Anston Hillcrest Primary School

Inspection of Anston Hillcrest Primary School Hawthorne Avenue, South Anston, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S25 5GR

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The headteacher of this school is Kate Rayner. This school is part of the James Montgomery 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), David Silvester, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Richard Punshon.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Anston Hillcrest Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Anston Hillcrest Primary School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as an academy. 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 school has a climate where pupils are kind, respectful and enthusiastic. High expectations are set through the school’s values of kindness, respect, aspiration, teamwork and resilience. As a result, pupils behave and achieve well. One parent, typical of many, said, ‘My child is always supported to reach their potential at Anston Hillcrest.’ Adults create a nurturing environment by building strong relationships with pupils. This means that pupils feel safe and are safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupil leadership teams lead activities effectively on the playground. The ‘respect rangers’ and ‘play leaders’ support other pupils in taking turns, playing with others and participating in new and exciting games. Pupils enjoy attending additional sports events and competitions. They also take part in many after-school clubs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s curriculum has improved significantly over the last few years. The curriculum is now broad and ambitious for all pupils. As a result, lessons are calm and purposeful. Pupils are interested in their learning and show resilience when faced with challenging activities. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), demonstrate willingness to produce high-quality learning and achieve this in most subjects.

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

Improvements to the curriculum are positively impacting what pupils know and remember across a range of different subjects. In all subjects, the school identifies the knowledge they want pupils to learn and puts this into a logical sequence. Teachers present this learning clearly to pupils in the classroom. In mathematics, for example, teachers model fractions using pictures to help pupils understand parts of a whole. Consequently, pupils achieve well in national assessments. In a small number of subjects, the school has not ensured that pupils have opportunities to connect their current and prior learning. As a result, pupils do not build their knowledge as well as they could.

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

This is a very inclusive school, and the provision for pupils with SEND is a strength. Pupils with SEND integrate well into the life of the school. This includes the pupils who attend the on-site speech and language unit. The processes for identifying pupils’ needs have improved. Teachers give pupils the support they need in lessons. This helps pupils make progress through the curriculum.

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

Children are well supported and cared for in the early years. Staff build effective relationships with parents. This helps children to transition into school life effectively. Children are keen to engage with adults and ask for help when they need it. They enjoy learning through the range of activities available, including painting, construction and mark making. The school uses a range of approaches to help pupils learn new vocabulary quickly, including through sharing engaging songs and stories.

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

The school wants pupils to learn to read as soon as possible. The corridors are filled with books and the library is enticing. Pupils enjoy reading books from a range of authors and 18 and 19 March 2025

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genres. Children in the early years begin to learn the sounds they will need to become fluent readers as soon as they start school. They are well prepared for key stage 1 and improve the accuracy and speed of their reading. Staff identify any gaps that pupils have in their reading knowledge and help them to catch up quickly. However, a few pupils do not consistently receive the most appropriate support at the right time. This means pupils do not sufficiently learn the skills they need to become fluent in their reading and fall behind their peers.

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The school’s personal development offer supports pupils to remember important information, such as how to stay safe in the local area. Pupils have strong knowledge of the school’s personal, social and health education curriculum. They know how to look after their mental health and stay safe online. Pupils demonstrate tolerance and respect for each other. However, the school has not ensured that pupils have a strong understanding of different cultures and faiths. Pupils take up the many visits the school has on offer, such as the trip to a science museum and an overnight residential to Castleton.

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Adults apply the school’s behaviour policy consistently well. They speak to pupils with warmth and respect. As a result, incidents of poor behaviour are rare.

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Staff are proud to work at this school. Leaders have been mindful of the changes made and have ensured workload is manageable. This includes trust leaders, who support the school and monitor its effectiveness. Governors and trustees fulfil their roles effectively and hold leaders to account for the quality of education of all pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A few pupils do not consistently receive the most appropriate support at the right time in reading. When this is the case, pupils can become confused and disengage with learning. The school should ensure that all pupils consistently benefit from the support and guidance they need in order to move their learning forward.  The school has made several changes to the curriculum over the last few years. A few subjects are less embedded than others. The school should ensure that the curriculum enables pupils to learn the basic principles of those subjects so that pupils have sufficient knowledge to build on what they already know. 18 and 19 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). 18 and 19 March 2025

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School details

Website www.anstonhillcrestprimary.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school converted to become an academy in May 2021. When its predecessor school, Anston Hillcrest Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness.  A new headteacher took up post in April 2023. She is supported by a deputy headteacher, who was appointed in September 2023.  The school has a specialist resource provision for 10 pupils with a speech and language need. This is attended by pupils from across Rotherham Local Authority.

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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.  The inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited samples of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning, listened to pupils read and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in other subjects. They visited lessons in art and history, and looked at curriculum plans for a range of subjects.  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

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the CEO, and other trust and school leaders.  Inspectors met with a number of pupil groups.  Throughout the inspection, the inspectors met with groups of staff and considered the opinions expressed through the staff survey.  The inspectors considered the views of parents expressed through Ofsted Parent View and met parents at the school gate.

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Inspection team

Katie Hall, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Katie North 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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