Hetton Lyons Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Hetton Lyons Primary School Four Lane Ends, Hetton-le-Hole, Houghton le Spring, Tyne and Wear DH5 0AH

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Inspection dates: 9 and 10 November 2021

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Outcome

Hetton Lyons Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Hetton Lyons Primary School is a happy and caring community. Parents and carers said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the school’s provision for remote learning was effective and they felt well supported. Staff were determined that pupils would continue to make progress in the curriculum. One parent commented, ‘During the pandemic, they provided excellent online teaching and supported my child to reach his potential even at the most difficult time.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high aspirations for all pupils. Pupils are polite and confident. They behave well in lessons and around school, showing respect for each other and to all staff. They told the inspector that bullying is very rare. Pupils explained that if bullying does happen, their teachers deal with it swiftly. They told the inspector that if they ever have any worries, staff sort them out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders help pupils to connect with the local community. Pupils enjoy a wide range of activities that promote understanding of the local context of the school. They also learn about the wider world. Pupils value a range of clubs and sporting opportunities that enhance their development. Their learning is further enriched by visits and visitors.

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

The school’s curriculum has many strengths. Leaders ensure that plans address the breadth of the national curriculum. They also make sure that learning builds upon what pupils learn in the early years. The local area and community are important to leaders and are included in the planning of each subject, wherever possible. Leaders are ambitious in their aspirations for pupils. They have thought carefully about links between subjects. Teachers help pupils to build connections between subjects through the themes they explore.

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

For subjects such as science, history and geography, leaders have identified the knowledge and skills they want pupils to experience. These include a real focus on 9 and 10 November 2021

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vocabulary. The use of memory joggers is helping to embed this ‘sticky’ knowledge into pupils’ long-term memory. Teachers have good subject knowledge. They use suitable teaching approaches that engage pupils and challenge their thinking. Teachers skilfully adapt resources for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teaching assistants provide effective support. They help pupils with SEND to learn the same curriculum as their peers.

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Pupils enjoy reading. Teachers read a range of books to pupils daily. Leaders have brought in a new phonics programme to further improve the teaching of phonics. Staff are well trained in how to use this new programme. All staff use phonics to support pupils to read. The books that pupils read are matched to the sounds that they have learned. The disruption caused by COVID-19 has had an impact on the ability of some pupils to read fluently in Year 1 and Year 2. Staff have a very clear understanding of these gaps and are supporting these pupils to catch up.

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Leaders have developed an effective mathematics curriculum. This starts in the early years and builds in a logical way. Pupils have many opportunities to practise and recall important mathematical knowledge. This improves pupils’ mathematical fluency and confidence. Pupils in key stage 1 and key stage 2 who are falling behind receive targeted support which ensures they have a secure understanding before moving on to more complex tasks.

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The curriculum is generally designed well. However, in the early years, some boys and disadvantaged pupils do not make enough progress. Teachers need to address any gaps in learning and ensure that teaching activities support the progress of all pupils, in getting them ready for year 1.

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The curriculum at Hetton Lyons goes well beyond the subjects that pupils study. There are many opportunities to support pupils’ wider development. Every Friday, pupils have planned activities to explore topics relating to British Values, relationships and stereotypes, matters relating to money, keeping healthy, dealing with loss and climate change. The relationships, sex and health education curriculum has ensured that the pupils are equipped with the knowledge to keep themselves safe. They know who to talk to if concerned.

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Leaders and staff support pupils with SEND well. Staff work closely with other professionals to identify pupils’ needs quickly. They plan appropriate adaptations to the curriculum and support pupils’ wider development. Pupils with SEND are fully included in school life.

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Trust leaders provide appropriate support and challenge. The governors know the school well and have effective mechanisms in place to support the leaders and staff in school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 9 and 10 November 2021

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Leaders have ensured that safeguarding is their top priority. Staff have an excellent knowledge of pupils, their families and the community. There are clear systems for members of staff to report any issues. An early help worker is ensuring that families receive the support and guidance they need. Leaders are quick to report concerns to external safeguarding partners and are persistent in ensuring that the right support is in place. The curriculum supports pupils’ understanding of risks well, for example pupils are taught about healthy relationships. Pupils feel very safe in school. They trust adults to address any concerns they have.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some foundation subjects, including music and modern foreign languages, are less developed than others. Leaders need to ensure that subject leaders, new to the role, are given the appropriate support to lead the development of their subject effectively across the school.  In the past, outcomes in early years have not been good, particularly for boys and disadvantaged pupils. Curriculum plans are effective in setting out the knowledge that pupils need to know and remember. However, leaders need to ensure that the implementation of the curriculum achieves the curricula intent of ensuring that all pupils are ready for year 1.

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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 first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Hetton Lyons Primary School, to be good in November 2013.

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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. 9 and 10 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. 9 and 10 November 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10200608 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.hettonlyonsprimaryschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 24 November 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school joined Balmoral Learning Trust in July 2017.  The school does not use any alternative education providers.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation.  The inspector met with the chief executive officer, the headteacher, trustees of the trust and members of the local governing body.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, science and history. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 9 and 10 November 2021

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 The inspector checked the single central record and met the headteacher to discuss the school’s safeguarding arrangements. The inspector also met with a group of boys and a group of girls to explore their knowledge of how to keep themselves safe.  The inspector looked at the 51 responses to Ofsted’s parents’ survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the 12 responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Lucie Stephenson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 9 and 10 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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