Hayes Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Hayes Primary School George Lane, Hayes, Bromley, Kent BR2 7LQ

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Outcome

Hayes Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Hayes Primary School is a close-knit community filled with friendliness and warm and caring relationships. Pupils come into school happily and calmly. Staff offer them lots of encouragement and regularly share brief updates with their parents and carers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ positive approach to behaviour is supported across the school community. Pupils are polite and behave well. They value the rewards that they can earn for good behaviour, like breakfast with the headteacher. Pupils said that they feel safe in school and that rare instances of bullying are quickly sorted out. Parents value the way that leaders go the extra mile to understand and respond to each pupil, for example by supporting pupils who may feel anxious about coming to school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils enjoy learning and work hard. Their love of reading is notable. Even younger pupils readily immerse themselves in books.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have created a school culture which is supportive and nurturing. As a result, pupils are caring to each other. They can sort out minor friendship problems, admitting if they get something wrong and making amends. Pupils enjoy many wider opportunities. One pupil echoed the views of many about their exciting residential trip, saying ‘We were never bored for a second.’

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

Leaders, staff and governors have developed an ambitious curriculum. Leaders understand how pupils learn new knowledge, and how to plan for progression in subjects. For example, in mathematics, children in Reception relish being able to put their understanding into practice, for example by confidently explaining operations like doubling numbers. Older pupils learn different operations like multiplication and division, and practise these regularly so they can do them automatically and accurately. They benefit from regular reminders of what they have learned, and extra help if they need 7 and 8 June 2023

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more time to consolidate their learning. As a result, by Year 6, pupils can combine many different number operations, for example in their work on algebra. They talk with pride about feeling well prepared for mathematics in secondary school. Music is another example of leaders’ ambition for pupils’ learning. All pupils learn to play a small number of instruments during their time in school. They progressively develop their skills through repetition and practice. As a result, pupils improve the expressive quality of the sound they produce and collaborate in group musical performances to a high standard.

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Early reading is taught effectively. Leaders are determined that all pupils will learn to read fluently. Staff are well trained. They check pupils’ progress carefully. Staff catch any pupil before they fall behind and give them extra help. As a result, most pupils quickly learn to read accurately and fluently. The number of pupils reading texts with fluency and understanding in Year 2 is particularly striking. Older pupils who are still developing their reading skills get well-tailored extra support. Pupils love reading. For example, they listen to longer stories in reading assembly with rapt attention and enjoy sharing reviews of favourite books. They also make good use of outdoor ‘reading sheds’. As a result, pupils have the reading skills they need to access a broad and rich curriculum throughout their education.

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Despite considerable strengths in the curriculum, there are a few instances where it is not working as well in practice. In a few cases, leaders have not fully considered how much new knowledge pupils can acquire and process over a series of lessons in a subject. Where leaders have not thought rigorously about the ‘big ideas’ which are important for pupils to learn and remember, teachers introduce too much new information too quickly. This makes it difficult for pupils to remember the most important new knowledge and connect it with what they have learned earlier. Where pupils have misconceptions, there are a few occasions when these are not corrected.

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Pupils with SEND are supported well. Teachers frequently check that pupils with SEND understand what they are learning. They model tasks before pupils start work on their own. This ensures that pupils become increasingly confident and independent in their learning, rather than becoming overly reliant on extra support. Where appropriate, pupils are taught how to manage their emotions, calm themselves down and refocus on their learning.

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Leaders’ priorities go beyond the academic curriculum. They focus sharply on promoting pupils’ wider development. As well as providing many educational visits and sporting and cultural activities, leaders have thought carefully about how best to support the emotional well-being and social development of pupils. Pupils’ individual circumstances are considered sensitively. For example, leaders organise a special support group for young carers.

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Staff appreciate the consideration leaders show for their well-being and in managing their workload. 7 and 8 June 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that safeguarding is at the forefront of the school’s work. They carry out all the required pre-recruitment checks to ensure that staff are suitable to work with pupils. Staff have been trained to understand signs that a pupil might be at risk. They know how to report any concerns they might have. Leaders respond to concerns promptly. Staff build trusting relationships with pupils and know their families well. Leaders cross-reference information effectively so they have a full picture of pupils’ needs. They provide appropriate support in the best interests of pupils, making referrals to external agencies where necessary.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to stay safe online and out in the neighbourhood.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 While the scope of the curriculum is broad and ambitious, in a few instances, leaders have not fully considered which ideas are essential for pupils to remember in order to support their progression in a subject. This affects how well pupils remember new subject content. Leaders need to refine further the scope of the curriculum so that teachers are clear about the big ideas and most essential knowledge they want all pupils to acquire.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2013. 7 and 8 June 2023

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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. 7 and 8 June 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255509 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 7 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Hayes Primary School is larger than the average-sized school.  The school is part of the Spring Partnership Trust. The school became part of this multi-academy trust in 2011.  The headteacher was appointed in September 2022.  Leaders do not use alternative provision.

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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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design, and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum for some other subjects. 7 and 8 June 2023

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 Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders, staff and pupils. Inspectors also met with the co-chief executive officers of the Spring Partnership Trust and spoke with a trustee. They also spoke with parents at the school gate.  Inspectors considered responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey, including written comments.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils to discuss their views about different aspects of their school. Inspectors also reviewed responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey and staff survey.

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Inspection team

Julian Grenier, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Lucy Wijsveld Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 June 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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