Hatchlands Primary

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's motto, 'Learning today, to make a difference tomorrow', can be seen in many areas of school life.'

Eco councillors' plant trees in the school's woodland area, growing an outdoor learning environment for current and future pupils. They remind pupils to save energy by turning off lights and taps, and they pick up litter to look after the environment. 'Learning councillors' gather the views of pupils to improve future learning and make experiences in school more memorable.

Pupils are proud to make a difference to their school community.

Leaders and teachers have high ambition for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disa...bilities (SEND). Pupils work hard in lessons and have positive attitudes to learning.

They know that teachers want them to succeed. Pupils are motivated to do their best and live up to these high expectations.

The school's values of compassion, respect, courage and responsibility filter through pupils' school life.

For example, pupils explain how 'Callum Courage' helps them to 'stand up for what they believe and be brave to try new things', as one pupil said.

Pupils are safe, happy and enjoy coming to school. They are friendly and respectful towards each other.

Staff help pupils understand their emotions and manage their behaviour so that they can get better at doing this without adult support. Bullying is rare. Teachers deal with bullying quickly if it does happen.

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

School and trust leaders have designed an aspirational and engaging curriculum for all pupils that starts in the early years. The early years leader has carefully considered what is taught in Reception and when. This ensures that children develop a strong foundation for learning so that they are well prepared for Year 1.

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum in key stages 1 and 2 enables pupils to build knowledge and develop skills as they move from year to year.

Teachers make skilful adaptations to ensure that the curriculum is accessible to all pupils, including those with SEND. Recently, leaders have made changes to the curriculum in some subjects so that pupils can make closer curriculum links.

In these subjects, teachers do not always have the subject knowledge to teach with complete confidence. Teachers are not always clear enough about the precise knowledge that pupils need to remember. Leaders have not yet provided sufficient curriculum training for teachers.

In addition, subject leaders' expertise in these subjects is not as strong as it could be.

Leaders ensure that reading is prioritised. Children start to learn phonics from the beginning of the year in Reception.

Staff are well trained in the teaching of early reading. This enables them to teach the school's chosen phonics scheme consistently well. Pupils read books that include sounds that they know.

This helps them to become confident, fluent readers. If pupils do fall behind, teachers make sure that they receive the help they need to catch up. Leaders and teachers plan many opportunities to develop pupils' love of reading.

For example, pupils enjoy listening to their 'favourite five' reading books that their teacher reads to the class each term. Pupils delight in the 'surprise reader', who is a mystery teacher, leader, governor or parent, who comes to read to them once every week.

In reading and mathematics, leaders carefully check how well pupils are achieving.

Teachers use this information effectively to recap learning and close gaps in pupils' knowledge. However, in other subjects, these checks are less effective. This means that staff are not always able to gauge precisely enough whether pupils have retained the learning that has been taught.

Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. In class, they listen carefully and apply themselves well to the tasks set for them. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve.

As a result, pupils have a strong determination to succeed.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils with SEND. The special educational needs coordinator provides regular training for all staff.

This helps teachers to adapt the curriculum so that pupils with SEND can access learning fully. Staff ensure that they give the right amount of guidance to pupils with SEND in lessons so that they can learn independently and achieve well.

Pupils benefit from carefully planned personal development opportunities.

They are taught about tolerance and respect. Pupils celebrate difference. They know that others may have different faiths, beliefs and cultures and they understand that families are not all the same.

One pupil, reflecting the views of many, told an inspector: 'Difference is feeling unique and being proud to be unique. We should be ourselves and make the most of our lives.'

Staff enjoy their work at Hatchlands Primary.

They feel supported, respected and valued by school leaders. Teachers appreciate the way that, when new initiatives are introduced, leaders are mindful of their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding throughout the school. Staff receive regular safeguarding training. This enables them to identify pupils at risk of harm and to report concerns to the school's designated safeguarding leads.

Leaders act quickly on these concerns. Leaders consult with outside professionals when they need specialist advice and support. As a result, pupils and families receive the help that they need.

In assemblies and through the school's carefully designed personal, social, health and economic education, pupils learn about risks and how to keep themselves safe. This includes staying safe online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subject leaders are not always completely clear about curriculum content in a small number of subjects.

Leaders need to provide training for subject leaders. This will enable subject leaders to monitor teaching and provide helpful support for teachers. ? In some subjects, not all teachers have the subject knowledge to teach fully, confidently and with expertise.

Teachers are not completely clear about the essential knowledge that pupils must know and remember. This means that learning in this small number of subjects is not as strong as it could be. Leaders need to ensure teachers are well trained in these subjects.

• Systems for assessment are not as strong in some subjects as they are in others. Where this is the case, teachers are not as sure about how well pupils are learning. Leaders must ensure that assessment in these subjects is sharpened so that teachers know what pupils need to learn next.

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