Hill West Primary School

Inspection of Hill West Primary School Clarence Road, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B74 4LD

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 9 and 10 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ vision for pupils is to be ambitious, curious and ever (ACE) respectful. Most pupils achieve this. However, a recent change to the behaviour policy is taking time to be understood and followed by all staff and all pupils. This has led to some instances of poor behaviour and disruption to learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know what it means to live in modern Britain. They talk knowledgeably about being different, unique and living side by side respectfully. Older pupils speak with pride of the responsibilities they have as librarians, ACE champions and house captains. They understand that they have a range of opportunities open to them and see university as something to aspire to.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in school. They understand different types of bullying. They say there is bullying but that it gets sorted. Pupils know they can talk to an adult if needed. They feel more comfortable in doing this with some staff members than others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The Christingle service is a firm favourite with pupils. The recent residential visit to Aberdovey will live on in pupils’ memories for years to come, with a visit to France on the horizon.

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better?

Leaders have revised the curriculum to bring about positive changes to pupils’ learning. In subjects such as mathematics, physical education (PE) and, more recently, in French, leaders have provided teachers with plans and training that build pupils’ knowledge in a logical order. For example, changes that leaders have made to the PE curriculum are making sure pupils know the right things about moving, controlling and rules, so they can apply them in games. Leaders are in the process of developing other subjects, such as computing, to the same depth. Leaders have a clear plan which subjects will follow, which includes training for staff, and which takes account of staff workload.

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better?

There is a determination from leaders that all pupils will succeed. Teachers check what pupils know and can do. They use this information to plan learning that enables pupils to progress and succeed. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive a range of help. This support meets the learning and personal needs of most pupils. However, for a few, this is not the case because leaders do not help teachers to develop strategies to re-engage these pupils in their learning.

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better?

Reading is a strength of the school. Leaders have given priority to introducing a new phonics scheme and this is working well. The teaching of phonics is effective. Pupils are learning their sounds in a way that is helping them to master the basics of reading quickly and securely. Books match the sounds pupils know. Leaders have 9 and 10 March 2022

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organised resources and lessons to give time to making sure every pupil is getting better at reading. Older pupils reminisce with fondness on the range of texts they have read over time. They spoke with passion about which was their favourite and why. Pupils achieve well in reading.

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The grounding for this success begins in the early years. Leaders have carefully thought through the early years curriculum in all areas. All staff understand what is important for children to know, with a high priority placed on communication and vocabulary. Leaders have set out the nursery rhymes and stories that form the bedrock of learning. Staff organise activities to support what it is that children need to learn. Staff help pupils to work and play well together.

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Leaders have threaded personal development throughout the whole curriculum. This begins in the early years. Reception pupils have a good awareness of keeping safe in different ways, such as road safety and not speaking to strangers. They told an inspector how he must keep the computer cable away from water.

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Pupils know how to keep safe in a range of situations, including relationships. They learn about the complexities of social media. Pupils understand fundamental British values through the lens of their school values. Pupils like and take part in the variety of clubs on offer. They recognise the encouragement they get to be healthy in body and mind and how to behave well.

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Parents, carers and pupils rightly raised concerns around how some pupils behave in class and outside at playtime. Leaders implemented a new behaviour policy in September 2021. This is beginning to make a difference. However, although many pupils can tell you how they should behave and why, not all pupils behave well. This is compounded by some staff who do not fully uphold the high expectations that leaders set. As a result, learning and play is, at times, disrupted.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders prioritise safeguarding through a range of training, work with external partners and the checks they do to make sure adults are safe to work with children.

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Safeguarding

Training helps all staff to know what to look out for and how to report concerns. Staff notice the ‘little things’ that may form part of a bigger picture. They have an ‘it can happen here’ attitude. Staff act promptly if they are worried about a child.

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Safeguarding

Leaders know their families well. This allows them to provide a range of specific support that makes sure pupils are safe and attend school regularly.

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 The school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned or sequenced in some subjects. It is not yet fully clear what content pupils should learn or the order in which they should be taught it. However, it is clear from leaders’ actions that they are in the process of bringing this about. Leaders need to complete the process of reviewing the curriculum in all subjects within their identified timescale and provide training for staff on the expectations for each subject. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied.  In some classrooms, and at times on the playground, pupils do not behave well. When this happens, pupils’ learning is hindered and their play is disrupted. Leaders must make sure that their high expectations for pupils’ behaviour are understood by all, and consistently applied by staff.  Despite all pupils with SEND having their personal and emotional needs met

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effectively, sometimes teachers do not place sufficient emphasis on pupils’ learning needs. This means that some pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Leaders need to make sure that individual plans for pupils with SEND help staff get the balance right between meeting their social and emotional needs, and their academic development.

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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.

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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. 9 and 10 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211999 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 27 March 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

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

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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 this into account in their evaluation of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, special educational needs coordinator and other senior leaders.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the Arthur Terry Learning Partnership.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, French and PE. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some 9 and 10 March 2022

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pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  Inspectors listened to a sample of pupils read.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at lunchtime. They spoke formally with groups of pupils as well as talking to pupils in lessons and around school.  Inspectors reviewed responses to Ofsted’s online parents’, pupils’ and staff’s surveys.  Inspectors met with leaders to discuss the school’s safeguarding procedures. Inspectors reviewed policies and records relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance. Inspectors spoke to pupils, parents and staff about pupils’ safety.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including the school’s self- evaluation and improvement plans, minutes of trust and local governing body meetings and information on the school’s website.

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Inspection team

Kirsty Foulkes, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Helen Forrest Her Majesty’s Inspector 9 and 10 March 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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