Heathfield Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. From their different starting points, all pupils make good progress.

By age 11, pupils' standards of attainment are average and rising rapidly. The quality of teaching is good and so pupils achieve well during their time at the school. Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve particularly well.

Lessons and activities are thoughtfully planned to ensure that pupils enjoy their work and develop lifelong learning skills. Pupils behave well and work hard in lessons. They have a good understanding of how to keep safe.

The school takes good care of pupils and promotes their spiritual, moral, social and cultural develo...pment very well. The headteacher has been instrumental in driving forward improvements to the quality of teaching and pupils' learning. In this work she is supported very well by keen and effective senior and middle leaders.

Checks on the progress of every pupil are regular and rigorous. Consequently, any who are falling behind are given extra help to catch up and those who are capable of moving on more rapidly receive additional support to enable them to do so. The governing body is well informed and provides good challenge and support to help the school improve.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Some teaching still requires improvement to be good. Not all pupils have enough opportunities to use mathematical skills in a purposeful way to solve problems. While all groups of pupils make good progress and the gap between the attainment of pupils whose circumstances have made them vulnerable and other pupils in the school is narrowing, the gap is still too wide.

Information about this school

The school is smaller than the average sized primary school. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, in local authority care or whose parents are in the armed forces, is below average. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and who speak English as an additional language is above average. The school meets the government's current floor standards which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

Since the last inspection, a number of new staff have been appointed, including a new headteacher. The school is in the process of appointing a new deputy headteacher. The school provides a before- and after-school club and has gained a number of awards, including Active School Award and International School Award.