Hillside Primary School

Inspection of Hillside Primary School Lords Lane, Bradwell, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR31 8PA

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Good 8 and 9 October 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This is an inclusive and welcoming school. Pupils are respectful and caring towards each other. The school is aspirational for pupils. The school encourages pupils to work hard and celebrates their achievements. Many pupils achieve well and proudly wear their reading badges. Some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from access to the school’s specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision) and The Nest. These provide quieter spaces where pupils with the most complex needs can receive tailored learning.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Trained staff and specially trained pupil well-being ambassadors contribute to pupils feeling happy and safe. They help pupils ease any anxieties and teach them how to manage their feelings. Pupils understand the school’s rules and adhere to these high expectations. Pupils cooperate and behave well. They delight in working together in mixed-age team events such as ‘Olympic day’. Pupils are polite and courteous. They sensibly take on leadership roles such as team captain and prefect .

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

A range of sports clubs widens pupils’ interests and talents. They proudly represent their school in inter-school sports competitions. Trips and visits enrich pupils' academic learning and broaden their horizons. Pupils develop a strong sense of belonging in the community through visits to local places such as the library and participating in litter-picking events.

p.2

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

The school’s curriculum is broad and ambitious. It sets out the key knowledge pupils will learn as they progress through the school. Pupils learn new knowledge well because the curriculum builds on what they have already learned. Teachers present information clearly in lessons. They check pupils’ understanding before introducing new learning. This helps pupils keep up and allows teachers to identify any learning gaps so the school can provide extra help or practice.

p.2

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

Reading is a high priority. Pupils enjoy the class novels they read daily and can recall the story in detail. Carefully chosen books help pupils discuss social and moral dilemmas. Pupils like borrowing books from the school and local community library. This helps develop their own reading preferences and, in turn, a love of reading. In Nursery, children learn rhymes and songs. This prepares them well for the next stage in reading when they begin to learn a few carefully chosen sounds. Pupils read books matched to sounds they already know, which allows pupils to consolidate their learning. Frequent reading at school and home ensures pupils become confident, fluent readers.

p.2

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

Pupils with SEND are fully involved in all in aspects of school life, including performances, residential trips and visits. Teaching in small groups benefits pupils with education, health and care plans. This helps them to concentrate with limited distraction. But, for some pupils with SEND, support plans are not always precisely followed. This means there are times when some pupils cannot move forward with their learning without extra adult support. This is because teaching is not adapted well enough to meet their needs in the class. 8 and 9 October 2024

p.2

3

Children in early years enjoy a variety of activities outdoors. These encourage imaginative play and develop children’s physical skills and coordination. Children explore mathematical learning such as filling and emptying containers. In some areas of the provision, the materials available have been significantly reduced. This hinders children’s learning across the breadth of the intended curriculum. In these areas, teachers have not taught all children how to use the materials, which leaves their learning more to chance. Some children find it hard to focus during group activities. This is because tasks are too complicated or the learning is not clear enough.

p.3

3

Pupils’ behaviour is calm and positive. The school’s inclusive environment helps most pupils attend well. Staff check attendance rates and quickly identify when pupils’ low attendance becomes persistent and take steps to improve it.

p.3

3

The school promotes pupils’ personal development through all aspects of the curriculum. Pupils learn to keep safe online and recognise the risks to their well-being. Cultural days help pupils understand that everyone is unique, with different faiths and beliefs. Pupils develop a strong moral understanding. Residential trips help develop pupils’ independence and confidence. Pupils access a range of clubs. These widen their interests and develop new talents such as archery and golf.

p.3

3

The school has prioritised staff training to ensure that pupils with the most complex needs are supported well. The school is mindful of staff well-being. Changes to assessment systems have reduced workload. Governors are well informed and know the school well. This helps them in supporting and challenging the school.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

 There are instances where teachers do not make sufficient adaptations to learning for some pupils with SEND. This means some pupils struggle to complete tasks without adult support and cannot participate in learning with their peers. The school should ensure teachers are provided with the support they need to help them make appropriate adaptations within lessons, ensuring that tailored plans are followed precisely so that all pupils are supported to achieve the aims and ambitions of the curriculum.  Teaching in the early years is not precise enough. Learning is not adapted to meet the needs of all children consistently well. The learning environment and resources provided do not promote learning consistently well across all areas of the curriculum. This means children do not form the strong foundations and learning behaviours they need for more complex learning later. The school should ensure that teaching for all

p.3

Safeguarding

children is well considered, and staff have the subject knowledge to create an effective learning environment that meets the intent of their ambitious curriculum.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 8 and 9 October 2024

p.3

4

when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

p.4

4

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). 8 and 9 October 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Chair of governing body Trevor Wainwright

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 June 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this school

 The school has a 20 place specially resourced provision for pupils with learning and cognition needs. These pupils come from local schools. Two pupils on roll at the school also attend. Pupils attend school on a part-time, four-days-a-week basis.

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 and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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. 8 and 9 October 2024

p.5

6

 The inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, relevant subject leaders and representatives from the school’s governing body, including the chairs and the vice-chair. They spoke with a representative of the local authority and the school’s improvement partner.  The inspectors carried out deep dives into these subjects: early reading, geography, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, 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. The inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects and looked at a sample of pupils’ work across year groups and observed pupils reading.  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

p.6

6

the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

p.6

Inspection team

Mireille MacRaild, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Cassandra Williams Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 October 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