Hartington CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Hartington CofE Primary School The Dale, Hartington, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 0AS

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to this school. Pupils, parents and carers, and staff describe it as a friendly and caring school. The pupils are a credit to the school. They are respectful and kind to each other. Adults have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils respond well to these. They are focused on their learning and classrooms are calm. Playground buddies, the head boy and head girl, and members of the school council enjoy the responsibilities they are given.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the importance of upholding the school’s values. They demonstrate these values in a variety of ways. However, pupils are less clear about how these relate to British values and life in modern Britain.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in school. They say bullying is very rare. They are confident that any occurrence would be sorted out quickly. If pupils have a concern or a worry, they are confident that adults in school will listen and help them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are taught the full range of subjects within the national curriculum. However, leaders have not made sure that pupils’ learning is carefully planned across every subject. When pupils’ learning does not build on what they already know, pupils struggle to remember what they have been taught.

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

Leaders have set out what pupils should know by the end of each unit or year. However, in some subjects, they have not identified precisely what pupils need to learn and by when. The sequence of learning is not clear in all subjects. Teachers do not always make sure that pupils build on their prior knowledge when learning new things. 14 February 2023

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Teachers and staff work together closely to support each pupils’ needs. They provide pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) with appropriate resources to help them learn. By doing this, all pupils can access the curriculum offered. Many parents appreciate the support their children receive.

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Leaders are developing the reading culture in school. Pupils say they enjoy reading, since they ‘can escape into a different world’. They read high-quality reading books that are well matched to their ability. They are widening their knowledge of different authors. Pupils were keen to discuss the recent visit from an author and the books she has written.

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Leaders introduced a new phonics scheme last year. All staff have had training to deliver this scheme. However, staff expectations of what pupils are capable of are not consistently high. Leaders have not ensured that there is a consistent approach to teaching the sounds that letters make. Sometimes, adults pronounce the sounds incorrectly and then pupils make the same mistakes. This is particularly true for pupils who struggle to read.

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Pupils achieve well in mathematics. Teachers know exactly what they want pupils to learn and in what order. They build on pupils’ knowledge to plan new learning. They ensure that any gaps in pupils’ knowledge of mathematics are addressed. Teachers’ explanations are clear. They use questioning well to deepen pupils’ understanding of key concepts and skills. Pupils have opportunities to explain their thinking and to solve problems. During these lessons, expectations are high for all pupils, including for pupils with SEND.

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The school promotes some aspects of pupils’ personal development effectively. There is a range of clubs on offer to pupils, including cooking and a variety of sports clubs. Pupils enjoy the strong links the school has with the local community and the park rangers. However, pupils’ understanding of different cultures, beliefs and lifestyles is fragile. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about their visit to a Hindu temple. However, they were not able to remember information about other places of worship.

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Leaders, including governors, have not ensured that they have done everything that they should. Some policies and procedures are out of date. Leaders do not always monitor how well additional funding is used to support pupils’ education. Governors have not ensured that parents have been consulted about the school’s policy for relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education. The policy is not available on the school’s website.

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Staff value leaders’ support for their workload and well-being. They are a close team who work well together. Staff welcome and appreciate the training that leaders provide to help staff improve their practice.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils say they feel safe in school and parents agree. Leaders ensure that all adults who work at school are eligible to do so. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They say they trust adults in school to help them if they are worried or have a concern. Leaders 14 February 2023

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work closely with external agencies to ensure that pupils and families get the support they need.

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Systems for recording safeguarding concerns are not always clear. Sometimes the actions taken by leaders are not recorded accurately. This leads to gaps in some pupils’ safeguarding records.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders do not ensure that staff have high expectations of what pupils can achieve when learning phonics. Staff do not always model the sounds that letters make accurately. Some pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read make errors when sounding out letters. Other pupils are ready to move on to the next phase. Leaders should ensure that staff who teach the phonics programme do so consistently and effectively for the benefit of all pupils.  In some subjects, leaders have not designed a well-thought-out curriculum. The key knowledge that pupils need to know and remember in these subjects is not identified precisely or sequenced well. Teachers decide for themselves what pupils need to learn in order to reach the identified end points. Learning in these subjects is not progressive. Pupils do not learn as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum in these subjects is planned carefully and sequenced logically to ensure that

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

pupils’ knowledge builds over time.  Pupils are tolerant of others’ views and opinions. However, their understanding of the protected characteristics is not secure. Pupils cannot easily recall information about different faiths, cultures or lifestyles. Leaders should ensure that these experiences are part of the school’s curriculum and the personal development offer.  Leaders, including governors, are not fulfilling all their statutory responsibilities. They do not have a precise-enough oversight of key aspects of the provision, including pupils’ safeguarding records, leaders’ use of additional funding and the school’s RSE and health education policy. Governors must provide the necessary support so that leaders can fulfil their responsibilities consistently.

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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. 14 February 2023

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This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2013.

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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.

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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. 14 February 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.hartington.derbyshire.sch.uk

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Date of previous inspection

17 October 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of the services of any alternative provision.  The school is a Church of England school. The last section 48 inspection of the school’s religious character took place in November 2017.

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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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders.  The lead inspector met with two members of the governing body, including the chair. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work. 14 February 2023

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 Inspectors spoke with parents. Account was taken of the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. They also spoke with groups of pupils and staff.  Inspectors met with leaders to discuss safeguarding. They met with staff to discuss their understanding of the safeguarding risks and reviewed the school’s procedures to keep pupils safe. Inspectors considered documentation relating to safeguarding, the school’s single central record and the system for undertaking checks on new staff.

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Inspection team

Heidi Malliff, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Paul Lowther Ofsted Inspector 14 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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