Hilton Lane Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now.

Inspectors are recommending the next inspection to be a graded inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, and children in the early years, feel that they are part of a happy school community. Leaders ensure that pupils benefit from strong pastoral support.

This contributes successfully to pupils' wider development. Pupils are welcoming and friendly to school visitors, keen to make their teachers p...roud.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' behaviour.

Pupils live up to these expectations and are keen to follow the school motto of being ready, respectful and safe. They behave well in class and at breaktimes, moving around the school sensibly and quietly.Pupils act in a kind and empathetic manner towards one another and are accepting of each other's differences.

Leaders deal with any incidents of bullying swiftly. This helps pupils to feel safe in school.

Most pupils work hard in lessons and they enjoy learning.

However, weaknesses in the design and delivery of the curriculum mean that some pupils do not achieve as well as they should, including in reading. This is also the case for some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Added to this, some staff do not have high enough expectations of what some pupils can achieve.

There are many opportunities on offer to pupils. For example, pupils in Year 6 enjoy the responsibility of dinner duty and serving drinks to younger pupils. Leaders have recently extended the school's extra-curricular offer.

Alongside sporting clubs such as dodgeball, boxing and dance, pupils are eager to enjoy cooking, drama and choir practice.

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

Leaders have designed a broad and balanced curriculum that is suitably ambitious for pupils. In most subjects, leaders have identified the knowledge that pupils should learn and they have ordered this logically.

However, in a small number of subjects, leaders are less clear about what pupils should be learning and when content should be delivered. This hinders some teachers in designing learning and selecting appropriate activities for pupils.

In most subjects, leaders have ensured that teachers have a strong knowledge of the subjects that they teach.

This supports staff to deliver many new concepts with clarity and confidence. However, some teachers do not use assessment well to check on pupils' understanding of earlier learning. As a result, some pupils' misconceptions are not addressed quickly enough by staff.

This hinders pupils in developing a rich body of knowledge across the curriculum.

Leaders have made reading a priority. For the most part, staff ensure that the books pupils read are matched accurately to the sounds they have learned in class.

This is helping more pupils to read with fluency and confidence. In recent months, leaders have ensured that pupils have access to a broader range of high-quality texts. As a result, an increasing proportion of pupils are reading for pleasure and keen to talk about the books that they have read.

In the early years, children enjoy listening to stories and singing rhymes.

While leaders have ensured that staff have received training to deliver the phonics programme, some staff lack the expertise to be able to deliver this programme as leaders intend. This prevents some pupils, particularly those who have fallen behind in reading, from catching up as quickly as they should.

This is especially the case in the early years.

Leaders ensure that staff are equipped to identify the needs of pupils with SEND accurately. Staff have the information that they need to adapt the curriculum for this group of pupils.

However, some staff do not use this information well to adapt how they deliver the curriculum to meet the needs of some pupils with SEND. This prevents these pupils from achieving as well as they should.

Leaders have established clear routines for pupils' behaviour.

As a result, disruption to learning is rare. In the early years, children learn to recognise the difference between right and wrong, and staff support them to make the right choices. For example, in the Nursery class, staff support children to learn how to take turns.

Leaders have carefully considered the wider experiences that pupils need to enhance their wider development and prepare them well for life in modern Britain. To this end, there are a wide range of experiences on offer to pupils to enhance their understanding of the wider world. These include visits to the theatre and live sporting events.

Pupils are eager to learn about religions, cultures and families that are different to their own.

The governing body has a sharp overview of the quality of education for pupils. They are well equipped to hold leaders to account.

Senior leaders and governors have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development. Together, they are driving forward positive changes to the curriculum.

Staff said that leaders consider the impact of any new initiatives on their workload.

Most staff understand why recent changes have had to be made and are supportive of them. Leaders are cognisant of staff's well-being, and staff said that they are appreciative of this.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have ensured that staff are aware of the signs that may indicate a pupil is at risk of harm. Staff know and follow leaders' procedures for reporting any safeguarding concerns diligently.

Leaders have a clear understanding of the local context and they support pupils and their families well.

Staff work closely with external agencies and adopt a tenacious approach to ensuring that pupils and their families receive the help they need.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including online. For example, they know that they should keep their passwords private and not share them with anyone.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some staff lack the knowledge and expertise they need to deliver the phonics curriculum as leaders intend. As a result, some pupils are hindered in learning to read fluently and confidently as quickly as they should. Leaders should ensure that staff are suitably trained to deliver the phonics programme consistently well.

They should ensure that those who are struggling to read are given support to help them catch up quickly. ? In some subjects, leaders are less clear about what pupils should be learning and when this content should be delivered by staff. This prevents some teachers from designing learning that supports pupils to learn the intended curriculum.

Leaders should ensure that teachers are clear about what pupils should learn and that staff are supported well to choose appropriate activities. This will help pupils to acquire the knowledge that they need for subsequent learning. ? Some teachers do not use assessment strategies effectively to identify and address pupils' misconceptions.

This prevents pupils from building securely on prior learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers are equipped to use assessment strategies well to rectify pupils' misunderstandings. ? Some staff do not have the knowledge and expertise to use the information about the needs of some pupils with SEND to adapt the curriculum and meet the needs of these pupils.

As a result, some pupils with SEND are not learning the curriculum as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that staff are trained suitably to be able to adapt how they deliver the curriculum so that pupils with SEND achieve well.Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2018.