Peel Park Primary School and NurseryOfsted inspection, 25 Jan 2013

Peel Park Primary School Peel Park Drive, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD2 4PR

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Inadequate 4 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 Good 2

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

 Teachers do not always use what they know about pupils’ attainment to plan all lessons well enough. This limits the progress some pupils make.  Although some teachers mark work in a way that helps pupils do better next time, not all do. This is particularly the case in mathematics.  Teachers do not always ask the right type of questions to extend pupils’ thinking. When teachers do ask challenging questions they occasionally jump in with the answer too quickly and limit the opportunity.  Achievement is not as good in mathematics as it is in English. Attainment is lower in reading than it is in writing.  While over time most pupils make the progress expected of them in mathematics, too few do better than this, particularly in Year 1 and 5.  In upper Key Stage 2, boys do not make as much progress as girls.

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The school has the following strengths

 The headteacher and senior leadership team have high ambitions for the school and development plans are robust, based on accurate self-evaluation.  Senior leaders have relentlessly pursued improvements in the quality of teaching and eradicated all inadequacies. It is now improving strongly.  Procedures for checking on pupils’ progress are now firmly established, enabling leaders to provide the right support for pupils who find work difficult.  The school uses the pupil-premium funds well. As a result most pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, for example, make good progress.  The majority of pupils make good progress in their written work.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage also make good progress and are well prepared to start Year 1.  Pupils enjoy coming to this rapidly improving school, they behave well, feel safe and secure and their attendance has improved significantly.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 15 lessons, of which 12 were joint observations with members of the school’s senior leadership team. A number of small-group activities were also observed.  Meetings were held with members of the governing body, senior leaders, school staff and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors talked to pupils in lessons about their work, looked at books, listened to pupils read and talked to a group of pupils from Key Stage 2.  Inspectors took account of two recently conducted surveys of parents’ views undertaken by the school and spoke to a number of parents at the start of the school day. No responses were available to consider on Parent View.  Inspectors observed the school’s work, looked at progress data, performance-management information, records relating to behaviour and attendance, self-evaluation reports, as well as documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Jim Alexander, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Michael Cooper Additional Inspector

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Full report

In accordance with section 13 (4) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

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Information about this school

 This is a larger than average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported by school action is lower than average. The number supported by school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is above average.  A much larger than average proportion of pupils is from minority ethnic groups. The vast majority are of Asian heritage with the remainder being made up of mainly White British and Eastern European heritage.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil-premium funding is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which sets the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club for pupils.  Since the time of the last inspection there have been significant changes in staff and members of the governing body.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so it is all at least good or better, by:  planning work better to meet the needs and interests of all pupils, particularly in Year 5  improving consistency in the quality of marking, particularly in mathematics  ensuring questions are challenging and then providing enough time for pupils to consider their response before providing the answers.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment in reading and mathematics, by:  increasing the proportion of pupils who make better than expected progress  accelerating the progress pupils make in their lessons, particularly in Year 1 and Year 5  improving the progress made by boys in upper Key Stage 2, so they do equally well as the girls.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because, while most pupils make good progress in their writing, over time progress in reading and mathematics has not been good enough, particularly in Year 1 and Year 5. In these two subjects teachers help most pupils to make expected progress, but fewer do better than this.  Most children start school with skills that are low compared to those typically expected for their age, particularly in language and number work. They make good progress through the Early Years Foundation Stage. However, progress is faster in Nursery than it is in Reception.  Pupils in Year 1 who do not read as well as expected, have been given additional support. They are now using what they know of letters and sounds to help them read tricky works. This is helping them to catch up. Across the school, pupils read regularly and a new well-resourced library has just been opened. The school are also promoting a Parents’ Reading Club to foster

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

the enjoyment of books at home.  Attainment by the end of Year 2 has been improving and is now broadly average in writing, although remains below average in reading and mathematics. Attainment by the end of Key Stage 2 has also been improving and is also broadly average in writing, although it too remains below average in reading and mathematics.  The headteacher has made sure that teaching is no longer inadequate. It was this teaching which had slowed pupils’ progress. Pupils are now catching up, although there are still gaps in their knowledge and understanding.  Well-tailored support for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is helping them make progress similar to others in school. Those pupils who are supported by extra funding through the pupil premium are provided for in small-group or one-to-one activities. As a result, most of these pupils, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, are now

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

making good progress.  Pupils from minority ethnic groups make progress similar to others in the school. School staff have made particularly effective steps to ensure that girls generally now make good progress across the school. Boys’ progress also is improving, but not so quickly, particularly in Year 5 and Year 6.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching is improving strongly and is now good in an increasing number of lessons. However, it remains weaker in others. For example, pupils in Year 4 and Year 6 are currently making much better progress in their reading than in other classes.  Children are taught effectively in the well-resourced Early Years Foundation Stage. Activities are carefully planned to support all areas of learning, both indoors and outside no matter what the weather. Children are encouraged to work independently, taking responsibility for their own learning and also cooperating well together. Adults often ask the right questions to extend children’s engagement, but on occasions opportunities are missed.  The quality of marking has improved and is now good in an increasing number of classes, but still remains too varied in others. For example, in Year 5 it is of a higher quality in writing than it is in mathematics. Across the school teachers are now providing next steps for pupils to improve

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

their work, but are not consistently ensuring pupils take these steps quickly enough.  In the majority of classes, pupils of different abilities are provided with varying starting points and appropriate challenges. However, this good practice is missing in other lessons where all pupils are too often given the same work regardless of their ability. This means that some pupils, particularly the more able, are not making as much progress as they could.  In the best lessons, teachers ask a range of questions to either consolidate pupils’ understanding or to challenge their thinking. However, in other lessons, adults ask questions that limit pupils’ responses to a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer, or they do not give pupils long enough to think about their answer before they reply.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils enjoy school and talk about the improvements they have experienced with enthusiasm. They attend regularly and are well-prepared for their lessons. All parents who completed the school’s questionnaire say their children are safe and enjoy school.  While attendance is average overall, it is much higher in some year groups than others. Leaders are effectively working with parents to improve the attendance of pupils in Year 1.  Pupils have a high regard for their teachers and are very eager to please. They display good attitudes in their lessons, and even when teaching is not as good as the best, most pupils demonstrate an eager desire to work hard.  There are well-developed systems in place to manage any low-level problems and pupils generally respond very quickly to a quiet word.  Exclusions and incidents of bullying are exceptionally rare. Pupils are well informed about all types of bullying and know how to keep themselves safe. For example, when using the internet.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say they get on well together and playtimes and lunchtimes are happy occasions. They accept responsibility well and take every opportunity to attend the wide variety of clubs on offer.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are helped to make excellent progress in their personal and social skills. Adults are very experienced at helping the most vulnerable children develop their self-esteem and build a positive attitude to school life.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders at all levels consistently communicate high expectations and have a shared determination to ensure the school continues to improve. Self-evaluation, based on robust monitoring systems, is accurate and effectively informs school-improvement plans.  The headteacher has allocated the pupil-premium funding in a wide variety of ways to ensure that the majority of pupils who are supported by this fund make good progress. For example, additional tuition and small-group activities before and after main teaching sessions.  Teachers who are responsible for leading English and mathematics are equally as effective. The robust systems for checking on pupils’ progress enables swift action to be taken to assist pupils who are requiring support. This is just one example which demonstrates the school’s commitment to equal opportunity for all pupils.  Performance-management arrangements have been greatly improved and are the driving force

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The leadership and management are good

behind the significant improvements in teaching. Leaders identify teachers’ strengths and weaknesses by using a wide range of evidence and then provide effective support to ensure teaching improves. Senior leaders’ judgements about the quality of lessons are accurate and inspectors observed the effective feedback each teacher received from their line-manager.  Senior colleagues are effectively supporting the teacher who has recently taken on responsibility for managing the provision for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. Training courses are being attended, which are already equipping the member of staff for the role.  Pupils who attend the popular breakfast and after-school clubs benefit from a wide variety of games and activities as well as support for homework and reading tasks.  Over the past two years, leaders have welcomed the effective support provided by the local

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The leadership and management are good

authority for this improving school.  The governance of the school:  The Chair of the Governing Body leads the governors effectively. They are now highly organised and well-informed. They have made the most of the training offered by the local authority. Governors are equipped to challenge when required and encourage when deserved. They know how well the school is performing in relation to other schools across the country. They use this information, alongside looking at work in pupils’ books and observing the work of the school, to gain a very clear understanding of the school’s strengths and what needs to be improved. They use the information from the performance-management procedures to ensure only teachers who meet both their targets and the teachers’ standards are considered for annual pay awards. They have supported the school effectively since the last inspection and have developed their skills accordingly. For example, new members now have a mentor to

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The leadership and management are good

ensure best use is quickly made of their appointment. Governors ensure safeguarding arrangements meet requirements and pupils are kept safe.

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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 101494 Local authority Bradford Inspection number 407111

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 2–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 534 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Colleen Middleton Headteacher Lloyd Mason-Edwards Date of previous school inspection 9 December 2010 Telephone number 01274 639377 Fax number 01274 648412 Email address lloyd@peelpark.bradford.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

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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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