Haydon Abbey School and Pre-School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming school where new pupils quickly make friends. Pupils feel that the school is like 'a family'. They respond positively to the warmth and high expectations of staff.

Pupils in Year 6 talk with pride about the range of opportunities and experiences they have had through the school. These include attending a range of clubs, being involved in competitions and going on trips.

Across year groups, pupils are happy and feel safe.

They demonstrate the school's six values of 'Cooperation, Kindness, Honesty, Resilience, Respect and Well-being'. Pupils understand what these mean and, through their conduct towards others, demonstrate them well. Pupils a...re keen to take on responsibilities and contribute to the school.

They enthusiastically put themselves forward for a range of highly prized leadership roles so that they can help run events and be part of changes in the school.

The school is ambitious for all pupils to achieve well. Following substantial improvements to the school's curriculum, pupils are increasingly supported to know more and remember more.

However, these changes are very recent. In most subjects, pupils have not benefited from these changes for long enough, which means they do not yet achieve as well as they could.

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

The school is rapidly developing the wider curriculum so that it is ambitious for all pupils.

Improvements focus on making sure that the order in which pupils learn important new knowledge supports them in building understanding. This includes considering when pupils will revisit earlier learning to support pupils to know more and remember more. However, with some of these changes being made recently, pupils do not yet have a secure understanding of important concepts in these subjects.

This means they have knowledge gaps that hinder their ability to link their learning or apply it to new tasks. Where the curriculum is stronger, such as in early years, carefully considered steps develop children's knowledge so they are well prepared for key stage 1.

Across the school, teachers give clear explanations supported by appropriate resources.

There is variation in how well assessment informs teaching across subjects. Teachers check pupils' understanding, although this is not done systematically. In most subjects, assessment is not being used to reteach areas where pupils have knowledge gaps.

This means that pupils progress on to new learning with incomplete understanding.

There is rapid identification of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Newly introduced approaches, such as scaffolding, alongside appropriate support from teaching assistants, mean that pupils with SEND learn effectively.

However, the curriculum, with recent changes, is not yet adapted to meet the needs of pupils with SEND precisely.The school is raising the profile of reading effectively. It has increased the time given for reading lessons and there are now specific rewards to encourage pupils to read at home.

Phonics is taught well from the start of Reception, with prompt support provided to help pupils who are struggling to catch up, including in key stage 1. Further changes are being made to the reading curriculum. These are intended to ensure that pupils develop the knowledge needed to confidently understand different types of texts.

Pupils have positive attitudes to learning across the school. They show these by arriving promptly for lessons and working with focus as they complete learning activities. Clear expectations and routines mean that behaviour in lessons is calm and orderly.

This starts in the early years when children learn the habits and behaviours needed to learn well. Around school, pupils are considerate to each other. This includes sharing playground equipment fairly.

Pupils confidently share worries with staff because they feel well supported by attentive and prompt pastoral support.

A broad range of opportunities develop pupils' understanding of different cultures and backgrounds. This means that pupils are not deterred by differences and feel it is important to treat people equally.

They are encouraged to be curious about world issues and develop a broader understanding of society. Through outdoor learning opportunities, pupils learn about how the local environment is valuable and how their actions can contribute to its upkeep. Pupils learn how to look after their well-being and that of others.

They know how to keep themselves safe, including online.

Leaders are making astute changes to improve pupils' achievement rapidly. Staff understand the reason for these changes and appreciate leaders' efforts to keep their workload manageable.

Governors bring a range of expertise and know the school's priorities for improvement. However, they do not yet have a clear understanding of the progress and impact of the changes being made across the school.

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 number of subjects, curriculum planning has not supported pupils to understand or revisit important knowledge. Pupils' learning is hindered because the curriculum has not developed their secure understanding of important concepts. The school needs to embed the substantial curriculum changes so the order that knowledge is taught, alongside the revisiting of earlier learning, supports all pupils to know more and remember more.

• Assessments are not being used to inform teaching across all subjects. This means that pupils continue to have inaccurate understanding and can continue to apply incorrect thinking. The school needs to embed assessment practice so that future teaching addresses pupils' insecure knowledge.

• Governors are not clear about the extent to which changes are improving the quality of education for pupils. This restricts the effectiveness of their work to support and challenge leaders. Governors need to develop their approach so that they have clear understanding of the impact of the school's development plans and use this to sharpen their work with leaders.

Also at this postcode