Hesters Way Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being at this school. They are happy to be with their friends, learning together. They respond well to staff's high expectations of behaviour and learning.

Pupils are well mannered, polite and courteous. There is a calm and orderly atmosphere in school and in the playground. Pupils respond well to the learning challenges set by teachers.

They can concentrate on their work in class because there is very little poor behaviour.

Pupils enjoy a range of exciting learning activities. Staff encourage pupils to read for pleasure and all classes have story time each day.

Pupils enjoy the after-school clubs and are looking forward to joining more ...of these when the restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic are removed.

Staff encourage pupils to keep fit and healthy. Pupils learn about the importance of a good diet and about healthy relationships.

They know about a range of cultures and religions. They have respect for each other and value the opinions of others.Pupils say that bullying is very rare and that, if it occurs, staff 'sort it out' straight away.

Pupils trust all members of staff and particularly appreciate the pastoral support and advice offered in the 'Pod'.

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

The headteacher has a clear vision and determination for every child in the school to succeed. She has established a strong and committed leadership team.

Leaders have designed the curriculum well. They have set out clearly sequenced steps of learning in each subject. Staff understand the aims of the curriculum.

In the Reception class, staff use the learning environment effectively to include a wide range of activities to support all areas of learning. Children cooperate well together and learn to share resources and to take turns. This leads to effective learning.

Subject leaders monitor the effectiveness of the curriculum well in most subjects. In some subjects, for example art, leaders have recently reviewed the curriculum and introduced new sequences of learning. In these subjects, staff have some gaps in their knowledge.

Staff use assessment procedures well to identify pupils who have misconceptions or who have fallen behind in their work. Staff are skilled in offering pupils extra help, or intervention, to help them catch up.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is a strength of the school.

Staff carefully consider pupils' needs and provide detailed individual support plans. Teachers use these plans effectively to support pupils' learning.

Leaders have promoted a love of reading across the whole school.

Staff across the school constantly encourage reading for pleasure. Pupils enjoy a range of literature, including traditional classics, modern tales and poetry. The teaching of phonics is systematic and rigorous.

It starts from when children join the school in the early years, and this helps them to develop fluency in reading.

Pupils' personal development is well nurtured. Staff encourage pupils to be responsible and respectful citizens.

Leaders promote British values and pupils have learned about democracy recently by voting for class representatives on the pupil council. Pupils understand the dangers of drug misuse and how to stay safe when online. Staff encourage pupils to eat healthily and to be physically active.

Pupils respect different views and opinions and have a secure understanding of how to have healthy relationships. Pupils in all key stages have positive attitudes to learning. Their good behaviour contributes to their successful learning.

Leaders have focused on a whole-school approach to encouraging good attendance. This, combined with close monitoring of absence, has led to an improvement in pupils' attendance.

Governors have used the support offered by the local authority well.

This has enabled them to hold leaders to account well and to ask challenging questions. They evaluate how the school improvement plan is driving the school forward. Governors carefully monitor the progress of improvement plans and visit the school to focus on this.

Staff feel that leaders carefully consider their well-being and workload. They feel they can approach the headteacher who always supports them with sensitivity.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Staff receive regular training in how to spot signs that a child might be at risk of harm. They follow procedures to refer their concerns and know that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

Pupils say they feel safe and well cared for by staff.

Leaders refer concerns promptly to appropriate agencies and follow these referrals up meticulously. There are strong systems in place to ensure staff are suitable to work with pupils.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, for example art, leaders have implemented changes recently. This means that some aspects of these subjects are unfamiliar to teachers and they have gaps in their subject knowledge. Leaders should ensure that staff develop secure knowledge in these subjects.

Some subject leaders have only recently started to check the implementation of the curriculum. This means that they are not yet able to evaluate fully the effectiveness of the curriculum in their subjects. Senior leaders should ensure that subject leaders develop their monitoring and evaluation of the curriculum further.

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