Hallow CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Hallow CofE Primary School Main Road, Hallow, Worcester, Worcestershire WR2 6LD

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Outcome

Hallow CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a lovely, calm and purposeful atmosphere at Hallow CofE. It is very distinct in its community spirit. Pupils are proud to attend the school. They live out the school’s ethos of ‘Loving to learn, learning to love.’ They talk excitedly about their learning and how they enjoy being a buddy to others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of the achievement and behaviour of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils work with determination in the classroom and achieve well as a result. They are polite and courteous to adults and their peers. They behave well. They show respect towards one another and to visitors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are confident that staff will always help them if they have any concerns. They explained that if they have any worries, they know who to talk to. Leaders quickly and effectively deal with any instances of name-calling and bullying. As a result, pupils feel safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take their leadership responsibilities seriously. These roles include taking ‘crew assemblies,’ promoting key messages from the school’s values to the whole school. Year 6 librarians recommend books and create a display in the school’s library on the author of the month.

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

Leaders have developed a broad and ambitious curriculum. They ensure that the curriculum enables all pupils, including those with SEND, to achieve well.

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

Subject leaders have identified the key knowledge that pupils need to learn. Lesson sequences enable pupils to build knowledge and skills. For example, in art, pupils’ drawing 11 and 12 May 2022

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skills build well. By the time they reach Year 6, pupils can explain drawing techniques such as stippling, blending and cross-hatching with confidence.

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Teachers are clear about the content that needs to be taught to pupils. Many leaders have been able to access training to help deepen their knowledge of their curriculum area. They ensure that their subject expertise is passed on to other class teachers. Most subject leaders have had an opportunity to see how effectively teachers deliver the curriculum. However, some subject leaders are new to their role. They have not had the opportunity to evaluate how well their subject is taught. They do not know if pupils are getting better at the subject.

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The teaching of reading and phonics is a high priority in school. Leaders have developed a challenging reading curriculum. Phonics teaching begins in Reception and continues through key stage 1. By the time pupils reach the end of Year 2, most are fluent in reading. Teachers provide extra support to any pupils at risk of falling behind. Staff match reading books to the sounds pupils know. This helps pupils develop their confidence and reading fluency.

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Pupils talk excitedly about reading. They appreciate the wide range of books to choose from. They receive certificates for the amount of reading they do. Pupils enjoy listening when their teachers read to them each day. Pupils know a range of authors.

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Leaders have developed an effective mathematics curriculum. They support staff well to deliver it. Pupils practise their arithmetic and times tables regularly. Pupils say they enjoy learning mathematics. Their work shows that the curriculum helps them to remember number facts needed to solve problems.

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Warm, nurturing relationships are evident across the school. Pupils are polite, courteous and show respect. They behave well in class and listen attentively to their teachers. As a result, pupils can learn without interruption.

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Most pupils attend well, however there are a minority of pupils who have high absence from school. They miss out on education. While leaders have taken steps to address this, their actions have not been as effective as needed to improve their attendance. Leaders are improving their attendance systems to ensure that more pupils attend school regularly.

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The wider curriculum engages pupils and supports their personal development. Leaders want to bring learning to life and give pupils valuable experiences. Pupils benefit from taking part in performances, learning a musical instrument and careers week. They talk enthusiastically about enrichment opportunities, such as taking part in sports competitions and going on trips. For example, pupils in Year 6 enjoy a residential visit to an outdoor centre in the Malvern Hills.

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Staff are proud of their work and proud of their school. Leaders consider the well-being of all staff members. Staff morale is high. Governors share the ambition of the school’s leaders and are knowledgeable about the curriculum. They work effectively in partnership with the school’s leaders to further develop and strengthen pupils’ quality of education. 11 and 12 May 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is a key priority for all staff. They know their pupils, families and the community well. They have a detailed knowledge of local contextual risks. Staff have a strong understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. Leaders act swiftly when dealing with concerns. They work with families to ensure that they receive the help they need.

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Safeguarding

Staff with responsibility for safeguarding provide expert support. External support is well used when needed. Pupils said that they felt comfortable talking to staff about any concerns they may have. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including when online and using social media.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subject leaders do not have a clear understanding of the impact of the curriculum on pupils’ learning. This is because they are new to role and have had limited opportunities to check that pupils are getting better at the subject. Leaders must ensure that all subject leaders check the impact of the curriculum to ensure pupils are learning effectively.  Despite the hard work of leaders and staff, levels of pupils’ absence and persistent absence remain too high for a minority of pupils. Some pupils miss too much learning and do not achieve as well as they should. Leaders should make sure they develop effective strategies to improve pupils’ attendance.

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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 February 2013. 11 and 12 May 2022

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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. 11 and 12 May 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10226986 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 28 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in January 2019.  The school’s most recent section 48 inspection took place in June 2018. Section 48 inspections were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They restarted in September 2021. The next inspection will be within eight years of the last section 48 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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the following leaders during the inspection: the headteacher, assistant headteacher, subject leaders, the special educational needs coordinator and representatives of the governing body. She also met with the school improvement adviser from the local authority. 11 and 12 May 2022

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 Deep dives were conducted in the following subjects: reading, mathematics and art. To explore the effectiveness of these curriculum areas, the inspector spoke to senior leaders to understand their aims and rationale for overall curriculum design, met with subject leaders to explore long- and medium-term curriculum thinking, visited lessons to see the curriculum in action and considered the activities chosen by teachers, considered work in pupils’ books, and talked to teachers and pupils about their experience and understanding of the curriculum.  The inspector spoke with pupils about their experiences in school and observed their behaviour around the school. The inspector also met with a group of pupils to talk about the wider curriculum and their learning.  To evaluate the effectiveness of the safeguarding arrangements, the inspector looked at the school’s safeguarding documentation. She also looked at the single central

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record. The inspector considered how well safeguarding leaders act on concerns about pupils’ welfare and safety. The inspector talked to staff and governors about the training they have received.  The inspector considered the views of staff and parents by talking to them and reviewing the staff questionnaire and Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Lynda Townsend, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 May 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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