Hovingham Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have implemented effective systems to improve pupils' attendance and behaviour since the previous inspection.

Pupils' behaviour and attendance has improved as a result. Staff and pupils know the school's behaviour curriculum, the 'Hovingham Way', well. Most pupils feel safe.

They are confident that staff will deal with any bullying issues.

There is a vigilant culture of identifying pupils who may be vulnerable or at risk of harm. The school's curriculum ensures that pupils are taught, in an age-appropriate way, about the risks they may face in a range of situations.

Pupils enjoy attending the range of extracurricular clubs and activities such... as ballet, football, choir, drama and craft clubs, to name a few. Pupils take pride in holding positions of responsibility, such as being a mental health champion, an anti-bullying ambassador, or a student council representative.

The school has high pupil mobility.

Many pupils are new to English when they join the school and have different starting points. Leaders have had to manage a continually changing pupil population.

Leaders have started to make some changes to the curriculum.

However, the school does not have high enough expectations of what pupils can and should achieve. Teachers do not use assessment consistently well. The school does not ensure that pupils are fluent in the basics of reading and writing.

Consequently, many pupils fall further behind.

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

Since the previous inspection, leaders have raised the profile of reading across the school, including in the early years. There are appealing book areas in corridors and in classrooms.

Pupils have access to a diverse range of books. Leaders have ensured that all staff have received training in the school's phonics programme. However, adults do not check consistently well enough that pupils are keeping up with the school's phonics programme.

Some pupils are not making the progress they should.

The curriculum in some subjects is more developed than in others. For instance, leaders have ensured that the school's mathematics curriculum is implemented more effectively.

As a result, pupils can remember much of what they have been taught in this subject. However, the curriculum in art is in the very early stages of development. Pupils have experienced little art.

Teachers do not consistently use assessment well to check that pupils understand and have retained what they have learned. As a result, gaps in pupils' knowledge, understanding and skills are not addressed swiftly. In some subjects, the work that pupils do in lessons does not support pupils' current and future learning as well as it needs to.

Sometimes, pupils do not have the basic foundations to move on to more complex activities. Teachers are not always quick to spot this.

Poor letter formation, and issues with pupils' spelling punctuation and grammar, are addressed inconsistently.

For instance, issues remain with pupils' poor letter formation in key stage 1 because staff have not effectively addressed these issues in the early years.

Teachers ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported in lessons. For instance, through the use of visual aids and equipment where required.

Teachers consider any appropriate adaptations for pupils with visual impairments.

Pupils' attendance is gradually increasing due to the school's strong focus on improving attendance. This is important, as pupils' attendance is stubbornly low.

Leaders ensure that they understand the barriers to poor attendance. Improving pupils' attendance is a high priority and everyone's responsibility. Leaders liaise effectively with outside agencies to support families.

Some staff speak several languages and carry out home visits. This is helping to reduce pupils' barriers to good attendance.

Pupils are polite and welcoming.

Most pupils behave well. Staff feel well supported in managing more challenging behaviour. There are respectful relationships between staff and pupils.

Most parents and pupils believe that the school deals with bullying incidents well. Most pupils are confident to talk to an adult in school if they have any worries or concerns.

Pupils enjoy learning about different faiths and cultures.

However, some pupils find it difficult to remember what they learned beyond basic facts. Pupils who inspectors spoke to could explain what they have learned about fundamental British values. Their understanding of the importance of British values is less well developed.

Governors provide effective challenge and support to leaders in some areas, such as attendance. They are knowledgeable about the challenges in the local area. They visit the school regularly to check what leaders are telling them.

However, they have an overgenerous view of the quality of education at the school and the impact on all its pupils.

Most staff, including those who are new to teaching, feel well supported and say that leaders consider their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school has not embedded an effective system for assessment. This means staff do not have an accurate understanding of the progress individual pupils are making throughout the curriculum to make the necessary adaptations. The school should ensure that staff know how to effectively check pupils' understanding both in lessons and over time.

They should make effective use of this information to check that pupils can remember what they have been taught and, where necessary, revisit learning that pupils have not understood and retained. ? The school has not ensured that teachers implement the school's curriculum effectively. The activities that teachers ask pupils to do do not consistently help pupils to make the best possible progress towards achieving the school's curriculum goals.

Some pupils do not remember important information over time. The school should ensure that staff receive training to improve their pedagogical knowledge. The school should also ensure that the activities pupils do in lessons are well matched to the school's curriculum goals.

• Issues with pupils' handwriting, letter formation, spelling and grammar are not addressed swiftly. This means that several pupils fall further behind. The school should ensure that the same rigour shown in the improvements made to pupils' behaviour and attendance is applied to improving the quality of education to ensure that pupils become fluent in the basics of reading and writing, and all pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education.