Hogarth Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of a good school: Hogarth Primary School and Nursery Riseway, Off Hogarth Avenue, Brentwood, Essex CM15 8BG

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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?

Pupils are happy in school. Pupils learn a broad curriculum that is enriched through regular visits and visitors. They are enthusiastic about their learning and are well prepared for their next stage of education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have regular opportunities to sing and perform together within the school and the wider community. Pupils appreciate the many different clubs that are available at lunchtime and after school which they enjoy attending with their friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and at breaktimes. Pupils support each other and listen carefully to what others have to say. Relationships are positive between staff and pupils. This includes the early years where pupils learn the routines that help them to be independent. Pupils respond to the high expectations that staff have of their behaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that bullying does not often happen. When it does, staff are quick to deal with it. Pupils are confident to talk to staff if they have worries or concerns. Pupils feel safe in school because they say there is always someone there to help them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most parents are positive about the school. They appreciate the care staff show towards their children.

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

Since the previous inspection, leaders have developed the school’s curriculum. The curriculum for subjects such as mathematics and music are well established. Subjects such as history have been developed more recently. Leaders have carefully considered the knowledge pupils need to gain across the curriculum from the early years foundation stage to Year 6. Teachers plan lessons that enable pupils to build on what they have 8 and 9 December 2021

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learned before. Pupils are making good progress in these subjects and are achieving well. Teachers adapt the curriculum well for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This enables pupils with SEND to make progress in their learning alongside their peers.

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Teachers follow an agreed sequence for teaching phonics from the Reception class on. In phonics lessons, pupils practise their sounds to segment and blend words. Staff clearly model sounds in lessons. Pupils read books that are closely matched to the phonics they are learning. This helps pupils practise and apply their phonics knowledge in their reading. Staff use assessment appropriately to identify pupils who need additional support to secure their phonics knowledge.

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However, there are inconsistencies in phonics teaching. Some teachers use different resources or different approaches. Not all staff have the professional knowledge and expertise to teach phonics well. This has led to not enough pupils making a strong start in learning to read. Leaders recognise this. They have identified a systematic programme which they intend to implement for teaching synthetic phonics in the early years and key stage one. Training on the new phonics programme has been scheduled for all staff at the start of the new term.

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Children in the early years foundation stage are making a positive start to their education. Leaders have planned a curriculum that develops children’s language and mathematical understanding. Leaders are planning extra opportunities to support children’s physical, social and emotional development. This is because children have missed out on playing and learning together with their peers during the pandemic.

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Leaders ensure that pupils’ wider development is supported well. Through the curriculum, pupils learn strategies to help them manage their own emotions and develop their understanding of others. Pupils learn to celebrate difference. They learn about relationships and how to take care of the environment. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online. Pupils are learning to become confident, active citizens.

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There have been a number of changes in senior leadership. A new interim deputy headteacher and special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) were appointed from September 2021. These appointments are strengthening the leadership capacity of the school.

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In March 2021, the local authority carried out a review of governance at the school. This review found there were significant weaknesses in governance. In addition, the local authority identified that governors were not sufficiently managing risks associated with strategic priorities and school improvement plans. The local authority issued a warning notice and put in place a statutory intervention board (SIB) to oversee the governance of the school. The SIB has been in place since May 2021 and is proving effective. The local authority and the SIB acknowledge there is more to do to re-establish an independent governing body at the school. 8 and 9 December 2021

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

In March 2021, the local authority carried out a safeguarding review. Leaders have implemented the actions that were identified in the review with support from the statutory intervention board. These actions are strengthening the culture of safeguarding at the school.

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Safeguarding

Staff have received recent and relevant safeguarding training. They know the signs of potential abuse and are alert to safeguarding risks, including online. Leaders are ensuring that safeguarding is at the forefront of everybody’s mind. Leaders have implemented a new system for reporting and recording safeguarding concerns. Leaders and staff have received the training they need to use the new system effectively. The single central record of pre-employment checks is up to date.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not adopted a coherent and systematic approach to teaching synthetic phonics and early reading. This means that pupils do not make as strong a start in learning to read as they should. Leaders have identified an approved phonics programme to address this. Leaders must ensure that all staff receive the training and guidance they need to implement the programme effectively and support pupils well to gain fluency and confidence as readers at an early stage.  The SIB is providing effective oversight and governance of the school. Leaders must work with the local authority and SIB to support an effective transition to re- establishing a local governing body at the school.

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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 school to be good in July 2016. 8 and 9 December 2021

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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. 8 and 9 December 2021

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School details

Website www.hogarthprimary.co.uk Date of previous inspection 14 and 15 July 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 On 23 April 2021, Essex County Council issued a warning notice to the school. A statutory intervention board was established to oversee the governance of the school on behalf of the local authority in May 2021.  There have been a number of changes in the senior leadership of the school since the previous inspection. The interim deputy headteacher and SENCo joined the school in September 2021.  In September 2021, the school opened a nursery for children from the age of 3.  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 headteacher, deputy headteacher, SENCo and early years leader. 8 and 9 December 2021

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, history and music. The inspector met with subject leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and spoke with staff and pupils. An additional deep dive was carried out in mathematics as part of the inspection and to inform Ofsted’s subject research work.  The inspector held a virtual meeting with the chair and members of the statutory intervention board.  The inspector held discussions by telephone with the deputy director of education and the local authority school effectiveness partner.  The inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to discuss safeguarding arrangements at the school. The inspector also scrutinised the single central record of pre-employment checks and records of safeguarding and behaviour, including bullying.  The inspector looked at the information that is published on the school’s website, including school policies and information about the school’s curriculum.

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 The inspector reviewed 35 responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey, including 25 free-text comments, and 19 responses to the staff survey. There were no responses to the pupil survey. The inspector met with pupils and with a range of staff to gather their views of the school.

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Inspection team

Katherine Douglas, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 8 and 9 December 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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