Harlands Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Pupils achieve well and make good progress, in mathematics and especially in reading. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make similar progress to that of their peers as a result of the well-tailored support and help they receive. Pupils are polite, very friendly and a credit to their school.

They are happy and proud of their school and feel safe. There is effective provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Teaching is typically good.

Very positive relationships with pupils ensure that they want to please their teachers and they are keen to do well. The headteacher's inspiring leader...ship is the driving force behind this school. She is very effectively supported by the newly re-structured leadership team and governing body.

There is a strong staff team. All want to give the pupils the best possible education. Leaders, managers and governors have a good understanding of the strengths of the school and what needs to be improved further.

They have successfully addressed issues from the last inspection and ensured pupils continue to achieve well, demonstrating they have capacity to improve further. Parents and carers expressed largely positive views and say their children are happy and thriving. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Progress in writing is not as strong as in reading and mathematics.

Despite good improvement, a few pupils do not develop their literacy skills quickly enough because : they are not provided with sufficient opportunities to develop their writing across a range of subjects. In a few lessons, pupils' knowledge and understanding of how to plan, develop and extend their writing are not well enough developed. This sometimes slows their progress in writing.

Lesson introductions sometimes continue for too long, limiting the pupils' ability to find things out for themselves.

Information about this school

Harlands is larger than an average-sized primary school. Pupils are taught in single-aged classes, including those in the two Early Years Foundation Stage classes.

Pupils in Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 are taught in ability sets for mathematics. Most pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils identified with special education needs supported through school action, action plus or with a statement of special education needs is below average.

There are almost no pupils eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for those known to be eligible for free school meals or in local authority care. The school meets the government's floor standards, which set minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in English and mathematics. Since the last inspection, the school has experienced a number of changes in its staffing organisation, including the appointment of a new deputy headteacher in 2010, a Special Educational Needs Coordinator in 2012 and the re-organisation of the senior leadership team to include Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 phase leaders replacing the role of assistant headteacher.

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