High View Primary School

Inspection of a good school: High View Primary School

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Outcome

High View Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

High View Primary School is a positive and welcoming school. Pupils are happy here and feel safe. Staff want the best for pupils’ learning and wider development. Pupils get on well with each other, working sensibly together in lessons. Staff deal with any misbehaviour quickly so that learning is not disrupted. Pupils said that bullying was uncommon but was dealt with swiftly if it happened.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn all subjects of the national curriculum. The curriculum is planned to help pupils know and remember more in each subject over time. This means pupils achieve well. Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. This is evident in their work to strengthen curriculum planning further. Pupils enjoy reading and being read to. They develop into confident readers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A range of extra-curricular activities are on offer for pupils to enjoy. Pupils created the school motto of ‘Speak up, be heard, create change’. They readily apply this by taking on responsibilities such as ‘eco-warriors’. These experiences aim to support pupils to develop as citizens. They also provide opportunities for pupils to work with their peers, including those from other schools. Pupils are particularly proud of raising money through a sponsored walk for a local hospital.

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

Reading is a priority that starts when children join the Nursery. Leaders are ambitious for pupils to develop into confident and independent readers. Pupils learn phonics quickly. Leaders and staff are clear about which sounds pupils should know at each stage of the phonics programme. Pupils practise the sounds they have been taught and read books that match their phonics knowledge. Weaker readers receive the help they need to build up their fluency and accuracy. On occasion, some additional help is not sharply focused on going over sounds that these pupils need to practise most. 9–10 June 2021

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Pupils follow a broad curriculum that matches the content and scope of the national curriculum. Prior to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, leaders prioritised the development of mathematics. The mathematics programme is well sequenced, giving pupils ample opportunity to learn and practise key knowledge. This increases their accuracy, confidence and fluency when tackling calculations. Adults model the precise use of mathematical vocabulary in the early years. Children repeat this independently when talking about counting and measuring. Work in pupils’ books shows that they can apply what they have learned previously across a range of topics. Pupils are encouraged to explain their mathematical thinking and they do this with increasing confidence. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported effectively. Adults use well-chosen resources to support pupils’ understanding, which helps pupils to become

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Shortly after his appointment, the headteacher prioritised a review of the curriculum. Leaders decided to move away from the previous model in December 2019. Work started on developing programmes of work that gave pupils greater opportunity to develop their knowledge in different subjects. Plans were paused in March 2020 to allow leaders to focus on delivering remote education. Plans were resumed in the spring of 2021.

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In history, leaders have identified the key knowledge they want pupils to learn. Plans are well sequenced and allow pupils to build their understanding of concepts and vocabulary over time. For example, pupils understand the concepts of invasion and settlement because they have learned about different groups that have invaded Britain. Pupils draw confidently on this knowledge to make comparisons between different groups of people in the past. Pupils use the vocabulary they have been taught well when talking and writing in history.

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Leaders continue to prioritise strengthening the curriculum in subjects such as geography and science. They have identified the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn in these subjects. That said, some aspects of planning do not pinpoint how to extend pupils’ understanding of important subject content. In geography, for instance, subject plans do not consider fully how to deepen pupils’ knowledge of how to read and interpret maps.

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Pupils behave well in lessons. Teachers address any off-task behaviour quickly. Pupils discuss and debate ideas in a mature way, showing respect for differences of opinion. Most of the parents who responded to the online survey said behaviour was well managed. Pupils spoken to feel the same.

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Extra-curricular activities give pupils the opportunity to develop interests in different sports such as martial arts and basketball. Leaders have worked closely with outside organisations to ensure that these continue to run despite recent restrictions. Pupils readily take on responsibilities such as joining a ‘pupil voice’ group. Pupils like having opportunities to make a positive contribution to their school. They are rightly proud of their achievements.

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Staff feel well supported and enjoy working at High View. They feel involved in the recent curriculum changes and that their workload is considered by leaders. 9–10 June 2021

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have been well trained. They are confident in identifying and reporting concerns. Referrals are made promptly, and leaders work effectively with external agencies. This ensures that pupils and their families receive the help they need quickly.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are supported in knowing how to stay safe. The curriculum includes work on stranger danger and understanding ‘safe touch’. Time is made to respond to local incidents that pupils may be aware of. Pupils could describe lots of ways they would keep themselves safe online. Almost all the parents who completed the Ofsted online survey stated that their children were safe at school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils are supported to read well. They develop into confident and fluent readers. Leaders prioritise extra help for pupils who need it. This support is effective. However, occasionally, some extra help is not targeted precisely to pupils’ needs. Leaders should continue to sharpen the support given to weaker readers. This will strengthen leaders’ already successful work to make sure that all pupils learn to read well.  Leaders have undertaken a thorough review of the curriculum. They have developed plans which focus on building pupils’ knowledge over time. However, in geography and science, sometimes the sequence of learning does not enable pupils to acquire a full and rich understanding of some areas of learning. Leaders should refine the curriculum further to support pupils’ deepening knowledge of essential ideas and concepts.

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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. 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 first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 8 and 9 June 2016. 9–10 June 2021

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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 here .

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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. 9–10 June 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10192549 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 8–9 June 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 High View is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  A new headteacher was appointed in September 2019.  The current chair of the governing body has also been appointed since the last inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school, and has taken that into account in their evaluation.  Deep dives were completed in reading, mathematics and history. To do this, the inspector met with subject leaders, had discussions with staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work. The inspector also considered leaders’ plans for science and geography.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for improvement. 9–10 June 2021

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 A meeting was held with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The inspector reviewed arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising records and through discussions with staff and pupils.  The inspector took account of the views of pupils, parents and staff, as gathered through discussions and Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Nick Turvey, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 9–10 June 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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