Hallaton Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 3 July 2023

Leaders have raised their expectations for pupils over recent times. While leaders are ambitious for pupils, not all pupils achieve as well as they could. The introduction of the 'Five R-Stars: be responsible, be resilient, be reflective, be respectful, be remarkable' encourages pupils to do their best. Leaders recognise this in itself will not lead to all the necessary improvements succeeding. There is a clear and robust plan to build upon the improvements already seen. Leaders are determined to secure further improvements. There is a sense of community at this school. The school sits at the centre of the village. Pupils participate regularly in village life by entering art competitions at the local show and exhibitions in the local museum. Pupils join the local 'wombles' in litter picking in the village and in the RSPB birdwatch. Pupils are proud to come to this school. They enjoy the range of responsibilities on offer. The librarians regularly tidy the library and make recommendations of good books to read. The 'Worship Team' help in assemblies and evaluate their effectiveness. There are a range of clubs on offer. Pupils participate in the choir and enter mass singing events.

What the school should improve

• The work on the curriculum is not yet complete. In some subjects, leaders have not thought through in enough detail about what pupils should be learning and remembering. Because of this, learning is sometimes limited or confused. Leaders should review and develop the curriculum further, so that teachers know exactly what to teach and when to teach it. They should do this to help pupils learn more, remember more, and be able to do more.
• Leaders have not yet established consistent systems to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge in some subjects. Where curriculum thinking is less clear, teachers do not check effectively how successfully pupils acquire knowledge and use it fluently. Leaders should ensure that checks on what pupils know and remember consistently assist teachers in determining clear next steps for pupils without causing unnecessary burdens for staff and pupils.
• Senior leaders are still developing some aspects of subject leadership skills, particularly checking how well the curriculum is being implemented. As a result, subject leaders are not yet providing clear guidance on how to improve the teaching of the curriculum in some subjects. Senior leaders should ensure that all subject leaders have the skills, expertise and time they need, so that they can lead their subjects and support teachers effectively.
• Not all staff routinely ensure that pupils with SEND access the curriculum well enough. As a result, pupils with SEND do not always benefit from a good quality education. Leaders should make sure that pupils with SEND receive the support they need, so that they achieve as highly as they should.

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