Hartford Manor Primary School & Nursery

Inspection of Hartford Manor Primary School & Nursery Stones Manor Lane, Hartford, Northwich, Cheshire CW8 1NU

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Good 18 and 19 April 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy, polite and very welcoming to visitors. They feel safe and well cared for at school. Leaders have created a culture where pupils can talk to adults if they have any concerns or worries. Staff know the pupils and their families well. If there is any unkindness or bullying, it is resolved quickly by staff.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ achievement, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, these high expectations are not clearly outlined in all areas of the early years. The curriculum in this part of the school does not prepare children for the next stage in their learning well enough.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of all pupils’ behaviour. Pupils rise to these high expectations. They are respectful and well mannered. As a result, the school is calm and pupils get on with their learning, with very little disruptions during lessons.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the variety of clubs on offer, including cricket, fencing and science club. Pupils look forward to residential trips, such as visiting London in Year 6, as well as a trip to Cumbria in Year 5. This gives all pupils the opportunity to build relationships as well as learning about contrasting parts of England.

p.2

better?

Leaders have designed a curriculum that identifies the ambitious end points that they want pupils to achieve across the wider curriculum. Where the curriculum is further developed, it is very clear as to what the pupils are to be taught and when they will learn subject content. That said, in a few subjects, where the curriculum is at an earlier stage of development, leaders have not considered in enough detail the smaller chunks of knowledge that pupils should learn. As a result, in these subjects, some pupils do not develop the depth of knowledge that they should.

p.2

better?

The assessment strategies that teachers use are effective and typically support pupils with their learning.

p.2

better?

In the early years, leaders have ensured that children get off to a good start with their reading. Children settle well and are happy. While leaders have thought carefully about the curriculum to promote early writing and mathematics, they have not given as much consideration to other areas of learning. This means that children do not learn all that they should in order to gain a firm foundation for later learning. This limits their readiness to make a successful start when they enter Year 1.

p.2

better?

Leaders ensure that reading has a profile from the early years through to Year 6. In the Nursery Year, children are encouraged to sing nursery rhymes and share books with adults. As they progress to the Reception Year and Year 1, children and pupils develop their understanding of phonics securely. 18 and 19 April 2023

p.2

3

Staff are suitably trained to teach the phonics programme well. Teachers check pupils’ progress regularly. If pupils struggle to keep up with the programme, they receive extra support to help them catch up. Older pupils enjoy the responsibility of being reading buddies. They read regularly to children in the early years.

p.3

3

Leaders identify the needs of pupils with SEND quickly and accurately. Leaders ensure that pupils’ needs are understood by staff. Teachers adapt activities effectively so that these pupils can access the curriculum. Pupils with more complex needs receive tailored support from trained adults.

p.3

3

Pupils, including children in the early years, behave well during lessons and around the school grounds. However, on occasions, a few pupils do not always follow the school rules when there is not an adult present.

p.3

3

Pupils have a good understanding of the fundamental British values. Pupils learn about different faiths through their religious education curriculum, they are respectful and celebrate difference and diversity.

p.3

3

Older pupils enjoy extra responsibilities such as house point monitors, road safety monitors and house captains.

p.3

3

Governors know the school and its community well. They fulfil their statutory duties and offer appropriate support and challenge to leaders. Staff are proud to work at the school and share leaders’ ambition for all pupils. The staff with whom inspectors spoke said that leaders are considerate of their workload. Parents and carers who shared their views said they would recommend this school to others.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that there is a strong safeguarding culture. They provide staff with up-to-date safeguarding training. Staff are adept at identifying any signs of concern and report them swiftly. Leaders work well with a range of external agencies to ensure that any vulnerable pupils and their families receive the help they need. Leaders maintain accurate and thorough records which show evidence of timely action being taken where concerns have been raised.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in the real and online world.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, leaders have not identified the small chunks of knowledge that pupils need to know in order to reach the ambitious end points of the curriculum. As a result, teachers do not design learning that allows pupils to develop the depth of knowledge that they need. Leaders should ensure that in 18 and 19 April 2023

p.3

4

these subjects, the curriculum sets out what pupils should learn, and in what order, from the early years to Year 6.  Leaders have not designed a coherent and well-ordered curriculum across all areas of learning in the early years. This means that children do not gain the knowledge that they need to be successful when they enter key stage 1. Leaders should design a high-quality curriculum that provides a strong foundation in all areas of learning.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 18 and 19 April 2023

p.4

School details

Local authority Cheshire West and Chester

p.5

School details

Inspection number 10256046 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Website www.hartfordmanorcp.school.co.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 21 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

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 inspectors held meetings with the principal, the head of school and other senior leaders. The lead inspector met with representatives of the governing body and the local authority.  The inspectors met with the leaders responsible for SEND and early years.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, music and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and 18 and 19 April 2023

p.5

6

teaching assistants, spoke to some pupils about their learning, listened to pupils read and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspectors looked at the single central record of staff suitability checks. They met with the leaders responsible for safeguarding and sampled case studies and documentation.  The inspectors met with a group of pupils and spoke to pupils during breaktimes and lunchtimes.  The inspectors spoke with some parents as they dropped their children off at school. They also reviewed the responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey.  The inspectors held meetings with members of staff and considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Kelly Butler, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Joan Grant Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 April 2023

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7