Hindley Junior and Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff set high expectations for pupils' learning and behaviour. Pupils rise to these challenges.

They have a strong belief in their ability to succeed. Teachers help pupils to build high levels of resilience when tackling new learning. As a result, pupils are extremely committed to their education.

They relish learning new information.

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well across a range of subjects.

Pupils' behaviour is excellent in and around school. Pupils display consistently high le...vels of self-control. They are exceedingly respectful of each other and of staff.

Pupils accept that everyone is unique. They value diversity and difference. Pupils readily offer support to their peers to help them in their work and play.

Pupils benefit from positive, caring relationships. The pastoral support that pupils receive is a considerable strength. For example, leaders are quick to deal with any incidents of bullying.

As a result, pupils feel safe and happy in school.

Pupils have access to a wide and rich set of experiences, which allow them to develop their interests, talents and character. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

This includes children in the early years.

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

Leaders have established an engaging curriculum that meets pupils' learning and development needs. Leaders have thought carefully about the important knowledge that pupils must learn.

This includes the knowledge that children should learn in the early years. Overall, the curriculum is delivered in a logical way. It enables pupils to build up a strong foundation of subject knowledge on which they can add new learning.

The curriculum in the early years ensures that children are well prepared for Year 1.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They use their expertise to devise lesson activities that enable most pupils to learn well.

Teachers ensure that pupils have plentiful opportunities to recall and revisit previous learning. This is so that pupils do not forget important topics and concepts.

In the main, teachers use leaders' assessment systems well to identify where pupils have developed misconceptions, or to adapt the delivery of the curriculum to revisit important knowledge.

However, leaders have not fully established exactly what knowledge teachers should assess in one or two subjects. This is a work in progress. Consequently, in these subjects, teachers are less certain about whether pupils have learned all the important information that they should have.

For example, teachers in these subjects do not know whether some pupils have grasped aspects of subject-specific vocabulary and terminology.

Leaders prioritise, and have a passion for, the teaching of reading right across the school. Staff have benefited from quality training and support to enable them to deliver the phonics programme consistently well.

Children benefit from starting this programme as soon as they enter the Reception Year.

Staff quickly enable children in the early years to develop their skills in reading, so that they can apply these to their writing. Pupils soon develop fluency and accuracy in reading.

A strong and effective reading curriculum supports pupils to unlock learning in other subjects.

Teachers' checks on how well pupils are learning to read ensure that they identify those pupils who are struggling to keep up. Leaders put into place effective support for those pupils who find reading more difficult.

This enables them to catch up quickly with their peers.

Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND are identified early. They fully involve parents and carers in discussions about their children's needs.

Leaders ensure that teachers know how to adapt the delivery of the curriculum to enable pupils with SEND to learn successfully alongside their peers. Pupils with SEND learn well.

Pupils' behaviour is exceptional.

Children begin to develop an awareness of the importance of sharing and taking turns in the early years. Staff establish extremely effective routines in the early years, which prepare children well for the demands of learning in later years. Pupils' rates of attendance are excellent.

Pupils show a real concern for the welfare of themselves and others. In particular, older pupils show significant empathy for younger children and those with additional needs. The wider personal development programme is exceedingly well thought out.

It enables pupils to take on an impressive range of leadership roles. It also ensures that pupils discuss and debate key issues, for example about the environment, with maturity.

Pupils, including those with SEND, have access to a rich and extensive array of extra-curricular opportunities.

For example, pupils enjoy attending a varied range of clubs that develop their knowledge and skills. These include creative, academic, sporting and well-being activities. Leaders are passionate in their ambition to ensure that pupils develop fully as active citizens.

For example, pupils know and understand that promoting equality of opportunity is of fundamental importance.

Leaders have ensured that staff feel valued and, as a result, they work well together. Staff morale is high.

Staff feel supported, trusted and respected by leaders. Governors have a knowledgeable and accurate understanding of the quality of education that pupils receive. They provide leaders with the appropriate challenge and support.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding. They have a secure understanding of the potential safeguarding risks that pupils may face, including within the local community.

Staff have received appropriate safeguarding training. They have a clear understanding of the indicators of potential abuse and neglect. Leaders and staff work well with outside agencies to ensure that families facing challenging circumstances get the timely help that they need.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, for example they are taught how to use the internet safely. Pupils know how they can report any concerns to staff.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not ensured that teachers know exactly what knowledge to assess in a few foundation subjects.

As a result, some pupils do not build up a secure enough understanding of different topics and concepts. Nor do some pupils gain a sufficiently secure understanding of the essential subject-specific vocabulary that they require. Leaders should identify the most crucial subject knowledge that teachers must assess across all the foundation subjects.

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