Hempsted Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning at this friendly, safe and welcoming school. Leaders have created a nurturing environment for pupils and families. Pupils embrace the school's vision of 'Growing together in God's love'.

They show this by valuing everyone for who they are.Leaders aim to provide a high-quality education for all pupils. They continue to review and improve the school's curriculum to provide the knowledge and skills pupils need to achieve well.

Pupils exhibit the school's values of compassion, thankfulness and friendship. Consequently, they do not worry about being bullied. Lessons are calm and purposeful.

Older pupils say that disagreements and unkind remar...ks occasionally happen, but staff help them resolve issues.

Pupils value their roles of responsibility as school councillors, hall crew and house captains. They enjoy how staff recognise their efforts.

For example, a highlight for many is receiving a postcard or house point for doing the right thing.

Pupils regularly give back to the community through tree planting, litter picking and raising money for charity. The great majority of parents comment positively on the school's work.

They say that Hempsted is a place where pastoral support 'is second to none' and children 'grow as individuals'.

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

Leaders know their school and community well. Staff are proud to work here.

They say leaders listen to and value their opinions. As a result, morale is high. Governors share leaders' ambitions for pupils' learning and care.

They hold senior leaders to account effectively.

Reading sits at the heart of the school's work. From the start of Reception Year, children develop their phonic knowledge.

They confidently read the sounds they know. This continues throughout key stage 1. Staff match pupils with the right reading books so they can practise the sounds they learn.

This helps pupils develop their confidence and fluency in reading. Staff use assessment well. They provide timely support to help pupils who need to catch up.

However, in Reception Year, children do not have enough opportunities to apply their phonic knowledge in their writing.

Teachers use carefully selected books to motivate pupils to read and expand their vocabulary. Pupils avidly discuss the annual 'Hempsted Kids Choice Award' and millionaire word challenge.

These inspire pupils to read widely and critically review what they read. When pupils leave Year 6, they are confident and competent readers.Leaders continue to review and improve the school's curriculum.

In many subjects, they have mapped out and sequenced the important knowledge and skills pupils learn from one year group to the next. For example, the history leader has developed well-thought-out enquiry questions to drive pupils' learning. Pupils in Year 4 talked knowledgeably about how the Roman Empire influenced Gloucestershire.

In Year 5, pupils spoke about using the vanishing point when learning about perspective in Van Gogh's paintings.

In mathematics, teachers break learning down into small chunks so that pupils' memory is not overloaded. They recap and check prior learning at the start of lessons to help important knowledge stick.

However, leaders' curriculum thinking is still developing in a few subjects. This means that pupils do not gain the depth of understanding as they do in most other subjects. Leaders recognise this.

They continue to create better sequences of learning subject by subject.

The curriculum is inclusive. Staff adapt teaching methods and resources to make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities learn in a way that suits them best.

This helps them to achieve well. Leaders work with a range of agencies to support pupils' pastoral needs. Parents appreciate the chance to hear from guest speakers at the regular 'coffee and chat' sessions.

Relationships between staff and pupils are positive and encouraging. Consequently, behaviour in lessons and around the school is calm and orderly. If pupils struggle with their behaviour, staff step in straight away to get them back on track.

Leaders provide pupils with many experiences to develop personally and socially. A wide range of sports clubs, such as cross country and cycling, supports pupils' physical health. Pupils build confidence by singing and performing in concerts.

They broaden their cultural awareness by visiting the theatre and listening to a string quartet. Leaders celebrate events, for example, Black History Month, to help pupils understand and challenge prejudice. Pupils say that Hempsted welcomes everyone, regardless of their differences.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have secure systems in place to keep pupils safe. Safeguarding leaders ensure that they train staff well.

All staff know how to identify when pupils might be at risk of harm. Leaders act swiftly to secure pupils the help they need. Governors have effective oversight of safeguarding.

They test out for themselves that adults who work at the school are safe to do so.

Leaders teach pupils about risks and how to keep themselves safe, such as online and road safety. Pupils know who they can talk to if they have any concerns.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, the curriculum does not make clear the important knowledge that pupils should learn and revisit. This means that pupils do not gain the depth of understanding in these subjects as well as they could. Leaders must ensure that, in all subjects, they identify essential knowledge components and check how well pupils know and remember at each stage of their learning.

• Leaders do not provide children in the early years with enough opportunities to consolidate their early writing skills. This limits the progress that children make. Leaders should ensure that they provide purposeful and regular opportunities for children to practise their writing and mark making.

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