Hempland Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils talk very positively about their school. They describe their teachers as caring, and learning as fun. Pupils understand and apply the school values of respect, opportunity, ambition and resilience to all they do.

These values are woven through the school curriculum. One pupil said: 'If you can't respect yourself, you can't respect others.' Pupils appreciate the need to show respect for different cultures, beliefs and faiths.

Behaviour is generally good. The school is calm, and pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in school, on the internet and if using social media.

The school's curriculum planning i...s strong in many areas. The plans for early years children are not as detailed as the rest of the school.

The school is highly inclusive with the addition of the deaf and hearing-impaired centre.

Teachers' planning across all subjects considers the adaptations needed for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to be successful.

The staff are proud to work at the school. They feel well supported and enjoy working at Hempland.

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

The leadership team at the school are very new. There has been a high turnover of staff in recent years and a period of instability in the senior leadership team. The headteacher began leading the school in September 2021.

An executive headteacher from the trust is supporting leadership.

Leaders have made rapid improvements during the last year to construct a well- planned and sequenced curriculum. Subject leaders have developed a curriculum that builds on what pupils have learned and prepares them for future learning.

Subject leaders have considered how they can make links with other subjects. For example, in geography pupils learning about Greece made links with history by researching Ancient Greece and design and technology (DT) by designing and making a sandal.

Subject leaders are skilled and knowledgeable.

They have sought support from external sources. For example, the leader of DT has joined the DT Association to access specialist advice and support to strengthen the school's planning and resources. Subject leaders have led staff training to establish clear expectations and to share good practice.

This has developed consistency in the delivery of the wider curriculum subjects. Teachers who are in the early stages of their careers are overwhelmingly positive about their professional development.

Reading has a high profile across the school.

Every classroom has a dedicated reading area. Pupils read with fluency and use their phonics knowledge to sound out new words. Leaders have a 'Book Buddy' incentive scheme to encourage pupils to read at home.

Leaders have recognised that their current phonics scheme is not fit for purpose. They are researching new programmes to introduce as soon as possible. This will be linked to a new assessment system.

Pupils in key stage 2 who still need help to learn their phonics receive personalised teaching. This is enabling them to catch up. Younger pupils who are not keeping up with the school's phonics programme receive weekly interventions.

Leaders are confident this is enough to catch up by the end of the year. However, more regular interventions would ensure pupils catch up more quickly.

The special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) has been in role for one year.

The SENDCo has ensured that teachers adapt the curriculum for pupils with SEND. For example, one pupil who struggles to take part in physical education (PE) has the option to change in a different area and has the PE plan talked through with them before the lesson begins. Leaders work with the local authority to provide specialist teaching for pupils who are deaf or hearing impaired.

Leaders have recently appointed a new key stage 1 and early years leader to strengthen the leadership team. Early years children are taught key skills in group times. They can practise and apply these in the indoor and outdoor environment.

Leaders have a plan that maps out the areas for learning and development. However, leaders recognise that further work is needed to ensure this matches the detail of the curriculum plans of other subject leaders.

The local governing committee (LGC) has appointed most of the governors since January 2021.

They have valued the impact of the trust involvement in being able to develop leadership.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have given safeguarding training a high priority.

There is a weekly staff bulletin that always includes a safeguarding update. The members of the LGC have all undertaken safeguarding training. The link governor for safeguarding regularly meets with leaders to discuss safeguarding.

Pupils say that they feel safe in school.Leaders are rigorous in the checks they make when appointing new staff.Leaders recognised that staff needed training in how to record concerns on their electronic system.

This took place in September 2021. On some occasions, records did not reflect the consistent language and detail expected by the leaders.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not yet decided which validated scheme they want to use to teach phonics.

Leaders should make this decision swiftly. Leaders should ensure staff are trained so the school has a consistent approach to teaching and assessing phonics. ? Staff use an electronic system to record any incidents, for example incidents of bullying or discriminatory behaviour.

Leaders have recently trained staff to record with greater accuracy. Leaders need to embed this practice. They should check that the language recorded reflects the school's expectations.

• The EYFS team has a long-term plan that maps out the seven areas of learning for the early years children. This plan is not as detailed as other curriculum plans for pupils in key stages 1 and 2. Leaders should develop the EYFS plan further to align it with the quality and detail of the curriculum planning elsewhere in the school.