Hayfield Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Hayfield Primary School Swallow House Lane, Hayfield, High Peak, Derbyshire SK22 2HB

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 January 2022

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Outcome

Hayfield Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy school that pupils feel very proud to be part of. Staff are caring and nurturing. Pupils say that adults at Hayfield set a good example to them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well behaved. They think that the school’s ‘snakes and ladders’ system supports them to make good choices and do their best. There is very little bullying and, if it ever happens, staff sort it out without delay. Pupils feel very safe at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The education pupils receive continues to be good. From the Reception Year, children learn to use their ‘phoneme fingers’ and are taught to read well. Staff teach mathematics effectively, so pupils learn to calculate with speed and accuracy. Pupils study the Anglo- Saxons and the Great Fire of London. They learn about the village of Hayfield and its history. They find out about groups of people who are different from themselves. Staff have high expectations for each and every pupil.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is lots to do outside the classrooms too. Pupils love their time in the extensive grounds, especially working in the school’s woods to make dens and toast marshmallows. The many activities available complement the high-quality curriculum and mean that pupils can thrive.

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

The school’s motto, ‘Loving learning, loving life’, reflects the school’s aim to give pupils a wide experience of the world. Pupils come first at Hayfield. Leaders and staff know pupils and their needs very well. They work together closely, and in shared ways, to meet those needs.

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

Teachers have checked the things that pupils have missed or forgotten over successive national lockdowns. They are ensuring pupils are catching up quickly with their education.

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

Teachers understand the importance of getting every child to become a fluent reader as soon as possible. From the early years onwards, skilled staff teach them the different 19 and 20 January 2022

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sounds letters make. This means children in the Reception Year can read sentences such as ‘His cat will go to the vets if he is ill.’ Those in Year 2 can read words such as ‘meadow’ and ‘breakfast’. Pupils soon become confident, accurate readers. Staff give intensive support to those whose phonic skills are weaker.

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Pupils love their learning in mathematics. The inspector heard a child in the Reception Year cry out joyfully, ‘Oh, my lucky day!’ when she saw the activity to put the different numbers on her board. Teachers make sure pupils develop a quick recall of facts, concepts and procedures. Plenty of practise in all year groups means that, by Year 3, pupils can answer instantly questions such as ‘23+9=?’ Exercise books show those in Year 6 writing fractions, for example 264/512, in their simplest form and translating isosceles triangles into four quadrants.

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The curriculum is well planned across subjects. Subject leaders have decided what all pupils must know at different points. Planning shows how lessons are ordered so that pupils’ knowledge builds up over time. Adjustments to the plans, that have become necessary as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, mean that a small number of subjects, such as art and design technology, are not fully embedded yet. Nevertheless, in all subjects, pupils learn to use lots of new vocabulary. For instance, in history, they know terms such as ‘decade’, ‘BC’ and ‘AD’. They use this to express their understanding of cause and consequence over time. Across the curriculum, the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. These pupils explain how the support they receive helps them to learn and remember.

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Teachers have high levels of subject knowledge and deliver lessons with confidence. They ask their classes ambitious questions and correct any mistakes pupils make. Pupils, in turn, behave well. They do not disrupt learning but pay close attention. Clear, high expectations from staff help pupils to achieve well.

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Pupils say that staff have also worked hard to support everyone’s well-being during the pandemic. They have provided many activities and opportunities for pupils. These have included visits to White Hall Outdoor Education Centre. Pupils talk with pride about their bicycle refurbishment scheme and playing the ukulele for residents at Primrose Court. A range of extra support is available in school for those with the greatest need.

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Using books such as ‘Amazing Grace’, pupils learn about the lives and cultures of those of different races, or groups such as refugees. They are taught to be respectful of everyone.

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Leaders have a highly positive professional relationship with staff. Staff, in turn, are highly supportive. They believe that leaders are considerate of their well-being and take their workload into account.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 19 and 20 January 2022

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Staff know their responsibility to report to senior leaders any safeguarding concerns. They are clear about the procedure they use to do this. Leaders, in turn, ensure everyone receives the training they need.

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Leaders’ determination and effective decision-making mean that pupils at risk receive support. This includes help from external agencies where appropriate. Leaders also have good systems in place regarding, for instance, safer recruitment.

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The school teaches pupils many ways to keep themselves safe, including when online. Pupils say that, if they are worried about something in or outside school, they can talk to a member of staff.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum in most subjects has been well established over time. Due to the need to re-order and emphasise certain content, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a small number have not been fully embedded. This means that leaders cannot be sure that, over the longer term, these subjects will continue to have the desired impact on what pupils have learned. Leaders should ensure that all subjects are monitored effectively, and adjusted if needed, to provide assurance that pupils are learning and remembering all they are capable of.

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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 November 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. 19 and 20 January 2022

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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. 19 and 20 January 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211594 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website https://www.hayfieldprimaryschool.org.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 15 November 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been no significant changes since the last inspection.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  In order to judge whether the school continues to be good, the inspector focused the inspection on specific subjects of the curriculum. The inspector undertook deep dives in reading, mathematics and history. This involved meeting with senior and subject leaders, scrutinising curriculum planning and visiting lessons where pupils were learning these subjects. He met pupils from the lessons and looked at their work in these and in other subjects. He met with teachers about the curriculum they were delivering. He heard children in different year groups read books. The inspector looked at other subjects of the curriculum, such as writing, in less depth.  In addition, the inspector met with representatives of the governing body and the

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Information about this inspection

coordinator for pupils with SEND. The inspector held a telephone conversation with a 19 and 20 January 2022

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representative of the local authority. He read a wide variety of school documents, including the school development plan.  The inspector took note of the responses to Ofsted Parent View and considered the results of the Ofsted staff and pupil questionnaires.  In order to judge the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector 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 safeguarding lead. He spoke with staff to check details of their safeguarding knowledge and training, that they understood the importance of their responsibility to report any safeguarding concerns without delay and if they knew the procedure to do this. The inspector checked samples of safeguarding records.

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Inspection team

Roary Pownall, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 19 and 20 January 2022

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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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