Honeywell Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Honeywell Primary is a welcoming school where pupils feel happy and safe. Adults know children very well and care about them.

Staff provide strong pastoral support that builds pupils' confidence and self-esteem. This helps pupils to engage in all aspects of school life.

Pupils are polite and respectful.

They learn that they need to treat others as they would like to be treated themselves. This learning starts in the early years, where children listen to instructions, understand routines and follow rules. Pupils develop positive attitudes to each other and adults.

They behave well in lessons and at other times. Pupils understand what bullying is and t...rust staff to deal with it quickly when it happens.

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that all pupils are expected to study.

Teachers encourage all pupils to 'explore, aspire and achieve' so that they reach their full potential. Pupils respond positively to this encouragement and make good progress through the curriculum.

Leaders think carefully about ways to broaden pupils' experiences and raise their aspirations.

They have organised a programme of opportunities to achieve this. Pupils enjoy attending a broad range of clubs, trips and residential visits that pique their interests and promote their talents.

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

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, have high expectations and a clear vision for the school.

They have worked hard to improve provision and have brought about many positive changes. Parents and carers recognise these changes. Many are extremely positive about the education that the school provides.

Staff are also enthusiastic to be part of the school's improvement journey. They are especially focused on providing a good quality of education to pupils.

Leaders ensure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), study a broad range of subjects.

Subject leaders have identified the knowledge and vocabulary that they expect pupils to learn. They help pupils to build their knowledge in small steps over time. Pupils then use this knowledge to complete more complex tasks.

For example, in music, pupils learn about the significance of crotchets and quavers. They then go on to notate their own musical compositions.

Teachers present information clearly in lessons.

They provide effective demonstrations and explanations to help pupils understand new concepts. Staff support pupils with SEND well. Adults understand these pupils' needs and adapt the curriculum to meet them.

Teachers make regular checks on what all pupils know and remember. This helps them identify pupils who need extra help to keep up.Leaders have put an effective approach in place to teach pupils how to read.

Children begin learning phonics from the beginning of Reception Year. The approach is well organised and rigorous. Staff have identified that many children need extra help to develop their speaking and listening skills.

For these children, learning to read takes longer than leaders typically expect. Nevertheless, they become better readers by making progress through the phonics curriculum. Most pupils are fluent readers by the time they reach Year 3.

In addition, leaders also ensure that the school promotes pupils' love of reading. They involve parents in this work. For instance, leaders arrange 'book and biscuit afternoons' for pupils and their parents.

Pupils make good progress through the curriculum, although this is not yet reflected in current published outcomes. These published outcomes reflect a high proportion of pupils with SEND who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Nevertheless, pupils know and remember key information in each subject and build their knowledge over time.

They explain concepts and produce high-quality work. Leaders monitor this impact of the curriculum. This includes them reviewing assessment information in subjects such as mathematics and reading.

However, leaders' approach to checking how well pupils know the curriculum in some subjects is not yet fully established.

Pupils behave well in lessons. They understand adults' expectations and follow well-established routines.

Some pupils have individual needs that manifest through negative behaviours. Leaders manage these situations well. They review trends in pupils' behaviour and use strategies that lead to improved behaviour for individuals.

However, leaders do not have a well-developed approach to analysing patterns in behaviour across the school.

Leaders are determined that all pupils attend school regularly. They challenge poor attendance and work with families when needed.

This is making a difference. However, some pupils still do not attend school regularly enough.

Teachers teach pupils about relationships, friendships and social issues.

Staff help pupils to understand the importance of equality and diversity. Their learning is put into practice through the promotion of the school's own values. Pupils understand these values and work to 'be compassionate, tolerant, respectful and resilient'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have effective oversight of the school's safeguarding practice. There are clear and robust procedures in place to protect pupils from potential harm.

Staff know these procedures well. They identify children who need help and report this information quickly. Leaders are tenacious in ensuring that pupils receive the support they need.

They work well with external agencies if necessary.

Children are supported to keep themselves safe, including when using the internet. They learn about potential risks to their well-being and know who to speak to if they are worried about something or need help.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's summative approach to assessing what pupils know and remember is not yet fully established in some subjects. This makes it hard for subject leaders to accurately check the progress that pupils make through the curriculum over time. Leaders should ensure an approach is in place to monitor how well pupils make progress through the curriculum.

• Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough. This limits their learning. Leaders should continue to work with families to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly.

• Leaders maintain accurate records of behaviour incidents but do not review patterns and trends in school behaviour over time. This potentially hinders leaders from identifying relevant behaviour management strategies. Leaders should consider ways to analyse patterns and trends in pupils' behaviour.

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