Hagley Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this school. They enjoy life at Hagley Primary and thrive during their time here.

They are happy in school and feel safe. This is because pupils are kind, play well together and have great respect for adults and each other. Pupils say that bullying is rare.

If it does happen, adults make sure that it stops.

Pupils receive exceptional pastoral care and support to develop their character. There are a wide range of opportunities on offer, including residential trips, forest school and choir events, such as Young Voices.

Pupils also enjoy the many leadership roles available to them, from peer mediators to eco-councillors. Pupil...s show a good understanding of fundamental British values, such as tolerance and democracy. All pupils benefit from the 'Thrive' approach used by staff.

This has played an important part in supporting pupils' mental health and well-being.

Behaviour across the school is excellent. Staff have high expectations, which pupils live up to.

They work with focus, enthusiasm and perseverance. Many pupils recall what they have been learning about recently and in the past across a range of subjects. They speak with enthusiasm about books and authors.

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

Leadership at all levels is outstanding. Leaders, governors and all staff have a vision for every pupil to reach their full potential. To achieve this, they have established 'ace' values that inspire pupils to be the best they can be.

The inclusive culture, combined with an ambitious curriculum, provides many valuable experiences.

Children make a good start when they join the Reception year. The curriculum is carefully considered and sequenced to build children's knowledge.

There is a clear emphasis on developing language through an extensive focus on reading and hearing stories. Children make a quick start to learning to read, write and count. They also develop good learning habits.

Reading is a high priority across the school. Staff have sound subject knowledge and phonics practice happens every day. Teachers make regular checks on the letter sounds that pupils know.

They use assessment to identify when children need extra support. Interventions help the vast majority of pupils to develop the skills they need to read confidently and fluently. Leaders want pupils to learn to read, and love to read.

To this end, they read to pupils daily and have invested in new books for each class to have their own library corner. Many pupils say that they love reading and enjoy stories by a wide range of authors.

The mathematics curriculum identifies the knowledge and skills pupils will learn.

Learning is sequenced to build this knowledge lesson by lesson. Pupils know and understand what they are learning. Staff have skilfully used assessments to identify the gaps in pupils' knowledge and target these gaps.

The curriculum in all subjects identifies the essential knowledge pupils are working towards. Careful thought has gone into establishing a coherent sequence that builds this knowledge over time and makes links across the curriculum. Most subjects, including science, geography and physical education, are well established.

Leaders have taken a deliberately measured approach to the roll-out of other subjects. This is to ensure that they establish the best possible practice. Staff have had valuable training in all subjects based on research.

Pupils' knowledge of most subjects is strong. In a small number of subjects, the intended curriculum has not been fully implemented.

Leaders are ambitious for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

They use funding wisely to identify barriers to learning, and to plan support for these pupils. In many areas, they adapt the curriculum and provide well-chosen additional support to meet pupils' needs. This is particularly strong for pupils with social and emotional needs.

For a small number of pupils with SEND, however, not enough focus is given to ensuring that they learn to read and write sufficiently well for their age.

The school's work to develop pupils' understanding of what it means to be a responsible citizen is exemplary. Many pupils carry out roles that give them leadership experiences.

They make highly positive contributions to the life of the school and support the well-being of other pupils. Through their roles as 'Thrive ambassadors', older pupils support younger pupils to come into school in the morning and help them settle.

An overwhelming majority of parents and carers would recommend the school to others.

They are highly positive about leaders and staff. All staff say that leaders consider staff workload. Governors work with leaders to provide the support and challenge needed to continually develop the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders, governors and staff use robust systems to keep pupils safe. They check that all staff are suitable to work with children.

Leaders make sure that staff complete regular training. Staff recognise the signs that pupils might be at risk of harm. There are clear processes for reporting concerns in school.

Leaders respond quickly to any concern raised and work closely with families to offer support. Leaders work with other agencies when they need to.

The school teaches pupils how to stay safe in a range of situations, including online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• For a minority of pupils with SEND, improving their reading and writing has not been the main priority. As a result, they do not make sufficient progress in these areas. Leaders should ensure that these pupils receive the support they need to enable them to improve their reading and writing.

• In a minority of subjects, the intended curriculum has not been fully implemented. As a result, pupils do not always know and remember what they have been taught. Leaders should ensure that all subjects are fully implemented so that pupils know and remember the intended curriculum.

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