Harris Primary Academy Shortlands

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Harris Primary Academy Shortlands continues to be an outstanding school.

The principal of this school is Jordan Hollis. This school is part of the Harris Federation, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Sir Daniel Moynihan, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Lord Philip Harris.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Harris Shortlands cannot wait to tell visitors how much they enjoy attending the school. They describe it using words such as 'spectacular', 'enlightening' and 'inspiring'. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school.

Pup...ils follow the three school rules of being ready, respectful and safe. There is very little bullying and, when things go wrong, they are confident the staff will sort out any problems. Low-level disruption of lessons is very rare.

Pupils are kept safe and can name trusted adults they would go to if they felt worried. They know about equality and diversity and demonstrate high levels of respect to each other.

Leaders have high ambitions for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Staff have carefully crafted a wide-ranging and rich curriculum. They have ensured that all pupils access a wealth of opportunities that enhance learning. For instance, pupils attend a range of after-school clubs, including baking, tag rugby and a chess club run by a chess grandmaster.

Pupils, including those with SEND, are fully included in school life. They have many opportunities to take on leadership roles, including as school eco-warriors, who recently won a competition for reducing the use of energy in the school.

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

Leaders have constructed a curriculum that is broad, ambitious and structured to build knowledge throughout pupils' journey through the school.

Consequently, pupils enjoy learning and achieve highly across the curriculum.As soon as they enter Reception, children start lessons in phonics. Pupils quickly become confident and fluent readers.

Staff receive high-quality training that allows them to identify if a child has fallen behind and needs extra support to catch up. The enjoyment of reading is also fostered, for example by teachers reading to each class daily and through a book swap shed in the school entrance.

Teachers revisit key learning regularly.

They know what pupils have learned previously and why this is important for what pupils will learn next. For instance, in art and design, pupils learn to make a clay pinch pot in Year 1. They revisit these skills in Year 3 to make a clay coil pot before advancing to making a clay sculpture in the style of Henry Moore in Year 5.

Staff give constant feedback so that pupils can improve their work. Pupils appreciate this feedback and use it to improve their work. 'Improvement and rectifying mistakes is important,' said one pupil.

Children in early years access the same rich learning as other pupils. The curriculum is set out so that it prepares children for what they will learn in Years 1 and 2. Children's knowledge of history, for example, is developed at an early age by learning about past, present and future events in their lives.

Equality and diversity are woven into each subject. For example, in history, pupils explore the work of different historical figures, such as Noor Inayat Khan. In art and design, pupils study the work of Stephen Wiltshire, an artist with autism spectrum disorder.

Pupils with SEND are quickly identified, and their learning is adapted to ensure they can access all aspects of the curriculum. Leaders ensure that these pupils can attend any clubs and trips and take on leadership roles alongside their peers. Parents of pupils with SEND praise the support they receive.

Pupils' behaviour is impeccable. In lessons, they are focused on their work and are articulate when answering questions, but there is also an atmosphere of enjoyment and excitement about learning. Pupils support and praise each other, for example when working together to make a silk screen print in art and design.

The school is improving the rates of pupils' attendance and persistent absence. The school arranges meetings with parents if a pupil's attendance starts to cause concern. Leaders discourage parents from taking their children on holiday in term time.

However, they also offer a range of support measures to parents who are struggling. Pupils enjoy receiving rewards for good attendance, such as prizes and certificates.

Pupils' wider development is supported through a range of enriching experiences.

For example, Year 5 pupils work with the Royal Opera House to rehearse for an upcoming performance and pupils with SEND participate in tenpin bowling. Pupils are proud to be involved in projects in the local community, such as litter picking and organising collections for local food banks.

Staff enjoy working at the school.

They appreciate the training they receive and know that it is backed up by support and advice from their colleagues. They know that their workload and well-being is considered by leaders, including members of the trust.Those responsible for governance understand the systems at the school, including those relating to safeguarding.

They are always ready to question leaders in meetings to ensure that the quality of education in the school remains high.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Background

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

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 outstanding in April 2017.

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