Hillside Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of Hillside Primary and Nursery School Roberts Lane, Hucknall, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG15 6LW

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 17 and 18 May 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for pupils at Hillside Primary and Nursery School. They are aspirational that pupils will leave the school with the academic and personal skills they need to succeed. They want pupils to become ‘the best version of themselves’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at school. They all know the ‘Hillside Habits’. They learn to ‘be kind, be ready, be wise’. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is good. They work hard, support each other as they learn and listen carefully to their teachers. Pupils feel safe in school. They know that if they are worried about something, for example bullying, they can go to an adult in school who will help them to sort the problem out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are provided with a wide range of exciting extra-curricular activities in school. There are lots of clubs for them to attend. Older pupils have the opportunity to perform as part of a choir in front of an audience of thousands. Pupils can apply for positions of responsibility in school. Pupils vote for their representatives on the school council. They feel that their ideas and opinions are valued.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, staff, parents and governors are proud of the caring learning environment leaders have created.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that pupils are taught a well-designed curriculum that is ambitious for all based on the school’s curriculum principles: ‘broadening horizons, values driven, communication opportunities’. From the Nursery Year to Year 6, curriculum plans set out precisely the knowledge that pupils need to know and remember.

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better?

Teachers systematically check that pupils remember what they have been taught previously. Pupils understand how the ‘reactivate’ part of the lesson helps them to remember previous learning. For example, in a Year 5 English lesson, pupils were adding ‘hyperbole’ and ‘rhetorical questions’ to persuasive letters. They were able to do this well because they had previously learned how to write persuasive letters and could focus on practising their new learning.

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better?

Subject leaders are experts who lead their subjects well. They have regular opportunities for professional development. They have the skills they need to monitor their subject across the school. They offer strong support to their colleagues.

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better?

The needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified. When it is needed, their learning is broken down into smaller chunks so that they can learn the same curriculum alongside their peers. Pupil profiles are written for each pupil with SEND. While this information is used well to support their learning, it is not used as successfully to support pupils’ wider needs. As a result, some pupils with SEND can become frustrated or agitated. A few parents of pupils 17 and 18 May 2022

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with SEND express their concern that some teachers do not recognise or address their child’s emotional needs as well as others.

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The teaching of reading is given a high priority. Pupils learn phonics from when they start in the nursery. Phonics lessons are well organised and structured. By the time most pupils reach Year 2, they use their phonics knowledge confidently to read well. Teachers regularly check that pupils remember new sounds. Pupils who are at risk of falling behind are given extra help.

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Teachers promote a love of reading. Pupils enjoy the daily ‘drop everything and read’ session where teachers read to pupils from a wide range of high-quality books. They also use this time to develop pupils’ comprehension skills and to extend their vocabulary. For example, in Year 6 while reading ‘Pig Heart Boy’, pupils discussed the meaning of ‘the first day of the rest of your life’.

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Pupils’ behaviour is good in lessons and around school. However, some pupils do not behave as well at playtimes and lunchtimes. They do not always manage their feelings well. Pupils say that the expectations of behaviour at these times are not the same as it is in lessons.

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Leaders want pupils to become well-rounded individuals who make positive contributions to society. Pupils learn about other faiths and cultures. They understand that everyone deserves respect. They know what fundamental British values are. They say, ‘They help everyone to stick to the rules.’ Pupils understand that it is important to have a healthy lifestyle. One pupil in the nursery class said that she was making a pretend cake with strawberries and blueberries because she knew it was a healthy choice.

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The Flying High Trust has provided strong support and challenge for leaders. They have been instrumental in the school’s success. They have worked closely with governors. Governors know the school well. They have ensured that the right priorities have been identified for school improvement. Everyone in the school community is positive about what the school has achieved and is determined that it will improve even further.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured that safeguarding is prioritised. All staff receive regular safeguarding training. They know how to identify and report concerns they have about pupils. Detailed records are kept. Leaders take effective action to protect pupils who are at risk. They work closely with families to make sure they get the help they need. External agencies are involved appropriately.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe in a range of everyday situations. They learn about how to keep safe online and have healthy relationships. Pupils know who they would speak to in school if they are worried. 17 and 18 May 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 While pupils with SEND are identified, their wider needs are not always met. As a result, some pupils do not learn as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that provision for these pupils is consistently provided and closely monitored.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils’ behaviour at playtimes and lunchtimes is not as good as it is at other times in the school day. Some pupils are not able to manage their feelings or behave as well as they could. Leaders must ensure that the high expectations of pupils’ behaviour in lessons are replicated while pupils play together.

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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. 17 and 18 May 2022

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Website www.hillsideprimary.com Date of previous inspection 27 September 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school runs a before- and after-school club that is managed by the governing body.  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 that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the leader with responsibility for provision for pupils with SEND and the early years leader.  The lead inspector held meetings with three representatives from the multi- academy trust and members of the governing body, including the chair of the board of trustees and the chair of governors. 17 and 18 May 2022

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, English, science and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils from the lessons visited and looked at pupils’ books.  An inspector also discussed the history curriculum with the subject leader and pupils.  The lead inspector met with the headteacher, who is also the designated safeguarding lead, and the family support worker to discuss safeguarding and to review a sample of safeguarding records. Inspectors also spoke to staff about the school’s arrangements for safeguarding and spoke to pupils about how safe they feel in school. The school’s single central record of employment was checked.  Pupils’ behaviour was observed in lessons and at playtimes and lunchtimes.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and Ofsted Parent View,

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including free-text comments. Inspectors also spoke to parents at the start of the school day.

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Inspection team

Caroline Poole, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Luella Manssen Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 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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