Hayes School

113554 Unique Reference Number Torbay Local Authority 289673 Inspection number 7 December 2006 Inspection date Bradley Simmons HMI Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Hayes Road School address Primary Type of school Paignton Foundation School category TQ4 5PJ 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01803 557336 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01803 664829 Fax number 460 Number on roll (school) Margery Schindler Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Malcolm Wright Headteacher 2 July 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 289673 7 December 2006 4 °11 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors, accompanied by an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Hayes Primary School admits up to 60 pupils each year. It is situated in the seaside town of Paignton in Devon. The great majority of its pupils are of White British heritage. The published percentage of pupils entitled to a free school meal is low at around 14%, but this may not reflect the true figure; some parents are employed seasonally in occupations connected with tourism and choose not to apply for a free school meal for their child during periods of unemployment. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties matches the national average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Hayes School, 7 December 2006

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Grade: 2

This school is on a journey of improvement. Just over seven years ago, it was failing. Now it is clearly a good school which is starting to excel. This is because the headteacher and deputy headteacher provide outstanding direction and a very clear vision for the school. Together, they have built a team of staff who monitor and evaluate the work of the school very effectively, and who act on their findings to deal with those areas identified for improvement. As a result, since the last inspection, standards of attainment have risen. Despite generally low starting points when they start school, pupils make good, and sometimes outstanding, progress at Hayes. By the time they leave, they are attaining results that are at least in line with national averages. Underpinning this progress is the high quality of teaching, much of which is outstanding and demonstrably inspires and enthuses pupils. In case of any doubt, such teaching does not just take place when teachers are being

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Grade: 2

inspected! On the day of the inspection, parents were visiting mathematics lessons to deepen their own understanding of what their children are taught. During one outstanding lesson, a parent told an inspector, 'It's like this all the time'. Of course, there are areas where the school knows it could do better. Pupils are not as clear as they could be about what they have to do to improve their work. This is because not all marking is sufficiently informative, and, at times, teachers' assessments lack the sharpness necessary to ensure pupils make consistently outstanding progress. Music provides a foundation for the life of this school. It is used innovatively to build a strong sense that every child is included and matters. The very high level of absorption and enthusiasm for music is etched on every pupil's face as they perform. No matter what their ability, pupils reach very high standards. All are competent musicians by

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Grade: 2

the time they leave, and the outstanding quality of the pupils' singing is truly awesome. The school is aware that it needs to capitalise on its ability to innovate by developing a more exciting curriculum, with links between subjects, which more exactly meets pupils' needs. Governors challenge and support the school effectively. They check on progress by visiting classes, watching teachers at work, and talking to children. At present, the school improvement plan does not contain targets which outline the annual gains expected from each year group in reading, writing and mathematics. Without access to this information, governors are unable to hold the school to account for this very important aspect of its work. Pupils' personal development and well-being are excellent. Parents may be assured that their children behave extremely well, show very good attitudes to their work and enjoy school. They love the delicious and very healthy school lunches! Mealtimes

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Grade: 2

encapsulate the family atmosphere which permeates this school. One pupil's fitting comment similarly encapsulates the entirety of the work of Hayes School. She said, 'The school brings us up well.' This inspection agrees with her view. 2 Inspection Report: Hayes School, 7 December 2006

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve marking and feedback so that all pupils are clear about the steps they must take to improve their work. • Develop a more exciting curriculum which better meets the needs of pupils. • Sharpen school improvement planning to include annual reading, writing and mathematics targets for each year group so governors are better able to hold the school to account.

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Grade: 2

Many pupils join Hayes School with ability levels that are below those normally expected for five-year-olds. Some pupils' attainment on entry to the school is very low. From these starting points, pupils make good, and in some cases outstanding progress, as they move through the school. Pupils with learning difficulties and vulnerable children make the same good progress as their classmates. Boys make particularly good progress in Key Stage 2, and catch up with girls by the time they leave Year 6. Over the past few years, pupils have, by the time they leave Year 6, attained standards that at least match national averages. For 2006, indications are that pupils will have exceeded national averages in mathematics and science, whilst results in English will match the national average. The school was particularly disappointed with its writing results in 2006, so this area was examined in some depth. Standards in writing throughout the school are better

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Grade: 2

than those indicated by the results for 11-year-olds last summer. Of particular note in the wider curriculum is the outstanding progress made by pupils in music. Singing is so good that it fills visitors with a sense of wonder, and all pupils are competent musicians by the time they leave the school.

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Grade: 1

The pupils' personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is outstanding. An excellent framework for this aspect of the school's work is provided by The 'Hayes Trilogy': 'Work hard, have good manners and take care of each other'. Pupils certainly follow this! The 'Trilogy' underpins everything that goes on. It helps pupils to develop excellent behaviour, attitudes to their work, to each other and to other people. 'Every-one has good manners here. It's very important to us,' commented a pupil. Parents agree. They said that the school cares a great deal and 'everyone here does their very best for all the children'. A 'help-me' box, used by pupils to request support for any problems, gives them a real sense of feeling safe and secure. Pupils know about the importance of healthy diet and regular exercise. Most of them take advantage of the exceptionally healthy and tasty lunch provided for them. Others

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Grade: 1

3 Inspection Report: Hayes School, 7 December 2006 taking packed lunches can eat in one of three venues. Wherever located during lunchtime, children enjoy and benefit from the family atmosphere, well supported by skilled staff.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. This is not, however, the entire story. During the inspection, a significant proportion of outstanding practice was observed. Here, teachers are passionate and have very strong subject knowledge. Their teaching is infectious so pupils are enthused, engaged and challenged. One pupil commented of his teacher, 'he's mad and I love it!' All pupils are attentive, enjoy their learning, and take care when presenting their work. During a very crisp music lesson, pupils were confident and elated by the opportunities to perform a 'snappy crocodile' song, and did so with panache. Pupils' knowledge and understanding about how writing works was clearly evidenced in some classes during the inspection. For example, when Year 6 pupils recited by heart a lengthy passage from 'Macbeth,' they brought Shakespeare to life with their excellent expression and intonation. Whilst challenging targets in English are making a difference, pupils are less certain

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Grade: 2

about their mathematics targets. There are examples of very informative marking, but this is variable throughout the school. At times, assessment of what pupils have achieved and what they need to do next lacks the pinpoint accuracy necessary to ensure they make outstanding progress.

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Grade: 2

Curricular provision is good. The curriculum for all age groups is broad and balanced and enables children to make good academic progress. It is taught by individual subject and there are few crossovers or links planned between different subject areas. Pupils say that, although they enjoy school, they really enjoy those areas which are the school's curricular strengths. Music is a good example here: taught with real passion, it engages every child, regardless of ability or learning difficulty. All children feel included and are enraptured. The school acknowledges that it is now time to capitalise upon such strengths by building a more exciting curriculum which has well-planned links between subjects, avoids duplication, and more exactly matches pupils' needs. The school provides a wide range of interesting clubs, well pitched to different age groups, and, at times to different genders. Pupils noted their appreciation of the

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Grade: 2

dedication of staff in providing such experiences at lunchtimes and after school. 4 Inspection Report: Hayes School, 7 December 2006

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Grade: 2

The school has developed good links with external medical, psychological and social services. These links, together with swift and effective identification of learning, medical and social difficulties, ensure that the school intervenes effectively to help those pupils with the greatest needs. Safeguarding procedures are suitably robust, and staff receive appropriate and regular training in this area. Proper checks have been carried out on all adults working at the school. Academic guidance for pupils is sufficiently strong to ensure they make good progress, but could be improved by ensuring that children are crystal clear about what they have to do to improve their work.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher, ably supported by the deputy, provides outstanding direction and a very clear vision for this school. Senior leaders and subject leaders monitor and evaluate the performance of the school very effectively. Teaching and learning are kept rigorously under review; pertinent areas are selected so teachers know how to continue their high level of performance. The school improvement plan is a succinct document, but lacks costings, and procedures for monitoring and evaluation are not clear within it. The plan does not contain annual targets which detail the expected gains by each group of pupils in reading, writing and mathematics. Governors are therefore unable to hold the school effectively to account in this most important area. Nevertheless, in the round, governors provide good support and challenge. They are linked to classes, observe teaching, and discuss their findings constructively. The

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Grade: 2

committee structure enables governors to scrutinise spending decisions appropriately. 5 Inspection Report: Hayes School, 7 December 2006 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Hayes School, 7 December 2006

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Hayes School, 7 December 2006

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Hayes School, 7 December 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for the very warm welcome you gave us when we inspected your school. We told some of you that we would write to you to tell you what we found. We think that Hayes School is very good, and that you are very lucky to go there. This probably does not surprise you, as most of you and your parents think the same! Here are just a few of the things we really liked about it: • Your headteacher and deputy headteacher are always trying to make your school as good as possible. • Your teachers and teaching assistants do their jobs well, work extremely hard and make you all feel included. • You work very hard and make good progress. • The music at your school is fantastic. Your singing is the best we have ever heard in a school! So that you can do even better, we have asked your teachers to give you very clear advice when they mark your work and when they talk to you about it in class. We have also asked them to

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

work on building more links between the different subjects you study. We hope this will mean that you enjoy all your lessons even more than you do now! We wish you every success in the future. Keep up the very good work! 9 Inspection Report: Hayes School, 7 December 2006

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