Haseltine Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The 'Haseltine family', as described by pupils, families and staff, is a warm and welcoming place.

Pupils are very proud members of their school community. They are happy and enjoy school.

The school's values of excellence, resilience and self-belief are well understood and demonstrated by pupils.

Staff believe that all pupils can achieve well. They instil pupils with confidence about their learning and teach them to believe in themselves. The well-planned curriculum supports staff to realise these aims.

This begins in the early years, where children get an especially strong start to their education.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils, includi...ng those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are keen and motivated learners.

Adults have consistently high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They said that bullying is rare.

Adults sort out any issues that pupils may have quickly.

Pupils relish the many opportunities which aim to develop their talents and interests. These include taking on positions of responsibility, such as being a member of the pupil parliament, an eco-warrior or a digital leader.

Pupils take part in a wide range of extra-curricular clubs, trips and visits. They also learn to play an instrument and perform in concerts. All pupils attend the annual careers fair that provides ideas of jobs that they can aspire to do when they are older.

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

Leaders have developed a curriculum that meets the ambition of the national curriculum. They have explicitly identified the end goals that they want pupils to achieve. In most subjects, the content that pupils need to learn to achieve these goals is well thought through and sequenced.

In these subjects, the curriculum is well delivered because teaching focuses effectively on the knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to learn and remember. This is particularly the case in English and mathematics, and pupils achieve highly in these subjects.

However, in Years 1 to 6, curriculum thinking in some subjects is further ahead than others.

In the less developed subjects, subject leaders and teachers are not as clear about the knowledge and skills that pupils must learn. The sequences of learning needed to support pupils to achieve the end goals are also less clearly defined. Because of this, the delivery of the curriculum is not as successful in ensuring that pupils remember what they have been taught in the long term.

In the early years, all aspects of the curriculum are well thought through and delivered effectively. This, together with the purposeful and calm environment, enables children to achieve highly and settle quickly into school life. Interactions between adults and children are warm and nurturing.

Clear expectations support children to sustain their concentration on activities and tasks. Adults are excellent role models. They focus sharply on developing and extending children's communication and language throughout all areas of learning.

The teaching of reading is a priority. Leaders follow the mantra of pupils 'learning to read, so that they can read to learn'. From the moment children join the early years, staff are skilled at supporting their reading development.

This is successfully built upon when children begin learning the ambitious phonics programme in Reception and beyond. Pupils are given books that are matched to the sounds that they know. This helps them to secure and practise the phonic knowledge that they are taught.

Any pupil who is falling behind or not keeping up is well supported through 'catch-up' and 'keep-up' sessions. Leaders promote a love of reading through daily story time sessions and regular visits to the school and local libraries.

Pupils with SEND have their needs identified quickly and are supported effectively.

Leaders provide staff with appropriate guidance to meet the needs of these pupils. Staff use a variety of well-chosen adaptations and resources to support pupils to achieve the same curriculum end goals as their peers.

Pupils are provided with an excellent personal development programme.

Pupils are encouraged to be polite and respectful. They are taught why this is important. Pupils are also explicitly taught how to debate and articulate their thoughts and opinions clearly.

These skills are encouraged in all lessons through the use of 'ABC hand signals'. Pupils use these signals to show if they agree, want to challenge or want to build upon a discussion. Weekly 'Talk on Tuesdays' sessions provide pupils with further opportunities to explore and debate ideas in depth.

Older pupils especially enjoy taking part in debating competitions. The comprehensive personal, social, health and emotional education curriculum teaches pupils about choices, and the consequences of these. Each part of the provision is astutely planned to support pupils to be well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Governors have an accurate view of the school and are kept well informed by leaders. Governors provide an effective balance of challenge and support.

Staff are very proud to work here, and they feel well supported by leaders.

Staff feel that leaders take their workload and well-being into account.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have developed a robust culture of safeguarding.

They ensure that all staff and governors receive regular training and understand their responsibilities in how to keep pupils safe. Staff know the procedures for reporting any concerns that they may have about a pupil. Leaders work closely with external agencies to help families get the support they need.

Pupils are taught and know how to keep safe online. They learn about how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. Pupils know that there are adults they can talk to if they are worried about anything.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In Years 1 to 6, some foundation subjects are not as far forward as others in terms of the curricular thinking. This means that the curriculum is not as well sequenced as it could be, and the precise knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to learn are not as clear. This affects how well pupils develop and deepen their knowledge over time in these subjects.

Leaders need to continue to support subject leaders to refine their subject curriculum to ensure that it is coherent and well sequenced. They should make sure that the key knowledge, skills and vocabulary are precisely identified. ? In the subjects that are less developed, some teaching does not build pupils' knowledge in a well-considered and logical sequence.

This means that, in Years 1 to 6, the curriculum is less effective in helping pupils to know more and remember more in these subjects. Leaders need to ensure that teachers are supported to deliver effective sequences of learning which support pupils to achieve the intended curriculum goals. Leaders should also support subject leaders' work to check and improve how well the curriculum is implemented.