Hayes Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Hayes Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Hayes Primary School is a close-knit community filled with friendliness and warm and caring relationships.

Pupils come into school happily and calmly. Staff offer them lots of encouragement and regularly share brief updates with their parents and carers.

Leaders' positive approach to behaviour is supported across the school community.

Pupils are polite and behave well. They value the rewards that they can earn for good behaviour, like breakfast with the headteacher. Pupils said that they feel safe in school and that rare instances of bullying are quickly sorted out.

...>Parents value the way that leaders go the extra mile to understand and respond to each pupil, for example by supporting pupils who may feel anxious about coming to school.

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils enjoy learning and work hard.

Their love of reading is notable. Even younger pupils readily immerse themselves in books.

Leaders have created a school culture which is supportive and nurturing.

As a result, pupils are caring to each other. They can sort out minor friendship problems, admitting if they get something wrong and making amends. Pupils enjoy many wider opportunities.

One pupil echoed the views of many about their exciting residential trip, saying 'We were never bored for a second.'

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

Leaders, staff and governors have developed an ambitious curriculum. Leaders understand how pupils learn new knowledge, and how to plan for progression in subjects.

For example, in mathematics, children in Reception relish being able to put their understanding into practice, for example by confidently explaining operations like doubling numbers. Older pupils learn different operations like multiplication and division, and practise these regularly so they can do them automatically and accurately. They benefit from regular reminders of what they have learned, and extra help if they need more time to consolidate their learning.

As a result, by Year 6, pupils can combine many different number operations, for example in their work on algebra. They talk with pride about feeling well prepared for mathematics in secondary school. Music is another example of leaders' ambition for pupils' learning.

All pupils learn to play a small number of instruments during their time in school. They progressively develop their skills through repetition and practice. As a result, pupils improve the expressive quality of the sound they produce and collaborate in group musical performances to a high standard.

Early reading is taught effectively. Leaders are determined that all pupils will learn to read fluently. Staff are well trained.

They check pupils' progress carefully. Staff catch any pupil before they fall behind and give them extra help. As a result, most pupils quickly learn to read accurately and fluently.

The number of pupils reading texts with fluency and understanding in Year 2 is particularly striking. Older pupils who are still developing their reading skills get well-tailored extra support. Pupils love reading.

For example, they listen to longer stories in reading assembly with rapt attention and enjoy sharing reviews of favourite books. They also make good use of outdoor 'reading sheds'. As a result, pupils have the reading skills they need to access a broad and rich curriculum throughout their education.

Despite considerable strengths in the curriculum, there are a few instances where it is not working as well in practice. In a few cases, leaders have not fully considered how much new knowledge pupils can acquire and process over a series of lessons in a subject. Where leaders have not thought rigorously about the 'big ideas' which are important for pupils to learn and remember, teachers introduce too much new information too quickly.

This makes it difficult for pupils to remember the most important new knowledge and connect it with what they have learned earlier. Where pupils have misconceptions, there are a few occasions when these are not corrected.

Pupils with SEND are supported well.

Teachers frequently check that pupils with SEND understand what they are learning. They model tasks before pupils start work on their own. This ensures that pupils become increasingly confident and independent in their learning, rather than becoming overly reliant on extra support.

Where appropriate, pupils are taught how to manage their emotions, calm themselves down and refocus on their learning.

Leaders' priorities go beyond the academic curriculum. They focus sharply on promoting pupils' wider development.

As well as providing many educational visits and sporting and cultural activities, leaders have thought carefully about how best to support the emotional well-being and social development of pupils. Pupils' individual circumstances are considered sensitively. For example, leaders organise a special support group for young carers.

Staff appreciate the consideration leaders show for their well-being and in managing their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that safeguarding is at the forefront of the school's work.

They carry out all the required pre-recruitment checks to ensure that staff are suitable to work with pupils. Staff have been trained to understand signs that a pupil might be at risk. They know how to report any concerns they might have.

Leaders respond to concerns promptly. Staff build trusting relationships with pupils and know their families well. Leaders cross-reference information effectively so they have a full picture of pupils' needs.

They provide appropriate support in the best interests of pupils, making referrals to external agencies where necessary.

Pupils are taught how to stay safe online and out in the neighbourhood.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• While the scope of the curriculum is broad and ambitious, in a few instances, leaders have not fully considered which ideas are essential for pupils to remember in order to support their progression in a subject.

This affects how well pupils remember new subject content. Leaders need to refine further the scope of the curriculum so that teachers are clear about the big ideas and most essential knowledge they want all pupils to acquire.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2013.

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