Hatherley Infant School

Inspection of Hatherley Infant School Hatherley Road, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL1 4PW

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Inspection dates: 30 and 31 January 2024

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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 Requires improvement 30 and 31 January 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Hatherley Infant School is a warm and welcoming school. It is highly inclusive. Staff ensure that everyone feels a valued member of the school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a calm and purposeful learning environment. Disruptions to learning are rare. Pupils understand the expectations for behaviour. They are enthusiastic about the positive rewards and recognition they receive for their behaviour. Pupils are keen to move up the school’s ‘behaviour rocket’ and ‘reach the stars’. Pupils enjoy their learning. They talk positively about school and how they like to learn new things.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending a range of extra-curricular clubs. They participate in dodgeball, multi-skills, archery and football. These help pupils to develop their talents and interests.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to take on responsibilities such as the school council, young interpreters and monitors. The school council helps pupils to learn about democracy and to have a say in how to make the school better.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn how to become good citizens. They understand the difference between right and wrong. They recognise the importance of listening to others and taking turns. Pupils understand what bullying is. They say that, if it happens, there are always adults in school to help them.

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better?

A significant number of pupils join the school at varying stages, often part way through a school year. The school welcomes newcomers and helps them to adapt to school life and to learn the curriculum. The school has responded to low outcomes from the most recent statutory assessments. It continually adapts provision to support the needs of changing cohorts of pupils.

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better?

Building strong relationships is at the heart of the school’s ethos. Staff know children and families well. The school has high expectations for all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are quickly identified. Teachers make appropriate adaptations to learning so that all pupils learn the same curriculum. The high number of pupils who speak English as an additional language (EAL) are well supported. Teachers use a range of resources and strategies to ensure that these pupils can learn effectively alongside their peers.

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better?

There is a strong focus on vocabulary and language acquisition. The school has identified the important vocabulary that pupils need to know and understand in all subjects. Staff use resources effectively, such as visual prompts, to help pupils to learn new vocabulary. 30 and 31 January 2024

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Children learn to read as soon as they start school. Staff have the training they need to deliver the phonics programme consistently. Pupils practise their reading using books that are well matched to the sounds that they know and have learned. However, sometimes, pupils are too reliant on decoding. This hinders their fluency and expression.

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Pupils learn from a wide range of books and authors. This helps pupils to develop their reading skills, their vocabulary and their understanding of different cultures. Staff use these books to enrich pupils’ learning in a range of subjects. Pupils enjoy listening to stories. Many pupils say that they love to read.

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The curriculum identifies the knowledge that pupils need to know and remember. This begins in the early years. The curriculum is well sequenced. Teaching helps pupils to recall what they have learned. This helps them to build on what they already know. Pupils who are newcomers to the school are given the right help to catch up on content other pupils have learned.

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Teachers have good knowledge of the subjects they teach. They design learning activities to help pupils learn and recall new content. Teachers use assessment well to check what pupils know and remember. This helps to identify where pupils have gaps in their learning and to inform next steps.

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Pupils are polite and considerate of one another. They hold doors open for other children and adults. During unstructured times, pupils play well with their peers. Pupils understand what it means to be a good friend. They learn about difference and equality. They recognise that the school values of honesty, trust, love, respect and kindness help them to know how to treat others.

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The school works closely with families to ensure that there are clear expectations for attendance. This has had some impact. However, the number of pupils who are persistently absent is too high. These pupils miss too much school. This means that they do not learn important content, which leads to gaps in their knowledge.

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The school invests in developing staff expertise. This gives teachers the confidence to adapt teaching approaches that get the best from pupils. Teachers value the training they receive. They are overwhelmingly positive about the respect and support that leaders show them.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils struggle to read fluently. They are too reliant on decoding. These pupils need further practice to develop their confidence and fluency when 30 and 31 January 2024

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reading. The school should ensure that pupils receive the support that they need to become fluent and confident readers.  Despite the school’s actions to improve attendance, the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent is too high. As a result, these pupils are missing out on important learning. The school should strengthen its work with families to reduce persistent absence so that these pupils improve their attendance and achieve well.

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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). 30 and 31 January 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 20 and 21 October 2021, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of The Hatherley St James’ Federation. The federation includes two schools: Hatherley Infant School and St James’ Church of England Junior School.  The school runs a nursery for children aged two to four years.  There is a breakfast club for pupils who attend the school.  The school uses two registered alternative provisions.  The proportion of pupils who speak EAL is well above average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is well above average.  The proportion of pupils who join the school outside of the standard time of admission is high.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is much higher than the national average. 30 and 31 January 2024

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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 spoke with the executive headteacher and operational headteacher. They held meetings with the inclusion lead, EAL coordinator, curriculum leaders, staff and governors, including the chair of the governing body.  The lead inspector spoke with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions 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. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in history, geography, art and science.

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Information about this inspection

 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the view 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’s Parent View online survey. They also spoke with parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted online staff survey.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, the inspectors spoke to pupils to discuss their views of the school.

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Inspection team

Nicky McMahon, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Tonwen Empson Ofsted Inspector 30 and 31 January 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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