Sandford Hill Primary School

Inspection of Sandford Hill Primary School Clayfield Grove, Sandford Hill, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST3 5AQ

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 October 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 Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 15 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time. From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection. 10 and 11 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where pupils are at the heart of every decision. Everyone works together to support pupils to be ‘thoughtful, respectful and hard working’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school wants the very best for all pupils. Leaders are continuing to develop the curriculum further, so that pupils experience a rich and exciting learning journey. This supports the school’s aim for pupils to grow into responsible, well-rounded citizens of the future.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and friendly. They rush to hold doors open for staff and visitors. On the playground, they enjoy playing with their friends and taking part in a range of activities, especially cricket. Pupils work hard and, in most instances, listen well and take an interest in their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school and are rarely absent. They look forward to the warm welcome they receive at the school gate, as well as the bagels in the classroom. Pupils get along with each other and they appreciate the support they get from the staff. Positive relationships are the bedrock of this school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about all aspects of school life. They appreciate the ‘family feel’ of the school and how they are kept informed about their child’s learning and progress.

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better?

In many subjects, the school has mapped out the knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils will learn in and across year groups, including in early years. Teachers are clear about what to teach and when to teach it. As a result, new learning builds on what pupils already know. The school has identified that aspects of writing and the reasoning element of the mathematics curriculum need to be improved. Currently, the school is developing these aspects of the curriculum to improve further how well pupils achieve in these subjects.

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better?

Teachers have secure subject knowledge in a range of curriculum areas. They explain new learning clearly and in a logical manner. Teachers model subject-specific language accurately, which pupils are starting to mirror when explaining their own understanding. Additional adults are used well across the school. They provide appropriate support to pupils without doing the work for them. Staff use digital technology well to support the delivery of the curriculum.

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better?

Reading is a high priority in the school. Staff teach phonics effectively because they have been well trained. They regularly check on how well pupils are learning new sounds and remembering previously taught sounds. If required, staff give pupils extra help so that they can keep up with the pace of the phonics programme. The school promotes a love of reading through the English and early years curriculums, 10 and 11 October 2023

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regular reading sessions and story times. This is helping to foster a love of reading among pupils.

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The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately. Pupils with SEND are fully included in all aspects of school life. Teachers know the pupils well and consider their individual needs when planning lesson activities. Staff are always on hand to step in if a pupil needs extra help. The nurture provision supports pupils with social and emotional needs. The provision helps pupils to manage their feelings and supports their inclusion in lessons and all aspects of school life.

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The school’s values are lived out by leaders, staff and pupils alike. Pupils say that the values help them to get on with their friends and encourage them to be a better person. The school enriches the curriculum with an impressive range of experiences. These include a variety of trips, an extensive array of after-school clubs and a broad range of visitors. Pupils have a growing understanding of fundamental British values, such as democracy and how this links to voting in school. However, their knowledge of different faiths and cultures is less developed. Pupils speak confidently about mental health and the importance of regular exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

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School leaders, supported by the governors, have secured improvements in the curriculum and various aspects of school life. They are not complacent and constantly strive to improve the quality of education that pupils experience even further.

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Staff are proud to work in the school and enjoy coming to work. They value the training they receive and say that this supports them to do their job better. Teachers say that workload is manageable and give examples of how leaders have made decisions to reduce it, such as through the introduction of ‘live marking’. Staff say that leaders are considerate of their well-being and they feel genuinely cared for. As a result, staff are motivated to do their job to the best of their ability.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The writing curriculum is not yet fully developed. As a result, some pupils are not achieving as well as they could in writing. The school should continue to develop the end-of-unit writing expectations, highlighting the knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn in each unit of work.  Mathematical reasoning is not yet embedded across the school. As a result, some pupils are not able to explain their mathematical understanding as well as they 10 and 11 October 2023

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could. The school should further develop the curriculum so that pupils can explain their mathematical knowledge and understanding 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’ 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). 10 and 11 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Christopher Austin

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School details

Headteacher David Wardle and Sarah Martin (Co- headteachers) Website www.sandfordhill.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 and 24 January 2008, under section 5 of the Education and Skills Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a nursery, which admits three-year-olds.  The school has a breakfast club and an after-school club on the premises. This provision is operated by an external provider.  The school does not use any 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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school had 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. 10 and 11 October 2023

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The lead inspector met with the two headteachers and with five members of the governing body, including the chair. The lead inspector also held a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors held meetings with a range of leaders to discuss provision for pupils with SEND, pupils’ behaviour, attendance and personal development, and additional funding.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, English, mathematics, physical education, and design and technology. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers,

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spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils formally and informally about their learning and experiences at school. Two groups of pupils accompanied inspectors on personal development learning walks around the school.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View and the free-text comments received during the inspection. Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation. This included the school’s self- evaluation, the school development plan, school policies, curriculum documents, SEND records, behaviour records, attendance records and minutes of meetings of the governing body.

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Inspection team

Wayne Simner, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Susan Ray Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 October 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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