Hellifield Community Primary School

What is this page?

We are Locrating.com, a schools information website. This page is one of our school directory pages. This is not the website of Hellifield Community Primary School.

What is Locrating?

Locrating is the UK's most popular and trusted school guide; it allows you to view inspection reports, admissions data, exam results, catchment areas, league tables, school reviews, neighbourhood information, carry out school comparisons and much more. Below is some useful summary information regarding Hellifield Community Primary School.

To see all our data you need to click the blue button at the bottom of this page to view Hellifield Community Primary School on our interactive map.

About Hellifield Community Primary School


Name Hellifield Community Primary School
Website https://ribblesdalefed.n-yorks.sch.uk
Inspections
Ofsted Inspections
Headteacher Mrs Catherine Maddocks
Address Kendal Road, Hellifield, Skipton, BD23 4HA
Phone Number 01729850215
Phase Primary
Type Community school
Age Range 4-11
Religious Character Does not apply
Gender Mixed
Number of Pupils 64
Local Authority North Yorkshire
Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now.

Inspectors are recommending the next inspection to be a graded inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Hellifield Community Primary School is a kind and caring community. All staff emphasise the school values of love, kindness, friendship and respect.

Pupils reflect these in their positive relationships with each other and staff. Everyone is made to feel welcome. Bullying is very rare and always dealt ...with quickly if it occurs.

Pupils feel safe and are safe.

Pupils behave well at all times. They participate actively in lessons and are keen to learn.

At social times, there is a calm and positive environment around the school. Pupils are polite and friendly. Staff are consistent in their expectations of pupils.

Pupils meet these expectations. Staff know pupils well and work hard to achieve the best for every pupil in their care.

Pupils learn to read quickly and fluently, and leaders help pupils to develop a love of reading.

Pupils also develop secure knowledge and skills in mathematics. In some subjects in the wider curriculum, pupils do not develop detailed knowledge and skills.

Pupils have a range of opportunities to take on responsibility in school.

This helps pupils to become confident and responsible. For example, pupils often deliver assemblies to their peers. Leaders listen to pupils' views about how to make the school better and act on these views, such as when making changes to school equipment or introducing school pets.

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

Leaders have ensured that staff at Hellifield Community School are knowledgeable about how to teach mathematics and early reading well. Staff receive regular training. Leaders check that pupils are taught well and are developing their knowledge in mathematics and reading.

However, there is more to do to ensure that pupils are developing detailed knowledge and skills across the range of subjects they are taught.

Pupils are taught to read from the start of Reception. Teachers are skilled at developing pupils' knowledge of phonics.

They use a consistent and effective approach, modelling new sounds clearly and ensuring that pupils have lots of opportunities to practise what they have learned. Teachers revisit sounds that pupils have learned often. This means that pupils develop a secure knowledge of phonics quickly.

If pupils have gaps in their knowledge, they receive regular support, which is effective in addressing these gaps. Teachers are generally effective at identifying these gaps quickly, although in some cases they do not check individual pupils' knowledge as regularly as they could.

The teaching of mathematics is effective.

Teachers are clear about what pupils need to know and be able to do. Teachers provide pupils with opportunity to practise what they are being taught. Teachers revisit prior learning to make sure that pupils remember what they have learned and are able to apply it.

As a result, most pupils develop secure knowledge and fluency in mathematics. In some cases, teachers do not check that pupils are secure in their knowledge of facts and calculation methods before moving on. This means that some pupils are not able to access more complex tasks.

Pupils study a broad range of subjects. However, in some subjects in the wider curriculum, such as music and history, leaders have not ensured that a coherent and well-sequenced curriculum is in place. In these subjects, leaders have not given clear guidance to teachers about what pupils need to know and be able to do.

As a result, some teaching does not build on pupils' prior learning. Teachers assess pupils' knowledge less frequently than they should and are not always clear about the most important knowledge pupils need to know. As a result, they do not always identify gaps and misconceptions in pupils' knowledge.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are taught the same curriculum as their peers. Teachers ensure that all pupils are able to access what they are learning. However, the information that is shared with teachers about pupils with SEND is not clear enough to ensure that all staff know how to best support them in their next steps in learning.

Pupils experience a wide range of opportunities across their time at Hellifield Community Primary School. Leaders have planned trips and visits carefully to ensure that pupils develop an understanding of their local area and have a range of wider experiences. For example, pupils have had visits to learn about local wildlife and the local environment, as well as trips to Edinburgh, and forthcoming trips to London are planned for pupils to experience different environments.

However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders have not provided pupils with sufficient opportunities to develop their talents and interests in areas such as art and music. Leaders have plans to widen the range of extra-curricular activities in the future.

Leaders emphasise the importance of respect.

Pupils learn about a range of different cultures and backgrounds. They have opportunities to interact with children in other schools and learn about their religions, cultures and experiences. Pupils are taught about protected characteristics.

The importance of respect for other people is emphasised by all staff. Pupils take this seriously, and they respect and care for one another.

Leaders have ensured that Hellifield Community Primary School is a positive place to work.

Staff are very motivated and say that leaders are supportive and open. Staff receive meaningful support from across the federation of schools. The school has meaningful links with its local community and is highly valued by parents.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff understand their responsibilities to keep pupils safe and are proactive in doing so. If staff have any concerns about a pupil, they make sure that these are acted upon.

Leaders ensure that pupils get any help or support they need by working with external agencies as appropriate.

Pupils are taught how to manage some of the risks they might face. Staff are very knowledgeable about the risks that pupils may face online and know how to manage these.

Pupils have been taught about some of the physical risks in their local area, such as railways and open water. However, leaders have not considered the wider range of risks that pupils might encounter in their specific context. Leaders could do more to ensure that pupils know about these.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders are not clear enough about what pupils need to know and be able to do. This means that some teaching does not build upon pupils' prior knowledge. As a result, some pupils do not develop detailed knowledge and skills in all subjects.

Leaders should ensure that teachers build pupils' knowledge and skills over time in all subjects. ? In some subjects, teachers do not check regularly to see what pupils have learned and remembered. This means that gaps in pupils' knowledge are not identified or addressed as quickly as they could be.

Therefore, pupils who need extra support, including those with SEND, do not always get it. Leaders should ensure that teachers make effective use of assessment to identify specific gaps and misconceptions so that these can be addressed. ? Leaders and teachers do not have a detailed awareness of some of the risks that pupils might face in their specific context.

This means that pupils do not get as much information as they could about how to manage these risks. Leaders should ensure that all staff are aware of the contextual risks that pupils might face and how they can equip pupils with the knowledge to manage these risks.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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 in March 2013.

Also at this postcode
Chipmonks Day Nursery Hellifield

  Compare to
nearby schools