Hillside Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Hillside Primary School Headfield Road, Newsome, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD4 6LU

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The principal of this school is Nazmunnisha Ismail. This school is part of the South Pennines Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Lynda Johnson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mick Kay.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils rise to these expectations. The school is calm and orderly. Pupils are confident that staff will sort out any misbehaviour. They say that staff are supportive and help them with any worries they have. Leaders aspire for pupils to learn well, which many do. However, some curriculum subjects are in the early stages of implementation. Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and skills. They do not achieve as well as they could.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school. They develop strong and trusting relationships with their peers and staff. Pupils learn to become active citizens and contribute to the life of the school. They enjoy being school council members, eco warriors and play leaders. Pupils are respectful. They understand the fundamental British values, including those of equality and the rule of law. They organise Christmas fairs and raise funds for different charities. They value their community and enjoy singing at different venues, including residential care homes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils can develop their talents in different areas of sport. They hone their skills playing various musical instruments. These include the piano, guitar and drums. Pupils enjoy educational trips and visits, including to the Filey coast. Year 6 pupils relish their annual residential learning, where they engage in team building and orienteering activities. 7 and 8 November 2023

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders identified that the school’s previous curriculum did not support pupils’ learning as effectively as it should. Some pupils have not developed essential knowledge and skills for different subjects. Leaders have worked with staff to improve and strengthen the design and content of different subjects. The curriculum is now logically ordered and carefully constructed. Most pupils are currently learning well. However, the school is in the early days of implementing many subjects. The impact and effectiveness of the new curriculum is not known in some subjects. Several subject leaders are new to their roles. They do not have a thorough understanding of how well the curriculum in their subject is taught. The advice that they give to teachers to improve teaching and learning is not as effective as it could be to bring about necessary further improvements.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff prioritise reading. There is a strong focus on broadening the range of pupils’ reading. The school is determined to help pupils to acquire the reading skills that they need to be successful for secondary school and beyond. Pupils enjoy reading. They can talk enthusiastically about the work of different popular children’s authors. The phonics curriculum is taught effectively by skilled staff who are trained well. Children in the Reception classes, and pupils in key stage 1, learn to read fluently and accurately. Phonics is taught from the start of the Reception Year. Pupils who find reading difficult are supported well. Staff ensure that the books that pupils read match the letters and sounds that they have learned.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) from the early years. The school works closely with staff in nursery schools to establish children’s needs before they start at the school. Staff establish effective partnerships with a range of external professionals and parents and carers. They make sure that pupils get the support that they need. Staff adapt learning carefully to help pupils with SEND to successfully access the same curriculums as their peers.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

There is a new behaviour policy in place. Pupils understand the new approach. They follow it well. Staff make sure that lessons are purposeful and productive. Disruption is rare. Children in the early years follow routines and instructions well. They particularly like joining in with stories and singing different rhymes during their story time.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils appreciate cultural diversity. They enjoy celebrating events such as Chinese New Year, Eid and Diwali. Pupils know how to keep themselves fit and healthy. Visitors to the school help pupils to understand the dangers associated with tobacco and alcohol use and vaping. Pupils learn how to maintain strong and appropriate personal relationships, as well as how to sustain their mental health. They regularly participate in different clubs, including craft, football and gym clubs. Staff help pupils to be aspirational. Recently, Year 6 pupils met with an accountant and a paramedic, to find out about these occupations.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff enjoy working at the school. They say that leaders are mindful of staff mental health and workload. Staff feel involved in decision-making. They value the time provided to develop the curriculum. 7 and 8 November 2023

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Trustees, and governors, provide valuable support and challenge to the school. They are clear about the school’s strengths and what needs to be improved further. Parents take an increasingly active part in school life. They enjoy taking part in coffee mornings and ‘stay and play’ events.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Changes to some subjects in the curriculum are recent. Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and skills, others lack depth of understanding. The school should closely monitor the implementation of the new curriculum to make sure that gaps in pupils’ learning are addressed and that pupils achieve as well as they should.  In several areas of the curriculum, subject leaders are at an early stage of developing their expertise. The support that they provide to teachers to improve the quality of teaching and learning is not as effective as it could be. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders get the support that they need to lead their subjects well and to help teachers to implement the curriculum effectively.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, also of the same name, to be good in February 2018.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 7 and 8 November 2023

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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 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). 7 and 8 November 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Hillside Primary School converted to become an academy school as part of the South Pennines Academies Trust in February 2020. When the predecessor school, Hillside Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted in January 2018, it was judged to be good overall.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector carried out this ungraded inspection under section 8 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.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school. 7 and 8 November 2023

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 The inspector held meetings with the principal, vice-principal and other members of the senior leadership team, some staff, including those responsible for SEND, attendance and pupils’ behaviour, welfare and personal development.  The inspector met with members of the governing body. He met with trust members, including the chair of the board of trustees and the director of education. The inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, he discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector listened to pupils read. The inspector also met with curriculum leaders for a range of other subjects.  The inspector met with pupils to discuss their learning in different subjects. He spoke

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with staff about their workload and well-being.  The inspector met with some parents and reviewed the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. He took account of responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector 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.

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Inspection team

Lenford White, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 November 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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