Hateley Heath Academy

Inspection of Hateley Heath Academy Huntingdon Road, West Bromwich, West Midlands B71 2RP

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Inspection dates: 27 and 28 February 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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The associate headteacher of this school is Alan Rogers. This school is part of Manor Multi 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 (CEO), Hayley Guest, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Coles. 27 and 28 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Hateley Heath is a welcoming school where pupils feel included. Pupils are proud to belong to this kind and thoughtful school community. They have positive relationships with staff, who know them well. This helps pupils to feel supported in all aspects of school life. Pupils feel safe in school and know whom to turn to if they have a concern.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has been on a journey of change and has worked hard to improve the quality of education it provides. Leaders have been relentless in their efforts to provide the very best for their pupils. As a result, pupils have a love and enjoyment of learning and want to achieve well. Their positive achievements reflect their hard work.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff and pupils embody the school’s values of ‘enjoy, achieve, respect and teamwork’. Pupils talk about these with enthusiasm and understand why they are important. Throughout the school, there is a positive culture of working hard and taking part, both in lessons and in extra-curricular activities. Pupils behave well and they are kind to each other. This helps the school to feel calm and settled.

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better?

Children get off to a sound start in early years. The curriculum is ambitious and supports children in developing independence and curiosity well. Children engage positively in their learning. Leaders provide many opportunities for children to develop their language and communication, while supporting them to explore their own interests effectively. Staff take the time to interact with children and to talk and listen to them. As a result, children are happy to express themselves and can retell and talk about stories with growing confidence.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised early reading. Staff have received regular training and support to develop their subject expertise. Consequently, staff deliver high-quality phonics lessons to pupils. There are appropriate arrangements in place for checking pupils’ reading ability. These checks identify pupils at risk of falling behind or who may need extra support. When this is the case, the school provides useful and effective support. There are many opportunities to develop a love of reading. Pupils read every day and enjoy reading to their teachers.

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better?

The curriculum at Hateley Heath has gone through extensive development. Pupils receive a broad and ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of all, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Careful consideration has been given to what pupils learn and when in each subject. This means that they build their skills and knowledge in a logical way. Lessons are well structured, and teachers present learning clearly. In lessons, pupils engage well and become absorbed in their learning. 27 and 28 February 2024

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Teachers use a range of methods to check what pupils know and understand. However, in some subjects, assessment is not used consistently well. Where this is the case, misconceptions are not always picked up, and this means that future learning is not as well matched to pupils’ needs as it could be.

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All pupils, including those with SEND, are included in all aspects of school life. The process of identifying pupils with SEND is thorough and effective. Leaders ensure that staff receive the training required to meet pupils’ individual needs. As a result, pupils with SEND receive high-quality and individualised support.

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The school provides a wide range of opportunities beyond the academic curriculum. The ability to ‘pursue your passions’ is a unique offer at Hateley Heath. This supports and nurtures pupils’ interests across the curriculum. Pupils learn the right things to keep themselves safe and understand the wider world. Many pupils take on extra roles and responsibilities. These include the school’s ‘environmental warriors’, who help to identify ways in which the school can become more sustainable, and the ‘PE crew’, whose members organise games and activities for pupils at break- and lunchtimes.

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Leaders, trustees and governors know the school well. The trust has provided effective and consistent support for the school. This has led to significant progress. Historically, pupils’ outcomes in national tests have been below the expected standards. However, pupils are now making stronger progress through the curriculum. Many parents and carers speak positively about the school, its progress and the support that they receive. Where parents have concerns, leaders work to address these.

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Leaders and staff value the support that they receive. This includes teachers in the early stages of their career. Leaders are considerate of staff workload and well- being. Staff say that they enjoy working at the school and feel valued.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the school does not use assessment with enough precision to identify how well pupils are learning the intended curriculum. This means that gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not being routinely addressed and teachers do not always match future learning activities accurately enough to address gaps in knowledge. The school should ensure that assessment is used consistently well to identify gaps in pupils’ learning and to inform the selection of learning activities to best close gaps in pupils’ learning. 27 and 28 February 2024

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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). 27 and 28 February 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined Manor Multi Academy Trust in March 2021.  The school does not currently use any alternative providers.

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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 had 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 of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and 27 and 28 February 2024

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, English, history, and art and design.  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.  The inspectors observed children reading to a familiar adult and reviewed reading resources.  The inspectors reviewed a range of documentation on the school’s website.  The inspectors observed children’s behaviour in lessons and at other times during the day.  The inspectors held meetings with trust leaders, trustees, senior leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, the designated safeguarding lead, curriculum leaders and governors.  The lead inspector took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, and to

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Inspection team

Gemma Mann, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Vanessa Payne Ofsted Inspector 27 and 28 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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