Hazel Community Primary School

Inspection of Hazel Community Primary School Hazel Street, Leicester, Leicestershire LE2 7JN

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 October 2021

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 26 and 27 October 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like being at school. They enjoy their learning. Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe. They know that there is always a member of staff they can speak to if they are worried. Pupils have high aspirations. They know that if they work hard, they can be successful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders promote pupils’ well-being well. They have high expectations of pupils. The school’s 10 ‘Hazel Pride Values’ are a central part of this inclusive school. Pupils are proud of their school and like to achieve the ‘Hazel Hero Award’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They know what is expected of them. Pupils are polite and caring towards each other. They told inspectors that behaviour is good, and that bullying is rare. Pupils know that bullying is not tolerated. Pupils are good at listening to the views of others. They have a clear understanding of equality. Pupils told inspectors, ‘We live together, and we are all equal.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most parents are positive about the school. One parent’s comment summed up the views of many: ‘School staff are friendly. They are ready to listen and help.’ Parents appreciate that a permanent headteacher has been appointed. They value the support their children receive, and that staff are approachable.

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better?

The school provides a good quality of education. The new headteacher has brought stability to the school. He is determined that all pupils achieve. The headteacher has made rapid improvements. Leaders have developed a strong curriculum in some subjects. However, in the wider curriculum, some subjects, such as art, history and computing, are at an early stage of development. In these subjects, the key knowledge that pupils need to learn, from Reception Year to the end of key stage 2, is not yet fully clear. Some leaders are not sufficiently clear about how to improve the curriculum in their subject.

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better?

Reading is prioritised in the school. Leaders have ensured that pupils learn to read in a systematic way from the moment they start at the school. Phonics sessions are precise. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of reading across classes. Staff choose books which pupils can read. Pupils use their decoding skills well to sound out unfamiliar words. Teachers ensure that pupils understand the sounds and letters well. When pupils fall behind, staff are quick to provide support. However, on occasions, the support provided for pupils is not effective enough. Leaders are reviewing this support so that all pupils who fall behind have the opportunity to catch up.

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better?

The mathematics curriculum is carefully sequenced. It allows pupils to build their knowledge and skills securely. Pupils enjoy mathematics. They use mathematical vocabulary and can explain their learning well. Teachers provide mathematical equipment to help pupils understand what they are learning. For example, pupils in 26 and 27 October 2021

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Reception use cubes to help them to develop a deep understanding of the numbers to 10. Staff check pupils’ learning frequently. They provide regular opportunities for pupils to recap and secure their mathematical knowledge over time.

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The quality of education in the early years is good. Leaders ensure that children study the full requirements of the early years foundation stage framework. There is a sharp focus on children’s communication and language. Children are confident in explaining their learning. For example, in mathematics, children are quick to identify shapes such as semicircles. Leaders have set out how learning in the early years connects with learning which pupils will encounter as they move through the school. This is clear in plans for phonics, reading and mathematics. However, plans are at an early stage of development in other areas of learning.

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Teachers are quick to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders ensure that these pupils receive the full curriculum. They routinely assess pupils and check that the curriculum is adapted appropriately. Leaders ensure that staff provide high-quality support and that resources are suited to pupils’ needs.

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Leaders create a respectful culture. The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development is strong. Links with the school community are very positive. For example, pupils visit places of worship in Leicester which reflect the many faiths in the community. Leaders ensure, through the curriculum, that pupils meet role models from different backgrounds. Pupils have high aspirations. They told inspectors that they want to be police officers, doctors and engineers.

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Governors know the school well. They work effectively with local authority representatives to support leaders and hold them to account. They understand their statutory responsibilities. Leaders work very well with staff. They provide regular professional development and consider staff well-being. Staff are very positive about the school’s leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders know pupils and their families well. They provide strong support to vulnerable pupils. Staff pass on concerns promptly. Record-keeping is comprehensive. Governors and the local authority regularly check the school’s safeguarding procedures. Leaders ensure that they provide regular training for staff and governors. They check that staff know how to spot pupils at risk.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to learn how to stay safe. Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe, including online. They know who to go to if they have a concern. They know that their concerns will be taken seriously. 26 and 27 October 2021

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The key content and knowledge that pupils need to learn in some subjects, such as art, history and computing, is not sufficiently well planned and sequenced. It is not yet fully clear what pupils should learn and when, to build their knowledge over time. However, it is clear that leaders have begun to review and plan the curriculum from Reception Year to the end of key stage 2 in these subjects. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied.  Some subject leaders do not know well enough how to improve the curriculum in their subject. This can limit the success with which they lead the curriculum development in their subject. Leaders should ensure that all subject leaders have the necessary knowledge and skills to lead their subject areas successfully and improve the curriculum.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 26 and 27 October 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199735 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 4 and 5 May 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up his post in April 2021. The chair of governors took up his post in September 2021.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher, curriculum leaders, the leader with responsibility for pupils with SEND, and a sample of teaching and support staff.  The lead inspector met with the chair of governors and two representatives of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, art, modern foreign languages and science. For each deep dive, inspectors met with 26 and 27 October 2021

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subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work.  Inspectors examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation, improvement plans and documentation relating to attendance and behaviour.  The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead. The safeguarding policy, training records and examples of safeguarding concerns were scrutinised.  Inspectors considered the 10 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and the 10 responses to Ofsted’s free-text service. Inspectors also considered the responses to the staff survey and the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Damien Turrell, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Paul Lowther Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 October 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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