Halewood Church of England Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be a member of this school. They love to learn.

Staff care for them exceptionally well. They are safe and very happy. Pupils' sense of responsibility is strong.

For example, older pupils run lunchtime clubs such as chess, serve on pupil voice councils and act as a 'buddy' to younger children. Pupils take their duties seriously. They carry them out with pride.

Pupils take full advantage of the very broad range of extra-curricular opportunities on offer. They take part in many of these opportunities through the 'Halewood university', which is particularly well attended. They expand their horizons further through trips, including to the theat...re, and residential stays.

Many pupils excel in sport. They take their preparations for local sporting competitions seriously and regularly experience success.

Leaders are very ambitious for what pupils will learn in reading, writing and mathematics.

In these subjects, pupils achieve exceptionally well. Although pupils do not reach the same exceptional high standards across the curriculum, they still achieve well in other subjects.

Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour.

Pupils conduct themselves extremely well. They have excellent relationships with their classmates, which means that fall outs are very rare. Leaders act quickly to address any bullying concerns as soon as they arise.

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

Leaders have designed a broad, ambitious curriculum for Years 1 to 6. They have also outlined their general expectations of what pupils should be able to do by the end of each year from the Nursery Year onwards. In reading, writing and mathematics, pupils achieve exceptionally well by the time they leave the school.

However, while they still achieve well in some other subjects, they do not consistently reach the same high standards across all areas of the curriculum. This is because, in some subjects, and in the early years, leaders have not precisely identified the specific knowledge pupils should acquire or the order in which they should learn it. As a result, in these subjects, sometimes, teachers do not teach content in a logical order.

Consequently, pupils cannot build on previous learning.

In most subjects, teachers carry out appropriate checks on what pupils have learned. However, where leaders have not clarified the specific knowledge that pupils need to learn and when, teachers are unclear about exactly which checks to make.

This means that they do not identify and address some of the pupils' knowledge gaps.

Leaders monitor and evaluate the impact of subject curriculums on what pupils know and remember. In some subjects, this is done very well.

However, some leaders' oversight of the curriculum from the early years onwards is not as secure. As a result, they are not alert to weaknesses in the design and implementation of some curriculum areas. This sometimes prevents pupils from achieving consistently well.

Leaders promote a love of reading. They make sure that pupils read a wide range of literature by classic authors, such as Shakespeare, to modern-day writers and poet laureates. Children in the early years start the phonics programme as soon as they begin school.

Teachers are suitably trained and deliver the programme consistently well. Pupils read books that are matched appropriately to the sounds they know. Those who need extra help with their reading receive regular, high-quality support to catch up with their peers.

This means that they quickly become confident, fluent readers.

Leaders ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs identified quickly. Teachers adapt their implementation of the curriculum well so that pupils with SEND follow the same ambitious curriculum as their classmates.

Pupils have extremely positive attitudes to their learning and understand the value of achieving well. School attendance is high, including for children in the early years. Pupils behave very well throughout the day.

They show high levels of courtesy, self-control and consideration for others. Lessons are purposeful and orderly, with no disruption to learning.

The way that leaders cater for pupils' personal development is exemplary.

They go way beyond the expected to make sure that pupils thrive. One of many examples of this is the early morning swimming club, which prepares pupils for the local swimming galas. Pupils develop a deep understanding of mental well-being and how to develop strong relationships with others.

They are extremely respectful to those from different walks of life. Staff encourage them to be entrepreneurial, environmentally aware and community spirited through many activities across the year. They are very well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Staff are very happy working at this school. They recognise and appreciate leaders' consideration of their workload and well-being. They also value the networking opportunities that are provided within the academy trust.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff are regularly trained and updated in safeguarding matters. Staff understand their responsibilities in keeping children safe and looking out for signs of potential harm.

They act appropriately to raise concerns. Leaders involve external agencies, when required, to ensure that pupils and their families get the help they need.

Pupils learn how to stay safe in a range of situations.

This learning includes road and cycle safety and keeping safe when using the internet.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders have not precisely identified the component knowledge that pupils need to learn from the early years onwards. They have also not identified when teachers will teach this knowledge or how they will check that pupils have acquired it.

This leads to pupils not building on prior learning as securely as they could in some foundation subjects. Leaders should provide teachers with robust guidance so that they can teach subject curriculums in a logical order and check that pupils have acquired and remembered essential knowledge. ? Leaders' oversight of curriculum implementation is not as strong in some subjects as it is in others.

This means that some leaders do not identify or address weaknesses in the design and implementation of the curriculum from the Nursery Year to Year 6. At times, this hinders pupils from achieving consistently well across the curriculum. Leaders should review their approaches to evaluating subject curriculums and how well teachers implement them.