Hallbrook Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at Hallbrook Primary School.

They are polite, friendly and well mannered. Relationships between pupils and adults in school are strong. Class 'recognition boards' and 'Friday nominations' celebrate pupils' successes and learning achievements.

Sometimes, minor behaviour incidents stop pupils from learning. Instances of name calling and teasing occasionally happen. However, pupils felt confident that staff would step in should any problems occur.

They know that adults in school will keep them safe.

Older pupils enjoy 'master classes' at a local secondary school. This gives them opportunities to try out subjects they want to know more a...bout.

It also helps them with the transition to their next stage in education. Others take on leadership roles as well-being ambassadors and playground leaders. As one pupil said: 'This school is great.

It allows us to make suggestions about things that affect us.'

Children in the early years explore the well-considered environment. Year 6 pupils enjoy learning about how Mayan civilisation created chocolate and measured time.

However, the school's curriculum is not sufficiently broken down into small steps of knowledge in some subjects. This does not help pupils, including those in the early years, to know more over time.

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

Leaders have taken significant steps to address the actions from the last inspection.

With the support of the trust, they have introduced new systems and expectations for the curriculum and pupils' behaviour. They have ensured that there is stability in leadership at all levels. However, many of these new systems are not yet fully embedded.

The school's curriculum is in a period of refinement. In some subjects, such as mathematics, pupils gain knowledge in a well-considered way. Teachers provide clear explanations and check on gaps in pupils' learning.

This helps pupils to know more over time. However, this is not consistent across all subjects. In some subjects, the key knowledge that pupils need to know has not been precisely identified.

In subjects such as writing, expectations of pupils' work are not consistent. Assessment in some subjects is at the early stages of development.

Leaders have recently adopted a new programme for early reading.

Children in the early years join in with the rhymes and songs. It helps them to use sounds to build words. Most pupils receive books that link to their stage of reading development.

Leaders recognise that further work is needed to ensure that the expectations of the new programme are fully realised.

Older pupils enjoy reading widely. The school's library is well stocked with a range of texts, many of which have been bought after pupil recommendations and suggestions.

Leaders ensure that pupils read and share texts that explore diversity and different groups in society. This helps pupils to broaden their understanding of the wider world.

Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND receive the right resources and equipment to help them to access the curriculum.

Where needed, they seek specialist advice to ensure that they have the right information to meet the needs of these pupils. However, this advice in education, health and care plans (EHCPs) is not consistently acted upon. Targets on some plans for pupils with SEND are not precise.

This does not help all staff to meet the needs of these pupils in a coherent and consistent manner.

Most pupils have positive attitudes to learning. Occasionally, pupils' learning slows because some do not demonstrate the positive behaviour expectations that leaders have set.

Not all adults deal with these instances of behaviour in the agreed consistent manner throughout the school day.

Children in the new pre-school room enjoy playing together. They learn to share and work together as part of their routines for the day.

Children in Reception are curious and excited about learning. However, too much of the knowledge children in the early years need to know is left to chance. The sequence of learning for these children is unclear.

The school's personal development programme is a strength. Leaders have ensured that there are a wide range of opportunities linked to sports, arts and music. They ensure that all pupils access this offer.

Pupils fundraise for different charities, including ones that reflect their own medical needs.

The trust has provided significant training to develop teaching and leadership at the school. Staff appreciate this support.

It has led to positive changes in workload. Trustees, alongside the local governing committee, increasingly hold leaders to account for their actions. However, those responsible for governance at the school recognise that there is further work to do.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff receive frequent training to keep safeguarding at the forefront of their minds. They know how to pass on concerns, including any worries about other staff or leaders.

Leaders keep comprehensive records and act quickly when they have a safeguarding concern. They work well with external agencies and follow up concerns about pupils with rigour. Record-keeping and pre-employment checks are well managed.

Pupils learn about how to stay safe in different situations, including online. Where needed, teachers build in extra lessons to help pupils consider safety in a specific context, such as online group chats.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's curriculum in some subjects, and in the early years, does not precisely identify what pupils need to know and when.

In some curriculum areas, subject leadership and assessment systems are at the early stages of development. This does not help teachers to deliver the curriculum or for pupils to recall it in a logical and coherent manner. Leaders must ensure that the school's curriculum precisely identifies what all pupils in all year groups must know and recall.

They must ensure that subject leaders have the right knowledge and expertise to drive improvements in their area of responsibility. ? Some pupils with SEND do not receive a precise curriculum. Occasionally, leaders do not ensure that the specialist advice included in EHCPs to support the needs of some pupils is acted upon.

This does not help some pupils with SEND to develop fluency and independence in their learning over time. Leaders must ensure that all pupils with SEND receive a curriculum that is well matched to their needs. They must ensure that any advice to support the needs of pupils with SEND is acted upon.

• Leaders' expectations for pupils' behaviour and conduct are not fully implemented across school. This hinders pupils' ability to learn. Leaders must ensure that the systems for behaviour are clearly understood and implemented by all staff and pupils.