Rawdon Littlemoor Primary School

School report Rawdon Littlemoor Primary School New Road Side, Rawdon, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS19 6DD

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Outstanding 1

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This is a good school

 From starting points which are broadly typical for their age, pupils achieve well to reach standards that are above average overall, and in reading and writing well above average, by the time they leave at the end of Year 6.  Teaching in the early years is outstanding. Children get very effective help with their learning. They are given things to do that interest and excite them. Learning is fun and stimulating. As a result, children make excellent progress.  Good, and sometimes outstanding teaching means that the majority of pupils of all abilities and belonging to different groups make at least good progress. Teaching is especially strong in upper Key Stage 2.  Pupils behave exceptionally well and are respectful towards one another as well as their teachers. Their very positive attitudes to learning are a significant factor in the good progress made in lessons.  The rich curriculum provides a wealth of exciting

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This is a good school

opportunities that broaden pupils’ experiences.  Pupils report that the school is a very safe and caring place and they know who to talk to should they have any concerns.  Pupils show their whole-hearted support for the school through their above average attendance and support for school activities.  The headteacher has been relentless and successful in her drive to improve the school and raise expectations of staff, pupils and parents.  Leaders at all levels have developed a strong sense of purpose among all staff to drive forward sustained improvement.  Governors are knowledgeable, provide good support and ask searching questions that challenge the school to do even better.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Over time there have been some inconsistencies in pupils’ achievement. Progress is not yet consistently outstanding, particularly for the most able pupils in Key Stage 1.  Feedback, including marking, does not always show pupils how to improve. Pupils are not routinely given opportunities to respond to teachers’ verbal and written feedback.  The procedures for analysing pupils’ progress are over complicated.  The school does not yet make the most of opportunities to share among staff the outstanding practice that exists within the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed lessons and part lessons across the school, six of which observations were conducted jointly with the headteacher or deputy headteacher.  Inspectors heard pupils from Years 1 and 6 reading and also held meetings with two groups of pupils.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, subject leaders, staff and members of the governing body. In addition, the lead inspector spoke over the telephone with a representative from the local authority to discuss the nature and impact of support provided to the school.  Inspectors carried out an extensive scrutiny of pupils’ work in English, mathematics and other subjects.  Inspectors looked at arrange of documents, including school improvement plans, tracking of pupils’ achievement, records relating to behaviour, attendance and the safeguarding of pupils, minutes of governing body meetings, the school’s arrangements for spending the additional sports funding and pupil

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Information about this inspection

premium funding.  Inspectors looked at the school’s website.  The inspectors took into account the 122 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and spoke informally with large numbers of parents during the inspection.  The views of 20 staff who returned inspection questionnaires were taken into account.

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Inspection team

Michael Wintle, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger than average-sized primary school with more girls than boys on roll.  A large majority of pupils are White British and few pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is well below average. The pupil premium is additional government funding to provide additional support for those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is broadly average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above the national average.  In 2013, the school met the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 In order to iron out inconsistencies in pupils’ achievement, strengthen the quality of teaching so that it is always at least good and more is outstanding by: - ensuring that all marking is of a high quality and that pupils have time to respond to the feedback they receive from teachers about their work - ensuring that tasks set enable pupils of all abilities, particularly the most able in Key Stage 1, to make the best possible progress - sharing the outstanding practice that is already in the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by, simplifying the procedures for analysing the information on pupils’ progress so that leaders at all levels can more effectively check and support the ongoing progress of different groups of pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has had a remarkable impact on the school. She provides strong leadership to improve pupils’ performance and the quality of teaching. She has created strong teamwork and very high morale through sensitive and encouraging leadership that involves all staff in improvement.  There is a strong focus on developing good or better teaching. A comprehensive performance management process is firmly established and regular meetings to check on pupils’ progress enable leaders, including middle leaders, to hold teachers to account for achievement in their class. As a result, Year 7 leaders from local secondary schools report that pupils are extremely well prepared for the next stage in their education.  Teachers benefit from the sharing of best practice but this means of improving teaching is not yet fully embedded across the school.  The vibrant curriculum contributes significantly to pupils’ well developed spiritual, moral, social and

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The leadership and management are good

cultural awareness. While it is strongly focused on developing pupils’ basic skills in speaking and listening, reading, writing and mathematics, it also provides very many opportunities for pupils to develop their love of history, art, science, sport and music. Year 6 and Year 5 pupils excitedly spoke of the recent workshop on the Vikings. They confidently spoke of being told stories, how to row a long ship and singing Viking songs.  The school has introduced a detailed system for frequently assessing and tracking the learning of pupils’ over time. Although some teachers use the system well, it is over-complicated. As a result, checking the on-going progress of different groups, such as the most able pupils in Key Stage 1, is not always as timely as it should be. This means that, although the school generally promotes equality of opportunity well, the teaching does not always meet pupils’ different needs sufficiently rapidly.

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The leadership and management are good

 Good planning ensures that the additional sports funding is used effectively to develop competitive sports as well as encouraging physical activity at lunchtime and after-school activities. Extra-curricular activities are impressive and add to pupils being happy in school. Allied to some good teaching of physical education there are many examples of the good impact of the funding. The football team played in the Airedale football league and won the competition in 2013.  The local authority provides light-touch support for this good school and has a good understanding of its strengths and future areas to develop.  The arrangements for safeguarding of pupils meet statutory requirements and demonstrate good practice.  The governance of the school:  The governing body offers sympathetic support and rigorous challenge to the school, which has ensured that standards remain above the national average by the end of Year 6. The Chair of the Governing

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The leadership and management are good

Body is very well informed about the school and uses governors’ expertise to full effect, for example, in budget management. Governors have a good grasp of the school’s finances. Governors check in detail the school’s improvement plan and hold the headteacher to account for the performance of the school. They are clear where the strengths of teaching are and where areas of development are needed, such as increasing the numbers of pupils achieving the higher levels at Key Stage 1. Governors understand fully the operation of performance management and they monitor closely its links with salary progression. Governors receive regular financial reports and have approved the use of pupil premium funding for additional support. Through regular, detailed reports from the headteacher they monitor well the impact of the pupil premium on the achievement of disadvantaged pupils. Governors are very visible in school and, therefore, know the strengths and areas to further develop.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils want to do well and they appreciate the help that they are given. They are enthusiastic and committed. Inspectors were extremely impressed with the way in which they cooperated with each other in all lessons and continually strived to do their very best.  All staff have high expectations and a consistent approach to behaviour that is fully accepted by pupils. As a result, behaviour in and around school is often exemplary and pupils follow rules and instructions quickly. Pupils say that they are proud to be part of the school and are given many opportunities to take on extra responsibilities, for example, as school councillors, buddies to early years children, and house captains.  The school’s effective approach in responding to pupils’ emotional needs and development has made a significant impact on behaviour. Instances of bad behaviour are very rare. Staff know their pupils very

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Behaviour

well. Parents strongly support this view.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils have an excellent knowledge of how to keep safe both in and out of school. They say that incidents of bullying are rare. On the very few occasions that it does happen, pupils say, the school deals with it very effectively. They know that bullying can take different forms and they have an especially good understanding of the need to use the internet and mobile phones safely. Pupils were unanimous about feeling safe in school.  Nearly all parents who spoke to inspectors or who responded to Parent View, or the school’s questionnaire, say that their children feel safe and happy at school and are always encouraged to do their best.  Pupils enjoy coming to school. Attendance is above average and the school has very clear processes in place to ensure that this is maintained.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good, with some outstanding teaching, which inspires pupils and helps them to progress well from their starting points, in all areas including literacy, reading and mathematics. This is because all teaching has interesting topics and a range of exciting activities that engage pupils or allow them to see the links between subjects.  Teachers inspire pupils and expect the most from them.in the main, activities match the pupils’ needs, the pace is brisk, teachers’ questioning is challenging and pupils know what they have to do to be successful. This ensures that pupils are highly motivated and learn quickly.  Pupils present their work carefully. Teachers have high expectations of them and expect them to do their best. Workbooks and files are well cared for and demonstrate the pride that most pupils take in their work.  Occasionally the most able are not challenged enough or quickly enough by the work that teachers set.

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The quality of teaching is good

This occurs more often in Key Stage 1. This means that the progress they make is often slower than it could be and is reflected in the low numbers of the most able achieving the higher levels at the end of Year 2.  Teachers take pride in providing attractive, bright and stimulating classrooms for their pupils. Displays of pupils’ work are a common feature both to highlight the very best and to encourage high standards. Pupils make good use of the displays and say that they inspire them to get better with their work.  In most classes, the feedback in pupils’ books is exemplary. However, this is not consistent across the school. Teachers do not always give pupils enough help or time to act on the advice that they give them about their work. This restricts how well their work improves.  Teaching assistants and other adults make a very good contribution to pupils’ learning. Teachers work closely with teaching assistants and keep them well informed. In a Year 3 support activity pupils were

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The quality of teaching is good

learning the times table and vocabulary linked to multiplication. A teacher and a teaching assistant were leading two groups each of which made equally quick progress. Relationships were good and pupils’ attitudes to their work excellent.

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is good

 Due to typically good teaching pupils make good progress throughout the school. Progress is outstanding in the early years and upper Key Stage 2. It slows somewhat in Key Stage 1, especially for the most able in reading, writing and mathematics.  Overall attainment by the end of Key Stage 2 is above average. In reading and writing, it is above average in reading and writing. Accelerated progress over the last two years has meant that in 2014 80% of pupils achieved the expected level in reading, writing and mathematics combined and this is well above the national average.  The school has had too few high achieving pupils in recent years in Key Stage 1. At the end of Key Stage 2, the most able are achieving better than national results in reading, writing and mathematics. The unvalidated results for Year 6 attainment in 2014 confirm that the most able achieved well above the national average, especially in reading and writing.

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is good

 Progress in reading is good and a strength of the school because, right from Reception, children have a secure grasp of the strategies to extend their reading skills. Children learn to recognise letters and the sound they make in the early years and through Years 1 and 2. A large number of pupils enjoy their reading and are willing to share this with other pupils and adults. Older pupils read with expression and say that the teaching of reading in school is good.  Pupils’ achievement in writing is also good and pupils’ confidence to write in different styles is well supported by good links to other subjects. The piece of writing that one Year 6 girl was most proud of was a mathematics exercise in coordinates.  Disadvantaged pupils make good progress in line with non-disadvantaged pupils in the school. They make slightly better progress on average than non-disadvantaged pupils nationally. In 2013, their attainment in

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is good

English was approximately three terms behind non-disadvantaged pupils in the school and two terms behind non-disadvantaged pupils nationally. In mathematics their attainment was three terms behind non- disadvantaged pupils in the school and nationally. In 2014, the well-focused actions by leaders to close these gaps quickly have been successful, especially in mathematics.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress from their starting points because teachers understand their individual needs and they are well supported in lessons.

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is outstanding

 Most children enter school with skills that are typical for their age. However, their skills do vary considerably and for a small number of children they are significantly below those typical for their age. The school has invested heavily in the early years provision and has introduced remarkably successful initiatives to improve the quality of teaching. The school has developed effective data tracking systems that fully support the children’s accelerated learning as they move through Reception.  As a result of the school’s work, teaching is outstanding in early years. Children make accelerated progress in all areas. This prepares them very well for their next stage of education. Children in Ducklings and Goslings were learning the story of The Little Red Hen. The learning was exciting, packed with laughter and children acting out the story. Progress in their communication and language was quick and attitudes

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is outstanding

to learning excellent.  Children are extremely happy in the Reception class and, as a result, their emotional well-being is well supported. High quality outdoor equipment means that they play well with each other and quickly establish strong relationships with adults and other children. The Year 6 buddies support children’s excellent attitudes to their learning. The excellent outdoor area expertly supports young children’s physical development.  Staff work well together, helping children to learn confidently with increasing independence. Teaching staff have as secure knowledge of how young children learn best because leadership in early years is outstanding. Leaders have an excellent understanding of their responsibilities to ensure that the provision meets safeguarding and welfare requirements.

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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 107810 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 448366

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 323 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Arthur Rawnsley, JP Headteacher Shelagh Henderson Date of previous school inspection 15 October 2009 Telephone number 0113 887 9690 Fax number Not applicable Email address s.henderson@rawdonlittlemoor.org 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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