Biggin Hill Primary School

Inspection of Biggin Hill Primary School Biggin Avenue, Bransholme, Hull HU7 4RL

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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The headteacher of this school is Michelle Wilson. This school is part of Horizon 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), Michael Dodd, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Michelle Kermeen.

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since February 2015. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 18 and 19 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a deeply caring school where staff get to know pupils very well. The school ensures that pupils receive the right support that they need to flourish. Reflecting the views of other parents and carers, one parent commented, ‘The school invests in a child’s future and believes that children can achieve their goals, no matter what their life circumstances.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils to achieve highly. In the early years, children are exceptionally well supported to develop a wide range of vocabulary. In Nursery, children become confident talkers. For example, they learn to retell their favourite stories. Children achieve extremely well in the early years. Older pupils remember important knowledge well. They achieve particularly well in mathematics, where pupils develop important knowledge to solve increasingly complex problems.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ well-being is at the heart of everything that the school does. Highly effective support for pupils helps them to overcome difficulties that may interfere with their learning. Pupils know that there is always an adult that they can talk to if they are worried.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of this school. They make the most of the extensive opportunities on offer. For example, on a recent visit to the Houses of Parliament, pupils learned first hand about the importance of democracy.

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

The school successfully implemented a trust-wide curriculum in 2022. For each subject, important knowledge is clearly identified so that pupils build knowledge as they progress through school. Leaders ensure effective teaching of the curriculum. Pupils rehearse previously taught learning often. This enables pupils to apply prior learning to new ideas. For example, in design and technology, pupils in Year 3 practise what they know of measuring and cutting materials to make prototype earthquake-proof buildings. Teachers present information clearly to pupils. They ensure that activities support pupils to achieve the school’s learning intentions. Pupils achieve highly across most subjects.

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

In the early years, children get off to a fantastic start. The school’s early years curriculum builds strong foundations for future learning. Children learn from purposeful opportunities in all areas of the provision. Interactions with staff support children extremely well to learn through play. Children learn to read and write with high levels of success. As children progress through the early years, they use their knowledge of phonics extremely well to write and spell words. Staff provide plenty of practise and timely feedback to ensure that children learn to write with increasing accuracy. However, later, as pupils progress through the school, staff’s support to develop accurate handwriting is not as effective as it could be. Sometimes, pupils develop misconceptions in terms of letter formation. This slows writing fluency for these pupils. The school recently introduced a new curriculum for teaching writing with a focus on basic skills, such as forming letters

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

accurately. The school is in the early stages of implementing this new approach. 18 and 19 March 2025

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Pupils benefit greatly from their strong start in reading across most subjects. For example, in history, pupils deepen their knowledge of local historical figures by reading about William Wilberforce. In the early years, children learn to read well. The phonics programme is taught effectively. The school routinely checks pupils’ knowledge of phonics. Pupils with gaps in their knowledge receive effective support to help them to catch up. Overall, books are matched well to pupils’ knowledge of phonics. This helps pupils to practise applying their phonics knowledge and build fluency.

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The school establishes clear routines and expectations when pupils join the school. Children in the early years follow routines extremely well. As they progress through the school, pupils show exemplary attitudes to learning. Pupils model high levels of respect to each other during social times. Pupils who need it receive individualised support to manage any strong emotions. This helps all pupils to keep their focus in lessons. The school supports pupils to improve attendance successfully.

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Pupils with special needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to enable them to achieve well. This includes pupils who attend the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision). Pupils’ needs are accurately identified and purposeful adaptations are made to the curriculum offer where needed. Staff with expertise in specific areas of need support pupils effectively to make strong progress across all subjects.

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The school’s extensive personal development offer supports pupils to develop important skills and values. As one pupil said, reflecting the views of others, ‘We learn to be kind and treat each other equally. We are helped to work hard and to never give up.’ Pupils develop leadership skills. They take part in improving aspects of their local community. Provision for pupils’ personal development is woven through the whole school curriculum. Pupils access a wealth of opportunities that strengthen the school’s offer significantly. For example, pupils attend clubs such as art, rock band, cooking and a range of sports. Pupils also learn to discuss and debate topical news items. This helps to prepare pupils for life beyond the school.

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Those responsible for governance know the school well. They check that it is improving its work so that all pupils achieve highly. Leaders at all levels prioritise the well-being of staff. They take action to ensure staff’s workload is manageable.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s new approach to teaching handwriting is not fully embedded. Some pupils are not effectively supported to develop accurate handwriting. Inaccurate letter formation and an inconsistent writing style hinders pupils’ fluency. The school should 18 and 19 March 2025

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ensure that the new approach to teaching handwriting is implemented consistently well in all lessons so that problems with letter formation do not hinder pupils’ learning and writing composition.

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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 March 2025

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School details

Local authority Kingston Upon Hull City Council

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 February 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school hosts Kingston upon Hull City Council’s specially resourced provision. The provision caters specifically for pupils in key stage 1 with speech, language and communication needs. There are currently five pupils accessing the provision.  The headteacher was appointed in September 2021.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.

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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. 18 and 19 March 2025

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 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.  Inspectors met with various leaders from the school and from the trust, including the deputy CEO of the trust. The lead inspector met with members of the local governing body, including the chair. The lead inspector spoke with a trustee online. An inspector also spoke to a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, design and technology, history and music. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.

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 Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils during the inspection and spoke with pupils at social times and during lessons.  Inspectors met with staff during the inspection and considered their views through the staff survey.  Inspectors took account of responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Kathryn McDonald, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Rob Hunter Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 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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