Hennock Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Hennock Community Primary School Hennock, Bovey Tracey, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ13 9QB

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher is Sarah Reddington. This school is part of Link 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, Nicola Dunford, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Cheryl Mathieson.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders, including the trust, have guided the school through a period of staffing changes. Strengthening of the curriculum has been a priority to ensure high expectations are in place for all pupils. This work is making a difference to the quality of education that pupils receive. However, it is early days. The curriculum does not yet support all pupils to build their knowledge well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend Hennock Community Primary School. They are polite and respectful. Pupils describe this school as a place where everyone is welcome. Staff provide a nurturing and safe place for pupils to learn. Parents value this highly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils show positive attitudes to their learning and around the school. ‘Class charters’ are made at the beginning of the year so that everyone is clear about what is expected of each other. The school promotes high attendance. Regular tracking and working with families ensure pupils attend well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is proud to be part of the community. For example, in design and technology, pupils design, make and serve meals to residents in the village hall. Visits and visitors enhance the curriculum, such as parents talking to the pupils about their jobs to support science week. 6 June 2024

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

The school is determined for all pupils to learn the curriculum well. Across some subjects, such as mathematics, the school has identified the knowledge pupils need to learn to prepare for future learning. This starts in the pre-school where children are supported to secure their understanding of numbers to five. However, across many subjects, the exact knowledge pupils need to learn is not identified with enough precision. As a result, some pupils, including those with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND), do not build their knowledge based on what they have learned before. Consequently, they have gaps in their knowledge and find future learning more challenging.

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

Teachers use a range of strategies to help pupils learn. These include opportunities for pupils to revisit prior learning. For example, in mathematics, daily ‘flashbacks’ secure knowledge into long-term memory. Assessment is in place to check what pupils know and remember. Gaps in knowledge are identified and supported. However, assessment is not as effective across all subjects. Some pupils have unknown gaps in their learning. In addition, some pupils make repeated errors in their work that go unaddressed. As a result, pupils embed misconceptions.

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

The school promotes the enjoyment of reading through daily story time. Pupils value this and they take pleasure in sharing their favourite stories. Children learn to read as soon as they start Reception Year. Staff receive training from subject experts in the trust to support the teaching of the phonics scheme. This is helping to strengthen staff subject knowledge. However, it is early days and staff changes have slowed the impact of this. As a result, some pupils, including some pupils with SEND, are not learning to read quickly enough. Not all pupils read books that match the sounds they know to help them to become confident and fluent readers.

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

To make the school calm and orderly, routines and expectations are set for pupils to follow. For example, pupils know how to walk through the school sensibly. Additional support is provided for pupils who might struggle to manage their behaviour. Occasionally, some learning is slowed when expectations of pupils’ behaviour dip.

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

Pupils are supported to develop beyond the academic. They are taught how to keep themselves safe both online and in the wider world. Pupils understand what keeps them physically and mentally healthy, such as talking about their emotions. Pupils are taught about difference. As a result, they value equality and they want everyone to be treated fairly. Pupil voice is integral to the school. They know they make a difference in the many roles they have, such as school council, librarians and eco warriors. Sports leaders, led by older pupils, devise and run activities for others to enjoy during social times.

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

Staff feel well supported to fulfil their roles, including those who are new to the profession. They value the training in place to support the teaching of the curriculum. Those responsible for governance know the school well. The headteacher, alongside the trust and governors, has an accurate view of the school and what needs to be done to improve the school further. 6 June 2024

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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 has not identified and sequenced the precise knowledge it wants pupils to know and remember, starting in the early years. As a result, pupils are not building their knowledge securely. The trust must ensure the precise knowledge it wants pupils to learn is identified and sequenced progressively to enable all pupils to learn the curriculum well.  Assessment is not used with enough precision to check how well pupils are learning the curriculum. As a result, some pupils have unknown gaps in their knowledge. The trust must ensure that assessment is effective in identifying misconceptions and subsequent learning is adapted to help pupils build their knowledge well.  Some pupils are not supported well enough to grasp the basics of reading. As a result, these pupils do not become confident, fluent readers quickly. The trust must ensure that staff subject knowledge is strengthened so that pupils are given the support they

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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 an ungraded 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 predecessor school, Hennock Community Primary School, to be good in April 2015.

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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. 6 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). 6 June 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 24 November 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Hennock Community Primary School is part of the Link Academy Trust.  The headteacher joined the school in September 2023.  This is a smaller than average-sized primary school. Pupils are organised into three mixed-age classes.  There is a pre-school provision for children aged two and above.  The school provides a before- and after-school club.  The school does not use any alternative providers.

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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. 6 June 2024

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 The inspectors spoke with school leaders, subject leaders, parents, pupils, governors and representatives from the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and religious education. For each deep dive, the inspectors 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. Inspectors also spoke to leaders and pupils about the curriculum in some other subjects.  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.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to a trusted adult.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.

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Additionally, the inspectors spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey for parents. The inspectors considered comments made by parents online during the inspection and met with some parents at the start of the day. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Esther Best, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Yvonne Jones Ofsted Inspector 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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