Hart Primary School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Hart Primary School Magdalene Drive, Hart Village, Hartlepool, TS27 3AP

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of outstanding as a result of this initial section 8 inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a full (section 5) inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Hart Primary is an inclusive school where pupils feel valued. Leaders and teachers have high expectations for pupils to do their best. Pupils are proud of their school values of ‘always our best, thankfulness, compassion, friendship & trust’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils relish participating in sports events, for example in football, tag rugby or cross- country running. Pupils proudly represent their school, and the Hartlepool region, in a range of competitions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Older pupils look after the younger ones. They are positive role models in their work and behaviour. Pupils understand the importance of being respectful to one another. They say that teachers support pupils to behave well, and generally pupils’ behaviour is positive. Sometimes, some pupils need to be reminded of how to behave in lessons. This can happen when the work that teachers set does not hold pupils’ attention.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop their leadership skills through their roles as digital leaders and school councillors or being part of the school sports crew. Pupils can explain how this helps them to prepare for secondary school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn how to be aware of any risks to their safety. They know how to ask for help if they need it. Pupils recognise the different types of bullying that might occur. They say that adults will listen to their concerns and sort out problems quickly.

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

Leaders have carefully planned a curriculum which is broad, ambitious and creative. In every subject, leaders have set out what they want pupils to learn, term by term and year on year. Leaders set end points for pupils to meet in every subject. This includes for those 14 October 2021

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pupils who are most able. On a day-to-day basis, the way that teachers check on what pupils know, and can do, varies. For some pupils, in some subjects, across different year groups, this work is not well matched to their ability. Some pupils find the work too easy. For others it is too difficult. As a result, some pupils need to revisit their learning in an extra session to keep up. This includes children who are in early years.

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Most pupils’ attitudes to learning are generally positive within lessons. Teachers use a consistent approach to deal with any instances of pupils not focusing on their work. Pupils generally behave well when the work planned for each lesson builds on what pupils know or can do. When tasks are too easy, or too difficult, pupils lose concentration and get distracted. This means that their learning slows.

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Leaders have made relevant links to technology, engineering, and mathematics in their science curriculum. This is relevant to the industries and companies in the local area. Leaders and staff work with several local schools, sharing their expertise in science. Pupils can use scientific terms accurately. This helps them to learn new facts in lessons. For example, pupils remember what they have previously learned about how the human lungs and heart function. This helps them consider how food and exercise can potentially look after, or damage, these organs of the body. Pupils are prepared well for science in secondary school.

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In art, pupils develop a wide range of art techniques such as colour-mixing, sketching, sculpture, and textiles. Pupils build on these techniques from term to term and year to year. Pupils also learn about how artists in history influenced art culture over time. The curriculum is not just made up of academic subjects. Pupils get a wide range of opportunities to develop their social, personal and cultural experiences.

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Adults support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) checks on how well the children are learning in different subjects. Teachers adjust their plans so that pupils with SEND can access the same lessons as their peers.

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Early reading and phonics take high focus within the curriculum. Leaders are determined that every child will become a capable reader. Reading books match pupils’ phonics knowledge exactly. This means that even the pupils in the earliest stages of reading can read confidently. Reading areas around the school are inviting for pupils of all ages. High- quality books and enjoyable story-time sessions promote a love of reading for pleasure.

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Leaders and governors make the best use of working closely with primary schools in the trust. Leaders share their expertise with leaders and staff in these schools. Governors bring a wide range of skills to their roles. They provide appropriate support and challenge to leaders. Leaders’ plans clearly identify the school’s many strengths. The areas to develop are not as precise. This means governors cannot check accurately on the areas that need to improve and how well leaders tackle these. Most parents who gave their views are happy with the education and care that their children receive.

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In discussion with the headteacher, we agreed that curriculum assessment may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection. 14 October 2021

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders, staff and governors know that safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone. Leaders ensure everyone accesses relevant and up-to-date safeguarding training.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding leader (DSL) and the deputy DSL work well together. They know the pupils and their families well. They work with external professionals to provide the best support for pupils.

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Safeguarding

Essential safety checks are carried out to make sure that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff are clear on how they record and report any concerns they have. Records are organised well.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The way that teachers use assessment to plan lessons varies across curriculum subjects, across different year groups, and for different pupils. As a result, adults sometimes plan tasks that do not match what pupils know, can do, or need to learn next. This means some pupils find work too difficult while others find it too easy. Leaders need to make sure that teachers assess accurately to plan work which is precisely matched to what pupils need to learn next.  Pupils’ attitudes and behaviours for learning are variable across the school. They are less positive for some pupils when the tasks that teachers plan for them are too easy, or too difficult. Leaders should check on the consistency of pupils’ behaviour in lessons. Leaders should ensure that they support staff to manage the learning behaviours of all pupils.  Leaders’ development priorities are not as accurately identified as the school’s many

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

strengths. This means that governors do not have detailed information on what needs to improve and why. Leaders should sharpen their identification of improvement areas so that governors can check more closely on the effectiveness of leaders’ actions.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. 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 evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately. 14 October 2021

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This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Hart Primary School, to be outstanding in April 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 14 October 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10201097 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Hart Primary School joined Northern Lights Learning Trust in November 2018.  When its predecessor school, Hart Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, the overall effectiveness was judged to be outstanding.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first inspection this school received since converting to academy status. It was also the first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The lead inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation.  The inspectors met with leaders and staff to discuss the quality of education. They also considered, pupils’ wider development, pupils’ behaviour and staff workload.  The team inspector met with the SENCo to discuss the SEND policy and procedures. Together, they visited lessons to see the support provided for pupils with SEND.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading and phonics, science and art. Inspectors met with senior leaders and curriculum leaders. They considered curriculum 14 October 2021

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planning, viewed pupils’ work in books, visited lessons with leaders, met with teachers and talked to pupils about their learning in these subjects.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at breaktimes and talked to them about what it is like to be a pupil at this school. Pupils shared their views with inspectors in person during the inspection and via the Ofsted pupil survey. Inspectors also met with single-sex groups to discuss the new relationship education curriculum.  Inspectors talked to staff about their workload, training opportunities and the quality of support from leaders.  The inspectors considered 17 responses to the Ofsted staff survey, 62 responses to the Ofsted pupil survey and 29 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire Ofsted Parent View. This included 22 free-text commentaries.  The lead inspector scrutinised safeguarding systems and arrangements. This included

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reviewing the single central record, the safer recruitment procedures to appoint staff, safeguarding policies and related records. The lead inspector met with the DSL and the deputy DSL to check their understanding of their legal responsibilities to keep children safe.

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Inspection team

Alison Aitchison, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Andrew James Ofsted Inspector 14 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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