Heyes Lane Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Heyes Lane Primary School Crofton Avenue, Timperley, Altrincham, Cheshire WA15 6BZ

p.1

Inspection dates: 22 and 23 November 2022

p.1

Outcome

Heyes Lane Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They feel well cared for and safe. Pupils, parents, carers and staff agree that this is a warm, kind and welcoming school. The school’s core beliefs, such as achievement for all and personal growth, are threaded throughout the curriculum. Pupils said that this is a fantastic school where everyone is welcome.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ academic performance and their behaviour. Pupils live up to these aspirations in and out of class. Pupils take pride in their work and they achieve well. Pupils relish the rewards that they receive for their achievements, their positive attitudes and their kind behaviour.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers manage pupils’ behaviour fairly and consistently. Children in early years and older pupils learn to manage their emotions well. Disagreements are quickly resolved. Leaders act quickly on the rare occasions when bullying does occur. They are successful in working closely with the pupils involved and their families to make sure that such behaviour does not continue.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are encouraged to be socially aware and responsible citizens. They are involved in charity events and environmental causes. For example, they made an excellent contribution to the recycling campaign in Timperley. Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs and activities, such as yoga, hockey and Spanish.

p.1

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

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. Since the previous inspection they have thoughtfully designed a suitable curriculum that covers early years to Year 6. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is broad, balanced and matches the ambition of the national curriculum. In most subjects, leaders have identified the key knowledge that pupils should learn. They have also thought about when pupils should learn this subject content. This helps teachers to design learning that builds up pupils’ understanding over time. In a 22 and 23 November 2022

p.1

2

small number of subjects, however, leaders’ curricular thinking is not as well developed. As a result, pupils do not logically build their knowledge over time.

p.2

2

Leaders have invested in training and development, so that teachers are well equipped to deliver the curriculum. Teachers have the expert knowledge that they need to teach most subjects effectively. Mostly teachers help pupils to remember what they have learned. However, in some subjects, teachers do not check how well pupils have understood what they have been taught over time. This means teachers are not fully aware of pupils’ misconceptions. At times, this leads to gaps in pupils’ knowledge.

p.2

2

Leaders have prioritised reading across the school. Teachers in the early years and in Year 1 have the expertise that they need to ensure that the phonics programme helps pupils to build their phonics knowledge. As a result, most pupils become fluent and confident readers. However, the support that some older pupils receive to help them catch up is not effective enough. This hinders their progress.

p.2

2

Leaders have invested in a wide range of reading books that match pupils’ reading abilities and interests. Teachers skilfully choose texts to read in class that enhance pupils’ understanding in other subjects.

p.2

2

Leaders identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly. Teachers understand the needs of pupils with SEND. They adapt their teaching to help these pupils learn the same ambitious curriculum as others. This helps them to achieve well.

p.2

2

Pupils’ personal development is central to pupils’ education. In the ‘Be the Best Me’ lessons, pupils learn about relationships and sex education and health education in an age-appropriate way. In the ethical and active lessons, pupils learn about British values, such as tolerance and democracy. Pupils develop their interests and talents in the wide range of clubs and activities outside lessons. Pupils with SEND participate fully.

p.2

2

Pupils, including the children in early years, behave in a calm, orderly and respectful manner in and out of class. This means that little learning time is lost in lessons. Teachers reward pupils when they catch them being kind and helpful. Children in early years share and play alongside others well. Older pupils across the school get actively involved in their learning. They respect each other’s contributions.

p.2

2

Leaders ensure that staff have opportunities to share their practice. This supports their workload pressures. The staff’s well-being focus group is devising a well-being charter. Staff said that this is a happy place to work.

p.2

2

Governors keep good oversight of the school. They visit the school regularly and work with school leaders well to reinforce the school’s vision and values. 22 and 23 November 2022

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders have effective systems in place to report and record safeguarding concerns. Staff are well trained and vigilant. Leaders know the pupils and their families well. They make sure that they keep close contact with external safeguarding providers. As a result, pupils at risk are provided with the right support in a timely way.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils receive age-appropriate guidance to help them keep safe online. The school supports pupils’ mental health with professional counselling and calm spaces.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, leaders’ curriculum thinking is not fully developed. This means that teachers are not clear about what pupils should be taught and when this should happen. This prevents some pupils from building on their previous learning in a logical manner. Leaders should ensure that they finalise their curriculum design in these subjects.  In some subjects, teachers are not equipped to check how well pupils have understood their learning over time. This leads to gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Leaders should ensure that teachers have the skills and expertise to identify pupils’ misconceptions, so that they can know and remember more.  The support that is in place to help pupils to catch up with reading is not effective enough. This means that some pupils, especially those in key stage 2 who find reading difficult, do not develop the reading fluency that they need to be successful. Leaders

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

should ensure that staff are suitably trained to help pupils overcome gaps in their phonics knowledge, so that they can catch up with their peers.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2013. 22 and 23 November 2022

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 22 and 23 November 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10226158 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

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

p.5

Information about this school

 There are two acting deputy headteachers on the senior leadership team.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.  The chair of the governing body took up post in 2021.

p.5

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 spoke with the headteacher and other senior leaders. They also spoke with the chair and vice-chair of the governing body. Inspectors spoke with representatives from the local authority.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including the single central record and leaders’ safeguarding records.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics physical education and history. They talked with curriculum leaders of these subject areas. The inspectors also 22 and 23 November 2022

p.5

6

visited lessons, reviewed pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and talked with pupils. Inspectors also observed pupils reading.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms and as they moved around school. They also observed the pupils’ behaviour at lunchtime. Inspectors spoke with pupils about their experiences at the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. They also met with some parents to find out their views of the school. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire. There were no responses to the pupil questionnaire.

p.6

Inspection team

Zarina Connolly, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Sue Dymond Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 November 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7