Hatch Warren Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

A strong inclusive ethos is at the heart of this school. It is committed to serving and welcoming all pupils and their families.

The school's values of 'inspire', 'believe', 'persevere' and 'achieve' are evident through the care given to pupils. Pupils embrace these values to help them make the right choices, meeting the high expectations staff have.

All pupils benefit from a broad, well-planned curriculum that is well developed in most subjects.

The school is ambitious for pupils' achievements, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has a strong understanding of individual pupils' needs. Staff work relentles...sly to make every day successful for every pupil.

Pupils are polite, well mannered and respectful. At social times, pupils eat and play sensibly with their friends. Pupils are confident that staff sort out issues fairly and quickly.

Pupil leadership roles such as those of school councillors and prefects enable pupils to have a genuine role in decision making. The school provides an increasing variety of enrichment experiences. Pupils talk enthusiastically about trips they have enjoyed.

These include curriculum visits that enhance learning in history, science and an overnight camping experience in Year 4 to prepare for longer residential adventures.

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

The school has a strong, shared vision of providing a well-rounded education for every pupil, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. This is reflected in the pupils' outcomes for reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2.

Reading is central to the school's work and pupils understand its importance. They read and listen to a broad range of books that include novels and poetry. For pupils who are at the early stages of learning to read, the school has implemented an effective approach to teaching phonics.

This includes pupils who speak English as an additional language.

The key knowledge that pupils need to learn is clearly sequenced in many subjects. This helps pupils to build a secure body of subject knowledge and skills that they use and apply with confidence.

However, the intended sequence of learning is overly complicated in a few subjects. This means teachers are not always precisely clear about what they should teach and how. In these subjects, pupils do not learn the same depth of knowledge as they do in other subjects.

In the main, staff deliver the curriculum well. They use their subject expertise to explain new concepts and vocabulary clearly. Teachers regularly check how well all pupils have learned the curriculum.

However, this information is sometimes not used as effectively as it could be. As a result, pupils do not always receive the right level of challenge or support that they need to learn as much as they could.The school is dedicated to supporting all pupils with SEND.

There is a very high proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan at this school. The school engages effectively with a range of external services. This helps guide staff in how to adapt learning for pupils with SEND to access the full curriculum.

Some pupils with the most complex needs have their own bespoke support, which staff tailor to meet their individual needs. Parents recognise and value the school's work to support and meet the specific needs of their children.

The school has implemented a simplified policy and system for managing pupils' behaviour.

This is working well. Pupils are polite, respectful and welcoming. Their conduct in lessons and around the school is good.

They understand the school rules and form caring and positive relationships with each other and adults. The school prioritises good attendance and most pupils attend regularly. Staff find out any reasons for pupils' absence.

There are effective strategies in place to improve attendance even further.

The school's personal development curriculum helps pupils to understand the importance of tolerance and respect for others. Pupils are particularly understanding and empathetic to the needs of other pupils at the school.

They learn about the importance of healthy lifestyles, including their own mental well-being. Effective support is available for pupils who need it.

Members of the governing body provide valuable support and challenge to the school.

They understand their statutory duties well. There is a strong culture of teamwork among staff in the school. Staff appreciate the practical steps that the school takes to help them to manage their workload.

Most parents are very happy with the school's provision, with one saying: 'This is a fantastic school and the staff go above and beyond on a daily basis. The care and attention given to the children is second to none.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, teachers lack clarity of what the key knowledge is that pupils should learn and how best to teach it. This means that pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should further refine its curriculum in these subjects to prioritise the key content that it wants pupils to learn.

• In some subjects, assessment processes are not fully in place. As a result, staff are not always addressing misconceptions or building on prior learning effectively. The school should ensure assessment information is used effectively so that all pupils learn even more of the curriculum's key knowledge effectively.

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