Hemingbrough Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. One parent described how their child comes to school with 'a spring in their step'.

Adults model kind and respectful behaviours. As a result, pupils are kind to each other. Everyone is welcome, and everyone is valued.

Bullying is rare. Pupils feel safe at school and are confident that adults will help them to resolve any problems. Behaviour is calm and orderly.

Leaders encourage a 'growth mindset.' This growth mindset is beginning to impact positively on pupils' resilience.

In the weekly celebration assembly, pupils' individual talents and achievements are celebrated, including sporting and academic successes.

...Leaders reward pupils for upholding the school's CARE values of community, aspiration, resilience and empathy. Pupils enjoy educational visits, which helps them to make sense of topics they are learning. For example, a visit to an immersive historical experience in York supported pupils' learning about the Vikings in history.

Leaders, including governors, are ambitious for all pupils. Leaders are taking significant action to address lower-than-expected outcomes at the end of key stage 2 in 2022. Pupils' subject knowledge is strengthening.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective support.

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

Since the last inspection, leaders have taken effective action to put a well-considered curriculum in place. In most subject areas, curriculum thinking breaks down important learning into precise steps.

These are ordered to allow pupils to build learning over time. This is particularly evident in mathematics, where leaders have made improvements following lower-than-expected outcomes at the end of key stage 2. Pupils in mathematics draw on prior learning to make sense of new ideas.

For example, pupils use their knowledge of multiplication facts to work out the area of three-dimensional shapes. Teachers make regular checks to ensure pupils have remembered the most important knowledge. This helps pupils to build their understanding over time.

Subject leaders support teachers well. Teachers have the subject knowledge they need to deliver the curriculum effectively. Teachers use resources well to support pupils to learn.

For example, 'working walls' help pupils to remember important vocabulary in English.

In subjects where curriculum thinking is new, teachers do not consistently check that pupils have remembered the most important knowledge over time. Gaps in pupils' understanding are not recognised and addressed.

They find it difficult to make sense of new topics.Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils. There are clear plans in place for pupils with SEND.

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) gives teachers precise advice to ensure they understand how to adapt teaching to meet pupils' needs. The SENCo works closely with external agencies to ensure pupils have access to the help they need.

Leaders have recently introduced a new reading scheme.

Pupils read books that are well matched to their understanding. If pupils fall behind, they receive focused support to help them catch up. Pupils enjoy phonics sessions.

However, adults' delivery of the phonics scheme is inconsistent.

Children in the early years get off to a positive start. Leaders have put an ambitious curriculum in place that ensures children are ready for key stage 1.

Leaders collaborate well with parents, carers and local pre-schools to ensure children settle in quickly.

Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils are kind and thoughtful.

They sensitively consider the values and beliefs of people different to themselves. Pupils care about the world. They enjoy being part of the eco-council.

They are looking forward to the re-establishment of the school council. Carefully selected programmes help pupils who need extra support to become more confident and emotionally healthy.

Leaders have developed a consistent approach to behaviour management.

Strong relationships underpin interactions between adults and pupils. The environment in school is calm and purposeful.

Governors are ambitious for all pupils.

They regularly review their skills and ensure they attend training that supports their effectiveness. Governors provide leaders with rigorous support and challenge. This has helped the school to improve.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders are alert to risks and adopt an 'it could happen here' approach to all aspects of safeguarding. They recognise local risks and ensure that pupils receive the information they need to stay safe.

For example, a police community support officer delivers workshops on county lines.

Leaders keep detailed records relating to safeguarding. All staff understand the systems in school for reporting concerns.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority) ? Adults across the school do not deliver the scheme for teaching phonics consistently. This is confusing for pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read. Leaders should ensure that all adults use the same system and terminology when teaching phonics.

• In subjects other than English and mathematics, teachers do not identify the gaps in pupils' knowledge effectively. Gaps in pupils' knowledge hinder their ability to make sense of new topics. Leaders should ensure that there is a consistent approach that teachers use to identify the subject knowledge that pupils have or have not remembered over time.