Hampton Dene Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Hampton Dene Primary School Church Road, Tupsley, Hereford, Herefordshire HR1 1RT

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Inspection dates: 31 January and 1 February 2024

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Outcome

Hampton Dene Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy and inclusive school. The school’s motto of ‘One School Cherishing All’ is fully realised. Every pupil is nurtured and valued. Parents and carers, staff and pupils speak favourably about the school and the excellent leadership of the headteacher.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All staff have high expectations of what pupils can achieve socially, emotionally and academically. Teachers use their in-depth knowledge of each pupil, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to tailor learning to pupils’ needs. The carefully planned curriculum and enrichment programme ensures that these expectations are met.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has established clear routines and teaches children how to behave well as soon as they join early years. Consequently, the way in which pupils conduct themselves is exemplary. They learn and play collaboratively, showing respect and consideration towards one another. They feel safe and confident because caring staff pay close attention to their individual needs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a rich and extensive range of extra-curricular opportunities for pupils. Activities range from horse-riding and cheerleading for pupils with SEND to participating in sport competitions and music events. Physical education (PE) is high on the school’s agenda. Pupils complete a ‘daily mile’, and each cohort goes swimming every year.

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

The school is ambitious for all its pupils. The school wants pupils to achieve well academically alongside developing the skills they need in life. For example, each year group has an opportunity to run the ‘life-skills’ café. This involves planning, budgeting, shopping, cooking and serving skills.

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

The curriculum is well structured and progressive. The school has successfully identified the knowledge and skills that all pupils, including children in early years, must learn. Key 31 January and 1 February 2024

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vocabulary features strongly throughout the curriculum. For example, pupils described ‘sculling’ techniques when discussing what they learn in swimming. Most subjects are well established, but a small number are still developing due to recent adaptations made.

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Teachers model and explain tasks clearly. This ensures that pupils know what they need to do, and no time is wasted. Where necessary, teachers make careful adaptations to the work set. For example, additional adult help or equipment is provided for pupils with SEND so that they can access the same work as their peers. Teachers check pupils’ understanding during lessons through skilled questioning. They provide helpful feedback so that pupils know how to improve their work.

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Teachers use their expertise to identify pupils with SEND early. Pupils with complex needs receive effective support from well-trained staff, both in classrooms and in the language and communication centre (LCC). Pupils from the LCC are fully included in school life. They regularly take part in PE and other lessons and join their peers at playtimes. The school accesses or commissions effective support for these pupils. However, targets set for pupils with mild learning difficulties are too broad and lack precision. They do not identify the small steps pupils need to master for pupils to be successful, or how targets will be assessed.

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Staff foster a love of books and reading. Regular reading is encouraged and celebrated. Pupils are proud to add their names to the reading tree in the hall. Children in early years get off to a good start in learning to read. The phonics curriculum is used consistently and expertly by teachers. Books are carefully matched to pupils’ abilities. Staff provide additional support for pupils who struggle or fall behind with their reading. This helps them to catch up quickly and achieve well.

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Pupils enjoy school, and most attend regularly. They have positive attitudes towards learning and behave well in lessons and around school. Staff manage the behaviour of pupils in the LCC well.

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There is a strong curriculum for personal, social and health education. Pupils’ mental and physical well-being is prioritised. They go to church each week and are regularly involved in community events. Pupils understand values such as equality and diversity. However, their knowledge of fundamental British values, and beliefs held by those from different faiths, is at an early stage.

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Staff work well as a team. All are proud to be staff members at Hampton Dene. They manage their workload well and appreciate the support and approachability provided by the school. Those new to the profession settle quickly and get the training and guidance needed to be effective practitioners.

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Governors share leaders’ ambition for pupils. They have a good knowledge of the school’s strengths and development areas. They keep a close eye on the curriculum to make sure pupils are getting the quality of education they deserve. 31 January and 1 February 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The targets set for pupils at the SEND support stage are not precise and explicit enough. They do not set out the small steps for improvement that pupils should take and are not easily measured. The school should enhance support plans so that the progression of pupils with moderate SEND can be mapped and evaluated more effectively.  Some pupils’ understanding of fundamental British values, and the beliefs of those from different faiths, is at an early stage of development. This means that they are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they could be. The school should ensure that the curriculum provides coverage of these elements to broaden pupils’ understanding and knowledge of diversity.

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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 a section 8 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 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.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 31 January and 1 February 2024

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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). 31 January and 1 February 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 December 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school extended its provision for pupils with complex needs in conjunction with the local authority in October 2023. The Widemarsh Children’s Centre supports 11 children in early years who have a range of SEND. This setting is located near the school and is managed by the school’s governing body.  The school has a much higher than average proportion of pupils with SEND on roll. Some pupils learn in mainstream classrooms, while others attend the on-site resource base, the LCC. The LCC is funded by the local authority and currently caters for 42 pupils with speech and language difficulties or autism. All have an education, health and care plan. Some pupils live outside the catchment area.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 31 January and 1 February 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school had 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 her evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, other senior leaders and governors, including the chair of the governing body. She also had a telephone discussion with the director of children’s services for Herefordshire.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and PE. For each deep dive, she held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils, and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector met with teaching staff to talk about the curriculum, staff workload, and the behaviour and personal development of pupils. She also met with groups of pupils to talk about their learning and well-being.  The inspector observed a selection of pupils reading to members of staff. Other pupils

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were heard reading their own work during lesson visits.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: checked the school’s single central record; spoke to senior leaders about safeguarding procedures; took account of the views of 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.  The inspector considered a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and plans for improvement. Records of attendance and behaviour incidents were checked.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour at playtime and talked to them about behaviour, bullying and welfare.  The inspector talked to parents after school and considered responses to the online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. She gathered the views of pupils and staff on site through discussions with these groups and from their responses to their respective

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Inspection team

Heather Simpson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 31 January and 1 February 2024

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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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