Hazel Grove Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Hazel Grove Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. Staff and leaders welcome them each morning.

This helps to nurture the positive relationships that exist at this school. Pupils know that teachers will listen to their views through the various school councils. They said that they feel safe in school.

Leaders and staff are highly ambitious for the achievement of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school ethos, built on core values of respect, kindness, honesty and responsibility, contributes strongly to how well pupils achieve.

Pupil...s have an effective understanding of equality and diversity.

They learn about differ-ent races, cultures, disabilities and faiths. Inclusion is important with several older pupils saying 'we're all different and that's good.'

Leaders and teachers have high expectations for behaviour.

Pupils behave well in lessons. They are polite and well mannered. If bullying happens, pupils are confident that leaders will deal with it swiftly and successfully.

Pupils have many opportunities to exercise leadership through a variety of prefect roles. The selection of these provides pupils with first-hand experience of democracy. A wide variety of clubs is available, including cross-country running and crafts.

Visits, especially into the locality, support the school's curriculum work.

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

Leaders have built an ambitious curriculum. They have planned the curriculum in well-ordered steps as pupils move through the school.

Leaders have identified the knowledge and experiences they want children in the early years to gain. This provides secure foundations for their future learning. Pupils learn and achieve well, including those with SEND.

Leaders make sure that pupils learn phonics through a well-ordered curriculum. This begins when children start in the early years. Any pupils who are at risk of falling behind in their learning of phonics are identified early.

For these pupils, additional and effective support is provided by staff. By the end of key stage 1, most pupils read confidently.

Leaders prioritise reading.

Teachers provide lots of opportunities for pupils to read or to listen to stories. In key stage 2, the reading curriculum helps them to develop their understanding of a wide range of texts. It also develops their comprehension skills.

Older pupils read fluently and talk with enthusiasm about the books they have read.

Teachers have an effective knowledge of the subjects that they teach. This enables them to teach the curriculum content as leaders intend.

Teachers make checks on pupils' learning and identify those pupils who need more help or guidance. In some subjects, teachers at times do not give pupils enough opportunity to build on previous work or to deepen their knowledge and remember it over time.

Leaders are skilled at identifying the specific needs of pupils with SEND.

They have adapted the curriculum for some pupils, providing greater opportunities to meet their needs. Leaders ensure that staff receive training to help these pupils to follow the same ambitious curriculum as that of their peers. Effective organisation of teaching for a small number of pupils with particular needs is supporting them to be taught the same content from the school's curriculum as their peers.

The curriculum in the early years is ambitious and well designed. Children in the early years understand the clear routines that help them work and play safely and purposefully. Pupils across the school behave well.

They listen carefully in class and are well behaved around the school. They concentrate on their learning and are keen to do their best.

Pupils enjoy the many wider opportunities available, including day visits and residential experiences.

They participate in a wide range of after-school clubs and lunchtime activities. Pupils learn how to keep themselves fit and healthy. They understand fairness and they know that everyone is equal.

Staff talked positively about the strong and supportive teamwork in the school. They know that leaders consider their workload when they introduce new initiatives. They said they are proud to work at the school.

Governors know the school well. They work productively with leaders to understand how effectively the curriculum is helping pupils to know more and remember more.

Parents and carers spoke positively about the help that staff give to children and families.

They value the community feel. There are strong relationships across the school. Parents appreciate staff listening and responding swiftly to their concerns.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

School leaders understand their safeguarding responsibilities. Staff know the school's safeguarding procedures well.

Leaders ensure that staff complete appropriate training and keep staff's knowledge of safeguarding up to date. This helps them to identify pupils who may be at risk from harm swiftly and promptly. Leaders' effective liaison with other agencies ensures that pupils and families are well supported.

Pupils feel safe in school. They are taught how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn about online safety and the impact of cyber-bullying.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a number of foundation subjects, teaching sometimes does not deepen pupils' knowledge or help pupils to remember what they have learned. Leaders should ensure that teaching allows pupils to deepen their knowledge by building on previous work, so that they know and remember more over time.

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 October 2012.