Hylands Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Hylands Primary School Granger Way, Romford, Essex RM1 2RU

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Outcome

Hylands Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Senior leaders have created a calm and caring atmosphere in the school. Respectful, happy pupils give visitors a hearty welcome. Pupils and staff enjoy being part of the school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well. At breaktimes and lunchtimes, pupils play cheerfully with their friends. A team of friendship buddies ensures that everybody has somebody to play with. Pupils are considerate towards each other. Bullying is not tolerated. Poor behaviour is rare. Relationships between adults and pupils are courteous.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious and ensure that pupils are taught a wide range of subjects. Pupils find learning exciting and enjoyable. They are inquisitive and pay close attention in lessons because their teachers choose interesting topics and activities. However, in a small number of subjects, teaching does not secure pupils’ deep knowledge of the topics they are learning about.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love to read. Teachers select interesting and memorable stories to share with their pupils. Leaders have ensured that there is a wide range of interesting books to read.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders plan a wide range of trips and visits. Pupils appreciate these opportunities. They develop confidence and resilience through many creative and sporting activities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Although improving, some pupils’ attendance is low.

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

The quality of education is effective. Teachers plan and sequence learning carefully. Pupils’ knowledge of subjects such as reading and mathematics grows year-on-year. By the end of key stage 2, most pupils achieve well. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). 25–26 February 2020

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In most subjects, teachers know what needs to be taught and the best order in which to teach it. This is the case in English, mathematics and history. In other subjects, teachers are less confident when planning and assessing pupils’ learning. For example, in geography, teachers have developed an understanding of what skills their pupils need to acquire to become confident geographers. However, pupils do not remember the facts they have been taught previously. Teachers do not pay enough attention to the gaps in pupils’ geographical knowledge when planning lessons.

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Leaders ensure that reading has a high profile throughout the school. The library is well stocked and used regularly. Storytime, reading challenges, bedtime book boxes and reading clubs get pupils excited about books. Reading and phonics lessons take place every day. Regular staff training keeps the quality of teaching high. As a result of the high priority that leaders give to pupils learning to read, pupils in Year 3 to Year 6 have improved their reading skills. Younger pupils sometimes fall behind when books are not well matched to their phonic knowledge. They receive the help they need to catch up.

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Pupils work well together, often supporting each other if they get stuck while learning in lessons. Pupils’ relationships with the adults are a strength of the school. Pupils feel well cared for and understand the importance of caring for each other.

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Children in the early years are kept safe and are happy. They are well looked after by warm, caring staff. Teachers plan exciting learning tasks. Independent activities indoors and outside are inviting. Children explore subject-specific knowledge about the world around them. They get off to a prompt start in reading. Mathematics and number work happen daily.

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The school’s core value of respect is at the heart of everything the school does. This helps pupils behave well. Through subjects like religious education, weekly assemblies and a range of workshops, pupils gain a strong sense of right and wrong.

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Staff manage pupils’ personal, social and emotional development well. Leaders communicate productively with parents, carers and professional partners to identify and manage the needs of pupils. Pupils receive help with emotional, mental health or behavioural issues. Leaders use a variety of strategies to ensure that pupils with low attendance understand the importance of attending school. However, attendance remains low for some pupils.

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Most parents are very happy with the school. They appreciate the support that senior leaders and teachers provide for their children. Several parents commented that adults go above and beyond to ensure that their children enjoy their time at school.

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Ambitious senior leaders are both supported and challenged by the governors of the school. The governing body is highly skilled. Its members know exactly what the school does well and areas that need improving. Senior leaders of the school place great importance on staff development. There is a consensus among the staff that they are very well supported by leaders and they enjoy being part of the school. 25–26 February 2020

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils’ welfare and safety come first at Hylands Primary School. Safety is integral to the values of the school. Pupils are reminded of this at every opportunity.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities. Regular training takes place. Adults know what they must do to protect pupils and keep them free from harm. They know the signs of potential abuse and neglect to look out for. This means that risks for vulnerable pupils are minimised.

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Safeguarding

Leaders’ checks on the suitability of adults working with pupils are thorough. This includes any adults visiting the school. Leaders communicate with police, social services and other partners to make sure that families get the help they need, when they need it.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have taken steps to ensure that all subjects are well planned and sequenced so that pupils develop their knowledge and skills. In some subjects, teachers require further training to teach these to the same high standard as English, mathematics and history.  Leaders have focused on improving the quality of the teaching of phonics. This means that pupils have a deep understanding of the sounds and letters that they are taught. However, sometimes teachers do not select appropriate books for pupils to practise the sounds that they have learned. Adults should make sure that books are matched precisely to pupils’ phonic knowledge so that pupils can develop the confidence to deepen their reading skills.  Pupils’ attendance needs to improve. It is a core part of the school’s development priorities. Leaders should make sure that they continue to develop strategies to improve pupils’ attendance.

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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 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. 25–26 February 2020

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This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 12–13 July 2016.

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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 are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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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. 25–26 February 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10121624 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Miss Grace Walker

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School details

Website https://hylands-havering.secure- dbprimary.com Date of previous inspection 12–13 July 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is an above average-sized primary school.  There have been several changes to the leadership team, staff and governors since the previous inspection.  Over time, the proportion of pupils with SEND, including those with an education, health and care plan, has increased and is well above the national average.

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Information about this inspection

 I met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher, curriculum leaders, teachers, pupils and governors. I also met with the coordinator for pupils with SEND and the early years leader.  I completed deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and geography. This involved meetings with senior leaders and leaders of each subject, as well as meetings with pupils and teachers. I visited lessons in each key stage along with school leaders. I listened to pupils read and examined work in their books. I also scrutinised documents associated with each subject. 25–26 February 2020

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 I scrutinised a range of documentation and information about the school’s work, including that related to behaviour, self-evaluation and improvement planning.  I checked a range of documentation about the school’s safeguarding procedures, including the checks they make on adults and the records for vulnerable pupils. I also met with a range of staff and pupils to ask about the school’s safeguarding policy and practice.  I considered the views of 108 parents who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, as well as the comments offered by parents. I also considered the views of 26 members of staff who completed Ofsted’s survey.  I spoke formally and informally with pupils across both days of the inspection and observed their behaviour and interaction indoors and outside.  I met with representatives from the local governing board and the local authority.

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Inspection team

Helena Mills, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 25–26 February 2020

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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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