Your strong leadership has ensured that the good quality of education in the school has been maintained since the last inspection. Together with your leadership team and governors, you have very effectively managed the school through a period of change. In recent times, you have managed changes to staffing as well as to the changing nature of the school’s intake. The school is now a more diverse community with an increasing number of pupils who speak English as an additional language. Throughout this period, you have maintained stability and ensured that standards remain high. You know the school well and your drive and commitment to ensure the very best for all pupils shine through. This is evident in your school development plan that sets ambitious targets for further improvement. Everyone at Hardwick works closely together and shares in your ambition for pupils to achieve well. In 2016, pupils achieved well. The proportion of pupils in key stage 2 who achieved the standards expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics was above that seen nationally. Current pupils in key stage 2 make significant and sustained progress enabling them to achieve highly, particularly in writing. However, in key stage 1 pupils’ progress in writing is not as strong. You have rightly identified this as a key area for improvement. You track the progress of pupils carefully and rigorously, enabling you and other leaders to quickly respond if any pupils are at risk of falling behind. In the early years, all groups, including disadvantaged children, those whose first language is not English and children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, get off to a good start. As a result of your effective transition arrangements, these pupils are ready and confident to make a successful start to key stage 1. Across the school, although most pupils make good progress currently too few achieve the higher levels. Leaders are successful in their aim to create a ‘happy, caring, secure and wellordered environment’. Pupils behave well, are respectful and courteous and try their best in lessons. They take pride in their work and are happy to talk to visitors about their achievements and share their learning. Pupils keep trying, even when they are finding some aspects challenging. For example, in the early years children kept trying to score in a ball game, taking great delight in counting up their scores to see who had gained the most points. Older pupils persevere and reason such as when solving complex shape and angle problems. Pupils are enthusiastic and there is a happy ‘buzz’ to learning. This is a school where pupils are totally absorbed by their learning. For example, in a Year 5 lesson about figurative language pupils gave thoughtful, well-considered responses. For example, one pupil described a scene of bare trees appearing ‘like souls floating in the air’. Pupils achieve well and their enjoyment of writing effectively is tangible. Pupils enjoy coming to school. They are especially enthusiastic about the many visits and extra activities that staff organise. Pupils describe their recent residential visit as ‘amazing’. Many pupils benefit from and enjoy attending the breakfast club. Since its introduction, some pupils who previously had poor attendance now attend regularly. Pupils at this club take part in a wide range of physical activities such as badminton and skipping. They appreciate the importance of keeping fit and healthy. Parents are equally positive about the school and ensure that their children attend regularly. Every parent who responded to the online survey would recommend the school, with one parent, for example, describing the school as ‘brilliant’. At the time of the last inspection, inspectors recognised the many strengths of the school including pupils’ good achievement as a result of good leadership. Inspectors identified a need to raise attainment in reading, writing and mathematics in key stage 1. Inspectors also asked for pupils to have more opportunities to develop their computing skills and also their understanding of different cultures within the United Kingdom. You have taken effective action to address these areas for improvement. Although the proportion of pupils who achieved the expected standard at the end of key stage 1 in 2016 was lower than that of other pupils nationally, pupils’ progress was strong from their below typical starting points. In addition, more pupils than other pupils nationally achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics. Governors have invested in improved computing facilities to enable pupils to have much better access to the world of technology and develop their skills appropriately. Teachers are making effective use of computer tablets, particularly in English and mathematics, to support pupils’ learning well. You have also revitalised the curriculum to include greater emphasis on developing pupils’ cultural understanding. Pupils’ cultural appreciation is deepened effectively by special events such as the recent Spanish-themed cookery day, including enticing tasting sessions.