Hessle Mount School

Age group Published Reference no. Hessle Mount School

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Independent School

DfES Registration Number 811/6001 Unique Reference Number 118127 Inspection number 296822 Inspection dates 25–26 January 2007 Reporting inspector Mrs Cecile Corfield AI

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Independent School

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 162A of the Education Act 2002 (as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005).

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Independent School

3-8 20 February 2007 296822 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Independent School

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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Purpose and scope of the inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under section 162A of the Education Act 2002, as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005, in order to advise the Secretary of State for Education and Skills about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about the school

Hessle Mount School is situated in Hessle to the west of the city of Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire. It provides care and education for pupils aged three to eight years of age. The premises comprise an imposing Grade 2 Georgian house with further demountable classrooms. The pre-school setting is purpose built and is close to the main building. There are attractive grounds which include gardens and a playing field. The school was established in 1979. Currently, there are 117 pupils on roll in the main school and 37 children in the pre-school setting. No pupil has a statement of special educational need. The school aims that ‘all children shall feel happy, safe, needed and valued so that they can reach their full potential, developing skills, attitudes, practical abilities and knowledge plus the will to use them.’

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Evaluation of the school

Hessle Mount School is a good school which achieves its stated aims. It prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education. Teaching is good and enables pupils to make good progress. It is a caring school which effectively promotes the pupils’ self-confidence and awareness of others. The pupils’ behaviour is outstanding as a result of the school’s high expectations of attainment and behaviour. Pupils of different cultures play and work together in harmony. The school does not comply with a number of regulations.

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Quality of education

The quality of the curriculum is satisfactory. The school provides all of the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. The curriculum is extended with French from Year 2. The planning of the curriculum meets requirements but could readily be improved. Each subject has an appropriate policy and at least medium-term plans for teaching. Some subjects do not have long-term plans or an overview of what will be covered each year in every year group to ensure continuity and progression. In mathematics, a published scheme of work is used as a framework for lessons in Years 1 and 2, but this is not continued through to Year 3. Medium term and weekly plans are thorough, but the lack of a common structure lessens their effectiveness. There is no whole school policy for planning procedures. Teachers tend to use their preferred method of recording their planning and this hinders clarity. There is

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Quality of education

good practice when teachers in the same year group plan together. Planning for the pupils in the Reception class is good and is based appropriately on national guidelines for this age group. Personal, social, and health education together with citizenship, is taught through a range of subjects, such as English, religious education, history and geography. Assemblies play an important part too. Good use is made of the excellent outdoor facilities which promote the pupils’ progress in a range of subjects. Effective provision is made for pupils with special educational needs, enabling them to make good progress. Individual education plans, written by class teachers, have specific, measurable targets and are reviewed each term. The curriculum is supported by high quality resources.

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Quality of education

Teaching is good, ensuring that the pupils make at least good progress. Pupils say that they learn a lot in school. The vast majority of parents agree with this view. Lesson planning is thorough. Lessons are well prepared and the planning identifies what pupils need to learn. Teaching is lively and interesting, and provides many opportunities to develop good speaking and listening skills. The teaching motivates pupils and maintains their enthusiasm for their tasks. Effective questioning is used by teachers to assess the pupils’ understanding. Lessons proceed at a brisk pace and start and end on time. Teachers have good subject knowledge and understand how young children learn. Tasks are well matched to the range of ability in each class. Teachers provide extra support for pupils who need it. The positive atmosphere in classes enables pupils to ask for help and they know that they will receive it. Teaching assistants throughout

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Quality of education

the school work conscientiously and provide valuable assistance to both teachers and pupils. All members of staff are good role models for endeavour and courtesy.

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Quality of education

Assessment of pupils’ progress is satisfactory. Pupils complete weekly assessments on the work they have covered and examples of their progress are kept in their individual files. However, detailed analysis is not made to ascertain the standards achieved by pupils in relation to national averages through standardised tests or national assessments. In Year 2, pupils usefully complete the end of term assessments for the published mathematics scheme. Pupils in Reception continue with the assessments set out in the Foundation Stage Profile.

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pupils

Pupils’ personal development is good. The school provides a caring environment in which to learn. All pupils are very well known to all and the school is an extended family. Most pupils enter school with well developed social skills and a clear sense of right and wrong. The school builds effectively on this good foundation through the high expectations it has of all pupils to behave well and support their school. However, the school does not always make the most of opportunities in assembly to offer pupils a moral thought and a time to reflect upon it.

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pupils

Teachers give pupils a range of suitable responsibilities, such as corridor and stair monitors, which they thrive on and which help them to mature into responsible young people. Parents note in the pre-inspection questionnaires that their children are well looked after and happy. Attendance levels are high.

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pupils

Pupils are able to think for themselves. They know what they like and what they would like to improve. They have a well developed sense of purpose and realise why they need to work hard, so that they can fulfil their ambition to enter the next school of their choice. Pupils make the most of what the school offers. They accept responsibility for their behaviour and contribute willingly to all aspects of school life. Older pupils are good role models for younger ones.

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pupils

Pupils from all ethnic groups work and play together in harmony. The school’s policy for equal opportunities works well in practice. Pupils have a strong respect for one another and for each other’s cultures. They learn from each other both incidentally and in lessons. The school provides well for modern foreign languages by organising a French Club where pupils are learning, for example, to ask and respond to questions about day-to-day life in France.

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Welfare, health and safety of the pupils

The school makes satisfactory provision for pupils’ welfare, health and safety. All the required policies are in place but some have not been updated against national recommendations. The school recognises this shortcoming and is taking remedial action. Training for all staff on child protection matters was to take place in the week following the inspection. Thorough risk assessments are undertaken prior to any out-of-school visit. The school’s effective behaviour policy, class and lunchtime rules and reward system promote the pupils’ outstanding behaviour and positive attitudes to learning. Pupils enjoy their tasks and are highly motivated.

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Welfare, health and safety of the pupils

Fire safety is good, with fire drills taking place each term, although the time taken to evacuate the building is not logged. Appropriate fire risk assessments have been completed. Staff are deployed appropriately throughout the day and pupils are supervised carefully, especially at break times, when at least two members of staff are on duty. Five adults hold current First Aid qualifications. The school has an appropriate written First Aid policy and suitable equipment.

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Welfare, health and safety of the pupils

Admission and attendance registers fully meet regulations. The school has not produced a comprehensive three year plan for improved accessibility with regard to the Disability Discrimination Act 2002, although some improvements will take place shortly.

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Suitability of the proprietor and staff

The school is in the process of checking the suitability of some members of staff to work with children. Most teachers and assistants have been checked with the Criminal Records Bureau. Staffing and recruitment procedures do not comply with the latest guidance.

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School’s premises and accommodation

The premises and accommodation are fit for purpose and each regulation is met. All areas of the school are clean, tidy and maintained well. A high standard of displays of pupils’ work, artefacts and paintings enhances the environment. Classrooms are of good size and the hall is used for a range of purposes. There is a reasonably-sized hard-surfaced play area which is used sensibly by arranging staggered break and lunchtimes. Attractive gardens and a spacious playing field are assets to the school. A new toilet block is planned which will have disabled facilities.

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Provision of information for parents, carers and others

The school provides a satisfactory range of information in the prospectus for new parents and carers. Some sections would benefit from expansion, such as information about discipline and exclusions. Other sections are good. For example, the section on the school’s philosophy gives a clear account of what is expected of pupils. However, parents are not informed that they can request sight of the welfare, health and safety and sanctions policies. Letters to parents are informative about a wide range of matters, such as term dates, fundraising and how parents can help their children at home. Most parents note that they feel well informed about their children’s progress. Reports vary in quality from class to class. Some are detailed and tell parents much about their children and others are brief and less informative. The ‘two way’ diaries’ are a helpful form of communication between school and home.

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Procedures for handling complaints

Although there is a complaints policy, the procedures for handling complaints do not meet regulations.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets all of the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003 as amended January 2005, with the exception of those listed below.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of provision for pupils’ welfare, health and safety (standard 3) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 prepare and implement a written policy to prevent bullying which has regard to the DfES guidance ‘Bullying: don’t suffer in silence’ (paragraph 3(2)(a))  prepare and implement written policies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children who are pupils at the school in compliance with DfES guidance ‘Safeguarding children and safer recruitment in education’ (paragraph 3(2)(b)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of suitability of proprietor and staff (standard 4) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 prior to the confirmation of the appointment of all staff carry out checks with the Criminal Records Bureau to confirm their suitability to work with children (paragraph 4(b))  prior to the confirmation of the appointment of all staff carry out appropriate checks to confirm their identity, medical fitness, previous employment history, character references and, where appropriate, qualifications and professional references and take such information into account in determining whether their appointment will be confirmed (paragraph 4(c)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of the provision of information for parents, carers and others (standard 6) and must:

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 ensure that parents are aware they can request particulars of bullying, child protection, health and safety, the promotion of good behaviour and the sanctions adopted in the event of pupils misbehaving (paragraph 6(2)(h))

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 provide particulars of details of the complaints procedure adopted by the school, together with particulars of the number of complaints registered under the formal procedure during the preceding school year (paragraph 6(2)(j)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet all requirements in respect of procedures for handling complaints (standard 7) and must:  ensure, if parents are not satisfied with the response to a written complaint, that provision is made for the establishment of a hearing before a panel appointed by the proprietor of at least three people who have not been directly involved in the matters detailed in the complaint (paragraph 7(f))  ensure that one person on any panel hearing a complaint is independent of the management and running of the school (paragraph 7(g))  allow for parents to attend the panel hearing, and if they wish, to be accompanied (paragraph 7(h))  provide for written records to be kept of all complaints indicating whether they were resolved at the preliminary stage, or whether they proceeded to a panel hearing (paragraph 7(j))  provide that correspondence, statements and records of complaints are to be kept confidential (paragraph 7(k)).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

In order to comply with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 2002 the school should devise a three-year accessibility plan.

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School details

Name of school Hessle Mount School DfES number 811/6001 Unique reference number 118127 Type of school Primary School Status Independent Date school opened 30 April 1979 Age range of pupils 3-8 Gender of pupils Mixed Number on roll (full-time pupils ) Boys: 61 Girls: 56 Total: 117 Annual fees (day pupils) £ 3300-3525 Address of school Hessle Mount School Jenney Brough Lane Hessle HU13 0JX Telephone number 01482643371 Fax number 01482643371 Email address info@hesslemountschool.org.uk Headteacher Mrs Jennifer Riddle Proprietor Mrs Carol Cutting Reporting inspector Mrs Cecile Corfield AI Dates of inspection 25–26 January 2007

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