Thomas Hinderwell Primary Academy

Inspection of Thomas Hinderwell Primary Academy Seamer Road, Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO12 4HF

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Inadequate 7 and 8 February 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

There have been many changes at Thomas Hinderwell Primary Academy. Pupils spoken to say they are happy here. They say that the school is better now. Attendance has significantly improved. Many pupils say they enjoy coming to school every day.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders recognised that much needed to be improved in the school. They worked swiftly and effectively to develop a curriculum that is broad and exciting. In some subjects, such as geography, they have ensured that the content matches or exceeds national curriculum expectations. This has, in part, led to improving outcomes for pupils. However, there is more to do to ensure that this content is taught consistently and effectively in all classes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is an inclusive school. Leaders ensure that all pupils joining the school are welcomed and supported. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn alongside their peers. They value the range of supportive resources, such as ‘speech to text’ software, they can use to help them to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have implemented new systems and policies to improve behaviour. These are having some impact and behaviour in lessons and around school is usually calm. This is not always the case at more unstructured times of the school day. Some pupils say that they do not always feel safe at these times. Leaders are starting to address this. They know that there is more to do to ensure that behaviour on the playground improves.

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better?

Leaders have made strong progress to address the weaknesses identified at the previous inspection. They have introduced a curriculum, for all subjects, that clearly identifies the important knowledge that they want pupils to learn. This has been planned to build progressively from the early years across the school.

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better?

The trust ensures that teachers have support to plan sequences of learning which focus on important subject content and vocabulary. There is still, however, some variability in how teachers adapt these plans to meet the needs of all pupils. At times, this leads to pupils becoming disengaged with learning. In other lessons, teachers do not always identify pupils who do not understand or have misconceptions about the learning.

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better?

Pupils are taught to read well. The school’s chosen phonics programme is implemented consistently and effectively from the early years. In nursery, children are taught to listen carefully. This helps them to be ready to learn the letter sounds as soon as they start in Reception class. Staff are well trained in phonics. They support pupils to read unknown words using consistent prompts and vocabulary. Pupils read books that contain sounds and words that they are learning in lessons. 7 and 8 February 2023

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Pupils who are finding reading difficult receive some extra support. However, this is not consistently planned to ensure they have sufficient opportunity to catch up with their peers.

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As pupils become more fluent, they read ambitious texts in daily reading lessons. Some teachers model reading to the pupils with expression and enjoyment. Where this happens, pupils enjoy these texts. However, this is not consistent across all classes. Leaders know there is more to do to promote reading in school. Some classes visit the school library regularly or read class books. Some pupils read regularly at home and enjoy entering the school incentive system to win reading prizes. However, others do not read regularly or widely enough.

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Children in the early years get off to a great start. This is due to the well-planned curriculum being used effectively by skilled and caring staff. Everyone is clear about what they want pupils to learn. They support children to talk about their learning and use new vocabulary. The activities, both inside and outside the classroom, are engaging and interesting.

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Pupils with SEND receive timely and effective support. Leaders ensure that targets for learning are clear and well understood. Pupils who find it difficult to regulate their behaviour can work in the ‘academic support unit’. This is a quiet place where pupils can go to calm down and refocus on their work. Leaders recognise there is more to do to ensure that staff and pupils understand that this is a positive area for learning.

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Following the last inspection, leaders have developed the personal development curriculum. Pupils have regular lessons to support their understanding of important concepts such as tolerance and equality. This helps them to appreciate the difference and diversity of the school’s changing population. Pupils can join a growing range of clubs and activities, including football, Lego and crochet club.

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Trust leaders and governors work well with school leaders. They share the same ambition and passion to improve the school quickly. They recognise the positive journey that the school has been on and have addressed issues quickly and effectively. Parents do not always share this positive view. They would appreciate more information about the improvements being made.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are very clear about the risks that pupils face both in the local area and online. They ensure that staff are well trained and knowledgeable about these risks. Systems to identify and record any concerns are understood and used well. Leaders act on these concerns quickly and effectively. Parents spoken to are positive about the support that they receive from the school. 7 and 8 February 2023

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Pupils have an impressive understanding of how to keep themselves safe. They are clear about online safety and safe and unsafe friendships.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, teachers do not implement the curriculum as leaders intend. For example, in some lessons, teachers move on too quickly and do not identify when pupils do not understand new learning. This means that pupils often do not remember important learning. Leaders must monitor the effectiveness of the curriculum more closely to ensure that teachers are supported to use planned approaches consistently.  Teachers do not always consider pupils’ needs and starting points when planning teaching activities. Adaptations to teaching do not always consider pupils’ prior knowledge sufficiently well. This means that some pupils are not challenged to learn more broadly and develop their knowledge over time. Leaders need to ensure that teachers know how to plan lessons that meet the needs of all pupils and take into account their different starting points.  Leaders have not ensured that their vision for improving behaviour is clear,

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

cohesive, and well understood by pupils, staff and parents. This means that the different approaches are not used effectively to improve behaviour and support pupils. Therefore, they do not always have the impact that leaders intend. Further clarity is needed to ensure everyone understands how pupils should be supported to improve their behaviour and that systems and practices are used consistently.  Pupils do not always say that they feel safe at more unstructured times of the school day. This is because a small minority of pupils do not show respect and care for others. Leaders should ensure that these pupils are supported to develop respect, tolerance and kindness towards others.

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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. 7 and 8 February 2023

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5

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. 7 and 8 February 2023

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 May 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection the school has undergone changes in leadership. A head of school has been appointed to work with the executive headteacher. A vice- principal and two assistant principals are also in post. An academy scrutiny committee has been formed to work with the school and the trust.  Thomas Hinderwell Primary Academy joined the David Ross Education Trust in November 2013.  The school has a nursery provision for three- and four-year-old children who attend part time.  The school has a breakfast 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

In accordance with section 13(5) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief 7 and 8 February 2023

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Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement.

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 This is 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.  Prior to the inspection, the lead inspector reviewed documents on the school’s website as well as published information about the school’s performance and previous Ofsted inspections.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, the head of school, the vice- principal, other senior leaders from the school and the trust and the special educational needs coordinator. Meetings were also held with the early years leader, subject leaders and class teachers.  The lead inspector met with members of the David Ross Education Learning Trust and representatives of the academy scrutiny committee.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into reading, physical education, geography and mathematics. For each deep dive, inspectors looked at curriculum planning,

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conducted joint lesson visits with leaders, spoke to pupils, and looked at pupils’ books and samples of their work.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms, around the school and at playtime and lunchtime. They spoke with pupils about their views on the school and their learning, behaviour and safety.  During the inspection, a range of safeguarding information was scrutinised, including the school’s policies and records. Inspectors spoke to pupils and observed relationships between pupils and adults. The lead inspector also met with the designated safeguarding leads.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff and Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. This included comments received via the free-text facility.

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Inspection team

Andrea Batley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ruth Beckett Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 February 2023

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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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