Outwood Primary Academy Kirkhamgate

School report Outwood Primary Academy Kirkhamgate Brandy Carr Road, Wakefield, WF2 0RS

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Early years provision Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The impact of leadership from the Principal and other senior leaders, since the school opened as an academy, has been immense.  Their effectiveness is seen particularly in the management of teaching and learning which has driven up standards and progress at a rapid rate.  Pupils are extremely keen to learn and are excited by the approaches to learning that teachers choose.  Pupils feel very safe in school. Their behaviour is exemplary and attendance is above average.  Teaching is consistently good and often better. Expectations are high. Pupils’ varying needs are catered for extremely well. Consequently, all pupils make rapid progress.  Children are given an excellent start in the Reception class and many exceed expected levels in all they do in their readiness for Year 1.  Attainment throughout the school has risen quickly and are above average. A high proportion of pupils achieve better than expected in reading, writing

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and mathematics. Standards in mathematics are particularly high. The school aims to bring writing standards to a similar level.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors saw 11 lessons and part lessons, one of which was observed jointly with the Principal.  Meetings were held with senior leaders and representatives from the Outwood Grange Academies Trust, a representative from the local authority, groups of parents, pupils and members of the governing body.  Also taken into account were 29 parents’ responses via Ofsted’s online survey (Parent View), as well as questionnaires completed by members of staff.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and scrutinised a range of documentation including: the school’s assessments of pupils’ academic performance; leaders’ own view of the school’s work; a local authority report; minutes from governing body meetings; samples of pupils’ work and safeguarding documents.

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Inspection team

Kevin Johnson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average sized primary school in which almost all pupils are White British.  The school is part of the Outwood Grange Academies Trust.  Outwood Primary Academy Kirkhamgate converted to become an academy on 1 st March 2013. When its predecessor school, Kirkhamgate Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to require special measures.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils and, therefore, supported by the pupil premium funding is very small compared to the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority.  A well below average proportion of pupils are supported by school action.  Similarly, the proportion supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards which are minimum expectations for pupils’

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Information about this school

attainment and progress at the end of Year 6.  The school provides before- and after-school care for pupils.  There is pre-school provision on site. This is not managed by the school’s governing body and is inspected separately.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that a greater proportion of pupils achieve the highest possible levels in writing by the end of Year 6, by:  improving standards in spelling across the school  providing ample opportunities for pupils to use their writing skills, including the appropriate technical vocabulary when writing across all subjects.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school has undergone a cultural change since becoming an academy. Leaders’ unerring focus on pupils’ progress and consistently high standards have driven the school forward at a very rapid pace. Current assessments and pupils’ work show that upward trends are on track to be sustained.  The school’s leadership team is strengthened and supported extremely well through working with other schools within the Academies Trust.  Good relationships with the local authority have also been maintained. The school pays for light-touch support from the local authority in order to gain an external view about its work and to help leaders form their accurate picture of how well the school is doing.  Outstanding management of teachers’ performance has been a major factor in its success. High levels of training, support and challenge for teachers have paid dividends. Less effective teaching has been quickly

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The leadership and management are outstanding

eliminated and the highest expectations are non-negotiable. The impact on standards and progress in a relatively short time has been impressive and is not unnoticed by parents, who appreciate how much improvement there has been.  Senior leaders constantly check the school’s work and record pupils’ progress. Regular progress checks ensure that teachers are fully accountable for the work they do. Leaders also check teaching and seek pupils’ views about their learning to make sure all receive the right amount of support.  As a small staff, teachers share responsibility for planning the new National Curriculum They plan imaginatively and in a way that captivates pupils and can bring the best from them.  The current ‘Our World’ whole-school project, for example, takes pupils from the Reception Year to Year 6 on imaginary flights to different countries. This boosts pupils’ outstanding spiritual, moral, social and

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The leadership and management are outstanding

cultural development very well. Opportunities to use the specially prepared role play area, for example, allow pupils to learn a range of life-related skills, useful in the modern world. It has a very positive impact on some mathematical skills, such as working out distances and using maps. Not to mention remembering to collect a ‘boarding pass’ before joining the school assembly about life in Tanzania!  The use of the primary school sports funding has brought further benefits to the curriculum. There is greater participation in sports activities, including competitive sports. Learning about other aspects of health and pupils’ well-being are also woven into teachers’ planning. The expertise of teachers from other schools within the Academies Trust is used very effectively to model physical education lessons and improve teachers’ skills.  The governance of the school:  Governors have gained a very clear picture of the school by thoroughly checking many aspects of its

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The leadership and management are outstanding

work and reporting what they find. They appreciate the regular and accurate summaries of pupils’ academic performance that enables them to measure the school’s progress within the national picture. They challenge school leaders and work closely with them when judgements about the school’s effectiveness are made. Governors hold a clear and accurate view of teachers’ work in the classroom. Performance management and the application of the salaries policy are overseen by board members of The Trust, and information is shared with the Chair of the Governing Body. Governors are watchful over the impact of spending of the pupil premium and sports funding and are fully committed to equality of opportunity and the Trusts essential aim of ‘Children First’. Statutory responsibilities are carried out efficiently and there are no concerns about safeguarding arrangements, which fully meet requirements.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils are real ambassadors for their school in the way that they arrive on time and dress neatly in their uniforms. Their attendance is above average.  They contribute a great deal to the everyday life and friendly ethos of their school. Being a member of the school council, a play leader or a peer mediator, for example, provides chances for pupils to accept responsibility, help others and learn to be tolerant, all of which help to prepare them well for their future life in modern Britain.  Pupils win lots of praise for the way that they conduct themselves outside of school. In school, they are courteous and very well mannered and always treat others with respect. Their behaviour during assemblies is excellent and their manners in the dining hall are a credit to them.  Pupils are extremely keen on school and eager to learn. When asked which are their favourite subjects

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

some pupils said, ‘all of them’.  During lessons they listen attentively and work hard. They enjoy challenges and see ‘tricky’ work as a good thing. They work well with one another and enjoy solving problems together.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  The school’s systems for managing pupils’ behaviour are both simple and effective. Pupils are very clear about how the warnings system works. They say that it is fair and helps them a lot to thinks about what they do. Pupils are very clear about what is acceptable behaviour and what is not.  Pupils are very happy in school and feel very safe. They enjoy their active playtimes with all the equipment available. They say that grown-ups take extremely good care of them and that view is fully endorsed by their parents.  Pupils have an excellent understanding of the different forms that bullying can take, including dangers

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

surrounding the internet. They know how to deal with any risky situations and how to keep themselves safe. They state firmly that there is no bullying in school and that it would be dealt with promptly if it occurred. Name-calling, they say, is rare and never really serious.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Since the academy opened, teachers have responded exceptionally well to training opportunities and guidance from senior leaders which have greatly improved their subject knowledge and the skills they need for the classroom.  Work in classrooms is highly focused on pupils’ progress. Activities to match varying abilities are carefully planned so that all pupils’ needs are catered for and expectations are consistently very high.  Teaching assistants are very skilled and provide first-class support for pupils. For example, a small group of the mathematically most able pupils in Year 2 made excellent progress in a lesson because the teaching assistant’s assessment of pupils’ understanding of place value was very sharp and new challenges were constantly introduced.  Before activities begin, pupils are taught what good learning in the lesson will be so they are always clear about targets and know what is expected of them.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Resources, including technology, are used very effectively to help pupils learn and a variety of interesting methods capture pupils’ interest and enthusiasm. Year 3 pupils, for example, were amazed to find that their classroom had been ‘trashed’ by a squad of Roman soldiers, but the artefacts they found and the questions that followed got their history learning off to a very enthusiastic start.  The high quality teaching of mathematics has successfully raised standards throughout the school. Pupils gain an excellent understanding of how numbers work and apply their knowledge in a wide range of problem solving activities across different areas of learning.  There is an equally strong emphasis on developing literacy skills with many opportunities for pupils to write imaginatively for different purposes. Although standards have risen significantly over the past four terms, the school recognises the need for a stronger focus on spelling, as well as exploring the full range

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

of possibilities, including accurate use of technical vocabulary, to improve writing across all subjects, especially for most able pupils.  Well-managed assessment underpins teachers’ planning and setting the next steps in learning. Adults constantly check work in lessons and correct misconceptions to keep progress on track. Pupils find marking helpful because it shows them what they do well and how to do even better.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Achievement for all pupils has increased rapidly since the school became an academy.  The proportion of pupils in Year 1 who reached the expected standard in the phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) screening check rose to well above average in 2014 due to improved teaching.  This has a very significant impact on pupils’ confidence at their early stages of reading and writing.  Pupils in Year 2 read well. They use the phonics skills they have learned to break down unfamiliar words and make sense of what they read. They enjoy books and know the difference between fiction and non- fiction.  By Year 6, standards in reading are above average. A high proportion of pupils make excellent progress. Pupils choose their reading from a wide range of authors and talk enthusiastically about the kinds of books they like. They read fluently, with good expression and recognition of punctuation.  The school’s assessments for reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2, showed standards to

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

be above average in 2014, with a greater proportion of pupils making better than the progress expected of them from their starting points.  The picture of outstanding progress continues year-on year through Key Stage 2 with above average performances in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6, and significantly more pupils than previously doing better than expected.  School leaders are not complacent and agree that achievement for the most able pupils in writing could be even higher.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make excellent progress. Their learning is tailored expertly to their particular needs. The additional support they have, especially with reading, ensures that they make exceptional progress in all subjects from their different starting points.  The most able pupils’ potential is recognised and provided for in lessons by raising challenges and expecting more of them. There is more effective provision in mathematics, where additional teaching in

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

school, and links with the Trust’s high school, provides further opportunities for pupils to develop their knowledge and skills. The proportion of pupils who reached the highest possible level in mathematics in 2014 exceeded the national figure for the previous year.  The very small number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and supported by the pupil premium achieve exceptionally well. All of those in school reached considerably higher standards than disadvantaged pupils nationally as well as performing better than other pupils in the school.

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The early years provision is outstanding

 Most children’s abilities on entering the Reception class are broadly typical for their age. Some are slightly below typical expectations in reading, writing, number and development of personal skills. They make rapid progress and all children including those from lower starting points reach good levels of development. The proportion of children who exceeded expectations in 2014 increased significantly from the previous year. Overall, they are prepared extremely well for their move to Year 1.  Teaching and the quality of other learning activities are outstanding. Teachers and teaching assistants are highly skilled and maintain the highest expectations, particularly for children’s social behaviour and their readiness to learn.  Activities that are led by adults are very well focused to ensure children learn basic skills quickly. There is always an exciting range of activities for children to choose from where they can follow-up and practise

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The early years provision is outstanding

what they have learned. Activities are punctuated with questions and conversations with adults that stimulate imaginations and encourage children solve problems and develop language skills. A good example of this was when children learned some very precise vocabulary such as ingredients, recipe, and scales, when making biscuits.  Children’s physical development is provided for very well. The outdoor classroom is well equipped and activities reflect children’s learning indoors. Children are free to move between the two and have ample opportunities to develop physically and socially.

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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 failing

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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.

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School details

Unique reference number 139080 Local authority Wakefield Inspection number 447845

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 151 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sue Silk Executive Principal Lee Wilson Principal Asa Britton Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01924 303735 Fax number 01924 303735 Email address a.britton@kirkhamgate.outwood.com 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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