Handford Hall Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Handford Hall Primary School is a diverse, inclusive community where everyone is valued and welcomed. Pupils are very proud to attend the school and are highly respectful of each other and of the adults in the school.

They are polite and courteous.

Pupils demonstrate the positive attitudes to their learning that leaders expect. They listen carefully in lessons and are eager to learn.

Pupils behave exceptionally well. This results in pupils making progress in their learning. Bullying rarely happens in the school but when it does, pupils trust adults to deal with it quickly.

Pupils are safe in this school. It is a happy place to be.

Pupils eng...age highly with the excellent range of clubs and activities on offer.

These make significant contributions to their personal development. The physical education curriculum develops pupils' skills in a range of sports, such as gymnastics, and water sports, such as kayaking. Weekly music assemblies encourage all pupils to develop a love for singing and music.

A large number of pupils are members of the school choir. During the inspection, pupils were preparing to perform at a Young Voices concert at the O2 Arena in London.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The curriculum, which begins in early years, clearly identifies the important information that pupils will learn and when they will learn it. In early reading and mathematics, staff have expert subject knowledge. This helps them to teach effective lessons.

Most pupils remember the key information that they have been taught. In some subjects, such as mathematics, leaders build in opportunities for pupils to revisit and build on past learning. This helps pupils to build a secure knowledge over time.

However, in a few foundation subjects, information is not always revisited as frequently. As a result, there are a small number of pupils who are unable to fluently recall what they have previously learned.

Leaders have prioritised reading in the school.

Staff are well trained to support the teaching of phonics. As soon as children start in Reception, they learn to recognise letters and learn the sounds that they represent. Staff identify pupils who struggle to make progress with their reading.

Pupils receive the support that they need to catch up quickly. They read books that are well matched to the sounds that they know. Pupils develop a love of reading and talk about reading with enthusiasm.

Pupils are often found in the reading club during their lunch breaks. Pupils enjoy the books that they read and that their teachers read to them. They explain how some books help them understand different cultures.

Leaders have effective systems in place to identify and support pupils with SEND. This includes those pupils who join the school partway through the academic year. Pupils' individual plans identify their needs accurately.

Staff use these plans to inform their teaching. Staff know their pupils well and this, along with the support that is in place, helps pupils with SEND to make good progress.

Children get off to a positive start in Reception.

There are clear routines and expectations that children follow. For example, during a music activity, children skilfully tapped out the rhythms they heard. When the activity finished, they sat back down calmly and placed their instruments in front of them.

The curriculum provides children with a broad range of well-taught activities which help them to practise their learning.

Leaders promote the importance of attendance. However, leaders do not communicate their expectations around punctuality clearly enough.

Many pupils do not arrive in school promptly to start the day. As a result, these pupils miss out on some of their daily learning experiences to practise their skills and revisit the knowledge they are learning.

Leaders have put a highly effective programme of personal development in place in the school.

They review the programme regularly to meet the needs of the changing demographic of the school. All pupils experience a wide range of activities to help them prepare for life in modern Britain. Opportunities and trips, such as a visit to Ipswich Court, help to develop pupils' cultural understanding.

Pupils in this diverse school identify and celebrate their own cultural backgrounds. The school is an inclusive environment. Pupils contribute to the school community through their leadership roles; for example, school prefects act as exemplary role models to younger pupils.

Trustees and governors understand the vision of the school. They support and challenge leaders equally as well. Staff morale in the school is high.

They feel well supported. This is a result of the consideration that leaders give to their well-being and workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have developed positive relationships with parents and carers. This helps leaders to provide support to vulnerable pupils and their families.

Staff receive regular training.

They understand their responsibilities in keeping children safe. They use the system that leaders have put in place to report any concerns that they have. Leaders respond quickly and appropriately to any concerns.

When required, leaders work effectively with a range of external agencies.

Leaders carry out thorough pre-employment checks when new staff join the school.

Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of how to stay safe.

For example, pupils know not to share personal information when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few areas of the curriculum, a small number of pupils do not fluently recall their prior learning. Leaders need to continue to evaluate and review their curriculum to support all pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding to secure the best possible outcomes.

• Too many pupils do not get to school in a timely manner at the start of the day. This means that they miss important learning that leaders have put in place. Leaders need to ensure that they continue to monitor attendance and punctuality and communicate the importance of this with parents so that vital learning is not missed.

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