Halifax Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Halifax Primary School Prince of Wales Drive, Ipswich, Suffolk IP2 8PY

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Outcome

Halifax 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 Kelly Landers. This school is a member of the Orwell Multi-Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Alastair Heath- Robinson, and is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mayleen Atima.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils eagerly attend this school. They know that their day will be engaging and enjoyable. Most pupils behave very well and work with enthusiasm. They treat others with kindness and respect. If pupils find school difficult, caring staff help them to feel calm and focused.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff embody the school’s motto: ‘helping each other to aim high’. The school effectively supports all pupils to access its ambitious curriculum. Pupils support each other. They develop their leadership skills as play leaders and school council representatives. Pupils have many opportunities to discuss and share their ideas in lessons and in ‘talking assemblies’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In all year groups, pupils learn about the world around them. The school has chosen carefully the key texts studied in English to reflect a wide range of cultures and experiences. Pupils speak confidently about the importance of diversity and tolerance.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils participate in sporting competitions, musical performances and clubs. Pupils in Year 6 raise money for the school in an annual enterprise challenge. This broad offer ably prepares pupils for their next steps. Pupils know how to keep safe. They learn about the importance of personal space, and consent. They understand how to use the internet safely. 11 and 12 March 2025

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

The school has thought carefully about its curriculum and how pupils learn best. It has identified the important knowledge that pupils need. As a result, pupils usually gain new knowledge securely before moving on to new learning. Regular, planned recall activities in lessons are used to revisit and check pupils’ understanding of previous topics. This also successfully helps pupils remember what they have learned.

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

Overall, staff demonstrate confident subject knowledge across the curriculum. Staff model and introduce new content clearly to pupils. Pupils are encouraged to think as scholars. For instance, pupils think as scientists when they form a hypothesis about the length of shadows. They measure these over the course of a day, collecting data to help them evaluate their prediction. Staff often check pupils’ learning carefully. They use these checks to adapt activities to meet pupils’ needs. The school identifies pupils’ special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately. Well-trained staff provide these pupils with the support they need. As a result, pupils usually gain the knowledge and understanding they need to achieve well.

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

Sometimes, staff’s subject knowledge is less secure. This sometimes means that teaching does not help pupils to learn the intended curriculum as well as it could. In addition, where this is the case, teaching does not identify and address gaps and misconceptions in pupils’ knowledge as effectively as it should.

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

Children in Reception gain a strong foundation for future learning. Staff use language skilfully so that children gain the vocabulary they need to communicate clearly. This helps pupils to hold purposeful conversations about their learning. Children become increasingly independent. Each week they try to reach the top of the ‘challenge mountain’ by practising and finding out more about recent topics. In doing so, children happily explore a broad range of interests with their peers.

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

Pupils often love reading. They have a wide range of books to choose from. These texts are carefully matched to pupils’ abilities. Staff effectively model how to blend sounds into words. The school tracks carefully how well pupils read. When pupils need additional support and practice, they receive it. Consequently, pupils become fluent and accurate readers.

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

Pupils relish attending school, and consequently they attend very well. The school has clear and high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils understand the school’s ‘Four Bs’. They know what will happen if they behave well, and what will happen if they do not. The school looks in detail at how well pupils behave. It provides pupils with effective guidance and support to help them manage their feelings and emotions. As a result, the school is a calm, safe and happy place to be.

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

The school raises pupils’ aspirations and broadens their interests. Pupils learn to play percussion instruments together. Pupils raise money for charity. The school ensures all pupils take part in a wide range of trips, both locally and further afield. 11 and 12 March 2025

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The school is always seeking to improve the experiences and achievement of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. Trustees and governors check rigorously the effectiveness of the school’s work. Leaders and trustees know where the school is strong, and how it can improve further. Staff work closely together, and with other schools in the trust, to develop their practice. Staff enjoy working here.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some areas of the curriculum, staff’s subject knowledge is not as secure as it could be. This sometimes affects how well these aspects of the curriculum are implemented. It sometimes means that gaps in pupils’ knowledge and their misconceptions are not identified and addressed as well as they should be. Where this is the case, the school should ensure that staff have the subject knowledge and expertise they need in order to implement the curriculum consistently well.

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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 December 2019. 11 and 12 March 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). 11 and 12 March 2025

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School details

CEO of the trust Alastair Heath-Robinson

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 December 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher has led the school since September 2024.  The school does not currently use any alternative provisions for pupils.

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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.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other senior staff, including the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator.  The inspector met with the chief executive officer, the chair of the trust, and members of the local governing body. 11 and 12 March 2025

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also looked at the work of the school to develop pupils’ knowledge of the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion.  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’ interest first.  The inspector spoke with several groups of pupils and observed their behaviour at break and lunchtime.  The inspector considered the responses and free-text comments received during the inspection to Ofsted Parent View. He took account of responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Steve Woodley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 11 and 12 March 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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