Hinchliffe Mill Junior and Infant School

Inspection of a good school: Hinchliffe Mill Junior and Infant School Waterside Lane, Holmbridge, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire HD9 2PF

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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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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils here are happy and safe. They enjoy coming to school. Older pupils support younger pupils through a buddy system. This helps the school to feel like a family, where everyone supports each other. Pupils play well together. They build close relationships with each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Over time, leaders have not ensured that pupils achieve well. In some subjects, the school is not clear about what pupils should learn and remember. In lessons, pupils want to learn. They are attentive and listen to adults. However, the curriculum pupils experience does not help them to develop the depth of knowledge they should across all subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending after-school clubs, such as cricket and archery. Regular educational visits help pupils to understand more about the subjects they are learning. Pupils contribute to the leadership of the school. They make decisions through a school forum. Pupils have a good understanding of fundamental British values.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is currently being supported by a partner school and the local authority. New leaders have increased expectations of what pupils can achieve. Very recent changes are beginning to have a positive impact on pupils’ learning. However, there is more to do to ensure that pupils benefit from a high-quality education across all subjects.

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

Over time, pupils have not learned to read as well as they should. The school recognises this. Reading has quickly been prioritised by new leaders. A new phonics scheme has been introduced. Staff have undergone training to support the teaching of the new phonics programme. The school has invested in additional experts to teach alongside the 5 June 2024

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school staff until the scheme is embedded. Reading lessons for older pupils are structured well. There is a real focus on understanding books and gaining new vocabulary. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 talk confidently about how teachers help them to become better readers. Pupils enjoy reading and are rewarded for reading at home.

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In core subjects, such as mathematics, the school has identified what pupils should learn. However, this is not the case for some foundation subjects. Staff are not clear about the knowledge pupils need to learn or how to help pupils build on their existing knowledge. Some activities in lessons do not help pupils to learn and remember the knowledge they should. Staff identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge in mathematics and reading and adapt the curriculum to help pupils to address these gaps. However, staff do not check what pupils know and remember in foundation subjects. As a result, pupils develop gaps in their knowledge in some subjects, which are not addressed.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in lessons with their peers. Teaching staff know pupils well and adapt lessons accordingly. Additional concrete resources are provided to help pupils to learn. Adults support pupils with SEND effectively to participate in lessons.

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The early years environment supports children’s learning. Leaders ensure that every opportunity, indoors and out, is used to progress the development of pupils’ language skills. The school is beginning to ensure that Reception children who are taught in a mixed-age class have a focused early years curriculum. This is not fully developed in some areas. Presently, the early years curriculum does not give children a firm grounding to ensure that children are ready for the key stage 1 national curriculum.

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Leaders have started to develop a culture based on the school values and British values. Some pupils have a limited understanding of different faiths and cultures. They can talk about some elements of their learning in religious education lessons, but this can be superficial and confused. Leaders have identified opportunities to ensure that pupils gain a broader understanding of the world around them.

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Governors support the school. They are conscious of staff’s workload and well-being. Some leaders, including the headteacher, have only been in post for a short time. During this time, leaders have gained a clear picture of the changes needed to improve some areas of the curriculum. The school now engages with external organisations and networks to support the development of the quality of education. Staff feel positive about the changes being made and welcome the opportunity to be involved in the decisions being taken. They feel valued and are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 5 June 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects and areas of learning in the early years, the school has not set out the precise knowledge that pupils should learn and remember. Staff are not clear about how to help pupils build their knowledge over time in these subjects. As a result, pupils do not develop the depth of understanding that they should. The school should ensure it has a curriculum in place that shows coherent progression and identifies clear endpoints for each year group, including Reception.  In some subjects, the school does not have developed systems in place to check whether pupils have learned and remembered what they have been taught. In these subjects, staff do not identify when pupils have gaps in their understanding. The school should ensure that assessment is purposeful and used to inform teaching and additional support where it is needed.  Pupils have limited knowledge of other faiths and cultures. Some pupils do not have

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

the age-appropriate understanding they need of some aspects of the wider society in which they live. Leaders should ensure that there is careful consideration given to supporting pupils to understand different religions and cultures so that pupils understand the different groups that make up modern Britain.

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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 school to be good in January 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. 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). 5 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17 January 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school is much smaller than the average school, with three classes at the time of the inspection.

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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.  Inspectors spoke to the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, some members of the governing body and a representative from Kirklees local authority about the school’s progress and actions since the last inspection.  To evaluate the quality of education, inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors held 5 June 2024

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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.  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 started to create an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors reviewed the surveys that staff and pupils completed and held conversations with small groups of pupils and staff to discuss their views of the school.  Inspectors spoke to parents outside the school and evaluated all the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Helen Haunch, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Shameem Hussain Ofsted Inspector 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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