Highfield Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Highfield Primary School Bridgenorth Avenue, Urmston, Manchester, Greater Manchester M41 9PA

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 February 2023

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Outcome

Highfield Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

At Highfield Primary School, pupils, and children in early years, are encouraged to be considerate and kind towards each other. Pupils are proud of their school and they describe it as ‘an amazing place’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their learning and they do their best to follow the school’s motto by being ready to learn and respectful towards others and keeping themselves safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know the pupils and their families well. They have established warm and caring relationships with pupils. Pupils know that staff will listen to them if they have any concerns or worries. Leaders deal with bullying swiftly and effectively. This helps pupils to feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils follow school routines, work hard during lessons and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to participate in clubs and activities. For example, pupils enjoy book club, yoga and football. Older pupils are keen to take on positions of responsibility, such as acting as eco-warriors and as buddies to groups of younger pupils at lunchtime.

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

Leaders have designed an aspirational curriculum that covers a suitably broad range of subjects from early years to Year 6. The curriculum is constructed to develop pupils’ knowledge and skills over time, so that they grow in confidence with their learning. Leaders have identified the important facts that pupils need to know. Teachers have strong knowledge of the subjects that they deliver and they use this to design learning well. 22 and 23 February 2023

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Teachers check during lessons what pupils have learned and understood. They act quickly to deliver extra help for those pupils who have not grasped what has been taught. In most subjects, teachers provide opportunities for pupils to revisit what has been learned before. This helps pupils to recall key facts from previous learning. However, in a small number of subjects, teachers do not provide sufficient opportunity for some pupils to consolidate earlier learning.

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Leaders and staff are trained well to identify the academic and emotional needs of pupils with SEND quickly. They work effectively with external agencies to ensure that these pupils and their families receive the support that they need. Teachers competently adapt how they deliver learning to enable these pupils to learn the same broad and ambitious curriculum as their peers. Pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Most pupils behave well around school. Leaders have established routines that all pupils, including those children in early years, understand and follow. That said, on occasion, some pupils’ learning in lessons is disrupted by the behaviour of a minority of their peers. Leaders take appropriate steps to ensure that these pupils are supported to meet the high expectations that leaders and staff set for pupils’ behaviour.

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Leaders have prioritised the teaching of reading throughout the school. From the start of their time in school, children in the Reception class learn to recognise letters and the sounds they represent and to blend these to make words. Pupils read books that are matched well to the sounds that they have learned. Pupils who are less confident with their reading receive additional help quickly.

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Teachers in all classes read to pupils regularly. Staff choose texts judiciously to enhance the delivery of subject curriculums and develop pupils’ social awareness. Pupils, including those with SEND, enjoy reading and read well.

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Pupils benefit from a carefully considered personal development programme. For instance, pupils learn about different families and different world religions. They are encouraged to respect the viewpoints of others through regular opportunities to debate topical issues and moral conflicts. Staff enhance pupils’ understanding of different cultures through carefully chosen activities. Pupils learn to respect the differences between people and to embrace diversity. This prepares them well for life in modern Britain.

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Governors are well informed about leaders’ key priorities to develop further the quality of education for pupils. Staff work in a collegiate manner to support each other. They appreciate the efforts of leaders to reduce their workload and look after their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff receive regular and up-to-date training to equip them to recognise the signs that may indicate that a pupil is at risk of harm. Staff are aware of their responsibility to keep all children safe. They know how to report concerns about a pupil’s welfare. 22 and 23 February 2023

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Leaders work effectively with external agencies to ensure that pupils and their families receive the support that they need quickly. Leaders keep comprehensive safeguarding records.

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Through the curriculum, pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn about safe behaviours when communicating with their peers online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, teachers do not afford some pupils sufficient opportunity to consolidate earlier key knowledge. This hinders some pupils when they embark on subsequent learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers provide enough opportunities for pupils to revisit and consolidate important learning, so that they are prepared well to apply what they know to more complex tasks.

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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 December 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. 22 and 23 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. 22 and 23 February 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.highfield-primary.trafford.sch.uk

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Date of previous inspection

28 June 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 School leaders do not make use of any alternative provision for pupils.

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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 her evaluation of the school.  As part of this inspection, the inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspector spoke with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, reviewed pupils’ work, spoke to teachers and spoke to some pupils about their learning. She also observed some pupils reading to members of staff.  The inspector spoke with subject leaders and teachers about the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, other senior leaders and the special educational needs coordinator. 22 and 23 February 2023

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 The inspector scrutinised a range of documentation, including the school’s self- evaluation document, and minutes of governing body meetings.  The inspector met with members of the governing body and spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation about safeguarding. She spoke with the designated safeguarding lead. She also spoke to staff about their knowledge of safeguarding and checked how well they understood their responsibility to keep pupils safe. The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and during playtimes.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for pupil and for staff. She also considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.  The inspector spoke to staff to discuss leaders’ support for their well-being and workload.  The inspector spoke to pupils about behaviour and bullying.

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 The inspector observed pupils in key stages 1 and 2 reading to a trusted adult.

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Inspection team

Niamh Howlett, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 22 and 23 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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