Hadley Wood Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's values are central to everyday life at the school. Leaders and teachers routinely encourage pupils to become 'confident, capable and caring' members of society. Staff model these attributes and support pupils to apply them in their work and play.

Relationships between pupils and staff are professional, respectful and warm. Pupils are safe. They enjoy coming to school and value their education.

Staff know pupils, their interests and personal circumstances well. Pupils know that they can trust the adults at school to provide the support they need if they are worried about anything.

Leaders and teachers have high expectations of pupils.

The... curriculum is well planned and broad. As a result, pupils achieve well across the subjects. Pupils speak confidently and eloquently about their learning.

Pupils behave well in class and as they move around the school. Pupils said that bullying is rare, and that they have confidence in their teachers to address any issues that may arise. Leaders deal with any incident of bullying effectively.

Parents, carers and pupils are pleased that leaders provide a range of clubs and activities to enrich the school's curriculum. Uptake is high, which makes a strong contribution to promoting pupils' personal development. Parents value the school's nurturing environment, combined with leaders' drive to achieve high standards.

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

Leaders have a sharp focus on the quality of education. They have given careful thought to what they want pupils to know and be able to do. Across the subject curriculum, they have planned teaching of new knowledge in a logical, step-by-step way.

This helps pupils to build securely on their previous knowledge and achieve well. Pupils enjoy opportunities to reflect on, and to discuss, the knowledge they have gained. Leaders have also considered carefully what children in the early years need to know and be able to do.

This results in children gaining the foundational knowledge they need to make a good start in Year 1.

Teachers use effective approaches to help pupils retain in their long-term memories the knowledge they have been taught previously. They set out clearly how new learning builds on what pupils have learned in previous units of work.

Pupils are familiar with the concept of 'building blocks' that help them to deepen and retain their knowledge.

Teachers are appreciative of the professional development opportunities they receive. Training is planned carefully to ensure that teachers are clear about how pupils build up subject-specific knowledge.

Teachers use assessment well to check pupils' understanding during lessons. They give pupils prompt feedback about their work, recognising their successes and pointing out where they have gone wrong. This helps to address pupils' misconceptions and supports pupils to gain deeper knowledge.

In most subjects, leaders track carefully how well pupils acquire new and deeper knowledge and understanding over time. This work is at an earlier stage in physical education (PE) and music, where the curriculum has been more recently established.

Leaders make the teaching of reading a high priority.

From their first days in the early years, children secure phonics knowledge through a consistent and well-structured teaching programme. Weaker readers receive the support they need to catch up. Pupils read books that match their phonics knowledge.

This helps them to become fluent readers. Leaders have chosen books which all pupils will encounter in class as they progress through the school. Staff select books carefully to reflect a broad range of topics including race, disability, transgender and culture.

This helps pupils to gain a good understanding of equalities and diversity.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported to study the same curriculum as their peers. The support they get is carefully considered to promote independence and resilience.

This enables them to achieve well.

Children in the early years work and play cooperatively, taking turns and making sensible choices about the activities they choose. Pupils' positive attitudes lead them to concentrate hard during lessons and achieve well.

Leaders promote the value of regular and punctual attendance at school. They have been successful in improving the attendance rates of pupils who were regularly absent in the past.

Leaders support pupils' wider development effectively.

Their drive to promote independence and resilience begins in the early years. There are numerous opportunities for pupils to attend clubs such as football, Zumba and cooking. Opportunities to take responsibility include class-based roles such as book and eco monitors, and whole-school positions such as membership of the school council.

The process of applying for, and being elected to, these roles supports pupils' understanding of democracy.

Pupils in Year 6 are well prepared for their transition to secondary school. Leaders encourage good habits from an early stage, for example learning to adhere to expectations about behaviour.

Pupils understand the benefits this will have as they begin the next stage of their education.

Leaders take account of teachers' workload and well-being, making sure that their time is used profitably to support pupils' progress. All staff can access on-site weekly counselling sessions should they wish to.

Governors have a highly professional approach to their work. They support and challenge leaders to ensure that the school's development is well focused and monitored.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding leaders and staff are well trained to identify and respond to any concerns. Leaders carry out the required checks on staff before their appointment. Weekly updates for staff ensure that safeguarding is always at the forefront of staff's minds.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including while online. Leaders act quickly to make sure pupils and families get the support they need. Pupils speak highly of the sources of support available to them, such as the class worry box.

Leaders keep detailed records of any concerns raised, tracking cases carefully until they are resolved.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In PE and music, leaders' systematic approach to checking what pupils know and remember is still developing. Leaders should ensure that assessment strategies are firmly embedded in all subjects so that pupils who need to catch up are identified quickly and provided with the support they need.

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