Bradshaw Primary School

Bradshaw Primary School with Academy Status Ingham Lane, Bradshaw, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX2 9PF

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected 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

 Too little is expected of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage and pupils in Key Stage 1, so they make only expected rather than good progress.  Good progress in English and mathematics is not consistent throughout Key Stage 2.  The quality of teaching is not yet consistently good throughout the academy. It is stronger in Key Stage 2. However, throughout the school pupils are not well enough involved in assessing their own progress. Teachers’ marking is not always helpful and their expectations with regard to good handwriting and presentation of work are too low.

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The school has the following strengths

 Leadership of the academy is good. Leaders, including governors, check the quality of teaching robustly and overall there has been some good improvement in a short period of time.  Standards in mathematics are improving, particularly in Years 3 to 6. Standards in English, which are above expectations for age, have been maintained at the end of Year 6.  Pupils’ behaviour is good and they say it has improved over the last year. They feel safe in the school and share trusting relationships with their teachers and other adults. Attendance is above average.  Parents are supportive of the academy and of the good level of care provided for their children.  Governors provide good challenge and monitor the academy’s progress well.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 19 lessons and parts of lessons.  Discussions took place with members of staff, members of the governing body and pupils as well as the Academy’s Consultant Improvement Partner.  Also taken into account were 23 responses from parents who completed the on-line questionnaire Parent View.  Inspectors observed the academy’s work and examined a wide range of documentation that included: the academy’s evaluation of its work; its own assessment data; minutes from governing body meetings; information about the monitoring of teaching, samples of pupils’ work and safeguarding documents.

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Inspection team

Kevin Johnson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Doreen Davenport Additional Inspector Sharon Lambert Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a slightly bigger than average sized school in which almost all pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium is below average. (the pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children that are looked after).  The proportion of pupils supported by school action is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well below average.  The academy meets current floor standards, which are the government’s minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of Year 6.  There is extended care provided by the academy by way of before-school care that includes a breakfast club, after-school care and daily care during holidays.  There have been several staffing changes over the past year.

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Information about this school

 Bradshaw Primary School with Academy Status converted to become an academy in April 2012. When its predecessor school, Bradshaw Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be good.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and learning so that it is more consistently good or better and thereby speeds up pupils’ progress by:  raising expectations of what pupils can achieve especially in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1  giving pupils more opportunities to be involved in their own learning by assessing their own progress and setting improvement targets  making sure that good quality marking gives pupils clear guidance about how to improve their work and is embedded in all subjects and in all classes  reducing the use of worksheets and raising teachers’ expectations with regard to pupils’ handwriting and presentation of work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Provide a more challenging range of resources for the outdoor area of the Early Years Foundation Stage to help children develop good levels of curiosity and independent problem- solving skills.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 When children start in the Nursery their abilities overall are typical for their age. Although all areas of learning are adequately provided for, by the end of Reception they make expected, rather than good progress because teachers do not build effectively enough on what they know children can do. Activities are not sufficiently planned to test pupils’ individual skills or their independence. This is particularly evident in outdoor play where resources and opportunities for children to develop socially and independently are limited.  Progress in Years 1 and 2 is not as quick as it should be in writing and mathematics, although pupils make better progress in reading. Currently, pupils’ work in writing and mathematics in Years 1 and 2 is broadly in line with expectation for their age but not enough is better than that. There is too little extended writing to test pupils’ skills at different levels of ability and inaccurate

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

spelling and punctuation is too common. Pupils use worksheets too often to record mathematics rather than learning and practising good recording skills in their books.  Progress picks up in Years 3 to 6 where teaching is generally stronger. There are pockets of good progress in mathematics due to the positive effect of the academy’s current drive to improve standards in the subject. Pupils generally have a good understanding of number and opportunities to apply skills in problem solving add some interesting challenges. Currently, pupils are on track to reach at least expected standards at the end of Year 6 and a significant group are likely to achieve above that. Nevertheless, given the overall ability of the group such achievement might be expected given their starting points.  Writing in Year 6 currently is above expectations for age and the school’s expectations for that group are appropriately high. Progress throughout Key Stage 2, however, is more patchy due to

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

inconsistencies in teachers’ expectations and use of assessment to move progress on at a good pace.  Progress in reading is good. Planned reading time at the beginning of each day enables teachers and their assistants to work with individuals and groups to improve reading skills. There is also one-to-one work with some pupils on special programmes to boost their language skills. Pupils in Year 2 read confidently and with good understanding. They know how letters and sounds work so they can break unfamiliar words down in order to read them accurately. By Year 6 pupils read fluently. They choose from a good range both at school and at home. They are clear about the kinds of books they like and have good understanding of what they read.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs mostly make expected progress from their varying starting points. A few do better than expected. Pupils’ progress is checked regularly

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

and parents are well informed.  Pupils supported by the pupil premium, particularly those known to be eligible for free school meals also make similar progress to others in the school overall. There are currently no eligible pupils in Year 6 but in other classes in the school pupils benefit from a range of additional language and mathematics support and no significant attainment gaps are evident. Some make better progress than others in the academy.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 There has been good improvement in teaching over the past year but it is not yet consistently good throughout the academy. Although there is a stronger picture of teaching in Key Stage 2 than in other parts of the school, where expectations are too low, there are common aspects linked mostly to the use of assessment, that require improvement in both key stages.  Good relationships are a feature of all lessons. Teachers listen to pupils’ views and value the contributions they make to lessons. As a result, pupils are confident and more willing to share their ideas.  Where teaching is good pupils are questioned well to check their understanding. Planning is thorough and takes account of different abilities so that work is matched well to pupils’ needs. More-able pupils, especially, are particularly well challenged. Interesting methods are used to capture pupils’ attention and make learning more fun. In one lesson, for example, pupils enjoyed

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

correcting the teacher’s ‘mistakes’ and improved their own use of punctuation in doing so. Older pupils put their stage directions to the test and enjoyed working in groups to act out their play scripts.  Recent training is having a good impact on mathematics teaching. There is usually a good emphasis on the practise of basic skills such as multiplication tables, and methods of calculation are taught in a consistent way throughout Years 3 to 6. There is more emphasis on understanding of number, for example Year 3 and 4 pupils learned the relationships between fractions, decimals and percentages. In another group pupils estimated large numbers of objects, found the actual number then used their calculation knowledge to find the difference.  Despite the good progress made to strengthen teachers’ subject knowledge and skills there are still issues to address. Throughout the school pupils are not given enough opportunities to think

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

about their own progress in lessons, make decisions about what they need to do next and follow them up so that they have a better grasp of their learning. Teachers’ marking does not consistently point out the next steps for pupils to improve work and there are some examples of work that is not marked at all. Those two factors have a limiting effect on pupils’ progress. Too much of pupils’ work is untidy because there is not enough insistence on good presentation.  Teaching assistants work effectively alongside teachers to help small groups and individual pupils and generally make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Most pupils behave well in lessons and other areas of the school. Attitudes to learning are good. Pupils particularly like to discuss ideas with each other because it helps them with their work. Pupils are clear about their literacy and numeracy targets and generally confident in what they do. They enjoy the opportunities they have to work creatively in art, music and literacy.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They show respect towards adults and one another and are tolerant of others different backgrounds and circumstances. Pupils are always polite and well mannered. Attendance is above average and most pupils arrive at school on time.  A contributing factor to pupils’ good punctuality is the well-managed additional care before school where pupils mix socially, have breakfast and prepare for the day ahead. Equally well managed and equally appreciated by parents are the after-school and holiday care. Here, pupils

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

plan their own activities and are encouraged in their personal and social development by well- qualified staff.  Pupils say that they feel safe. They understand the different forms that bullying can take including misuse of the internet and are adamant that bullying and name-calling are extremely rare. Pupils feel strongly that they are well cared for by teachers and other adults and parents support that view.  Pupils contribute well to the everyday life of the school. The school council ensures that pupils have a say in school matters. Pupils willingly take on additional responsibilities such as being prefects or play leaders. Their friendliness adds greatly to the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the academy.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders’ roles have been revised since academy status began and leadership has strengthened as a result.  The headteacher, senior leaders, and governing body have worked hard to establish a clear vision for the new academy’s success. This vision is fully shared by a committed staff team who work purposefully to bring improvements.  There have been considerable changes in staffing over the past year. Appointments have been made with a view to strengthening teaching further and posts are to be taken up in the forthcoming term.  The focus on improving teaching and learning is relentless. With the headteacher and deputy headteacher, the senior leader of teaching checks teaching quality on a regular basis. Monitoring evidence clearly shows a shift towards good teaching and the elimination of that which was inadequate. Leaders’ work with external consultants confirms the improvement they have brought in a short time, while acknowledging that there is still work to be done particularly in the

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The leadership and management are good

Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1.  The management of teachers’ performance is well established. There are clear strategies for continuous training and sharing of good practice within the academy. Teachers understand how they are accountable for pupils’ progress and how salary progress is linked to their classroom performance.  The impact of leaders’ actions can be seen also in the improving standard of mathematics, more effective and popular (with pupils) systems for managing behaviour and continually improving attendance and punctuality. With other improvements in teaching, these demonstrate leaders’ ability to run a self-improving academy.  The school’s curriculum is well organised and provides good opportunities for pupils to develop their personal skills. There are increasing opportunities for them to express ideas through the arts and communications technology and to apply mathematics and literacy skills in different

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The leadership and management are good

ways.  The governance of the school:  The governing body knows the academy well and works determinedly to establish it as a beacon in the community. Governors use national data effectively to measure the academic progress and were quick to pick up the need to tackle mathematics standards. The range and depth of governors’ experience and relevant training equip them well to challenge the academy vigorously. Statutory responsibilities are carried out efficiently. All policies relevant to conversion to academy status are in place. Governors oversee the progress and development of teaching, with leaders, and how financial reward is linked to teachers’ performance. Finances are managed well and governors are fully aware of the way in which pupil premium funding is used to ensure equality of opportunity for all pupils and close attainment gaps where necessary. There are no issues concerning safeguarding which meets all government

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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 137987 Local authority Not Applicable Inspection number 403723

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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 Academy converter School category Non-maintained Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 290 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jodie Batty Headteacher Tracy Turner Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01422 244283 Fax number 01422 242218 Email address admin@bradshaw.calderdale.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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