Hatchell Wood Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This school is rightly proud of the caring and nurturing environment it provides for its pupils. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about the 'embrace' curriculum that includes a wide range of experiences that promote pupils' personal development, including Forest School and 'smart seven' skills.

Leaders are ambitious in what they believe all pupils can achieve. Pupils blossom under these expectations.

Leaders ensure that pupils learn about respect, tolerance and diversity.

Pupils are confident to talk about how they should treat each other and this is reflected in their behaviour. Positive relationships between pupils and staff are clearly evident. Pupils trust tha...t staff care about their well-being and value their opinions.

They are confident that bullying is rare and that members of staff treat any reports very seriously. One pupil said, 'If something's wrong, it matters'.

Leaders value the importance of mental health and well-being.

This is evident in conversations with both pupils and staff. Staff feel valued and well supported by leaders with regard to workload. They describe it a 'special community to be part of'.

Older pupils value the role of 'well-being champions'. They are trained to help pupils play well together. These champions also fundraise to purchase resources that will benefit the school community.

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

Leaders have prioritised early reading, and teaching staff are well trained in this area. Leaders have ensured that the books pupils take home carefully match the sounds they have learned. Early readers are well supported by staff to ensure that they keep up and do not fall behind.

Leaders are embedding a love of reading across the school. Pupils in all year groups enjoy 'book talk' lessons where they engage with a wide variety of genres. Pupils are keen to talk about what they are reading for pleasure and their favourite kinds of books.

In other subjects, leaders have thought carefully about what they want pupils to learn. The curriculum is ambitious and planned logically from Reception to Year 6 so that pupils' understanding can build over time. For instance, in Reception, children learn about materials being magnetic, preparing them for science in key stage 1.

Teachers are delivering this challenging curriculum in lessons with a focus on pupils' vocabulary and language. Staff have high expectations for all pupils. For example, in Reception, teachers insist that children speak in full sentences and encourage ambitious vocabulary.

However, sometimes, teachers do not regularly check what all pupils know. This means that gaps in knowledge and misconceptions are not always addressed quickly enough.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported in lessons to access the curriculum.

Leaders identify pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs quickly. They then put comprehensive support in place to ensure that these pupils can access the curriculum effectively. Leaders are in the process of broadening their identification of a wider range of learning needs.

Pupils' behaviour is calm and orderly around school. They play well together and show respect for each other. Staff use a praise system to recognise positive behaviour and attitudes.

Each week, staff reward pupils who have demonstrated particular 'smart seven' skills. Pupils with SEND are given individual support to help them manage their emotions and behaviour. These pupils speak positively about how this helps them to make good choices.

Leaders' commitment to the personal development of pupils is a considerable strength of the school. Leaders have planned what pupils will learn that goes beyond what is outlined in the national curriculum for relationships education, so that pupils are well informed about important issues. Pupils enjoy the 'big debate' where they consider their own and others' opinions on complex issues, including politics and ethics.

They engage in challenging topics in a responsible manner. Pupils talks articulately about discrimination and equality. They understand how these concepts apply to their lives and why they are important.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding issues thread through the curriculum. For example, staff use the online safety curriculum to teach pupils how to keep themselves safe in a range of digital settings.

Pupils can talk sensibly about the risks online and how to avoid them.

Leaders increased the number of safeguarding trained staff during lockdown. This large team tracks vulnerable pupils closely.

In addition, leaders work well with colleagues from external agencies and provide targeted support to some families. Staff are clear on how to identify pupils who may be at risk. There are robust systems in place for them to report those concerns.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some lessons, teachers are not systematically checking what all pupils know. This means that gaps and misconceptions are not always identified quickly. Leaders should ensure that, in lessons, teachers are regularly checking what all pupils have learned.

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