Heath Primary School, Kesgrave

Inspection of Heath Primary School, Kesgrave Bell Lane, Kesgrave, Ipswich, Suffolk IP5 1JG

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 16 and 17 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They are very happy and safe. Pupils embody ‘The Heath Way,’ where ‘…everyone is valued and respected’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

High expectations are set for all pupils in terms of their behaviour and attitudes towards their learning. Pupils make every effort to live up to these expectations. They behave maturely in lessons. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning and, as a result, most pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In all aspects of school life, pupils demonstrate kindness and respect to each other and to the adults in the school. Bullying is rare. Pupils agree that this is the case. Pupils have exciting and engaging opportunities that complement their curriculum. Pupils work in the school garden, care for the school animals, work with local busi- nesses on enterprise projects and learn a range of musical instruments.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ leadership skills are developed. This in turn ensures their sense of responsibility is encouraged. Pupils carry out their roles with pride. They are reading and friendship ambassadors as well as eco and school councillors. Pupils are also proud of their work to protect the environment, raise money for charity and to promote fairtrade. This contributes towards pupils’ character development and their future role as responsible citizens.

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better?

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is ambitious and inclusive for all pupils. This reflects leaders’ vision that this school is a place where ‘learning has no limitations’.

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better?

Leaders’ vision to ensure all pupils learn to read fluently is clear in leaders’ approach to the planning of the reading curriculum. Teachers are well trained to teach reading. They deliver well-structured and engaging lessons. Teachers carefully check how well pupils are learning to read. Any pupils that fall behind are quickly identified and effectively helped to catch up. Pupils take books home to read that are carefully matched to their reading ability. This enables them to practise their reading skills, which contributes towards pupils becoming confident and fluent readers.

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better?

In most subjects, the curriculum content is well considered and ambitious for all year groups. However, in a minority of subjects, the curriculum is at an earlier stage of development. Where this is the case, leaders have not clarified the precise knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to know and remember. When this happens teachers do not routinely plan activities that successfully build on pupils’ prior learning. This results in some pupils having gaps in their knowledge.

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better?

Leaders act quickly to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders work closely with a range of agencies to accurately assess pupils’ needs and to secure the appropriate support. Pupils with 16 and 17 May 2023

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more complex needs receive tailored care and support from skilled adults. Consequently, pupils with SEND access the full curriculum and most achieve well.

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While leaders work hard to support vulnerable pupils, some pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should. Leaders are working with pupils and families to provide additional support, however, these pupils miss vital learning and, as a result, do not achieve as well as their peers.

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Leaders place a very high priority on pupils' personal development. Pupils are very well prepared for their future lives beyond school. They show a very well-developed knowledge of democracy. Pupils have a strong moral purpose, which is clear in the way they behave towards each other. They also show understanding and respect for a range of different faiths and cultures.

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Leaders focus on teaching value and respect from the moment children start in the Nursery. This enables pupils to become active and reflective citizens. This is evident in their work with the community on litter picks, local businesses and road safety schemes.

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All pupils have access to a range of school visits that bring their classroom learning to life. These visits include a visit to Harry Potter World and a visit to a recycling plant. All pupils can take part in a range of school clubs, including sports, art and music.

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Leaders place a key focus on securing the positive mental health and well-being of their pupils and staff. Staff appreciate the support of their leaders.

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The governing body is proactive in holding leaders to account for their actions to improve the school. This includes monitoring the ongoing revision of the quality of education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a very strong culture of safeguarding across the school. Staff are highly trained to be vigilant in identifying the slightest sign that a pupil may be at risk. Records show that leaders work quickly and effectively with external agencies to secure help for children and families.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that all the appropriate checks are carried out on adults working at the school.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are confident in explaining ways to keep themselves safe, including online. They understand the potential risks in a range of contexts and know the importance of healthy relationships. 16 and 17 May 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, including within the early years, leaders have not identified the precise knowledge, skills and vocabulary that they want pupils to know and remember. This leads to pupils having gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should ensure that pupils gain the knowledge and skills they need to achieve well across the curriculum, including in early years.  Some pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should. This means that they miss vital learning and do not achieve as well as their peers. Leaders should ensure that their continued work with families and external agencies is effective in ensuring higher attendance for these pupils, so they achieve equally as well as others.

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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. 16 and 17 May 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Co-chairs: Jon Neal and Leah Sinclair

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School details

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

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Information about this school

 The school includes a nursery that caters for children aged three, offering both full and part-time places.  The school provides a morning breakfast club as well as a wide range of after- school clubs.  The school use one registered alternative provider.

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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 this has been taken into account in their evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector met with leaders, including the headteacher, the deputy head teacher and the assistant headteacher.  The lead inspector met with a representative from Suffolk local authority. 16 and 17 May 2023

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 A meeting was held with representatives of the local governing body, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, history, and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils about their experiences of school life and their learning in lessons to understand what it is like to be a pupil at this school. Inspectors also observed the behaviour of pupils at breaktimes and around the school.  The lead inspector spoke to a leader at the alternative provision currently being used by the school.  The lead inspector considered the 91 responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including 91 free-text comments. The inspector also considered

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responses to both the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Rowena Simmons, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sam Nixon Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 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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