Keep Hatch Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Keep Hatch Primary School Ashridge Road, Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 1PG

p.1

Inspection dates: 21 and 22 November 2023

p.1

Outcome

Keep Hatch Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Claire Appleby. This school is part of LDBS Frays Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Chris Cole, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Angie Brett.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils blossom at Keep Hatch Primary. They develop a love for learning right from the start in the early years. Parents are full of praise for the ‘strong bonds and positive relationships’ that pupils form with adults. Pupils benefit from these nurturing relationships. Pupils feel listened to and incidents of unkindness are not tolerated. As a result, pupils feel happy and safe.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ high expectations are mirrored in pupils’ actions. Pupils behave well in lessons and classrooms are abuzz with learning. In the early years, children play cooperatively, sharing their toys with their friends. Pupils love to talk about their learning and the exciting new facts they have learned. Pupils are delighted to win 'Hatchies' for their hard work.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s enrichment offer is extensive. Uptake for a comprehensive range of clubs, such as fencing, French, and ‘Calm club’, is high. Older pupils are proud of the many opportunities they have for being responsible and take these roles seriously. Recently, the ‘Eco team’ have developed a school eco-garden using support from local businesses. Pupils relish opportunities to perform, such as in the popular choir and the annual ‘Musical Soiree’.

p.1

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

The school’s curriculum is highly ambitious and designed to prepare pupils well for life beyond Keep Hatch. Although well established, the curriculum has recently been refined. The knowledge pupils are to learn has been sequenced well into ‘golden threads’ across all subjects to ensure that knowledge ‘sticks’. For example, in history, pupils learn 21 and 22 November 2023

p.1

2

important concepts, such as legacy, innovation and rebellion across topics, to help them understand and link periods of history. In art, the threads of painting, collage and sculpture are evident in the high-quality work displayed around the school. That being said, in a small number of subjects, work to specify all the knowledge is not yet complete. In these subjects, the school is still working to define the exact facts pupils are to learn.

p.2

2

Pupils develop a love of reading and read widely and often. Books and their authors are celebrated throughout the school. Children in the early years thrill at learning the sounds letters make, learning quickly to read their first words. Adults support them well to complete the phonics programme. Across the school, pupils are taught to understand texts with increasing complexity and from diverse cultures. They treasure story time, where adults enthusiastically bring book characters to life.

p.2

2

Overall, pupils mostly achieve well across the curriculum. During learning, staff break down and explain complex ideas well. For example, in the early years, children’s understanding of early number is secured through the use of different representations and activities. Throughout the school, assessment is effective across the curriculum. Teachers use this well to adapt tasks, providing additional support or challenge to pupils. They provide effective ‘in the moment’ feedback, such as ‘on the trot’ marking to ensure pupils’ understanding is secure. Throughout the curriculum, ‘flashbacks’ are used well to revisit prior learning. The identification of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is accurate, with both pupils and parents playing a significant role in developing support plans. Adults in class follow these plans carefully to ensure pupils with SEND receive the help they need.

p.2

2

The curriculum for pupils’ wider development is extensive. Staff deliver age-appropriate personal, social and health education (PSHE). This underpins the wider work of the school, such as assemblies, and ensures that key messages are reinforced. Pupils learn to identify healthy relationships, including those online. Pupils know who their trusted adults are and know how to get help if they need it. Where needed, pupils with SEND are given help to ensure they are able to share their worries. Pupils enjoy learning about diversity and difference in the world. They demonstrate high levels of respect for all members of their community and say that everyone is welcome at their school.

p.2

2

School leaders, including those at both local governor and trust level, know their school well. They have a deep moral purpose and prioritise equality of access for all. Leaders track pupils’ progress carefully, with a focus on ensuring the most disadvantaged can benefit from all the school has to offer. Staff are highly appreciative of the support they receive from school leaders, particularly valuing the links they have with other professionals from across the trust. Staff are proud to work at a school where they are valued.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 21 and 22 November 2023

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few foundation subjects, the curriculum does not precisely define all aspects of subject knowledge that pupils should learn. In these subjects, teachers are less clear about some of the specific information pupils need to know and remember over time. The school should ensure the curriculum precisely sets out all of the knowledge pupils will be taught over time.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Keep Hatch Primary School, the school to be good in October 2018.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

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). 21 and 22 November 2023

p.3

School details

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.4

Information about this school

 The school is part of the LDBS Frays Academy Trust. The school converted to an academy in January 2021.  An external provider manages before- and after-school childcare provision.  Currently, the school uses three alternative providers.

p.4

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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. She also met with members of the local governing body, representatives of the trust.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject 21 and 22 November 2023

p.4

5

leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  During the inspection, the inspector met with a range of pupils to discuss their views about the school and talked to them informally during social times.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector scrutinised a wide range of information, including a selection of the school’s records. The inspector spoke to staff and pupils about safeguarding and looked at how pupils learn to keep themselves safe. The inspector spoke to the safeguarding leader about the recording and reporting of safeguarding incidents.  The inspector reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. The inspector also took account of staff responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire.

p.5

Inspection team

Laura James, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 21 and 22 November 2023

p.5

6

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.

p.6

6

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

6

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

6

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

6

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6