Hawkedale Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Hawkedale pupils stand out. Their conduct and manners are impeccable. They are cheery and cordial in their exchanges with everyone.

Parents are delighted with how the school nurtures their children. Staff care deeply about the pupils and the school feels like a family.

The long-established headteacher sets the tone.

She makes clear to everyone what is expected. Generally, teachers rise to this, but some could stretch pupils even more. Everyone comments on pupils' excellent behaviour.

Pupils treat others with kindness and nobody tolerates any bullying. Pupils feel safe and at ease.

Children of all ages come together so well.

They pla...y imaginatively outside. They enjoy using the scrap materials available to be inventive and creative. Caring for the chickens is a highlight.

Pupils love to stay fit by tracking how many steps they do. Their sports day is even held at a premiership rugby club's training ground.

Pupils revel in exquisite experiences that build character.

They learn about inspirational people from all walks of life. Pupils recognise that they have the capacity to bring about change. They strive to make a difference.

Leaders feel proud of their Year 6 'birds who have flown' to do this at secondary school.

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

Leaders and governors have successfully steered the school through expansion to become a primary school. This happened against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.

You would not know that key stage 2 is new. It is as if the school has always been this way. This significant change also triggered the construction of a new curriculum.

Leaders were not happy with the previous content. They felt that it was not rich in knowledge. Moreover, they needed to raise its ambition.

The curriculum is nearing its completion. It meets the aspirations of the national curriculum. In early years, leaders have identified the specific knowledge that children need in each area of learning.

Further up the school, where curriculum planning is well developed, teachers are clear about what to teach now and then next. They know how to challenge pupils' thinking as they move through the school. However, in some subjects, leaders are still working on mapping out the learning.

Teachers are confident in their own subject knowledge. Leaders have provided specific training to enable teachers to firmly understand the content they must deliver. Generally, pupils showcase their knowledge well.

However, teachers are not always skilled at choosing activities that will deepen pupils' knowledge. Some teachers think that they have got to have pupils engaged by making tasks creative or enjoyable. This can have the opposite effect.

While pupils remember some of the practical experiences, this gets in the way of gaining the essential knowledge.Leaders know that they need to address the imbalances in how well teachers implement the curriculum.

Mindful of the pandemic's impact, leaders have carefully reassessed pupils' learning.

They have adapted some topics to prioritise gaps in the knowledge that children have missed during the pandemic. To support this, teachers plan 'flashback' starters in lessons. These strengthen pupils' retention of what they have learned.

Teachers regularly question pupils to determine what they know. In early years, staff have invested additional time to help children catch up quickly in their language and social development. This has been impressive.

In lessons, pupils follow instructions from teachers promptly. The oldest pupils act as positive role models. Pupils are very accepting of others and embrace differences.

They are knowledgeable about global issues.

From the headteacher's office to all around the building, book recommendations are everywhere. Pupils love visiting the 'Reading Express' to devour their next book.

They can choose from a diverse range of books that cover topics from all around the world. Leaders have recently introduced a new phonics programme to teach pupils to read. They have rightly trained all staff first.

Staff find the online tutorials valuable because they can revisit these time after time. Pupils are provided with the books that go hand in hand with the taught programme.

The new inclusion team has revamped how teachers best support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

They consult regularly with teachers and check that wherever possible every pupil learns the same curriculum. Adults encourage pupils with SEND to be independent. They adapt tasks thoughtfully to remove any learning barriers.

Governors have re-established specific committees to drill down into the finer details about pupils' education. They ensure that they receive leaders' updates in good time so they can carefully consider all information. Governors are rigorous in challenging leaders.

The chair and vice-chair have set out clear expectations for new governors joining the governing body.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The headteacher is steadfast in how she fights for every family.

She does not give up in securing the help that children need. The headteacher continually drip-feeds safeguarding training to all staff. This creates an exceptional culture of vigilance.

Staff know to think the unthinkable. Everyone is clear about how to report a concern, no matter how small it might be. Record-keeping is detailed and thorough.

Leaders see it as piecing together a jigsaw. Online safety is a big focus. Leaders educate parents about social media platforms to help protect their children.

Pupils trust staff to help them.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not yet set out all the knowledge that pupils need to learn in some subjects. Therefore, teachers are sometimes unsure about what must be taught when and why.

However, it is clear from leaders' actions that they are in the process of bringing about the necessary changes. For this reason, the transition arrangements have been applied. ? Teachers do not all have strong pedagogical knowledge to deliver all subjects well.

Furthermore, they do not always expect enough from pupils. This can hamper pupils' successful learning. Leaders need to strengthen teachers' expertise in how to implement the planned curriculum successfully.

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