Haimo Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils arrive each morning excited about the day ahead. They are greeted by friendly staff who know them and their families well. Pupils are extremely happy and safe here.

Expectations for all pupils' achievements are high. By and large, pupils meet these expectations and all, including the youngest, are clear about the school's routines.

Pupils are proud to be part of this school.

They value the care and support they get from all staff and the positive friendships they have formed. Staff expect the best behaviour of all pupils. They deal with behaviour consistently and fairly.

Bullying and any discriminatory behaviour are not tolerated by staff, and... seldom happen.

Families value highly the strong links the school has forged with them. These were further strengthened during the pandemic.

Pupils engage with community projects. For example, they helped raise awareness of climate change, convincing pupils to walk to school and the local council to install barriers on the street. The pupils are being developed as global citizens.

Opportunities to run for school mayor and to sit on different committees provide pupils with an insight into the democratic process. A broad selection of clubs, including sewing, choir and football, are well attended and extend pupils' experiences. School visits link carefully with the school curriculum.

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

Leaders have developed a broad and ambitious curriculum. In most subjects, leaders have made sure that the knowledge pupils need is clearly identified. In these subjects, the curriculum builds on what children know from Nursery through to Year 6.

For example, in Nursery, children learn about 2D shapes. In Reception, they start making repeated patterns with them. By the time they are in Year 6, pupils can describe the properties of shapes and apply that knowledge to more complex problems.

In the early years, some of the areas of learning are not broken down into the exact knowledge that children should learn. The curriculum does not always build sequentially on children's understanding. As a result, the school cannot fully ensure that all pupils are prepared for Year 1.

Teachers have secure knowledge across all subjects. Subject leaders develop their own subject expertise and, in turn, train and support staff. Teachers' professional development is made a priority.

Teachers check pupils' learning regularly. They use this information well to identify gaps and check for any misunderstandings. On occasion, teaching does not help pupils to recall and build on prior learning in every subject.

Consequently, pupils sometimes struggle to remember important subject content they have learned previously.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same curriculum as their peers. Staff support them well.

The school works closely with external agencies to identify and meet pupils' needs. The school takes into consideration the views and experiences of all pupils with SEND, and their parents. This ensures that everyone is working on the identified next steps together.

The school prioritises reading. Staff ensure that no pupils are left behind in reading. Staff have regular training, ensuring that phonics teaching is consistent.

The books pupils read are well matched to the sounds that they know. Pupils develop a love for reading. They benefit from visiting their well-stocked and inviting library, which they are very proud of.

Pupils listen to each other respectfully and are taught to value different opinions, faiths and traditions. Everyone is proud of the school's inclusivity and diversity. Leaders work relentlessly to improve attendance and punctuality at the school.

They work closely with families to ensure that their children are in school every day. Because of this, most pupils' attendance improves significantly over time. When pupils make poor behaviour choices, all staff step in and remind them of the school's high expectations.

Through the curriculum and assemblies, pupils are taught how to foster positive and healthy relationships.

Staff love working here. They feel incredibly well looked after and supported.

They say that leaders ensure that their workload is manageable. Parents and carers value the positive relationships staff have forged with them. They appreciate how happy their children are here.

Governors take their roles seriously. They provide leaders with the support and challenge they need.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In early years, it is not made clear in every area of learning the exact knowledge and skills that the school wants children to learn, nor how these feed into the rest of the school's curriculum. As a result, it is not always explicitly clear what children should be learning and how this will prepare them for their future learning. The school must ensure that all areas of learning in the early years are detailed precisely, so that they build logically into the rest of the curriculum.

• Sometimes, teaching does not help pupils to recall and build on prior learning in every subject securely. This means that pupils do not always remember confidently important subject content they have previously learned. The school should make sure that teaching recalls and builds on prior learning across all subjects effectively.