Beechwood Primary School

Beechwood Primary School Kentmere Avenue, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS14 6QB

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 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

 This school inspires pupils, raises their aspirations and successfully promotes their excellent all-round achievement.  Leadership at every level is highly effective. Leaders’ highest expectations are reflected in how all staff work and in what pupils achieve.  The management of teaching is excellent. Leaders leave nothing to chance in checking the quality of teachers’ work and providing whatever guidance and support teachers and teaching assistants need. As a result, pupils make rapid progress in every class.  Governors’ incisive knowledge of the school and how well it works, and their continuous challenge are crucial to the school’s rapid success since the previous inspection when it was judged to require improvement.  Governors work hard to reach out to all parents to promote their understanding of the school’s work, and of how important good attendance is to their child’s learning. Even more could be done to

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

engage with parents so that attendance rises to above average.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Children develop excellent social skills in the early years and build on these throughout their time in school. Pupils behave extremely well, demonstrate first-class attitudes to learning and feel entirely safe in school.  Teaching is never less than good; it is frequently outstanding. During lessons, adults check pupils’ progress continually. Excellent questioning helps pupils to think deeply about their work and move on rapidly to their next steps.  In the early years, staff provide exciting activities and excellent teaching so that children make rapid progress in all areas of learning.  From starting points below those typical for their age in the early years, pupils achieve standards that match and at times exceed national averages at the end of Year 6.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in a wide range of lessons, three of which were observed jointly with senior leaders.  Meetings were held with members of staff, groups of pupils, a representative from the local authority and members of the governing body.  Response from parents via Ofsted’s online survey (Parent View) was not sufficient to provide a reliable picture. Inspectors took account of parents’ views gained from an internal survey conducted by the school. Also taken into account were questionnaires completed by members of staff.  As well as observing the school’s work inspectors examined a range of documentation including: national assessment data and the school’s assessments; minutes from governing body meetings; external reports and the school’s own view of its work; safeguarding information and samples of pupils’ work.

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Inspection team

Kevin Johnson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Inspection team

Mary Hennessy Jones Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger than average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is more than double 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.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average.  The school meets current floor standards. These are the minimum expectations set by the government for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  Provision for children in the early years is part time in Nursery and full time in Reception.  The school provides a breakfast club and before-school care during term time.  The school is a member of the Leeds East Primary Partnership.  There have been changes in the teaching staff since the previous inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Communicate the school’s success clearly to all parents so that more of them engage with its work and aspirations for pupils, particularly with regard to the school’s aim to raise attendance above the national average.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Leaders fully recognise how important the school is to the community it serves. Their ambition for the pupils is unquestionable, as demonstrated by the rapid improvement made since the previous inspection. The school is a secure and positive place in which pupils learn and develop their personal skills, achieve excellent behaviour and learn to form productive relationships. Discrimination does not exist and pupils’ equality of opportunity is assured. The school gives pupils an excellent start to their education.  Accountability for the different aspects of the school’s work is shared among senior and middle leaders. Their success lies in the highly effective systems they have put in place which make management throughout the school a seamless process. Senior leaders are excellent role models for colleagues. All staff have the opportunity and capacity to challenge what is done. They are also enabled to plan change for the

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The leadership and management are outstanding

better so that improvement is a continuous process. The collective mindset is that something can always be better.  The quality of teaching has improved rapidly since the previous inspection as a result of leaders’ skilful management. New appointments have strengthened the teaching team and less effective teaching is fully eliminated. Senior leaders have worked closely with local partner schools and the local authority to bring about change. The school responded swiftly, for example, to the previous inspection report by embracing the very effective support provided by the local authority in ensuring that mathematical subject knowledge, in particular, came up to the mark. Changes to the way that mathematics is taught were introduced by the subject leader. Current levels of pupils’ good progress and their attainment in mathematics amply demonstrate the subject leader’s effectiveness.  The collective work of middle leaders (responsible for subject development) has resulted in an outstanding

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The leadership and management are outstanding

curriculum that provides many exciting learning experiences for pupils. The breadth of work in the classroom is greatly enriched by opportunities outside of school. These not only contribute to academic success but prepare pupils exceptionally well for their roles in modern British society. Pupils’ horizons are broadened through visits to Paris and links with pupils from India and Ghana. They learn to respect others’ differences, to play fairly and recognise the rights of other people. Pupils share their ideas with those in their partner schools and, in doing so, learn how improvement can be a democratic process.  Leaders’ use of the primary school physical education (PE) and sport funding has had a very positive impact on teaching and learning in PE and pupils’ participation in sports. Some PE lessons led by teachers during the inspection were outstanding owing to the professional training they have had. Pupils

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The leadership and management are outstanding

themselves carried out an audit of interests throughout the school and identified the equipment needed to enable activities that others wanted. Participation in sport has greatly increased and pupils enjoy a good range of competitive matches with other schools.  The highly effective management of pupil premium funding has had an enormous impact throughout the school on pupils’ achievement. It provides, for example, for additional teachers, extra group work by very skilful teaching assistants, speech therapy, early years support and pastoral care. Consequently, gaps in learning have been quickly closed and there is virtually no difference between the achievement of different groups of pupils at the end of Year 6.  Safeguarding arrangements are very well established. Staff and pupils know their responsibilities regarding safety and well-being. Required checks and staff training fully meet requirements. Attendance shows a

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The leadership and management are outstanding

steady improvement over time. Leaders have set a very challenging target to raise attendance to above average. The school’s relationship with parents is good but leaders acknowledge that, in order to support this aim, links with them could be strengthened even further.  The governance of the school:  Governance is a strength within the school’s outstanding leadership. The range of governors’ expertise and their knowledge of the school, the community and the parent body are excellent. Governors are fully tuned into pupils’ current and future needs. They very skilfully analyse academic performance, the national data on pupils’ attainment and rates of progress. They are quick to support the school’s work and are clear about the results they expect when systems are put in place.  Governors support the school’s system for managing teachers’ performance extremely well. They rigorously check how well teaching develops and its impact on learning when considering financial

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The leadership and management are outstanding

rewards for teachers. They are fully aware of how to manage teaching, should it require improvement. Financial management is very efficient including additional funding for sports and disadvantaged pupils.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils clearly enjoy school. They are consistently cheerful and always ready with a friendly greeting that helps to create the atmosphere of enthusiasm that exists across the school.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are excellent. They know how important best behaviour is if they are to achieve as well as they can. They listen attentively to teachers and teaching assistants, and there is always a good show of hands when questions are asked.  Pupils enjoy lessons, saying they are fun. Their books confirm how hard they work and how much pride they take in what they do. Topic work is beautifully presented in every class.  Around the school, pupils behave sensibly and safely. They move carefully in the corridors and play safely in the playground where they always put their litter in the bin. They enjoy their social time with each other in the dining hall. Noise is kept to a very reasonable level and pupils are vey well-mannered at the table.

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Behaviour

 Pupils are invariably polite in their dealings with adults and other pupils with responsibility, such as the ‘Beechwood leaders’. They understand that responsibility is to be taken seriously and that good manners are in every one’s best interest.  Every pupil has a voice in school matters. They contribute their ideas to curriculum planning and are involved in decision making through the very active school council who, among other things, have a role in staff appointments. Class meetings and school council negotiations have led to improved lunchtime facilities in the playground, for example. Ideas gained through discussion with other schools through the pupils’ Trust Forum have inspired a very mature request for oval dining tables so that there can be better eye-contact, easier discussion and less noise.  Exchange links with pupils from schools locally and overseas provide excellent insight into others’ cultural

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Behaviour

circumstances. Pupils’ awareness of harmful discrimination is raised and the benefits of mutual support become clear to them.  By the time pupils leave the school they are very well equipped socially and academically, and with the mature attitudes they need to take with them to the next stage of their education.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  Pupils express no concerns about their safety in school and comment on how secure they feel because of the measures the school takes.  Pupils are fully aware of what bullying means and how it can occur in different ways and at different times. They are taught well about how to avoid potential dangers including those linked to cyber-bullying. Pupils are totally opposed to any form of bullying. They say it does not occur in school and are confident that any incidents would be dealt with immediately. School records confirm that incidents of any kind are relatively rare and usually low level.  Pupils whose circumstances make them potentially the most vulnerable are exceptionally well supported. The highly effective inclusion team provides both learning and pastoral support and work hard to encourage more parents to support their children’s learning.

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Safety

 Parents are sure that the school keeps their child safe. They are very appreciative of the breakfast club which gives their children a good start to the day in a safe environment.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers consistently expect the very best from their pupils. They plan lessons thoughtfully so that all pupils’ abilities are fully provided for and they have the learning resources that they need to achieve their goals. There is always sufficient challenge and pupils are expected to use their own initiative. This has lead to pupils making rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  In a mathematics lesson, for example, the least able and most-able pupils began their activities independently. The challenges and resources were set in advance, and adults checked from time to time to make sure that problems were being solved. This gave the pupils the opportunity to discover for themselves how sequences worked and how to use them to calculate. Pupils got a great sense of achievement when their calculations worked.  A major strength of teaching is the way that teaching assistants work closely with class teachers and

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

contribute significantly to pupils’ learning, especially in reading. Teaching assistants are very well trained and highly skilled at teaching literacy and numeracy groups, as well as supporting in classrooms. Groups of pupils whose learning needs to be boosted to the next level benefit from small group teaching and make rapid progress as a result.  An excellent example is the way that pupils in Year 1 are targeted. Those who did not achieve expected levels at the end of Reception, and whose writing and letter formation was at an early stage, were given this special support and have already improved rapidly. They now write stories confidently on their own, with good spelling and punctuation, as a result of the extra help they receive.  Outstanding teaching across the curriculum ensures pupils’ all-round excellent achievement. High quality results were seen in science work, history and physical education. The quality of art displayed is

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

impressive, as are the topic books of Year 2 pupils about Africa which contain elements of the arts and history of that country.  Assessment is used extremely well to improve learning and inform pupils about how well they have done. Marking systems are fully understood by pupils and used consistently by adults. Pupils receive spoken as well as written feedback and always respond to it by doing corrections, so that marking is meaningful and improvement is quick. During lessons, adults check pupils’ progress continually. Excellent questioning helps pupils to think deeply about their work and move on rapidly to the next steps.  Restructuring of mathematics teaching since the previous inspection has improved standards and progress throughout the school. Improving skills, challenge and applying knowledge are non-negotiable elements of every lesson. The language of mathematics is taught and used well. Pupils have opportunities to mark

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

their own work and move themselves on when they have mastered a skill so that no time is lost in making progress.  One of the key features of teaching and learning in the school is that pupils know that it is alright to make mistakes. In all areas of their work, pupils are encouraged to learn from their mistakes and learn from each other. This means that work is carefully redrafted and improved. This has a particularly good impact on the high quality of pupils’ writing. Their workbooks and displays across the whole school demonstrate an excellent range of purposeful writing that fully reflects the quality and breadth of the school’s exciting curriculum.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils’ starting points when they enter Year 1 are, overall, below expectations for their age despite their excellent progress in the early years. They are very well prepared, however, in their personal skills, particularly their eagerness to learn. Building quickly on their learning in the early years, pupils make very good progress in phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) in Year 1. In 2014, the school’s results in the national screening test for phonics were above average. These skills have an enormous impact on how quickly pupils make progress with their reading and writing.  High quality teaching and excellent progress continue in Year 2. Very effective use of the pupil premium to provide additional teaching support means that disadvantaged pupils make equally good progress. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics have consistently met national averages over time. Pupils currently in Year 2 are working to a higher standard than previously with more pupils working at Level 3.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils build rapidly on their Key Stage 1 performances. Progress is scrutinised very closely under the new systems for assessment introduced in Years 3 to 5. School assessments and pupils’ work show no sign of letting up in the pace of their learning.  National assessment data show that standards at the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics were very slightly above national averages in 2014, with particularly good improvement in mathematics. This indicates outstanding achievement from earlier starting points. School data indicate that standards in the current Year 6 are exceeding the previous year, with more pupils working at the higher Level 5 in all subjects.  Pupils make excellent progress from their starting points. In 2014, the proportions of pupils who made expected progress and those who did better than expected at the end of Year 6 compared very favourably with the national picture. Records of progress for the current Year 6 indicate an equally positive picture.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils in Year 6 read frequently and enjoy challenging books. Reading is accurate and fluent. Pupils use their voices well and show good understanding in the way that they explain the story. Pupils read regularly out of school and have clear preferences for different authors. Year 2 pupils are very keen to read. Reading diaries show that they do so regularly. They like to talk about their favourite books and they use their phonics skills very well to work out unfamiliar words.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are exceptionally well supported by a very strong team who provide for their particular needs. Checking systems show improved progress in the current year. Strong support in school means that individual needs are identified and dealt with quickly. Outside agencies provide more specific help where that is needed. The significant proportion of pupils in the early years with speech, language and communication needs are very well supported by a speech

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

therapist who is a member of the inclusion team and also helps parents to support their children’s speech development at home.  The most-able pupils are consistently challenged through both key stages. Challenges are built into lessons. In addition, special teaching groups are set up to help the most-able pupils fulfil their potential. Pupils who attain Level 3 at Key Stage 1 consistently achieve Level 5 at Key Stage 2. A larger proportion of pupils in Year 6 than previously are currently working towards Level 6 in reading, writing or mathematics.  Disadvantaged pupils who are supported through pupil premium funding make exceptional progress. Data show that in 2014 the group made better progress than all pupils nationally in mathematics, reading and writing. When compared with others in the school, they did better in writing and achieved similar standards to others in reading and mathematics. Assessment for the current year shows virtually no gaps

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and others in the school with similar rates of progress for all pupils.

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The early years provision is outstanding

 When children enter Nursery almost all have skills that are below those typical for their age. A large proportion have major challenges in some areas of their learning and many have special educational needs with regard to speech, language and communication. Most are at a very early stage in their personal, social and emotional development.  Children make excellent progress in the Nursery class, especially in their personal and social skills which help them to become ready to learn. They enjoy dressing up and being ‘super heroes’ as their imaginations and confidence grow. They make the first steps in literacy and numeracy by recognising numbers and letters which they practise, for example, by taking orders for pizza toppings. They are happy to play with others but still rely heavily on adult help.  By the end of Nursery, although most children have progressed very well, few have reached the expected

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The early years provision is outstanding

levels of development for their age when they go into Reception.  Outstanding teaching and provision of exciting activities continue in Reception and children’s progress gathers speed as they develop new skills and confidences. Additional support gives a boost to all pupils and particularly enables disadvantaged pupils to achieve as well as others. Children’s records show that a significant number have rapidly made up a lot of ground. The proportion likely to reach a good level of development is currently much higher than it was at the end of 2014.  Throughout the early years children are taught exceptionally well. Expectations are consistently very high. There are no excuses. If a child has particular needs, those needs are provided for and progress is made. Adults are especially good at developing children’s communication skills. Every activity is a chance for questions to be asked, ideas to be explained and next steps to be planned. The outdoor learning areas are

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The early years provision is outstanding

used equally well as the indoor classroom so that children can explore new ideas and solve problems together.  Children’s behaviour and their personal relationships are managed extremely well. This important factor in their development encourages the right attitudes towards respect and responsibility, and sets the path that they follow through the school.  The early years leader provides outstanding leadership. She is knowledgeable about children’s learning and an excellent role model for the early years team. Planning is shared and takes on board children’s own ideas. Assessment through observation of children as they work is first class and records of individual daily achievements always end with their next steps. Parents are very supportive. They are welcomed into school and many take advantage of the opportunities they have to contribute to their children’s assessments and in helping them learn at home.

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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 107920 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 462242

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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 Foundation Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 452 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Tom Clarke Headteacher Simon Hilton Date of previous school inspection 9 July 2013 Telephone number 0113 293 0250 Fax number 0113 293 0249 Email address alison.waddington@beechwoodprimaryschool.co.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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