Heartsease Primary Academy

Inspection of Heartsease Primary Academy Rider Haggard Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR7 9UE

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding 11 and 12 July 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Heartsease learn to be independent and polite, respectful citizens. Staff model these values. They provide clear expectations for pupils’ conduct around the school. As a result, pupils’ behaviour in class is good and learning is very rarely disturbed. Pupils are calm and kind to each other and show good manners to adults. They hold doors for adults and, when thanked, pupils reply with a cheery ‘you’re welcome’. Older pupils are proud to be play leaders. They organise games at breaktimes for younger pupils, who aspire to take on this responsibility.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told inspectors that bullying is not tolerated in school. They understand what bullying means and who to speak to if they have a concern. Parents, staff and pupils praise the support provided by the pastoral team, who are well trained in supporting pupils’ social and emotional well-being.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say they feel safe and happy at school. Some say they do not want to miss a day as ‘it could be the day a lesson changes their life’. Pupils say it is a place where they can make lots of friends. They are proud of their work and develop a love of reading from the early years. Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs and activities that broaden their horizons. These enable pupils to develop new talents and interests, such as chess, archery and yoga.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised the development of a broad and ambitious curriculum. In most subjects, curriculum plans set out the key knowledge and vocabulary pupils should know across the year. Plans are well sequenced so that pupils learn and remember more from early years to Year 6. This means pupils secure the required learning so that they are ready to move on to the next stage.

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better?

Pupils talk with pride about what they have learned. In lessons, teachers check pupils’ understanding carefully. They give feedback to pupils about what they have done well and could do better. Pupils enjoy quizzes that help them remember what they have learned. In a few foundation subjects, curriculum plans are under further development. In these subjects, teachers do not present the small steps of knowledge precisely enough to pupils. This is because they are not as clear on the key knowledge, and how this builds over time, as they are in the more established subjects. This means pupils do not secure knowledge that will help their learning across the curriculum.

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better?

Children in the early years enjoy activities that support learning across the curriculum. Adults prioritise the development of children’s communication and language skills. They teach children new words and sensitively help them learn how to pronounce these correctly. Children are keen to write. They join in creative activities that help them learn art techniques in preparation for Year 1. Children learn to count and practise this in their play. They use their imagination to be a shop assistant and take turns helping each other. 11 and 12 July 2023

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Leaders are determined that every child will become a fluent reader. Phonics lessons are clear and precise. As a result, pupils learn and remember new sounds with confidence from Reception. Pupils who are at risk of falling behind the expectations of the phonics programme are identified quickly. They have more-frequent reading sessions so that they catch up well. Teachers ensure that pupils read books that match the sounds they know. This enables pupils to read accurately and fluently, with understanding. Older pupils enjoy reading and talk enthusiastically about the books they read together in class. These promote discussion about rules and social issues.

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Pupils enjoy learning. Leaders have reduced incidents of bullying and disruptive behaviour. Pupils that have been involved in bullying incidents learn how to manage their emotions and restore friendships. There are a few pupils that still use derogatory language which some pupils are aware of and do not like.

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Staff support pupils’ personal development well. Pupils learn about different religious beliefs and cultures. They know it is important to consider the opinions of others and be accepting of others’ differences. Pupils take pride in being voted in as the class representative on the school council.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. They are included in the life of the school. Some pupils also benefit from provision in Moonstone and Ruby classes. These offer calm and less-busy spaces for pupils where teachers adapt learning to meet pupils’ individual needs.

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Leaders are mindful of staff workload. Staff feel the support from leaders within school and across the trust is developing their subject expertise and confidence.

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Trustees have a sound knowledge of the school. They hold leaders to account for the quality of education. The strategic decisions that they make consider the benefit for all pupils with a clear ethos of inclusivity.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders keep the single central record of employee checks up to date. They make sure that all pre-employment checks are completed. Staff know how to identify pupils that may be at risk of harm. They are clear about the procedures for reporting and recording any concerns. Leaders work with other professionals to ensure pupils and families receive the help and support they need as quickly as possible.

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Safeguarding

Pupils take part in road safety and cycling activities in the local area. These help them learn how to keep themselves safe travelling to and from school. Pupils know how to protect themselves and stay safe online. They know not to share personal details with people they do not know and who to tell if they are concerned about inappropriate online activity. 11 and 12 July 2023

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Policies and procedures are in place to protect pupils and staff from bullying, sexual harassment and racism.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few foundation subjects, teachers do not yet have a clear understanding of the key knowledge and how this builds over time. This means they do not provide precise instruction or check that pupils have remembered and understood key knowledge. Leaders should continue to develop these curriculum plans as they have for the successfully established subjects so that teachers develop their expertise and are clear about the key knowledge and skills pupils need to learn across the curriculum.  Bullying and unacceptable conduct is not tolerated by leaders in the school. There is still some work to do with a minority of pupils that do not adhere to the school’s expectations for behaviour and use derogatory language. This results in some pupils perceiving that bullying or misbehaviour is not being dealt with. Leaders should work with this small group of pupils to ensure that they fully understand the school rules so that everyone benefits from a positive

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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. 11 and 12 July 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection 5 and 6 May 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has nursery provision and a specially resourced provision for speech and language.  The school has nurture provision on site for up to 10 children of Reception and key stage 1 ages from this and other schools in the trust. They attend the class from Monday to Thursday, returning to their mainstream (‘home’) schools every Friday.  A few pupils attend the trust’s key stage 2 nurture provision based on one of its other school sites.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for the pupil premium is above average. The proportion of pupils with SEND, mostly speech and language difficulties, other moderate learning difficulties and social, emotional and mental health needs is above average. The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is broadly average.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 11 and 12 July 2023

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 This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, relevant subject leaders, the chair of trustees and the chief executive officer.  The inspectors carried out deep dives into these subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education and art. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects and looked a sample of pupils’ work across year groups and observed pupils reading.  Inspectors spoke to pupils across all year groups.  The lead inspector reviewed information on the school’s website, including school

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policies and information about the curriculum.  Inspectors met with the designated safeguarding leads to discuss arrangements that are in place to support safeguarding. They checked the single central record for pre-employment checks, and the school’s safeguarding records.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s behaviour records, including records of incidents of bullying and how these are followed up. The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at breaktimes.  The inspectors considered the 24 responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free- text comments. They also spoke with some parents on the playground.

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Inspection team

Mireille MacRaild, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kelly Stokes Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 July 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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