Little Hill Primary

Inspection of Little Hill Primary Launceston Road, Wigston, Leicestershire LE18 2GZ

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected Little Hill Primary under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Little Hill Primary School to be outstanding, before it opened as Little Hill Primary as a result of conversion to academy status. From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened in Little Hill Primary School’s effectiveness before it closed. Changes in the effectiveness of Little Hill Primary may have happened at any point since it opened. 26 and 27 October 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say they enjoy coming to Little Hill each day. Attendance is high. It is a happy place, where they feel safe. They look forward to the ‘Wowzer’ assemblies in the hall to see whose hard work or good behaviour is celebrated.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children quickly settle in when they arrive in the Reception Year. Caring staff make them feel secure. They learn new and exciting things, such as about the festival of Diwali, and begin to learn to read right away. Staff across the school want every pupil to succeed, and they make sure the quality of education is good.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know staff are there to help them learn. They say staff set a good example and that they feel listened to.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils get on well together and move sensibly around the school. Pupils told inspectors that there is a small amount of bullying, but teachers sort it out if it occurs. There are occasional instances where pupils momentarily lose focus. However, teachers quickly notice. They deal with it so that everyone concentrates and can learn. Staff do not allow lessons to be disrupted. Pupils know their school is a place they come to in order to learn.

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better?

School leaders are aspirational for all pupils and want them to aim high. Leaders make sure that the school gives them ‘a flying start’ to their education.

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better?

The good quality of education at Little Hill Primary ensures that when children enter the early years, they begin to learn without delay. The curriculum is exciting, and children want to pay attention so that they can know new things. Children start to learn phonics so that they can read words such as ‘bad’ and ‘cob’. Staff in the Reception Year and across the school also help to develop pupils’ love of books. They read much-enjoyed stories to them in school, and the ‘10 10 reading pledge’ promotes reading at home too. Pupils become confident, fluent and keen readers. Staff are helping those at the early stages of reading to catch up.

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better?

The different subjects are well planned. Leaders and staff are clear about exactly what they want pupils to know at different points. Teachers teach lessons in a careful order, so that pupils’ knowledge builds over time. For example, in science in Year 1, pupils learn to identify different plants. In Year 2, pupils learn to observe and describe how seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants. The curriculum is also taught well. Teachers make sure they repeat things enough for pupils to remember them. Pupils are able to recall quickly, for instance, mathematical facts and multiplication tables.

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better?

The support that staff give to those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. This helps these pupils to learn alongside their peers and to achieve well. Like all pupils, they remember good amounts and are well 26 and 27 October 2021

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prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Overall, teachers assess well what pupils know. However, in some subjects, such as history, the current system for assessment does not check well enough what pupils have learned. This means that teachers are not identifying which parts of the curriculum pupils need to revisit.

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Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are good. They pay attention in class, listen, follow instructions and work hard. Their exercise books are tidy and handwriting is neat. Teachers get the best out of pupils. Classrooms are busy, purposeful places where lessons proceed smoothly without interruption. Pupils get on well. They are polite to each other and respectful of adults. At lunchtimes and breaktimes, they play and chat happily.

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The school’s personal development programme is effective. Pupils learn important knowledge about relationships and how to stay safe, including when using new technology. They can explain in detail how the school helps to develop their character, encouraging them to ‘dare to be different’. Pupils know that it is important to be respectful to everyone. They have a sufficiently secure understanding of fundamental British values. They also learn about cultures different to their own. Inspectors were greeted using Turkish phrases which pupils had recently learned. Stays at Beaumanor Hall and at Cromer give pupils valuable outdoor experiences away from home. There is high-quality pastoral support for those pupils who, for example, are experiencing trauma or who need help due to anxiety, including because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Senior leaders have the strong backing of staff, who appreciate the training leaders give them to improve their skills. They feel treated well and respected. They believe that leaders support them and help to manage their workload. A very large majority of parents would recommend the school to others.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that all staff receive regular safeguarding training. Staff know the signs that could mean that, for example, a pupil is being abused, radicalised or being drawn into a gang. There is an alert ‘it could happen here’ approach. Staff know they must report any concerns to leaders. Leaders, in turn, take swift and appropriate action to help pupils at risk. They keep detailed records and work with external agencies wherever appropriate. They have clear procedures for the safe recruitment of staff.

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Safeguarding

Pupils say that if they feel worried about something, they can approach members of staff. Those who have done so say that it has really helped them. 26 and 27 October 2021

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders recognise that, in some foundation subjects, the system of assessment does not match the school’s curriculum with sufficient precision. This risks leaders not being able to identify exactly what pupils have remembered over the long term. Leaders should ensure that they enact their plans to revise assessment, so it reflects and records precisely what pupils have learned.

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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

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the OWLS (Oadby, Wigston & Leicestershire Schools) Academy Trust.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 In order to judge the quality of education, inspectors focused the inspection on specific subjects of the curriculum. They undertook deep dives in reading, mathematics, science and history. This involved meeting with senior and subject leaders, scrutinising curriculum planning and visiting lessons where pupils were learning these subjects. They met pupils from the lessons and looked at their work in these and in other subjects. They held meetings with teachers about the curriculum they were delivering. Inspectors heard children in different year groups read books. Inspectors looked at other subjects of the curriculum in less depth. 26 and 27 October 2021

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 Inspectors met with representatives of the local governing body and the coordinator for pupils with SEND. They spoke with representatives of the multi- academy trust. Inspectors read a wide variety of school documents, including the school development plan. They also spoke with other members of staff, such as midday supervisors.  Inspectors took note of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, met with parents at the start of the school day and considered the results of the Ofsted staff questionnaire.  In order to judge the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors read the school’s relevant policies, scrutinised the single central record, checked the school’s procedures for the safe recruitment of staff and interviewed the designated lead for safeguarding. They also spoke with staff to check details of their safeguarding knowledge and training, that staff understood the importance of their responsibility to report any safeguarding concerns without delay and if they knew

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the procedure to do this. Inspectors also checked samples of safeguarding records.

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Inspection team

Roary Pownall, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Peter Johnson 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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