Hailey Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be a part of the caring and supportive community at Hailey Church of England Primary School. The values of 'love, compassion and respect' are deeply embedded in the daily life of the school.

Staff teach and model these values, which contributes to a culture where pupils make every effort to be kind and respectful to each other. Behaviour in lessons and pupils' attitudes to learning are exemplary. Strong foundations are laid in the early years, where children are taught to follow classroom routines and expectations.

Pupils know that their teachers have high expectations of what they can achieve, and this inspires them to work hard. They learn and ac...hieve well, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils are excited to learn new things, and they are encouraged to be curious.

They look forward to a range of trips and visitors to the school linked to the curriculum.

The school encourages pupils to become responsible citizens. Older pupils enjoy becoming 'ambassadors' by taking on key roles around the school such as supporting assemblies.

Some pupils act as buddies for those in younger year groups, which contributes to the school's ethos of mutual care and respect.

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

Pupils learn very well in core subjects due to an effective and well-delivered curriculum in reading, writing and mathematics. Nursery-age children benefit from approaches that prioritise communication and language.

These include high-quality interactions with adults, as well as opportunities to join in with songs and rhymes. In Reception, children immediately start learning about letters and the sounds they make. The focus on reading continues into key stage 1, where it is usual for all pupils to become fluent and confident readers.

Any pupils who need additional support with reading are identified quickly and benefit from regular opportunities to practise with an adult. Similarly, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified as early as possible. These pupils benefit from appropriate adaptations within lessons that help them to learn well.

The school's wider curriculum is driven by a series of topics that are linked to a range of subject areas. The school has thought carefully about how the early years curriculum prepares children for what comes next. For example, learning about their families and local community sets them up well to study geography and history later on.

This curriculum is successful at inspiring and engaging pupils. They are eager to learn new things and are clearly excited when talking about their past learning. Teachers check pupils' understanding regularly, including through the use of questioning and discussion tasks.

However, at times, pupils' understanding of these subjects is not as secure as it could be. Sometimes they find it difficult to recall key information or are confused about how different parts of their learning fit together. Some of the learning tasks provided to pupils in these subjects do not focus effectively enough on helping them remember and apply the most important knowledge.

The school teaches pupils the importance of positive behaviour and instils in them an excellent work ethic. Classrooms are characterised by high levels of trust. This is a significant strength of the school.

It enables pupils to feel confident, take risks and contribute to learning discussions. Incidences of poor behaviour are very rare in the school. When pupils fall out with each other or disrupt learning, the school acts quickly and effectively to address this.

Pupils learn about the world around them through focused days on personal, social, health and economic education. This includes topics such as healthy relationships and staying safe online. They also learn about different cultures, fundamental British values and the importance of diversity and inclusion.

Pupils' learning in these topics is reflected in the kindness they show their fellow pupils and the way they talk about issues such as racism and discrimination. The school promotes pupils' social and moral development by encouraging them to take part in charity and community events. Pupils learn how to look after their physical and mental health, including through opportunities to learn outdoors and connect with nature.

This learning begins in the early years where children learn the importance of healthy eating, exercise and oral hygiene.

Governors provide strong oversight, support and challenge to the school. They understand and carry out their responsibilities effectively.

Leaders, including governors, share a desire to continually improve the experiences of pupils and staff at the school. They balance this ambition with support for all staff and thorough consideration for their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes lesson activities in the foundation subjects curriculum are not well designed to ensure pupils remember the intended learning. This means pupils' learning in these subjects is not always as secure as it could be. The school should ensure that the lesson tasks within the curriculum are designed so pupils have every opportunity to remember and apply the most important knowledge in each subject.