Hill View Primary School

Inspection of Hill View Primary School Hill View Crescent, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX16 1DN

p.1

Inspection dates: 11 and 12 January 2022

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 11 and 12 January 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school that places pupils’ well-being at the heart of all that it does. Pastoral care is strong. As a result, pupils feel safe and supported by the staff. Pupils describe the way that staff are always there to support them.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone is welcomed and the school is a happy community. Most pupils behave sensibly and respectfully. Staff provide effective support for any pupils who need help to manage their behaviour and emotions. Bullying or unkind behaviours are never tolerated. Everyone is encouraged to show kindness.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff live by the trust’s motto to bring out ‘the best in everyone’. They are ambitious for every pupil to be a confident, successful learner and to benefit from a well-rounded education. Pupils value the many opportunities to enrich their learning through visits and extra activities. They enjoy school and like the way their teachers make learning interesting. Music and singing are a particular highlight of the week.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers speak highly of the school and leaders’ work to support them and their children. One parent, typical of many, commented, ‘The curriculum is rich and varied, but what is most impressive is their care and support for the whole child.’

p.2

better?

Courageous, determined leadership has steered this school community exceptionally well through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff are full of praise for leaders’ work. Many say that they would not want to work anywhere else. Leaders’ work to engage and support parents is exemplary. For example, they have developed the ‘community bungalow’ and provide adult education for parents.

p.2

better?

Leaders have implemented a consistent approach to teaching reading. Staff get phonics under way as soon as possible in Reception. Up-to-date training ensures that staff are confident and proficient in teaching phonics. Pupils’ books are matched to what they have learned. Leaders and staff are aware of the impact of the COVID- 19 pandemic. The disruption to pupils’ education has set back some pupils’ reading. As a result, they are behind the expected stage in the school’s phonics programme. Leaders are rightly focusing sharply on helping these pupils to recover lost ground. This is typically through tutoring and extra support.

p.2

better?

Throughout the school, pupils make steady gains in their reading. Teachers use wide-ranging texts to help pupils build their knowledge and enjoyment of reading. These texts form the backbone of the English curriculum. However, leaders have not identified precisely enough the step-by-step reading knowledge that pupils in key stage 2 need to learn. They have also not given enough focus to developing pupils’ handwriting. This is particularly so for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As a result, pupils are not developing this aspect of their writing well enough. 11 and 12 January 2022

p.2

3

The school’s curriculum is carefully considered and sequenced. Content is revisited to help pupils secure important knowledge. Mathematics is particularly well thought out. This supports pupils well in developing their mathematical understanding and fluency. The music curriculum is ambitious and is a strength of the school.

p.3

3

The school is inclusive and leaders have high ambitions for pupils with SEND. They have a strong moral purpose, ensuring that these pupils get the help that they need. Leaders work closely with early years staff to identify children’s needs from the outset. Where necessary, they promptly put in a raft of support. This includes special programmes to help children to overcome language and communication difficulties.

p.3

3

Teachers use their good subject knowledge to explain new content well to pupils. They model vocabulary clearly and engage pupils positively in discussions. Teachers check how pupils are doing and identify any learning gaps. On the whole, teachers design activities to match the school’s curriculum. However, this is not always the case in some subjects in the wider curriculum. This is because activities do not focus well enough on what pupils need to know. Sometimes, these limit pupils’ responses, particularly for pupils with SEND. This means that pupils are not building on previous knowledge as well as they could.

p.3

3

Classrooms are generally settled, calm environments for learning. Staff foster warm, nurturing relationships with pupils in their care. Most pupils work with positive attitudes, responding well to their teachers’ high expectations.

p.3

3

The school’s provision for personal development is a distinctive feature of the school’s work. The curriculum for relationships and sex education and health education is of high quality. Pupils learn about equality and the importance of valuing and respecting everyone, whatever their beliefs or background.

p.3

3

Governance is strong and lines of accountability are clearly defined. Staff and governors benefit from trust-wide training and the opportunity to share good practice.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is a very strong culture of safeguarding at this school. Staff know pupils very well and are highly alert to the slightest concern. Leaders understand local risks and work in close partnership with safeguarding partners. They make sure that pupils and families get the help that they need. Leaders do all they can to keep pupils safe. Record-keeping is thorough and systematic. Staff know the vital role they play in safeguarding pupils and fulfil their responsibilities very well. 11 and 12 January 2022

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 During the COVID-19 pandemic, some younger pupils lost ground in reading and are behind the expected stage in the school’s phonics programme. Leaders need to continue their sharp focus on helping these pupils to catch up as quickly as possible.  Leaders have not identified precisely enough the step-by-step knowledge that builds towards the curriculum goals in the key stage 2 reading curriculum. This risks pupils not building their knowledge securely enough. Leaders need to identify more precisely the component knowledge that pupils need to learn.  Leaders have not ensured that there is enough focus on pupils’ handwriting, particularly for pupils with SEND. As a result, this aspect of pupils’ writing is not developing well enough. Leaders need to ensure that greater focus and attention are given to this aspect of the writing curriculum.  In some foundation subjects, activities are not always well matched to the

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

intended curriculum. Some activities limit pupils’ responses, particularly for pupils with SEND. Pupils are therefore not building their knowledge as securely as they could. Leaders need to ensure that learning activities are consistently well matched to the intended learning and reflect the school’s ambitious curriculum.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

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 .

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 11 and 12 January 2022

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 Hill View Primary School is one of over 70 schools in the United Learning Trust. The school converted to become an academy school and joined the trust in October 2017. When its predecessor school, with the same name, was last inspected it was judged to be good.  The board of trustees has delegated some strategic responsibilities to the school’s local governing body. This is set out in the trust’s scheme of delegation. The school is supported by trust leaders, including the regional director of education.  A very small number of pupils attend an alternative provider, Meadowbrook College, on a part-time basis.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school had 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. 11 and 12 January 2022

p.5

6

 Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics, geography, religious education and music. They discussed the curriculum with leaders, staff and pupils, sampled pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and visited lessons.  Inspectors visited lessons and sampled curriculum planning and pupils’ work in other subjects, including history, science and English.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders, including the leader with responsibility for SEND. They also met with teachers who have recently joined the profession.  The lead inspector met with a trustee and three members of the local governing body, including the chair of governors.  The lead inspector held a discussion with the trust’s regional director of education.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors reviewed procedures and considered a wide range of documents and safeguarding records. The lead inspector met with the

p.6

6

school’s designated safeguarding lead, and inspectors spoke with staff and pupils.  An inspector held a telephone discussion with the headteacher at the alternative provision.  Inspectors considered parents’ views through the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and parents’ written responses. An inspector also spoke with some parents at the end of the school day and held telephone discussions with two parents.  Inspectors took into account pupils’ responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey and met with pupils to discuss their views of the school. They talked with pupils during lessons and at other times of the day, including during lunchtimes.  Inspectors considered the views of staff during meetings with them and took into account their responses to Ofsted’s confidential staff survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Sue Cox, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

James Broadbridge Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Lizzie Jeanes Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 January 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7