MAIN FINDINGS
Overall Summary
Harecroft Hall provides a good quality of education for its pupils. They are happy and proud of their school; most work hard and achieve good standards at every stage. Staff are strongly committed to pupils’ academic and personal development, and to their care and welfare. Relationships are very positive within and outside the classroom. The school has achieved much under the headmaster’s leadership in overhauling the curriculum and management but still has a number of matters to resolve as part of its plans for improving further its provision and performance.
What the School Does Well
The school has some significant strengths of which the following are the most important.
· The headmaster has a clear vision for the school’s further development.
· Pupils achieve good standards in relation to their abilities at each stage in the school; attainment is particularly good throughout the Foundation Stage to Year 3 and in GCSE examinations.
· The standards achieved reflect the teachers’ hard work and the consistently good quality of the teaching.
· The ethos of the school promotes moral and social development very well and respects and values pupils as individuals.
· Pupils benefit substantially from extra-curricular activities, visits and outdoor experience.
· The links with parents are very good; parents support the school strongly and are justifiably pleased with what it achieves for their children.
What the School Should Do Better
The school is in the process of considerable development but the following currently constrain progress.
· The newly constituted senior management team lacks time and training at present to carry out fully its role in monitoring and quality control.
· Longer-term planning in subjects is not yet sufficiently well developed to guarantee curricular continuity and progression in learning, particularly between Years 4 and 7.
· Many lessons follow a similar style of strong teacher direction with relatively few opportunities for pupils to learn for themselves.
· Personal, social and health education (PSHE) is too narrow in scope to fulfil its intended purpose in dealing with health and personal relationships at some stages in the school.
Standards of Attainment and Progress in Subjects
Taken as a whole, standards of attainment are good in relation to pupils’ ability. In virtually all the lessons seen and pupils’ work scrutinised, attainment was at least sound, often good and sometimes very good. Standards are consistently above the level expected nationally of the various age groups in nearly all subjects of the curriculum. Boys and girls achieve equally well in line with their abilities.
Over the past three years, pupils have achieved above the national average in the National Curriculum tests in English, mathematics and science at age 11. In GCSE examinations over the same period, the proportion of candidates gaining five or more grades A* to C has also been well above national norms. Small numbers in the individual subjects make national comparisons difficult but most pupils achieve good results in relation to their abilities.
Pupils make particularly good progress up to Year 3 and in Years 10 and 11; it is satisfactory in Years 4 to 6 and good in Years 7 to 9. Pupils with special needs make good progress in the light of their difficulties. For those with English as an additional language, progress is sound. Pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are good: they read, research and handle data well across the curriculum. Their skills in information and communication technology (ICT) are improving steadily, although its use across the curriculum is uneven.
The Quality of Pupils’ Learning, Attitudes and their Behaviour
Pupils’ attitudes to learning and their behaviour are frequently good throughout the school. They enable pupils of whatever ability to attain well and make good progress. Pupils work hard and are keen to do well. Positive relationships with their teachers and other adults in the school create a constructive atmosphere in which to learn. Pupils work well together when given the opportunity, for example in pair work in English and in team games. However, they have relatively few opportunities to develop the skills of independent enquiry, which puts a brake on the learning particularly of the most able. Very occasionally, pupils lose concentration and distract each other when lessons lack variety.
The Quality of Teaching
The quality of teaching is good. It was good in half of all lessons seen, very good in a further quarter and rarely less than sound. It contributes directly to the above average standards that pupils attain and the effectiveness of their learning. Clear exposition, secure knowledge and understanding of the subjects taught, and very helpful marking enable most pupils to make good progress. From Year 4 on, teaching is generally to the class as a whole; although often lively and helpful to most pupils, it follows a similar format from lesson to lesson. Pupils have relatively few opportunities in lessons to learn for themselves or evaluate their own work. When they do, they make rapid progress.
Other Aspects of the School
Attendance
Levels of attendance are good throughout the school and enable pupils to maintain continuity in their learning. The school has no unauthorised absence. Pupils arrive at school and to lessons punctually. Attendance and admission registers are accurate and complete.
Assessment and Recording
Methods used for assessing and recording pupils’ attainment, progress and needs are good; they are accurate, consistent and effective. Marking is frequent, written comments from teachers are encouraging and constructive and help pupils to improve. Pupils complete corrections when teachers insist but the presentation of work in Years 4 to 6 is often careless and books appear untidy. Most subjects use assessment outcomes for lesson planning but not all use them yet for curriculum development purposes.
Curriculum
The curriculum is good at each stage of the school. It provides an appropriately broad and generally well-balanced education for each age group and contributes effectively to the pupils’ intellectual, physical and personal development. The areas of learning at the Foundation Stage and the curriculum of the junior and senior departments, based largely on the National Curriculum, combine breadth with suitable depth of study. Longer-term curricular planning is uneven at present, particularly in Years 4 to 6. Pupils with special learning needs receive specialist help, which gives them access to the whole curriculum. A varied programme of activities and visits supports the formal curriculum well.
Teaching and Non-teaching Staff
The overall provision of teaching and non-teaching staff throughout the school is good. Teachers are well qualified and experienced for the classes and subjects they teach, and are well deployed. The teaching and support staff are hard working, give generously of their time and contribute well to the positive ethos of the school. The recent development of a senior management team with clear roles and responsibilities to monitor and improve the co-ordination of work in subjects has begun to work well. The school has also put in place a comprehensive system to link appraisal, and in-service training of staff to school development priorities and that too is in the process of implementation.
Resources for Learning
The books, materials and resources for learning, including ICT, are satisfactory overall and have a number of good features in terms of their quality and use. The resources suitably support the academic and personal development of the pupils at each stage in the school. The school also makes good use of the immediate environment and the locality as a resource for learning.
Libraries
The library facilities and resources are satisfactory. The library and the ICT suite have recently been relocated to share the same room and the intention is that it should become a multi-media resource centre. A complete revision of the library stock has only just been completed and borrowing recommenced. The integration of the library and ICT for research purposes has considerable potential, provided that the facilities can support the competing interests of browsing among the books and surfing the net.
Premises and Accommodation
The quality of the premises and accommodation is satisfactory. They support the curriculum and help to promote the good quality of the teaching and the learning. The attractive nineteenth-century main house accommodates appropriately sized rooms designated for particular subjects. The boarding accommodation is scheduled for much-needed refurbishment. Suitable specialist areas and classrooms for the younger pupils are adjacent to the main building. Collectively, the premises provide adequate and appropriate accommodation for the numbers, abilities and ages of the pupils.
Links with Parents and the Community
The school has developed a very good partnership with parents and very worthwhile links with the local community. Parents support the school well. Their responses to the pre-inspection survey of their views were overwhelmingly positive about all aspects of the school’s provision. A few parents raised concerns about the extra-curricular programme and standards of behaviour. The inspection found the range of extra-curricular activities to be good but confirmed occasional distracting behaviour by a few pupils in a handful of lessons. The school is taking appropriate action.
Pupils’ Personal Development
The school provides good opportunities within and outside the curriculum, by which pupils are able to develop spiritually, morally, culturally and socially. Equally good opportunities for personal development, particularly in moral education and citizenship, help the school to achieve its aims.
Pastoral Care
The school effectively cares for all its pupils’ well-being within a supportive family atmosphere. It has good arrangements for pupils’ pastoral support and guidance, and it places great importance on their welfare, health and safety. Because staff and pupils interact well, pastoral care is informal but effective. Older pupils support and help the younger ones, and this thoughtful concern contributes very positively to the school’s strong sense of community. Provision for careers education and guidance is sound. Although science covers the facts, the PSHE course does not give enough emphasis to personal relationships, health or morality. Staff actively and effectively promote good behaviour and maintain good discipline.
Boarding Standards
No National Care Standards Team took part in the inspection.
Governance and Management
The quality of leadership and management is sound with a number of good features. Much has been achieved in the past two years. Appropriate aims are being implemented through a very sound school development plan. Resources have improved considerably. The school has completely renewed its curriculum to the benefit of pupils’ learning. It is introducing a well thought-out line management system to bring together subject, pastoral and professional development responsibilities. This reorganisation bodes well for the future but is so recent that those involved do not currently have the time or necessary training to monitor effectively all the subjects and areas of the school for which they are responsible.
Achievement and Quality in Activities
Achievement and quality in the activities programme are good both within and outside the curriculum. The variety offers opportunities for all pupils to discover and develop new talents, interests and skills appropriate to their ages and abilities. Educational visits enhance the work in the classroom, and the recreational, camping and outdoor activities contribute strongly to the personal development both of day and of boarding the pupils.
Progress Made by the School since its Last Inspection
The previous inspection was conducted under a different inspection system and its recommendations are no longer relevant.
