Hurst Drive Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Hurst Drive Primary School Hurst Drive, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire EN8 8DH

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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 welcome visitors with friendly smiles and kindness. They have curious attitudes, and many have lovely manners. Pupils are keen to work hard and love getting praise when they have tried their hardest. The youngest pupils in the school show good listening skills and they get on well with each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most teachers have high expectations, and most pupils respond well to this. Pupils are well cared for. They show a caring attitude towards others. They understand that some pupils need more help to manage their emotions or behaviour. Pupils say that bullying does happen, but that teachers help them to sort this out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning a wide range of subjects. However, pupils have not achieved as well as they should in all subjects because the quality of teaching has been inconsistent.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of the extra jobs they have. For instance, some Year 6 pupils help and play with younger pupils at playtime. Other pupils are on the school council and enjoy making decisions about the school. Pupils enjoy attending the variety of clubs on offer.

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

Leaders have prioritised the redevelopment of aspects of the curriculum planning this year. In some curriculum subjects, new curriculum plans are in the early stages of being embedded. In these subjects, teachers use lesson plans to build on pupils’ learning from one lesson to the next. However, pupils have not always had effective teaching in these subjects. Changes in staffing have added to this inconsistency. This means that pupils do not remember important knowledge or use it as confidently as they should. 2 and 3 February 2023

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In subjects where leaders’ planning and curriculum thinking are more established, most pupils achieve well over time. This is because leaders have identified the knowledge pupils need to learn. They ensure that it is taught in an order that builds on what pupils already know and can do. Leaders have checked to make sure that teachers are focusing on teaching the most important subject knowledge. Teachers check pupils’ understanding in these subjects regularly. In these subjects, teachers ensure that pupils have enough opportunities to revisit and practise using important subject knowledge so that they remember it easily.

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Leaders ensure there is a focus on early reading. In Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, pupils have daily phonics lessons. These are matched well to the sounds that pupils need to learn and practise. In lessons, pupils recall, learn and practise the sounds that make up words. Many children in Reception do not know the sounds and words expected for their age. These children have extra teaching throughout the day to help them catch up.

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Pupils learn about diversity. They know that they should be kind and considerate to others. They understand different types of families. They can explain, in an age- appropriate way, why racism and homophobia are not acceptable.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) usually learn with their peers in the classroom. Some pupils with more complex needs get the help they need to make progress with learning. However, teachers do not always meet the needs of other pupils with SEND effectively. They do not always successfully adapt their teaching to help them learn well. As a result, some pupils with SEND can struggle with learning and sometimes show this through challenging behaviour.

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In the early years, children learn routines that help them to become confident and independent learners. Children are excited but remain focused when they work independently. Adults provide a wide and interesting choice of learning activities. These help children develop their language, reading and early mathematics skills. Adults support children to develop their language through questioning and discussion. This means that children learn to communicate well and are prepared for learning in Year 1.

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Leaders and governors support staff with their well-being. For instance, school development plans have clear actions to support staff with this. The school has been through a period of change, and some staff feel that their well-being has been negatively affected. There is a new leadership structure this year. However, recruiting staff continues to be a challenge.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have had all relevant and up-to-date training to identify the signs that a pupil is at risk of harm. Staff understand the local and national risks and how these relate to the pupils in their school. For instance, they know that pupils may be drawn into county lines drug transportation and how domestic violence impacts on pupils. Pupils understand 2 and 3 February 2023

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how to be safe online and parents are informed about how to support their children with this.

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Governors carry out their statutory duties around safer recruitment. They ensure safeguarding policies and procedures reflect the latest published guidance.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not adapt their teaching to meet the needs of some pupils with SEND. This means that some pupils with SEND do not learn as well as they should and sometimes display challenging behaviour. Leaders should ensure that teachers have the expertise needed to successfully adapt their teaching to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.  Leaders’ curriculum planning in some subjects is new. In these subjects, pupils have not always studied a curriculum that clearly identified the important knowledge they need to learn. Consequently, pupils are not secure in what they can remember in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that their new curriculum plans are implemented effectively and help pupils remember and use important subject knowledge.

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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 July 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.

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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. 2 and 3 February 2023

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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. 2 and 3 February 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 07 June 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not currently use any alternative provision to meet the needs of the pupils.  The school runs a breakfast club for pupils. There is a separately registered after- school club which provides after-school care to pupils on the school site.

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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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum documentation, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, who is also the designated safeguarding leader. The inspector also spoke with a school improvement partner from the local authority. 2 and 3 February 2023

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 The inspector scrutinised a range of documentation during the inspection, including curriculum plans, school development plans and safeguarding records.  The inspector considered the 48 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and 34 free-text comments. Inspectors also considered the 42 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documentation during the inspection, including curriculum plans, school development plans and safeguarding records.  The inspector also spoke with pupils about their experiences of school life, as well as observing the behaviour of pupils in and out of lessons.

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Inspection team

Jessie Linsley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 2 and 3 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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