Primrose Lane Primary School

Primrose Lane Primary School Westwood Way, Boston Spa, Wetherby, LS23 6DX

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Pupils achieve outstandingly well. By the end of Key Stage 2 they have reached standards that are very high compared to those attained nationally.  The support for children who have special educational needs is exceptional because staff are highly caring and ambitious for all pupils to reach the highest levels.  Outstanding teaching over time enables pupils to make very rapid progress in all subjects. As a result, all groups of pupils achieve very well.  The headteacher and other leaders have very high expectations of the progress that pupils make and check their progress regularly. As a result, all aspects of the school’s performance have improved since its previous inspection.  Children receive a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage where they are taught well by a highly effective staff team.  Levels of attendance at the school are high compared to those nationally and have

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

consistently been improving over time.  Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding. They behave exceptionally well in lessons and around the school. They are enthusiastic about their own learning and respond maturely to the opportunities to work on their own or with their peers.  The teaching of reading, writing and mathematics has improved since the last inspection and ensures that pupils leave the school well equipped to continue their education.  Governors make an exceptional contribution to the school and are continuing to play their part in raising standards through rigorous analysis of information, clarity of questioning and by holding the headteacher to account.  As a result of the significant strengths in leadership and governance, the school continues to improve.  The school recognises that new leaders need to be quickly established in their roles to ensure the school continues to build successfully on the recent rapid pace of

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 16 lessons and learning activities and nine teachers as well as scrutinising pupils’ work, hearing groups of pupils read and observing pupils at play, moving around the school and at lunchtime.  Two lessons were observed jointly, one with the headteacher and one with the deputy headteacher.  Inspectors met with staff, pupils, parents and members of the governing body and conducted a telephone call with the local authority representative.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and considered a number of documents. In particular they checked the school’s own evaluation of its performance, its improvement plan, policies and minutes from governors’ meetings.  The inspectors took into account 28 staff questionnaires and 73 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) as well as considering information from previous school surveys carried out with staff, parents and carers, and pupils.

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Inspection team

Jonathan Woodyatt, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Andrew Swallow Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is similar in size to most primary schools.  The great majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from armed services families and children that are looked after) is lower than average.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs who are supported through school action is much lower than in most primary schools. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is higher than in most primary schools.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which is the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in two classes. By the time they start in the Reception class, a number of these children have left the school and a number of others

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Information about this school

have started at the school.  Since the last inspection there have been a number of changes in the leadership and governance at the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to build successfully on the recent rapid pace of improvement by ensuring new leaders are quickly established in their roles.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children make good progress from their broadly average starting points and achieve well in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Good and sometimes inspirational teaching and highly effective support from adults who are trained in observation and assessment techniques ensure that children are well placed to start in Key Stage 1.  By the end of Key Stage 1, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is typically above average and has been for a number of years.  Pupils make outstanding progress in Key Stage 2 and attainment at the end of Year 6 has been exceptionally high for a number of years. All Year 6 pupils in the 2012 tests reached the expected Level 4 in national tests in English and mathematics, with over half reaching the higher than expected Level 5. As a result of outstanding teaching, a much greater proportion of pupils went on to reach Level 6 in mathematics and writing than did so nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The average point scores of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals are improving rapidly over time compared to others in the school. National tests show the gaps in attainment between different groups of pupils are generally small. Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and pupils who have special educational needs make good and often outstanding progress due to their needs being identified accurately, and highly effective strategies being put into place to aid their learning.  Standards in mathematics are exceptionally high and are considerably above national averages. Pupils of all abilities are challenged and high-attaining pupils are developing skills well above those expected for their age.  Pupils’ progress in reading is exceptionally strong. Pupils read widely and are enthusiastic about their reading. They displayed exceptional skills with pronouncing words and engaging the

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

listener when reading aloud to inspectors. Phonics teaching (how to link letters and the sounds they make) is very effective, confirmed by the school’s very strong performance in the national screening check in Key Stage 1.  Pupils’ progress in writing is outstanding. Inspectors saw many examples of exceptionally high standards of writing by pupils in Year 6 where pupils had written detailed and extensive responses in their books.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The impact of teaching on pupils’ achievement over time is outstanding. A high proportion of teaching observed during the inspection was outstanding and as a result, pupils make exceptional progress from their starting points.  Teachers’ planning and their assessments of pupils’ learning are of exceptionally high quality and ensure that lessons provide stimulating and interesting tasks and activities that enable all pupils to make outstanding progress.  Teachers and other adults in the classrooms systematically and effectively check pupils’ understanding and challenge them to think more deeply through focused questioning. Teachers are highly effective in engaging pupils and build successful and positive relationships which ensure pupils are highly committed to their learning.  Pupils regularly work in groups and pairs and are encouraged to discuss their work with each other in order to solve problems and complete tasks. They are encouraged to assess each

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

other’s work and to write comments using a green pen. When inspectors looked at examples of these comments in Year 6 books, it was clear that pupils were highly skilled in identifying ways to improve their own work.  Recent further improvements in the way teachers assess performance and plan to enable pupils achieve the higher levels, particularly Level 5 and above, have continued to improve the outstanding performance in reading, writing and especially mathematics.  Marking is frequently carried out and provides pupils with precise feedback on the way they have done their work as well as suggesting improvements that they could make to do even better. Spelling mistakes are corrected rigorously and pupils are expected to practise in order to spell words correctly.  Displays and ‘learning walls’ provide a rich and stimulating opportunity to engage pupils and significantly enhance the learning taking place. In creating ‘learning walls’, pupils put their own

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

work onto wall displays in order to create summaries of what they have been taught, such as calculation methods in mathematics, and use these to improve their own learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary both in and out of the classroom. They display outstanding attitudes to their learning which means that they are attentive to the teaching and gain significantly from the excellent learning experiences.  Behaviour is managed exceptionally well. Evidence from lesson observations carried out by inspectors showed that teachers are highly skilled in managing behaviour and using the school’s rewards system to generate high levels of cooperation and engagement among pupils. Pupils were clearly motivated and ambitious to achieve the different awards.  Attendance levels are high and have continued to improve over a number of years. There are now few instances of absence, with changes brought about by the school’s leadership having reduced the number of pupils being absent from school. Pupils told inspectors that they attend because they really enjoy school, the teachers are good and they have good friends.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils say that they feel safe in the school. They know about different types of bullying and they are fully aware of how to stay safe using computers. Surveys carried out by the school and conversations with parents fully support what the pupils are saying.  Older pupils told inspectors that bullying is rare and that if it does happen, it is dealt with quickly and effectively by teachers. Responses from the recent parent view survey indicated that there were a small number of concerns raised by parents about bullying in school, though records of the school’s actions to deal with bullying show incidents are rare and fully followed up. Inspectors also talked to parents, viewed staff and pupil surveys which confirmed that bullying is rare.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher and other leaders consistently set exceptionally high standards for the learning and progress of pupils in the school. Pupils and teachers have targets that are appropriately high and as a result of relentless efforts to check closely on performance ensure that the school continues to achieve outstanding results.  Leaders focus relentlessly on improving the quality of teaching. Scrutiny of teaching is carried out by leadership at all levels within the school. Extensive arrangements to support improvements through training and support from colleagues ensure teachers provide pupils with high quality learning experiences.  Leaders and governors have a precise view of the school’s performance and use this to establish highly effective plans for improvement. The school’s judgements on its own performance are exceptionally accurate and its analysis of information is thorough and robust.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher and governors have been rigorous and ambitious with taking the opportunity to further enhance the leadership team following recent staff changes. The school recognises that new leaders need to be quickly established in their roles to ensure the school continues to build successfully on the recent rapid pace of improvement.  The curriculum provides extensive opportunities for pupils to learn effectively and is highly successful in developing skills for the next stages of their education. For example, pupils can learn dance, singing, music and sport and then participate in school performances, school choir, school concerts or sports teams which compete with other schools. There are many opportunities for pupils to go on visits or listen to visitors which support and enhance the exceptional learning throughout the school year. The school effectively tackles discrimination through teaching about different religions.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The local authority has a clear view of the school’s performance. It can provide support if required and visits the school twice a year as part of the support arrangements in place. Checks by external organisations, such as the local authority, on the standards in the school consistently support the grades being awarded by the school.  The governance of the school:  Governors display an exceptional drive and ambition to make the school the very best it can be. They have a thorough understanding of their responsibilities and statutory duties, which they manage with exceptional efficiency, and they ensure that the school’s arrangements for safeguarding meet statutory requirements. Records of meetings show they are very clear about the use of school funds and the impact these have had on pupils’ learning and progress and about how the school spends its pupil premium funding. Governors are fully aware of the

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The leadership and management are outstanding

quality of teaching and how staff performance appraisals link to pupils’ progress and decisions about salaries. Governors are trained in and are closely involved with recruitment and successfully ensure provision of equal opportunities.

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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 107869 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 403050

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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 245 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Edna Small Headteacher Catherine Holmes Date of previous school inspection 12 December 2007 Telephone number 01937 842667 Fax number 01937 541835 Email address info@primroselane.leeds.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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