Hellifield Community Primary School

Inspection of Hellifield Community Primary School Kendal Road, Hellifield, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 4HA

p.1

Inspection dates: 24 and 25 September 2024

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 24 and 25 September 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy to attend this welcoming school. They feel part of a close school family and are proud to wear the Hellifield uniform. Staff know each pupil very well. Relationships between staff and pupils are kind and respectful. This helps pupils to feel valued, safe and cared for.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a broad and ambitious curriculum. Pupils enjoy learning because teachers make lessons interesting and fun. Typically, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well across the curriculum.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. ‘Marvellous Manners’ assemblies every Monday set the expectation for the week. Pupils know and follow the school’s values of ‘kindness, love, respect and friendship’. They care for each other. The Year 6 prefects set an excellent example for younger pupils. Pupils are keen to learn and attend school regularly.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are able to take part in after-school sporting activities and competitions. The school provides opportunities for pupils to debate, speak to an audience and to perform. Class 3 look forward to their end of year performance at a local theatre. The school works with other schools in the federation and the local cluster to broaden the extra-curricular offer for pupils.

p.2

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

The school has designed and implemented a broad and ambitious curriculum across all subjects. It is planned in a logical and sequential manner. This helps teachers to know exactly what to teach and when. Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong. They help pupils to remember important knowledge and quickly pick up misconceptions. Focused interventions help pupils, including those with SEND, to keep up. Teachers plan activities that closely match the intended learning. This strengthens pupils’ knowledge and skills.

p.2

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

The school ensures that the curriculum meets the needs of pupils with SEND. It provides well-considered additional resources and adult support where needed. Teachers plan adaptations to learning activities. This helps pupils to learn alongside their peers and to achieve well.

p.2

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

Pupils work diligently and behave well in lessons. Their workbooks show the journey of learning across the curriculum. In Reception and Year 1, children learn correct letter formation. They learn how to use their phonics knowledge for spelling new words. This gives them a strong foundation on which to build their writing skills. However, older pupils do not get sufficient opportunities to practise writing across the curriculum. Outcomes in writing at the end of Key Stage 2 are not as strong as in other subjects.

p.2

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

The school has made reading a high priority. It provides an array of high-quality books to enhance the curriculum and promote a love of reading. Teachers read to pupils for pleasure every day. Parents and carers receive helpful information about reading as soon 24 and 25 September 2024

p.2

3

as their children start school. Teachers are well trained to deliver the phonics scheme effectively. Children in Reception get off to a flying start in reading. After two weeks, they know the routines of the phonics scheme. They confidently repeat the sounds they have learned. Teachers quickly identify and address gaps in knowledge. This helps everyone to keep up. Older pupils, who are less fluent readers, receive help to catch up.

p.3

3

The early years curriculum is ambitious. It is designed to prepare children for learning in Year 1. The learning environment is purposeful and well-resourced. It provides opportunities for children to practise what they have learned. Children are already able to identify groups of objects up to four without counting them. They are motivated by the stories they hear. For example, a group of children built a house for a mouse. They were inspired by the story of ‘The Smartest Giant in Town’.

p.3

3

Pupils learn about British values through assemblies and the day-to-day curriculum. They relate these to the school values. They know that there are certain characteristics that are protected in law. They feel a strong sense of injustice about any form of discrimination. The school plans visitors, events and trips to enhance the curriculum. This broadens pupils’ experience of the wider world. For example, pupils enjoyed an Indian dance workshop. They created their own dance and story. However, pupils do not have secure knowledge of the faiths and cultures that make up modern Britain.

p.3

3

Leaders have brought about rapid and sustained improvement since the previous Ofsted inspection. Staff benefit from shared expertise by working within the federation. They appreciate the high-quality training and resources that are available. Governors have a clear and incisive overview of the school. They provide effective support and challenge for school leaders.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Older pupils do not get sufficient practice to develop their writing skills. Some pupils do not achieve in writing as well as in other subjects. The school should ensure that pupils have enough opportunities to consolidate their proficiency in writing, so that they achieve as well as they could.  Pupils are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they could be. The curriculum does not provide enough opportunities for pupils to develop a depth of understanding of the faiths and cultures that make up modern Britain. The school should continue to develop the curriculum to help pupils develop a strong understanding of people who are different to themselves. 24 and 25 September 2024

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 24 and 25 September 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Website www.ribblesdalefed.n-yorks.sch.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 25 January 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Hellifield Community Primary School is a smaller-than-average school in a rural setting.  Pupils are taught in three mixed-age classes.  The school is part of a federation with two other schools. All three schools are led by the executive headteacher.  There is a breakfast club and an after-school club for pupils who attend the school.  The school does not use any alternative providers.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 24 and 25 September 2024

p.5

6

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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.  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 inspectors had several meetings with the executive headteacher and other senior leaders during the inspection. They met with members of the governing body.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in: early reading, mathematics and geography. They 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’

p.6

6

work. In addition, they looked at curriculum plans and work samples across a range of foundation subjects.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour throughout the school day, including during lesson visits and at lunchtime.  Pupils talked to the inspectors, formally and informally, about their learning, their views on behaviour and the wider experiences they receive at school. The inspectors also considered the responses received through Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire.  The inspectors scrutinised records for behaviour and attendance.  The inspectors spoke with a number of parents in the playground, reviewed the responses received through Ofsted’s survey, Parent View, including free-text responses. The inspectors also considered the responses received through Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.  The inspectors met with the special educational needs coordinator to consider the curriculum for pupils with SEND.

p.6

Inspection team

Janet Keefe, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Alison Ashworth Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 September 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7