Headfield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School

Headfield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School Vicarage Road, Thornhill Lees, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, WF12 9PD

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The effective leadership by the headteacher, ably supported by the deputy headteacher, senior leaders and governors, has led to improvements in teaching and pupils’ achievement.  Staff morale is high and they are passionate about giving the pupils the best education possible.  From starting points that often vary from those typically seen, all groups of pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. In 2014, standards were above the national average by the end of Year 6.  Good teaching ensures that pupils’ learning gets off to a good start. This continues as they move through the school. The teaching of reading, writing and mathematics is effective in all year groups.  Teachers plan work to ensure that pupils are motivated and engaged by their activities.  Well-trained and focused teaching assistants make a strong contribution to pupils’ personal development and their academic achievements.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils’ behaviour is good and attitudes to learning are positive. Pupils get on well together and learn in a harmonious and calm environment.  Effective arrangements are in place to ensure pupils are safe. Pupils say they feel very safe.  Pupils very much enjoy school. The clubs, their experiences with trips, visitors, residential visits, information and communication technology, French, reading and sport are all particular favourites. Pupils say they want to learn new skills to help them in later life.  Governors are knowledgeable and skilled. They are supportive of the school and challenge leaders to improve and to provide excellent practice and outcomes for all.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not all teachers effectively identify the gaps in pupils’ learning well enough. This means that work is not always pitched at the right level to ensure pupils make the best possible progress.  Pupils who are at an early stage of speaking English as an additional language do not always have enough opportunities to practise their speaking and listening skills before they are asked to complete their writing tasks.  Teachers’ marking is not consistently of the same quality across all subjects. There are occasions when pupils do not respond to teachers’ marking. Inspection report: Headfield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School, 30 June–1 July 2015 2 of 10

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching and learning in many lessons involving different teachers. Some observations were carried out jointly with the deputy headteacher or the assistant headteachers. Learning walks around the school were carried out and learning was observed in different year groups with the deputy headteacher and some of the assistant headteachers. The inspectors listened to pupils read from each year group. The inspectors observed support for pupils in whole-class sessions, in groups and with individual pupils.  The inspectors looked in detail at the work in pupils’ books, files and online from across the age groups in the school. The inspectors held a meeting with four groups of pupils where they talked about their work and their perceptions of the school.  The inspectors held meetings with senior and middle leaders, teachers and support staff and different groups of pupils. They interviewed members of the governing body and spoke to a representative from

p.2

Information about this inspection

the local authority.  The inspectors looked at a wide range of documentation including: the school’s summary of its view of its own performance; the school development plan; policies and procedures in relation to safeguarding; information about pupils’ attendance and behaviour; records of the monitoring of teaching and learning; information about pupils’ achievement and minutes of meetings of the governing body.  There were five responses to the online questionnaire for parents (Parent View). This was a very low number of responses and inspectors could not, therefore access the data. The inspectors discussed summaries of the school’s own parental questionnaires from April 2015 where 299 responses were received. They also took account of the 31 responses to the staff questionnaire.

p.2

Inspection team

Jean Tarry, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Inspection team

Mark Williams Additional Inspector Inspection report: Headfield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School, 30 June–1 July 2015 3 of 10

p.2

Information about this school

 Headfield Junior School is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  The vast majority of pupils speak English as an additional language and the proportions that are from minority ethnic groups are well above the national average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, those supported through the pupil premium, is generally average. The pupil premium is additional government funding to support those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is above the national 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 school provides before- and after-school clubs and a breakfast club.  School leaders have managed a new building project in the last three to four years.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of the teaching to outstanding, in order to raise pupils’ attainment and accelerate their progress, by ensuring that:  all teachers effectively identify the gaps in pupils’ learning and consistently plan work that is pitched at the right level to challenge pupils and move them on to harder work as soon as they are ready  those who are at an early stage of speaking English as an additional language are given every opportunity to practise their speaking and listening skills before they are asked to complete their written work  all marking across all subjects is consistent, especially when pupils are asked to address the next steps they need to take to improve their work. Inspection report: Headfield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School, 30 June–1 July 2015 4 of 10

p.3

The leadership and management are good

 All senior leaders effectively check the school’s performance carefully, looking for ways to improve its work. They have a good understanding of what is working well and what could be improved; this is discussed regularly at leadership team meetings.  Since the previous inspection, leaders have successfully strengthened the quality of teaching and, as a result, pupils’ attainment and rate of progress across the school have improved.  The leadership of teaching is good overall. Senior leaders look carefully at teachers’ plans about what pupils are expected to learn and pupils’ progress in their books. This means that any weaker aspects of teaching are identified and are tackled effectively through targeted support. However, leaders do not always help teachers to identify the gaps in pupils’ learning rigorously.  The arrangements to manage teachers’ performance are good. Teachers are set clear targets that are

p.4

The leadership and management are good

closely linked to how well pupils are learning. Staff appreciate the support they receive to improve their teaching skills. Staff morale is high. ‘Pupils sometimes come into school looking glum and go home with a smile on their faces. It’s a good place to work as the work is focused on pupils’ progress.’ This reflects a typical staff comment.  Middle leaders, such as subject leaders, check on how well pupils are learning in their areas of responsibility. As a result, they are effectively contributing to driving improvements in teaching and pupils’ achievement.  The curriculum serves pupils well and they very much enjoy school. They are well prepared with the academic and personal skills they need to be successful in the next stages of their education. The curriculum includes a very good wide range of visits, visitors and residential visits. Pupils very much enjoy logging their achievements in their passports from their clubs or their reading challenge work. They also

p.4

The leadership and management are good

enjoy attending the university to gain their awards. The opportunities to develop pupils’ sporting talents are a strength.  Pupils learn to speak French and in all year groups many speak Arabic. They are able to put their learning into practice, as well as being able to celebrate and appreciate differences in culture and traditions. Staff and governors promote British values well, including tolerance and respect for the rule of law. This prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.  The school develops pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness well. Pupils are taught to be reflective and to persevere with their tasks, such as reasoning things out in their mathematical development or understanding difficult text when they are reading.  Equality of opportunity is promoted. Leaders and managers are committed to tackling discrimination of any kind. They ensure that good relationships are established, particularly with parents and outside

p.4

The leadership and management are good

agencies. A typical comment was: ‘We feel our children are helped and supported to learn really well at this school.’  The good leadership ensures the pupil premium funding is targeted well to ensure disadvantaged pupils make as much progress as others in the school. As a result of rigorous checks on the achievement of these pupils and because of good teaching, the remaining gaps in pupils’ attainment compared to others in the school and nationally are closing at a good rate.  There is good use made of the additional primary school funding for physical education and sport. Opportunities for pupils to develop their sporting skills, such as in football, cricket and athletics, are strong. Pupils’ well-being and healthy lifestyles have improved and there is greater participation in school sports as a result of the funding.  Leaders monitor the attendance, behaviour and progress of pupils on a regular basis. This leads to good

p.4

The leadership and management are good

outcomes for all pupils.  The procedures and policies for safeguarding pupils are in place. Their effective implementation ensures all pupils and adults are safe. All statutory requirements are met.  The local authority provides effective support for this school. The recent support for governance has been effective. The headteacher works effectively with other providers and the local authority. The school is held in high regard by the local authority.  The governance of the school:  Governance has improved since the last inspection and is effective. The governing body is knowledgeable about the school and governors have a range of skills. Governors use information and data about pupils’ progress effectively to compare the school’s performance with that of other schools both locally and nationally.  Governors provide support and challenge for improvement across the school. Governors know that the

p.4

The leadership and management are good

Inspection report: Headfield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School, 30 June–1 July 2015 5 of 10

p.5

The leadership and management are good

quality of teaching is good. They ensure that any teaching that is less than consistently good is tackled so pupils can achieve well. They know the importance of the school’s performance management system and its link to increases in salary for teachers.  The governors ensure that the pupil premium is used effectively to make a positive difference to the achievement of eligible pupils in all subjects.

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Overall, pupils’ attitudes are positive and this contributes very well to their learning and progress.  There is a tolerance of mutual respect and an acceptance of diversity, which underpins the school’s approach to fostering good relationships across the school. This results in a harmonious and calm learning environment for everyone.  All pupils are proud of their school, of their achievements and speak enthusiastically about their experiences in school. For example, pupils say, ‘Everyone is friendly and caring. We are like a big family at this school. We enjoy coming to school as we are all treated fairly. Our teachers are always helping us to learn new things everyday.’  Pupils agree that the school helps them to improve both their academic achievement and behaviour, with a typical comment being: ‘We are taught many different things in assembly and in our lessons about

p.5

Behaviour

behaviour, safety and how to get on with other people from different countries and cultures.’  Pupils know and follow the school’s agreed behaviour policy. They are clear about what is and what is not acceptable behaviour, including how to play sensibly on the superb, new outdoor playground areas. The grounds foster good behaviour with zoned football areas, a village green, a reflection area, a giant chess game and a well-used outdoor classroom to name but a few.  Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good, including in the dining hall. Pupils enjoy being awarded merits or house points for good behaviour and gaining rewards from the merit shop. They also enjoy their business enterprise work making celebration cards that they sell at lunchtime.  Pupils’ attitudes to their work are good and this makes a very positive contribution to their good progress. However, sometimes pupils forget to address teachers’ comments about misconceptions in their work and

p.5

Behaviour

this hinders progress. This means that attitudes are not yet outstanding because pupils are not taking responsibility for their own learning.  Activities in lessons often capture pupils’ interest and so they enjoy their tasks. However, when work is not pitched correctly, a few pupils are not always fully focused and this can slow the pace of their learning.

p.5

Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. The new building is constructed to a very high standard. The pupils and staff on site are kept very safe on the school site.  Leaders are vigilant in preventing or confronting discriminatory behaviour or derogatory language of any kind. The school has a very mixed cultural population. The staff work hard to promote purposeful interaction between the diverse cultures represented in the school. Pupils know this is a safe and purposeful environment. They know that they will not have to deal with extreme elements of behaviour and have confidence in the adults around them.  Timely support provided by well-trained staff enables pupils who may experience any difficulties to feel happier, safe and secure, particularly those who are new to speaking English as an additional language.  In assemblies and in lessons, pupils learn about the different types of bullying. They say bullying rarely

p.5

Safety

occurs and, when it does, staff are vigilant in monitoring the situation and sort any issues out quickly. Pupils are confident about approaching any adult in school if they need help.  Pupils across the school are well aware of how to stay safe, including when using the internet and other social media sites. During the inspection, Year 6 pupils received some training by the local police officer about safety on the internet which helped considerably in teaching them to stay safe.  Pupils’ attendance is constantly reviewed and it has improved over the last four years. Attendance is now broadly average. Pupils and their parents understand the importance of good attendance. Pupils very much enjoy coming to school. They appreciate the rewards they receive for attending regularly. Inspection report: Headfield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School, 30 June–1 July 2015 6 of 10

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 The school’s information, inspection evidence and work in pupils’ books support the view that over time the quality of teaching is good. As a result, pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The quality of teaching has been strengthened since the previous inspection and this is reflected in pupils’ improving attainment across the school.  Pupils are well motivated and engaged by their tasks and activities. Teachers’ assessments of what pupils already know and can do are regular and generally used well to plan future learning. Activities usually meet pupils’ varying needs and abilities and have a clear purpose. Expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving are high. However, sometimes gaps in pupils’ learning are not identified quickly enough and work is not always planned effectively enough to plug these gaps.  The teaching of English is good. The school’s library areas and improved resources in classrooms are

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

helping older pupils to improve their reading skills, especially their understanding of difficult reading materials. Improvements in the teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds that they make), including an intensive programme of support, have had a positive impact on raising standards in reading for pupils, especially in Year 3.  Pupils make good progress in writing. However, those who are at an early stage of speaking English as an additional language do not always have enough opportunities to practise their speech and language skills to allow them to be able to articulate exactly what it is they are going to write. This sometimes hampers their progress.  The quality of marking of pupils’ work across the year groups is generally effective, resulting in pupils making good progress. Pupils receive instructions about how to improve their work, as well as time to address any misconceptions. However, pupils do not always address the teachers’ comments and this can

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

sometimes hinder pupils’ progress.  The teaching of mathematics is good across the school. Pupils effectively consolidate and strengthen their basic mathematical abilities through regular revision of calculation skills. There are opportunities for pupils, particularly the most able, to apply their calculation skills to solve mathematical problems and challenge their mathematical thinking.  The work of teaching assistants is a strength of the school. They are well trained and are good role models in the classroom, with a focus on both pupils’ well-being and personal development, as well as their academic achievements. They are instrumental in leading programmes of support in English and mathematics across the school.

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is broadly average. However, there are some groups who are at an early stage of learning English and their attainment on entry is significantly below that typical for their age.  In 2014, an above average proportion of pupils reached the nationally expected Level 4 and almost all pupils made expected progress. The proportion that made more than expected progress also compared favourably with the national picture in reading, writing and mathematics.  In Year 6 in 2014, pupils’ attainment increased in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils’ attainment in spelling, grammar and punctuation was significantly above average in 2014. All pupils and groups of pupils now make good progress as they move through the school.  The school data, confirmed by inspection evidence, show that the standards of pupils currently in Year 6 are higher than in 2014. Most pupils are working at the expected standard or above in reading, writing

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

and mathematics and standards are rising. Current pupils are consistently making good progress from their starting points.  The school data and inspection evidence show that the most-able pupils across the school make good progress overall. The most-able pupils reach their potential because they are challenged in their learning. In 2014, the proportion of pupils reaching the higher levels of attainment at the end of Year 6 was above average in mathematics and reading. Some pupils achieved Level 6 in writing and mathematics.  From their starting points, disadvantaged pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. They make similar progress to other pupils nationally. In Year 6 in 2014, the gap in their attainment compared with other pupils in the school narrowed, particularly in writing. It was one term behind in reading, writing and mathematics. Compared to other pupils nationally, disadvantaged pupils’ attainment

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

was about one term behind in reading, writing and mathematics. School data and inspection evidence shows that disadvantaged pupils across the school achieve equally well to others. Any remaining gaps Inspection report: Headfield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School, 30 June–1 July 2015 7 of 10

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

continue to close at a good rate as a result of rigorous tracking of the achievement of pupils and due to good teaching.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because of the effective support they receive from teaching assistants and specialist support teachers.  All pupils who are new to speaking English as an additional language make good progress because they are well supported in their learning. However, pupils’ achievement is sometimes held back because they are not always given enough opportunities to practise their speaking and listening skills before they start their writing activities. There are some examples of this being done really well, but it is not consistent in all classes.  Pupils achieve well in reading and they enjoy the wide range of reading materials on offer in classrooms and in the library. They have a good understanding of how to understand difficult texts and this supports

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

them very effectively to succeed with reading tasks. They thoroughly enjoy the reading challenge work and did extremely well coming second out of 30 schools in a local competition. Inspection report: Headfield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School, 30 June–1 July 2015 8 of 10

p.7

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.8

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. Inspection report: Headfield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School, 30 June–1 July 2015 9 of 10

p.8

School details

Unique reference number 107707 Local authority Kirklees Inspection number 462252

p.9

School details

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

p.9

School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 582 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sahera Patel Headteacher Geoffrey Smith Date of previous school inspection 19 June 2013 Telephone number 01924 325293 Fax number 01924 325296 Email address office.headfield@kirkleeseducation.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.9

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.10

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.10

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.10

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.10

School details

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

p.10