Hellifield Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy to attend this welcoming school. They feel part of a close school family and are proud to wear the Hellifield uniform.

Staff know each pupil very well. Relationships between staff and pupils are kind and respectful. This helps pupils to feel valued, safe and cared for.

The school provides a broad and ambitious curriculum. Pupils enjoy learning because teachers make lessons interesting and fun. Typically, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well across the curriculum.

The school has high expectations of pupils' behaviour. 'Marvellous Manners' assemblies every Monday set the expectation for... the week. Pupils know and follow the school's values of 'kindness, love, respect and friendship'.

They care for each other. The Year 6 prefects set an excellent example for younger pupils. Pupils are keen to learn and attend school regularly.

Pupils are able to take part in after-school sporting activities and competitions. The school provides opportunities for pupils to debate, speak to an audience and to perform. Class 3 look forward to their end of year performance at a local theatre.

The school works with other schools in the federation and the local cluster to broaden the extra-curricular offer for pupils.

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

The school has designed and implemented a broad and ambitious curriculum across all subjects. It is planned in a logical and sequential manner.

This helps teachers to know exactly what to teach and when. Teachers' subject knowledge is strong. They help pupils to remember important knowledge and quickly pick up misconceptions.

Focused interventions help pupils, including those with SEND, to keep up. Teachers plan activities that closely match the intended learning. This strengthens pupils' knowledge and skills.

The school ensures that the curriculum meets the needs of pupils with SEND. It provides well-considered additional resources and adult support where needed. Teachers plan adaptations to learning activities.

This helps pupils to learn alongside their peers and to achieve well.

Pupils work diligently and behave well in lessons. Their workbooks show the journey of learning across the curriculum.

In Reception and Year 1, children learn correct letter formation. They learn how to use their phonics knowledge for spelling new words. This gives them a strong foundation on which to build their writing skills.

However, older pupils do not get sufficient opportunities to practise writing across the curriculum. Outcomes in writing at the end of Key Stage 2 are not as strong as in other subjects.The school has made reading a high priority.

It provides an array of high-quality books to enhance the curriculum and promote a love of reading. Teachers read to pupils for pleasure every day. Parents and carers receive helpful information about reading as soon as their children start school.

Teachers are well trained to deliver the phonics scheme effectively. Children in Reception get off to a flying start in reading. After two weeks, they know the routines of the phonics scheme.

They confidently repeat the sounds they have learned. Teachers quickly identify and address gaps in knowledge. This helps everyone to keep up.

Older pupils, who are less fluent readers, receive help to catch up.

The early years curriculum is ambitious. It is designed to prepare children for learning in Year 1.

The learning environment is purposeful and well-resourced. It provides opportunities for children to practise what they have learned. Children are already able to identify groups of objects up to four without counting them.

They are motivated by the stories they hear. For example, a group of children built a house for a mouse. They were inspired by the story of 'The Smartest Giant in Town'.

Pupils learn about British values through assemblies and the day-to-day curriculum. They relate these to the school values. They know that there are certain characteristics that are protected in law.

They feel a strong sense of injustice about any form of discrimination. The school plans visitors, events and trips to enhance the curriculum. This broadens pupils' experience of the wider world.

For example, pupils enjoyed an Indian dance workshop. They created their own dance and story. However, pupils do not have secure knowledge of the faiths and cultures that make up modern Britain.

Leaders have brought about rapid and sustained improvement since the previous Ofsted inspection. Staff benefit from shared expertise by working within the federation. They appreciate the high-quality training and resources that are available.

Governors have a clear and incisive overview of the school. They provide effective support and challenge for school leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Older pupils do not get sufficient practice to develop their writing skills. Some pupils do not achieve in writing as well as in other subjects. The school should ensure that pupils have enough opportunities to consolidate their proficiency in writing, so that they achieve as well as they could.

• Pupils are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they could be. The curriculum does not provide enough opportunities for pupils to develop a depth of understanding of the faiths and cultures that make up modern Britain. The school should continue to develop the curriculum to help pupils develop a strong understanding of people who are different to themselves.

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