Hewens Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Respect underpins the positive relationships found throughout this happy school.

Pupils say they feel really safe because they trust that adults will look after them. Bullying is very rare, and pupils have every confidence that adults would sort it out if it did happen. Parents are really complimentary about the school, using phrases such as 'super happy', 'confident' and 'excited to come to school' about their children's experiences.

The school has high expectations for pupils' academic performance. This has led to pupils achieving very well in subjects such as reading and mathematics. Expectations for behaviour are equally high, resulting in pupils showing delightfu...l manners, collaborating well in lessons and playing harmoniously at breaktimes.

The school caters for pupils' personal development exceptionally well. The school develops pupils' leadership through an array of useful roles such as school councillors, prefects and fruit ambassadors. They are fully involved in planning and presenting assemblies, such as for the Year 6 leavers.

Pupils are really excited about all the trips they go on such as the day trip to France, where they get to practise the French they have learned.

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

The curriculum is broad and ambitious. Pupils who may need extra help, such as those who recently arrived in the country or pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are identified quickly.

Staff make adaptations so that these pupils can learn the curriculum effectively. In this way, pupils achieve well.

The trust ensures that pupils will become fluent, capable readers.

Staff have received comprehensive training so that they teach phonics confidently and effectively. Staff check pupils' understanding in phonics frequently. This means, right from the Reception Year, they tailor teaching to pupils' needs optimally.

Pupils take home books that match the sounds that they know. This enables them to practise and develop their fluency. Older pupils use their reading skills assuredly across a range of subjects.

This prepares them well for the harder reading they will encounter in secondary school.

A similar commitment in mathematics ensures pupils quickly develop a solid understanding of number. Ongoing work on times tables means pupils do well in the multiplication check in Year 4.

Children are immersed in mathematical language and concepts in the early years. For example, they explore pairs of numbers that make 10 and count in different languages. Staff ensure that activities help cement pupils' understanding further.

Pupils show a good understanding in subjects such as modern foreign languages, where teachers ensure pupils revisit key content regularly. For example, pupils were confident introducing themselves and remembering numbers, colours and how to say their age. However, in some subjects, pupils' recall was more limited.

Activities in these subjects are not as effective in cementing pupils' understanding, and there are fewer opportunities for pupils to revisit key learning.

Pupils take great pride in how they present their work. Books are presented neatly, and pupils write their explanations carefully, with clear information in tidy, legible handwriting.

This, along with how they listen and respond in lessons, shows they have positive attitudes to learning.

The school takes attendance very seriously, carefully analysing the data it collects. This has resulted in marked improvements in attendance over time.

The school is effective at identifying and supporting any families who struggle to attend regularly.

The school's values, its six Rs, underpin its exemplary work on personal development. This is a high priority for the school and the trust.

The school ensures pupils can explain what the values mean in great detail and how this relates to life skills. For example, the school ensures that pupils have the opportunity to listen and debate different ideas, bearing in mind the values of being respectful and rational. The school thinks carefully about the experiences it provides to ensure pupils leave Hewens Primary having had a broad range of experiences, such as visiting a zoo, watching a pantomime and performing with other choirs.

The school uses its pupil premium funding effectively to ensure that disadvantaged pupils are fully included in the many opportunities provided to enhance learning.

This is a trust that places high importance on providing the best for its stakeholders. There is a strong focus on well-being and mental health.

Any pupils or families that are struggling receive excellent support, both practical and emotional. This enables pupils to focus on their learning as other needs have been met.

The school and trust work together effectively to engage positively with staff.

For example, they prioritise staff well-being by creating a culture of support and personal and professional growth. Similarly, the school diligently takes account of staff workload when planning changes or improvements. As a result, staff feel rightly valued.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, pupils do not remember knowledge and skills systematically, which means they are less well prepared in these subjects for the next phase of their education. The trust should ensure that pupils have the opportunity to revisit key learning in these subjects and that teachers provide activities that help pupils cement their understanding so that pupils' learning in all subjects is equally strong.

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