Hermitage Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school.

They are happy and relish social times with their friends and learning alongside them in lessons. Pupils embrace the wide range of experiences on offer to them. These include playing in musical ensembles with world-renowned orchestras and taking part in residential trips that take them beyond their local community.

Pupils make sure that they uphold the school's rules by being ready, respectful and safe. Children in the early years settle quickly at school and develop confidence. Older pupils are keen to make full use of their talents and interests.

For example, they enjoy taking part in the school's 'bridge the gap' initiativ...e, where they recite poetry to local residents.

Pupils learn to care for others, either as buddies or through their fundraising for different charities. They make a highly tangible contribution to their school and wider community.

Pupils live up to the school's high expectations and achieve well. When needed, the school provides additional support for pupils to enable them to access all aspects of school life. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils who learn in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision) are well supported to be ready to learn.

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

The school is ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with SEND. It has carefully designed subject curriculums to ensure that pupils' learning builds logically from the Reception Year to Year 6.

In most subjects, teachers understand precisely what pupils need to know. They design learning activities that successfully emphasise this knowledge.

Teachers are swift to address any misconceptions that pupils might have.

The school has given meticulous thought to when and how pupils should revisit their learning. This helps pupils to remember the important knowledge that they have learned over time. Pupils, including those with SEND, build a rich body of knowledge in these subjects.

They delight in sharing what they have learned with visitors.

In one or two subjects, and in some areas of learning in the early years, the school has not broken down the most important content in the curriculum to the same extent. This means that some teachers are unsure of the essential knowledge that pupils should learn and revisit.

Consequently, these teachers' checks on what pupils have learned are not as effective as they should be. Some pupils do not fully embed the important vocabulary or concepts that they need for later learning as a result.

Reading is a strength of the school.

Staff are suitably trained to deliver the school's phonics programme and do so consistently well. Children start to learn how to use phonics to read words as soon as they begin in the Reception Year. Staff quickly identify any pupils who find reading more difficult and ensure that they receive effective support to catch up.

This means that pupils learn to read confidently and fluently in readiness for key stage 2. Older pupils who continue to require extra help to catch up with their reading also benefit from effective support.

The school quickly and accurately identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND.

Staff support these pupils well in lessons. When necessary, pupils with SEND also benefit from support for their emotional or social needs. This is particularly true for pupils in the specially resourced provision.

The school's efforts to engage with parents and carers ensure that many parents are highly satisfied with the support that their children receive. However, some of the parents who shared their views were less content with aspects of the school's work. This is particularly so for some parents of pupils with SEND.

The foundations for pupils' impeccable behaviour are firmly laid in the early years. Children listen, take turns and follow well-established routines. Pupils across other year groups behave exceptionally well.

They are highly attentive in lessons and respond well to staff. Classrooms are calm and purposeful places to learn.

The school places a strong focus on pupils' personal development.

Pupils enjoy their weekly 'healthy Hermitage' day where they learn how to keep themselves mentally and physically well. They know that their opinions matter and that they can play an active role in further improving the school. For example, the school council has made changes to the rewards system to make sure that it is fairer.

Pupils' learning across the curriculum prepares them well for later life.

Those responsible for leadership and governance understand their roles and statutory duties well. The school supports and develops staff effectively.

Staff, including those who are at the early stage of their careers, said that they feel valued in their roles. They appreciate the positive steps that the school has taken to reduce their workload, such as by reviewing approaches to feeding back on pupils' work.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In one or two subjects, and in some areas of learning in early years, the school has not identified the most important content that pupils should learn to support their future learning. This means that some pupils do not recall and build on prior learning as well as they could. The school should ensure that, in these few remaining subjects, teachers are clear about the key knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to know and remember in readiness for the next stage.

• Occasionally, the school does not communicate as effectively as it could with some parents, including some parents of pupils with SEND. This means that these parents do not feel fully informed about how the school is meeting their child's individual needs. The school should refine how it engages with parents of pupils with SEND, so that they work in unison to support these pupils.

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