Hemington Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Hemington Primary School Hemington, Radstock, Somerset BA3 5XU

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will therefore be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Hemington Primary School. They say that everyone is friendly and that teachers put them first. As a result, there is a strong sense of belonging. Parents and carers agree. One said, ‘My children are eager and excited to get to school in the mornings. The staff know the children and help them to feel comfortable and safe within school.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Despite this, the quality of education that pupils receive is too inconsistent. In some subjects, pupils do not learn as well as they should. They struggle to remember the most important knowledge. As a result, they do not build a deep understanding of key subject knowledge over time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. There is a calm atmosphere because of this. Pupils say that bullying is ‘not accepted’ and that this makes the school a special place to be. They are confident that if problems do occur, adults will deal with them quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a clear understanding of equality and tolerance and the role these values play in modern life. Pupils enjoy attending the after-school club and take their roles as school prefects seriously.

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

Leaders, including those from the trust, have focused on strengthening school policies and practices, as well as providing training for staff. This is making a difference, particularly in reading. However, in some subjects, leaders have not identified the important knowledge that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), need to learn. This slows the progress that some pupils make. 23 September 2022

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Pupils from across the school enjoy reading. They talk confidently about their favourite authors. Older pupils read a range of texts and do so with increasing fluency and accuracy. Leaders ensure that there is a systematic approach to the teaching of phonics. With the help of the trust, staff benefit from the training they receive to enable them to become effective teachers of reading. If pupils fall behind, they receive additional support to help them catch up quickly. However, some books that pupils are given to read are not matched well enough to the letters and sounds that they are learning. Consequently, pupils find these books too hard to read and this hinders their fluency in reading.

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The mathematics curriculum is well planned and carefully sequenced. This starts in early years. Children recognise numbers well and enjoy the learning activities that teachers plan for them. Pupils build on this good start. They confidently apply their mathematical knowledge to a range of more complex tasks.

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In some other subjects, such as geography, teachers do not routinely check what pupils know and remember. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and are not prepared well enough for new learning.

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Pupils with SEND receive the same curriculum as their peers. While staff understand pupils’ individual needs well, they do not routinely adapt their teaching to help pupils with their learning. This means that some pupils with SEND struggle to access their work and do not learn as well as they should.

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Pupils behave well at social times and have a clear understanding of the systems that are in place to keep them safe. These routines start off in early years. Children play happily and follow the school’s rules well. All pupils enjoy the wide range of activities and equipment on offer to them during these times.

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Pupils’ wider development is well planned. The curriculum helps pupils understand the qualities of a friend and the importance of keeping active. All pupils value the care and emotional support they receive from adults. They know that this helps them to develop their resilience and positive mental health.

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Staff are proud to work at the school and work well as a team. Senior leaders are mindful of staff workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know pupils and families well. Leaders from the trust ensure that staff receive regular training to help them understand their safeguarding responsibilities. Staff are clear about the signs to be alert to that may indicate that a child is at risk. They are vigilant and report concerns quickly. Leaders work well with other agencies to support vulnerable pupils and their families. Governors assure themselves that the culture of safeguarding is secure. 23 September 2022

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Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, both in the real and online world. They are clear about not sharing personal information online and of the importance of sharing any concerns with a trusted adult.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils are not provided with books to read that are well matched to the sounds that they are learning. Consequently, these pupils find their books too hard to read. This holds some pupils back in becoming fluent readers. Leaders need to ensure that the books that pupils read are well matched to the sounds they are learning.  In some of the wider curriculum subjects, leaders have not identified the important knowledge that pupils need to learn. This means that pupils do not learn more and remember more of the curriculum over time. Leaders need to ensure that all subjects identify the knowledge that pupils must learn, and when.  Leaders’ work to develop the use of assessment is not yet complete. Some teachers do not check that all pupils have a clear understanding of what they have been taught previously. This hinders pupils’ ability to learn more of the curriculum. Leaders need to ensure that assessment is used effectively to check on what pupils know and can do,

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

so that they are well prepared for their next stage.  Staff do not routinely adapt their teaching well enough to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. As a result, some pupils with SEND struggle to access their work and do not learn as well as they should. Leaders need to ensure that staff understand how to provide the support that each pupil with SEND needs in order to learn and progress well across the curriculum.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Hemington Primary School, to be good in November 2016. 23 September 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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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. 23 September 2022

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The school is part of the Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership.  The substantive headteacher was not present during the inspection.  The school has provision for two-year-olds, but this was not included in this inspection as the provision was closed.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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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 of the school.  Inspectors met with a senior leader, the special educational needs coordinator, groups of staff and representatives from the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a 23 September 2022

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sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, looked at samples of work and spoke to pupils about their learning.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1 and 2 read to an adult. The lead inspector also listened to pupils in Year 3 read.  Inspectors considered how well the school protects pupils and keeps them safe. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding. The lead inspector also scrutinised the school’s single central record.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, inspectors spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Ben Jordan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Martin Greenwood Ofsted Inspector 23 September 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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