mature attitudes. They can explain that they should respect people who have different beliefs or family backgrounds to their own. They say this is important because ‘Not everyone is the same and you need to be prepared for that.’ Staff help pupils to broaden their horizons and to have high aspirations. This aspect of the school’s work is a strength.

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Leaders, governors and parents are proud of the school’s caring, nurturing atmosphere. All adults expect pupils to behave well and they do.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff care about the pupils. They have had training about safeguarding and know what to do if they have a concern about a pupil. They report concerns to the safeguarding leaders. Leaders act promptly and follow up any concerns carefully. When needed, staff provide support and guidance for families. The school’s records about safeguarding are managed well.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online or in terms of stranger danger. 3 December 2019

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not ensured that the curriculum is planned well and sequenced carefully in all subjects. Teaching does not always build on what pupils have learned before. As a result, pupils do not always know more and remember more. Leaders and other staff should identify the most important content that they want pupils to learn. They should ensure that their plans clearly identify the order in which pupils should learn this.  Leaders have not ensured that the teaching of reading builds on what pupils know. Not all pupils become fluent readers. Leaders should check that there is a consistent and well-understood approach to the teaching of phonics throughout the school. They should provide staff with the training that they need to become experts in early reading. They should make sure that books are matched to the sounds that pupils know.  Leaders and other staff do not always have high expectations of what pupils can learn.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Some pupils, including those with SEND, do not achieve as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that all staff have the subject knowledge to plan appropriately demanding tasks. They should make sure that teachers identify misconceptions and adapt their teaching to meet pupils’ needs.

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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 on 15–16 March 2011.

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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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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 3 December 2019

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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 pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 3 December 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10110132 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.greathucklow.derbyshire.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 February 2016

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Information about this school

 The school became part of The Woodland Federation of Peak District Schools on 1 January 2018.  An executive headteacher was appointed from 1 January 2019. An executive deputy headteacher was appointed from September 2019.  The school has a breakfast club and an after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

 We held meetings with the executive and deputy headteachers, other senior and middle leaders, and other staff. We met with members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. Discussions explored a wide range of subjects, including safeguarding arrangements.  We looked in detail at three subjects: reading, science and mathematics, to consider the quality of education. We visited lessons with senior leaders. We met with teachers, curriculum leaders and pupils, listened to pupils read and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  We spoke with parents. Account was taken of the five responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and the seven responses to the staff survey. We considered 3 December 2019

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the four responses to the pupil survey.  We scrutinised a range of documents. These included those relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance. We looked at plans for improvement as well as leaders’ evaluation of the school’s performance. We also considered the information on the school’s website.

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Inspection team

John Lawson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Andy Lakatos Ofsted Inspector 3 December 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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