Hurstbourne Tarrant Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Hurstbourne Tarrant Church of England Primary School Church Street, Hurstbourne Tarrant, Andover, Hampshire SP11 0AX

p.1

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

p.1

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 March 2015. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 20 and 21 May 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to belong to this inclusive school that sits at the heart of its community. They rise to the school’s high expectations for their academic and wider achievements. This is reflected in pupils’ positive attitudes to learning and the quality of the work they produce.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from warm and trusting relationships with staff. They feel safe and know that adults will listen and help with any worries they may have. A strong ethos of mutual respect and trust is palpable in everyday routines.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well. They are kind, polite and welcoming. Dedicated staff ensure that pupils’ needs are well met and they are fully prepared for their next steps. Any pupils who find it hard to manage their behaviour are supported sensitively to learn the strategies they need to succeed.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Right from the start in the early years, the school promotes children’s confidence and resilience. It provides pupils with many opportunities to develop their interests and explore their talents. Pupils value the wide range of school clubs they can attend. Music is a strong feature of the wider development provision. Pupils develop a deep sense of pride in their achievements, for example performing in the local church.

p.2

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

The school is working effectively to address key weaknesses in published national outcomes. For instance, it has completed a comprehensive curriculum review. As a result, several subjects have undergone significant improvements. However, these changes did not have sufficient time to impact on previous cohorts. Historic published data in key stage 2 does not reflect how well pupils are now achieving.

p.2

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

All staff are enthusiastic about the possibilities of each curriculum area. The school has identified priorities for improvement across the whole curriculum. Some of these are identified more precisely than for others. The school’s approaches to checking the quality and impact of this work are being refined. The school recognises that it needs to better understand what changes will benefit pupils’ learning the most and how to best check that pupils have learned what is intended.

p.2

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

Overall, the curriculum is interesting and ambitious. In the majority of subjects, such as English and mathematics, the school has identified exactly what pupils should learn and the order in which they should learn it. This helps teachers build on previous learning securely. For some subjects in the wider curriculum, teaching does not focus on the essential knowledge that pupils must learn routinely well. This is because these subjects are at an earlier stage of development. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

p.2

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

Children make a positive start in the early years. They benefit from high-quality adult care and attention. They learn to communicate, listen, count, follow instructions and share. 20 and 21 May 2025

p.2

3

These skills sow the seeds for children’s future learning effectively. Parents and carers appreciate attending the regular ‘sharing sessions’ where they celebrate their children’s learning.

p.3

3

Phonics has, rightly, been a focus so that, from Reception, children learn to read fluently. Staff deliver the school’s chosen phonics programme expertly and make sure that pupils learn their phonics sounds quickly. If pupils struggle to learn to read, extra support helps them to catch up and build confidence in their reading. Year 6 pupils relish the opportunity to support younger children through weekly shared reading sessions.

p.3

3

A strength of the school lies within the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils’ needs are identified quickly and accurately. The school implements effective support strategies for these pupils. This means that pupils with SEND are involved fully in learning with their peers. Staff know how to support each pupil and how to adapt teaching so that pupils with SEND achieve well.

p.3

3

Pupils’ personal development is the hallmark of the school’s provision. Pupils benefit from an engaging selection of trips, visits and residentials. They have many opportunities to take on leadership responsibilities, make tangible contributions to the school community and learn valuable life skills. The curriculum promotes pupils’ character, confidence and resilience very well. Pupils are nurtured to become independent learners who are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

p.3

3

Leaders and governors work quickly together to make improvements. In short order, they have formed a more accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. This has enabled the governing body to strengthen how they support leaders and hold them to account more precisely. Staff are very proud to work at the school and feel valued. They are inspired by the vision of the school and feel listened to. They work well together as a unified team.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum design and assessment in some foundation subjects are not as refined as they could be. As a result, pupils do not learn as well as they could in these areas. The school should make sure that, for every subject, staff have the knowledge and resources they require to ensure and check that pupils learn and remember what they need to build secure learning over time.  Some checks on the impact of the school’s work lack the precision needed to provide the school with an accurate oversight of strengths and weaknesses. As a result, the school is not always able to focus and prioritise its improvement strategies. The school 20 and 21 May 2025

p.3

4

should ensure that the checks are refined to evaluate its work more effectively and that those responsible for governance have the expertise to robustly challenge leaders.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 20 and 21 May 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 26 and 27 March 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 This is a voluntary controlled Church of England school in the Diocese of Winchester. The school last received a section 48 inspection in March 2023.  Pupils are taught in three mixed-aged classes. At the time of the inspection, these are grouped as: Years 1 and 2, Years 3 and 4 and Years 5 and 6. Children in Reception Year are taught in a separate early years class.  The school provides wraparound care through a breakfast club.  The school has undergone changes in both leadership and governance in recent years.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

p.5

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). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 20 and 21 May 2025

p.5

6

 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  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.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders and support staff.  The lead inspector met with three governors, including the chair of governors. He also spoke with representatives from the local authority and diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, and

p.6

6

history. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector heard pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a member of staff.  The inspectors spoke with several groups of pupils and observed their behaviour at breaktime and lunchtime.  Inspectors met with groups of staff and considered the opinions expressed through the staff survey.  Inspectors took account of the views expressed from parents through Ofsted’s online parent survey, Ofsted Parent View.

p.6

Inspection team

Gareth Flemington, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Jon Hills Ofsted Inspector 20 and 21 May 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7