Hunslet Carr Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This school lives out its motto that 'Impossible is Nothing'. Pupils are nurtured from the moment they step into this school community. Leaders are passionate about raising aspirations for the pupils in their care.

Parents spoke highly of the support they receive. They told inspectors that they would recommend this school to others. The headteacher has a strong and clear vision of what pupils at Hunslet Carr need in order to be well prepared for life beyond the school gates.

He has developed a strong team of staff who deliver this offer with credibility and compassion through their thoughtfully designed curriculum.

Pupils learn about healthy relationships, co...nsent and personal space as part of their personal, social, health and economic education curriculum. There is a strong emphasis on well-being throughout the curriculum and through the nurture sessions available to pupils.

This helps pupils know how to respond if bullying or inappropriate behaviour happens in school or the wider community. Leaders see this knowledge as important for their pupils to develop further as citizens. Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour.

Consequently, pupils behave well in lessons and during social times.

Pupils know that staff are there to help them manage any worries they may have. They feel well supported by trusted adults in school, but sometimes feel worried by tensions in their community outside of school.

In meetings with inspectors, pupils explained the ways in which school helps them with this. They shared how they are taught to stay safe, both in and out of school. Pupils are quick to offer support to one another if they are worried.

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

Leaders have designed a well-sequenced curriculum which is connected across the school from the early years to Year 6. Leaders are ambitious about the range of knowledge and skills they want pupils to develop during their time at this school. In English and mathematics, this is well implemented with consistency across almost all classes.

Reading is a priority for pupils in this school. The leaders of phonics and early reading have delivered comprehensive training in the school's phonics programme. Teaching includes a daily phonics session for all pupils, with further opportunities to support those pupils who are struggling to catch up and keep up.

This is delivered with fidelity in whole-class sessions, but not in interventions. While leaders' actions are making a positive difference for the majority of pupils, there are some pupils who remain behind the expected pace of the phonics programme.

The wider curriculum is well planned and implemented in most subjects, with progression evident from children's starting points in early years to the ambitious end points needed in order to prepare pupils for Year 7 and beyond.

Staff have a clear understanding of how pupils learn. Lesson visits showed how some teachers use learning recaps to check what pupils already know. This does not happen in all classes, so some pupils do not have a solid understanding of some key concepts before new learning takes place.

In some subjects, such as English, physical education (PE) and mathematics, pupils are able to talk about what they have learned in previous years, and can remember this well. In other subjects, this prior learning is less secure. Leaders acknowledge that this is a priority and work is underway to develop assessment in all subjects so that all pupils can talk about what they know and remember.

Subject leaders are working with the leader of the wider curriculum to develop a school-wide approach to assessment. This is so that all pupils are able to build their new learning on secure long-term knowledge.

The inclusion team, including the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator (SENDCo), the nurture leader and the designated safeguarding leader, ensures that leaders and staff have a detailed understanding of each pupil's needs.

As a result, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are very well supported. There are a range of adaptations in place to ensure that all pupils are able to access learning alongside their peers.

Parents and carers were consulted widely on the relationships and sex education curriculum.

Leaders listened to any concerns and engaged openly in discussion. Support was provided to help families feel more comfortable with how they may wish to discuss relationships and sex education with their children. This open and transparent approach ensures that pupils know they can speak openly with staff in school and with their family at home.

Governors work well with leaders. They are an active part of the school team and have a clear understanding of the school's strengths and priorities. Staff are proud to be part of Hunslet Carr.

They feel valued and cared for. Staff appreciate that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding in this school. All staff understand the distinctiveness of their local context and are alert to concerns. They report worries quickly.

These are followed up promptly by leaders, who communicate well with families and external agencies.

Procedures are comprehensive and detailed. They inform every aspect of the safeguarding team's work.

This in turn informs training and curriculum design across the school. Leaders are tenacious in following any concerns raised through to resolution. They are strong advocates for the needs of their pupils, and are unafraid to offer professional challenge when necessary.

The staff at this school know their community well, and work with a wide variety of organisations and agencies to support families and their children.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• While the new phonics approach is delivered well in whole-class phonics sessions, some inconsistencies remain. Some early reading intervention sessions are not delivered with the same fidelity to the school's chosen approach.

This is hindering some pupils from catching up quickly and learning to read. Leaders should ensure that all staff receive the training they need to deliver leaders' chosen phonics programme with consistency. ? Subject leaders have worked to design and introduce a well-structured curriculum in the foundation subjects.

However, they have not yet secured consistent assessment processes. This means that sometimes teachers do not accurately know whether pupils have achieved the intended end points for each unit of learning. Leaders should continue to develop and embed assessment processes so that prior learning is effectively built on, and new learning is delivered consistently well across all classes.