Hargrave Park Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy strong working relationships with their peers and staff at Hargrave Park. As a result, they are safe and know that any concerns they may have will be dealt with swiftly.

Leaders have high expectations of all pupils. They experience a broad and well-structured curriculum from Nursery through to Year 6. Pupils produce work of high quality in different subjects and are typically well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Pupils enjoy the range of visits and activities that enrich the ambitious curriculum. Leaders bring the different themes of the curriculum to life in a number of ways. For example, pupils visit Kenwood House, Wonder Lab and partici...pate in an annual trip to the seaside.

Pupils are encouraged to become well-rounded individuals with a wide variety of interests. For example, those in Years 5 and 6 complete a sailing course. Similarly, all pupils work with the 'environmental tutor' in the school garden.

There are many opportunities for pupils to engage with peers from across the school. For example, the house system encourages pupils to gain friends and look out for those in other year groups. Pupils enjoy sitting with members of their house in the dining hall.

Pupils learn about responsibility through working with a range of charities and taking part in a junior citizens day.

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

The curriculum matches the breadth and ambition of what is expected nationally. It is carefully designed from the Nursery onwards to ensure that pupils build up their knowledge over time.

Leaders have sequenced the curriculum effectively in order to help pupils build on what they know from previous years. For example, in history, pupils explore the concept of empire. They look at this when studying the Romans and deepen their understanding when looking at different monarchs and social change across different periods of time.

Similarly, in art, children in the early years explore mark making using different tools, colours and materials. This helps pupils later on to be confident in experimenting with different brushes and colours. By Year 6, pupils can paint more complex pieces, using a wide range of textures and tones to achieve different effects.

Teachers receive a broad range of professional development, including through collaboration with other local schools. They present information clearly and are well placed to identify and address any misconceptions that may arise. Subject leaders check that the planned curriculum is well implemented across the school.

Where they find any inconsistencies between different classes, they address these swiftly.

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum prioritises developing pupils' vocabulary. Subject-specific terminology has been identified in different areas.

This helps pupils to use a range of vocabulary with accuracy and precision. However, in early years, staff's work to develop and extend pupils' language is not as well embedded or precise.

Reading is prioritised throughout the school and a love of reading is encouraged.

Staff are well trained to deliver the agreed phonics programme. Pupils are given regular opportunities to practise and revisit the sounds that they need to read well. Staff focus on checking pupils' reading.

They intervene swiftly and effectively when pupils need extra help. Pupils have access to a range of texts that are carefully matched to the sounds that they are learning. They develop their fluency and are well placed to tackle more challenging texts.

Leaders think carefully about the help needed for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Many of these pupils benefit from specialist personalised support in 'HP House', where their needs are well understood and met. Support plans are in place to help staff make meaningful adaptations to how they deliver the curriculum.

While most staff use this information effectively, in a few instances, this is not consistent. This means that there are occasions where the support provided for some pupils with SEND does not take sufficient account of their needs.

Staff have high expectations for behaviour.

Pupils understand these and know to treat others with respect. The well-attended breakfast club and 'soft start' allow staff to welcome all pupils, and ensure that there is a calm and purposeful start to the school day. Staff swiftly intervene when their expectations for behaviour are not met and provide additional support when needed.

Similarly, leaders have appropriate systems in place to support those pupils who do not attend school regularly.

Provision made to support pupils' broader development is exceptional. The personal, social, health and economic education curriculum is carefully planned and sequenced.

For example, pupils learn about the dangers associated with drugs, how to manage finances and how to stay physically and mentally healthy. Pupils are taught to appreciate and celebrate diversity and know the importance of respecting different cultures. They also learn about the importance of democracy, for example by voting for school council members.

Staff are proud to work at this school. They know they will get the support they need and that their workload is taken into account.

A knowledgeable governing body provides effective challenge and support to school leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff are well trained and take their responsibilities seriously.

They know to report concerns that may arise. Pupils are given reminders about the importance of sharing any worries. Records show that leaders deal swiftly with any concerns, including liaising with a range of external agencies.

The members of the large pastoral care team know pupils well and help to ensure that they get the support they need. Pupils receive regular messages about staying safe. For example, pupils learn about the importance of consent and respecting others.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In the early years, adults are not consistent in the way they develop language. As a result, some children are not supported to learn or use sufficiently ambitious vocabulary across the different areas of learning. Leaders should ensure that adults maximise opportunities to model vocabulary and extend children's language use.

• In a few instances, the adaptations made for some pupils with SEND do not fully support them to access the ambitious curriculum. This means that these pupils are not consistently well supported to learn and remember more. Leaders must ensure that adults use the information they have so that pupils, including those with SEND, are well supported.

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