Heathmere Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive and blossom at Heathmere. The school has created an environment where high expectations, resilience and respect for all are the norm.

Pupils are early at the gate each morning because they want to be in school. They feel safe and are kept safe. Pupils would talk to a trusted adult about any worries they might have, and adults would listen and take their concerns seriously.

The school is relentlessly ambitious for every pupil and provides a curriculum designed to enrich pupils' knowledge. Pupils benefit from two well-resourced and inviting libraries in addition to their own class book corner. The mantra 'there are no reluctant readers here, just we have n...ot yet found them the right book' chimes throughout the school.

Pupils behave exceptionally well. They treat each other with kindness and respect. The school involves pupils meaningfully in the wider community, for instance through campaigning for a safer street.

The school provides many opportunities for pupils to take on positions of leadership and mentor younger peers. Pupils know the difference between being appointed or elected and feel honoured to be trusted.

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school.

They appreciate the extensive support for their children and the whole community.

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

The school has successfully developed an ambitious and broad curriculum that equips pupils with the cultural capital they need to achieve well. The school employs a 'microscopic view' of the curriculum, breaking learning into manageable segments.

This allows pupils to build knowledge progressively. For instance, in art and design, pupils learn colour names in the early years, before learning primary, secondary and tertiary colours in Year 3. This supports the colour wheel work in Year 4 and beyond.

The teaching of reading begins when children first arrive in Reception. Staff are well-trained in delivering the strategies of the phonics programme. Pupils learn the sounds letters make and quickly develop fluency.

Staff give extra support to pupils who fall behind. Pupils are resilient and do not easily give up.

Typically, teachers display secure subject knowledge and introduce new learning well across subjects.

Learning environments are calm, well-organised and promote effective learning. Teachers check learning through recall activities and quizzes. However, in a small number of subjects, activities selected are sometimes not focused clearly enough, or adapted sufficiently, to support pupils secure the intended learning.

This means some pupils find it difficult to learn new knowledge. Work in books reflects pupils' depth of learning. For example, in mathematics, pupils demonstrate their knowledge of horizontal and vertical number lines as well as using both negative and positive numbers.

In the early years, the school provides an environment with many opportunities for children to immerse themselves in number.

The school has established robust systems for identifying and supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff ensure that appropriate adaptations and resources for pupils with SEND are in place.

Parents and carers are consulted through regular meetings and reviews.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. They are highly motivated and show consistently positive attitudes to their learning.

They want to learn and, together with the schools' rigorous expectations for attendance, behaviour and punctuality, achieve well.

The school promotes pupils' personal development exceptionally well. For instance, pupils demonstrate a strong understanding of safety, consent and diversity.

They learn what it means to be a good citizen and put this in to practice. Pupils take positions of leadership seriously. They exude pride in their duties.

Pupils understand what it means to be trusted and say it is 'an honour' to be chosen as a role model. They recognise that people can learn from their mistakes and strive to improve. The school provides a wide range of clubs and activities for pupils to develop and showcase their talents.

Leaders and governors have an accurate understanding of the school's priorities and what it needs to do to be even better. They fulfil their statutory duties effectively. They check that all pupils are fully involved in all aspects of school life and remove any barriers due to disadvantage.

Staff appreciate the efforts the school has taken to promote their well-being and reduce their workload. Staff are committed to the school. They appreciate the opportunities available to develop professionally.

They enjoy working here and are proud to be a member of staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Occasionally, the work selected for some pupils is not focused enough on the intended learning.

In addition, the school's work to strengthen key vocabulary acquisition through revisiting across subjects is not fully embedded. This means some pupils struggle to recall previous learning or acquire new learning efficiently. The school should continue to refine those areas of the curriculum that are newer and develop staff expertise so that teaching supports pupils to know and remember more across all curriculum subjects.