Hurworth Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Hurworth Primary School continues to be a good school.

The headteacher of this school is Alison Maddison. This school is part of Lingfield Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Nick Blackburn, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Stuart Crowther.

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a place of calm and kindness. One pupil rightly described school as a big family in which everyone cares for one another. This helps pupils to feel safe.

Pupils embody the school rules by being ready and respectful. Courtesy and good manners are evident a...t all times. Pupils describe their right to say what they think and not be judged for their opinions.

Breaktimes and lunchtimes are occasions when pupils can be sociable and have fun. Pupils respect the lunchtime code by setting the table and facing each other while eating. Pupils eat in 'family groups' with all ages represented.

Pupils behave very well. The curriculum is of good quality. Stickers are awarded when pupils are 'caught being good'.'

Pupil of the week' award recognises school values, such as teamwork or resilience. Pupils speak of respect and tolerance for everyone. Pupils respond positively to the high expectations placed on them to work hard and behave well.

Pupils value the school's outside space and use this to extend their learning and play. They appreciate the multi-use games area and the large school garden, with its raised vegetable beds and pond. The enjoy exploring the outside classroom and the line of wooden 'pods' for puzzles, investigations and arts and crafts.

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

The school has developed a high-quality curriculum in most areas. The school has identified the key knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember. Staff build pupils' knowledge over time and connect ideas together.

They teach pupils the essential vocabulary they need to learn, and they revisit topics to help pupils to remember. In some areas, such as history and modern foreign languages, the curriculum is less developed.The essential knowledge that pupils need to learn has not been mapped out as well in these subjects as it is elsewhere.

Pupils are absorbed in their learning and determined to succeed for themselves. They work hard, listen to each other, and produce work of good quality. Lessons run smoothly and without interruption.

The school uses assessment well in lessons to check who is keeping up and who is struggling. Work is adapted accordingly, so that all pupils keep up. Regular assessments in reading, writing and mathematics identify gaps in pupils' knowledge.

Pupils quickly learn to read. Phonics teaching starts immediately in Reception. Children already know many sounds and blend them to read words.

Staff teach the phonics programme in consistent ways. Pupils listen to how sounds make words and then repeat them. Learning to read is linked to writing and spelling.

Younger pupils quickly become skilled readers and writers. Reading lies at the heart of the school. Older pupils talk enthusiastically of the reading raffle, book request forms and the different kinds of books they borrow from the library.

The school involves all pupils in all aspects of its work. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early. Staff address their needs well.

The school amends teaching to help pupils with SEND to learn well. Some of these adaptations include the use of enlarged type or enabling pupils to record on a laptop. The school ensures that all pupils, including those with SEND, attend after-school clubs, represent the school and undertake roles of responsibility.

All pupils study the same curriculum. Everyone has an equal chance to shine.

The school's planning of activities and opportunities to develop pupils' all-round character is of high quality.

The school designs its after-school clubs to meet the specific needs of pupils. Attendance at clubs is tracked to ensure all benefit. Roles of responsibility are numerous, often underpinned by values such as kindness.

Pupils visit places of worship, theatres, museums, parks and places of historical interest or natural beauty. An entire year group learns a brass instrument. Pupils confidently perform in events, such as the summer comedy sketch show.

The school supports many local and national charities. Pupils leave school as well-rounded individuals, well equipped for the next phase of their education.

Adults in school operate as a motivated and supportive team.

The school values everyone in an atmosphere where 'having a go' is encouraged without fear of failure or criticism. The school promotes staff's health and well-being, valuing the importance of home life. The local governing body challenges and supports the school very well.

Local governors are directly involved in checking on improvement actions. There is strong communication between the school's local governors and the trust board. The school benefits from high-quality support from the trust.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, the curriculum is less securely developed than it is in others. In these subjects, the most important knowledge that pupils need to know and remember is not clearly mapped out for pupils.

This limits pupils' capacity to remember more over time and make links to previous learning. The school needs to make sure that all subjects are equally well designed and delivered so that pupils can learn equally well across the whole curriculum.

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 third ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2014.

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