Hermitage Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this happy and welcoming school. Pupils behave well here.

The school environment is calm and orderly. This is because routines are established, and expectations are clear.Pupils are kind and considerate towards others, including those in the early years.

For example, older pupils take on the role of 'play leaders' and support younger children during breaktimes. Pupils are respectful towards others. This includes those of other faiths and those in different kinds of families.

Pupils know who to talk to if they are worried. They know they will be listened to. As a result, they feel happy and safe.

Leaders and governors are ambiti...ous for pupils to succeed. However, the quality of education, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), is not as effective as it could be.In the early years, children do not develop a wide vocabulary because adults do not model language as effectively as they could across curriculum areas.

Leaders provide a range of additional activities, including piano lessons, cooking, calligraphy and drama clubs. Pupils are given the opportunity to perform at the Royal Albert Hall and the O2 Arena. These creative activities support pupils to develop their talents and pursue their interests.

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

Leaders want every pupil to read fluently and develop a love of reading. Pupils are taught to read from the start of Reception. Books are closely matched to the sounds that pupils know.

This means that pupils develop confidence and positive attitudes to reading. Those pupils who find reading difficult receive additional support to catch up. Staff have been trained to implement the agreed phonics programme.

However, staff do not consistently model and reinforce the programme's agreed reading strategies. As a result, pupils do not routinely practise and embed these techniques sufficiently. This limits some pupils' fluency and accuracy.

The curriculum meets the requirements of what is expected nationally. In some subjects, leaders have identified what they want pupils to learn, and this is broken down into logical steps from Year 1 to Year 6. This helps pupils to embed important knowledge before applying what they have learned to more complex concepts.

For example, in science, pupils in Year 2 can explain the importance of foods from different food groups because they have previously been taught what humans need to survive.However, in some subjects, the knowledge pupils need to learn and remember is not clear. This means teachers do not focus sufficiently on ensuring pupils secure important ideas.

As a result, pupils do not develop a deep body of knowledge in these subjects and are not as well prepared as they need to be for the next stage of their education. This includes in the early years, where there are limited opportunities for children to hear and practise new vocabulary because adults do not routinely model language effectively or extend children's vocabulary or sentence structure.Teachers have access to curriculum training.

This means that, in some subjects, where the curriculum is well designed, teachers have the subject knowledge to deliver curriculum content clearly and to address pupils' misconceptions.Pupils with SEND are accurately identified. Leaders seek appropriate support and advice from external professionals, such as therapists and educational psychologists.

However, leaders and teachers do not use this guidance to make appropriate adaptations to the curriculum. This limits how well some pupils are supported to learn and remember important ideas.Pupils collaborate well with each other.

They share resources and listen carefully to what their classmates have to say. This includes children in the early years. Leaders have in place effective systems to manage behaviour.

Therefore, learning is not interrupted.Personal, social, health and economic education is well structured. Leaders aim for pupils to become responsible and respectful citizens.

Pupils are taught about democracy and are given opportunities to consider the views of others. For example, pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 formed two political parties. They recorded party political broadcasts, wrote manifestos, canvassed for voters, and ran an election.

Pupils also learn how to identify risks, both on and offline, and how to recognise healthy and unhealthy relationships. Pupils are taught about consent in an age-appropriate manner. For example, in Reception, children are taught about personal space.

In Year 1, pupils are taught to recognise privacy and the importance of seeking permission. In Year 2, pupils are taught about managing secrets and resisting pressure.Governors and leaders understand what the school does well and what it needs to do to be even better.

Governors fulfil their statutory duties. Staff have mixed views about the support they are given by leaders to manage their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that safeguarding is a key priority. Staff are well trained. Leaders provide regular and relevant training.

This helps staff to identify and report any concerns they have swiftly. Leaders respond quickly, working closely with outside agencies to secure the necessary support for pupils and families.

Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to learn about possible risks.

Pupils are encouraged to keep safe, including online. They know they should report concerns to an adult and know not to share personal information with strangers.Governors understand their statutory duties.

For example, they carry out robust pre-employment checks on staff.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders have not set out what they expect pupils to learn. This means that teachers do not focus sufficiently on important concepts, and pupils do not build a deep body of knowledge in these subjects.

Leaders need to ensure that the key vocabulary, knowledge, skills and understanding are identified across the curriculum to enable pupils to know and remember more over time. ? Adults do not consistently use the agreed phonic strategies when supporting pupils to read. This limits some pupils' accuracy.

Leaders need to ensure that staff use the agreed reading strategies so that pupils develop as fluent and confident readers. ? In the early years, insufficient opportunities are provided to develop children's language. This means that children do not develop the vocabulary or spoken language they need for the next stage of their education.

Leaders should ensure that the language children need is identified and that staff model this language accurately and effectively. ? Adaptations to tasks and activities are not effective in helping some pupils with SEND to access the curriculum as well as they could. Leaders should check that teachers are using the information provided by external services to make appropriate adaptations so that pupils with SEND develop the knowledge and skills needed to access the curriculum with increasing independence over time.