Hillsborough Nursery & Primary School

Hillsborough Nursery & Primary School

Address: Parkside Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S6 2AA Unique reference number (URN): 140310

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders provide a rich and carefully planned programme for pupils’ personal development. Pupils benefit from experiences that help them develop confidence, resilience, independence and a sense of belonging. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and the importance of treating others with kindness and respect including how to keep themselves safe both online and offline. They feel comfortable sharing their views, asking questions and seeking support when needed.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils are proud to be part of the school community and demonstrate a strong understanding of the school’s values. They speak confidently about respect, fairness and inclusion, and value the different cultures, beliefs and experiences represented within the school. Opportunities to celebrate festivals, learn about different faiths and engage with the local community help pupils develop a broad understanding of the world around them.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Staff know pupils well and provide caring, timely support when needed. Pupils appreciate this support and are confident that adults in school will listen and help them with any worries. The school works closely with families and external agencies to ensure that all pupils receive the support they need to benefit from all the school has to offer.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The enrichment programme is highly valued by pupils and makes a significant contribution to their personal development. Pupils feel proud making positive contributions to the school and wider communities. Pupils feel excited to take on special jobs that give them leadership skills. These include roles like eco, equality and diversity and community ambassadors. Pupils enthuse about lessons outdoors and learning about nature. The school offers a wide range of clubs, trips and activities, from sports and arts to science and music. Every pupil can try new things, discover talents and make new friends. Leaders make sure everyone has a chance to take part. This rich programme helps pupils become happy and ready for life beyond school.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well from their individual starting points and develop secure knowledge, skills and understanding across the curriculum. They build successfully on previous learning, increasingly able to apply and deepen their thinking. Pupils make meaningful connections between different subjects and experiences, for example, linking their visit to a museum to their learning about World War Two.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils develop their foundational knowledge and skills well. The school is proud of pupils' results in key stage 2 national tests. They show that pupils meeting the expected standard are above the national average in reading and mathematics. It is also noteworthy that disadvantaged pupils in the last two sets of published outcomes from key stage 2 have achieved above the national average for all disadvantaged pupils at the expected standard in reading, mathematics, writing and English grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Typically, pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education. However, outcomes in writing are more varied. Occasionally, pupils do not continue to develop their writing skills over time. Leaders are taking action to ensure that pupils overcome difficulties with handwriting, letter formation and transcription.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have rightly prioritised increasing pupils' attendance. For example, leaders keep a close eye on the attendance of individual pupils. When a pupil's attendance slips, leaders make use of a range of successful strategies to support the pupil and, where appropriate their family. The improvements in attendance have come about as a direct impact of school and trust leaders' work. However, overall attendance remains below national levels, including for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders recognise these challenges and continue to work closely with families to ensure that more pupils attend regularly and benefit fully from their education. This is having a positive impact for some pupils whose attendance has been previously been too low.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils are kind and respectful. Staff’s clear expectations help the school to be a safe and friendly place for everyone. Staff deal with incidents of inconsiderate behaviour including bullying straightaway, including any that occur online. Pupils enjoy lessons and try their best. They manage their social times well interacting happily. Pupils have positive relationships with each other and with staff.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Staff know pupils well and provide thoughtful support for those who need additional help, including pupils with SEND, to ensure that pupils can participate fully in school life and learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that is carefully planned and sequenced. Across subjects, learning builds logically over time, enabling pupils to develop their knowledge and skills successfully. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is accessible to all pupils, including those who require additional support, while maintaining high expectations for what every pupil can achieve.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers know their subjects well and teach them clearly, for example in the use of phonics to help pupils develop fluency in reading. Teachers use clear explanations, and well- structured support to help pupils learn well. They routinely check pupils’ understanding and respond quickly when additional help is needed. Leaders ensure that pupils have regular opportunities to revisit and recall previous learning, helping pupils retain important knowledge over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Occasionally, there is inconsistency in staff's expectations of pupils’ transcription skills, including letter formation, especially in older year groups. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths and priorities for improvement in curriculum and teaching and are taking appropriate action to improve the accuracy of pupils’ written work.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school places a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ speaking and listening skills. Recognising that some children enter school with less-developed language skills, leaders have embedded regular opportunities for discussion, performance and collaborative learning throughout the curriculum. Pupils often take part in activities like poetry and group discussions to help build their confidence and language skills.

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Early years Expected standard

Children in the early years arrive at school happily. Trusted and familiar adults welcome them and help them to settle quickly. Staff take time to understand what children already know and can do, ensuring that learning is matched carefully to their needs from the start. Clear routines and high expectations help children feel safe, secure and confident.

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Early years Expected standard

The school builds close and respectful relationships with families, ensuring that everyone feels included and informed. Parents value the warm, caring approach of staff and the regular communication that helps them support their child's learning at home.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have carefully designed the early years curriculum that gives children a secure foundation for future learning. Leaders’ prioritise supporting children’s language development and communication. Well-established routines and purposeful interactions with staff help children develop their vocabulary, speaking and listening skills in meaningful and engaging ways. Children are eager to participate and confidently share their ideas. Children are taught to read well, using their phonics knowledge to develop increasing fluency and confidence. Across the different areas of learning, children enjoy rich opportunities to explore, create and imagine. They may be a construction worker one moment and an artist painting a self-portrait the next. This stimulating provision nurtures curiosity, independence and a love of learning, ensuring that most children are well prepared for Year 1.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school has created a caring and inclusive environment where all pupils are valued and supported to succeed. Leaders and staff place a strong emphasis on identifying pupils’ needs early, particularly for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. They work closely with families to understand individual circumstances and ensure that support is both timely and meaningful. Parents are encouraged to share their views and this feedback plays an important role in shaping provision, especially for pupils’ mental health and wellbeing.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders work closely with outside agencies to make sure that pupils receive the right support. Adjustments to the environment and teaching enable all pupils to take part fully in school life. Leaders use additional funding effectively to support disadvantaged pupils, for example, providing extra help to improve pupils' learning in reading and mathematics. In classrooms, teachers use effective approaches to help pupils learn successfully. Pupils with education, health and care plans and pupils with additional needs receive carefully targeted support, ensuring that they can access the same learning as their peers. The school has robust systems to check how pupils are doing and make changes if needed.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the school. They know the school’s strengths and areas for development and use this knowledge to set clear priorities for improvement. They think carefully about the impact of their actions and are focused on making well-informed decisions in pupils’ best interests.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The school has cultivated a caring, positive environment for the community. Leaders work with parents and families to help make school a great place for pupils. For some families, the pupils are the third generation to attend the school. For others, they are the first in their family to do so. Staff and families respect each other. This creates a happy and positive learning culture at the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff feel proud to work at the school. They value leaders’ care about their wellbeing and workload and that they feel part of leaders’ decision making. Staff benefit from a wide range of training, coaching and development opportunities which help them strengthen their skills and confidence. As a result, there is a culture of professional learning among staff, with a shared commitment to continually improving pupils' experiences and outcomes.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors bring a wide range of skills and experience to their roles and share leaders’ ambition for the school. They know the school well and provide both support and appropriate challenge. Ongoing training helps them carry out their responsibilities effectively. Leaders and governors work productively together to support the school’s continued development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders work closely with the trust to support key aspects of the school’s work. For example, the trust supports Year 6 pupils’ readiness for secondary school and provides professional development opportunities for staff.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy being at this school and feel happy here. They take pride in belonging to a close and welcoming school community. Pupils and staff treat each other with respect and kindness. Pupils behave well. They work and play together happily. Bullying is rare, but when it does occur, staff manage this well and resolve incidents promptly. Pupils feel safe in school.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

All staff at this school recognise their responsibility to help pupils blossom and do well. Adults are there when pupils need support and to celebrate when things go well. Pupils engage positively in lessons and build on their learning as they move through the school. When pupils need extra help, teachers identify this and put in place appropriate support quickly. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils are supported to join in every part of school life. Pupils receive the help they need so they can learn, enjoy school and succeed alongside their friends. Pupils gain from the school’s carefully designed personal development programme. They benefit from an extensive variety of opportunities to enrich their learning in the classroom and discover new interests and talents. Clubs and fun educational trips give pupils a diversity of experiences, such as playing mahjong, gardening, participation in sustainability

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

projects and going to the cinema. Pupils build important knowledge and life skills such as looking after their health and wellbeing and being resilient. This includes the work the pupils do in the local community to make where they live and learn a better place. As one pupil described, reflecting the views of many, 'We learn things at school that we can take into life.’ Pupils understand why it matters to be fair and considerate to everyone. Many pupils are excited to come to school every day and their attendance is improving.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that pupils should continue to develop their transcription skills in all areas of the curriculum. Leaders should continue their work to improve attendance ensuring that attendance rates for all groups of pupils continue to rise.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, assistant headteachers and other staff, along with some pupils and some parents during the inspection. They also spoke to representatives from the local governing board, trustees and the chief executive officer.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

This school is part of Inova Multi-Academy Trust Limited, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Lee Barber, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Derren Sanders.

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About this inspection

The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Team inspectors:

June Richardson, Ofsted Inspector Emmeline Ford, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 9 June 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2024/25 (final) 64% 62% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2022/23 (final) 76% 73% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (final) 77% 72% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 73% 72% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2023/24 (final) 80% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 57% 47% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 32% 44% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2022/23 (final) 64% 60% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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 .

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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