Millhouse Primary School

Inspection of Millhouse Primary School Lea Lane, Millhouse Green, Penistone, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S36 9LN

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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 Good 12 and 13 July 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have established five ‘golden rules’ that underpin a harmonious and respectful school culture. These rules inspire pupils to treat each other kindly and to behave well. If pupils find it difficult to manage their feelings and behaviour, adults provide exceptional support to help them to get back on track. Bullying almost never happens. If it does, staff intervene to make sure it stops. Pupils are happy in this very inclusive school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders ensure that pupils study an ambitious curriculum. Pupils know that the things they learn now will help them in the future. This inspires pupils to be resilient when learning something new or mastering a skill such as writing. Pupils use their developing knowledge and skills confidently. They are well prepared for their next steps.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide pupils with many opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Pupils enjoy a range of clubs, in areas such as singing, sports and design and technology. Pupils develop their character through the many leadership roles on offer. The head boy and head girl support their school as role models for other pupils. Dinner monitors make sure younger pupils are looked after at lunchtime. Pupil leadership is a ‘golden thread’ that informs the kindness and care with which pupils treat everyone around them.

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better?

Leaders have established an ambitious curriculum, from early years to Year 6. They have defined the important knowledge pupils should remember in most subjects. For example, in history, pupils build their understanding of social hierarchy in civilisations. They apply this knowledge to understand how society functioned in Ancient Egypt. In science, teachers help pupils to develop their knowledge of cloud formation. Pupils use this to better understand seasonal changes. However, adults do not always check precisely enough whether pupils remember the most important knowledge that leaders have identified.

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better?

Leaders have made reading a priority. They make sure that staff get the training they need to help pupils to learn to read. In early years, adults help children to get off to a flying start by learning phonics and by beginning to read and write simple words. When pupils struggle to read, skilled adults provide the right support to help them to catch up. Adults have selected a range of high-quality books for pupils to enjoy. This includes ‘favourite five’ books for each year group. Leaders ensure that these books are widely available for pupils to borrow and read. The library is open every lunchtime. Well-trained pupil librarians support their peers to choose appropriate books by listening to them read. Adults read to pupils frequently. Pupils enjoy these books, and talk in detail about the stories and characters they encounter. Pupils are enthusiastic about all the exciting texts that are available to

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In early years, adults help children develop their mathematical skills by giving them lots of opportunities to explore number. Children deepen their knowledge by exploring how numbers can be represented in many different ways. Leaders have made sure that the curriculum supports all pupils to become fluent mathematicians. Teachers respond to most of the misconceptions that pupils might have. However, checks on what pupils remember are not always precise enough. This leads to a small number of pupils having misconceptions that are not always spotted and addressed.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Leaders work tirelessly to remove any barriers that pupils might face to their learning. They do this by making sure that all staff have the expertise to help pupils with SEND. These pupils receive the support that they need to master new knowledge.

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The curriculum for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education helps pupils to understand how to stay safe online. Pupils know when personal information should not be shared. Adults also make sure that pupils learn about the diverse world that they live in. This inspires pupils to treat each other with the utmost respect and to accept each other’s differences. Adults do not always check that pupils remember what they have learned about in PSHE. Pupils have some gaps in their knowledge and understanding that leaders have not fully addressed.

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Governors challenge and support leaders to improve the school. They share leaders’ ambitions for pupils. Staff’s workload and well-being are a priority for leaders. Staff are positive about the time they are given to undertake their roles. They are proud to work at this inclusive school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a highly effective culture of safeguarding. Adults receive regular training and frequent updates on safeguarding. They know the risks that children may face. If they are concerned that a pupil may be at risk of harm, they are quick to follow agreed procedures to get the necessary help.

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Safeguarding

Leaders keep thorough records of the actions taken to keep pupils safe. Leaders are tenacious in following up on concerns and work well with outside agencies when there are concerns about vulnerable pupils. Appropriate checks are made on the suitability of those appointed to work with children. 12 and 13 July 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Adults do not consistently check whether pupils have remembered the most important knowledge in a number of subjects, including PSHE. Pupils have some gaps in their learning, which are not always checked and addressed as effectively as they could be. Leaders should make sure that adults check whether pupils have remembered their learning in order to address any gaps more effectively.

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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. 12 and 13 July 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 February 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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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 have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, subject leaders and teachers. The lead inspector met with the special educational needs coordinator and the early years leader.  The lead inspector held a meeting with governors, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history and science. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils 12 and 13 July 2023

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about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to review a range of documents, including the school’s log of safeguarding incidents. Inspectors also spoke to staff about how they keep pupils safe. The lead inspector reviewed the school’s single central record to check the suitability of staff working at the school.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of other documentation, including records of pupils’ behaviour and leaders’ evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke informally to pupils to gather their views on school life.  To gather parents’ views, inspectors took account of the views of parents from Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including free-text comments. The lead inspector also talked to parents at the start of the school day.

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 To gather the views of staff, inspectors took account of the staff survey.  To gather the views of pupils, inspectors took account of the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Jen Sloan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jo Robinson Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 July 2023

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