The Heys Primary School

Inspection of a good school: The Heys Primary School Whiteacre Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester OL6 9NS

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 December 2022

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Outcome

The Heys Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that they like coming to The Heys Primary School because teachers are kind and helpful. Pupils trust adults to help them resolve any concerns that they may have. This makes pupils feel safe. Bullying is rare. Should it happen, leaders resolve it quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are polite, keen to learn and care for each other. Pupils understand the importance of treating everyone with respect, regardless of their differences. They know the ‘good to be green’ behaviour code very well. Pupils enjoy the Friday assemblies, when rewards for good work and behaviour are handed out by their teachers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff are determined that all pupils will succeed, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils try hard to live up to these high expectations. Children in the Reception Year, and pupils in key stages 1 and 2, enjoy their lessons and make good progress through the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the many opportunities available to them. For example, pupils spoke enthusiastically about the end of term pantomime. They like the wide range of activities provided through the school’s outdoor learning area. Many pupils benefit from a wide range of enrichment clubs, including sports, music and a quiet club for those who find the playground at lunchtime a bit too noisy.

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

In recent years, leaders and governors have made some significant improvements to the curriculum. Pupils, including pupils with SEND, follow an ambitious curriculum which provides strong foundations in reading and mathematics. The curriculum introduces pupils to a broad range of subjects. The curriculum in the early years is well designed. Leaders and teachers have a secure understanding of what children in the early years need to know so that they are well prepared for the key stage 1 curriculum. 13 and 14 December 2022

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Leaders have designed most subject curriculums well so that pupils build logically on what they have learned before. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders have not defined carefully enough the knowledge that they want pupils to learn. As a result, in these subjects, pupils do not learn some of the building blocks essential for their future learning.

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Across the school, teachers deliver the curriculum well. Children in the Reception Year benefit from well-thought-through approaches to developing their speech, vocabulary and understanding of numbers. Teachers in key stages 1 and 2 have strong subject knowledge. They present information clearly and in ways which pupils respond to enthusiastically. Teachers make regular checks to see how well pupils are developing their understanding. They use this information effectively to address pupils’ misconceptions and provide support for any pupils who have found their learning difficult.

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Governors and leaders recognise the importance of reading for all pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language. Leaders have thought carefully about which high-quality books pupils should read as they move through the school. Governors have invested in buying many new books for the school library. The library is well used by pupils throughout the school day.

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Recently, leaders have made improvements to the phonics curriculum. These improvements mean that pupils, including pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils and those who speak English as an additional language, make strong progress. Well-trained staff support pupils who fall behind with their reading to catch up quickly with their phonics knowledge. As pupils progress through the school, they read with increasing fluency and accuracy.

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Leaders identify the needs of pupils with SEND accurately. Staff are becoming increasingly confident in using the information that leaders provide to support pupils with SEND to learn well. These pupils access all aspects of the curriculum, including the clubs, trips and visits that the school has to offer.

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Children settle quickly into the Reception Year. They listen well and make good use of the attractive indoor and outdoor learning areas. Across the school, pupils are attentive in lessons. Staff support those pupils who find it more difficult to concentrate in lessons effectively.

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Leaders provide many opportunities for pupils to develop personally. Pupils enjoy learning about different cultures and religions. Pupils know the importance of being kind to each other. They learn about diversity, tolerance of differences and how these issues affect their everyday lives.

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Staff appreciate leaders’ efforts to take their workload issues into account. Leaders and governors share a common purpose to promote the well-being of everyone within the community.

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Governors are proud to be part of the school. They understand the school’s context and its challenges very well. They draw on their various areas of expertise to support leaders 13 and 14 December 2022

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to provide the best possible opportunities for the pupils of The Heys Primary School.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders take their safeguarding responsibilities very seriously. They are well informed about the issues that pupils may face. Leaders and staff know pupils and their families very well. Staff are well trained to spot the signs that pupils may be at risk of harm. They report any safeguarding concerns quickly so that pupils can get the timely help that they need. Staff work closely with other agencies where needed.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, pupils learn how to keep safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, leaders have not defined clearly enough what they want pupils to learn. As a result, pupils do not learn some of the building blocks essential for future learning. Leaders should ensure that in these subjects, they carefully set out what they want pupils to learn. Leaders should ensure that pupils know and remember these important aspects of 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 school to be good in June 2017.

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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. 13 and 14 December 2022

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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. 13 and 14 December 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Arati Patel-Mistry

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 June 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not use any alternative provision.

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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 his evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, other leaders and a range of teaching and support staff. The inspector spoke with three members of the local governing body, including the chair and vice-chair of governors.  The inspector spoke with the school improvement partner and a representative of the local authority.  As part of this inspection, the inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. The inspector met with subject leaders, visited some lessons, looked at pupils’ work and spoke with pupils and teachers. The inspector observed individual pupils reading to their teachers. 13 and 14 December 2022

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 The inspector met with groups of pupils from Years 2 to 6. The inspector also observed breaktime and lunchtime.  The inspector checked the school’s safeguarding procedures and the checks made on staff. The inspector met with leaders, staff and pupils to evaluate the culture of safeguarding.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including those relating to the school development plans, self-evaluation documents, curriculum documentation and behaviour records.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.  The inspector also considered the views of the parents and carers who responded to Ofsted Parent View. This included the comments received via the free-text facility.

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Inspection team

Timothy Gartside, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 December 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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