Harold Wood Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Harold Wood Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this happy and welcoming school. Staff take the time to greet pupils warmly each morning. This creates a positive start to the day.

Nurturing relationships exist between staff and pupils. This inspires pupils to be kind to classmates, staff and visitors.The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour.

Pupils' behaviour across the school is impeccable. This starts from the early years, where children learn to share and make good choices. Playtimes are busy but pupils play together harmonio...usly.

Pupils make sure that they actively involve others in their play.Pupils celebrate faiths and cultures that may be different to their own. They learn the importance of treating everyone equally.

For example, pupils explain that the suffragettes inspire them because they stood up for women's rights.Pupils are eager to talk about their learning. They work hard in lessons because the school expects them to achieve well.

Provisional end of Year 6 outcomes in reading and mathematics were below national standards last year. Therefore, some pupils were not as prepared as they could have been for the next stage of their education. The newly-established leadership team are taking swift and appropriate action to improve outcomes.

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

Reading is a priority here. Children start learning about the sounds that letters make as soon as they join the Reception Year. This helps develop pupils' confidence in reading.

Pupils are very keen to talk about the books they have read, which feature characters from a range of diverse backgrounds.Staff receive training to teach early reading well. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of reading.

Teachers teach pupils the sounds they need to learn in a logical order. Pupils read books that carefully match the letters they have been taught. This means they read with increasing fluency.

Pupils who find reading difficult quickly receive the help they need to catch up.The school has in place a broad curriculum. In most subjects, the school has identified what teachers need to teach and when, particularly in mathematics and English.

Pupils in Year 6 can solve calculations involving fractions because they already know how to find equivalent fractions. In the Reception Year, children sort shapes successfully using mathematical vocabulary such as 'sides' and 'straight'. However, in a few subjects, pupils do not gain the important knowledge and skills as well as they could.

In some cases, they do not build on what they know effectively enough. Therefore, some pupils have gaps in their learning.Teachers have secure subject knowledge.

They explain concepts clearly. For instance, teachers explain the meaning of 'agnostic' and 'theist' well. Pupils can then use these words effectively and confidently in a debate.

Yet, some pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), find it difficult to apply their understanding to new content. This is because sometimes their learning is not checked effectively enough. Consequently, gaps in knowledge and misconceptions can go unnoticed.

The school has processes to identify pupils with SEND as early as possible. Teachers use appropriate teaching strategies and resources. This helps these pupils access the curriculum and achieve well.

Pupils display excellent attitudes to their learning. Therefore, learning is not interrupted by inappropriate behaviour. Pupils learn how to manage their feelings.

This starts in the early years, where pupils learn the language they need to express how they feel.Attendance remains a high priority for the school. The school works closely with families to identify and remove barriers to regular attendance.

The school takes appropriate action to reduce the number of pupils who are persistently absent.The school provides well for pupils' wider development. The school aims for pupils to be respectful, kind citizens.

A well-planned programme of learning supports this. Pupils are proud to be pupil librarians, school councillors and sports crew members. These experiences give pupils a sense of responsibility and pride in contributing to the school and wider community.

There are a wide range of clubs on offer, such as chess, football and well-being club. These are well attended. Educational trips are carefully linked to learning.

Pupils enthusiastically remember a trip to Mountfitchet Castle which helped them to understand the importance of historical artefacts. These opportunities support the school's aim to broaden pupils' wider experiences. Pupils relish taking part in a large number of sporting competitions with success.

They value working together because they understand the importance of teamwork and effort.

Governors have an accurate understanding of the school. They have appropriate processes in place to check the effectiveness of the school.

Staff are extremely proud to work here. They value the support in place for their well-being and the training they receive to improve their practice.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, the knowledge, vocabulary and skills pupils need to learn year-on- year is not mapped out effectively enough. Consequently, some pupils do not build this knowledge well enough as they progress through the school. The school should ensure that the curriculum in these subjects is designed and implemented in a way that helps pupils develop a deep and rich understanding of the full curriculum.

• On occasion, teachers do not check pupils' understanding sharply enough. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their learning and are not fully ready to learn new content. The school should ensure that teachers check pupils' learning and respond to any gaps or misconceptions swiftly so that pupils achieve well in all subjects.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in February 2019.