Harting CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Harting CofE Primary School Tipper Lane, South Harting, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU31 5QT

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Outcome

Harting CofE Primary School continues to be a good school. However, inspectors have some concerns that one or more areas may be declining, as set out below.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Harting pupils enjoy their education because the ambitious curriculum feeds their curiosity and interests in a broad range of subjects. Pupils learn about important topics which prepare them well for their future education. Older pupils often read relevant and interesting texts which help them to develop their knowledge. For example, pupils in Year 6 spoke about World War 1 and how their learning helped them to understand the historical references in Michael Morpurgo’s ‘War Horse’. Most older pupils read well. However, too many younger pupils do not pick up the basics of early reading because the teaching of phonics is weak.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff carefully model respect and empathy and expect pupils to do the same. Pupils embody the school values of love and respect through their actions and words. Their warm welcome and kindness ensure that visitors, staff and pupils feel part of the school, regardless of their abilities, race or religion.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe at the school because they know that staff will help them with problems big or small. Pupils readily discuss and share their worries meaning that problems, such as bullying, rarely grow before staff step in to help.

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

Leaders have ensured that most subjects have clear aims and that sequences of lessons are carefully planned. This means that teachers know what pupils have learned already, what knowledge they need to teach and in what order. For example, in art pupils learn the basics of pattern, tone and texture before they begin to create their own drawings. This learning builds over time to include a wider range of materials and artists, leaving pupils with an impressive range of knowledge and techniques by the time they finish Year 6. This gradual building of knowledge is typical of many subjects. 20 May 2021

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Staff present information clearly and provide plenty of opportunities for pupils to think about their prior learning. This helps pupils to make links, recall what they already know and improve their memory of key knowledge. This was exemplified in a Year 3 and 4 reading lesson where pupils used their knowledge of grammar to skilfully analyse an author’s writing choices.

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Younger pupils are keen to read and do so often at home and at school. However, the reading curriculum does not support them to learn and remember phonics effectively. Leaders have not trained staff properly in how to teach using a single, agreed phonics scheme. As a result, staff use a jumbled range of techniques and resources to teach pupils to read. This confuses pupils, particularly those with lower prior attainment. Pupils take books home to read that do not typically contain the sounds that they have learned. This means they miss out on the opportunity to practise reading the sounds they know. Early reading will be a focus at the next inspection.

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Leaders and governors, rightly, take pride in the breadth of experiences and opportunities the curriculum provides for pupils. Pupils learn to understand and respect those with different customs, beliefs and lifestyles to their own. Visits to interview and learn from Sikh, Muslim and Buddhist leaders have helped pupils to broaden their religious understanding. Pupils learn about positive relationships and a range of family arrangements, such as single parent and adoptive families, in the books that teachers read to them. This helps pupils to build a realistic and respectful view of the world and prepares them well for future interactions and relationships.

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Staff work closely with parents and external agencies to help identify what pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) need to flourish. Leaders carefully plan strategies to give pupils the support they need and are unafraid to change course if these plans do not work. Governors too, keep a close eye on the needs of pupils and allocate additional resources when needed. This focus on careful planning and regular review means that pupils with SEND are supported to meet their ambitious targets. They are able to access and enjoy both the curriculum, with the exception of phonics, and extra-curricular activities on offer.

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Staff teach pupils how to behave with kindness and compassion. Pupils focus in class and get on well during break times. This culture of respect and interest in others was evident throughout the inspection and pupils told inspectors it is typical. Some pupils need additional support to manage their behaviour. Staff use their considerable expertise to help these pupils to manage their emotions in a positive and safe way.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders know the risks present in the local area and keep in close contact with the police and local authority in case things should change. Staff are well trained to spot the signs of abuse and quickly report their concerns. This information is managed swiftly by leaders who make contact with the right agencies to arrange appropriate support that children need. 20 May 2021

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Pupils learn about safety at an age-appropriate level. They know about dangers such as road safety and strangers. Older pupils understand online risks and are taught to lock their profiles so that unsolicited contact cannot be made.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school does not have a universally agreed approach for teaching phonics. This means that pupils are taught to read using a disconnected or inefficient range of strategies. Leaders must address this by: - ensuring a single phonics programme, with appropriate planning and resources, is used to teach early reading in the school - providing all relevant teaching and support staff with sufficiently detailed training to teach the agreed phonics programme - checking that staff follow the programme as it is intended.  Pupils at the early stages of reading are given reading books which are not linked to the sounds they have learned. Consequently, they do not get to recall and practise their phonic knowledge. Leaders must ensure the books that pupils read at this stage are matched to the sounds they have learned.

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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 outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a good 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 April 2012.

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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. 20 May 2021

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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. 20 May 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10192852 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 12 July 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school’s Christian ethos was last inspected by the Diocese of Chichester in January 2018.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school, and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school .  The inspectors met with senior leaders and five governors, including the chair. An inspector met with an officer from the local authority.  Inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and art. Inspectors talked to subject leaders, staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work. The inspectors then considered a wider range of evidence.  The inspectors reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising safeguarding records, interviewing staff and through discussions with pupils.  The inspectors considered the views of parents shared through the Ofsted surveys. They gathered the views of pupils and staff through surveys, interviews and

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discussions conducted throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Daniel Lambert, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Louise Walker Her Majesty's Inspector 20 May 2021

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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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