High Hazels Nursery Infant Academy

Inspection of a good school: High Hazels Nursery Infant Academy Fisher Lane, Darnall, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S9 4RP

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Outcome

High Hazels Nursery Infant Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a positive culture in this inclusive school. Pupils are recognised and celebrated as individuals. They learn to understand themselves and others. They refer to their school family as a community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know their school rules. They learn the meaning of self-control as being the ‘conscious control over their behaviour’. This helps the school to be a calm and welcoming environment. In lessons and around the school, adults set high expectations. This means that pupils are polite and treat each other with respect. They understand bullying and explain that it is being unkind to the same person over and over again. They know to talk to adults in class if they are worried. Pupils are confident that adults deal with any bullying if it happens. Pupils feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Poor attendance is a high priority for leaders. There are signs that their work with families and the measures put in place are having a positive impact.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are passionate about improving life opportunities for their pupils. Multilingual staff use the ‘Woodlands Base’ room to bring people together. They promote understanding and celebrate all cultures and faiths. Leaders offer adult learning in, for example, digital skills. They share key messages with parents, such as oral hygiene and how to read with their child. Everyone works together ‘to be the best they can be’.

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

The key knowledge that pupils need to learn is clearly identified in the curriculum. Leaders support teachers to adapt the curriculum and provide extra practice for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For some subjects, leaders have provided background information, which supports teachers’ subject knowledge. This helps teachers to understand prior learning and what pupils will learn next. In some subjects, quizzes and prompts help pupils to connect and revisit previous knowledge learned. For 10 and 11 May 2023

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example, in early years, children use hand signals to remember number sentences. As a result, pupils can remember current and recent learning. However, in a small number of subjects, they find it difficult to recall and connect things they have learned over time. Leaders recognise that this is because the teaching of some subjects needs to be adapted to take account of pupils’ prior knowledge.

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Learning to read is a priority for all pupils. Leaders ensure that training and coaching for all staff builds expertise in phonics. Pupils use their phonic knowledge to read books that contain the sounds they know. They enjoy listening to stories and can talk about their favourite stories. Each year group has 10 favourite must-read books, including non-fiction and poetry. Pupils visit the local library. The library book service provides multiple copies of books for pupils to share and enjoy. Pupils who struggle with learning to read are quickly identified. They have extra practice and support. Every classroom has a display of books, which pupils enjoy choosing from as they arrive at school. There is much excitement about the new, forthcoming school library.

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There is a range of opportunities for pupils to develop their character. Pupils have roles including playground leaders and junior leaders. Every pupil in the classroom has a responsibility, such as pen pot monitors. All pupils take part in fundraising. They raise funds for a range of charities and in response to global issues. Pupils speak about different faiths and can compare their own practice to that of others. They talk about fairness and treating others with respect. Leaders work with local faith leaders to establish links and visits to places of worship. They also work to build links with different cultural groups. Pupils are invited to attend many after-school clubs, such as Lego club, choir and sports club. Pupils enjoy curriculum-linked experience days in school.

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Pupils are well behaved in class and show interest in their learning. Leaders have established clear routines. Pupils are respectful towards each other and adults, taking turns to share ideas. The ‘wish-well’ is spoken about by pupils and teachers as a positive start to the day. This is when they think about others and wish them well if they are not in school. At playtime, pupils play together with a range of equipment. Some boisterous play is appropriate and well supervised.

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Staff appreciate leaders’ efforts to support them with managing workload and well-being. Governors and the regional director know the school. They work well with leaders and staff to offer challenge and support. They question and oversee important areas of school life, such as school attendance, safeguarding and the curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a strong safeguarding culture. They have ensured that all staff know how to spot and raise concerns. Records show the tenacity of leaders’ actions to bring about positive change for pupils and families. Leaders recognise the need to make small adaptations to their recording process. This is to ensure that there is a clear, identifiable timeline of all the actions they have taken. Leaders know the community well and teach pupils how to keep themselves safe within it. Effective records show careful 10 and 11 May 2023

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pre-employment checks. Leaders ensure that there is a system of safety and welfare measures in place for the very youngest children. Leaders provide a safe and stimulating environment.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, some pupils struggle to make deeper connections between new learning and learning from previous years. This means that pupils learn in isolation and struggle to connect key knowledge over time. Leaders should ensure that all subjects are delivered in a way that allows pupils to connect their knowledge and use it fluently to develop their understanding.

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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 6 and 7 December 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.

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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. 10 and 11 May 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255847 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 and 7 December 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of United Learning Trust.  The school is a larger-than-average primary school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND who receive support is close to the national average. The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan is lower than the national average.

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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 met with a wide range of staff, including the principal, vice principals, and subject leaders. The inspector also met with representatives of the local governing body and the regional director. 10 and 11 May 2023

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector 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.  The inspector visited provision for two-year olds.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector scrutinised the single central record and safeguarding records. The inspector also spoke to leaders for safeguarding and spoke to pupils and staff.  The inspector spoke to pupils both formally and informally, including single-sex groups of pupils.  The inspector considered a variety of school documents, including the school development plan and action plan for attendance.  The inspector took account of the views of staff and parents through surveys, including Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Lesley Sullivan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 10 and 11 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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