St Hardulph's Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 24 November 2022

This is a school where pupils 'go into school happy and come out happy'. Pupils enjoy coming to school. They describe the school as being 'like a family'. Relationships between staff and pupils are highly positive. Pupils behave well. They have good manners and show respect towards each other. Expectations of behaviour are clear. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Pupils know how the behaviour system works. They really value the rewards that they can receive. They strive to earn their stickers because they want to achieve 'headteacher's awards' in assembly. They understand that choices have consequences. Playtimes are 'fun and safe'. Pupils are emphatic that there 'is no bullying at our school.' Pupils know the difference between 'falling out' and bullying because they know the forms that bullying can take. They are confident that leaders would quickly act if any incidents did occur. The school is proud of its community links with the church and with Breedon Quarry. Pupils talk excitedly about visiting the quarry and learning about the local community. They enjoy linking up with other communities beyond their own, including 'Farmer Time' with a dairy farmer in Aberdeen.

What the school should improve

• Leaders have introduced a new phonics scheme. A small number of staff are still learning its processes and how to implement the scheme consistently well. Not all pupils are having their mistakes picked up quickly enough or practising their sounds often enough to make sure that they remember them securely. As a result, they find it hard to use these sounds when they read their books. Leaders need to ensure that all staff have the right knowledge and training, so that the scheme is always well implemented.
• Leaders have planned out the curriculum in all subjects. However, they have not yet identified all the precise knowledge that they want pupils to learn and remember. Pupils enjoy their learning but they are only able to recall some aspects of what they have learned in the wider areas of the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum identifies the key knowledge that they want pupils to know in each lesson and ensure the knowledge builds in a logical sequence, so that pupils successfully remember what they have learned.

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