Field Lane Primary School

Field Lane Primary School Burnsall Road, Brighouse, West Yorkshire, HD6 3JT

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected

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Overall effectiveness

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 exceptionally well from their individual starting points in reading, writing and mathematics.  By the end of Year 6, standards of attainment are above average. Half the pupils are working within the higher Level 5 in reading, writing and mathematics. In mathematics, one fifth are working at Level 6.  Pupils are exceedingly keen readers and write very well. This aids their excellent progress in other subjects.  Pupils have an excellent understanding of English grammar. They spell and punctuate very accurately but tend to use simple verbs, phrases and connectives in their writing.  Teaching is consistently highly effective which results in pupils’ exceptionally strong learning. Lessons are purposeful, interesting and fun.  Behaviour is outstanding in all lessons and around the school. This is why pupils are making rapid progress. They display a thirst for learning.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 School leaders make sure that pupils are safe and secure. Parents agree that their children feel safe at school and are very keen to do well.  Outstanding leadership of teaching means that pupils’ achievement is improving at a significant rate.  Governors are fully involved in driving forward the fast pace of change since the school became an academy and it continues to improve. They are exceptionally supportive and challenge rigorously.  The executive headteacher and head of school have succeeded in creating an academy which pupils want to come to, staff are proud of, and where parents feel supported.  Pupils say, ‘It’s really, really good. We’re all friends. We learn a lot. We’ve gone up loads of levels!’ This is confirmed by pupils’ attendance which has shot up to above average.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 11 lessons or parts of lessons taught by eight teachers.  The inspector held meetings with the executive headteacher, the head of school, senior leaders from this school and the partner academy school, staff and six governors, including the Chair of the Trust Board and governors from both the Trust Board and the school’s governing body. She also had a meeting with a group of pupils from Year 6.  The inspector took into account the 15 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View).

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Inspection team

Lesley Clark, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The very large majority of pupils are White British. Approximately one sixth of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds. A few are at an early stage of learning English.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is above average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus is above average.  The proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs is high compared to the national average.  The majority of pupils are supported through the pupil premium. This proportion is high compared to the national 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 children who are looked after by the local authority.  The school became a sponsored academy and part of the Brighter Futures Academy Trust on 1

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Information about this school

September 2012.  The school works in close partnership with Siddal Primary, the sponsor school. The two schools have a joint leadership team and separate heads of school. The executive headteacher, who has overall responsibility for leading and managing both schools, is a National Leader in Education. She is currently working in collaboration with Luddendenfoot Academy.  Directors from the Trust Board and the school’s governing body provide governance for the school. The Chair of the Trust Board is a National Leader in Governance.  The Early Years Foundation Stage consists of part-time Nursery provision and a Reception class. These children share the outdoor learning environment with children from the Field Lane Children’s Centre. The Field Lane Children’s Centre is inspected separately. The inspection report can be found on the Ofsted website at www.ofsted.gov.uk.  The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which is the minimum expectation for

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Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Enrich pupils’ written vocabulary by making sure that pupils use interesting verbs, phrases, connectives and sentence openers to enliven and add variety to their writing.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils achieve outstandingly well from individual starting points that are generally low compared to typically expected levels, especially in social, physical, language and mathematical skills.  By the end of the Reception Year, the majority are close to the level expected for their age and a minority reach a good level of development.  Children make rapid progress because tasks and activities, both indoors and outside, are thought-provoking and spark their curiosity to find out for themselves. For example, children’s excitement grew as they made, then counted, long lines of cubes: ‘Eighty-nine...longer than Jack’s beanstalk!’  Pupils continue to make considerable progress in Years 1 and 2, methodically learning basic mathematical skills and becoming very proficient readers and writers. As a result, the most able pupils read quite challenging texts and lower-attaining pupils choose to write for pleasure.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Standards in the Year 1 national phonics screening check in 2013, to check how well pupils understand how letters and sounds link together to form words, were above average. Standards are close to average overall by the end of Year 2 with a few more pupils reaching the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics each year.  In the 2013 national tests at the end of Year 6, the proportion of pupils meeting expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics was above the national average and close to the national proportion reaching the higher Level 5. Currently, pupils in Years 3 to 6 are working at above age-related expectations in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils from minority ethnic groups do exceptionally well, including those who are new learners of English.  Pupils’ achievement in mathematics races ahead in upper Key Stage 2 because pupils have a good grounding in basic skills and so they are able to use and apply mathematics in different

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

contexts.  For example, Year 5 pupils quickly grasped how to draw a line graph to plot data relating to time and degree. The most able pupils confirmed ‘the level of challenge is about right’. By Year 6, the most able pupils clearly understand algebra and negative numbers in equations.  Reading is a strength across the school. This is because pupils read, and are read to, throughout the day. In addition, reading events involving authors, weekly reading cafés and book swaps for adults and children, and homework ‘learning logs’ which encourage family involvement, all prioritise reading. Consequently, pupils read exceptionally well and enjoy talking about books.  Pupils write neatly and legibly. Presentation is a strength. Pupils spell accurately, paragraph very well and use a wide range of punctuation. Standards were close to average at the end of Year 6 in the most recent national tests.  The most able pupils use rhetorical questions and similes effectively to enliven their writing.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

However, most pupils tend to use simple written vocabulary. In particular, verbs and phrases are often mundane. They miss opportunities to enliven and add variety to their writing with more interesting connectives and sentence openers.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make outstanding progress. They do exceptionally well compared to similar groups nationally. Most reach expected levels in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6 because of the consistently high-quality support they receive throughout the school.  Pupils supported through the pupil premium funding make outstanding progress. They do as well as other pupils in school who are not known to be eligible for free school meals and similar proportions reach the higher Levels 5 and 6. They do very well compared to similar groups nationally.  The school clearly tackles discrimination and promotes equal opportunities very effectively.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching is consistently good and often outstanding which results in pupils’ outstanding achievement over time. This is because teachers observe each other, share ideas and watch their own performance on screen so that they know what to do to improve their practice.  A strength in teaching is the way staffing is used flexibly across the academy partnership.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, adults spend a great deal of time talking to children and playing with them which help them to become physically, socially and emotionally self-reliant. As a result, they readily soak up new learning, poring over a 100-square, for instance, to identify numbers, or reinforcing a tall tower made of crates with large bricks.  Teachers make excellent use of interactive technology to clarify learning for pupils, as in science when pupils watched what to do and then tried it out for themselves so they made rapid

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

progress in their learning. Pupils also use up-to-date technology extensively to organise their ideas or to research information. This makes learning relevant and develops their computer skills to a good level.  Lessons are carefully planned so that pupils’ individual needs are taken fully into account, helping them to learn well. This is why pupils of widely different abilities, including new learners of English, make excellent progress.  Teachers note each day what pupils have understood and where there is need to revisit work to help pupils learn well. As a result, pupils build effectively on what they know. This enables the most able pupils to forge ahead and those who struggle to have extra help.  Teaching assistants are deployed extremely well in lessons. They ask similar types of questions to those used by teachers. This ensures that all adults question effectively to probe pupils’ understanding to help improve their learning. This is why those who have special educational

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

needs make outstanding progress.  Marking is effective and clearly tells pupils what they need to do to improve their work. Pupils also check their work against agreed checklists so they know what is expected of them. Pupils mirror their teachers’ high standards, commenting on each other’s work; for example, ‘Finish it and use better sentence openers’.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. This is the case in lessons and around the school which is a key reason why pupils learn well and their achievement is outstanding.  Pupils concentrate extremely well. They listen intently and strive to do whatever is asked of them well. They ask questions when they do not understand and ask when they need more challenging work.  For instance, Year 6 pupils showed a high degree of maturity as they and their partners kept meticulous notes of the sights, sounds and sensations in the wildlife garden to write up as a poem later on.  Older pupils set an excellent example to younger ones. They come into school early to attend additional classes and stay late because there are so many different clubs to attend. Thus, from the Reception Year upwards, pupils engage in an exceptionally wide range of extra-curricular activities to extend their learning.  Boys and girls work and play together exceptionally amicably. They have a say in what goes on

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

at school and the school council makes sure that their views are taken into account.  In addition, pupils have very highly developed enterprise skills. Their pupil-led Christmas fair made local headlines because pupils made the goods and ran the fair themselves.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Parents agree. Pupils feel safe because they are fully aware of the different forms of bullying, including cyber-bullying. They know how to keep themselves safe and have every confidence that adults in school help them if there are problems.  Pupils say, ‘we can handle offensive remarks such as saying “you’re gay” or commenting on your hair style or skin colour but it hardly ever happens. These people have problems and are getting help.’ The school’s behavioural records and the minutes of governors’ meetings show that these very rare incidents are taken very seriously indeed.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are warm and friendly towards each other. They agree that school is fun ‘because you mix with different people. We learn to be responsible for what we do and not to copy silly people.’  Attendance has shot up over the past year. It is now above average.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Outstanding leadership and management at all levels have ensured high achievement across the school. Middle leaders are highly effective in their roles. The dynamic and flexible leadership team encompasses non-teaching as well as teaching staff, united in the drive towards excellence.  Much has been accomplished in a short time, facilitated by the very effective support from the academy chain. The leadership team sets, and expects, exacting goals and uses staffing flexibly across the academy partnership to achieve excellence for all.  The work of the family and pupil welfare team very strongly underpins pupils’ outstanding progress, checking aspects of school life very well such as attendance and how well pupils respond to extra help.  The team also gives pastoral support to families. As a result, attendance has risen; standards are above average and hard-to-reach families are increasingly involved.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The leadership of teaching is excellent. First-rate professional development of teachers and teaching assistants means that they know their craft, having exceptional subject knowledge and expertise to challenge and motivate pupils.  Pupil premium funding is used exceptionally well to support pupils’ academic achievement. As a result, pupils develop a love of learning, are determined to succeed and have high aspirations.  The primary school sport funding is used extremely well to enhance lunchtime and after-school provision so pupils become more skilled at playing a wide range of competitive games. It means that lunchtimes provide purposeful play experiences. The funding also enables pupils to learn skills such as ballroom dancing which counters gender stereotyping.  The systems to check teachers’ performance and effectiveness are used very well indeed to ensure that all staff have relevant goals and incentives. It is used well to reward excellent

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The leadership and management are outstanding

teaching, to challenge any that falls short and to ensure that staff have up-to-date professional development.  Teachers are fully accountable for the progress their pupils make. Regular meetings take place to check on pupils’ progress so timely support is provided for pupils who need extra help. This enables them to improve pupils’ learning.  A major strength is the extent to which leaders and managers constantly check the effectiveness of their actions in terms of the impact they have on pupils’ progress.  Safeguarding fully meets statutory requirements.  The innovative curriculum, with its strong focus on global awareness, extends pupils’ knowledge of the world and gives them ample opportunities to practise and apply their literacy and mathematical skills in different contexts.  The executive headteacher, as a National Leader in Education, leads and manages the academy sponsor school as well as supporting other local schools, including one through collaboration.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

This benefits pupils because they have opportunities to work with pupils in different schools, helping them when they transfer to secondary education.  The governance of the school:  Governors carry out their responsibilities scrupulously. They have an excellent understanding of data and use this to question the school leaders in depth about the progress that pupils, including those supported through the pupil premium, make. Directors on the Trust Board and the governing body work closely together. The Chair of the Trust Board, in her role as National Leader of Governors, gives outstanding leadership. Governors ask penetrating questions. They enquire robustly and regularly about barriers to learning and check that everything is being done to overcome them. The governors make wise decisions that benefit the school. They are closely involved in the management of staff performance. They are extremely well informed

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The leadership and management are outstanding

because they are often in school and meet regularly with staff, parents and pupils.

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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 138398 Local authority Calderdale Inspection number 425690

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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 Academy sponsor-led Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 131 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Pam Burton Executive Headteacher Lynda Johnson Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01484 713792 Fax number Not applicable Email address admin@fieldlane.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

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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