Hunts Cross Primary School

Inspection of Hunts Cross Primary School Kingsthorne Road, Liverpool, Merseyside L25 0PJ

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 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 Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 26 and 27 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, and their parents and carers, are proud to be part of this inclusive school. Pupils say that they are happy to come to school every morning because their teachers are always welcoming and kind. They feel safe because they trust adults to resolve any problems they may have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff expect pupils to behave very well. Pupils listen respectfully to each other and are confident in sharing their opinions with other pupils and with their teachers. Behaviour is mainly calm and orderly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school aims to give all pupils the best start in life, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils try hard to live up to these high expectations. They enjoy their lessons, and most achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils enjoy the wider opportunities provided for them. Leaders invite various visitors into school for assemblies and workshops. These events allow pupils to learn about a range of issues which help prepare them for life outside school. For example, pupils spoke enthusiastically about what they had learned during a recent mental health week.

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better?

Over recent years, extensive changes have been made to the curriculum so that it is ambitious. Careful thought has been given to the main content to be taught in each subject. The school continues to reflect on and refine subject content. In the Reception class, the curriculum provides children with a wide range of valuable opportunities to develop their language, communication and mathematical skills. As a result, by the end of the Reception Year, they are well prepared for the key stage 1 curriculum.

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better?

Teachers deliver the curriculum well. They are helped to do so by knowledgeable subject leaders, who are keen to offer teachers any guidance they may need if they are unsure about a topic. Teachers use a wide range of teaching strategies to capture the interest of their pupils. Pupils told inspectors that they appreciate how their teachers find enjoyable ways to help them to learn.

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better?

Teachers know their pupils well. In many subjects, they make sure that pupils understand and retain what they have been taught. However, in a few subjects, leaders and teachers are not clear about what strategies they should use to check if pupils have learned what was intended. As a result, in these subjects, teachers sometimes do not identify and address gaps in pupils’ learning or correct any misconceptions that may have developed.

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better?

Reading is a priority across the school. Good reading habits are especially well established in the early years and key stage 1. Pupils said they enjoy reading, and many read frequently. Leaders have ensured that there is a wide range of high- 26 and 27 September 2023

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quality fiction and non-fiction for pupils to read. Recently, leaders have refined the way that the phonics curriculum is taught in Reception and in key stage 1. These changes mean that pupils, including those with SEND, are becoming more confident and fluent readers. Teachers quickly identify any pupils who need extra help to keep up with their phonics learning. Well-trained staff support these pupils so that they catch up quickly.

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The needs of pupils with SEND are identified promptly and accurately. For example, many additional needs are identified before children join Reception due to the effective transition arrangements with local nurseries. There is close work with parents and carers to quickly find the best possible support for pupils. Staff are provided with the information that they need to enable them to help these pupils.

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Low-level disruption in lessons is rare. When it does occur, it is handled by adults in a calm and effective manner. Across the school, pupils demonstrate high levels of respect towards each other. Children in Reception settle quickly, and soon learn the routines and rules of the school day.

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The personal development programme is well designed. Through this programme, pupils learn about and celebrate cultures, societies and lifestyles which are different from their own. Pupils in Year 6 speak confidently and maturely about what they have learned in their relationships and sex education lessons. In assemblies, pupils learn about values such as honesty and the importance of teamwork in everything they do. In these ways, pupils are well prepared for life beyond primary school.

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Governors know the school very well. They have a clear understanding of the improvements made to the school over recent years and the areas which can be improved further. When necessary, they challenge leaders to justify their actions and decisions.

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Staff appreciate the recent efforts governors and leaders have made to reduce their workload in a variety of ways. Staff find senior leaders to be approachable if they have a problem. Pupils and staff have benefited from the extensive staff development programme provided by the school. The school communicates well with parents to support pupils’ education, for example by holding informative meetings at the beginning of the school year for different year groups.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 26 and 27 September 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the assessment of pupils’ knowledge and understanding is underdeveloped. As a result, assessment strategies in these subjects do not provide teachers with the information they need to check what pupils have learned and remembered. The school should ensure that, across all subjects, pupils’ learning is checked in such a way that provides teachers with the information they need to identify the next steps for their pupils’ learning.

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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). 26 and 27 September 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 March 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A small number of pupils attend part-time, resource based alternative provision at another school.

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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 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 the headteacher, senior leaders, middle leaders and a range of teaching and support staff. The lead inspector spoke with five members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body.  The lead inspector met with a representative of the local authority. 26 and 27 September 2023

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 As part of this inspection, inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, science, art and geography. They met with subject leaders, visited some lessons, looked at pupils’ work and spoke with pupils and teachers. The lead inspector observed individual pupils reading to their teachers.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils from Years 2 to 6. They also observed breaktime and lunchtime.  Inspectors checked the school’s safeguarding procedures and the checks made on staff. They met with leaders, staff and pupils to evaluate the culture of safeguarding.  The lead inspector reviewed a range of documentation, including that relating to the school development plans, minutes of the governing body meetings, self- evaluation documents, curriculum information and behaviour records.  The lead inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.  The lead inspector also considered the views of parents who responded to Ofsted

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Parent View. This included the comments received via the free-text facility.

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Inspection team

Timothy Gartside, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Pamela Potter Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 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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