Heathfield Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Heathfield Primary School The Broadway, Darlington, County Durham DL1 1EJ

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 February 2025

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Outcome

Heathfield Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Peter Kirby-Bowstead. The school is part of Lingfield Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Nick Blackburn, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Stuart Crowther.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at Heathfield Primary School. Staff have high expectations of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils rise to these expectations and try hard with their learning and behaviour. They achieve well. Pupils demonstrate pride when talking about their school and the wide range of activities they participate in.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The early years setting is a vibrant, language-rich environment. Children in the early years show interest and enthusiasm in their learning. They make a strong start to their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and respectful. Behaviour is calm and orderly. Pupils enjoy positive and trusted relationships with staff. This helps them to feel safe and happy. Pupils know that any concerns they have will be taken seriously and that they are well looked after.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils talk enthusiastically about their many leadership roles, such as play leaders and school gardeners, and the contribution they make to the life of the school. The school provides many opportunities for pupils to develop new talents and interests such as choir, basketball club and sewing club. Pupils are good ambassadors for the school. They are clear that they are all equal and that it is okay to be different at this school. 18 and 19 February 2025

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

Following the appointment of the headteacher two years ago, the school has prioritised the review and improvement of the curriculum. The trust has supported this work. Much has been achieved in a short space of time. The school has designed a broad, ambitious curriculum and provided staff with guidance to help them to deliver it. Teachers revisit prior learning before moving on to new concepts. They routinely check on what pupils know and can do. This work is already beginning to have an impact on improved outcomes in reading and mathematics.

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

Pupils achieve well in a range of subjects. They learn new information and skills with increasing complexity. In history, for example, they understand rule of law through studying crime and punishment across several eras. In art, they learn to join clay pieces together using slip to create stable, upright sculptures.

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

Pupils with SEND learn the full curriculum alongside their peers. Those who may need additional support are identified promptly. The school ensures that pupils with SEND receive effective support in lessons as required. When necessary, the school works with external agencies to support pupils with SEND.

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

The school ensures that teaching every child to read is a priority. This work starts in Nursery with a focus on communication and language. Children enjoy sharing songs, stories, and rhymes. In Reception, children have more formal phonics input every day. Pupils who need additional support quickly receive the help they need to catch up quickly. As a result, most pupils become fluent and confident readers. The school makes sure that teachers are trained and know how to teach reading effectively.

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

The school is reviewing its approach to teaching writing. Currently, pupils do not learn the basic skills that they need to be successful writers before they are expected to write longer compositions. This allows errors in letter formation, spelling and punctuation to become embedded over time.

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

Improving attendance continues to be a priority for the school. The school works proactively with pupils and their families to remove barriers that prevent them attending well. For example, the breakfast club is helping pupils to arrive on time. The attendance of some pupils is improving because of this work. The school ensures that pupils who are absent from school do not miss essential learning, and effective catch-up sessions support these pupils to keep up with their peers.

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

The curriculum for pupils’ personal, social and health education prepares them for life in modern Britain. Pupils learn about different faiths, online safety and about physical and mental health. Regular discussions and debates develop pupils’ understanding of issues in society. A variety of experiences help to develop and enrich pupils’ knowledge of the curriculum. For example, all pupils attend forest school sessions and learn how to care for the school’s woodland. The school’s career fair gives pupils an insight into the range of skills needed for many different job roles. 18 and 19 February 2025

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School leaders have a clear strategy for continually improving the school. Staff morale is high. Staff value the training opportunities provided and the support they receive from leaders. The governing body is committed to the school community. It receives ongoing support from the trust to be effective in its oversight of the school’s work. The school engages very effectively with parents and carers. Parents appreciate the nurture and education their children receive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not ensured that the curriculum sets out the important writing skills that pupils need from the early years. As a result, pupils do not secure the fundamental skills that they need to write with increasing fluency and accuracy. The school should ensure that the curriculum for writing clearly identifies how pupils will build their writing skills effectively over time.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in 10 and 11 December 2019. 18 and 19 February 2025

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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 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). 18 and 19 February 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 December 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Lingfield Education Trust.  The school has a resourced provision for pupils with SEND. This supports pupils with speech, language, and communication needs. It has capacity for 24 pupils.  The school uses one registered alternative provision.  The school has a breakfast club.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 18 and 19 February 2025

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 The inspector spoke to the headteacher, school and trust leaders, representatives from the board of trustees and the local governing body.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work.  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.  Throughout the inspection, the inspector met with groups of staff. She also reviewed responses from the staff survey.  The inspector met some parents at the beginning of the day and had regard to the views expressed through Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Tracy Duffy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 18 and 19 February 2025

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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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