Hart Primary School

Inspection of Hart Primary School Magdalene Drive, Hart Village, Hartlepool TS27 3AP

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 October 2022

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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 Outstanding 18 and 19 October 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Hart Primary School are polite, friendly and welcoming. At playtimes they enjoy spending time with friends and playing the range of games available. Pupils say they feel safe in school. This is because adults are always available to listen and help.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils show that they understand the school rules in all that they do. Incidents of bullying are rare. Pupils say they talk to a trusted adult when they have worries. They know that repeated unkind behaviour is classed as bullying. Pupils say that bullying does not happen in school. They know that teachers would sort it out if it did.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour in class and around school is positive. This is because staff know how to support all pupils well. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff ensure that pupils’ learning is not disrupted.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff expect the best from pupils. Pupils respect their teachers and try hard to do well in lessons. They are supported to do their best by adults. Pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are many opportunities to develop pupils’ character. Many pupils enjoy attending art, dance and multi-skills sports club. Pupils understand what it means to be a caring citizen. They enjoy fundraising for charities such as the NSPCC.

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better?

There have been changes to the leadership team since the last inspection. Leaders have maintained their focus on improving the curriculum. They have continued to make changes to the curriculum considering pupils’ gaps in knowledge after periods of remote learning. Leaders want all pupils to succeed. In most subjects, the curriculum builds pupils’ knowledge well from early years through to Year 6. Educational visits and involvement in the ‘Trust Pupil Parliament’ support pupils' development to become caring citizens.

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better?

The curriculum is well established in most subjects. This includes mathematics, early reading and English. Leaders provide teachers with the support they need to teach most subjects well. Subject plans make clear the content to teach and revisit so that pupils remember essential knowledge. In most subjects, teachers introduce new learning after checking that pupils have remembered prior knowledge first. In subjects such as mathematics, pupils talk confidently about what they know and understand. They make appropriate links to new knowledge.

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better?

In most foundation subjects, such as art and design, the curriculum clearly states the knowledge that pupils should learn. Staff knowledge is strong. Teachers ensure learning activities match the taught content. The curriculum is adapted well for 18 and 19 October 2022

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pupils with SEND. In a small number of subjects, including history, the exact knowledge pupils should be taught is not specified. As a result, teachers do not know the essential knowledge pupils must remember over time. This slows the progress that pupils make in these subjects.

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All staff teach pupils to read using a consistent approach to phonics. Children start to learn the sounds that letters make in Reception. In Nursery, children listen to and sing nursery rhymes. They enjoy doing the actions to nursery rhymes such as ‘Once I caught a fish alive’. Teachers assess pupils’ reading often. Pupils who are struggling to read receive help to make sure they keep up with everyone else. Reading books match pupils’ knowledge of phonics. Pupils read with confidence and accuracy. They say they enjoy reading. In early years, books such as ‘Barbara throws a wobbler’ by Nadia Shireen help children to talk about strong emotions. Adults know how to help children cope with these emotions.

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In early years, adults make sure children use and understand identified vocabulary they must learn. Adults model well respect and politeness through experiences like ‘family dining’. Nursery children sit at a table to eat their lunch together. They are polite and use cutlery carefully as they eat.

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Sometimes pupils receive support from adults to ensure they are ready to learn. Staff work well with pupils to manage their behaviour, so they focus well on their learning. Pupils appreciate the pastoral support in school. After a holiday break, some pupils write their concerns on notes. They are confident talking to trusted adults about how they are feeling. Pupils say this helps them to feel safe.

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Leaders promote pupils’ personal development well. They have thought carefully about contextual issues pupils may face. As a result, pupils understand water and bicycle safety. Pupils see themselves as ‘agents of change’. They visit the local food bank and collect groceries for people in the local community. Pupils lead on initiatives like recycling to improve the local environment.

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Governors use their knowledge and expertise to support and challenge leaders effectively. Staff are proud to work in this school that has a ‘family feel’. They say their workload is well supported by leaders. Some parents say leaders do not communicate well enough about the positive support in place to help pupils in the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure staff are trained so they can identify pupils who may be at risk of harm. Leaders act quickly to get the right support for pupils. They work with other professionals when necessary. Staff understand the important role that they play in keeping pupils safe. Leaders ensure that all the necessary checks are made for adults who work in the school. 18 and 19 October 2022

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Through the curriculum, pupils learn about the potential risk to their safety and how to manage them. They have strong knowledge about how to stay safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few foundation subjects, leaders have not precisely identified the substantive and disciplinary knowledge that pupils should learn. In these subjects, teachers do not know the specific knowledge that pupils must know. As a result, pupils are not achieving as well as they should. Leaders must continue to develop the content of the curriculum in detail and ensure teachers receive support to teach the revised curriculums.  Some parents feel that leaders do not keep them informed well enough about how their children are doing or about issues they have raised. Leaders need to ensure they communicate with parents, the work they are doing and the support they are giving pupils.

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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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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. 18 and 19 October 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10240573 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 October 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  A new executive teacher and a new headteacher have been appointed since the last inspection.  The school has not previously been inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the chief executive officer of the trust, the executive headteacher, headteacher, curriculum leaders and staff to discuss the quality of education. The lead inspector held meetings online with representatives of the trust and the local governing body, including the chair. 18 and 19 October 2022

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design, and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited samples of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work.  The lead inspector also looked at curriculum plans in geography, and design and technology.  The lead inspector scrutinised documents relating to safeguarding, attendance and behaviour records and spoke to the school and trust’s designated safeguarding leaders.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and spoke to parents. The views of staff and pupils were considered from meetings and from their responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Kathryn McDonald, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Louise Mallin Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 October 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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