Hayton CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this vibrant and harmonious school community.

They benefit from an exceptional curriculum that is delivered by deeply committed and expert staff. Pupils love to be in school and delight in all that it has to offer.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are keen learners.

They relish the fresh challenges that each day brings. Pupils try their utmost to reach the high standards that the school sets for their achievement. They make excellent progress through the ambitious curriculum.

Pupils speak confidently and enthusiastically about their learning.

From the time they start school, ...pupils' behaviour is exemplary. They follow well-established routines closely.

Pupils are highly respectful to staff, visitors and to each other.

Pupils enjoy a wealth of experiences that extend well beyond the academic curriculum. These include residential visits to major cities, as well as opportunities to take part in a variety of outdoor pursuits.

Pupils have a deep love of reading and enjoy studying the works of classic authors. They take part in fundraising activities in and beyond the school, with no expectation of benefiting in return. Pupils are exceedingly well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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

The school has developed a rich and ambitious curriculum. It has identified with clarity the most important knowledge that pupils should learn and when this should be taught. The curriculum flows seamlessly from the time that pupils start in Nursery to the end of Year 6.

The school has highly effective processes in place to identify any additional needs that pupils may have. As a result of precise adaptations, the school ensures that pupils with SEND access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Pupils with SEND achieve extremely well.

Teachers are adept at using assessment information to identify misconceptions or gaps in knowledge that pupils may have. These are addressed quickly and effectively at the point of learning. As a result, pupils build a rich body of subject knowledge that deepens over time.

They use this knowledge to make secure connections across a range of subjects.

Reading is central to the school's curriculum. From the moment that pupils enter school, they are exposed to a wide range of books and authors.

This supports pupils to read books with increasing complexity over time. Staff thoughtfully choose books that help pupils to expand their vocabulary, spark their interest and challenge their thinking. Pupils understand the importance of reading in nurturing their knowledge and imagination.

Pupils benefit from a phonics programme that expertly trained staff deliver consistently well. Pupils quickly learn the sounds that letters represent. The books that pupils read are matched carefully to the sounds that they learn.

This ensures that all pupils become confident, accurate readers by the end of Year 2. Across key stage 2, pupils build on this strong start so that they develop reading and writing skills that stand them in good stead ready for key stage 3.

Staff benefit from high-quality training that supports them to deliver the curriculum with great skill.

They appreciate the time given to refine their practice. This includes a recent focus on ensuring pupils have plentiful opportunities to solve challenging mathematical problems. As a result, current pupils attain better in mathematics than the most recent published data would suggest.

This is also the case for reading and writing.

The school has a carefully crafted programme to support pupils' wider development. Pupils know how to keep themselves mentally and physically healthy.

They learn how to act appropriately to keep themselves safe online. Pupils speak confidently about the values that support living in modern Britain and how the law protects people with different characteristics. Older pupils spoke enthusiastically about their role as long-term buddies to the youngest children, in helping them to settle happily into school life.

Pupils experience a wide array of opportunities to nurture their talents and interests. For instance, pupils access a variety of after-school clubs such as art, sports, origami and science. Pupils take their duties very seriously, such as within the school council, where they propose projects for staff to consider and implement.

This supports pupils' development of their leadership and responsibility skills.

Attendance is a high priority for the school. Effective systems to track attendance enable the school to quickly identify any pupils who may need further support.

Staff work very effectively with families to rapidly improve the attendance of these pupils.

Members of the governing body conduct their roles with diligence. They offer appropriate support and challenge to the school.

Governors are committed to ensuring the very best educational outcomes for pupils and are very well informed about how well pupils achieve throughout the school. Staff enjoy being part of the school family and fully appreciate the support they receive with their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.