The Hill Primary Academy

Inspection of The Hill Primary Academy Tudor Street, Thurnscoe, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S63 0DS

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 4 and 5 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

The Hill Primary Academy is a safe and welcoming school. Teachers establish clear routines for pupils’ behaviour. These focus on leaders’ three priorities for behaviour in school: be ready, be respectful, be safe. Most pupils engage well in lessons and are keen to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A small number of pupils have complex needs and require extra help to behave well in school. Leaders and staff work very effectively with these pupils. The atmosphere around school is calm. At social times, pupils play well together. Bullying is very rare. Pupils know that teachers support them to resolve any ‘fallings out’ that happen in school. Staff engage well with pupils at social times. They chat to pupils and join in with games, including football. Pupils understand how to look after their mental health and keep fit.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy welcoming visitors to their school. Sometimes people from the local community come to school to talk about their jobs. This helps pupils to start thinking about the world of work. Pupils experience a range of educational visits. Some of these teach them about how to stay safe. For example, pupils spend time with the ‘Crucial Crew’ to learn about the work of the emergency services. Pupils have opportunities to take on leadership responsibilities and are proud to do so. For example, some pupils are eco-warriors and/or anti-bullying ambassadors. There is also a ‘Young Voices’ choir. Members of the choir participate in musical events, both in and out of school.

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better?

Leaders prioritise reading. Staff are trained well and deliver the early reading scheme consistently. There are daily fast-track interventions in place to support pupils who need extra help. The books pupils read match the sounds they know. This helps them learn to read quickly. Most pupils complete paired reading tasks very well. Staff read to pupils every day. Pupils enjoy story time and delight in watching expert readers.

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better?

Curriculum planning is sequenced so that core knowledge is revisited as pupils progress through the school. This helps pupils to remember their learning over time. Many subjects are taught well. Staff use assessment carefully to identify precise gaps in pupils’ knowledge. They identify and address any misconceptions. In some subjects, planning is particularly ambitious and goes beyond the national curriculum. For example, in science, pupils learn about cosmology. However, in a few subjects, such as French and music, teaching is less effective. In these subjects, subject leadership is less well developed. Teachers’ subject knowledge in these subjects is less secure. Leaders have identified that these subjects need further development and have detailed plans in place to address them. This work has already begun.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Teachers provide appropriate targets. These are broken down into small steps. 4 and 5 May 2023

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Pupils with SEND get the right help to achieve their targets. Pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding are well supported through a range of strategies. This includes tutoring and interventions to support pupils’ well-being.

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In the early years, the curriculum is well thought through. Leaders make sure that children are ready for the demands of Year 1. Leaders plan the vocabulary they want children to learn. Staff know what each child needs to learn next. They skilfully increase children’s vocabularies over time. The activities teachers plan for children’s independent learning are purposeful and support teacher-led sessions well. Children engage in their learning. They learn well.

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The curriculum for pupils’ personal, social and health education (PSHE) is well designed and meets pupils’ needs. They learn about local risks, including the dangers of water. They also learn about online safety. Pupils broadly remember and understand the PSHE curriculum well. However, there are some inconsistencies. For example, some pupils do not recall enough about other faiths and cultures. Pupils do respect people from different communities. They value people whose lives are different to their own. They learn to treat everyone fairly. Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to attend clubs, such as fencing and archery. Some clubs take place at lunchtime to make it easier for pupils, including those with SEND, to attend. A series of educational visits support the curriculum and pupils’ learning.

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Leaders have identified the right priorities to improve the school further. They have brought about huge improvements in all areas of the school. There is a strong focus on training staff, particularly in teaching and curriculum design. Staff’s workload is well managed. Subject leaders receive effective support and are given sufficient time to perform their role. There are regular opportunities for collaborative working. Governors care deeply about staff and pupils. They use their expertise to support and challenge the headteacher robustly.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff understand how to keep pupils safe. They are aware of local risks. For example, they make sure pupils know how to stay safe around water and along busy roads. Staff notice signs that children might need help. They report any concerns to leaders. Leaders access support for pupils from external agencies when needed. Records of concerns and the actions taken in response are highly detailed. Leaders and staff maintain close working relationships with families. Pupils feel safe and are safe.

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Safeguarding

Leaders carry out checks to make sure that staff and pupils are safe to be around children. 4 and 5 May 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, especially French and music, the curriculum is less well delivered than in the vast majority because some staff lack confidence. Pupils’ experiences are inconsistent. Leaders should continue with their planned programme of staff development to ensure these subjects meet the high standards seen within the rest of the curriculum.  Pupils’ knowledge and experience of faiths and cultures other than their own lack depth. They do not have sufficient opportunity to develop their understanding of other cultures. Leaders should continue to strengthen the range of wider cultural experiences that pupils receive.

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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.

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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. 4 and 5 May 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 February 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher took up post in September 2019.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding is well above the national average.

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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

 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.  The lead inspector held several meetings with the headteacher during the inspection.  The lead inspector met with the chair of governors, a trustee and the chief 4 and 5 May 2023

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executive officer of the trust.  Deep dives were carried out in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, history and art. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and, where appropriate, looked at samples of pupils’ work.  An inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors spoke to pupils formally and informally about their learning and experiences at school. An inspector also spoke to parents as they dropped their children off at the school gate.  Safeguarding documentation and records for behaviour and attendance were checked.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour throughout the school day, including during lesson visits and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils about their views on behaviour and the wider experiences they receive at

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school.  Inspectors reviewed the parental responses received through the Ofsted online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. Inspectors also considered the responses received through Ofsted’s staff questionnaire and the responses to Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Zoe Helman, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Chris Pearce Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 May 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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