Hutchinson Memorial CofE First School

Overview

Hutchinson Memorial CofE First School is described as a welcoming environment where pupils feel safe due to the ‘kindness that lives within the school’. While behaviour and personal development are rated Good, the overall effectiveness and quality of education require improvement due to inconsistencies in curriculum planning and teaching. The report notes that improvement plans are in early stages and have been impacted by ‘turbulence in staffing’.

Strengths

• The early years provision is strong, with a well-structured curriculum that ensures children ‘learn new things every day’ and build on prior knowledge.
• Pupils demonstrate good manners and respect, embodying school values such as ‘kindness and forgiveness’.
• Staff identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately, ensuring they are fully included in lessons.
• Reading is central to the curriculum, with systems in place to track progress and provide extra help where needed.

Areas to improve

• The curriculum in some subjects from Year 1 onwards is disjointed, creating ‘gaps in pupils’ knowledge’ because it does not build logically on early years learning.
• Teaching is not consistently effective across all subjects, particularly where teachers lack subject-specific training.
• Leaders do not make effective checks on curriculum implementation, preventing them from identifying what works well or where support is needed.
• Relationships with parents need rebuilding, as a significant proportion feel their concerns are not taken seriously by the multi-academy trust.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.