De Havilland Primary School

Inspection of De Havilland Primary School Travellers Lane, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 8TQ

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 September 2023

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Sarah King. This school is part of the Danes Educational Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Josephine Valentine, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Martin Day. 19 and 20 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy school. Pupils appreciate the rich learning experiences they get here. They are proud to belong to the ‘De Hav’ community. Pupils say it is a safe place where the adults look after them well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils. Achievement is valued, and pupils work hard in lessons. The school’s ‘Building Futures’ programme inspires pupils to consider their future lives and jobs. They are encouraged to aim high.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are clear routines for behaviour. Pupils from the early years to Year 6 know these and behave well. Pupils who struggle to meet the school’s expectations get the additional help they need. As a result, classrooms are calm, and there is a positive, purposeful atmosphere around the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is highly inclusive. Many different languages and cultures are represented here. Pupils celebrate difference. They understand that everyone should be treated with respect. Pupils who arrive at the school from other countries are welcomed and are quickly integrated thanks to the targeted support they receive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the range of opportunities to broaden their horizons and extend their interests. This is enhanced through a carefully thought out programme of trips, visits and extra-curricular clubs.

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better?

There have been significant improvements at the school in recent years. The curriculum has been redesigned to be broad and aspirational. It starts in the early years, where children get a great start to school life. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes are confident and enthusiastic about learning. They learn and play happily together. Adults encourage them to be independent and resilient. Children learn how to solve problems and resolve conflict from an early age. This sets them up well for later learning.

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better?

The curriculum sets out the key knowledge pupils should learn. It builds their learning over time. This helps pupils to build on what they already know, ensuring that they reach the endpoints that have been identified for them. In a small number of subjects, the curriculum is in the early stages of development. In these subjects, curriculum content, and the order in which it is taught, have not been as well planned as in others.

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better?

Teachers are knowledgeable about the subjects they teach. The school and the trust provide them with valuable training and networking opportunities. Teachers are skilled at checking how well pupils are learning. They use a variety of methods, including quizzes and surveys. They devise engaging tasks through which pupils can apply their learning. 19 and 20 September 2023

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There is a sharp focus on communication and language throughout the school. This is particularly important, given the number of pupils whose first language is not English. From Nursery to Year 6, pupils learn the specific vocabulary they need in each subject. Pupils relish the chance to use this and to talk about what they have learned.

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A strong reading culture underpins the curriculum. Teachers read high-quality texts to their classes to promote a love of reading. Daily phonics lessons for pupils in the Reception class and key stage 1 teach them the sounds they need to become fluent readers. Adults quickly spot pupils who are struggling. They intervene swiftly to support them. Occasionally, adults miss opportunities to get pupils to practise the sounds they are learning or to address pupils’ misconceptions.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early. They get the support they need through, for example, practical resources, adapted tasks or additional adults. Pupils with SEND participate fully in school life. They access the same curriculum as their classmates.

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Pupils have positive attitudes. They respect each other’s right to learn, and they look after their environment. Poor behaviour in lessons is rare, and most pupils achieve well.

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The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development is well established. Pupils take part in a range of sporting events. They have opportunities to play the ukelele, xylophone or djembe drums. The personal, social and health education curriculum teaches pupils about healthy lifestyles, positive relationships and personal safety, both on and offline. Pupils learn about the six major religions in religious education (RE) lessons. They show tolerance and a respect for the beliefs of others.

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The school has been through turbulent times. The trust and local governing board have supported and challenged senior leaders as they have delivered the improvements that were needed. A lot has been achieved in a short space of time. Staff are rightly proud to work at the school. Parents have a very positive view of it.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the curriculum is in the early stages of development. In these subjects, the content pupils learn does not always build on their prior knowledge. This means pupils do not always have the knowledge or skills they need to access future learning. The school must ensure that the curriculum in these subjects precisely identifies the important knowledge pupils need to learn and the order in 19 and 20 September 2023

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which they need to learn it. Leaders must also ensure that all staff are well trained in teaching this curriculum so that pupils better secure their understanding of important knowledge.  There are some inconsistencies in the way staff support some pupils in the early stages of reading. Opportunities are occasionally missed for these pupils to practise new or known sounds. There are also times where pupils’ misconceptions are not always dealt with effectively. This means that some pupils do not become fluent readers as quickly as they should. The school should ensure that pupils are provided with sufficient opportunities to practise reading new and known sounds. Leaders should also ensure that all staff know how to identify and address misconceptions pupils have.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 19 and 20 September 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 De Havilland Primary School converted to become an academy in October 2020. When its predecessor school, De Havilland Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate overall.  The school joined the Danes Educational Trust in October 2020.  Wraparound care is provided before and after school. Before-school care is led and managed by school staff. After-school care is provided by a registered provider.  The school makes use of one registered alterative provider.

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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

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 19 and 20 September 2023

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with a range of leaders, including senior leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, governors, including the chair of the governing body, and trust leaders.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, science, and religious education (RE). For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work. The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documentation and policies, including the school development plan and minutes of governing board meetings.  Inspectors reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s pupil, parent and staff questionnaires. They also spoke with pupils, parents and staff to gather their views of the school.

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Inspection team

Caroline Crozier, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Karen Stanton Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 September 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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