Haslingfield Endowed Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Haslingfield Endowed Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their learning at Haslingfield.

They have access to a wide range of curriculum opportunities – for example, a visit to the forest and a whole-school quiz. These experiences complement and deepen their learning. Pupils rise to the high expectations set by all adults.

Pupils show their 'SPARKLE' values such as perseverance, kindness and loyalty whenever they can. They behave well and are safe. They quickly learn the rules and routines from the moment they start school.

Bullying does not happen often, but if it does adults are quick to resolve any is...sues. Pupils use worry boxes in their classes if they have concerns.

Throughout lunch and playtimes, pupils take on extra responsibilities to look after each other's well-being.

They make sure that younger children feel settled and welcome. Pupils set up sports activities and check if anyone needs a friend.

Pupils' talents are thoroughly considered.

Many pupils benefit from the sports, music, and arts clubs on offer to develop their interests. Pupils engage with members of the local community through opportunities such as a computer coding club and theatre group. These experiences help prepare pupils well for the next stage of their education.

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

Leaders have made recent changes to the curriculum and the arrangements for its delivery. Where possible, pupils are taught in single-age groups for some subjects, such as mathematics. Other subjects have been thoughtfully planned to take account of the mixed-aged classes.

The curriculum design includes content that builds on pupils' previous learning. Over time, pupils typically remember the key knowledge and skills that leaders want them to learn. Staff have strong subject knowledge and present this confidently.

However, teachers do not use systems consistently to check what pupils have remembered throughout the school, including in early years. Pupils are not given enough opportunities to show what they have learned. This means that gaps in pupils' knowledge are not always identified.

The development of pupils' reading skills is evident throughout the curriculum. Leaders have ensured that high quality phonics teaching and building pupils' love of reading are given equal importance. Children in the early years get off to a strong start, using the sounds they have learned to help them to read words accurately.

As pupils progress across key stage 1, they become fluent readers. Very few pupils need extra help to catch up with their reading. If they do need extra reading sessions, trained staff or volunteers deliver these well.

The curriculum in the early years prepares children well for the skills and knowledge they need in key stage 1. Leaders have focused on children's social and emotional skills following the impact of the pandemic. Children complete 'challenges' linked to their current learning.

This helps adults check children have remembered new and previous learning. For example, children link historically famous people and family members, using words such as old, history, past and present.

Leaders have developed a much-improved system for identifying and monitoring pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

External support is accessed in a timely manner. Pupils have specific targets that are regularly reviewed and adapted to ensure that they are able to access the same curriculum as others. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well from their starting points.

Pupils behave well. Staff consistently follow the newly implemented behaviour policy. Pupils enjoy the reward of receiving house points.

Pupils have high expectations of their own and others' behaviour. Effective staff training makes sure that staff are confident to plan for and support pupils with more challenging needs. This is enabling these pupils to make progress and develop a sense of belonging alongside their peers.

The school's offer of wider opportunities to pupils is at the heart of the school's work. Members of the community support the school including the vicar, the parish council and many volunteers. With a sense of pride, pupils recall singing at local events and raising money for national charities.

Leaders and those responsible for governance have ensured that there have been necessary improvements to the curriculum and the provision for pupils with SEND. Staff have mixed views about these changes. Some parents have indicated that they would welcome more information from the school.

Leaders and those responsible for governance were not wholly aware of these views, therefore communication systems are not as effective as they could be.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff are trained to notice and report any signs of potential abuse.

Any concerns are quickly followed up. Staff make sure the correct support for pupils and families is accessed from external agencies, when needed. Staff know families well.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves and others safe through assemblies, circle time and listening to adults. Pupils know the potential dangers both on and offline. They know how to find support if they are worried.

All necessary checks on adults working in school are in place to make sure staff are vetted and suitably qualified.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There is not a consistent approach to checking what pupils have learned and remembered. This means that some move on to new learning before they are ready, and this leads to gaps in their understanding.

Leaders must ensure that staff are trained so that they apply a consistent approach, in all subjects, when checking what pupils know and understand. ? Senior leaders have not sought the views of staff and parents about recent changes in the school. Consequently, not all stakeholders share leaders' vision for improvement.

Leaders and those responsible for governance need to establish improved and regular systems to gain the views of stakeholders. This is so that staff and parents understand the need for change when it happens and feel able to contribute to shaping the school's development.

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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2014.

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