Hadnall Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Hadnall Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Hadnall Church of England Primary School is a small school with kindness at its heart. There is a strong sense of community at this school.

All members of the school community live and breathe the school's motto of 'encourage one another and build each other up'. The school nurtures pupils well. The vast majority of parents and carers agree.

One comment was typical of many when they stated, 'the school environment is happy, friendly and welcoming and my child has flourished in their learning and developm...ent.'

The school has high expectations for pupils' achievement. Outcomes for pupils are improving well.

The school continues to work on the curriculum, with the intention that all pupils achieve the very best outcomes in all areas.

Pupils live by the school's REACH values of respect, enthusiasm, aspiration, courage and hope. Relationships are strong between staff and pupils.

Staff know the pupils very well. This helps to ensure that pupils behave well.

Pupils benefit from a range of opportunities to develop their leadership skills.

These include taking on roles as school councillors, kindness ambassadors, safeguarding squad, worship leaders and eco councillors. They say, 'we help to look after our school and community'.

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

Since the last inspection the school has worked to further refine its curriculum.

In many subjects, the school has identified the important knowledge it expects pupils to learn over time. The curriculum starts in early years. For example, in mathematics, children in Reception develop an understanding of the value of numbers to 10 through the use of simple number frames.

By Year 6 pupils work confidently adding and taking away decimal numbers. However, in some other subjects, the precise knowledge that the school expects pupils to learn in each year group is not always as clearly defined. In these subjects, pupils' learning does not build in a logical way.

Teachers deliver the curriculum as currently intended. They regularly check to make sure that pupils understand their learning. Consequently, staff address any misconceptions quickly.

Children in the early years acquire the skills and knowledge that they need and are well prepared for Year 1.

The school prioritises reading in all areas. From Reception, children read and are read to regularly across all subjects.

For example, pupils could explain how a text read in English had helped to deepen their knowledge of planets and the solar system in science. Staff deliver the school's phonics programme effectively. From Reception children become familiar with the language and routines of the programme.

They practise their reading using books that contain the sounds that they already know. Staff provide additional help, should pupils find reading difficult. This enables pupils to develop into fluent and confident readers.

The school has a robust approach to identifying pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff support pupils with SEND very well within lessons. For example, pupils with SEND use electronic devices well to engage in and record their learning.

The school provides effective support for pupils with very specific needs. As a result, pupils with SEND learn well.

Pupils enjoy learning and school.

They focus well in lessons and enjoy playing together at social times. Pupils are keen to attend regularly and attendance rates are high. The school takes effective action to improve attendance where pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should.

The school provides well for pupils' personal development. There are very strong links with the local community. For example, pupils send 'cards of kindness' to residents of a local nursing home.

Pupils' mental health and well-being is a focus. There are many opportunities for pupils to learn outdoors across the curriculum. Pupils benefit from a range of clubs such as drama, football, running and art.

Pupils are respectful of different relationships and families. They say, 'all types of families are fine.' The school has developed wider opportunities for pupils to learn about different faiths and cultures.

However, pupils understanding of different faiths and cultures is not secure. This is because the school's work in this regard is at an earlier stage of implementation.

Those responsible for governance provide appropriate support and challenge to ensure that the school continues to improve.

Staff feel supported in their roles and are proud to work at the school. One member of staff commented that there is a 'supportive and encouraging atmosphere which comes from the top.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school has not defined the precise knowledge that it wants pupils to learn over time, which considers the mixed-age classes pupils are taught in. Consequently, pupils do not secure new learning as well as they could. The school should ensure that it identifies and sequences the important knowledge that it wants pupils to learn across the curriculum.

• The school's work to provide opportunities for pupils to engage and understand other cultures and faiths is at an early stage of development. Pupils do not have a secure understanding about the breadth of different cultures and faiths in modern Britain. The school should ensure that the opportunities for pupils to experience other cultures and faiths are well developed, so pupils have a deeper understanding of different cultures and world religions.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in July 2019.