Doncaster Road Primary School

Doncaster Road Primary School Doncaster Road, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 1TS

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is an inadequate school

 Over time, weak teaching has led to pupils making inadequate progress in English, mathematics and a range of subjects across Years 1 to 6.  For the past two years, pupils’ outcomes at the end of Year 6 have been below the government’s minimum expectations. Consequently, pupils are not well prepared for their next stage of education.  Teachers’ expectations are too low. Work set does not match pupils’ capabilities. It is not challenging enough to help them make rapid progress to overcome their low levels of attainment.  Attendance is consistently low and the proportion of pupils regularly absent from school is much higher than average. This lack of commitment to learning impacts badly on pupils’ outcomes.  Middle leaders, including subject leaders, have been ineffective in driving up standards and ensuring good teaching. As a result, pupils are underachieving in a wide range of subjects.  Over time, inadequate leadership has failed to

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This is an inadequate school

secure effective teaching and learning and, as a result, pupils’ outcomes are inadequate.  Governors have been ineffective in holding leaders to account for the lack of progress made by all groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils.  The provision in the early years requires improvement as leadership and teaching does not offer sufficient challenge for children to make good progress.  Currently, leadership is too reliant on external support to overcome the weaknesses that exist in the school.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils’ skills in early reading are developing well in Key Stage 1.  Parents say that their children are well looked after in school. Leaders have made sure that there are very effective safeguarding procedures in place to protect pupils, particularly the most vulnerable.  The new joint headteachers and the new governing body are ambitious for the pupils. They are clear that much has to be done to overcome the challenges within the school  Actions taken by the headteachers are showing signs of improvement in the school. Staff are supportive of their drive for improvement.

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Full report

In accordance with the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Swiftly improve the quality of teaching and learning to be at least consistently good so pupils make rapid progress and increase their attainment, particularly in English, mathematics and science by ensuring that: expectations of what pupils can achieve are high work set matches precisely the needs of all pupils, including the most able, in all subjects and especially in mathematics incisive subject feedback challenges pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding questioning is used skilfully to check pupils’ learning and to strengthen pupils’ understanding of what they are reading high standards of presentation, handwriting, grammar, punctuation and spelling are expected from pupils at all times to strengthen pride in their work pupils have more opportunities to improve and extend their mathematical skills across a wide range of subjects a good pace of learning is maintained to ensure that pupils maintain concentration on their work

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

teachers manage the work of teaching assistants to help them make a strong contribution to learning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the impact of leaders, managers and governors by ensuring that: leaders at all levels, including governors, relentlessly focus on improving the quality of teaching to ensure that it is good or better and all groups of pupils make rapid progress middle leaders and subjects leaders thoroughly check the work in their areas of responsibility to raise expectations and ensure that pupils achieve well and leaders take effective and swift action should work in their areas not be good or better pupils’ attendance increases to at least average and persistent absenteeism reduces to below average the support for pupils who have special educational needs or disability is at least good governors fulfil all their statutory duties appropriately and make sure that the pupil premium funding is used highly effectively for disadvantaged pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the provision in the early years to ensure that children make good progress, by: strengthening the quality of leadership and the quality of teaching to ensure that they are good developing the indoor and outdoor areas of learning to provide greater challenge for children in reading, writing and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 Over time, leadership has been too slow to tackle weak teaching and all groups of pupils have underachieved. Turbulence in staffing, over time, has not been managed well and pupils’ progress has been severely hampered.  The use of additional government funding for disadvantaged pupils has not ensured the rapid progress of this group to overcome their low attainment. Leaders and managers have not checked the progress of these pupils effectively.  Middle leaders, including subject leaders, have not had high enough expectations and this has led to weak pupil progress and low attainment. They have not been thorough in checking the quality of teaching and pupils’ work. They have not taken effective action to prevent inadequate progress for groups of pupils, including pupils who have special educational needs or disability.  The curriculum has been ineffective in meeting the needs of pupils and has led to underachievement, poor

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

behaviour and low attendance.  The new headteachers have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in the school. They know there is much to do and have a large amount of external support to help them make effective change. They have established new systems to hold staff to account for their work. There are regular meetings to check pupils’ progress, the quality of pupils’ work and to identify what has to be done to ensure improvements. The new headteachers are clear that they need a large amount of external support to move the school forward as the capacity to improve is limited without it.  The new headteachers immediately changed the curriculum and gave clear guidance to middle leaders and teachers about what is to be taught. This is having a positive impact on the quality of work, particularly in writing. There is a highly structured timetable of activities to strengthen pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

Also, a wide range of subjects is taught to pupils and their interests and understanding are sought at the start of topics. This is supporting improvements in behaviour and interest from pupils. Attendance has yet to be strengthened to ensure that all pupils benefit from the improvements to the curriculum.  Middle leaders, including subject leaders, are being held more accountable for the work in their areas and are being challenged to do better. Senior leaders have given them additional time to fulfil their duties. Although improving, teaching remains very variable as does pupils’ progress and this indicates that there is still much to do to strengthen the impact of middle leaders as pupils’ progress is still not accelerating fast enough.  Systems for managing the performance of teachers have been recently revised and are now identifying areas for development more precisely. The new headteachers, supported by new governance, have taken

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

swift action to identify underperformance and to support and challenge staff to improve. They are using the support of the local authority to strengthen the quality of teaching and progress across the school.  There is a good range of extra-curricular clubs and activities that are well attended and appreciated by pupils. The primary school sports funding is used effectively. Pupils enjoy a wide range of activities such as gymnastics and dance. Pupils’ engagement in sport has increased and they take part in competitive sporting events.  The school environment is bright and attractive with many displays of pupils’ work in art, religious education and writing. Pupils learn about democracy and British values through timetabled sessions. Assemblies focus strongly on aspects of tolerance, respect and care for others. The school is contributing well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 The new headteachers are passionate about improving the school and ensuring that teaching is good enough to ensure good achievement. They have introduced much more accountability for staff and offered them a great deal of support to ensure that improvements are taking place. Staff are supportive of the changes that have been made to drive up pupils’ outcomes through improving teaching. Pupils acknowledge that since the new headteachers took responsibility for the school it is a better place to be.  A bespoke training programme and support is in place for newly qualified teachers. At present, there are several newly qualified teachers in school. It is strongly recommended that the school should not seek to appoint more newly qualified teachers.  A new school evaluation officer from the local authority started just as the new headteachers were being appointed. She quickly identified that the impact of governance and leadership, over time, was weak, as did

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

the new headteachers. Swift action was taken by the local authority to replace the governing body and to reorganise governance. The support of a national leader of education was brokered by the local authority to support the new headteachers. A range of support for teaching and middle leadership has been implemented. The new headteachers and staff have embraced this support and, as a result, there are early signs of improvement. Support from the local authority was provided prior to September 2015. However, a large turnover in staff and a lack of accuracy in the school’s assessment of pupils’ progress meant that, despite the local authority’s efforts, the overall effectiveness of the school has declined.  The governance of the school Over time, the impact of governance has been inadequate. Governors have not held leaders and managers to account effectively for poor teaching and pupils’ weak achievement. They have not been

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

diligent enough in ensuring that the information they receive from leaders accurately reflects pupils’ outcomes. Performance management of teachers has been ineffective in holding teachers to account for their work. Statutory duties have not been fulfilled appropriately. For example, the special educational needs policy has not been reviewed appropriately in accordance with the most recent legislation. As a result, the needs of those pupils who have special educational needs or disability have not been met appropriately. Governors have not checked the impact of the additional government funding for disadvantaged pupils and slow progress has occurred for these pupils. New governance is now in place and led by an independent Chair of the Governing Body with successful educational experience. The local authority is working very closely with the governing body. Information from recent meetings shows a strong focus on pupil achievement, and strong challenge and support for

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

leadership. There is a clear remit for governance which is being implemented swiftly. For example, an academy sponsor has already been identified to support the school and additional support for leaders and teachers has been brokered. There is clear capacity for governance to strengthen the overall effectiveness of the school as, in a very short period of time, effective action is being taken but it is too early to see the impact of their efforts on pupils’ progress as it is not rising fast enough.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff are well trained and vigilant. Good systems to support vulnerable children are in place. There are close links with external agencies and parents to support safeguarding, including the local authority services.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

 Inadequate teaching over time has led to all groups of pupils underachieving and making inadequate progress, particularly in English and mathematics. There has been much turbulence in staffing since the last inspection and this has not supported effective development of the quality of teaching.  Previous leadership has not ensured that high-quality appointments were made throughout their tenure. As a result, teaching is very variable. Inspectors found that teaching and learning is improving because of the efforts of the new headteachers and the external support that is being given, but it is not raising pupils’ attainment fast enough.  Expectations of what pupils are capable of doing are not high enough. The quality of work accepted by teachers is often not good enough to ensure effective progress is being made. Very variable presentation of work, handwriting, grammar, punctuation and spelling, across Years 1 to 6, is slowing pupils’ progress and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

limiting standards. Pupils do not always take pride in their work or receive encouragement to do so.  Work is not well matched to the individual needs of pupils. Often, work is too easy for pupils and this slows the pace of learning. Some pupils lose concentration when work is not pitched appropriately for them and do not focus well on what has to be done. A lack of appropriate challenge across subjects, particularly in mathematics, is slowing the pace of learning, particularly for the most able.  New leadership has established a clear policy for marking, which is followed appropriately across the school. However, feedback does not help pupils to improve their work. It is not incisive nor challenging enough for pupils to deepen their knowledge and make good progress.  An analysis of current pupils’ work shows that there are many opportunities across a range of subjects to support the development of pupils’ writing skills and opportunities for them to write at length. However, the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

quality of writing is inconsistent and variable. There are few opportunities to develop mathematical skills in related subjects to strengthen pupils’ application of mathematics.  Teachers ask appropriate questions and pupils are given time to respond effectively to demonstrate their learning. There are times when questioning is used skilfully to challenge pupils and to deepen their understanding, particularly when they are reading. However, this is inconsistent across the school and, as a result, pupils are not developing the highest levels of reading skills.  The work of teaching assistants is not checked sufficiently well to provide support and advice for them to make a consistently good contribution to pupils’ learning.  There are good examples of challenging work that is clearly explained and a variety of activities to meet the needs of all pupils. On these occasions, pupils work well together to share their learning with each other and

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.  Pupils’ pride in their work is not consistently good and work is not always presented neatly with clear handwriting and appropriate grammar and spelling. As a result, improvement is required to develop the appropriate skills for successful learning and life.  Pupils are expected to keep the ‘Golden Promise’ which particularly emphasises tolerance and respect for others. The promise is displayed throughout the school and emphasised regularly. Occasionally, some pupils do not keep the ‘Golden Promise’ as they are not as respectful as they might be to other pupils and adults. The school takes these matters seriously and deals with matters quickly.  Pupils know their opinions are listened to and the school acts on their suggestions. For example, the school council suggested a series of different coloured badges that can be earned through good work, good

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Personal development and welfare

behaviours and making a positive contribution to the life of the school.  Pupils are smart in appearance and are confident when speaking to adults about their work in school. Inspectors noted that many held doors open for adults.  Pupils are well-cared-for and there are good links to external agencies to protect the most vulnerable pupils. Parents are positive about how the school looks after their children.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including when they are using the internet. The school is vigilant in ensuring pupils’ safety when using the internet.  Since September 2015, the new curriculum ensures that pupils are taught about what it is to be a good citizen.  Pupils are clear about what constitutes bullying and say it is uncommon. They are confident that the school takes swift action should bullying occur.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is inadequate.  Consistently low attendance, with too many pupils often absent from school, leads to pupils falling behind and underachieving. There is still much work to be done by the school to ensure that their efforts with parents and pupils are successful in ensuring that attendance is improved.  School leaders are vigilant in checking the safety of pupils who are often absent.  Inspectors found that those pupils attending school on the days of the inspection were well behaved around school and socialised well with each other. However, occasionally when work in lessons was not challenging or interesting, some pupils lost concentration on their work – although this did not disrupt others.  The new headteachers have introduced a system to manage behaviour which is usually applied consistently well by staff. This is having a positive effect on pupils’ behaviour.  There are still pockets of misbehaviour that the school, quite rightly, will not tolerate and uses exclusions to

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Behaviour

manage effectively.  Pupils told inspectors that behaviour had improved this year and it is much better than in previous years. Pupils know what is expected of them and value the rewards they can achieve for good behaviour.  Inspectors found the school to be a calm and purposeful place during the two days of the inspection. Most staff and the majority of parents were positive about pupils’ behaviour.

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

 Since the previous inspection, pupils have made inadequate progress in Key Stages 1 and 2 because of the poor teaching they were receiving. Low expectations and work that lacks challenge have contributed to pupils’ weak progress and low attainment across a range of subjects.  In 2014 and 2015, pupils leaving school at the end of Year 6 were not well prepared for secondary school. The rates of progress in English and mathematics were very slow over Key Stage 2 and because their starting points were low, attainment at the end of Year 6 was well below average. In these two years, the school failed to meet the government’s minimum expectations for pupils at the end of Year 6.  Disadvantaged pupils make slow progress, as do others in school. Across the school, attainment for disadvantaged pupils is similar to others in school and remains low. In 2015, disadvantaged pupils were over a year behind other pupils nationally, as were others in school, in English and mathematics. Gaps in

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

attainment are not closing effectively.  School information shows that pupils who have special educational needs or disability make very slow progress. Over time, leadership has not ensured that the provision for these pupils has been effective and that teaching is capable of meeting the needs of these pupils.  A lack of challenging work leads to underachievement. The most-able pupils have made slow progress and their attainment is well behind similar pupils in other schools.  Generally, pupils joining and leaving the school at other than normal times are from other White backgrounds and new to speaking English. These pupils settle into school quickly and are well-cared-for. Recently, computerised programmes have been purchased to help them learn English faster than in the past. Overall, they make similar progress to others over time.  An analysis of pupils’ work showed that it is improving and better across a range of subjects than it was in

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

the previous year. Teachers are given greater guidance by the headteachers about what is to be taught in each subject and this is supporting improvements.  The analysis showed that the quality of writing is clearly improving for the older pupils in school but there is still too much variability across Years 1 to 6. There are improvements in mathematics but these are not swift enough to ensure that pupils will achieve well and in science, work is very variable across the school. Subject leaders are not checking the quality of work well enough across the school to accelerate progress.  Over the past year, the school has focused well on the development of early reading skills in Key Stage 1. In the most recent screening check for reading at the end of Year 1, the proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard was average. Pupils say they enjoy reading and the new library, the reading trolleys, and

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

investment in newspapers and journals is developing their interest in reading.  Older pupils were interested in writing about the novel they were studying, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Inspectors listened to pupils from Key Stage 2 reading and found that pupils were keen to read. However, some were hesitant and their reading has not developed well. They have not benefited from the recent work in Key Stage 1 that is helping pupils to read well. Also, inspectors found that, during reading sessions, questioning did not challenge pupils well enough for them to develop a high level of understanding of what was being read.

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Early years provision requires improvement

 Teaching and leadership both require improvement as expectations have not been high enough to ensure that children make good progress.  Expectations of what children can achieve have been increased but are not yet high enough for the most able and the few children who have special educational needs or disability. Overall, children require greater challenge to reach skills that are above those found typically.  When joining the setting, children have skills that are below those typically found for their age. They make expected progress with the proportion reaching a good level of development being just below national average. Children’s outcomes require improvement, as not enough are make good progress during the time they are in the early years.  Recently, there have been significant changes to both leadership and teaching and, as a result, the early years provision is beginning to improve. However, not enough has been done to ensure that outcomes are

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Early years provision requires improvement

good. The indoor and outdoor areas are not well resourced. This hinders the development of children’s good reading, writing and mathematical skills.  The joint headteachers have developed external support to strengthen leadership in the early years and, as a result, leadership is improving and supporting improvements in teaching. In particular, assessment is being used regularly to plan effectively for children’s next steps in learning.  Parents have opportunities to support their children’s learning and are well informed about children’s progress through the online learning journals and regular discussions with parents.  There are too few children who have special educational needs or disability to make effective comparisons between their progress and the progress of others. Disadvantaged children make similar progress to others due to the effective support they receive.  Children’s behaviour requires improvement. Although children cooperate with adults, learn to take turns with

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Early years provision requires improvement

their work and respect each other, on occasions they become disengaged with some learning activities which provide insufficient challenge.  Children are safe and happy because of the secure procedures that are in place in the early years provision. They are well-looked-after and there are secure procedures for safeguarding children.  All adults have a positive relationship with children in their care and contribute positively to children’s developing speaking, listening and writing skills. Inspectors noted that children were confident and independent. This contributes well to their personal development and welfare.  The leadership has modified the curriculum to provide interesting activities for all children and to improve standards. For example, the quality of boys’ writing has improved because there are greater opportunities for them to write about topics that interest them such as ‘super heroes’.

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Early years provision requires improvement

 Children are prepared effectively to begin their work in Key Stage 1.

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School details

Unique reference number 106558 Local authority Barnsley Inspection number 10002178

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School details

This inspection 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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 243 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sarah Creighton

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Joint Headteacher

Jessica Jenkins Telephone number 01226 281943 Website www.doncasterroadprimary.co.uk Email address a.barlow@doncasterroadprimary.co.uk or j.jenkins@doncasterroadprimary.co.uk Date of previous inspection 20 November 2013

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized primary school. It intends to become an academy by 1 September 2016.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium is well above average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage. There are an increasing proportion of pupils from other White backgrounds, mainly of Eastern European heritage. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is average.  The proportion of pupils with a special educational needs statement or an education, health and care plan is below average.  The proportion of pupils joining or leaving the school at other than the usual times is well above average.

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Information about this school

 The school does not meet the current government floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Children in the early years receive part-time education in the Nursery. Children spend either a morning or afternoon in the Nursery. In Reception, they receive full-time education.  The two former assistant headteachers have led the school as joint headteachers since September 2015. They have had the support of a national leader of education from Wellspring Academy Trust. There have been substantial changes in staffing since the previous inspection; many teachers are new to the school from 1 September 2015.  On 24 September 2015, the local authority served a ‘pre-warning notice’ to the governing body to express its concerns about governance and outcomes for pupils. As a result, a new governing body and a rapid improvement board have been established, both chaired by an external representative experienced in

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Information about this school

education. The local authority is providing additional external support for the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed a range of teaching and learning in parts of lessons. Five observations were undertaken jointly with the headteachers.  Inspectors spoke with a group of pupils about their learning in lessons and their safety in the school. Also, inspectors spoke with pupils about learning and safety throughout the two days of the inspection.  Inspectors listened to pupils from Years 4 and 6 reading.  An inspector held meetings with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Governing Body. Inspectors also held meetings with senior leaders, other staff and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors looked at the school’s review of its own performance, its development and improvement plan, school policies and the minutes of the governing body meetings. They considered a range of documentation in relation to child protection, safeguarding, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors reviewed pupils’ work in lessons and analysed samples of pupils’ books with senior leaders.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors analysed 14 questionnaires completed by staff. There were no responses to the online pupil questionnaire. There were too few responses to the online questionnaire for parents (Parent View) to be recorded. Inspectors analysed a school parental questionnaire.  An inspector spoke to parents at the beginning and the end of the school day.

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Inspection team

James McGrath, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Mujahid Ali Ofsted Inspector James Reid Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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