St Luke's CofE Primary School

St Luke's CofE Primary School Fagley Lane, Eccleshill, Bradford, BD2 3NS

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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 Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 In 2013, standards at Years 2 and 6 were below average and progress was slow.  The quality of teaching is not consistently good which hampers the progress of pupils. Expectations of what pupils can achieve are not always high enough.  Not enough pupils reach the higher levels of attainment in English and mathematics. In mathematics, progress is hindered because pupils are not enabled to develop their skills of solving mathematical investigations. Some pupils are not yet the fluent and confident writers they could be.  Marking and advice is not consistent in improving pupils’ learning.  Behaviour requires improvement. The work pupils are given is not always inspiring enough to keep everyone’s attention. Occasionally, pupils get restless and lose interest. Work is, at times, poorly presented.  Uncertainty in staffing has reduced the ability of senior leaders and governors to secure consistently good or better teaching.

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Senior leaders are taking on too much leadership and management work. A middle leadership team is not yet in place to share responsibilities.  Not all governors share the same view about the best way forward for the school which hinders the pace of improvement.

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The school has the following strengths

 Progress is accelerating and standards are rising. Pupils in Years 2 and 6 are on track to reach above average standards this year.  Pupils are safe and secure and enjoy school. Attendance is improving rapidly.  Pupils benefit from good opportunities to participate in sport which improves their physical well-being.  Most parents support the school and the changes underway.  The commitment of the teaching assistant team is commendable.  The headteacher and deputy know exactly what to do to improve standards. Staff are managed well. They are implementing plans which are raising standards and pupil’s progress.  Very close partnership with other schools enhances learning for pupils and contributes to staff development.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors saw teaching in all classes. They observed 13 lessons and part lessons, including one observed jointly with the headteacher. Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school, in the playground and at lunchtime.  Discussions were held with pupils, five members of the governing body, the headteacher and senior leaders and other members of staff including the teaching assistant team. A discussion was conducted with a representative of the local authority. The views of leaders of the school’s partnership group offered information about the quality of this initiative.  The inspectors observed many aspects of the school’s work, including supervision and support for pupils who need extra help. They listened to pupils read and examined pupils’ work in their exercise books and folders, also looking at classroom and corridor wall displays.  The inspectors looked at a number of documents, including plans for the school’s future

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Information about this inspection

development, the school’s use of sports premium and pupil premium funding. Evaluations were made of the school’s arrangements for keeping pupils safe, pupils’ attendance records and minutes of governing body meetings. The school’s records of the quality of teaching were checked and information about the achievement and progress of pupils across the school was analysed.  The views of parents were taken into account by taking note of the 35 responses to the online Parent View survey. In addition there was a meeting with six parents at the beginning of day two of the inspection. A phone call was conducted with one parent wishing to speak with an inspector.  Staff views were evaluated by analysing questionnaires completed by 29 staff members coupled with ongoing discussions with staff throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

David Byrne, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Liam Trippier Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is slightly smaller than the average-sized primary.  The very large majority of pupils are of White British backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for additional government funding, known as the pupil premium, is above 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 those children that are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is below the national average. The proportion of pupils supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational need is below the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year

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Information about this school

6.  Since the previous inspection, there have been significant changes in staff. These have included a new headteacher appointed in January 2012, a new deputy in January 2013 and a new Reception teacher and Parental Involvement worker from September 2012. In addition, there have been four new class teachers and three new teaching assistants since September 2013. There were four staff on temporary contracts at the time of the inspection.  The school has a number of awards including the Basic Skills Quality Award, an Active Mark in recognition of its sporting provision and the Healthy Schools Award.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching to improve the progress of all pupils to good or better in all classes in English and mathematics by making sure that:  more progress in lessons is expected of all groups of pupils  pupils capable of reaching higher levels are given tasks that make them think and work hard  more opportunities are provided for pupils to apply their basic mathematics skills to solve mathematical investigations  more is done to develop the fluency and confidence of all pupils in writing  lessons are sufficiently interesting to keep all pupils fully involved  marking is consistent in giving pupils clear advice on how to improve their learning and pupils have time to respond to this to improve their work  all pupils across the school are always expected to present their work neatly.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the impact of leadership and management on pupils’ learning by:  securing an effective middle leadership team so that key management duties are shared more equally  building a consensus between governors about the best way forward for the school and deepening their understanding of the effect of the pupil premium grant on the achievement of the pupils who are entitled to it.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and governance may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Given the average starting points of children to school, achievement requires improvement. Progress fluctuates across the school and is not consistent. It picks up in Year 2 and 4, and accelerates rapidly in Year 6, but is not enough for pupils to catch up fully on some slower progress in some classes. Progress is now improving because of high expectations by senior leaders and steps taken to boost pupils’ learning.  Children enter the Reception with abilities typical for their age. They benefit from a suitable range of activities indoors. Outdoor learning is not exploited well enough and this hinders some aspects of the children’s learning. Children generally make good progress, however, and most depart for Year 1 suitably prepared for learning at Key Stage 1.  At Key Stage 1, standards overall have dipped since the previous inspection. They were below average in both 2012 and 2013. Standards were average in reading and mathematics but

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

significantly below average in writing. In writing, no pupil gained the standard that exceeded the national expectations for Year 2 pupils.  Standards at Year 6 are usually average. In 2013, the progress across Key Stage 2 of the departing Year 6 class had been slower than expected nationally. The proportion of the pupils who exceeded the expectations for their age in national tests was below average and significantly so in reading.  There is now a consistent approach to the development of reading. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make a good start to learning the sounds that letters make (phonics); this good start is built on in Year 1. In the Year 1 national phonics screening check in 2013, the proportion of pupils reaching the required standard improved considerably from 2012; it was in line with other schools nationally. In Key Stage 2, new initiatives to promote reading are raising

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

standards. The creation of a new library, purchasing a wider range of books and giving more opportunities for pupils to read in class are contributing to their better progress.  Pupils’ ability to spell and use punctuation accurately is improving. In 2013, pupils’ standards in the Year 6 national grammar, spelling and punctuation test were average. Standards in writing are improving quickly at Years 2 and 6 and are currently better than expected for their age. This is not, however, consistent in all classes and pupils are not always the fluent and confident writers they could be.  In mathematics, improvements are evident in pupils’ basic number work owing to new approaches to promoting pupils’ understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. However, the most able pupils, in particular, get too few opportunities to apply their basic mathematical skills to investigate mathematical problems and this slows their progress.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive additional support in classes. Generally, these pupils make good progress and reach standards that are better than similar pupils nationally although below the national average.  Pupils supported by pupil premium funding, including those known to be eligible for free school meals receive extra help if their progress is slower than that of others. The grant also funds residential trips, additional class trips and employs additional teaching assistants to support pupils. In the national tests in 2013, these pupils were around two terms behind others in the school and their progress was slower. Efficient use of the grant is now in place and the gaps in attainment for these pupils are narrowing.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because, over time, it has not ensured that pupils make consistently good progress and achieve well enough in reading, writing and mathematics. Progress is now improving because expectations for pupils are higher and learning is more closely matched to pupils’ needs.  When pupils receive precise guidance about the purpose of their learning and work is matched to their abilities, their progress is generally good or better. Sometimes, pupils of different abilities have similar tasks. As a result, some, particularly the most able pupils, do not work at the right level for them and their progress is not as rapid as it could be.  Pupils respond best when their views are valued and they are able to make their own decisions. For example, Year 6 pupils made rapid progress in their writing and comprehension skills because they got deeply involved in interpreting the key events of Shakespeare’s, ‘The Tempest’.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

All worked with enthusiasm because the tasks gave them scope to pursue their own ideas and stimulated their imaginations.  While pupils are currently making good progress in mathematics, their achievement is hindered because they do not have enough opportunities to deepen their understanding of numeracy to solve mathematical investigations.  Improvements to the way reading is taught is boosting progress. Pupils enjoy reading across the school and are eager to use the new library and select one of the new books available to them.  Many improvements to the marking of pupils’ work are underway. However, marking does not always make clear what pupils have done well and what they need to do to improve. Where such advice is given, pupils do not always have the time to respond to the advice given and so learn from their mistakes.  Pupils known to be eligible for additional funding through pupil premium are identified and their

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

progress is regularly checked. Improvements have been made to the support they receive to help them to narrow the gap with other pupils.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs benefit from the well-planned individual and small group activities. Pupils receive good support tailored to their personal needs. The impact of teaching assistants on their learning is particularly good because the staff are often selfless in the time they give to the pupils and their families.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. Pupils’ attitudes to learning in lessons are mostly good. There are times when they find lessons uninteresting and some become restless which reduces their progress. Most pupils take a pride in their work and presentation is improving. Some pupils’ handwriting is exemplary. In too many cases though, work is scruffy and not presented as well as it could be.  In and around school, during play, pupils’ conduct is very good. They are polite and willingly hold doors open for others and help each other whenever they can. Pupils play well and socialise with each other. They are courteous and polite.  Pupils do not have concerns about behaviour or bullying. They know about different types of bullying including name calling, cyber bullying and ostracising others for their culture, lifestyle, or choices. Pupils report that staff help them if they ever experience a problem. The school is

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

effective in promoting good relations and ensuring there is no discrimination. The behaviour logs show few incidents and racism is non-existent.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Staff ensure good procedures for supervision in the playground during play and lunchtimes. Pupils say that they feel safe in the school. They know how to keep safe on the internet and are given advice about how to stay safe when cycling, crossing the road and the importance of not abusing their bodies with poor diet and lack of exercise. The large majority of parents responding to the online survey said that their children are safe and well cared for in the school.  Pupils take on some responsibilities, for example leading play activities at playtimes, being school councillors and acting as library monitors. These activities develop their personal skills well and encourage their sense of good citizenship.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 In the last two years, there has been a stark improvement in attendance; it is now average and improving. The parent involvement worker is tenacious in checking when a pupil is absent and in encouraging parents to keep in touch with the school when absence occurs. Pupils are determined to receive recognition for good attendance; they are proud of the certificates and awards they gain for doing so.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because progress is not yet consistent and standards are not yet as high as they could be. While the school is improving and is well set to continue to do so, the lack of experienced middle leaders is holding back the rate of improvement. The senior leaders carry a great deal of responsibility for managing subjects and securing the school’s development.  The headteacher leads the school with resolute and clear determination. Together with a talented deputy headteacher, she is totally committed to ensuring that every pupil gets an equal opportunity to achieve as well possible. This aim is reinforced by good challenge and support provided by the local authority which is willingly accepted. Astute actions are tackling key areas of weakness, for example in the progress of pupils in reading which is now improving.  The school’s evaluation of its own performance is accurate. It leads to clear and precise targets

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The leadership and management requires improvement

for improvement which include exact expectations to evaluate whether the targets are reached. The senior leaders keep a close check on the progress of pupils and the performance of staff. The frequency of the checks has been increased; the information gained helps leaders to set realistic but challenging targets for the performance of staff. As a result, many pupils are making better progress.  All staff, both teaching assistant and teachers, benefit from regular reviews of their work. Most staff say this process is helpful as it gives them an understanding of where they can do even better. There is a good programme of training to support staff. Staff understand the importance of linking performance with progression along the salary scale.  Pupils benefit from learning many subjects through topics which makes their education more meaningful and beneficial for them. Reading, writing and mathematics are the foci for

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The leadership and management requires improvement

improvement; the quality of its planning has improved and new approaches, for example to phonics and to mathematics, are raising standards. Pupils have good opportunities to learn about their own and other cultures. A recent study about being proud to be from Bradford inspired both pupils and adults; it enabled pupils to develop a good understanding of local culture. Pupils benefit from a range of educational visits including residential stays for older pupils.  Close partnerships with local schools is speeding up the school’s improvement. For example, staff benefit from training with colleagues from other schools, pupils are able to participate in a variety of events and school leaders work together to measure how well their schools are performing.  Most parents are positive about the school although a small minority say communication could be better and are unsure about homework expectations. There is some unease about several

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The leadership and management requires improvement

changes that have been underway over the last eighteen months or so. The large majority of parents who expressed an opinion understand that changes are needed to get better progress for their children.  Pupils enjoy a good range of physical education activities. The primary school sport funding pays for qualified sports coaches to lead lessons across the school and helps to improve the skills of staff to teach sport. The funding also enables pupils to participate in a wider variety of sports and inter-school sports events and competitions. Pupils’ well-being is enhanced further because the funding is used to help them to be more active at playtimes. In addition, families are encouraged to take more exercise. The very recent, ‘park and stride’ initiative in which pupils, under supervision, walk to school from where they are dropped off by parents, contributes to their daily exercise.  The governance of the school:

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Governors are supportive of the school. They know its strengths and development priorities including where teaching needs to improve but governors are not all in agreement about the best way to move the school forward. This lack of consensus hinders the ability of governors to get fully behind the actions of the senior leaders in improving the school.  There are systems for holding the school to account for its performance including that of the headteacher and staff. Procedures are in place to link salary progression to the performance of staff.  Funding is managed conscientiously. Governors are informed how the income received through the pupil premium is spent but not all governors understand the impact the extra spending has on the progress of these pupils.  The governing body ensures that all statutory duties are met, including those relating to safeguarding of pupils. All the necessary checks are carried out to ensure pupils’ safety.

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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 107305 Local authority Bradford Inspection number 440765

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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 Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 204 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Marie Small Headteacher Sarah Horsbrough Date of previous school inspection 15 November 2010 Telephone number 01274 639374 Fax number 01274 774233 Email address office@stlukes.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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