Sandal Primary School

Sandal Primary School West Lane, Baildon, Shipley, BD17 5DH

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Inadequate 4 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 Requires improvement 3

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement.  Teaching requires improvement because it is not consistently good across the school. Teachers do not always have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve in lessons and activities are not always challenging. The rate of learning in lessons is variable. Pupils are not motivated to do the best they can because tasks are not adapted quickly enough when they are ready to move on.  Achievement is not good because not enough pupils have made good progress from their starting points in reading and mathematics, particularly pupils in Key Stage 2 and those eligible for support through the pupil premium funding.  The use of teaching assistants is variable. Not all additional adults give the same level of support to pupils in lessons.  The quality of marking of pupils’ work is not consistent across subjects or classes. As a result, pupils do not always know how to

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

improve their work or have the opportunity to carry out any of the suggestions made.  The roles of subject leaders and middle managers are not yet fully established, so the part they play in monitoring teaching and learning, and pupils’ progress, is limited.  Senior leaders do not always follow up monitoring activities rigorously enough to ensure that actions needed to be taken to improve the quality of teaching and learning are being carried out.

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The school has the following strengths

 The determined leadership of the headteacher and deputy headteachers, and hard work by staff, have combined to bring about positive improvements in the quality of teaching and learning.  The governing body is knowledgeable and well informed. Governors support the senior leaders well, yet hold them to account for the standards achieved by pupils.  Behaviour is good. Pupils are polite, friendly and willing to help each other in the classroom or at play.  Pupils say they feel safe in school and their parents agree. Parents are very supportive of the school.  Attendance is well above the national average.  Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 22 lessons or parts of lessons, three of which were observed jointly with senior leaders. They looked at a range of pupils’ work and heard a number of pupils from Years 2, 4 and 6 read.  Meetings took place with the headteacher, senior teachers, staff and groups of pupils, the Chair and vice chair of the Governing Body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including the school’s data on pupils’ progress and records relating to pupils’ behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.  Inspectors observed playtimes and lunch breaks. Displays around school were also examined.  Inspectors took account of 116 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, written comments received during the inspection, and they chatted informally with a small number of parents.  The views of staff and pupils were also considered.

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Inspection team

Christine Millett, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Baljinder Khela Additional Inspector Don Parker Additional Inspector

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Full report

In accordance with section 13 (5) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement.

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Information about this school

 Sandal is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding is below that found nationally. The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is similar to that found nationally. The proportion supported at school action plus or through a statement of special educational needs is below the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.  Since the previous inspection, there have been significant changes in staff, including the appointment of the headteacher and deputy headteacher.  The school is part of the Shipley Achieving Success Partnership.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that teaching is at least good in order to accelerate progress for all pupils and raise standards further, by:  raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve in lessons  responding more quickly to pupils’ learning so that work is adapted promptly within the lesson, continues to engage and challenge pupils, and meets the needs of all  setting clear time frames for activities so pupils know what is expected of them and they remain on task  providing, where necessary, additional training and guidance for teaching assistants to enable them to play a fuller role in lessons.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure greater consistency in the quality of marking across the school by:  indicating clearly in marking what pupils need to do to improve  giving pupils time to act upon the advice given  making sure teachers model a legible style of handwriting.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the leadership and management of teaching and learning by:  developing the roles of new subject leaders and middle managers so they have a clear picture of teaching and learning across the school and know what improvements are required  making sure actions arising from the observations of lessons and checking of pupils’ work are followed up without delay to ensure consistency across the school.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils in Key Stage 2 have not been achieving as well as they should, particularly in reading and mathematics.  The 2013 data show that those pupils who were supported by the pupil premium, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, did not achieve as well as non-eligible pupils. The gaps in attainment between the two groups in reading, writing and mathematics were much wider than those found nationally.  The new headteacher and other senior leaders quickly recognised that some Key Stage 2 pupils were underachieving, as a result of weaknesses in teaching, and have worked successfully to address this. As a result, progress is accelerating and attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is rising. Most recent data show that attainment at the end of Year 6 is higher than in previous years for all groups of pupils, with a greater proportion of pupils exceeding national averages and reaching the highest levels.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The gaps in attainment between pupils supported by the pupil premium, including those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, and non-eligible pupils, are now closing.  Overall, the achievement of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is similar to that of their classmates. However, there are some slight variations from year group to year group or between subjects. The school has identified where these occur and has put appropriate programmes of support in place, which are starting to make a difference.  Overall, the most able pupils make expected rates of progress. However, there is not always sufficient challenge in their work to enable them to achieve their full potential.  Work in pupils’ books, in all year groups, clearly illustrates the improving rates of progress evident across the school.  Children start in the Nursery class with skills and knowledge that are in line with those typical for

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

their age. They make good progress and, by the end of the Reception Year, are well prepared for Year 1.  The proportion of pupils reaching the required standard in the Year 1 national reading check has been consistently above the national average.  By the end of Year 2, most pupils have reached standards that are at least in line with national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher levels is greater than that found nationally, particularly in reading and mathematics. Most recent assessments show that standards have risen further.  Pupils enjoy reading and do so regularly at home as well as in school. They talk with great enthusiasm of their favourite authors and significant events that ‘switched them on’ to reading. Pupils are able to use their knowledge of letters and sounds to work out unfamiliar words and use dictionaries to help with meanings.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Weaker teaching in the past has led to pupils making uneven progress in mathematics and reading, especially in Key Stage 2. However, the quality of teaching has improved since the previous inspection.  Teachers do not always provide activities that challenge and motivate pupils, especially in Key Stage 2 and for the most able pupils. Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve in lessons are not always high enough.  Some teachers do not adapt tasks quickly enough to take into account progress, or lack of it, within a lesson. When pupils have too long to complete an activity they start to lose motivation and concentration.  Work is marked regularly; too often, however, marking does not give pupils enough guidance on how to improve. Marking in English tends to be better than that in mathematics. Pupils do not always have an opportunity to look at marking, complete corrections or answer additional

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

questions posed by teachers. Presentation of work is not always of the highest quality.  Teaching assistants in some classes are skilled and are used effectively, with the result that pupils are supported well and make good progress. In other classes, teachers are inexperienced in how to use additional help and do not make the most of the extra pair of hands. Sometimes, teaching assistants’ questioning of pupils does not make them think deeply about their answers.  Teachers generally question pupils well. They direct questions at an appropriate level and so challenge and deepen understanding.  Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is consistently good or better. Children thoroughly enjoy the wide range of exciting and stimulating activities that are planned for them and are always busy. One group were acting out the story of The Farmer’s Donkey with much enjoyment. No child was reluctant to have a go. Elsewhere, children were learning about bar

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

charts, asking their classmates and teachers about their favourite animals, filling in their charts, and then counting up the answers.  Warm relationships exist between all members of the school community.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Even in lessons where pupils are less engaged, they are not disruptive. Pupils want to learn.  Pupils are polite to visitors, staff and each other. They move around the school sensibly. At playtimes, they are able to play together harmoniously. Behaviour in the dining hall is good. Pupils eat in a busy, yet well-organised atmosphere which promotes good social skills.  Pupils enjoy school, describing it as ‘kind and caring’, ‘happy, fun and friendly’. Pupils say there is little poor behaviour and if it does occur, they are confident it will be dealt with well. Their parents felt the same.  Attendance is well above the national average.  The development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and promotes good behaviour. A range of activities support their confidence and self-esteem. Year 6 pupils spoke enthusiastically of their Dragon’s Den project and the enterprise skills they were

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

learning.  Pupils are willing to take on responsibilities, such as being a member of the junior leadership team or making preparations for assembly. They feel that adults value their opinions and act upon their suggestions.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel safe in school and parents agree.  Pupils are aware of the different forms of bullying, including cyber-bullying. They know how to keep themselves safe in different situations. They are confident that there is very little bullying in the school and, if there were, it would be dealt with quickly.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management are not yet good because not all pupils are achieving the best they can. Progress for some groups of pupils, such as disabled pupils, those with special educational needs, or those supported by the pupil premium funding, has been slower than that of other pupils.  Subject leaders and middle managers are not yet sufficiently experienced or effective enough to play a full part in checking on the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects. Senior leaders and governors have recognised this; plans are in hand for sustaining improvement by the appointment of additional middle leaders and developing subject leadership through further training.  The headteacher and senior leaders have united staff behind their vision for improving the school and are resolute in their determination to succeed. Most staff have taken the opportunities offered to experience new ways of working and, as a result, standards across the

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The leadership and management requires improvement

school are rising. This is the case in the teaching of mathematics and in Key Stage 2.  Leaders check the quality of teaching in the school but do not always follow up on their findings with sufficient rigour, which means improvements are not taking place rapidly enough.  Systems for managing the performance of teachers are now in place. This is enabling senior leaders to hold colleagues to account for the quality of their work. Leaders have detailed information about pupils’ progress, which is shared with teachers, and in turn teachers are held to account for the progress of pupils in their class. A similar system is not yet fully in place for teaching assistants.  The school provides a range of interesting activities, visits and visitors to promote learning. Pupils’ books and classroom displays show that subjects are often linked together. There is a wide range of lunchtime and after-school clubs.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Pupils have opportunities to work together, as on the school production of Oliver, which promotes social skills. Music, drama and art also feature on the school timetable.  The school’s commitment to equality of opportunity and tackling discrimination is increasingly effective. The achievement of all groups of pupils is improving and staff are working hard to overcome past weaknesses in teaching and learning.  The new primary school sport funding is used to provide additional activities, such as dance and rugby, as well as to develop staff expertise and increase opportunities for pupils to take part in competitive sports.  The school uses its pupil premium funding to meet the needs of eligible pupils. This is done through one-to-one teaching and additional resources. The impact of the funding is checked carefully to ensure these pupils are no longer at risk of underachieving.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority has provided effective support for the school through the school’s achievement officer and the School Specific Monitoring Group, for example, to improve the teaching of mathematics and to develop the curriculum. This support has helped the school to no longer require significant improvement.  The governance of the school:  Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for further improvement. Their regular meetings and visits to the school enable them to keep a close check on the work of the school and hold senior leaders to account for the progress the school is making. Governors recognise the improvements in teaching that have been made since the previous inspection and the impact these have had on standards and pupils’ progress. They are aware of the link between performance and pay for all teachers and the need for teachers’ targets to be met, before agreeing any increase in pay or promotion. Governors manage the

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The leadership and management requires improvement

finances of the school well. They are involved in the allocation of the pupil premium funding; they understand the use of the additional funding for sport and check the impact on pupils’ achievement. The governors are keen to advance their skills and willingly undertake any training they believe is necessary to increase their effectiveness. They ensure that arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet requirements. Policies and procedures for keeping pupils safe are reviewed.

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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 107287 Local authority Bradford Inspection number 430622

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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 Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 457 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Richard Moore Headteacher Louise Dale Date of previous school inspection 15 January 2013 Telephone number 01274 598115 Fax number 01274 590445 Email address office@sandal.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 and 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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