Hathersage St Michael's CofE (Aided) Primary School

Inspection of Hathersage St Michael’s CofE (Aided) Primary School School Lane, Hathersage, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S32 1BZ

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 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 Good 17 and 18 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s ‘Golden Values’ sit at the heart of everything that happens at Hathersage St Michael’s. These expectations help pupils to learn the importance of friendship, honesty, hope, forgiveness, perseverance and respect. Pupils say that these expectations help them to get on with each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are united in their view that this is a good school. One pupil summed up many when they said: ‘We get to know everyone. We all get on. It’s cosy and homely.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are polite and courteous to adults, each other and visitors. They are motivated by the rewards that they can earn, including ‘Citizenship Certificates’, being a ‘Star of the Week’ and becoming a ‘Wow Worker’. Pupils say that the behaviour code works well. They are eager to move up through the different colours towards gold. Pupils point out that ‘Green is good, but Gold is better’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Older pupils set a positive example for younger ones to follow. They are proud to ‘Buddy Up’ and support younger children’s move from Nursery to full-time school. The work of the school council is valued. Pupils eagerly describe the democratic process that is followed to select designs for the school’s annual ‘Hathersage Hurtle’.

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better?

Pupils are taught to read from the moment they start school. The school has a well- structured phonics programme. It makes clear which sounds pupils should know and remember week by week. Sounds are taught in a logical order. All staff have been trained to teach the programme. This, along with ongoing training and support, has resulted in phonics being taught consistently well. Pupils remember the sounds that they have learned and apply these to new words. They quickly become fluent readers.

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better?

Beyond phonics, the reading curriculum is well organised. Pupils read a wide range of texts, genres and authors. They read frequently and, over time, develop positive attitudes to reading.

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better?

Overall, the rest of the school’s curriculum is well planned and sequenced. It makes clear what pupils are expected to know and remember at each stage of their education. It builds cumulatively. It is taught well. Teachers plan and deliver lessons that are lively and engaging. As a result, this helps pupils to remember what they have learned. For example, in physical education (PE), pupils recall with ease what they must do to pass on a baton in a relay team. They talk knowledgeably about the things that they must do to perform an effective standing start jump. However, a small number of subjects are not fully planned and sequenced. In these subjects, the curriculum does not make clear the precise content that pupils are expected to 17 and 18 October 2023

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know and remember. As a result, in these subjects, the sequence for pupils’ learning is not as well designed as it could be.

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Staff provide effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff adapt their teaching to ensure that these pupils learn the same curriculum as their peers. There is a shared ambition for these pupils to do well.

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Children in the early years are happy and cared for well. Staff make sure that learning is fun and engaging. Children play cooperatively. They remember what they have learned. Children in Nursery are helped to become inquisitive learners. Care arrangements, including for the youngest children, are effective. Overall, the curriculum has clear milestones that show what children are expected to achieve. However, these are not in place for the very youngest children. As a result, the curriculum does not make clear what is expected of children who join the Nursery from the age of two.

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Pupils know that everyone should be treated respectfully. Older pupils know what discrimination is. They say it is not tolerated, in any form, at their school. Pupils make good use of the extra-curricular activities on offer. Staff make sure that all pupils can access these. There is an impressive range of sporting activities and competitions. Pupils are proud of their achievements in these.

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Leaders work tirelessly. They are highly ambitious for the school. They understand the important role that the school plays in its community. Along with the governing body, they are determined to keep this front and centre of the school’s offer.

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Pupils, staff and the vast majority of parents are highly positive about the school. As one parent told an inspector: ‘The school is great. It is nurturing and helps children to thrive.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a positive culture of safeguarding at the school. Staff take the actions needed to keep pupils safe. Overall, safeguarding records are fit for purpose. However, in a small number of cases, safeguarding records do not make clear enough who recorded information and when.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the curriculum is not fully planned and sequenced. It does not make clear what pupils should know and remember at each stage of their education. It does not always build systematically on what has gone before. As a result, in these subjects, pupils’ learning is not sequenced as well as it could 17 and 18 October 2023

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be. The school should ensure that the curriculum, across all subjects, is well planned and sequenced and makes clear the most important content that pupils should commit to their long-term memory.  The early years curriculum does not make clear what is expected of children who join the Nursery from the age of two. This means that staff are unable to check closely enough on how well children progress. The school should ensure that the early years curriculum sets out the milestones that children are expected to achieve at each stage of their early years education.  In a small number of places, safeguarding records do not make clear enough who recorded information and when. This means that this important information could be lost. The school should ensure that records clearly and consistently show who recorded what information and when.

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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). 17 and 18 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.st-michaels.derbyshire.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 15 February 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Derby. The most recent section 48 inspection of the school, which is an inspection of the school’s religious character, took place in January 2017.  The school provides education for two-year-olds in the Little Kinder Nursery.  The school does not use any alternative education providers.

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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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the assistant headteachers, curriculum leaders, the early years leaders, those responsible for SEND and 17 and 18 October 2023

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groups of staff and pupils.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in four subjects: reading, mathematics, history and PE. To do this, they met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and met with teachers and pupils. Inspectors also spoke to leaders and looked at curriculum documentation for other subjects, including science, modern foreign languages (French), computing and personal, social and health education.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the governing body. He held a separate meeting with the chair of governors. He also met with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and written comments from parents. Inspectors spoke informally to parents outside the school. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single

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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.  Inspectors reviewed school documents, including those relating to governance, behaviour and attendance. Inspectors scrutinised leaders’ plans for improvement and their assessment of the school’s effectiveness.  Inspectors spoke informally to pupils at breaktimes, in the dining hall and on the playground. An inspector spoke to pupils in breakfast club.

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Inspection team

Vic Wilkinson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jennifer Lewis Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 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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