Hayfield Lane Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Senior leaders and governors have taken effective action to improve the school's effectiveness since the last inspection. They have a good understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses.

Expectations of staff and pupils are high. The school is continuing to improve as a result. In all key stages, pupils are now making good progress from their starting points in reading, writing and mathematics.

The early years provides children with a good start to school. Good leadership, teaching and a well-organised environment results in good progress from below-typical starting points. By the end of Year 2, standards are at least average and ...sometimes above average.

In reading, they are particularly high. This reflects the school's effective teaching of reading, and especially of phonics. In key stage 2, the quality of teaching has improved and standards are rising, especially in mathematics and in writing.

Pupils' reading comprehension skills, however, still need some further improvement. As a result of well-targeted support and effective use of additional funding, disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities make good progress. Although the most able pupils also do well, sometimes their achievement is hampered because work lacks enough challenge.

The school is a happy, welcoming community. Pupils really enjoy school. They are confident, articulate and eager to participate in lessons.

They behave well, bullying is rare and sanctions are seldom needed. Leaders ensure that pupils' safety is a high priority. Support for the most vulnerable pupils and their families is good.

Pupils feel safe. Leaders of English and mathematics make an effective contribution to driving school improvement. Teaching in these subjects is checked carefully.

Subject leadership roles in other curriculum subjects are not yet fully developed, however. The curriculum is rich and broad. Pupils enjoy a wide range of experiences both in and out of school.

Opportunities to extend pupils' mathematical skills and to encourage pupils to produce written work to the standard they are capable of are sometimes overlooked when completing work across the curriculum subjects.

Information about this school

The school has grown steadily and is a larger than average-sized primary school. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above average.

Most pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is slightly below average. The school meets current floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.