Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Sharmaine Yoosuf Headteacher Hobbayne Primary School Greenford Avenue Hanwell London W7 1HA

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School

Following my visit to your school on 10 June 2021, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the monitoring inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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School

The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and has taken place because the school has received two successive judgements of requires improvement at its previous section 5 inspections.

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School

This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. I discussed the impact of the pandemic with you and have taken that into account in my evaluation.

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School

Having considered the evidence, I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

in order for the school to become a good school.

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

The school should take further action to:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 continue building on existing work to improve the planning and implementation of the curriculum, so that pupils know and remember more.

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Context

Since the previous inspection, five members of the governing body have resigned. A new chair of governors was appointed in January 2020. The school has recently undergone a significant restructure of staff. Changes to the staffing structure will be implemented by September 2021.

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Main findings

You and senior leaders have focused on developing the teaching of phonics. All staff have received phonics training. Staff’s expectations of pupils’ progression in phonics are now much clearer. Leaders have also invested in new reading books. These books match closely with the sounds that pupils have learned. This supports pupils in becoming fluent readers. Staff are more knowledgeable about how to identify pupils who are falling behind in their reading. The delivery of phonics sessions for early readers is more consistent than it was in the past. For instance, adults regularly recap on pupils’ prior learning. This helps pupils to practise segmenting and blending sounds with accuracy.

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Main findings

Weaker readers in key stage 2 receive regular support. They read a range of texts with adults. Staff are clearer on the types of questions they ask pupils. This helps pupils to understand more of what they read. A small number of pupils in key stage 2 continue to struggle with their reading fluency and accuracy. These pupils have not had enough time to develop and practise their reading ability. In some reading and phonics lessons, pupils do not concentrate as well as they should. This gets in the way of pupils being able to learn effectively.

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Main findings

A small number of pupils continue to have gaps in their learning. Teachers do not correct these pupils’ misunderstandings as precisely as they could. For example, when pupils are writing, adults do not address pupils’ incorrect letter formation and pencil grip.

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Main findings

Since the previous inspection, new subject plans in history and science have been put in place. These plans are now more ambitious. Lessons in history and science take place regularly. Pupils enjoy their lessons and speak enthusiastically about what they have learned. Leaders now check what pupils have learned more carefully than before. However, leaders’ work to refine subject plans has been slowed by the COVID-19 lockdowns. Subject leaders’ knowledge of curriculum plans is not fully secure. Curriculum planning does not set out clearly the key subject content that pupils need to learn to deepen their understanding. Subject leaders have not had the opportunities to reflect on what knowledge should be taught and in what order.

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Main findings

Staff have not received training to further develop their subject knowledge in history and science. As a result, teaching sometimes does not focus on key ideas that will help pupils to deepen their understanding of historical periods of time. For instance, some pupils did not fully understand important concepts identified in curriculum plans, such as ‘empires’ and ‘parliament’. In science, staff carry out many practical scientific activities with pupils. However, some practical work does not build on pupils’ prior learning about scientific concepts. This hinders pupils’ ability to make accurate scientific evaluations.

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Main findings

The governing body has been through significant changes since the previous inspection. Governors have an accurate understanding of the school and of what needs to improve. They have a broad range of expertise. Governors now meet more regularly with subject leaders. This means that governors have a better understanding of the development of the curriculum. Governors receive regular training. This helps them to ask more specific questions to support and challenge leaders. Governors work more systematically than they did in the past. They are better prepared to hold leaders to account and to support them in the school’s journey of improvement.

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Main findings

Parents and carers continue to be supportive of the actions taken by you and the leadership team. They appreciate the school’s ‘community feel’ and caring staff.

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Additional support

The local authority has worked closely with leaders during the recent staff restructure. You and your team have also benefited from external support to improve the phonics provision. Local authority plans to support the development of subject leaders have been delayed due to COVID-19.

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Evidence

During the inspection, I held meetings with you, senior leaders, subject leaders for science, history and reading, members of the governing body and the school improvement adviser from the local authority. Together with subject leaders, I visited reading lessons, including in the early years. I met with pupils to gather their views on the school and their learning. I considered 121 responses to Ofsted Parent View, including 117 free-text responses, and 31 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Evidence

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Ealing. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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