Hereward Primary School

Inspection of Hereward Primary School Colebrook Lane, Loughton, Essex IG10 2HR

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The headteacher of this school is Renette Fourie. This school is part of the Epping Forest Schools Partnership Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Peter Tidmarsh, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Christopher White.

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Ofsted has not previously inspected Hereward Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Hereward Primary School to be outstanding before it opened as an academy. 4 and 5 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Hereward Primary School is an exceptionally happy community. There is a strong ethos of kindness. Older pupils support younger ones at breaktimes. Pupils thrive here. They compete to find words that express how much they love school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a model of positive behaviour. From the start of early years, children respond excellently to high expectations. Pupils show considerable enthusiasm for learning. Lessons are not disrupted. Pupils conduct themselves with exemplary politeness and respect. They smilingly open doors for adults, and tidy rooms after meetings and lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn an ambitious curriculum. They benefit from skilful teaching. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive very strong support. Pupils take deep pride in the high-quality work they produce.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are a wide and rich range of opportunities. Pupil leadership and pupil voice have a significant influence. For instance, pupils requested the many popular new clubs, such as coding and cooking. Pupil ambassadors show children in early years how to use a knife and fork. The wider activities, for example ‘magic moment’ days, teach pupils a sense of wonder. Trips build precisely on what they learn in lessons. This superb programme means pupils live and breathe the school’s values.

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better?

The school has a palpable sense of mission and clarity of purpose. Stakeholders engage fully with its vision for the quality of education. The trust ensures staff receive high-quality training. Staff praise the collaborative approach of leaders. The school works effectively in partnership with parents and carers. As a result, pupils flourish.

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better?

The curriculum is broad and comprehensively planned. It builds up pupils’ knowledge incrementally from early years to the end of key stage 2. For example, pupils get plenty of practice with writing. Because of this, it comes more easily. Texts in English are purposefully chosen to build up pupils’ understanding of difficult vocabulary and concepts. Consequently, they are assured readers and writers. This includes pupils with SEND, who show a great deal of pleasure in reading. The school reviews the curriculum continually, to make it even better. In 2023, a few pupils did not perform as well as they might in the national tests. Leaders acted with urgency to address any shortfalls. Pupils are now doing extremely well across the curriculum.

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better?

Staff deliver the curriculum excellently. They employ activities that create high levels of engagement. Tasks are adeptly structured to help pupils understand and remember the learning. Teachers adapt learning expertly so that pupils with SEND access it with confidence. Staff check regularly whether there are any misconceptions. They address any gaps in knowledge effectively. As a result, pupils build up rich and detailed knowledge. For example, children in early years count 4 and 5 June 2024

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backwards with ease. Older pupils apply complex terminology in practical tasks in science and art.

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Pupils in the early stages of reading get the support they need. Staff teach the new phonics programme with consistency. Extra help is given regularly and successfully for pupils who need it. Consequently, pupils quickly learn to read with fluency.

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Children prosper in the early years. The curriculum is meticulously planned. Staff are knowledgeable. They devise learning activities that successfully develop children’s communication and social skills. Adults model language and interact skilfully, such as through familiar songs and rhymes. The environment is regularly and creatively adapted to help children practise what they learn. Children, including those with SEND, become independent, curious and confident learners.

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Pupils understand and respond well to the behaviour policy. Because of this, the need for consequences is rare. Any incidents get thoroughly resolved. Attendance is high. Pupils take responsibility for themselves and their peers throughout the day.

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The curriculum for personal development is coherent and effective. Pupils learn to be safe, but also to be kind, when online. The school equips pupils with well-judged information about difficult content, such as puberty. Pupils express balanced and thoughtful views. They show a most impressive recall and understanding of sophisticated ideas in areas such as democracy.

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The trust and governors have supported the school very well. The trust has developed strong leadership in the school at all levels. In particular, the school’s senior leadership is highly effective. Trustees keep a close oversight of key areas of provision, such as SEND and safeguarding. Governors champion leaders’ and staff’s well-being. The school has adapted staff workload effectively in areas such as marking. This has led to a staff body providing consistently first-rate support to pupils over time.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 4 and 5 June 2024

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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). 4 and 5 June 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school opened as an academy in July 2018. It joined the Epping Forest Schools Partnership Trust on the same date.  The headteacher was appointed in February 2020.  The school does not currently use 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 of the school. 4 and 5 June 2024

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, other school leaders, staff and pupils. As part of evaluating governance, the lead inspector spoke with the chair of the trust, the chair of governors and three other governors. Inspectors met with the chief executive officer and the school improvement director from the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, including early reading, mathematics, design and technology, science and art. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with the headteacher, visited a sample of lessons, met with teachers, met with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  As part of evaluating the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors met with leaders, governors, staff and pupils. Inspectors scrutinised the school’s single central record of recruitment and vetting checks. They considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding

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that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documents, including curriculum plans, school development plans, minutes of governors’ meetings, policies and documentation for behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They considered the responses to Ofsted’s questionnaires for pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Charlie Fordham, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jess Pearce Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 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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