Springfield Primary School

Springfield Primary School Broomspring Lane, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 2FA

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 The headteacher has been an inspirational force, setting out a clear vision for how successful the school can be. As a result of her excellent leadership, significant improvements have been made since the time of the last inspection.  Senior leaders have robustly supported the headteacher to ensure rapid improvements in teaching so that teaching is consistently good and sometimes outstanding.  The progress pupils make across all year groups is increasing; most pupils make expected progress and many make more than expected progress.  Rigorous marking and feedback provided by teachers is highly effective in helping pupils to improve their work.  The school’s work to promote British values and pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent so that pupils behave well and display high levels of tolerance and respect for adults and each other.  A strong culture of safeguarding, supported by

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This is a good school

systematic teaching about safety, is helping pupils to feel safe.  The work of staff to involve parents in their child’s education is highly effective and particularly helps children in the early years to get off to a good start.  Governors are knowledgeable about the work of the school. They are effectively challenging school leaders to improve provision for all groups of pupils.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Progress in mathematics is not as rapid as it should be in all classes in school.  Although a wide range of subjects are taught, the quality of pupils’ learning is not as strong in other subjects as in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Secure more rapid progress of all pupils in mathematics by: ensuring assessment is carefully used to plan lessons that meet the needs of all pupils ensuring the systematic teaching and reinforcement of mathematics vocabulary throughout school providing planned opportunities for pupils to practise skills learned and to apply those skills in different contexts in order to deepen learning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Provide more opportunities for pupils to consolidate and deepen knowledge, skills and understanding across the broader curriculum.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher has been resolute in her determination to improve outcomes for pupils at Springfield school. She has inspired her staff to improve teaching and learning and the school is now a vibrant learning community involving staff, parents and external agencies working together in the interests of pupils. It is clear that staff are proud of their collective achievements. One wrote that she had seen ‘a transformation over the last two years beyond what anyone would have thought possible’.  The headteacher’s use of specific targets to help teachers improve their performance in the classroom has contributed to rapid improvement in the quality of teaching and the eradication of weak practice. The headteacher has introduced rigorous approaches to measuring the impact of the school’s work so that almost all pupils make good progress.  Senior leaders are effectively supporting the headteacher and share the vision that Springfield school can

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

deliver the best education for its pupils. They lead by example, testing out new approaches in class and mentoring staff who need more support to implement change. Senior leaders’ coaching of staff has supported improvements in teaching. Leaders regularly check on the work of teachers to ensure they are using effective approaches so pupils can learn well.  Teachers take responsibility for their own professional development, frequently attending meetings and events with other local schools, and benefiting from bespoke training organised by the headteacher within school. As a result, leaders at all levels are growing in their ability to lead and develop other staff. Teachers are proud of the work they are doing to improve learning and assessment across a range of subjects and are excited about teaching.  The leader with responsibility for provision for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

provides effective leadership and direction for teachers and teaching assistants to help pupils make progress.  Extra money provided to the school to support disadvantaged pupils is used to provide additional support and mentoring in small groups and individually. The impact of this work is that almost all disadvantaged pupils are making, or exceeding, expected progress.  The curriculum leader has enthusiastically supported teachers to plan and teach a range of subjects making links through themes that excite pupils. Themes are intended to develop pupils’ ability to think, reflect and enquire. All staff are still in the process of developing teaching across the wider curriculum and assessment of pupils’ progress in subjects other than English and mathematics is not as well developed.  School sports funding has been used to provide specialist coaches and to help train teachers to deliver a wide range of sports within school so that pupils have many opportunities to attend lunchtime clubs and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

after-school activities, including singing and sports activities. Local football and basketball clubs deliver popular sessions to encourage a healthy lifestyle and coaching to promote physical activity.  Leaders’ work to promote pupils’ understanding of British values is a strength of the school. Pupils can recall many school assemblies where they have been encouraged to think about spiritual, moral and social values. Displays around school show evidence of pupils’ learning about inspirational characters from history and world faiths. As a result of the enthusiastic approach taken by school staff, pupils demonstrate high levels of tolerance and respect for others.  The governance of the school A newly formed, skilled governing body has been instrumental in helping to move the school forward. Governors have a good understanding about attainment and progress, which is helping them to understand the quality of education provided at Springfield and to effectively challenge school leaders.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Governors are regularly present in school and observe teaching and learning at first hand to support their evaluation. They check on the use of additional pupil premium funding and are well informed about the progress of disadvantaged pupils.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. A strong culture of safeguarding prevails. In the words of one member of staff, ‘safeguarding is paramount’. All staff have received appropriate training in safeguarding and senior leaders are trained to a higher level. Staff have received training on female genital mutilation and are aware of the risks to pupils of radicalisation. Safeguarding records are detailed and show a close working relationship with agencies and the local safeguarding board. The headteacher ensures that governors are well informed about safeguarding and the governor with particular responsibility for this is knowledgeable and experienced in this area. Leaders ensure a safe environment

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

for pupils and a recent local authority audit stated health and safety practice at Springfield is ‘exemplary’.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers have addressed areas for improvement since the last inspection. Teachers’ more effective use of resources is helping pupils to make a quicker start and complete reading and writing tasks successfully.  The teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make) is good. Well-chosen activities and accurate groupings enable pupils to make good progress so that by the end of Year 1 a large proportion of pupils reach the standard expected in the phonics screening check. Pupils in both key stages are encouraged to use their phonic knowledge to help them read and write independently.  The teaching of reading at Key Stage 1 is supporting pupils to develop an understanding of the text. Less- able readers receive support from additional adults to help them segment and blend words. At Key Stage 2 pupils are encouraged to further develop their understanding of vocabulary and are challenged to explore meanings within appropriate texts.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers’ marking and feedback to pupils is now a strength. Teachers’ astute comments and regular opportunities provided for pupils to improve their work are helping to accelerate progress in writing for many pupils.  In the majority of lessons teachers plan carefully to meet the needs of different pupils in their class. However, at times learning within some mathematics lessons is not always secure because not enough account has been taken of what pupils already know and not all pupils have sufficient opportunities to thoroughly understand new concepts.  Teachers have high expectations of presentation and of the amount of work pupils will do within lessons and, as a result, pupils present their work neatly and take pride in their books. Some variability in handwriting between different classes exists and teachers do not always model handwriting well for pupils.  Both teachers and additional adults take responsibility for teaching lower-attaining pupils and those with

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

special educational needs. Where practice was most effective, additional adults supported pupils’ learning using good subject knowledge and questioning well to encourage pupils to think for themselves. There is, however, some variability in the impact of additional adults on pupils’ learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Leaders’ and teachers’ work to ensure that all pupils have a good attitude to learning is highly effective. Displays around school encourage pupils to think for themselves, to be independent learners and to work hard. Pupils demonstrate a focused attitude to learning in lessons and in their workbooks. In the words of a Year 2 pupil, ‘I get smarter every time I come to school.’  Pupils are proud of their multicultural community and school staff celebrate and embrace the different heritages from which the school population is drawn. The school uses the term ‘Ubuntu – we are all Springfield’ to convey a feeling of belonging. As a result a strong culture of tolerance and respect is evident throughout school. The view of one pupil was, ‘this is the best school in England’.  Leaders are acutely aware of the context and needs of individual pupils. Teachers use contextual

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Personal development and welfare

information to work with families to ensure every child receives the support and guidance they need to settle quickly and make good progress in school. Parents recognise the care and consideration given to them by staff and feel welcome in school.  The school’s work to promote pupils’ physical and emotional well-being is a strength. Pupils take part in school sports and some pupils have been invited to take part in an art therapy class. Pupils are taught how to eat well and to keep physically and mentally fit through a strong programme of lessons and assemblies, some delivered by speakers from specialist agencies. Pupils are taught about e-safety, road safety, drug abuse, cyber crime and the dangers of gang crime. Pupils report feeling safe in school and equipped for identifying dangers beyond the school gates.  The learning mentor works closely with families to support vulnerable pupils. The attendance panel,

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Personal development and welfare

including the Chair of Governors, school nurse and attendance officer, challenge and support parents to get their children to school regularly. As a consequence, almost all pupils come to school on time, attendance at school has risen to above national averages and there is no persistent absence.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. This is a result of clear behaviour policies, consistently applied by all staff in school, so that all pupils understand the consequences of poor behaviour. Pupils talk excitedly about the rewards they receive for good behaviour.  An atmosphere of calm prevails around school. In most lessons observed little time was wasted in checking the behaviour of pupils. A very small number of pupils are exhibiting low-level disruption, usually when the pace of learning has slowed within a lesson. However, the vast majority of pupils display good attitudes to learning.  Leaders ensure that high levels of support are provided for pupils experiencing issues with learning or behaviour, so that almost all pupils are making at least good progress in learning and incidences of poor behaviour are diminishing.  Pupils say they really enjoy playtimes and report very few incidences of bullying. Parents and pupils are

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Behaviour

confident the headteacher will deal with inappropriate behaviour.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 School assessment information shows current pupils make at least expected and increasingly more than expected progress across most year groups in reading, writing and mathematics. There are some exceptions to this and the school has plans in place to ensure pupils catch up quickly. Assessment information for subjects other than English and mathematics is less well developed, but pupils exhibit good levels of knowledge about other nationalities, countries, faiths and cultures, demonstrating the impact of learning across other subjects.  There is an improving trend in the progress of pupils at Key Stage 2. Most pupils, including the most able, make at least expected progress, and many exceed expected progress, particularly in reading and writing. The achievement of disadvantaged pupils is above their peers in school and in line with, or exceeding, other pupils nationally. This means that pupils are well prepared to move on to the next stage of their

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Outcomes for pupils are good

education.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress in reading across school. Their progress in writing and mathematics is good in Year 5 and 6, but less secure in other year groups.  Proportions of pupils attaining levels expected for their age by the end of Key Stage 1 have risen over the last three years. In 2015 pupils attained levels above their peers nationally in reading and writing, and were very close to national averages in mathematics. Disadvantaged pupils attained higher levels than other pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers’ work to close the gap for those pupils who did not achieve a good level of development at the end of early years is successful.  The proportion of pupils attaining the Year 1 phonics check has been improving over the last three years and was well above the national average in 2015. Pupils read regularly in school and the literacy leader

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Outcomes for pupils are good

has put into place incentives and competitions to recognise frequent readers.

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Early years provision is good

 Children arrive at Springfield school from countries all over the world. They enter Nursery at stages of development slightly below those typical for their age. They are quickly helped to settle into the Nursery by skilled staff. As a result of sensitive teaching concentrated on developing pupils’ attention, confidence and vocabulary, children transfer into the Reception class at a stage broadly typical for their age.  Leaders in the early years carefully watch the progress of all children and challenge teachers to ensure activities planned meet children’s needs. Teachers identify and plan well for the needs of disadvantaged children. As a result, disadvantaged children are progressing at a faster rate than other children.  The Reception class provides the springboard for children to succeed. There is a trend of improvement in the early years, and above-average proportions of children left the Reception class with a good level of

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Early years provision is good

development in each of the last three years. This means that a high proportion of children leave early years ready to start learning in Year 1.  In 2015 disabled children and those with special educational needs made expected progress in reading, writing, number and shape, space and measures. Girls attained higher levels and made greater progress than boys overall.  Teaching in the early years is consistently good with many aspects of outstanding teaching. Teachers and teaching assistants work efficiently with small groups to ensure children make good progress. Teachers have excellent knowledge of the needs of individual children through regular observations. These observations help teachers to plan the next stage of learning for children.  Quality provision, both indoors and outside, helps children to develop the knowledge they need. Teaching assistants work effectively with individuals or small groups of children to help them practise particular

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Early years provision is good

skills, for example learning the sounds that letters make, or forming letters and numbers correctly.  Leaders work closely with other agencies to execute safeguarding duties and are careful to minimise risks to children.  The work done by early years staff to promote partnerships with parents is very successful and is helping children to make a good start in school. Parents are invited each week into the early years classes to share books and read with their child. A parents’ workshop observed in the Nursery class was highly effective in enabling the teacher to model the use of mathematical vocabulary for both children and parents.

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School details

Unique reference number 107073 Local authority Sheffield Inspection number 10002042

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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 212 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr Mike Patterson Headteacher Mrs Linda Joseph Telephone number 0114 272 3455 Website http://springfield.sheffieldclc.net/ Email address enquiries@springfield.sheffield.sch.uk. Date of previous inspection 22–23 October 2013

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Information about this school

 Springfield school is a smaller than average primary school with 212 pupils on roll. There are more girls than boys in school and in some classes girls are a significant majority.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium is twice the average. The pupil premium is additional funding provided for children who are looked after by the local authority and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  A higher proportion of pupils than average have special educational needs.  All pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds and almost all children speak English as an additional language.  Over one third of the school population changes every year, meaning that more pupils arrive at, or leave the school than is the average for primary schools nationally.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics.

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Information about this school

 Children in the Reception class attend full time. Children in the Nursery attend part time in the morning or afternoon.

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Information about this inspection

 Together with the headteacher, inspectors looked at pupil progress data, information about the performance of teachers, documents relating to behaviour and safety and documents relating to safeguarding.  Inspectors observed 16 parts of lessons, some alongside the headteacher.  Inspectors listened to pupils read, and observed pupils learning in small groups. They spoke with pupils in lessons, at lunchtime and at playtimes and met with groups of pupils from all classes.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, class teachers, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the start of the school day, considered a recent parental survey done in school and looked at a very few responses on Parent View.  Inspectors took account of 24 questionnaires returned by members of staff.

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Inspection team

Mrs Lesley Butcher, Lead Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Mr 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

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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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