Hackforth and Hornby Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy, caring school with a real family feel. Pupils enjoy each other's company and play happily together.

Pupils try their hardest to win house points or 'gems in the jar' for good behaviour and making good choices. Leaders have successfully promoted a strong Christian ethos. Pupils know the school values that include compassion, courage, hope and respect.

Pupils know their teachers want them to work hard and always 'have a go'. Pupils show this attitude in class. Pupils speak enthusiastically about lessons.

Favourites varied from handwriting to science. Most pupils have high aspirations because teachers have high expectations of them.

Pup...ils behave well in class and outside.

Small numbers of pupils mean everyone can join in games. Pupils help clean desks and lay cutlery for lunch. Pupils have good manners, are courteous and love a chat with a visitor.

Pupils say they try to sort out disputes themselves but that teachers will intervene when needed. Relationships are strong. Pupils cannot recall any episodes of bullying.

Pupils learn how to stay safe and about who keeps them safe through visits from some emergency services. Pupils learn about safety near water and being safe in the home. Pupils are clear about potential dangers of being online and how to keep themselves safe in the digital world.

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

Leaders, including governors and those from the collaboration, have secured significant recent improvements in the school. Strong leadership from the headteacher has been pivotal. Governors provide challenge and support to leaders.

Governors have their own improvement plan because they want to become more effective. Leaders are restless to improve the school further.

Leaders have put into place a well-planned and sequenced curriculum.

The same curriculum thinking underpins all subjects. Key ideas link learning together. Units of work build pupils' knowledge progressively.

New learning links to what they already know. This bespoke curriculum is ambitious and meets the needs of these pupils in this school. Leaders have designed programmes of study to meet the challenges of mixed-age classes.

Leaders have identified the need to develop teachers' subject knowledge. There has been progress on this in some subjects. Teachers present subject matter clearly in most subjects.

Teachers use assessment well to check what pupils know and remember. Pupils are regularly asked to recall previous learning, so they remember more knowledge in the longer term. In a few subjects, teachers' expertise needs further support.

In these subjects the end points for units of work are unclear for different age groups in the same class. Teachers occasionally move on too quickly before key knowledge has been grasped by pupils.

Leaders have taken action to help all pupils to become 'empowered to read'.

Phonics is taught consistently and systematically. This new approach is now embedded. Pupils know how to decode and blend sounds together to read new words.

Pupils use books that match their phonics knowledge to practise reading. Pupils enjoy choosing good-quality texts from the 'book nook'. Pupils listen attentively to a story read at the end of each day.

Pupils are quickly becoming fluent readers.

Pupils behave well in lessons and try hard to pay attention. Any minor off task behaviour is swiftly addressed by teachers.

Small numbers of pupils mean teachers miss nothing. Most work is well matched to pupils' abilities. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Leaders ensure that additional support for pupils with SEND is bespoke, timely and effective. Teachers make adaptations in lessons as needed. The way information is presented or how work is recorded are typical examples.

All pupils learn the same curriculum. No one misses out in this inclusive school.

Leaders provide pupils with opportunities to develop into strong characters.

Pastoral support focuses on pupils' mental health and well-being. Pupils learn about different types of relationships and staying healthy. Teachers organise trips to local museums, places of worship and places of cultural and historic interest.

Leaders maintain a sharp focus on developing pupils' awareness of cultural diversity. Pupils have a weekly opportunity to learn about issues and events in the wider world, including world conflicts, sporting events and gender issues such as stereotyping.

Staff are clear on the care and concern leaders have for them.

The appointment of a staff 'wellbeing leader' and a new 'wellbeing governor' are testament to this. Staff enjoy working in the school because of the strong teamwork. Staff know leaders value them and work to make them better teachers.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure staff and governors receive regular safeguarding training. In addition, the headteacher sends out safeguarding updates via email.

These help staff to be on the lookout for anything that is unusual or out of the ordinary with pupils. Staff know how to report concerns. They keep a watchful eye on the pupils, who they know very well.

The headteacher follows concerns up straight away.

The office manager keeps detailed records and vetting checks for new staff. Leaders and governors conduct a range of checks on the first day of each month, including on safeguarding.

Pupils learn how to stay healthy and safe. Leaders provide a clear focus on online safety, which includes information and updates for parents.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, teachers' subject knowledge is weaker than in others.

In these subjects, teachers are unclear on the essential knowledge pupils in mixed-age classes need to learn in each year group at the end of a unit of work. Teachers focus too heavily on reaching the end of a unit rather than embedding learning at each step of the way. Leaders need to make sure that teachers' subject knowledge is deepened and extended so that teachers are able to adapt the curriculum appropriately, according to the specific needs of pupils in their class.