Hathersage St Michael's CofE (Aided) Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 17 October 2023

The school's 'Golden Values' sit at the heart of everything that happens at Hathersage St Michael's. These expectations help pupils to learn the importance of friendship, honesty, hope, forgiveness, perseverance and respect. Pupils say that these expectations help them to get on with each other. Pupils are united in their view that this is a good school. One pupil summed up many when they said: 'We get to know everyone. We all get on. It's cosy and homely.' Pupils behave well. They are polite and courteous to adults, each other and visitors. They are motivated by the rewards that they can earn, including 'Citizenship Certificates', being a 'Star of the Week' and becoming a 'Wow Worker'. Pupils say that the behaviour code works well. They are eager to move up through the different colours towards gold. Pupils point out that 'Green is good, but Gold is better'. Older pupils set a positive example for younger ones to follow. They are proud to 'Buddy Up' and support younger children's move from Nursery to full-time school. The work of the school council is valued. Pupils eagerly describe the democratic process that is followed to select designs for the school's annual 'Hathersage Hurtle'.

What the school should improve

• In a small number of subjects, the curriculum is not fully planned and sequenced. It does not make clear what pupils should know and remember at each stage of their education. It does not always build systematically on what has gone before. As a result, in these subjects, pupils' learning is not sequenced as well as it could be. The school should ensure that the curriculum, across all subjects, is well planned and sequenced and makes clear the most important content that pupils should commit to their long-term memory.
• The early years curriculum does not make clear what is expected of children who join the Nursery from the age of two. This means that staff are unable to check closely enough on how well children progress. The school should ensure that the early years curriculum sets out the milestones that children are expected to achieve at each stage of their early years education.
• In a small number of places, safeguarding records do not make clear enough who recorded information and when. This means that this important information could be lost. The school should ensure that records clearly and consistently show who recorded what information and when.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)