Hook Lane Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Hook Lane Primary School Faraday Road, Welling, Kent DA16 2ET

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Outcome

Hook Lane Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe at this school. They work hard and achieve well. Pupils are very respectful of others. Pupils from different backgrounds and with different needs play and learn together harmoniously. A focus on kindness and cooperation starts in the early years and continues through the school to Year 6.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils study a well-thought-out curriculum. Leaders have made sure that pupils study a wide range of subjects. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who access the same rich curriculum as their classmates. The curriculum is further enriched by regular trips outside of the classroom. This includes visits to the Science Museum and mudlarking on the river Thames. Every Friday afternoon all pupils choose an activity to widen their experiences. These include dance, choir, practising special effects make-up and tennis.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have developed a genuine sense of community here so that parents and carers feel involved in school life. For example, parents of children with SEND regularly meet in school for support and advice. Strong relationships between staff, pupils and parents mean that any concerns can be shared and addressed quickly.

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

Leaders and teachers have high expectations for what pupils can achieve. This is reflected in an ambitious curriculum which allows pupils to study a broad range of subjects. In each subject, curriculum content develops in complexity over time and builds on previous learning. In mathematics, for example, pupils regularly revisit what they have been taught before to help them understand new learning. This helps develop pupils’ confidence. This confidence-building starts in the very early years. For example, in the Nursery, adults use any opportunities they can to count with children. Leaders have thought carefully about the links between different subjects. Pupils studying the circulatory system in science also make clay models of the heart in art and study ‘Pig-Heart Boy’ as their class reading book. 24 and 25 May 2023

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Pupils with SEND are quickly identified and are very well supported to study the same curriculum as their classmates. Teachers know these pupils very well. Regular information-sharing between leaders, teachers and parents helps to ensure these pupils’ needs are met in the classroom. Where pupils have more complex needs, for example in the specially resourced provision, skilled teachers break content into smaller chunks to help pupils learn.

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Teachers have good subject knowledge and generally make sure that pupils learn the curriculum as intended. However, in some subjects, teachers are not clear about the exact content that they need pupils to learn. This means that some teaching activities do not help pupils to learn some of the important knowledge in these subjects.

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Reading is prioritised. A rich and stimulating learning environment in the early years encourages pupils to recognise letters and sounds. Children start to learn phonics quickly in Reception. Regular checking means that any children who need more support are promptly identified and given extra help. Leaders have ensured that the books that early readers use match the sounds they are learning. Parents are supported to help their child read at home. Leaders have thought carefully about the books that pupils read as they get older. They have chosen a range of texts that broaden pupils’ horizons and that celebrate diversity.

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Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They know that unkind or discriminatory language is not tolerated. At lunchtimes pupils of all ages play together. They appreciate the newly established outdoor play and learning activities that leaders have set up. Teachers reward positive behaviour and are skilled at supporting pupils who need additional help with their behaviour.

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Leaders ensure that pupils are developed beyond the academic curriculum. A carefully considered programme of personal, social and health education helps pupils to learn about relationships and healthy lifestyles in an age-appropriate way. They are taught how to stay safe, including how to be safe when online. As well as the wide range of enrichment activities in school, pupils are encouraged to be active and kind citizens. A programme of visits to a local care home helps pupils take on new responsibilities and is much appreciated by the residents. Pupils in Year 6 feel well supported when making the next step to secondary school.

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Leaders have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for further improvement. The trust actively supports school leaders to identify how to keep improving. Teachers feel very well supported and they say that leaders prioritise staff well-being. Staff are proud to work in the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a culture of vigilance in the school. Staff quickly report any concerns they have, no matter how small. Leaders act swiftly on any concerns raised and they work hard to secure positive outcomes for vulnerable pupils. Leaders know their 24 and 25 May 2023

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school community well and make sure they are available so that parents can speak with them about any issues.

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Pupils feel safe. They know they can talk to adults in the school about any worries they may have. They like the ‘Tell a Grown-up’ box, where they can share their concerns in confidence.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, teachers are not clear about the important content that they need to teach. This means that they then select teaching activities that do not help pupils to progress through the intended curriculum. Leaders should make sure that teachers are clear about what the most important content is for each subject so that pupils learn more of the curriculum as intended.

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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 predecessor school, Hook Lane Primary School, to be good in October 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. 24 and 25 May 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. 24 and 25 May 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10268856 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Hook Lane Primary School converted to become an academy school in September 2019. When its predecessor school, also called Hook Lane Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school does not use any alternative education providers.  The school has specially resourced provision for 16 pupils with SEND. This provision is for pupils with autism spectrum disorder.

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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 his evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, he discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and talked to teachers and pupils. The inspector also visited a range of lessons in other subjects, and he looked at pupils’ work and curriculum information.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, members of the leadership team, and with members of staff, as well as a range of pupils. The inspector met with leaders 24 and 25 May 2023

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responsible for SEND, early years provision, behaviour and attendance, and pupils’ wider development.  The inspector looked at the school’s policies and procedures for safeguarding and supporting pupils’ welfare and well-being. This included looking at case studies and reviewing the school’s single central record of pre-employment checks.  The inspector spoke with parents, and considered the survey responses from parents, pupils and staff.  The inspector also met with those responsible for governance, including the chair of the local academy board and the chair of the trust.

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Inspection team

Bob Hamlyn, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 24 and 25 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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