Hayesdown First School

Inspection of a good school: Hayesdown First School Wyville Road, Frome, Somerset BA11 2BN

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Outcome

Hayesdown First School continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Julia Battersby. This school is part of The 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, Emily Massey, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Belinda Deery.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to Hayesdown First School. They describe it as a place which helps them to feel safe and where learning is fun. Pupils talk confidently about how the school’s ‘REACH’ values help them to take care of others, try new things and to work hard.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils live up to the school’s high expectations for behaviour. They know the ‘golden’ rules well. Across the school, pupils are extremely polite and well mannered. Children in the Reception Year listen carefully and respond well to the clear routines that are in place. They understand the importance of using their ‘magnet eyes’ and learning from their ‘marvellous mistakes’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff enjoy warm and respectful relationships. Pupils know they have someone to talk to if they have any worries. They understand how the ‘wheel of choice’ enables them to make the right decisions during social times. Pupils talk positively about how the ‘peer supporters’ help them to resolve any conflicts.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy clubs such as athletics, cheerleading and sewing. They talk with pride about their eco-team, school council and ‘captains’ roles. Pupils say these roles make them feel responsible and enable them to set a positive example to others.

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

The school has a clear vision for what all pupils can achieve. An ambitious curriculum has been designed and sequenced well. In physical education (PE), for example, the curriculum identifies the most important knowledge that pupils need to know and when, 16 and 17 July 2024

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from the early years to Year 4. Children in the Reception Year use different movement patterns well when performing a dance. Older pupils understand the importance of hand- eye coordination and control when playing a game of tennis.

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Reading is at the heart of the school’s curriculum. Pupils enjoy listening to and reading texts from the school’s ‘reading spine’. They understand how this helps them to build their knowledge of concepts such as equality and diversity. Children begin learning to read as soon as they start school. They learn and remember new sounds well. Pupils read books that match the sounds they know. This helps them to build fluency and confidence with their reading.

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The school has put in place a well-structured mathematics curriculum. Teachers use the ‘I do, we do, you do’ approach well to model new mathematical concepts. They routinely check on what pupils know before moving on to new learning. Most staff effectively adapt learning so that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), progress through the curriculum well. For example, younger pupils benefit from resources which help them build their understanding of patterns in number. Staff provide effective support to pupils who attend the school’s nurture provision. However, in some areas of the curriculum, some staff do not routinely adapt learning well enough to fully support pupils and their individual needs. This means that some pupils, including those with SEND, do not progress through the curriculum as well as their peers.

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Pupils show exemplary attitudes towards school. They eagerly share their learning and show high levels of respect and courtesy when doing so. Starting in the Reception Year, pupils work hard and sustain their concentration well. There is a calm and purposeful atmosphere in and outside the classroom.

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The school has effective systems in place to ensure that pupils attend school regularly. Levels of attendance are excellent. On the rare occasion where low attendance occurs, the school works collaboratively with parents and external agencies to improve this.

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The school’s promotion of pupils’ wider development is a real strength. Pupils develop their understanding of risk, for example, when using a ‘fire strike’ in a forest setting. They have a mature understanding of protected characteristics and fundamental British values. Pupils know why it is important to celebrate difference. They develop their character by taking part in local community events. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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An overwhelming majority of parents would recommend the school to others. One parent reflected said, ‘It feels like one big family, with supportive staff, parents and children. It is a joy to watch them grow and flourish.’

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Trustees and local governors share the school’s ambition for what pupils can achieve. They provide effective support and challenge. Staff benefit from the training and coaching they receive, which gives them confidence to teach the curriculum well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 16 and 17 July 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, some teachers do not adapt learning well enough for all pupils, including those with SEND. Some pupils do not develop their knowledge well enough across the curriculum because of this. The trust needs to ensure that teachers continue to develop their expertise in order to ensure that all pupils continue to progress through the curriculum well.

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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 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.

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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 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). 16 and 17 July 2024

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CEO of the trust

Emily Massey Headteacher Julia Battersby

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CEO of the trust

Date of previous inspection 5 December 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher has been in post since September 2018.  There is a before- and after-school club managed by the governing body.  The school has a nurture group which supports pupils, including those with social, emotional and mental health needs.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provider.

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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

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, subject leaders, the inclusion lead, staff, pupils, and representatives from the trust including the chief executive officer and 16 and 17 July 2024

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members of the local governing body. He also held a telephone conversation with the chair of the board of trustees.  The inspector carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics and PE. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, looked at samples of pupils’ work and spoke to pupils about their learning.  The inspector spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects.  The inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector 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 inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.

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Additionally, the inspector spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  The inspector considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Ben Jordan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 16 and 17 July 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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