Hade Edge Junior, Infant and Nursery School

Inspection of a good school: Hade Edge Junior, Infant and Nursery School Greave Road, Hade Edge, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire HD9 2DF

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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?

This school has been through an extended period of significant turbulence. During this time, the acting headteacher and acting assistant headteacher, supported by the governing body, have made it a priority to maintain stability for pupils in terms of routines and, wherever possible, personnel. Leaders know their school community well and work closely with both pupils and their families, maintaining a calming, visible presence in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are pleased to be able to speak with the acting headteacher each morning on the gate as she welcomes children into school. Many parents commented on this, saying, ‘school has pulled together and tried to make the situation as positive as they can’, ‘the teachers genuinely care and go above and beyond’ and ‘the current team have really stepped up to the mark’. Parents expressed concern about the number of changes in school. However, they appreciate the manner in which the new leadership team are working to minimise this.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils behave well throughout the school and work with enthusiasm and concentration. Outside of class, pupils show the same high standards of behaviour. However, a small minority of pupils sometimes make poor behaviour choices. Pupils said that they feel very safe in this school. They explained that nothing happens which makes them feel uncomfortable. They feel well supported by the adults.

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What is it like to attend this school?

While pupils benefit from learning a broad curriculum, they do not achieve well in all subjects. This is because the curriculum in some subjects, such as geography, is not yet planned well enough. As a result, expectations of what pupils are able to achieve are not ambitious enough. 26 April 2022

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

Until recently, pupils have not been taught using a validated phonics programme. During the autumn term, all staff received training in the teaching of phonics. Using this training, the have begun to deliver a new phonics programme which has led to a greater consistency in the daily teaching of early reading. Staff are enthusiastic about this new approach. Leaders are continuing to monitor and develop this whole-school approach to early reading.

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

In mathematics, the subject leader has a clear understanding of how to plan learning so that pupils know, remember and are able to do more. There has been much work completed to improve the teaching of mathematics in this school. The mathematics curriculum is now well sequenced. However, it is not yet delivered consistently well in all classes. As a result, pupils sometimes finish a lesson with misconceptions that have not been addressed. This prevents pupils from securing appropriate long-term knowledge as they progress through the school.

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

Learning is not as well planned as it could be in all subjects. In some subjects, pupils’ knowledge is not sufficiently well developed. This is because the curriculum is not well planned. Expectations of what pupils can achieve are not high enough. Leaders and governors know this. They are passionate about creating a coherent, well-sequenced curriculum in all subjects. Leaders and staff have begun this work, with the support of the governing body; however, this is still in its infancy.

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

Leaders and staff actively encourage pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to take a full part in the life of the school. Pupils with SEND access a number of interventions to support their learning. However, they are not always supported well enough to access learning in the classroom alongside their peers. Leaders are working closely with subject leaders to ensure that as they develop the wider curriculum, it is planned to ensure that all pupils benefit from a challenging, ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum offer.

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

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders have increased their focus on helping pupils to develop as respectful, caring and active citizens. Learning how to be kind to one another has been a priority. This is seen in the kindness corner, where pupils are supported in making good choices and in Year 6, where pupils develop their work as buddy partners. Pupils are working to develop characteristics such as perseverance, friendliness and integrity. This shows in the calm and considerate way that most pupils conduct themselves as they move around school.

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

The new leadership team have worked hard to prioritise staff morale in this small, friendly school. Helping staff manage a heavy workload throughout a difficult period has been difficult to navigate. Despite this, the staff team speak highly of the support and care they receive. All staff agree that being part of the ‘Hade Edge team’ is the greatest strength of this school. It is clear that, from the newest members of staff to those who have been at the school for many years, they care deeply about the pupils they serve and their school community. 26 April 2022

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspectors agreed that curriculum development, including accessibility for pupils with SEND, may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are vigilant and take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously. They have undertaken appropriate training and know that leaders are available for them to discuss any concerns they may have. The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and the deputy DSL have both completed the required training. They have a strong understanding of the contextual safeguarding concerns of their setting and they know their families well. However, the approach leaders take for recording safeguarding concerns and behavioural incidents would benefit from more formalised systems and procedures. This will ensure that the care and consideration leaders take to keep pupils safe could continue in their absence.

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Safeguarding

Appropriate checks are carried out on all adults who work at the school. During the inspection, leaders added minor details to the school’s record of checks. These changes brought documents in line with the latest government requirements.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the curriculum is not sufficiently well planned and sequenced. Expectations of what pupils will achieve is not ambitious enough. This prevents pupils from reaching appropriate end points. Subject leaders must ensure that the curriculum, in each subject, clearly sets out the precise detail of what pupils need to know and in what order.  The curriculum is not yet sufficiently planned to meet the needs of some pupils with SEND. This means that pupils with SEND do not learn as well as they could. Leaders need to support teachers as they develop their curriculum planning so that pupils with SEND are able to access learning alongside their peers and develop detailed knowledge and skills across the curriculum.  School leaders’ record-keeping processes are at times less formal than they could be. As a result, record-keeping is not systematic. This does not support leaders in understanding trends or patterns that may arise. Leaders need to ensure that record-

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

keeping processes are formalised to support the gathering of detailed and robust information. 26 April 2022

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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 January 2012.

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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. 26 April 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10200240 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 October 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Hade Edge Junior, Infant and Nursery School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average.  The school has an acting leadership team in place. This leadership team has been in place since November 2021. Due to the extended absence of the headteacher, the assistant headteacher is acting as headteacher and the Year 5/6 teacher is acting assistant headteacher.  Three out of four class teachers currently in post are employed on a temporary basis, due to long-term staff absence and a maternity leave cover.

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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 the school and have taken this into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the acting headteacher and the acting assistant headteacher. Inspectors also held meetings with subject leaders, the special educational needs coordinators, the chair of the local governing body, representatives 26 April 2022

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of the governing body, a representative from the local authority and an external consultant.  Inspectors visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and listened to pupils reading to familiar adults in school. They also observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around school and during lunchtime.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and geography. Inspectors met with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with pupils and looked at pupils’ work.  Inspectors examined safeguarding records, including the single central record and recruitment checks on staff. Inspectors considered the views of parents by reviewing the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also spoke with parents as they brought their children to school.  Alongside the responses to the online surveys for staff, inspectors considered views by meeting with various groups of staff.  Inspectors also considered views of pupils, speaking with different groups of pupils

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Inspection team

Zoe Lightfoot, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Andy Taylor Ofsted Inspector 26 April 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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