Hardy Mill Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Hardy Mill Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils settle in quickly at this friendly and nurturing school. They develop a strong sense of belonging as soon as they start in the early years. Pupils are happy and they enjoy attending.

They say that the best thing about their school is that their teachers make their learning fun.

The school has a culture of high expectations for pupils' achievement, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Most pupils achieve well across a range of subjects.

To celebrate and encourage... their successes, the school rewards pupils with silver and gold awards, house points and 'Friday Honours'.

Pupils understand the school's values, which include respecting others and having pride and resilience in learning and in life. Pupils behave well.

They learn about the importance of cooperating with others socially and while learning together.

The school provides pupils with various experiences that enrich their learning of the curriculum. For example, pupils enjoyed a recent trip to the seaside to compare different places.

They take part in a range of clubs including dance, running, boxercise, art and choir. 'Mindful Monday' and 'Well-being Wednesday' sessions enable pupils to relax and take part in calming activities.

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

The school has continued to strengthen its curriculum.

It has made sure that the curriculum is broad, balanced and ambitious. The governing body shares in the school's vision for high-quality education, and it places a sharp focus on continuing to improve. To this end, the governing body provides effective support and challenge to the school.

The school identifies pupils with SEND as soon as they start in the early years. Staff work well with parents and carers, and with external professionals, to get these pupils the support that they need. Pupils with SEND learn well alongside their classmates.

Staff foster a love of reading across the school. For example, the curriculum is based on carefully selected books. Pupils attend a weekly book club, and authors and poets visit the school to help pupils to appreciate the work of different writers.

In their roles as 'reading buddies', some older pupils inspire their younger peers' enjoyment of reading.

Phonics is a particular strength of the school, which is reflected in the provisional 2024 outcomes of the phonics screening check. In the Nursery Year, children are immersed in rhymes and songs, which prepares them well for learning phonics in the Reception Year.

Staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme consistently well. They support pupils who struggle with reading, so that they learn all that they should. As a result, pupils develop into fluent and confident readers.

Teachers successfully build their subject knowledge with the coaching and guidance of the school. Overall, this helps them to deliver the curriculum well. However, on occasions, teachers do not explain new learning sufficiently well.

As a result, some pupils do not develop a secure understanding of new vocabulary and concepts. In addition, the checks that staff make on pupils' learning are not consistent. Therefore, some pupils develop misconceptions and make some mistakes, including in their writing.

Pupils are courteous and well mannered, which contributes to classrooms and other school areas being calm and orderly. Most pupils attend well. If absence levels or lateness begin to increase, the school works tenaciously with families and with external professionals to remove any barriers and to secure improvements in pupils' attendance.

The school prepares pupils to become responsible and active citizens. For example, visitors to the school, such as representatives of world religions, help pupils to learn about diversity. As school councillors, pupils play an active role in improving the school and the wider community.

They take part in litter picks, lead school assemblies, support their peers at lunchtime and raise awareness of anti-bullying. Pupils support a range of local charities. Older pupils recently designed and baked pasties for a local community kitchen.

These endeavours support pupils' understanding of living in modern Britain.

Staff are positive about working at the school. They appreciate being part of a team where everybody is supportive of each other.

Staff feel respected, knowing that the school considers and values their opinions. The school has set up a 'staff well-being team' to make sure that staff's workload and well-being are prioritised.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• At times, teachers do not make their explanations of new learning sufficiently clear. This means that some pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should help staff to better support pupils in understanding new vocabulary and concepts, so that they develop a secure understanding across the curriculum.

• The school does not make sure that staff check carefully enough how well pupils secure important knowledge. As a result, some pupils develop misunderstandings and make some mistakes, including in their written communication. The school should ensure that staff strengthen their checks on pupils' learning, to help pupils to develop the knowledge that they need for their next stages of education.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in February 2015.