Salterhebble Junior and Infant School

Inspection of a good school: Salterhebble Junior and Infant School Stafford Square, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX3 0AU

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Inspection dates: 29 and 30 November 2022

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Outcome

Salterhebble Junior and Infant School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to Salterhebble Junior and Infant School. They try hard to follow the school values of independence, confidence, aspiration, resilience, respect and excellence. They are proud to wear the hummingbird badge which represents these values. Leaders have high aspirations for every pupil. They encourage everyone to ‘dream it, believe it, achieve it’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum is broad and interesting. Pupils enjoy learning and discussing what they know. Teachers help pupils learn the vocabulary they need to do this well. This helps them to learn more. Assessment is used well in some subjects but needs developing in others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour in lessons is good. Bullying is extremely rare. Staff address any poor behaviour effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

At breaktimes, leaders provide a range of activities for pupils, both outside and in quiet indoor spaces. For example, pupils read indoors or take part in activities such as skipping or dodgeball that are organised by play leaders outdoors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils play an important role in the local community. School councillors have recently taken part in a forum to improve road safety in the local area. Members of the school choir are looking forward to performing at the local hospital’s planned Christmas market.

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

Leaders have made significant improvements to the curriculum. Every subject has been broken down into small, well-sequenced steps. This helps teachers know what to teach and when. Leaders look at research and good practice to help them choose resources and training for staff. Although curriculum revisions are recent, they are already having a positive impact, especially in reading and mathematics. 29 and 30 November 2022

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Lessons buzz with excitement. Pupils like completing practical work and explaining what they know. Teachers expect pupils to use the correct vocabulary. Pupils have sophisticated discussions about their learning. Teachers use a range of resources to help pupils understand new learning and provide help when needed. This ensures that all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn well.

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Staff receive detailed information about pupils with SEND and know how to support them adequately. Pupils with SEND follow the same curriculum as their peers. They receive extra support when necessary.

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Staff in the early years are skilled at helping children to learn the phonic sounds they need to know. As a result, children get off to a flying start in reading. Reading books match the sounds that pupils already know. This helps them to read with confidence and enjoyment. Leaders provide many opportunities for pupils to enjoy reading. Teachers read to pupils every day. Pupils make good use of the well-stocked and comfortable reading area at lunchtimes. Pupils enjoy completing the ‘fifty book challenge’. This helps them to engage with a wide range of authors and interesting books.

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In reading and mathematics lessons, teachers routinely and systematically check pupils’ work. They use assessment effectively to plan lessons. Staff provide precise feedback so that pupils know how to improve. This helps pupils to achieve the aims of the curriculum. Assessment is not developed as well in some subjects. In these subjects, teachers do not identify gaps in pupils’ learning precisely. Leaders have identified this as a priority for improvement.

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Pupils are taught to value and appreciate diversity. They know it is not fair to be unkind to someone just because they are different. They learn about role models such as Marcus Rashford. They admire how he uses his position as a famous footballer to help others. Pupils learn about the wider world when they support local and national charities. They know why their help is needed.

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There are many opportunities for pupils to try new things and to follow their interests. They learn to play musical instruments, have singing lessons and/or take part in a range of sports. After-school and lunchtime clubs include ‘mad about musicals’, netball, cross- country running, arts and crafts, and computing.

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Teachers plan visits that provide interesting learning experiences for pupils. For example, on a geography visit to Hebden Bridge, they travelled by bus, train and canal boat. Year 5 pupils enjoyed and gained more independence during their residential visit to an outdoor activity centre.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that all staff are suitable to work with children. 29 and 30 November 2022

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All staff receive regular safeguarding training and updates. They are alert to any signs that pupils may be at risk. Leaders follow up concerns swiftly and seek help from outside agencies when necessary. They work hard to involve parents and carers to make sure that pupils are safe.

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Leaders make sure that pupils know how to stay safe, including online. They arrange visits from specialist organisations, such as the police, to reinforce important messages. Leaders provide useful information for parents to help them keep their children safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In subjects other than English and mathematics, assessment is in the early stages of development. Teachers do not identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge precisely. Leaders should ensure that effective assessment is embedded 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2012.

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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. 29 and 30 November 2022

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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. 29 and 30 November 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Andrew Bottomley

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School details

Website www.salterhebble.calderdale.sch.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 June 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher and deputy headteachers have been appointed to their posts since the previous ungraded inspection in June 2017.  The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the two deputy headteachers, the reading leader, the two mathematics leaders and the art and design subject leader.  The inspector met with members of the governing body.  A telephone call was held with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector met with a group of girls and a separate group of boys.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, and art and design. These included meeting with senior leaders, subject leaders and teachers, looking at 29 and 30 November 2022

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curriculum plans, visiting lessons, speaking to pupils about their learning and scrutinising pupils’ work.  The inspector observed pupils in key stages 1 and 2 read to a familiar adult.  The arrangements for safeguarding were checked. This included checks on the single central record, staff training and safeguarding records. The inspector also talked to the designated safeguarding leads.  The inspector discussed the school’s records on attendance and behaviour with the headteacher.  The school’s self-evaluation document and plans for improvement were reviewed.  The inspector talked informally with pupils and considered the responses to the Ofsted pupil survey.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. The inspector also considered the responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Janet Keefe, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 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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