Gleadless Primary School

Gleadless Primary School Hollinsend Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S12 2EJ

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Early years provision Requires improvement 3

p.1

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

 Following the last inspection, leaders were not initially quick enough to bring about improvements to the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement.  Some of the actions taken by leaders, for example, to provide the most able pupils with work that stretches their ability, are at an early stage of development and not yet helping standards to rise quickly enough.  The attendance of disadvantaged pupils is not good enough, which limits what they are able to achieve at school, particularly in reading and writing.  Some pupils find it hard to concentrate in lessons or become easily distracted, which means they do not make as much progress in lessons as others.  The quality of teaching varies between classes, and pupils in some classes have not benefited from lessons which help them make good progress.  Pupils’ achievement has been uneven since the time of the last inspection. The progress of some pupils has been slower than it should have been to raise

p.1

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

standards in reading, writing and mathematics.  Leaders in the early years have not yet helped teachers to put what they are learning about best practice into providing good opportunities for children to learn well each day.  Some aspects of leadership in the early years are not as good as they should be. For example, procedures for making sure that the outdoor area is set up, safe and ready for the start of each day are not good enough.

p.1

The school has the following strengths

 Since the arrival of the interim executive headteacher, the school has improved rapidly.  Leaders have a clear aim to achieve excellence and have established robust systems for managing the performance of all staff.  Inadequate teaching has been eradicated and pupils are now enjoying a greater number of fun and exciting lessons.  A strong and mutually supportive partnership with Arbouthorne Community Primary School has been established, benefiting staff, governors and pupils alike.  Pupils explain that they feel safe in school and that the environment has improved ‘beyond recognition’ and ‘it is now warm and welcoming, when once it was dark and gloomy’.  Governors have taken a lead in reorganising the staffing and in ensuring better value for money is achieved.  This is a quickly improving school. Leaders have an accurate view of what has been achieved and what still needs to be done. Comprehensive plans are in

p.1

The school has the following strengths

place which set realistic and ambitious targets for further improvement.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 23 lessons or small group activities. Five of these sessions were conducted jointly with the interim executive headteacher or head of school.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at work in their books. Inspectors also spoke with pupils about their views on behaviour and how the school keeps them safe.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, school staff, governors and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors observed pupils at lunchtime, break-times, around the school and in assembly.  Inspectors took account of the 75 responses to Ofsted’s online parent questionnaire (Parent View). Inspectors also took account of the school’s own recent survey of parental views. Inspectors met with a number of parents during the two days of the inspection.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own

p.2

Information about this inspection

information of pupils’ current progress, planning and monitoring, records of behaviour and attendance, and documents relating to safeguarding and child protection.  Inspectors also took account of the 41 responses to the staff questionnaire.

p.2

Inspection team

Jim Alexander, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 This is a larger than average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium is below average. The pupil premium is additional government funding provided for children who are looked after by the local authority and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is above average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups or who speak English as an additional language, is much lower than 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 6.  The interim executive headteacher took up the role in June 2013 and since that time staff and governors

p.3

Information about this school

have been receiving coaching and support from colleagues at Arbouthorne Community Primary School.  Since the time of the last inspection, a number of new teachers have been appointed, some very recently.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, by:  increasing the proportion of children reaching a good level of development in the early years  helping more pupils reach age-related expectations in their learning by the end of Year 2 and Year 6  ensuring that at least an average proportion of the most able pupils reach the higher standards of which they are capable  closing the gaps between disadvantaged pupils’ achievement and that of others in the school, particularly in their reading and writing.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve the quality of teaching, by:  sharing best practice in the school regarding skilled questioning of pupils during lessons to help them think carefully about what they need to do to improve their learning  making sure all pupils quickly respond to the improvement points teachers are now making in their books  reinforce recent improvements to the way support staff are used in lessons.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Work with families and outside agencies to raise the attendance of the disadvantaged pupils, so they benefit more from what this improving school has to offer.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership still further, by:  ensuring middle leaders keep a careful watch on recent initiatives to accelerate the progress of the most able pupils so they reach the highest standards of which they are capable  making sure that staff in the early years are supported to put into practice what they are learning about good early years provision  improving organisational procedures, including those to check that activities in the early years outside area are set up, safe and ready for children to enjoy at the start of every day.

p.3

The leadership and management requires improvement

 Since the arrival of the interim executive headteacher and the positive partnership which has developed with Arbouthorne Community Primary School, leaders are ensuring the school is now rapidly improving.  Robust arrangements have been introduced to manage the performance of staff and coaching plans have been introduced for all teachers. Inadequate teaching has now been successfully eradicated. Staff speak highly of the support and encouragement they receive from senior leaders.  Middle leaders have introduced a large number of carefully planned new initiatives to improve teaching and raise standards. For example, the leader responsible for the use of the pupil premium funding has reorganised how support staff are used in lessons to close the gaps between the performance of disadvantaged pupils and others in the school. These are recent improvements and no data is currently available to judge their success.

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders who are responsible for improvements in English and mathematics know that the most able pupils need to make much better progress in their lessons. Leaders have helped a number of teachers to find creative and exciting ways to engage these pupils to think hard about their work. However, inconsistencies remain and leaders do not always help other staff to ‘take a risk’ and to plan more enjoyable activities in lessons.  Leaders have developed robust systems for assessing how well the school is now performing. This helps them to accurately identify what is working well and what needs to further improve. For example, leaders recognise there is more to do to help disadvantaged pupils to attend more regularly. Comprehensive improvement plans have been introduced and everyone is clear of the high expectations.  The interim executive headteacher has established the core values of fairness, respect and equality. These

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

are providing a clear moral code to promote positive behaviour.  Leaders are also taking creative ways to promote tolerance. For example, the school is part of a pilot project to work with pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 to find ways to combat the risk of radicalisation or extremist views within the wider community.  Leaders made sure teachers were ready to introduce the new National Curriculum this term and have developed a new approach to assessment to go alongside these changes.  The recently appointed special educational needs coordinator has also been working to introduce the requirements of the new code of practice. Some aspects, however, have not yet been finalised, such as publishing a report for parents on the school’s website.  The use of the primary school sports funding is also improving. Staff and pupils are enjoying the support of the two sports coach apprentices. This is helping to improve the quality of physical education teaching

p.4

The leadership and management requires improvement

in lessons and helping pupils adopt healthy lifestyles.  The local authority has worked effectively with the school, particularly in acquiring the support of the interim executive headteacher and Arbouthorne Community Primary School.  The governance of the school:  Governance has improved recently and governors have benefited from guidance provided by the interim executive headteacher regarding how best to fulfil their responsibilities. As a result, governors now have a secure understanding of data about pupils’ performance. They have worked conscientiously to ensure the school now provides better value for money and that additional funds are used increasingly well. They have supported leaders to eradicate inadequate teaching and made some good staff appointments. Governors ensure that teachers’ pay awards are now closely linked to their performance. They ensure safeguarding and child protection requirements are met.

p.4

The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  This is because while the rates of bullying and racist incidents at lunchtime and break-time are falling quickly, they remain too high. In addition, not all groups of pupils attend as well as others, and some pupils become restless and easily distracted if lessons are not engaging enough.  Pupils’ attitudes to work are improving quickly and for many this aspect is now good. However, not all pupils respond quickly enough to the guidance teachers are now providing about how their work could be even better.  Pupils have learnt many aspects of how to keep safe, for example, when using the internet. They speak very positively about the many changes they are seeing in school. Pupils have been central to the development of the school’s core values and hold them dear.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted increasingly well in a wide range of

p.4

The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

ways. For example, in a Year 6 mathematics lesson where pupils were converting decimals to fractions, the teacher was encouraging pupils to ‘see the beauty in what is happening to the numbers’.  Leaders are aware that pupils need to be more confident to discuss their learning if they are to be fully equipped to move on to the next stage of their education.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure requires improvement.  This is because some aspects of record keeping in the early years are not good enough. Children are safe, happy and enjoy their time in Nursery and Reception classes, but leaders do not ensure daily checks on equipment and resources are recorded in enough detail.

p.5

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching is becoming significantly better in many lessons, but improvements are not yet firmly enough established in all classes. As a result, some pupils are benefiting from effective teaching and making good progress, while for others it remains not good enough.  The improving attitudes pupils have in lessons are contributing to the better progress they are making. Pupils are now taking a great deal of pride in their work and display around the school is good.  Many lessons are now planned that meet the needs and aspirations of pupils well. Since the time of the last inspection, the teaching of mathematics has improved in the majority of classes and pupils are enjoying the increased challenge. Pupils are now often carefully observed during learning tasks. Focussed questioning helps to identify where pupils are struggling and enables tasks to be redesigned as the lesson progresses. These skills of ongoing assessment are still not so well developed in a small minority of

p.5

The quality of teaching requires improvement

classes.  The teaching of writing is now also improving. Creative ways are found to extend pupils’ writing skills. For example, in a Year 5 lesson, pupils were drafting a letter to the presenters of The Great British Bake Off asking for help to improve their baking skills.  The teaching of reading is also improving and pupils are enjoying a wider range of literature. The school library has moved to the centre of the school and a large number of new books have been purchased. Pupils say, ‘it’s brilliant now; we never used to go, it was too boring’.  The quality of marking is improving, although remains variable across the school. Most pupils are now getting clear guidance about how to improve their work. However, staff are not always making sure that pupils respond to this advice quickly enough, which is limiting the progress they make.  The way support staff are used in lessons has changed recently. They are now working with specific

p.5

The quality of teaching requires improvement

groups of pupils and understand what is to be achieved in a given time. Relationships with pupils are strong and pupils are increasingly keen to learn.

p.5

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 When pupils start Year 1, they typically have the skills in reading, writing and mathematics that are expected for their age.  By the end of Year 1, the proportion of pupils who read at the expected standard remains broadly average.  By the end of Key Stage 1, standards are also broadly average in writing and mathematics, although too few of the most able pupils reach the higher standards.  By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils also reach broadly average standards in reading, writing and mathematics, and once again, too few of the most able pupils reach the higher standards. This does not represent good progress from these pupils’ starting points.  Across the school, the majority of pupils make the progress expected of them, but few do any better than this. However, this can vary greatly from class to class, depending on the quality of teaching. For example, pupils in Year 6 last year made good progress and for some it was outstanding. However,

p.5

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

progress in Year 1 was slower.  School leaders have supported staff to identify the most able pupils in their class and they are now starting to provide work at a higher level for them. However, good practice is not yet firmly established across the school. For example, the most able pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 last year made good progress, where as in other classes their progress was not good enough.  Disadvantaged pupils make good progress in mathematics; this has helped them to catch up with others in their class by the end of Year 6. However, they were still three months behind other pupils nationally. Their progress in reading is slower and as a result, disadvantaged pupils left Key Stage 2 last year six months behind others, both in their class and nationally. Their progress in writing also requires improvement because pupils left school with attainment that was equivalent to five months behind their

p.5

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

classmates and eight months behind other pupils nationally.  Leaders are committed to providing equality of opportunity and tackling discrimination. For example, pupils who are disabled or who have special educational needs are supported to make the same progress as others in their class.  Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, or have English as an additional language, are also supported to make the same progress as others in their class.

p.6

The early years provision requires improvement

 Many children start nursery with skills that are below those typically expected. They settle quickly and soon make the progress expected of them and for many it is better. At the end of the Nursery Year, almost half the children leave to attend other schools.  A large proportion of children start school in the Reception class, from a number of different providers. Most start with skills that are typical for their age. They are also helped to make the progress expected of them and by the end of the Reception Year, an average number have developed the skills that are expected for their age. However, this does not represent good progress from their given starting points.  In line with improvements across the rest of the school, the early years leader is improving the quality of teaching. This is helping children make faster progress than previously. Disadvantaged children are being supported sooner, which is helping them to make increasingly good progress. The most able children are

p.6

The early years provision requires improvement

also being identified quickly and activities designed to stretch their thinking. This too is helping them make better progress than before.  Parents are being included in helping to assess children’s starting points in school, in line with the new requirements. The assessments that teachers make are now secure. Leaders make sure that all assessments are checked by colleagues from the local authority and partner school.  Leaders have made sure that staff have a good understanding of what effective early years provision looks like. However, leaders have not yet ensured adults have put what they have learnt effectively into practice. As a result, opportunities to extend children’s learning in the outdoor area, for example, are missed and only an average proportion of children reach a good level of development.  While early years leadership is improving, some aspects are not yet good enough. For example,

p.6

The early years provision requires improvement

procedures to make sure the outside area is safely set up at the start of each day are not robust enough nor checked daily. WHAT INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS MEAN

p.6

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 failing

p.7

Grade Judgement Description

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.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 106991 Local authority Sheffield Inspection number 448972

p.8

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.8

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 460 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sandy Davidson Interim Executive Headteacher Vanessa Langley Date of previous school inspection 15 January 2013 Telephone number 0114 239 9705 Fax number 0114 239 9705 Email address enquiries@gleadless.sheffield.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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

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’.

p.9

School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.9