Halsford Park Primary School

Inspection of Halsford Park Primary School Manor Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 1LR

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 November 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 22 and 23 November 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils fully embrace the school’s values of responsibility, respect, courage and compassion. The values permeate through all of school life. Pupils show remarkable levels of understanding and empathy towards new children who arrive at the school having experienced varying cultural and life experiences. Pupils know who they can talk to if they have any worries. They appreciate and use their class ‘worry boxes’ and know that staff always help them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff explicitly link the values to their high expectations for behaviour and learning. Pupils are encouraged to behave well. They know that bullying is unacceptable and that if it occurs, staff deal with it swiftly and effectively. Pupils appreciate their clear learning routines and how they link with the school’s values. As a result, they work hard in their lessons and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are many positions of responsibility available. Pupils show pride in carrying out their duties on the school council and as prefects. They know they have a strong voice in the school and that they are listened to. Their recent suggestions have been acted on by leaders. This has included a subtle adjustment to how pupils can ask for help in lessons or with their behaviour.

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better?

This school has strong leadership at all levels. Trustees, governors and school leaders share a clear ambition for pupils to achieve well. Expertise from across the trust is used well to provide staff with extensive professional development opportunities and continually drive improvement.

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better?

Leaders are building strength across many areas of the curriculum. This is particularly the case with mathematics and reading, where many pupils achieve well by the end of Year 6. In all subjects there is a clear sequence of what pupils need to learn and remember, starting from the Reception Year. However, in a few subjects some curriculum changes are very recent and subject champions are still in the process of embedding and checking the impact of these changes.

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better?

Most pupils are supported well when they are learning to read. Staff training has resulted in consistency in phonics teaching. Younger pupils have appropriate reading books and they are able to use their phonic strategies to read with increasing fluency. However, some older pupils do not receive effective targeted support with their reading. This also includes some pupils who speak English as an additional language.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge and feel well supported by the subject champions. Across the curriculum, there is a clear emphasis on the use of subject- specific vocabulary. Teachers routinely check what pupils can remember about their previous learning and then use that information to adapt their teaching 22 and 23 November 2022

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appropriately. This includes making appropriate adjustments for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In many subjects, this results in pupils being able to recall and make clear links between learning. In a few subjects, this is not as evident due to recent curriculum changes.

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The curriculum in early years is well considered. It is built around what children need to learn ready for Year 1 as well as their needs and interests. Planned activities mostly ensure that children develop their skills across all areas of learning. Staff skilfully encourage talk through role play and by modelling conversations in whole sentences. The recent learning about ‘people who help us’ included visits from the fire service and medical professionals. Teachers use these visits to promote and develop children’s language and communication skills.

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Leaders have an unwavering belief in inclusion and equality of opportunity. The impact of this is far reaching. Teachers have the necessary knowledge to accurately identify pupils with SEND and support them with curriculum adaptation. In addition, leaders work relentlessly to ensure that all pupils have access to wider opportunities. Their actions include detailed analysis of take-up in terms of clubs and trips. They work to ensure that pupils’ talents and interests are celebrated and built on through support in many ways. The club offer is routinely reviewed and adapted in terms of timings, cost and necessary equipment. Consideration is given to the needs of pupils with SEND and how they can be fully included.

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Pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. As a result, pupils show high levels of resilience. They enjoy being challenged and have a measured view about how making mistakes helps with their learning, rather than feeling demotivated. Pupils are incredibly knowledgeable and accepting about differing faiths and cultures. They are unequivocal in their belief that their school is a fair and welcoming place for all.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong school-wide understanding about the importance of safeguarding. Staff receive regular training and are confident at being able to identify and report any concerns. Leaders are diligent in the way they analyse and follow up these concerns. They show tenacity when securing support from other agencies and in then checking that families receive the help they need. Pupils know how to identify risk and the measures they can take to keep themselves safe, particularly regarding their online activity. Governors have robust procedures to check the effectiveness of the school’s safeguarding procedures. 22 and 23 November 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few foundation subjects, the curriculum has recently been reviewed and updated. As a result, pupils cannot always remember key knowledge and make links with their previous learning. Leaders need to embed the teaching of clearly sequenced knowledge and skills in these subjects.  Support for pupils who need extra help with their reading is not always targeted precisely enough on the specific gaps in their learning. This means that these pupils are not catching up quickly enough. Leaders should ensure that reading interventions are focused and effective.

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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. 22 and 23 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10242053 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.halsfordparkprimaryschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 June 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school converted to academy status in 2014 and is part of the Partners in Learning Academy Trust.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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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

 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.  The lead inspector met with representatives from the local governing body, the board of trustees, the trust’s Chief Executive Officer and the Director of Education.  The inspection team carried out deep dives into these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, science and physical education. To do this, they met with 22 and 23 November 2022

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subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, had discussions with staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work.  Pupils across the school were observed reading to a familiar adult by the lead inspector.  Inspectors talked to pupils from different year groups about their learning and experiences at school.  The views of staff and parents were gathered through discussions and Ofsted’s online surveys. One of the inspection team also spoke to parents at the start of the first day of the inspection.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors checked the single central record of recruitment checks, talked to leaders responsible for safeguarding and looked at the school’s safeguarding records and documents. Inspectors also talked to a range of staff and pupils about safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Kate Fripp, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Lorraine Clarke Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 November 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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