Haveley Hey Community School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this school.

The strong relationships that they develop with staff and each other reflect the school's values of resilience, ambition and respect. Pupils are kind and polite. They behave well during lessons and at playtimes.

Pupils follow the school's established rules and routines. This helps to make the school a calm and purposeful environment.

The school has high expectations for pupils' achievement, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

In the early years, children are supported to achieve well. However, the school's ambition is not consistently realised for pupils in Years 1 to 6. As a re...sult, some pupils do not build knowledge securely over time.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of trips and clubs that help to develop their individual talents and interests. Pupils spoke positively about the school's 'passport for learning'. This provides a variety of memorable experiences that pupils enjoy throughout their time at school.

Pupils flourish in their various roles and responsibilities. These include acting as ambassadors of numerous areas of school life. For example, pupil librarians spoke positively about their work with the local library to promote reading in school.

Older pupils recognise the important role that well-being ambassadors play in supporting their friends and younger pupils.

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

The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. Children in the early years make a positive start to their education.

They are well prepared for their learning in Year 1 and beyond. In subjects where the school has recently reviewed its offer, the curriculum sets out clearly the order in which pupils should learn new knowledge. This helps pupils to make clear links between new and prior learning.

They achieve well in these subjects.

However, in some subjects, the specific knowledge and skills that pupils need to know and remember is not clearly sequenced. This means that, on occasion, pupils repeat learning from previous years.

Furthermore, delivery of the curriculum is not as effective as it should be in these subjects. While staff make checks on pupils' learning, they do not consistently identify and address important gaps in pupils' knowledge. This means that pupils' knowledge is not as secure as it should be.

The school has supported staff to help pupils to remember and recall what they have learned. However, in several subjects, these strategies are not used consistently well. As a result, some pupils, including those with SEND, do not learn as effectively as they should.

Pupils' learning across the curriculum is not checked as rigorously as leaders intend.

The school prioritises reading. In the Nursery class, children have opportunities to listen to stories and rhymes that help to develop their vocabulary.

Staff deliver the phonics programme effectively as soon as children start the Reception Year. Staff make sure that pupils read books that include the sounds that they have already learned. The school is swift to spot any pupils who are not keeping up with the programme and helps them to catch up quickly.

Older pupils read confidently with both fluency and expression.The school, with the support of the trust and local governor committee, has strengthened its provision for pupils with SEND. These improvements mean that the additional needs of pupils with SEND are identified at the earliest possible opportunity.

These recent improvements also mean that staff ensure that appropriate support is in place for these pupils as they move through the school.Children in the early years quickly learn to follow routines in and around the classroom. They develop positive behaviours that support them to learn well.

Across the school, pupils display positive attitudes to their work. The school works successfully with families to promote attendance and punctuality. Higher proportions of pupils than previously now attend school regularly and on time.

The school promotes pupils' wider development and well-being. Pupils benefit from the strong support that the school provides for their social and emotional needs. The school has carefully chosen a wide range of activities to prepare pupils for their future lives and to raise their aspirations.

For example, pupils experience 'world of work weeks' that are supported by local businesses.

Governors and trustees understand their role and carry it out effectively. However, there is more to do to ensure that the school's vision to provide high-quality education to all pupils is fully realised.

Staff enjoy working at the school. They are proud of the strong culture of teamwork that exists in the school. Staff are supported to fulfil their roles effectively.

For example, the school considers staff workload when new initiatives are introduced.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school has not sequenced the order of pupils' learning to help them to acquire the essential knowledge that they need for future learning.

This means that some pupils, including those with SEND, do not build their knowledge securely over time in these subjects. The school should ensure that teachers have the information that they need to design learning that builds firmly on what pupils already know and can do. ? The intended curriculum is not implemented consistently well.

For example, assessment strategies are not routinely used to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and address them. Where this is the case, pupils, including those with SEND, do not achieve as well as they should. The school should ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently and effectively so that pupils achieve well across the curriculum.