Hillary Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Hillary Primary leaders and pupils share the same high aspirations. A rapid change in culture and expectations is enabling these aspirations to be realised.

Pupils understand and follow the leaders' values of 'respect, reflection, reciprocity, resourcefulness and resilience'. Pupils speak positively about the support they receive. Typical parent comments are that teachers are 'kind and caring' and pupils 'love to learn at the school'.

Leaders have developed a broad and ambitious curriculum. Pupils study a range of subjects. However, some subjects are not as fully developed as others.

Despite this ambitious curriculum, some pupils do not achieve as well as the...y should. Current learning is improving. There is more to do to ensure that all subject leaders consistently develop every subject.

Pupils' behaviour and attitudes to learning are respectful and positive. In a few lessons, a minority of pupils can become distracted. Staff understand the precise needs of these pupils.

They act quickly and efficiently to address any behaviour issues.

Leaders place a strong emphasis on pupils' personal development. Pupils develop their leadership roles.

Reading ambassadors in Years 5 and 6 support younger pupils. Some pupils take part in a range of enrichment opportunities such as sports and music.

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

There has been significant change within the leadership since the last inspection.

Leaders are working rapidly to review and design a highly ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Many staff have recently joined the school, or changed their subject leadership roles. This means that some subject leaders are still developing expertise in their subjects.

Some leaders check and evaluate what is working well in their subjects. However, this is not consistent in all subjects. Some subjects are developing more quickly than others.

In all classes, including the early years, positive relationships between teachers, pupils and parents help pupils to be confident and happy. Children in the early years have an extremely strong start to their school life. Leaders encourage children to learn more and to develop a curiosity about the world.

Children and teachers make the most of the special environment they have created.

Most teachers have secure subject knowledge. Some teachers carefully check what pupils know and remember.

Some pupils remember their previous knowledge well to help them understand new learning. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 could remember their learning from Year 4 to explain how authors use similes and metaphors to develop their writing. However, in some subjects, teachers do not check what pupils remember regularly enough.

Some pupils do not remember the key knowledge sufficiently well. Pupils then struggle to build on their previous learning. This leads to gaps in pupils' knowledge in these subjects.

Leaders quickly identify any pupil who may need additional support, including pupils with SEND. All pupils follow the same curriculum. A few pupils with specific SEND needs have effective teaching in a separate 'rainbow room'.

Teachers use information about pupils' additional needs to adapt their teaching well. This means that pupils with SEND can successfully access learning in line with other pupils.

Newly appointed leaders focus rapidly on pupils' literacy and numeracy.

Leaders identify any pupil with weak literacy skills when they join the school. The precise sequencing of phonics teaching helps pupils learn the right sounds at the right time. Those pupils who need help to catch up receive support quickly.

However, not all pupils read regularly and with enthusiasm at home. Leaders seek ways to engage all parents in supporting their children to read.

Absence from school is preventing a significant number of pupils achieving their potential.

There are too many pupils who miss school unnecessarily. This means that they miss out on too much learning. Leaders need to continue to engage with pupils and parents further.

Leaders' work to promote pupils' personal development is effective. Pupils understand about healthy relationships and respecting the views of others. Pupils voice their opinions about the school.

This encourages a strong sense of belonging. Pupils appreciate trips and visits which enhance the curriculum, as well as the Year 6 team-building residential each September.

Governors do not know their school well enough.

Previously, governors did not demonstrate challenge or support to senior leaders. More recently, governors have developed a clearer understanding of their duties and expectations. However, this has meant delays in many areas of school development.

Governors do have a secure awareness of safeguarding and the quality of SEND provision. Leaders carefully consider staff workload and staff welcome this.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding is well embedded in the culture of the school. Leaders are visible in person and their photographs are on display around the school. Leaders know the pupils and their local context extremely well.

They use this knowledge to plan support and help for pupils and their families. Leaders contact external agencies quickly when families require early help. All staff recognise that keeping pupils safe is everyone's responsibility.

Where staff have concerns, there are clear and swift processes to record and inform leaders.

Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe. This includes online safety, and when talking to unfamiliar people and visiting new places

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, teachers do not consistently check that pupils understand what has been learned and what pupils can remember.

This means that gaps in pupils' knowledge are not always identified and addressed effectively. Leaders must ensure that teachers consistently check pupils' understanding and recall at regular points in their learning and adapt their teaching accordingly to close any gaps. ? Some pupils do not read widely and regularly at home.

This means that they do not make sufficient progress in their reading and lack an understanding of what they are reading. Leaders should carefully monitor and support pupils and parents in engaging with regular and wide reading. ? Some pupils miss too much school.

This holds back their progress and achievement. Leaders must continue to work closely with parents and external agencies to support pupils and parents in engaging with regular attendance for all pupils. ? Some subject curriculums are less well developed than others.

These curriculums do not consistently enable pupils to learn the key knowledge and skills, compared to other subject curriculums. Leaders should continue their development of these subjects so that pupils access a wide range of subjects and learn the key knowledge and skills within the planned curriculum. ? Those responsible for governance do not have a sufficiently clear and accurate view of their school.

They do not have a secure understanding of all aspects of governance. As a result, they do not have the expertise to fully challenge and support leaders to improve the school. Governors should ensure that they receive training to build their capacity to fully support and challenge leaders.