Hylands Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Hylands Primary School Granger Way, Romford, Essex RM1 2RU

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school’s work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in Hylands Primary school, which has a close-knit family feel. Pupils live and breathe the school’s seven core values in the way they work incredibly hard during lessons and in how they interact during playtimes. Pupils place particular importance on responsibility, with many of them taking on leadership roles during their time at school. Members of the ‘pupil parliament’ take pride in raising issues and using their voices to achieve change. One successful change was the introduction of a Halal menu in the school canteen.

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What is it like to attend this school?

As soon as children start in the early years, they develop a love of learning. The high expectations of ‘no one gets left behind’ shapes everything that takes place in this school. Pupils rise to these expectations by achieving highly, or when accessing the exceptional enrichment opportunities on offer.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s commitment to pupils’ personal development is remarkable. The curriculum is enriched with a wide range of inspiring experiences. For example, pupils performed for senior citizens at the local mall and virtually met an explorer from Antarctica, who told tales of frostbite. Whether representing the school on visits to the Houses of Parliament or supporting younger pupils to read, pupils value these memorable moments. This helps to foster their love of school.

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

The school has embedded a highly ambitious and broad curriculum that has been carefully designed to build on what pupils have learned previously. Careful consideration has been given to sequencing so that pupils build the knowledge they need to take on 7 and 8 May 2025

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more complex learning further up the school. For example, in mathematics, younger pupils learn about key concepts such as ‘part, part, whole’. This supports them to better understand more complex topics, such as improper fractions, in the older years.

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Teachers make regular checks on learning through the ‘Hylands Rewind’, an embedded practice, which allows teachers to check pupils’ recall of key knowledge. Teachers use these checks intelligently to decide what to teach next. This helps pupils to make deep and meaningful connections between what they are learning now and what they already know. The school places a strong emphasis on oracy. This helps pupils to secure their knowledge of ambitious language and use it independently. For example, in Reception, children confidently chat to each other about the different measurements of coloured water and which container holds more or holds less. The quality of pupils’ discussions is reflected in the exceptional work they consistently produce.

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The school has responded positively to the increase in the number of pupils who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These pupils join and leave the school at various stages of their primary education. Nonetheless, these pupils are exceptionally well supported to achieve during their time at school. One way they are supported is through the school’s language- focused approach. For example, in lessons, learning is enhanced through teachers encouraging pupils to, ‘say it again, but say it better’. Key vocabulary is introduced before lessons and revisited frequently. Lessons are skilfully adapted to ensure pupils with SEND receive the support they need. Most of the time, this is done in whole-class sessions, but, on occasion, pupils also access tailored intervention. The school regularly reviews this provision to ensure its success in building pupils’ confidence and supporting their

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progress. The school identifies the need of pupils with SEND well. Staff work closely with parents and carers, and external agencies to ensure that all pupils with SEND make strong progress through the curriculum.

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Pupils greatly benefit from high-quality phonics teaching. The school makes sure that staff are experts through frequent training and coaching. The school has successfully fostered a love of reading. Children in younger year groups love the ‘bedtime book box’ initiative, where, each week, a child takes home a book, a sachet of hot chocolate, a teddy and a scrapbook. This ignites a passion for stories from a young age. Should any pupil require extra support with reading, they get this promptly.

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The school promotes the importance of attendance to parents as soon as their children join the school. The school tracks attendance closely. Prompt and decisive action is taken where attendance is a concern. As a result, pupils’ attendance has improved significantly, and rates of persistent absence have reduced.

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The school places a strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development and well-being. A well-structured programme ensures that all pupils gain rich cultural and social experiences, including residential trips, and visits to the Tower of London and bookshops. By carefully allocating additional funding, the school makes these opportunities accessible to all, ensuring that disadvantaged pupils fully benefit from this enriching offer. 7 and 8 May 2025

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Leaders have carefully managed the growth of the school over recent years. They have worked hard to maintain the school’s close, family feel, fostering a strong sense of community that reaches pupils’ families. The school is relentless at providing the support pupils and their families need. Parents and staff value being part of the school community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in July 2016.

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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. 7 and 8 May 2025

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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). 7 and 8 May 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Jennifer Samuels

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 February 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is an above-average-size primary school.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and senior leaders. Inspectors also met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, and spoke with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors visited a wide range of lessons and spoke with teachers. They also spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  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 the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first. 7 and 8 May 2025

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Inspectors gathered the views of pupils, parents and staff through discussions and their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Lisa Smith, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Tom Canning Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 May 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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