Hannah More Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in this nurturing school and say that adults take good care of them. Pupils get on well together and with all staff.

Pupils' joy in learning is plain to see. They show high levels of concentration and enthusiasm. Pupils listen well to their teachers and readily work with each other to share ideas and solve problems.

Teachers plan learning that encourages all groups of pupils to do their very best. Teachers organise the curriculum well, especially reading, writing and mathematics. This means that most pupils, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and those with English as an additional language (EAL), make strong g...ains in their learning.

Pupils play happily with one another and relish all the school has to offer. Many pupils take part in the wide range of sporting and cultural activities that take place after school.

Pupils behave well around the school and in lessons.

Most are courteous and polite, and older pupils readily help out younger ones. They say that unkind behaviour and bullying is rare, but if it did occur, then 'adults in the school would sort it out for us'.

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

The headteacher, her deputy and senior leaders have thought deeply about how to organise their curriculum to be more effective.

Leaders in English and mathematics make a strong contribution to this thinking. Some leaders are new to their roles and are still getting to grips with planning learning in their subjects with the precision needed.

For most subjects, leaders' plans make clear to teachers what to teach to their pupils and the order in which to teach it.

Teachers make sure that pupils understand what they need to know before they move on to new or more demanding work. For instance, pupils in key stage 2 are confidently able to interpret the meaning of unfamiliar words in the books they read.

Leaders make sure that there are clear plans in place so that everyone reads well and is eager to do so.

Those pupils who find it difficult to keep up receive plenty of help to catch up in their reading.

The enquiry themes followed by each class during the term fires up their imagination and helps them see links between different subjects. Sometimes, in a few subjects other than in English and mathematics, teachers' planning does not identify precisely the knowledge that pupils need to gain after a series of lessons.

Most pupils are enthusiastic and inquisitive. For example, pupils enjoy developing their scientific skills through carrying out their own investigations. Pupils have a sound understanding of basic mathematics.

Teachers then build on this by leading pupils into solving often quite tricky number problems.

A wide range of visits and trips adds to pupils' classroom learning and their wider development. Pupils speak with delight about their visits to the seaside, to castles and to the countryside.

Teachers and support staff are well aware of the needs of all groups of pupils. Teachers adapt their plans to make sure that pupils with SEND, and those with EAL, gain good knowledge and understanding. In this way, these pupils achieve well, as do all pupils.

The early years curriculum helps children to develop the fundamental building blocks across all areas of learning. Staff form strong bonds with children, and this boosts their emotional and social development. There is a strong focus on developing children's early reading skills right from the start.

Well selected mathematical resources help children to practise counting and recognise numbers. Children, including the very high numbers with EAL, are well prepared for Year 1.

The headteacher has skilfully built a team of dedicated and well-motivated staff.

They readily learn from each other and from other successful schools. Governors have also played their part, asking the right questions of school leaders and keeping them on their toes.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are well trained to make sure that pupils are safe and protected. They are alert to any signs that a pupil may be in harm's way. They report any concerns to the right people straight away.

The safeguarding team works well with outside agencies and follows up any concerns with thoroughness and speed. The team makes sure that these pupils receive the right support they need.Leaders ensure that pupils know how to keep themselves safe.

They make certain that pupils have access to a wealth of information on keeping themselves safe, through, for instance, well-planned personal, social, health and economic education.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Some curriculum leaders are very new to their roles. As a result, these leaders are only just beginning to have a precise oversight of what is planned and taught in their subject areas.

The headteacher needs to ensure that all curriculum leaders continue to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need so that they can carry out their roles consistently well. . The subjects in the enquiry curriculum are very carefully mapped out to make sure that all necessary areas of learning are covered.

There are some areas, however, where the details of what teachers expect pupils to have learned by the end of a series of lessons are imprecise. This means that in some subjects, such as science, pupils are not making the gains in learning that they could. The school needs to make sure that it continues to refine these areas of the curriculum so that all teachers make clear what pupils should know by defined end-points, and that this is well sequenced.