Hibaldstow Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

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

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils' behaviour in classrooms is mixed. In some classrooms, expectations are high and pupils work hard to gain merits and rewards. However, elsewhere, some pupils are not as focused on their learning as they need to be.

Some pupils talk over staff when they are explaining tasks or distract other pupils. While pupils feel that st...aff sort out most issues, some pupils would like it to be clearer what happens when unkind behaviour or bullying keep happening.

Expectations of what pupils can achieve is not high enough in some subjects or parts of the school.

On too many occasions, staff accept incorrect answers from pupils or do not tell them what to do to improve their work. Pupils do not get better at what they need to when this happens.

Staff are caring to pupils.

Pupils feel reassured that there is always someone to talk to if they are having any problems. Lunchtimes are a hive of activity and pupils get on well together. Leaders have made sure there is plenty to do outside and this means behaviour at these times is mostly good.

Pupils have a wide range of activities and experiences available to them. Leaders provide a wealth of sporting events and clubs from rugby to athletics. Pupils enjoy going to the theatre or gaining confidence in outdoor pursuits.

This wider offer for pupils is a real strength of the school that pupils, parents and carers appreciate.

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

Although leaders have designed a curriculum that is well matched to the needs of the pupils, the curriculum is sometimes not taught well. Leaders have thought carefully about what pupils need to know.

Pupils are taught knowledge and skills that build on what they have done in the past. However, some staff do not have a sufficient understanding of what the important knowledge that pupils need to know is. If pupils are struggling with something, then some staff do not give them the help that they need.

Pupils can get things wrong such as how to read a word or complete a subtraction calculation and teachers or teaching assistants do not pick up on it. Some pupils continue to make mistakes and do not have the skills that they need to read or solve maths problems with increasing confidence.

Leaders have made sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get support that is well matched to their needs.

Teachers give pupils with SEND work that has been broken down into smaller steps. Pupils are successful and work with confidence when teachers do this for them.

More broadly, sometimes, teachers give pupils work that they are not ready for.

In the early years, some of the independent learning activities set up for children do not help them secure their understanding in areas such as number or using tools. Leaders are aware that assessment strategies used by teachers need improving and have plans for how they will do this across all subjects.

Teachers use a range of techniques to demonstrate new ideas or skills to pupils.

For example, in art and design, teachers use famous artists to show pupils different ways of achieving an outcome. However, sometimes, staff use strategies that do not help pupils, for example, asking pupils to read in pairs without showing them how to do this successfully.

In the early years, children start learning phonics right from the start of Reception.

Teachers keep a track on which sounds children know and do not know. Leaders make sure that pupils get support when they need it. Sometimes, this support is not effective due to the issues seen elsewhere in school in the use of assessment and when staff do not pick up misconceptions.

The books that pupils read are matched to the sounds that they know. This is the case for pupils of all ages through the school. Pupils like reading and enjoy the stories that teachers read to them.

Pupils remember all the important parts of these stories and dilemmas that the characters faced.

Leaders have made some sensible changes to the curriculum because of pupils' gaps in knowledge. Many of these gaps are due to missed learning during COVID-19 restrictions.

Leaders have been quick to pick up on this. Leaders have also put in place other support such as more time for pupils with mental health difficulties to discuss their feelings with a member of staff.

Leaders recognise the importance of pupils learning about diversity in modern Britain.

Pupils are taught about different faiths and the need to show respect to everyone. Pupils get the opportunity to discuss issues that are important to them through 'the big conversation'. When pupils are starting a new piece of learning in personal, social and health education (PSHE) all the school get together to discuss it in assembly.

Directors, who are responsible for governance, have improved their systems so that they are gathering more information on the quality of education in the school. They listen to subject leaders to find out what is happening in each subject. This has helped the curriculum design process.

In discussion with the executive headteacher, the lead inspector agreed that expectations of pupils' behaviour and attitudes, and how staff address misconceptions in all subjects, particularly mathematics, may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Everyone in school takes their role in keeping children safe seriously.

Leaders have trained staff well to know what to look out for in cases such as radicalisation or signs of abuse. Staff make regular and appropriate logs of when they have a concern. Leaders pick these up quickly and act on them.

Leaders work closely with external agencies and families to ensure support is offered where needed. Directors check that this is happening as it should and check that all staff have had the appropriate checks and training needed to work in the school.

Staff ensure that pupils understand how to keep themselves safe online.

Pupils and parents receive important information about how to do this and what to look out for.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Too often, staff do not pick up on pupils' misconceptions. Pupils continue to believe information that is not correct and practise doing something like segmenting a word incorrectly.

Leaders need to train all staff to improve their subject knowledge and ensure that they can pick up on misconceptions that pupils have and know how to address them. Leaders should monitor and check that this is the case in each subject. ? Teachers sometimes give work to pupils that they are not ready for as they do not have sufficient background knowledge to access it.

Pupils sometimes carry out activities that do not support their curricular goals either because they are not able to access it or it does not correspond with what they need to do based on the curriculum. This includes the independent activities children do in the early years. Leaders need to ensure that the environment in the early years and the work given to all pupils matches the intent of the curriculum and that pupils have sufficient prior knowledge to successfully complete it.

Staff in the early years and key stage 1 need to ensure that their interactions with pupils support these curricular aims. ? Staff expectations of pupils' behaviour and conduct are not high enough in some parts of school. Some pupils do not listen to staff or are not motivated to learn.

Leaders should clarify expectations of how to deal with low-level disruption with all staff. Leaders need to monitor classrooms to check this is the case, including talking to pupils.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 a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 11 July 2013.