Deighton Gates Primary School

Deighton Gates Primary School Deighton Road, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, LS22 7XL

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The extremely effective headteacher has led an unrelenting drive for improvement. Success can be seen in good teaching.  After a period of decline, pupils’ achievement has improved and is now good.  By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics is now well above average. This good level of achievement looks set to continue.  Pupils say that they feel safe. They behave well in lessons and around the school. Their attendance is well above average.  The restructured leadership team, with the help of the headteacher, is improving teaching and pupils’ learning experiences.  Governors are now much more aware of the school’s performance and make a good contribution to the way it is led and managed.  The new leadership team is providing good support for the headteacher and has enhanced the school’s capacity to improve.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The teaching and organisation of learning experiences in the Early Years Foundation Stage is not good enough to promote the best possible learning for all of the children.  While teaching promotes good learning of basic literacy and numeracy skills, the work does not always inspire or motivate pupils. Pupils are not given enough opportunities to develop independent learning skills through purposeful, real-life, investigations.  Not enough teaching is outstanding and some still requires improvement. Less effective teaching fails to challenge the more-able pupils.  The work in pupils’ books is generally not presented well. Teachers’ expectations of how work is recorded are not high enough.  The contribution to teaching from the large number of support staff is not always effective.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 15 lessons, four of which were conducted jointly with the headteacher.  Inspectors listened to pupils read and analysed their work. They held two formal discussions with pupils and spoke to others informally in lessons and at breaks and lunchtime.  Meetings were held with senior and middle leaders and six governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body.  A telephone discussion was conducted with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and analysed a range of school documentation. This included: safeguarding records and those relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance; minutes of the meetings of the governing body; records of the monitoring of teaching and pupils’ learning; the school’s self-evaluation summary and improvement plan; assessment information and records of pupils’ progress; and teachers’ planning.  Inspectors took account of the 28 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View).

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Inspection team

Margot D'Arcy, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Sue Eland Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. Since the last inspection, pupil numbers have fallen due to demographic changes. This has resulted in significant and ongoing, staffing reductions.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported by school action is below the national average, as is the proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is low compared to the national average. No pupils are at an early stage of learning to speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, in local authority care or whose parents are in the armed forces, is below average.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and provision for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage by:  ensuring that all staff are trained to provide activities and experiences that are appropriate to the children’s age and stage of development  reorganising the way in which phonics (the sounds that letters make) are taught to ensure that the size of groups allows work to be matched accurately to what the children already know and improves their progress  ensuring that all teaching staff become skilled in knowing how to take children’s learning forward in the activities that they choose for themselves.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve teaching so that it is never less than good and more is outstanding in order to promote outstanding achievement and ensure that all pupils develop a real love of learning. The school should do this by:  ensuring that pupils in all year groups have opportunities to develop independent learning skills, work collaboratively and make decisions about their learning  providing significantly more opportunities for pupils to undertake interesting, meaningful and relevant investigative work in mathematics, science and across the curriculum  ensuring that from the start of lessons the more-able pupils are given work that builds on what they already know  having higher expectations for the recording of work and reviewing the extent to which individual whiteboards are used for recording  ensuring consistently good quality teaching from support staff through rigorous monitoring of their performance in relation to the impact it has on pupils’ learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children’s skills on entry to the Early Years Foundation Stage are broadly typical for their age. By the end of the Reception Year, teachers’ assessments show that over time most make good progress so that attainment on beginning Year 1 is generally above average. Currently, however, children’s learning is not as good it could be. This is because teaching staff, some of who are new to this phase of education, are not sufficiently skilled in ensuring high-quality learning experiences to promote the best possible progress. The children are developing a secure understanding of phonics, but progress in this aspect is not as fast as it could be, especially for the more-able children.  After an unsettled period in which pupils’ progress declined, improvements to achievement are now evident. Rigorous systems ensure more accurate assessment of pupils’ skills are now fully embedded and have been central to tackling underachievement.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 This year, standards of attainment in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6 have risen significantly, with notably more pupils reaching both the expected and the higher levels. Standards by the end of Year 2 have also improved, particularly in writing where they had fallen below the national average.  The school has been very successful in narrowing the gap between the achievement of pupils supported by the pupil premium and other pupils. Further narrowing of the gap between the achievement of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs and other pupils remains a priority but has also improved this year. Overall, these pupils make good progress. No specific groups of pupils achieve significantly more or less well than others, but the progress of the more-able pupils could be better in some lessons.  Most pupils enjoy reading and are fluent readers by the time they leave Year 6. Weaker readers

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The achievement of pupils is good

have good skills to help them blend letters to read words. Pupils’ good understanding and application of phonic skills also helps with their writing so that even younger pupils and those who find learning more difficult write confidently.  At both key stages, pupils’ attainment in writing has improved as a result of the greater focus this aspect has been given. Relative to their age, pupils have a good understanding of different types of writing, such as recounts, poems and persuasive writing.  Good improvements have occurred in mathematics. However, while pupils now undertake more word problems, there are still too few opportunities for them to use and apply mathematics in purposeful investigations or to understand the relevance of mathematics to everyday life.  While pupils make good progress and achieve well, too much of the work they are given, particularly in English and mathematics, is uninspiring. This is preventing pupils’ achievement

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The achievement of pupils is good

from being outstanding and also limits their enthusiasm for learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 During the inspection the quality of teaching observed was not as good as reflected by the school’s comprehensive assessment information, which shows that across the school most pupils make good progress. The accuracy of this evidence, and that of the headteacher’s regular and rigorous monitoring and evaluation of teaching, securely supports the judgement that teaching over time is typically good.  During the inspection, almost all of the teaching at Key Stage 2 was good. Evidence from pupils’ work also reflects good quality teaching at this key stage, with some that is outstanding. At Key Stage 1, lesson observations reflected a greater proportion of teaching that requires improvement. However, other evidence suggests that this profile of teaching is not typical and that the overall quality is better than that which was seen by inspectors.  The teaching of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage requires improvement. The

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The quality of teaching is good

teacher, who is new to this phase of education, has worked hard and with some success to implement improvements that had been identified prior to her taking on this role. An ongoing programme of training is in place, including links with partner schools with outstanding practice. However, this is relatively new and staff are insufficiently skilled in knowing when and how to intervene in children’s play to take learning forward.  Both the indoor and outdoor provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage encourages learning through play and first-hand experiences. However, although the children have opportunities to choose their activities, opportunities for them to initiate learning through play are limited because activities are frequently over-directed by adults. During the inspection, effective teaching promoted children’s counting skills and understanding of number. Information and communication technology skills were also taught well. However, the teaching of phonics is not

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The quality of teaching is good

well organised because the size of the group is too big to ensure work is tailored to the children’s needs. The more-able children in particular not sufficiently challenged.  Throughout the rest of the school, the best teaching is characterised by activities that capture pupils’ interests and ensure effective learning. The pace of learning is brisk and teachers use well-targeted questions to check pupils’ understanding and correct misconceptions. Teachers constantly monitor pupils’ work throughout the lesson and quickly provide additional challenge or support where it is needed. This was evident in Years 4 and 5 when pupils dramatised aspects of poems and discussed with a partner the feelings that pictures of winter evoked, prior to writing their own poems.  Despite pupils’ good progress in literacy and numeracy, the work they are given is often mundane. Pupils say that work can be boring and the more-able pupils say that they sometimes

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The quality of teaching is good

have to wait until everyone in the class has completed work before moving on. There is some evidence of extended, multi-subject, investigative work, such as the Great Deighton Gates Bake Off, which the pupils recall as an exciting and memorable learning experience, but not enough. Limited challenging work of this nature is preventing pupils from achieving even better standards, particularly the more able, and is not promoting the best possible attitudes to learning.  While some good quality writing is produced, the standard of recording in pupils’ books is often untidy. Teachers do not always demand high enough quality presentation of work and in some classes there is over reliance and unsuitable use of small white-boards for recording.  Some support staff make a very valuable contribution to teaching and learning, but this is not always the case and the overall quality is too variable.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well. They are polite and courteous to visitors and generally get on well with each other. They have a mature moral awareness and sense of justice.  Pupils believe that behaviour is mostly good. They have a secure understanding of some types of bullying and are well aware of how to keep safe, for example, when using the internet.  Pupils say that they feel safe and while there is a small amount of bullying and racist behaviour, this is rare. Pupils are very clear about what they should do if they experience bullying or see it happening to others, and have faith in the school to deal effectively with inappropriate behaviour.  In lessons, pupils’ conduct is mostly good and they get on with the work they have been given. However, too often their demeanour shows that they are not well motivated by the work and this sometimes results in low-level misbehaviour. Few pupils can recall really memorable

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

classroom learning experiences.  Attendance is well above the national average and punctuality is good.  Most parents and teaching staff’s view is that pupils’ behaviour is good.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher is an inspirational leader who has earned the respect and admiration of the staff. She has tackled underperformance head on, making clear her high expectations of teaching and pupils’ learning.  Upon the headteacher’s appointment two years ago she instigated an overhaul of the assessment systems, which included robust outside moderation to ensure accuracy. This has resulted in teachers having a much clearer picture of pupils’ performance and a better understanding of what pupils need to do to reach a particular level and progress to the next.  Self-evaluation is thorough, based on a comprehensive range of evidence, and accurate. There is a strong focus on monitoring the quality of teaching, linked to performance management. Teachers are given very clear points for development focused on improving pupils’ progress. As yet, teachers have not tackled all of the identified pointers, but it is clear that teaching is

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The leadership and management are good

improving.  The progress of all groups, including those in receipt of the pupil premium, is monitored regularly and rigorously. This enables clear identification of any underperformance, which is swiftly addressed through support and tailored intervention programmes to improve progress and ensure equality of opportunity. The impact is evident in the reducing gap between the achievement of different groups of pupils, such as those in receipt of the pupil premium. Funding for the pupil premium is spent effectively to enhance pupils’ academic and personal development and reported clearly to parents.  Despite the reduction in staffing, leadership capacity has been developed well. The restructured senior leadership team is providing good support for the headteacher. Changes are starting to be effective and the school is moving forward.  In a short time, the new deputy headteacher has already made a strong impact in securing

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The leadership and management are good

improvements to the curriculum to ensure that work is more stimulating and further enhances pupils’ spiritual, social and cultural development. Currently, a comprehensive range of visits enhances learning across the curriculum. Pupils have good opportunities to develop skills in art, music and information and communication technology.  The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and monitors incidences of inappropriate behaviour meticulously. There are good systems to support pupils with challenging behaviour and incidences of exclusion have reduced.  The majority of parents are very happy with the school’s provision. The school’s good quality website keeps parents well-informed, with useful links and advice to help them support their children’s learning.  The local authority has provided good support for the school. In particular it has ensured that the headteacher has received valuable support from a professional partner headteacher during a

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The leadership and management are good

period in which she was establishing leadership capacity within the school. The human-resources department has also provided very good support during the staffing reduction process.  The governance of the school:  Through detailed and robust information from the headteacher and increased training the governors are much better informed than previously about pupils’ achievement. They now ask more-searching questions about pupils’ performance and the school’s provision.  The wide range of experience within the governing body enables them to make a good contribution to the school’s strategic development. Governors’ unwavering support for the school is tempered with rigorous challenge to ensure its improvement.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 107876 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 403051

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 204 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Charlie King Headteacher Claire Harrison Date of previous school inspection 30 April 2008 Telephone number 01937 584359 Fax number 01937 581643 Email address harrisc15@leedslearning.net guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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