Heptonstall Junior Infant and Nursery School

Inspection of a good school: Heptonstall Junior Infant and Nursery School Smithwell Lane, Heptonstall, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire HX7 7NX

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good 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?

Heptonstall Primary is a friendly school that pupils enjoy attending. Pupils feel safe. They know who to talk to if there is a problem. They say that bullying does not happen in school. Pupils know how to stay safe online. They told inspectors that they learn about this in their lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is described by governors as ‘wonderful’. The relationships between pupils and adults are respectful. Leaders ensure that pupils enjoy a personal development curriculum that broadens their experiences. This includes visits to mosques and projects with older people in the local community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve. Curriculum plans, in subjects such as geography, do not set out the knowledge they want pupils to know and remember. This results in gaps in pupils’ learning. The reading curriculum does not ensure that pupils develop the reading skills they need to access all subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers told inspectors that they appreciate the ‘family feel’ of the school and say that their children are happy. They feel that there is a strong focus on pupils’ personal and social development. However, some parents feel that their children could do better if encouraged to do so, making comments such as ‘Children plod along at their own level without additional help/encouragement.’

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

Leaders plan a broad and balanced curriculum for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. In mathematics, leaders clearly set out what they want pupils to know. They organise knowledge so that it builds on what pupils already 5 November 2021

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know. Teachers revisit previous learning through daily ‘maths warm-up exercises’. This helps pupils remember what they have learned before.

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In other subjects, such as geography, curriculum planning lacks detail about what pupils need to learn and remember. Teachers do not use assessment sharply enough to check what pupils know and can do. Teachers do not correct pupils’ misunderstandings quickly enough. Leaders do not plan the curriculum from the early years in geography, so pupils’ knowledge does not build progressively. As a result, pupils are unable to remember what they have learned. For example, pupils do not recall what they have been taught about the similarities and differences between their village and major cities, such as London.

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Subject leaders do not regularly check on the quality of the curriculum or its delivery in subjects such as phonics or geography. They do not receive support on how to do this effectively. This has led to inconsistencies in the delivery of these subjects, and therefore, differences in what pupils achieve.

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Pupils are enthused about reading. Leaders have successfully promoted pupils’ love of reading. Leaders plan opportunities for pupils to develop their language during story time. Pupils enjoy reading and listening to adults read to them. Leaders identify pupils who struggle to read and offer additional support. However, phonics teaching does not help pupils who are at the early stages of reading to keep up. This is because staff do not receive training on how to teach and support pupils effectively. Reading books do not connect closely to pupils’ phonics knowledge. As a result, pupils cannot read their books with fluency and are not catching up quickly enough.

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Leaders in the early years plan a curriculum that supports children’s learning and development. Children are happy and teachers check their progress. Children engage with learning and can remember what they learn, such as the celebration of Diwali.

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Pupils benefit from a range of opportunities and feel that ‘anyone can do anything’. Extra- curricular clubs take place, such as choir, gardening club and football. Pupils also engage in art projects with the local community, such as for the LGBT community’s Happy Valley Pride festival. These are being displayed in the town hall.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They feel that leaders are supportive of their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that all staff receive regular safeguarding training and updates. Staff are knowledgeable about local safeguarding risks. They recognise signs that pupils may be at risk of harm. Staff know how to report concerns.

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Safeguarding

Staff teach pupils how to stay safe through the personal, social and health education curriculum and assemblies. Leaders provide advice on using social media and live streaming to parents through the school’s website. 5 November 2021

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There are inconsistencies in the way that phonics is delivered. Staff do not receive training to help them deliver phonics effectively. Leaders do not monitor the quality of the lessons. Some pupils, who are at the early stages of reading, are falling further behind. The books that pupils are given do not match their phonics knowledge. As a result, they are unable to read fluently and with confidence. Leaders should ensure that staff are trained in their chosen phonics programme so that it is delivered consistently. Leaders should check that this is being delivered as they intended.  Some subjects in the wider curriculum, such as geography, are not coherently planned or sequenced. Leaders do not set out what they want pupils to know and remember. Teachers do not check what pupils have learned. Leaders need to be clear what the intended knowledge is that they want pupils to learn from early years to Year 6. This

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

needs to be planned sequentially so that it builds on pupils’ prior knowledge and prepares them for the next steps in their learning.  Some subject leaders do not check the delivery of the curriculum. They have not received training on how to do this effectively. Leaders must ensure that subject leaders receive the appropriate support to carry out their role effectively.

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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, 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.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 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. 5 November 2021

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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. 5 November 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10200241 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website http://www.heptonstallschool.org.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 October 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Heptonstall Junior Infant and Nursery School is a smaller-than-average-sized school.

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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

 Inspectors met with the headteacher and members of staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, geography and mathematics. This involved discussions with subject leaders, teachers and pupils, visits to lessons, reviewing pupils work and listening to pupils read.  The lead inspector spoke with four members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. The inspector also spoke to a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors met with pupils to discuss their views.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and during lunchtime. 5 November 2021

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 Inspectors talked to parents at the beginning of the school day. In addition, they considered 45 responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and 43 free-text responses.  Inspectors reviewed eight responses to the online staff survey.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s safeguarding arrangements. They looked at relevant documentation and staff recruitment checks.

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Inspection team

Jenny Thomas, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

James Duncan Her Majesty’s Inspector 5 November 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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