Hemington Primary School

Inspection of Hemington Primary School Hemington, Radstock, Somerset, BA3 5XU

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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 Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

The executive headteacher of this school is Alun Randell. This school is part of The Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Alun Williams, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Tony Wells. 5–6 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Hemington Primary School is a welcoming school which sits at the heart of the community. Pupils and adults build strong relationships. The school’s values set high expectations. Pupils understand these and are ‘kind, fair, respectful and ambitious’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in the early years have an excellent start to their education. They develop positive learning behaviours, independence and resilience. Children concentrate on tasks for sustained periods of time. They develop confidence from an early age. Children interact well with each other in a vibrant learning environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respect and care for each other. They describe the school as loving and welcoming. Older pupils are role models for younger pupils. One stated, ‘we do the right thing and behave well to show a positive example to the younger children.’ Pupils are tolerant and understand that everyone is different. They feel that everyone’s individual needs are recognised at the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy opportunities to take on leadership responsibilities across the school. They say that these roles make them feel proud and valued. Pupils appreciate having the opportunity to help with the running of the school. For example, the ‘Wombles’ pick-up litter to keep the school site tidy.

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better?

The school has responded well to address the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection. A curriculum has been designed which is ambitious for all pupils. It is sequenced well to enable pupils to build on their prior learning as they move through the curriculum. Pupils are keen to learn. The curriculum makes links between subjects. For example, when learning history pupils explored why the Great Fire of London was important. They then used grid references to plot the key locations of this historical event. This developed their geography mapping skills.

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better?

The school recognises that the curriculum needs further refinement. In some subjects, further work is required to pinpoint the precise knowledge that pupils need to know and remember over time. Assessment is not yet effective in some subjects to check what pupils know and can do. In these subjects, pupils do not build their knowledge as well.

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better?

Reading is prioritised at Hemington. Pupils develop a love for reading. This starts in the early years where children enjoy listening to familiar stories. Activities inside and outside of the classroom immerse early years children in stories. For example, one child retold the story of Jack and the Beanstalk using characters in the ‘small world’ area. Adults in the early years know the needs of the children well. The curriculum is tailored to meet the needs of the children. There is a focus on developing children’s vocabulary. Adults model this well in their interactions with early years children. 5–6 June 2024

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From an early age, pupils learn the phonics needed to read fluently. Books are well matched to the sounds pupils are learning. The school’s reading curriculum helps pupils to build their phonic knowledge well. The focus on reading continues into key stage 2 where pupils develop their reading skills and fluency. Texts are challenging which extends pupils’ vocabulary as they move through the curriculum.

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The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils meet these expectations and work hard. They are polite and well-mannered. There is a calm and purposeful environment in classrooms and around the school. Social times are inclusive. Pupils from different year groups play together happily.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are well-supported. The school acts quickly to identify pupils’ needs. This means pupils with SEND are supported from the time they start school. Where appropriate, learning is adapted for pupils so they learn the curriculum alongside their peers. As a result, pupils progress well through the curriculum.

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The school’s values underpin pupils’ personal development. Pupils have compassion and respect for others. They describe the school as loving, friendly and welcoming. Pupils talk confidently about what British values mean and how they relate to their own lives. They know what it means to be a good friend. Pastoral support at the school is strong. The school knows its pupils and families in the community well. Pupils are confident that they know who to talk to if they have any worries or concerns.

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The school has been on a rapid journey of improvement since the previous inspection. Trust leaders and local governors have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and priorities for development. They understand their roles and provide meaningful support and challenge. Staff work closely together and support each other well. Parents are very positive about the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The implementation of the curriculum needs further refinement. The knowledge pupils need to know and remember is not yet precise in all foundation subjects. This means that pupils do not develop a deep knowledge and understanding. The trust needs to ensure that the school curriculum is implemented effectively in all subjects. This will help pupils learn and remember even more of the intended curriculum.  Assessment is still being developed in some foundation subjects. It is not yet used well enough to check that pupils have remembered the knowledge they have 5–6 June 2024

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been taught. As a result, some pupils do not build their knowledge well over time. The trust needs to ensure that assessment is used effectively to check on pupils’ understanding and use this information to inform future 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). 5–6 June 2024

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School details

Date(s) of previous inspection 23 September 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The executive headteacher of the school is also the executive headteacher of another school in the trust.

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this school

 The school has provision for two, three and four-year-olds in its nursery.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) 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.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 5–6 June 2024

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 The inspectors met with the executive headteacher, special educational needs coordinator and early years leader for the school. Inspectors also met with a range of teaching and support staff.

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 The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer for the trust and held a phone conversation with a representative from the board of trustees.

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 The lead inspector met with representatives of the local governing board.

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 The lead inspector met with trust leaders.

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 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.

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.

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 The inspectors also discussed the curriculum in other subjects.

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 The lead inspector listened to pupils in Year 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult.

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 The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.

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 The inspectors gathered parents’ views by considering the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and by talking to parents before and after school. The inspectors also evaluated responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Matt Fletcher, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Tom Morrison Ofsted Inspector 5–6 June 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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