Hexthorpe Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Hexthorpe Primary School is a happy and welcoming school. Staff know all pupils and families individually.

Positive relationships between staff, pupils, parents and carers ensure everyone is valued and included. Pupils thrive in the family atmosphere of this nurturing school.

The school sets high expectations for pupils learning.

Staff want all pupils to do well. Pupils enjoy their learning. They know how the knowledge they learn in different subjects will help them in everyday life.

Pupils behave well. They move around the building sensibly and safely. Pupils enjoy each other's company at breakfast club.

Adults support pupils to play togeth...er at breaktimes and lunchtimes. Pupils are safe in school. Bullying is rare.

If it does happen, adults deal with it swiftly and fairly. Pupils show respect and are accepting of others' differences. One pupil said, 'We are all equal and we have the same respect for everyone.'



Staff provide high levels of support for pupils and parents. Parents welcome and appreciate this level of care. Staff are knowledgeable about the local community.

The pastoral team helps families to access local services. Parents speak to the pastoral team willingly and happily.

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

The curriculum has undergone significant changes since the last inspection.

The school has prioritised mathematics and reading from the early years to Year 6. In science, and subjects such as history and art, the school has identified the important knowledge that they want pupils to learn. Many pupils speak English as an additional language.

The curriculum focuses on developing pupils' language and oracy skills. In key stage 1 and 2, teachers model and repeat language to develop pupils' understanding. The school has carefully identified the vocabulary that pupils will learn in each subject.

The quality of education that pupils receive is not reflected in the outcomes achieved by pupils in Year 6 in 2022. These pupils experienced disruption to their learning during the pandemic. They have had less time to benefit from the improvements that the school has made to the curriculum.

Staff use clear procedures to identify and support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND have plans with individual targets that set out what they are expected to achieve each term. These targets are reviewed regularly.

However, for some pupils the targets are not precisely related to their learning.

There is a consistent approach to teaching phonics and reading from the early years to Year 6. Staff are well trained.

They implement the agreed phonics programme with fidelity and precision. Adults check pupils' phonic knowledge regularly and ensure that extra support is given to any pupils who are at risk of falling behind. Pupils practise reading with carefully selected books that match the sounds that they have learned.

This helps pupils to read with increasing accuracy, fluency and confidence. Pupils enjoy listening to teachers read to them. Leaders have intentionally chosen books to share which reflect the diverse community in which pupils live.

The school library is an inviting and welcoming reading environment, where pupils can choose reading books to share at home. Pupils welcome the variety of books that they have on offer.

In the early years, children play well together and talk confidently to adults about their learning.

The school recognises that the early years curriculum needs further development. The school has not given staff enough guidance on how to develop and extend children's knowledge and vocabulary across the early years curriculum. Learning activities do not provide children with the opportunity to build a secure foundation for later learning.

Children are not prepared as well as they should be for Year 1.

The 'green light' behaviour system is clear and understood by all pupils and staff. Pupils know that they will be rewarded for behaving well.

The behaviour of a small number of pupils does not meet the high expectations of the school. Adults are well trained to support these pupils. There are detailed systems in place to record and track behaviour incidents.

Leaders engage with families to manage attendance well. The school has a strong bank of resources to ensure that pupils and families get the help that they need quickly.

There is a well-planned programme for pupils' personal development.

Pupils take on leadership roles, such as school councillors, junior leaders and mini police with pride. These roles help to promote pupils' confidence and sense of responsibility. Pupils enjoy the choice of extra-curricular clubs on offer.

The school has made significant improvement since the last inspection. Leaders, including trust leaders, have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and what needs to be better. They have a clear strategy to ensure that the school continues to move forward.

Leaders respond positively to staff needs. They ensure that training and support is robust. Staff describe the school as 'like a family'.

They take pride in working together to meet the needs of their diverse community.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some pupils with SEND do not have precise learning targets in their individual education plans.

This means that staff are not aware of the small steps needed for these pupils to make progress in their learning. The school needs to ensure that the targets for all pupils with SEND are precise and matched to their learning needs. ? Learning activities in the early years do not focus clearly on the development of key knowledge and vocabulary.

Adult-led activities are too complex for many children. This means that children cannot access the intended learning outcomes. The school should ensure that the early years curriculum identifies the key knowledge and vocabulary that children need to be ready for year 1, including how this will be delivered within the setting.

• In the early years, adults do not model the language or vocabulary that they want children to learn consistently. Adults miss opportunities to check whether children have acquired the vocabulary that they need to communicate effectively. The school should ensure that staff have the training and expertise to provide meaningful opportunities to practise talking and communicating across all seven areas of learning.