Little Hadham Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

School leaders have developed partnerships with local schools and the local authority which helps them ensure that teaching is consistently good. As a result, pupils' progress is good and their attainment is above the national average at the end of each key stage. Progress is accelerating.

Children thrive in the Early Years Foundation Stage, make good progress and continue to do so across the school. Pupils behave with remarkable care and consideration towards each other. Their close relationships make a strong contribution to their academic success.

Pupils take an active role in ensuring that all pupils are kept safe. Parents a...gree. This makes for a calm and orderly community.

Pupils' opportunities to reflect deeply on what they are learning make an exceptional contribution to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Governors know the school well, and provide excellent support and challenge. This helps leaders to have an accurate assessment of its strengths and areas of development.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Pupils' progress in writing is not as strong as in mathematics at Key Stage 1. Teachers in Key Stage 1 do not always provide enough opportunities for pupils to write in detail in subjects other than English. Some pupils in Key Stage 1 are not given enough support to improve their spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Information about this school

This is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. Classes are taught in mixed-age groups throughout, with children from the Nursery and Reception classes taught together in a purpose-built Early Years Foundation Stage unit. The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is low. The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils looked after by the local authority and those known to be eligible for free school meals. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average.

The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is just below average. A much higher proportion of pupils than average join the school at times other than the usual. The headteacher is the lead professional for gifted and talented pupils within the local network of schools.

She also supports other headteachers from within the local authority and in a nearby primary school in Essex. The teacher in charge of the Early Years Foundation Stage helps other schools in checking the outcomes of children in their Early Years settings. The Chair of the Governing Body supports other governing bodies in neighbouring schools.

The 'B49' breakfast club that is managed by the governing body provides early morning support for many pupils from across the school. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6. Since the previous inspection, there have been several changes in teaching staff and in the governing body.