Clayton Village Primary School

Clayton Village Primary School John Street, Clayton, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD14 6AD

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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 drive and determination of the headteacher are shared by senior and middle leaders and governors. This has resulted in improvements across the school and a climate of ambition to improve further.  Pupils say they feel safe and have someone to go to if they are worried. Arrangements for keeping pupils safe are strong and are a priority for staff and governors.  Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are good and this is contributing to their improving progress. They are confident and are not afraid to say what they think.  Outcomes are improving, particularly in English. Pupils read with increasing confidence and understanding. Their skills for early reading are secure and they apply these well when they are reading new words.  A robust approach to tackling underperformance has led to improvements in teaching, which is now good. Teachers receive training which has improved the quality of learning they provide for

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This is a good school

pupils.  Parents are positive about the improvements at the school and some commented that a sense of community has returned to the school. Some parents expressed concern about the turnover of staff.  Children get off to a good start in the Reception Year. They settle well and, by the time they leave, the proportion of children who achieve a good level of development is above the national average.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Standards in mathematics are not as high as they are in English. The school has begun to address this and there are signs of improvement. Although it is accelerating, pupils’ progress in mathematics is not as strong as it is in English.  Leaders’ and governors’ checks on the school’s work are not always precise or sharp enough.  Although the attendance of pupils has improved, there is further to go to improve the attendance of pupils – particularly those who are disadvantaged.  Pupils’ understanding of diversity beyond their local community is not strongly developed.  Teachers do not always challenge the most-able pupils to think deeply and reason mathematically.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve standards, particularly in mathematics, by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

challenging pupils, particularly the most able, to think deeply and develop their mathematical reasoning ensuring that sequences of lessons build carefully and ensure pupils’ understanding is secure before moving on.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the attendance of groups of pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Sharpen the checks made by leaders and governors by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

ensuring feedback to teachers gives advice and points for improvement that are specific to the subject making sure that targets set for pupils’ outcomes and attendance reflect leaders’ ambitions for improvement improving the checks and recording of homophobic and racist language and ensuring pupils are better prepared for life in modern Britain ensuring governors are clear about the impact of spending on disadvantaged pupils.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Since taking up her post shortly after the last inspection, the headteacher has shown determination and vision in transforming the school. She has created a strong positive ethos which reflects the school’s ambition for pupils to ‘aim high, be respectful and create happy memories’. She has refused to accept anything that is not good enough for the pupils of Clayton Village and has taken a tough line on underperformance. This has led to significant changes at the school and, together with a programme of professional development for staff and key appointments of new teachers and leaders, has resulted in improvements to teaching, pupils’ progress, behaviour and attendance.  The curriculum is suitably broad and balanced. Pupils talk enthusiastically about their learning in subjects like history and art. However, some older pupils said they would like to do more practical work, for example experiments in science and making music. Pupils spoke positively about their learning in physical

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

education. This has been supported by sports premium funding. This funding has also supported extra- curricular activities, which has led to increased participation and success in competitions.  Leaders have focused on improving pupils’ attitudes to learning and developing positive behaviour as part of their work to build pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Assemblies have helped pupils to be more confident, self-assured and ‘Proud to be me’. Lessons have promoted discussions on moral dilemmas, debating wealth and poverty and considering the work of charities such as Water Aid. This is helping pupils to be prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils learn about the unacceptability of prejudice including racism. However, the school’s work on diversity has not extended to all forms of equality and pupils say on occasions they hear racist and homophobic language. The school logs incidents

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

of racism and reports these to the governing body and the local authority. However, leaders’ checks on recording and reporting of derogatory language need to be sharpened.  Middle leaders are an emerging strength of the school. They share the headteacher’s drive and ambition for wanting to ensure pupils succeed not only academically but also as well-rounded citizens. They have undertaken many checks on different aspects of the school’s work and provided constructive feedback to teachers. However, at times this feedback does not focus strongly enough on specific subject-related information to enable colleagues to pinpoint exactly what needs to improve further.  Support to ensure that vulnerable pupils are safe is a strength of the school. Staff are aware of the dangers pupils face and have undertaken training for child protection. Governors are also receiving training to help them support the school’s approach to identifying and tackling extremism and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

radicalisation. Carers spoke highly of the support that pupils with specific needs received. Some parents spoke of a returning sense of community to the school and gave examples about the family breakfasts and May Day celebrations which enable parents to feel more involved in their child’s schooling.  The local authority has brokered and funded support from a partner primary school. This has been effective in enabling the school to review its work and moderate standards to ensure that teachers’ assessments are accurate.  The governance of the school The governing body was reconstituted in July last year. A number of new governors have been appointed who bring valuable skills and experience to their roles. The new Chair of the Governing Body has been likened to ‘a dog with a bone’ for her tenacity in ensuring aspects of the school’s budget and safeguarding are rigorous and robust. The new assessment system is beginning to provide better information to governors. This is being

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

refined through rigorous moderation. Together with visits to school and looking at pupils’ work, this helps governors have a good understanding of the quality of teaching across the school. A strong stance is taken on performance to ensure that only good teaching is rewarded with pay progression. Although governors and the headteacher are sure that there is effective challenge from the governing body, this is not always recorded in the minutes of meetings. Consequently, the sharpness with which the governing body check, evaluate and set targets for the impact of the work of the school needs further development. For example, although governors are sure that pupil premium is contributing to the improvements in the school, their evaluation and monitoring does not give them a precise picture of the impact this funding is having.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 There has been a determined drive to improve the quality of teaching across the school. Robust performance management and effective training have supported teachers in delivering better-quality learning, particularly in English. This has led to improving pupil outcomes and their accelerated progress.  The school has been successful in improving standards in reading. Time is devoted to helping pupils to understand a range of texts. Pupils use a variety of strategies to gather information from their reading. For example, Year 4 pupils were helped to think carefully about how characters behave and why. Pupils searched texts for clues and quotes that would help them to explain the empathy a character showed for workers in a factory.  Younger pupils are helped to gain a secure grasp of phonics skills (phonics refers to letters and the sounds that they make). This helps them to read unknown words they meet for the first time. Their skills

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

at using other strategies to understand the meaning of texts are improving, particularly in Year 2 where pupils showed they can use what they know about a story to talk about what characters in a story might do and why.  Helpful feedback from teachers has enabled pupils to understand how they can improve their work and teachers ensure there is time to do this at the beginning of each day.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning have improved and are now good and this makes a positive contribution to lessons and the progress they make. Pupils are made aware of the positive attitudes to learning through ‘super learner’ characters like ‘Curious Charlie’ and ‘Persistent Pascal’.  Teachers use a variety of questioning strategies and give pupils opportunities to discuss and debate questions. For example, Year 5 pupils showed consideration and thoughtfulness in their responses about how they might help a stranger who was homeless and discussed how charities help those who are less

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

fortunate.  The school is focusing on the teaching of mathematics, which is improving and is helping pupils to make better progress. All pupils regularly engage in solving problems. Sequences of lessons have developed pupils’ use of apparatus and images to help them in understanding mathematical concepts. Nevertheless, leaders are clear that there is further to go in challenging pupils, particularly the most-able pupils, to think harder about the problems they solve and develop their ability to reason mathematically.  Support for disadvantaged pupils, pupils with disability and those who have special educational needs is helping them to make progress that is as good as their peers and sometimes better. This means that gaps for older pupils are closing. Teaching assistants are helpful and help pupils to focus on their work and make better progress. However, on occasions, some support is too helpful and reduces opportunities

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Assemblies and lessons in personal, social and health education support pupils in gaining a good understanding of how to be safe. This includes aspects of using computers and social media.  Pupils are aware of positive messages about healthy eating and ‘SCoF’ (the School Council of Food) enables pupils to make their views known about how school dinners can be improved.  Pupils are confident and not afraid to speak their minds. Some pupils who spoke to inspectors were very clear about things that were good about their school and things that they felt needed to be improved. They are not afraid to criticise, but do so respectfully and constructively.  Pupils learn about aspects of having a positive outlook and having a ‘growth mind-set’ as well as thinking about how to resolve problems and move forwards and be resilient. They are clear about different forms

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Personal development and welfare

of bullying and say that it is rare but, should it happen, all are confident there is someone to go to and that it will be dealt with.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  In lessons and around school pupils are calm and sensible. Lessons are well ordered and pupils are clear about what is expected of them. Pupils who spoke to inspectors were positive about behaviour but felt that sometimes, for example at lunchtimes, they would like more choices and the freedom to make them.  Adults encourage pupils to pay careful attention to keeping their school tidy and well ordered. This is reflected in the neatness and orderliness of the school and in pupils’ work, which is well presented.  Pupils’ attendance has fluctuated since the last inspection but has improved in the past year. Currently, overall attendance is broadly in line with national averages. However, this picture of improvement is not consistent for all groups of pupils. In particular, the attendance of disadvantaged pupils has not improved as strongly as that of their peers and the attendance of girls has remained static while the attendance of

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Behaviour

boys has improved strongly. Targets set by the school for pupils’ attendance are too modest and leaders accept these could be more ambitious.  Pupils are generally respectful and polite. They get on well together most of the time. However, on occasions pupils report that they hear derogatory language including homophobic and racist language as well as language that is disrespectful of others’ religions. Although the school takes action to address this, the recording of this needs to be sharper so that leaders can keep a careful check on patterns that may emerge.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Outcomes for pupils are improving. Although historical data reflect previous underachievement in the school, careful scrutiny of pupils’ books shows there is a clear picture of improving progress and achievement. This is reflected in improving outcomes in English. Standards in reading show a steady trend of improvement and are now in line with the national average. Pupils’ secure grasp of phonics is supporting the development of early reading skills and is evident in above-average outcomes in the Year 1 phonics check.  Similarly, standards in writing have improved and are in line with the national average. Work in pupils’ books shows they receive feedback which helps them to improve their work and there is clear evidence of good progress.  Progress for pupils with disability and those who have special educational needs is good and is helping them to keep up and, for some, to catch up with their peers. They receive effective support which

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Outcomes for pupils are good

enables them to make improvements in non-academic aspects like behaviour and confidence which in turn have a beneficial impact on their learning.  Disadvantaged pupils are making good progress from their starting points. However, there are some gaps which have yet to close, for example at the end of Key Stage 1. Leaders are monitoring the progress of current pupils closely through regular meetings and identifying strategies and interventions to address and accelerate the progress of disadvantaged pupils. The school’s information and pupils’ work confirms that their progress is improving.  Standards in mathematics have varied since the last inspection. Leaders are aware that outcomes in mathematics are not as strong as they are in English. The school has engaged in training and improvement work in mathematics and pupils’ work shows this is having an impact on accelerating pupils’ progress but this is not yet evident in published data.

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Early years provision is good

 An increasing proportion of children join the Reception Year with starting points that are typical for their age. In September 2015 this was around two-thirds of children. By the time they leave, the proportion who have achieved a good level of development is above the national average and this has been an improving trend since the last inspection.  Children clearly enjoy their time in the Reception class and they are keen to explore different aspects of learning. Teachers encourage and support these positive attitudes to learning with a focus on ‘super learners’. Children talk enthusiastically about different topics which interest them like ninja turtles, their families and dinosaurs, and they include these in their drawing. However, opportunities to develop their writing from these interests are sometimes missed. In their play they show they can sustain interest and are curious. For example, two boys took great pleasure exploring the noise they could make by blowing

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Early years provision is good

down a large tube like a trumpet.  Many children who have lower starting points catch up quickly. Adults make accurate assessment of children’s learning and progress and are aware of those who still need to catch up quickly from lower starting points.  Relationships with adults are warm and caring and children show they feel safe by the levels of confidence and independence they show.  Adults are clear about their responsibilities to keep children safe and regularly check the outside area to ensure it is safe for children to play and explore in. Leaders have correctly identified that the outside area is a focus for development to ensure children get the most out of learning in this environment. They accept that the check they make on the improvements they wish to see needs to be more rigorous.

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School details

Unique reference number 107199 Local authority Bradford Inspection number 10002167

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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 Maintained Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 202 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Penny Silson Headteacher Rebecca Cradock Telephone number 01274 414115 Website http://www.claytonvillageprimary.org.uk Email address office@claytonvillage.bradford.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 6 November 2013

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Information about this school

 Clayton Village Primary School is an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium funding is higher than the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding to support those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.  Overall, the proportion of pupils with disability and those who have special educational needs is slightly lower than the national average.  The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is slightly higher than average and the proportion who speak English as an additional language is slightly below the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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Information about this school

 There have been significant changes of staff at the school. Most of the teachers and leaders were not in post at the time of the last inspection.  The school is receiving support from the local authority and a partnership with Girlington Primary School.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes in the school. This included an observation carried out jointly with the headteacher. Inspectors also made short drop-in visits to classes and visited small-group teaching sessions. Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour and spoke with pupils informally at lunchtimes, breaktimes and around the school.  Inspectors scrutinised the work in pupils’ books extensively as well as evidence in children’s learning journals and records in the early years. Inspectors listened to pupils read and checked the school’s information about progress in reading, writing, mathematics and the early years.  Discussions took place with the headteacher, other leaders, teachers and support staff. Inspectors also met with a representative from the local authority and four governors including the Chair of the Governing Body.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils and to parents at the beginning of the day to gather their views

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Information about this inspection

alongside the 39 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and the 12 staff questionnaires.  Inspectors looked at a wide range of documentation, including the school’s information about pupils’ performance, governing body minutes, reports from leaders and their evaluations of the quality of teaching over time, plans for improvement and logs and records of pupils’ behaviour. Safeguarding procedures were also scrutinised.

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Inspection team

Adrian Guy, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Beverly Clubley 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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