Lady Elizabeth Hastings' CofE VA Primary School, Thorp Arch

Lady Elizabeth Hastings’ Church of England Primary School, Thorp Arch Dowkell Lane, Thorp Arch, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, LS23 7AQ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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

 Achievement requires improvement because pupils do not make enough progress in mathematics by the time they leave at the end of Key Stage 2.  Teaching is not consistently good in mathematics. Lessons do not always move at a brisk pace and teaching assistants are not always deployed effectively.  In some lessons work given to the pupils does not always match their different needs and abilities.  Teachers have not yet benefitted enough from observing best practice within and beyond the school.  Marking does not consistently give pupils clear guidance on how they can improve their work and pupils do not always have quality time to follow up on the advice given.  The follow-up procedures relating to the checks on the quality of teaching lack rigour and, consequently, monitoring by leaders and managers is not having maximum impact on accelerating improvements in teaching.

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The school has the following strengths

 The headteacher, alongside all leaders and the governing body, has devised clear and focused development plans, and all staff are committed to driving school improvement.  An exceptionally good focus led by the leadership team has resulted in pupils reaching high standards in writing.  Behaviour is good and pupils feel safe because of their good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage get a good start and they make good progress in all areas of development.  Pupils are motivated by the school’s exciting curriculum and enjoy coming to school. This is seen in their above-average attendance.  Parents hold the school in high regard.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 6 parts of lessons, one of which was a joint observation with the headteacher. The inspector observed an assembly and heard pupils read.  Meetings were held with key staff, pupils, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  The inspector looked at the school’s self-evaluation, records of pupils’ progress, minutes of governing body meetings, pupils’ work and documents relating to attendance, behaviour and safety.  The inspector analysed the 35 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and 16 staff questionnaires were also scrutinised.

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Inspection team

Sharona Semlali, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is smaller than the averaged-sized primary school.  There are five classes, of which four contain mixed year groups.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is well below average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding provided by the government for specific groups, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, children in the care of the local authority and pupils from service families) is well below average.  The large majority of pupils are from a White British background.  The school meets the government floor standards, which are the minimum expected for pupils’ attainment and progress.  There have been changes to the teaching staff since the previous inspection.  The school provides breakfast and after-school clubs that are managed by the governing body.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate the progress in mathematics and improve the quality of teaching so that all is at least good, with more that is outstanding, by ensuring that:  learning moves at a brisker pace so that all pupils are engaged in all lessons  teaching assistants are consistently deployed to fully support pupils’ learning  work given to pupils is matched more accurately to their different needs and abilities  teachers continue to share best practice within and beyond the school  marking gives pupils clear guidance on how they can improve their work and teachers give them quality time to act on the advice given.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen leadership and management by ensuring that the monitoring of teaching and its following-up procedures are more rigorous.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement. Although improving, pupils do not make enough progress in mathematics through all classes in Key Stage 2.  Children join Reception with skills and knowledge that are typically seen for their age. They make good progress from their starting points in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Before they start school, staff get to know all of the children and their parents very well. Planning effectively caters for their individual needs and interests in a stimulating environment.  Pupils make good progress all through Key Stage 1, and attainment at the end of Year 2 in English and mathematics is above average. However, in the Year 1 test of pupils’ understanding of phonics (the sounds that letters make) results were below average this year. Good teaching of phonics has ensured that pupils are now improving their use of phonics rapidly.  The proportion of pupils that exceed the expected two levels of progress and attain the higher

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

levels in writing is above the national average. This is because writing is promoted well throughout the school and pupils are given lots of opportunities to extend their writing through other subjects.  Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 is above average in English because of good teaching in this subject. It is broadly average for mathematics. This is because in the past teaching has been weaker and, consequently, pupils have not made enough progress year on year. The school is now successfully focusing its efforts on improving the teaching of mathematics and pupils’ progress is picking up.  The few pupils who are disabled and those who have special education needs make similar progress to the others in the school and sometimes make better progress. This is because their progress is carefully tracked by the special educational needs leader and they are fully involved in creating their own targets which are easily understood by them.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The few pupils who are in receipt of pupil premium funding benefit from small-group support in mathematics and English. They make similar progress to others in the school and there are no significant differences in achievement between themselves and others in the school.  In 2012 the proportion of pupils making the expected two levels of progress in reading was lower than all pupils nationally. However, current school data show that, in 2013, the proportion making the expected progress has increased and will be above the national figure. Younger pupils who are at the early stages of learning to read are able to use different ways of working out unfamiliar words, including using the sounds that letters make, and can confidently talk about their favourite books.  Recent initiatives introduced by the school, such as getting pupils to focus on improving their skills in solving problems in mathematics, mentally, through a variety of competitive ways such

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

as ‘Numberlympics’, have successfully helped pupils to enjoy mathematics more and make better progress.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching over a sustained period of time has not been strong enough for pupils to make good or better progress in mathematics. Although mathematics teaching is improving, inconsistencies remain and further improvement is required. Teaching in English is good.  Where teaching requires improvement, the pace of some lessons is at times too slow and pupils become disengaged.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage all adults are well managed to support the children’s learning. For example, during a lesson where children were learning to understand the different sounds that letters make the teaching assistants were deployed well so that they fully supported those that needed additional help. As a result, children’s sustained concentration allowed them to get the most enjoyment from the books they were reading. However, in another class observed, the teaching assistants were not used to best effect.  Teaching of mathematics is strongly improving. Pupils are becoming much quicker at mentally

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

solving mathematical problems and calculations. Because of the focus by the leadership team on mathematics, teachers have introduced different challenges at the start of a lesson that sharpen pupils’ skills. In a highly effective Year 6 lesson pupils relished the challenge of working out the perimeter of different shapes within a given space of time, using their mental calculations. The work given appropriately matched the wide range of needs and abilities. However, in some lessons throughout the school work given to pupils does not always match their needs and abilities.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage all adults consistently incorporate children’s interests into their planning. At the moment children are fascinated by the pollination of bees and this is followed up well by all staff. This is helping to build on their inquisitiveness and understanding about the world around them.  Teachers have started to share their best practice within the school and this is also helping to

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

improve teaching, but this could be extended further.  Pupils have plenty of opportunity to write for a real purpose. They have made, for example, their own class cookery book. Their books show they are given sufficient time to write at varying lengths in different subjects.  Although marking is done regularly, it does not consistently give clear guidance for pupils as to how they can improve their work and, where it is given, pupils are not always allowed the appropriate time to respond and act on the advice.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ attitudes to learning and behaviour are good. Responses by staff and parents and evidence from the inspection findings agree that pupils behave well throughout the school.  Pupils take on their responsibilities seriously and effectively. For example, a group of Year 6 pupils help the children in Reception to feel more settled in their new environment. Pupils say that, if they have no one to play with at playtime, they can go and sit on the ‘Friendship Bench’ and someone will always come and play with them.  Pupils have a good understanding about the different types of bullying including cyber-bullying. They say that bullying does happen in the school but it does not happen often. When it does it is both verbal and physical, but pupils are extremely confident that all adults will sort it out or help them to talk through the problems. They explained that they have had plenty of lessons about a

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

range of anti-bullying issues and were able to quote them.  Pupils say they feel very safe. If they have any concerns in school they know they can tell an adult or put their concerns in the ‘worry’ boxes which are in all classes. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe outside of school and they make particular reference to the importance of wearing hard helmets when they are riding their bicycles.  Pupils enjoy coming to school and this is reflected in their above-average attendance.  The breakfast club helps to give pupils a settled and healthy start to the day. The after-school club has successfully created a relaxed, family atmosphere where pupils feel that they can unwind at the end of the day.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, supported by a very able deputy headteacher, has created an effective and well-motivated leadership team. All staff are contributing fully to improving the school and the progress that pupils make. The reasons for the dip in pupils’ progress in mathematics were identified by the school and good steps taken to rectify this, although there is more to do to ensure pupils’ achievement in mathematics is as good as in English.  The team has worked successfully to develop systems that pick up any pupils at risk of under- achieving, so that all pupils have an equal chance of achieving as well as they should. The governing body is purposeful in holding the leadership of the school to account.  All teachers have a performance objective that is linked to the new ‘teacher standards’ and pupils’ achievements. The monitoring of the quality of teaching is not reliant on just the headteacher but is undertaken by all leaders, and this provides depth to the process. Although

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The leadership and management are good

the system of monitoring the quality of teaching and the action points given to teachers are good, follow-up is not rigorously carried out.  The school provides an exciting and meaningful curriculum that motivates the pupils. An example is of this is where they studied a topic called ‘We are Leeds’ and all of the school went on a visit to Leeds, enabling them to gain a better understanding of their city. Pupils enjoy going on residential visits to Carlton Lodge and trips to the Harrogate Theatre which help to widen their knowledge of events that are happening in their wider surroundings.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is effectively promoted through the curriculum, worship and assemblies. Pupils are given quality time for reflection. Links have been made with schools that are different from their own, such as in America and France, so that they have a better understanding about cultures that are different from their own.

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The leadership and management are good

 Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school’s work. This good partnership between the school and the parents is helping to improve pupils’ achievements.  The local authority has given effective, ‘light touch’ support by helping the school to evaluate how to improve the quality of teaching and learning in mathematics.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Governors regularly update their training and closely monitor the school’s work. They regularly visit the school and meet the different leaders. They have a good understanding about assessment data and are able to use this information to ask searching questions to hold school leaders to account. The teaching and learning committee has a good overview of the impact of the spending of the pupil premium funding and the link between teachers’ pay and performance. Targets for the headteacher are regularly reviewed. Governors ensure that all

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The leadership and management are good

safeguarding policies and procedures meet requirements.

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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 108010 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 412377

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 134 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Robert Seldon Headteacher Suzanne Ulyett Date of previous school inspection 26 May 2010 Telephone number 01937 842566 Fax number 01937 845632 Email address secretary@ladyhastings-thorparch.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

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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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