Home Farm Primary School

Home Farm Primary School Home Farm Close, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD6 3NR

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement.  The school is not good because up until 2013 too many pupils left Year 6 without achieving the expected standards for their age. Too few attained the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of both Key Stage 1 and 2.  Over the last two years progress in mathematics has not been good enough for a number of groups, including those entitled to support through the pupil premium and those with disabilities and special educational needs.  Teaching has not always been good enough to move pupils’ learning on quickly in either Key Stage 1 or 2.  Tasks and activities during lessons are not always set at the right level to ensure that all pupils’ skills and abilities are stretched, particularly those of the most able.  Pupils’ ability to gain knowledge is held back through a lack of opportunities to use their initiative and work things out for themselves.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Too few opportunities are available for pupils to practise their mathematical skills across the curriculum.  Partnerships with parents and carers are not yet leading to attendance levels that are at least in-line with the national average.

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The school has the following strengths

 The progress of pupils so far this year has been rapid, particularly in reading and writing.  Data on pupils’ performance are used exceptionally well and show that all groups of pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language, boys and those entitled to support through the pupil premium are on target to attain above average standards in all year-groups.  Senior leaders are determined to improve pupils’ achievement. They have taken decisive action to eradicate all inadequate teaching and have made key appointments which have helped to ensure that standards are rapidly improving.  Governors know their school well and know exactly what it needs to do to further improve.  Most parents are happy that their children are safe and well cared for.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 20 lessons, including parts of lessons, as well as the teaching of small groups of pupils and sessions aimed at helping pupils to learn to read using phonics (the link between letters and the sounds they make).  Inspectors listened to pupils read from Years 2, 3, 4, and 5, and held discussions with pupils from across the school. Pupils’ work in books was scrutinised during lessons and with the headteacher and deputy headteacher.  Inspectors considered 19 responses to Parent View, the school’s own surveys of parents’ views, and held discussions with parents at the start of the school day and a formal meeting with parents. Inspectors also took account of 54 questionnaires completed by members of staff.  A meeting took place with a representative from the local authority’s school improvement service.  A meeting was held with five governors, including the Chair and vice-chair of the Governing

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Information about this inspection

Body.  Various school documents were examined. These included records of the school’s checks on the quality of teaching, the school’s development plan and review of its own performance , reports to the governing body, data on pupils’ progress, external school evaluations, records of pupils’ attendance, behaviour records and safeguarding documentation.

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Inspection team

Lenford White, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Gillian Hunter Additional Inspector Baljinder Khela Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a much larger than average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is just below average.  The school receives additional funding through the pupil premium for a well-above average proportion of its pupils. 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 by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is above average, and the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end

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Information about this school

of Year 6.  Since the previous inspection the school has appointed a number of new staff, including a newly qualified teacher and an assistant headteacher. There has been substantial building works since the last inspection which has included extending the school building, refurbishments and a new roof.  The school runs a breakfast club and offers a number of after-school clubs. In addition to this, pre-school and after-school services operate from the site, both of which are subject to a separate inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that more is good or better and in so doing raise levels of achievement in reading, writing and mathematics across the school by:  ensuring that tasks and activities during lessons are set at just the right level to stretch the skills and abilities of all pupils, particularly the most able  encouraging pupils to use their initiative more, work things out for themselves and providing as many opportunities as possible for pupils to practise their mathematical skills across the curriculum.  Reach out into the community to cement more effective relationships with parents to ensure that pupils’ attendance at least matches the national average.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Up until 2013, attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 and 2 was below average for most groups of pupils and too few attained the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics. In addition to this, the progress for most groups of pupils was below average. However, significant changes have taken place over the last year leading to improvements in the quality of teaching, and in the performance of pupils, as shown by the work inspectors saw. Achievement therefore is in the process of improving, but has not yet reached the point where it is good.  Most children enter nursery with skills and abilities which are lower than those expected for their age. They make good progress through the Early Years Foundation Stage, though on entry to Year 1 pupils’ overall attainment is lower than average.  Whole-school training for teachers and teaching assistants has helped to ensure that the teaching of phonics (the link between letters and the sounds they make) has improved to a

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

more effective level. The school’s own data show that pupils’ reading is exceptionally strong, particularly for the current Year 6 who are on-track to attain above average standards.  The school ensures equality of opportunity by enabling equal access for all pupils to high quality support through, for example, small group teaching activities. Although in 2013 there were differences between the performance of boys and girls in Key Stage 2, currently, there are no gaps.  In 2013, the overall gap between the performance of pupils known to be entitled to free school meals and their classmates was approximately two-terms. However, carefully targeted support such as one-to-one teaching in mathematics before school has helped to ensure that currently, entitled pupils’ performance is at least as good as their classmates.  ‘The Orchard’, the school’s nurture room, provides good opportunities for pupils to explore their

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

feelings and attitudes toward learning, and helps to ensure that pupils with disabilities and special educational needs make good progress across all year groups from their often very low starting points.  The teaching of mathematics has improved, though it is not as good as in reading or writing. The use of the ‘numeracy passport’ has helped pupils to understand how well they are doing in mathematics and generated competition between them. As a result of this, and tailored support, pupils are making good progress in this subject in most year-groups.  The school’s focus on its higher attaining pupils is beginning to pay dividends. Pupils enjoy taking on challenging ‘learning risks’ in class, participating in debates and producing extended pieces of writing. As a result, these pupils are making good progress, particularly in writing in Year 2, and in reading in Year 6.  Well-targeted support and teachers’ full accountability for all pupils mean that the progress of

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

pupils from minority ethnic groups and those with English as an additional language is at least as good as their fellow schoolmates.  Pupils writing skills are improving, helped by more opportunities to produce longer pieces of written work across different subjects and extended homework projects. Currently, progress is good across most year-groups.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Up until the end of the last academic year, teaching had not been good enough to ensure that all pupils made good progress and achieved to the very best of their abilities. However, major changes have taken place. Teachers are now well trained and managed and fully accountable for the achievement of pupils. However, there remain some aspects of teaching that require improvement before it can be judged securely good.  Children get off to a good start in their learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage where imaginative teaching helps to engage them in developing their speaking and listening skills and their enthusiasm for learning. This was exemplified in a Reception class where pupils took great delight in following up on a story that they had been learning, while they skilfully recorded and discussed the different phrases that a giant might use.  However, teaching does not always ensure that pupils learn quickly by planning activities at just

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

the right level to ensure that all pupils are fully engaged and achieving to the best of their ability. As a result of this, some pupils, particularly those of the highest ability, are not always fully stretched.  The vast majority of pupils, particularly those in Key Stage 2, know how well they are doing in their learning and can say exactly what they need to do in order to improve even further. This is especially the case in mathematics where pupils’ ‘numeracy passports’ and termly discussions with their teachers give them a good understanding of how much progress they are making.  Teachers are very careful to ensure that they give pupils regular advice on how to make their work better and provide opportunities for them to read their comments at the beginning of lessons.  Pupils receive clear instructions at the beginning of lessons so they know exactly what they will be learning and get on well with purpose.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Good use of questions deepens pupils’ understanding and ensures that they think through their answers before they make any contributions during lessons. This was the case in a Year 5 mathematics lesson where pupils were given the task of working out the value of a number of symbols, colours and shapes. The teacher was very careful to get pupils to use mathematical language to describe the properties of numbers and to get them to think for themselves, while working together in small groups. However, pupils are not always provided with enough opportunities like this to use their initiative and work things out independently. This holds back their ability to gain knowledge and understanding for themselves.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are adamant that behaviour in school is good most of the time. They say that bullying is rare and always dealt with. Pupils are proud to wear their school uniform. They enjoy coming to school and say that they always feel safe and well looked after.  Pupils’ attendance remains below average but has continually improved over recent years. This has been helped by the work that the school’s new parental engagement worker is carrying out with parents.  Pupils’ behaviour during lessons is never less than good. They behave sensibly in school corridors, during lunchtime and when at play. They are curious and respectful and enjoy welcoming visitors into their school.  Pupils have a good understanding of most forms of prejudice-based bullying and say that if anyone is treated differently because of who they are or where they are from that they will be ‘dealt with very seriously’. Pupils from different cultural and religious backgrounds learn together

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

and enjoy school very harmoniously and say that it is the differences between them that make school interesting.  The majority of parents who completed Parent View, the school’s own surveys of parents’ views as well as those who spoke to inspectors are of the opinion that their children are safe and well cared for. Teachers and pupils are of this view, as are inspectors. The school’s behaviour logs reveal that over time incidents of bad behaviour are rare.  The school’s work to ensure that pupils are safe and secure is good. Pupils have a good understanding of safe and unsafe situations, dangers and risks. They say that they learn about stranger danger through personal, social and health education, and that people from the fire and police services come to talk to them about road safety and the dangers of handling fireworks.  Pupils have a good understanding of cyber-bullying and know that it can occur through social

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

networking sites, ‘gaming’ and mobile phones.  Older pupils know that personal information should never be given out to strangers on the internet and are aware of the dangers of being ‘hacked’. When asked for advice for younger pupils on staying safe while using the internet pupils noted that they should ‘never click-on attachments’ and that they should keep passwords safe.  Younger pupils say that they feel very safe in school and that staff intervene quickly to stop ‘silly’ behaviour during playtimes.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, senior leaders and governors have taken decisive action to eradicate all inadequate teaching and have made a number of key appointments, including to the senior leadership team, which are helping to ensure that standards of achievement are continually improving.  All teachers are fully accountable for all pupils in their care. Inspection evidence shows that senior leaders’ requirement that all pupils must make at least good progress is being met.  The school’s work to ensure that relations with parents are always at least good is being strengthened in a number of ways. Parents who spoke to inspectors were very positive about the ways in which they can be involved in the school through, for example, family assemblies, coffee mornings and family play sessions.  Teachers are well trained and appreciate the opportunities to share best practice within the school and through their consortium of schools. Key Stage 2 teachers are especially proud of

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The leadership and management are good

their work with Key Stage 3 teachers in the local high school which ensures that all pupils are ready to make their transition to Year 7 by the end of the summer term.  Performance management arrangements are good. All teachers are given clear targets which are closely linked to the school’s priorities as expressed in its development plan. Those teachers who spoke to inspectors said that mentoring, training and sharing good practice were helping them to improve.  Middle managers work exceptionally well together. They know what they need to do in order to ensure improvement in their subject areas and say that the open climate in which they operate has helped them to play their part in the improvements that have taken place over the last year.  The good opportunities that pupils have to practice their reading and writing skills across the curriculum are helping to raise their levels of attainment in these subjects. However, fewer

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The leadership and management are good

opportunities are available in mathematics.  The school works very effectively to offer a good curriculum and develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils work exceptionally well together in class and enjoy, for example, playing the violin, singing and Bollywood dancing. Pupils are able to develop an understanding of different faiths and cultures through religious education and through visitors who are invited to come into school to talk about, for example, Hinduism and festivals such as Diwali and Eid.  The school has a very strong partnership with the local authority which has recently supported it in assessing and monitoring the quality of teaching and in the effective use of information on pupils’ performance.  Safeguarding procedures are followed closely and meet requirements.  The governance of the school:  School governors have a good understanding of the strengths of the school and what it needs

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The leadership and management are good

to do to further improve. They are aware, for example, that standards are improving but know that there is still much to do to ensure that the achievement of all groups of pupils is good across all subjects by the end of the academic year. Governors know that the quality of teaching has improved, and that teachers are both ‘pushed and supported’ to be as effective as they can possible be. They only accept the headteacher’s recommendations for pay awards if they are satisfied that teachers have met all of their targets.  Governors are fully aware that pupils entitled to support through the pupil premium are making good progress, and that the one-to-one support that they receive in mathematics, for example, has had a big impact on developing their confidence and interest in learning.  The school uses its physical education and sport fund well to, for example, offer a wide range of after-school clubs for pupils. Senior leaders are currently exploring ways in which the skills

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The leadership and management are good

of its teachers can be further developed to improve the quality of their physical education teaching.  Governors take advantage of training offered through the local authority and ensure that they use this to the benefit of the school. They hold the headteacher to account though the challenging targets that he is set.

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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 131357 Local authority Bradford Inspection number 440882

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 476 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Nadine Newton Headteacher John MacDonald Date of previous school inspection 6 April 2011 Telephone number 01274 777020 Fax number 01274 777022 Email address office@homefarm.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

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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