Hurdsfield Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and know how to stay safe in this school. They have a strong understanding of diversity. Leaders thread the school's ethos of 'nobody is an outsider' throughout the curriculum.

Pupils welcome all newcomers.

Pupils are happy at school. They enjoy being with their friends.

They enjoy their lessons and also their activities outdoors. Books are at the core of what they learn. Pupils complete reading passports to show the range of books that they have read.

Pupils behave well in and around school. They respond well to teachers' requests. They quickly settle back to listening to the teacher after a discussion.

Pupils take pride in... their work. Younger pupils sit gripped with excited attention when teachers read stories. Pupils said that bullying is rare.

Staff deal well with any bullying concerns.

Staff have high expectations of every pupil. They make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can do the same work as all other pupils.

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

In many subjects, pupils achieve well. This is due to the carefully organised curriculum. In these subjects, staff have broken down what they want children in early years and pupils in key stages 1 and 2 to know into small segments.

However, in some other subjects, some pupils do not know the essential knowledge that they should. In these subjects, leaders have not identified precisely what they want pupils to know by the end of the unit of work. This makes it difficult for teachers to identify the small chunks of knowledge that they will teach pupils.

This leads to gaps in pupils' knowledge and their understanding.

Leaders have designed the curriculum so that different subjects link together well. However, in some subjects, teachers do not focus well enough on the important subject skills that pupils should learn.

They do not achieve as well as they should in these subjects as a result.

Governors and school leaders make sure that pupils with SEND succeed and that they are ready for secondary school. Staff work with parents and carers to identify which pupils may have SEND.

They teach these pupils the same curriculum content as their peers.

Reading is a high priority. Children in early years and pupils in key stage 1, including those with SEND, learn the sounds that letters represent.

Staff assess pupils' reading frequently to check that pupils are on track. The staff are well trained. They give extra time to those who need more help with their reading.

This extra practice for pupils is working. By Year 2, pupils have gained the knowledge and skills that they need to read fluently.Pupils read widely and they read often.

Teachers read books in story time that excite and enthuse pupils. Younger children join in with the reading as they get to know the book. Pupils read challenging and classic texts.

Library areas in each class are full of well-maintained, good-quality books.

Pupils behave well in lessons. They listen attentively.

This means that teachers can teach the curriculum with little disruption. In early years, most children concentrate well. They become engrossed in the activities that often link with the book that they are reading.

However, some younger children find it difficult to manage their behaviour when they are not with their usual teachers.

Teachers teach personal development through the curriculum. Global citizenship, respect and resilience are features of each subject.

Pupils show a deep understanding of British values and diversity. They have strong beliefs that everyone has a right to be who they are and to follow their interests.

The governing body has the knowledge and skills to oversee the quality of education in the school.

Governors ask challenging questions and provide advice and support to staff. Leaders make sure that staff's workload is manageable. Subject leaders are supported well to lead their subjects.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Governors and staff are well trained and knowledgeable. Staff are vigilant.

They act quickly when they know that a parent or pupil may need help. Leaders are persistent when they feel that outside agencies are not taking incidents seriously enough.

Staff manage any safeguarding incidents very well.

They work well with outside agencies to get the help that families need. Pupils learn about different ways of keeping safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's curriculum is not sufficiently well designed and sequenced in some subjects.

However, it is clear from leaders' actions that they are in the process of bringing this about. Leaders need to complete the process of reviewing the curriculum in all subjects within their identified timescale. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied.

• In some subjects, leaders have not identified the essential knowledge that it important for pupils to learn. This has led to some gaps in pupils' knowledge. Leaders should ensure that subject curriculums identify the key knowledge that pupils should learn by the end of each unit of work.

In some subjects, teachers do not cover all of the knowledge and skills specific to that area of the curriculum. As a result, there are gaps in some pupils' knowledge. Leaders should ensure that teachers deliver the key content of the curriculum so that pupils learn the intended knowledge.