Keresforth Primary School

Keresforth Primary School Keresforth Road, Dodworth, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S75 3NU

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 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.  Since the arrival of the current headteacher the school has improved rapidly. Children typically start in Nursery with below average levels of skills and knowledge. When pupils leave they have made progress better than that found nationally and achievement is good.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are monitored carefully. Through effective support they make good, and sometimes outstanding, progress.  Most teachers have high expectations of their pupils. They have a clear view of individuals’ progress and record this carefully to get the best from them.  Behaviour is good and, as a result, little learning time is lost. Children feel safe and enjoy school.  A period of instability in staffing has ended and everyone now shares a common ideal of creating a top quality school where pupils can do their very best. Teachers are given good support to develop their skills and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

effectiveness. Governors play an active role in supporting school improvement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough pupils reach the higher grades in English and mathematics.  Teaching is not yet all of good or outstanding quality.  The senior leadership team is still developing. Not all members have clear job descriptions or areas of responsibility.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed a total of 14 lessons taught by seven teachers which amounted to seven hours of inspection time.  They listened to pupils read and looked at samples of work produced by pupils in each class.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, teachers, pupils and representatives of the governing body and the local authority.  Inspectors considered 12 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View), together with discussions and comments received from parents during the inspection. The views of staff and pupils were gained from discussions and from their questionnaire responses.  A range of documentation was looked at in detail, including information on the progress of pupils, teachers’ planning and assessment, curriculum developments and school improvement planning. Policies and procedures were checked, including those for safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Martyn Groucutt, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jonathon Yodaiken Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is below the national average, but the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding allocated to the school by the government for those who qualify for free school meals, are in the care of the local authority or have parents in the armed forces) is below the national average.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Following the last inspection there was a period of instability in staffing, but this is now resolved.  The school works in conjunction with an outstanding local school to support its further development and improvement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of pupils who gain the higher grades in national tests by:  sharing the practice of the most effective teachers in school through in-house professional development  observing outstanding practice in the partner school and learning from it  promoting the highest aspirations for academic success, reinforcing this through clear performance targets for teachers  supporting those few teachers whose practice is not yet good enough  training teaching assistants to give effective support to gifted and talented pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop and strengthen management in the school through:  ensuring that every senior leader has a clear job description that sets out areas of responsibility for which they are held accountable by the headteacher and governing body  strengthening the focus on leaders’ responsibilities for supporting teachers in raising academic achievement  monitoring the effectiveness with which teachers who receive extra allowances contribute towards the process of school improvement.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The majority of Keresforth pupils make sustained progress at a faster rate than that found nationally. The only exception to this is the most-able pupils, not enough of whom yet achieve the higher grades in English or mathematics.  Most children start in the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and knowledge below the levels expected for their age. They make good progress and when they start Year 1 their skills are much closer to the level expected. They are well prepared for more formal education.  This good progress continues in Years 1 and 2 where standards in reading, writing and mathematics reflect achievement that is generally around the national average. Standards vary from year to year because the numbers in any one group are small, so one pupil makes a big difference to overall percentages.  By the end of Year 6 pupils have become confident learners and virtually all make, or exceed,

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The achievement of pupils is good

expected progress. In recent years the standards reached by many have been significantly above the national average. From pupils’ starting points this represents good progress even though attainment overall is sometimes lower than that found in other schools nationally.  Pupils enjoy reading and this is encouraged in all lessons. As a result, pupils become confident readers and standards are above average. This supports their wider learning in areas such as communication, writing and mathematics.  Up to Year 3 there is a dedicated daily time for learning letters and sounds (phonics). Additional support is also provided for those who find learning more difficult. As a result, pupils make good progress in reading.  The school’s recently introduced method of recording pupils’ progress termly, clearly demonstrates the rising standards across the school. It also highlights those in danger of falling behind which, in turn, leads to individually tailored support to secure good progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 As a result, disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and those who benefit from the pupil premium are well supported because their individual needs are fully understood. They therefore make good, and sometimes outstanding, progress that helps them narrow the gap in achievement with their classmates.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is generally of good quality right through from the Early Years Foundation Stage. There is some outstanding practice, reflected, for example, in high quality marking and assessment. Work in pupils’ books is marked carefully with helpful suggestions for improvement and time for corrections to be made.  Pupils have individual learning targets and there is a focus on helping them to meet these. Teachers use information on individual progress to ensure targets are challenging. This is supporting rising standards. Pupils know their targets and what they have to do meet them before moving on to the next one.  However, not all teaching is of good quality, largely because a small amount lacks pace and challenge. The school has entered a partnership with an outstanding school to support professional development and raise the quality of teaching even further. It is also starting to disseminate its own best practice through staff development.

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The quality of teaching is good

 This is promoting higher expectations and is beginning to lead to increased challenge for those pupils capable of reaching the higher levels. However, this is not yet consistent enough to help these pupils to maximise their full potential.  Most teachers have high expectations and have become more skilled in helping pupils to work together in small groups or individually to develop their thinking and problem-solving skills. They often reinforce this through good questioning. Pupils enjoy their learning and lessons generally reflect good pace and challenge.  Computers and information and communication technology are used well to support learning. For example, children in the Nursery were seen using the interactive whiteboard, showing that skills in this area are developed right from the start.  Planning is detailed and because teachers know the abilities of all their pupils they effectively meet individual needs. The school knows where pupils’ skills are not so well developed, such as

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The quality of teaching is good

in extended writing, and puts in place actions to address any weaker areas.  This enables disabled pupils, those with special educational needs, and those who benefit from the pupil premium, to make good progress alongside their peers. The additional resources provided are targeted specifically to maximise their impact. For example, additional tuition provides enhanced learning support and the funding also enables such pupils to participate in out-of-school activities and wider learning activities.  Teaching assistants support teachers throughout the school and good teamwork reinforces pupils’ learning. However, sometimes there is a tendency to intervene too readily with pupils, so they are not fully challenged. There is also a focus on providing support for those who have learning difficulties to the detriment of enhancing the challenge for the very able pupils.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils, staff and parents all agree that the standards of behaviour in school are good. This is reflected in the positive way that pupils look after each other and in their welcome for visitors to the school.  In a small number of classes younger pupils display very challenging behaviour. There are clear and well-implemented behaviour plans, backed up by enhanced levels of support, to help such pupils become more positive and develop their social and communication skills. By the time they reach Year 6 such pupils have largely learnt to manage their own behaviour.  Similarly, there is general agreement that pupils are safe. They get on very well together and pupils say there is little bullying. When there are occasional disagreements pupils say that staff deal with this very effectively.  Pupils have a good understanding of the different types of bullying and talk confidently about how they would respond to the dangers of cyber-bullying and the misuse of social networking

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

sites.  Since the last inspection the school has worked hard to raise attendance. This has been very successful and it is now above the national average because pupils enjoy school and are engaged in learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s sustained improvement since the last inspection, when the headteacher was new in post, reflects her drive and determination for excellence. After a period of turbulence in staffing there is now more stability and staff share the headteacher’s vision. There is a determination to continue the process of improvement.  An effective leadership team has been created, although some members are relatively new to leadership and still developing their skills. Not all team members have equally clear individual areas of responsibility and accountability for school improvement and raising academic achievement.  The school has benefited from the support of the local authority; most recently in the support it gave in brokering the link with the local school which is helping Keresforth to raise its standards of achievement. As yet, not enough teaching staff have had opportunities to observe the outstanding practice in the partner school, nor the best practice in the school itself.

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The leadership and management are good

 Systems to monitor the quality of teaching are rigorous and linked closely to the process of appraisal and performance management. Staff are aware of their accountability for pupils’ progress and how this links with salary progression. Teachers on the upper pay scale are now being given additional responsibilities for school improvement, but this was not always the case and the monitoring of their performance has only recently started to be more rigorous.  Effective self-evaluation leads to the identification of key priorities for continuing improvement. The effectiveness of this is reflected in the rising standards since the last inspection.  The curriculum ensures that pupils can successfully develop their skills in reading, writing and mathematics. It is also broad enough to trigger the interests of pupils in wider learning, and knowledge about the world in which they live.  The school effectively promotes the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the

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The leadership and management are good

pupils. Colourful displays of art reflect other cultures and all pupils have the chance to develop musical skills. The way pupils get on so well together reflects positive social awareness.  Most parents show strong support for the recent changes in the school and the links that the school has with them.  The governance of the school:  Governors are more effectively involved in the process of school improvement than they were in the past. They are able to monitor finances because they receive good financial information. This includes a clear statement of the way in which funding such as the pupil premium is targeted specifically to support pupils for whom it is intended. They monitor the effectiveness of the headteacher, ensuring that she is given challenging targets for her own development. All statutory duties, including those for safeguarding, are carried out effectively. Through direct links between individual governors and curriculum areas, the governing body is an

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The leadership and management are good

effective partner in the process of school 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 106582 Local authority Barnsley Inspection number 400849

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 187 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Maggie Clarke Headteacher Helen Otley Date of previous school inspection 28 April 2010 Telephone number 01226 284147 Fax number 01226 734027 Email address h.otley@barnsley.org 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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