Hursthead Infant School

Inspection of Hursthead Infant School Kirkstead Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 7PZ

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding 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.

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Overall effectiveness Good

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. 15 and 16 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, staff and parents and carers agree that Hursthead Infant School is a happy place to learn. The school has high expectations for pupils’ academic achievement. Pupils, and children in the early years, rise to meet the expectations that the school has of them. Typically, they achieve well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has prioritised pupils’ well-being and their wider development. Pupils develop a strong understanding of their emotions and how their actions impact on the feelings of others. They learn successfully how to look after their mental health, as well as their physical well-being. Pupils know that staff care about them. They think of the school community as being like a family.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value learning and they demonstrate positive attitudes to their studies. For example, they regularly spoke about ‘not giving up’ and ‘trying your best’. Pupils behave well, they show kindness and care to their peers and they are exceptionally well informed about how to be a helpful and responsible citizen in a diverse society.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are proud to be part of the school community. They appreciate the lengths that staff go to in helping pupils to achieve their best. This includes staff’s in-depth understanding of how to support pupils’ individual needs. Parents spoke positively about the extensive range of opportunities that the school provides to develop and hone pupils’ talents and interests.

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better?

Pupils, including children in the early years, learn a curriculum that prepares them well for key stage 2 and helps them to build their knowledge securely over time. The school has thought carefully about the order in which pupils learn. In the majority of subjects, the school has set out carefully the most important knowledge that pupils need to know and remember.

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better?

Teachers use their expertise to explain new concepts clearly to pupils and select appropriate learning activities. That said, in a small number of subjects, teachers are not as clear about the important knowledge that pupils need for subsequent learning. Where this is the case, some pupils do not recall their prior knowledge as easily. From time to time, this hinders these pupils when they come to use and apply this learning to more complex ideas.

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better?

The school has well-thought-out procedures in place to find out what pupils know. Teachers use the information that they gain from their checks on pupils’ learning to design and shape pupils’ next steps. Consequently, pupils deepen their understanding of concepts and, in the main, they acquire a rich body of subject knowledge.

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better?

The school makes sure that staff are well equipped to deliver the curriculum effectively. For example, children in the early years benefit from staff who are adept 15 and 16 November 2023

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at delivering the school’s chosen phonics programme. As a result, pupils build on this strong start in key stage 1 and become confident and fluent readers by the end of Year 2.

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Children in the early years join the school with a wide range of experiences. The school ensures that children quickly develop a love of reading. Staff carefully consider the books that are available for pupils to practise their reading. Staff make sure that pupils read books that are matched well to the sounds that they know. Those pupils who struggle with reading receive appropriate support from skilled staff to catch up quickly. In addition, pupils are exposed to a diverse range of high-quality texts. For instance, staff take care to ensure that the books pupils read reflect and represent people from different backgrounds and cultures.

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The school has effective systems in place to identify the additional needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These pupils receive the support that they need from staff to learn successfully alongside their peers. The school goes to great lengths to understand the challenges that pupils with SEND may face and to help them to achieve their best. This includes forging strong links with a range of professionals who provide appropriate support and guidance.

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Pupils are clear about how they should behave. Staff apply the school’s behaviour policy consistently and fairly. This means that pupils’ learning is seldom disrupted.

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Pupils know what it means to respect others, including how to maintain healthy relationships. For example, they proudly described the ‘consent culture’ in school and they have a secure understanding of how this helps to keep them safe. Pupils have a strong understanding of how different people live. They explained why it is important to be sensitive to the needs of others. Through the curriculum, pupils gain a detailed knowledge of the negative effects of discrimination and the importance of equality.

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The school provides many opportunities for pupils to take on roles of responsibility. Pupils fulfil these roles, such as playground friends and sports leaders, with pride. They know how these roles make the school a welcoming place to be. For example, without prompting, they set up games at playtime and ensure that pupils across the school can take part and have fun.

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Governors have an accurate overview of the school. They have the breadth of knowledge that they need to provide the school with an appropriate level of support and challenge. Leaders at all levels show consideration for staff and take suitable steps to reduce their workload. Governors make sure that leaders’ decisions about the school are carefully balanced with how these might impact on staff’s well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 15 and 16 November 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the school has not ensured that teachers are clear enough about the important knowledge that pupils need to learn. As a result, some pupils do not know and remember enough of their learning and this hinders them using and applying this knowledge in more complex tasks. The school should ensure that teachers are sufficiently clear about the most useful knowledge for pupils’ subsequent 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). 15 and 16 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.hursthead-inf.stockport.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 13 and 14 May 2008, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher joined the school in September 2022.  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 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, governors and some subject leaders.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions 15 and 16 November 2023

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about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  An inspector listened to pupils read to a trusted adult.  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.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text responses. Inspectors met with parents at the start and end of the school day.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  Inspectors spoke with pupils to gather their views of the school. They also considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

Jane Dennis, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Erica Sharman Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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