Gleadless Primary School

Gleadless Primary School Hollinsend Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S12 2EJ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 The proportion of pupils currently making expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics is average, reflecting improvements over the past year. In some previous years it has not been as good as this. The school has found better ways of teaching reading and writing. This is raising pupils’ standards and accelerating their progress towards good. Progress in mathematics is improving but not as rapidly.  Senior leaders are resolute in improving teaching which is beginning to tackle the weaknesses in mathematics. Although there is an increasing proportion of good teaching, its overall quality still requires improvement, particularly in mathematics.  School leaders and governors have a clear understanding of what is working well. However, they are at an early stage of ensuring that in mathematics pupils make good progress and achieve higher standards.

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The school has the following strengths

 The Early Years Foundation Stage is led and managed effectively. The well-planned activities in the Nursery and Reception Years ensure that children make good progress.  Pupils’ behaviour is good and they feel safe. They respond well to the school’s positive values and treat each other with respect.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors saw 13 of the 19 teachers teaching in the 18 lessons visited.  Inspectors had discussions with staff, pupils and representatives of the governing body and the local authority.  They scrutinised a wide range of documents held by the school including policies and procedures for safeguarding pupils, data on pupils’ attainment and progress and the school’s self-evaluation of its work.  Inspectors took account of the responses made by 42 parents in Ofsted’s online questionnaire (Parent View).

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Inspection team

Alan Lemon, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jennifer Firth Additional Inspector Edward Price Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much larger than the average-sized primary school. It is based on two sites close to each other.  The very large majority of pupils are of White British heritage and the proportion supported through pupil premium funding is below average but increasing.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is average, as are the proportions supported through school action plus or by a statement of special educational needs.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching to at least good in order to raise pupils’ attainment and accelerate their progress further, especially in mathematics by:  increasing teachers’ expertise in teaching mathematics where this is less strong  making sure assessment is used effectively in mathematics lessons to plan suitably challenging work for pupils of all abilities  ensuring when teachers mark work in mathematics there is consistency of practice across the school in giving pupils good advice on how to improve their work and checking the use made by pupils of that advice  provide pupils across the school with good opportunities to write at length on a variety of topics and a range of purposes.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by:  senior and middle leaders further supporting improvements in mathematics, especially in helping some teachers to gain more expertise in the subject  ensuring subject and key stage leaders check the effectiveness of work in their areas of responsibility to raise achievement to at least good.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Currently, pupils make better progress in English than in mathematics. In English, pupils match the average rates for expected and more than expected progress nationally. This has not been consistently so over time and in some years past pupils have underperformed in reading and writing. However, a new approach to learning communication, language and literacy has lifted expectations and succeeded in raising pupils’ attainment and accelerating their progress in English across the school. Pupils acquire reading and writing skills systematically. They are positively encouraged to read and enjoy books. However, they have too few opportunities to write at length on different subjects.  The improvement of mathematics has lagged behind that in English, although this is being tackled and the actions taken so far are beginning to have a positive effect. For many pupils a good level of skill in calculating, and the use of this to solve problems is not secure. The

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

opportunities for pupils across the school to investigate and solve a variety of mathematical problems are limited. The lack of consistency in giving pupils advice and support in lessons, through marking their work and setting them suitable targets means that they are not always challenged to do their best.  Many children start their Nursery Year with skills below the level expected for their age across most areas of their development. Nursery and Reception Year children make good progress as a result of the effective teaching of a well-planned and broad range of work and activities. Children develop their literacy and numeracy skills well and have positive attitudes to learning. This enables children to confidently enter Year 1.  Pupils are currently making the expected rate of progress in Key Stage 1 because some improvement in teaching has helped eliminate previous below average standards in reading,

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

writing and mathematics. In 2012, a higher proportion of Year 1 pupils achieved the expected standard in linking letters and sounds. This reflects their success in literacy in the Early Years Foundation Stage and the new approach to teaching reading. While pupils’ attainment in mathematics has improved somewhat, the lack of expertise in some mathematics teaching is a restraint on pupils making faster progress and achieving more.  The close check kept on all pupils’ progress generates good data which is used effectively to ensure those supported through the pupil premium and others with additional learning needs have good opportunities to learn and make progress. Work and activities are well planned and tailored to what these pupils need to learn. Besides support in lessons, working in small groups away from the classroom gives pupils the time they need to learn and keep up with others. While gaps exist in the attainment of the pupils with additional learning needs, those known to

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

be eligible for free school meals and all pupils, the support they receive, particularly that afforded through effective use of the pupil premium is contributing positively towards narrowing gaps.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 While there is an increasing proportion of good teaching, the amount that still requires improvement means pupils are held back from making good progress and achieving higher standards in reading, writing and especially in mathematics.  While the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning has improved lately by virtue of new appointments and the considered deployment of the strongest teachers across the school, it has in the past few years not been consistently good enough to ensure that pupils achieved well.  Currently, there is an increasing amount of good teaching of English and some improvement in mathematics, reflecting more rigorous use of data and more focused targets for the improved performance of teachers. Where there is good teaching in English, mathematics and other subjects, there are lively, fast-paced lessons in which pupils work well and are challenged by the tasks set. In the Nursery and Reception classes the good balance of teacher-led and child-

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

initiated activities ensures children enjoy learning and make good progress in reading, writing and counting in particular.  Teaching requires improvement in mathematics mostly because of a lack of expertise of some staff in the subject. New concepts and skills are not always well taught leaving pupils less confident when tackling work. Pupils’ work in mathematics is occasionally not well matched enough to what they already know and can do because assessment is not always used well enough and, therefore, the work set does not challenge pupils sufficiently. Not all teachers are using marking to set high expectations and provide good advice to pupils on improving their work in mathematics. Marking is more thorough in English, reflecting the clearer sense of direction given to teaching and learning in the subject.  The team of teaching assistants, under the clear direction of the deputy headteacher and year

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

group leaders, provide good support to pupils who have additional learning needs or who are making slower progress. Teaching assistants manage effectively a large number of small-group literacy and numeracy activities ensuring pupils who need extra help continue to learn and make progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are well behaved in lessons and around the school. They enjoy school and respect the positive values it promotes. Pupils throughout the school have good regard for each other and are considerate of each other’s needs and feelings. In lessons, when the opportunity arises to work together, pupils’ enthusiastic team spirit is evident. Their good capacity to discuss and share ideas contributes well to their enjoyment of learning and their progress.  Pupils feel safe in school and are taught about all types of bullying and the sorts of risks they need to be aware of in school and beyond. The large majority of parents believe their children are happy and safe at school. There are some incidents of physical and verbal bullying, which pupils acknowledge and the school records. However, bullying is not widespread and it is dealt with effectively. Pupils know what to do when they see or are affected by bullying. The school’s

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

learning mentor deals sensitively with pupils’ concerns and effectively promotes their well-being.  Pupils’ good attitudes to learning and their behaviour reflect the school’s positive atmosphere, its strong care and support for all pupils, and the effective promotion of their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. A good variety of activities are planned, which teach pupils about the diverse cultures and beliefs in Britain, including many first-hand experiences of different cultures. These involve visits away from school and receiving visitors representing different cultures and beliefs.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 School leaders are acting with a sense of urgency to improve pupils’ performance. They understand that they need to do even more to raise pupils’ attainment and accelerate their progress in mathematics.  The headteacher has an accurate knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. The quality of teaching is checked regularly and has been strengthened, particularly in English, through training, sharing good practice and sharply focused targets for improving teachers’ performance. The local authority has helped the school to make contacts with other schools and teachers who share good practice, as well as consultants to work with the school on its improvements.  Teachers have a clear understanding of the priorities for improvement. What is expected of them and pupils is explicit and rigorous. The headteacher’s drive to strengthen teaching is raising the expectations of staff and lately this has improved pupils’ standards and accelerated

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The leadership and management requires improvement

their progress in English. Leaders recognise that further work is needed to quicken the pace of improvement in mathematics.  The planning of pupils’ work and activities across the school is effective in most respects. The improvement in English has been well managed by a concerted team effort by leaders and staff, and pupils’ achievement has risen as a result. The new approach to teaching English has been underpinned successfully through training staff. The change has been well received by staff, and pupils feel they are making positive headway with their reading and writing.  While there is clear direction on improving mathematics, this improvement is at an early stage. Leaders and teachers know what needs to be done to raise standards. However, there is further work to be done by leaders to ensure that all teachers have good expertise in teaching mathematics. More rigorous tracking of pupils’ progress and the checks on the quality of

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The leadership and management requires improvement

teaching have been implemented.  The contribution to leadership and management by a wider group of teachers was underdeveloped at the time of the school’s last inspection. This aspect has been strengthened and gives some extra momentum to improvement, although the extent to which they check pupils’ work and teaching within key stages and subjects is limited. The Early Years Foundation Stage has improved and is well led and managed.  The governance of the school:  The membership of the governing body has changed recently and new governors are settling well to their roles and responsibilities. They have established a firm hold on the school budget and on ensuring the school’s safeguarding arrangements are robust. The local authority has been active in ensuring the governing body has the expertise and experience to function as the school’s critical friend and hold it to account. Governors have been quick to analyse

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The leadership and management requires improvement

information on the school’s performance, including the impact of the use of the pupil premium funding and they have a good understanding of strengths and weaknesses. The governing body is clear about the priorities and timescales for improving pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching and demonstrates a good capacity to challenge leaders.

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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 106991 Local authority Sheffield Inspection number 400877

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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 450 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sandy Davidson Headteacher Valerie Fowles Date of previous school inspection 11 November 2009 Telephone number 0114 239 9705 Fax number 0114 239 9705 Email address enquiries@gleadless.sheffield.sch.uk 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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