Hart Plain Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Hart Plain Infant School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and eager. Parents say that the school has a real 'family feel'.

Pupils develop a love of learning right from the start because it is fun, exciting and engaging. Leaders promote the 'Learning Heroes' of 'Eddie Effort', 'Casey Courage', 'Harley Happy', 'Robbie Respect' and 'Immy Integrity'. These help pupils develop positive learning habits.

Pupils are keen to talk about their learning. The focus of pupils, as well as the support they receive, helps all, including pupils with special needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

Pupils know that staff h...ave high expectations for their learning and their behaviour.

Staff develop trusting relationships with pupils. Knowing pupils well enables staff to develop effective plans for those who need particular support. This includes help for pupils who may find managing their behaviour more difficult.

Consequently, behaviour is positive across the school. Pupils are considerate and show respect for each other and their teachers.

Bullying rarely occurs and when it does, it is dealt with swiftly.

The school has an inclusive, nurturing culture where skilled staff make sure all pupils feel supported. Parents appreciate that staff care deeply for pupils and that they provide enjoyable opportunities to engage pupils in their learning.

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

The new leadership team has brought about significant, positive change.

The team is led by a headteacher with a strong vision and a focus on improvement. All staff value the changes made and feel part of the team. They appreciate the support and direction the leadership team has brought.

Staff workload is considered, and new leaders receive the support they need to fulfil their roles. Governors know the school well and provide effective support and challenge.

Reading is top priority and adults across the school ensure that pupils develop a love of reading right as soon as they join the school.

All staff have been fully trained to teach the planned phonics programme. Pupils eagerly apply their sounds knowledge to read and write with confidence. Pupils are proud to practise their reading with adults.

They appreciate the carefully selected, high-quality texts available to them in the classroom. Leaders have recognised that some older pupils, who find reading more difficult, have needed intensive help. Plans are in place to provide this support so these pupils have the reading fluency needed for the next stage of their education.

The mathematics curriculum has been designed to ensure that pupils become fluent and confident mathematicians. Reception children are taught in a practical way to ensure a deep understanding of basic numbers. This provides a secure foundation for future learning and readiness for key stage 1.

Teachers regularly check pupils' learning and ensure understanding is embedded before moving on to new learning.

The rest of the curriculum, including in early years, is ambitious and developed to meet pupils' needs. The content has been carefully considered to ensure that pupils build knowledge over time.

This includes, providing pupils with SEND, who have identified needs, the support they need to learn well. Pupils are encouraged to make links between what they learn. Pupils recognise the visual symbol of a 'download cloud' as time, when they should be revisiting learning.

This helps pupils to recall knowledge and ensure it sticks. However, leaders recognised that, in a few subjects, pupils were not learning the depth of knowledge needed. Improvements have been made in these subjects.

However, these are relatively recent and need more time to embed to help pupils learn well across the full curriculum.

Behaviour is good and pupils are readily engaged. Leaders have recently put in place systems to improve attendance.

This is particularly focused on helping those pupils who are more frequently absent. Despite some improvements, leaders acknowledge there is still more to do to ensure that vulnerable families have the support they need to help their children attend school regularly.

There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their understanding beyond the academic curriculum.

Strong pastoral support means pupils get the help they need. Pupils learn from the many different visitors to school, as well as when they are out on school trips. These local area trips link clearly to the curriculum and include visits to a zoo and farm.

Assemblies are carefully planned to build pupils' understanding of British values. Pupils understand why they need to show respect to others, including those whose beliefs are different to their own. They learn about the importance of staying healthy, both physically and mentally.

There are some clubs, mainly during school hours. Leaders have plans in place to extend these opportunities to further enrich the provision for pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils feels safe at school. There are warm, trusting relationships between pupils and adults. Pupils state that if they had a worry, they could speak to any adult to get the help they need.

They are also taught how to keep themselves safe in age-appropriate ways, including when online.

Leaders work together to provide support for families. They ensure action is taken in the best interests of the pupils.

All staff receive regular training and know how to report any concerns. Governors check that safeguarding procedures are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum has recently been revised in some subjects.

This means that, for some older pupils, they have gaps in their knowledge. Leaders at all levels should work to ensure that pupils at risk of falling behind are given support to catch up quickly. ? Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough.

This means that they fall behind in their learning. Leaders should continue to work with these pupils and their families to improve attendance.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2017.

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