Park Road Junior Infant and Nursery School

Park Road Nursery, Infant and Junior School Park Road, Batley, West Yorkshire WF17 5LP

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Leadership and management require further improvement. Although regular checks on the quality of teaching are made, teachers do not act on recommendations quickly enough to ensure swift improvements. Significant and current changes in staffing reduce the impact of efforts to raise standards.  Middle leaders do not do enough to check that pupils are gaining the knowledge and skills they need at a good pace.  The rates of progress and standards attained by all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, remain below other pupils nationally. The gap is not closing quickly enough.  Too few pupils achieve high standards by the end of Key Stages 1 and 2. Work is not matched well enough to pupils’ varying needs and abilities. Too often it lacks challenge.  Activities that are provided for children in the early years do not sufficiently take account of what they already know and can do. Expectations are not consistently high.

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Leaders do not ensure that all teachers follow the school’s marking and feedback policy consistently. This means that pupils do not know how to improve their work because they receive insufficient guidance.  Teachers do not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to use, apply and extend their reading, writing and numeracy skills across the subjects of the curriculum.  At present, the school does not ensure that pupils are taught the full range of knowledge and skills in the newly planned curriculum in sufficient depth.

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The school has the following strengths

 The acting headteacher and deputy headteacher have created and shared their vision for the school and know what they need to do to make this school good.  The governing body is united with the acting headteacher and deputy headteacher in their determination to improve the school.  Teaching is now improving and good teaching in Year 6 is helping to raise pupils’ attainment.  Pupils feel safe and are well cared for. Behaviour is good. Pupils are friendly, welcoming, polite and increasingly confident.  Pupils not only understand the principles of British values – they live them every day.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching in all key stages so that it is at least good so that pupils can make good or better progress, including in reading, writing and mathematics, by: raising expectations of what pupils can achieve making sure that all staff have a clear understanding of what pupils already know and can do setting challenging work that is closely matched to pupils’ abilities providing more opportunities for pupils to use, apply and extend their reading, writing and numeracy skills across the subjects of the curriculum ensuring that pupils are taught the full range of knowledge and skills in science, art, and information and communication technology making sure that activities for children in the early years are provided with a clear purpose for learning and that these activities are challenging and maintain children’s attention, particularly in reading.  Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

continuing to minimise the negative impact of frequent staff changes on the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement improving arrangements to check on the quality of teaching so that they are regular and robust, and using these findings to improve teaching quickly ensuring that all teachers follow the school’s marking and feedback policy consistently so that pupils know how to improve their work and can learn from their mistakes developing middle leaders’ roles, particularly in checking that pupils are gaining the knowledge and skills that they need to improve their work making sure that leaders check that the use of the pupil premium is effective and that gaps in the achievement of disadvantaged pupils across the school and with other pupils nationally are closed quickly. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 The uncompromising and determined acting headteacher has been relentless in leading the school on a journey of continuous improvement since her appointment. The acting headteacher, along with the committed deputy headteacher, displays an ambition which reaches every corner of the school and is shared by almost all adults and pupils alike. No excuses are tolerated in ensuring that only the best efforts are acceptable for the pupils at Park Road School.  The acting headteacher has quickly established more robust systems to check on the performance of the school, and this ensures that leaders and governors know its strengths and weaknesses well. She has ensured that leaders and managers have an increasingly accurate view of the school’s performance.  A commitment to training and the management of teachers’ performance, missing at the time of the previous inspection, has brought about improvements where previous weak teaching had not been

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

tackled. However, the full impact of this work has yet to be realised because new policies and procedures have only recently been introduced by the acting headteacher.  Despite recent improvement, there are still some remaining weaknesses in the leadership of teaching. The rapid turnover of teachers has in the past hindered efforts to improve teaching. Checks on the quality of teaching were not regular or robust enough.  Leaders have not ensured that teachers follow the school’s marking and feedback policy consistently. As a result, the quality of marking is still too variable and reflects teachers’ varying expectations of their pupils. Limited advice means that pupils sometimes do not recognise their errors, or correct them in order to improve their work.  Leaders now check teaching more regularly and with coaching, support and guidance from the local authority, teaching is improving. In addition, recent appointments have strengthened teaching and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

ensured that the school has sufficient capacity to improve.  Some weaknesses in middle leadership remain. On occasions, middle leaders are not checking that pupils are gaining the knowledge and skills that they need to improve their work. Subject leaders have ensured that a new curriculum and scheme of work are in place and this is now clearly benefiting pupils. However, their use is not checked regularly or effectively enough to make sure that all pupils, especially the most able, are gaining the knowledge and skills that they need to improve their work further.  The use of the pupil premium to support the learning of disadvantaged pupils has not been effective. While some pupils are doing better than their peers in the school, others underachieve. Leaders have not ensured that the gaps in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils are closing in all year groups.  Leaders have recently identified that the curriculum does not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

develop their basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics across all subjects. The range of curriculum subjects on offer is broad but not balanced. In some subject areas, such as science, art, and information and communication technology, pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding are not developed in sufficient depth. Science is not taught often enough in some year groups; nor do pupils have enough opportunities to carry out practical scientific investigations. As a result, the conclusions that pupils draw from the results of the few investigations that they do carry out are not of the depth needed to improve their understanding.  Even though the school only offers a limited range of clubs, these are popular and widely attended.  The school provides many opportunities to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils describe with excitement the visits they have made. For example, the work the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

school has done with, and the visits made to, the Royal Northern Ballet has been much appreciated by pupils.  Leaders ensure that pupils understand about discrimination and how establishing good relationships with others is part of being a positive member of the community. This ensures that they are prepared adequately for life in modern Britain. Pupils develop a knowledge and appreciation of other people’s beliefs, cultures and traditions in lessons and in assemblies, where they are taught and reminded of the festivals and celebrations of a multifaith British society. When considering the range of faiths and cultures within school, pupils who spoke to inspectors said, ‘It doesn’t matter who people are or what they look like; we are a family here.’  The primary school physical education and sports funding is used appropriately to provide specialist training to improve pupils’ physical education skills and their awareness of healthy lifestyles. In particular,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

pupils enjoy many more activities and new resources to broaden their skills and extend their participation in competitive sports.  The local authority was slow to become involved when the school was struggling; however, in recent times, advisers have worked well in partnership with the school, especially in supporting the development of teaching, leadership and the early years team.

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The governance of the school

Governors echo the determination and passion of the acting headteacher and deputy headteacher to deliver the very best education possible for the pupils of their school community. They bring a wide range of skills and expertise to their role, using these effectively to support and challenge leaders in equal measure. Over the past year, governors have risen to the challenge of raising standards and held senior leaders to account with increasing rigour regarding pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching. They now review performance information carefully. They are fully aware of exactly how much progress pupils should make. As a result, they recognise the school’s weaknesses and what is needed to be done to improve outcomes and the quality of teaching and learning. Governors understand how pay and progression are linked to staff performance and have used the management of teachers’ performance to eradicate inadequate teaching and improve practice. They

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The governance of the school

have done all in their power to manage staffing issues effectively, but despite these efforts teaching and learning still require improvement.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Appropriate records are in place, and procedures followed to ensure that pupils are kept safe. Staff receive appropriate child protection training, including training to prevent radicalisation and extremism. Pupils spoken to by inspectors know what to do and whom to speak to if they have concerns or worries about safety.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 In the past, teaching has not been consistently good. As a result, pupils in both key stages and in the early years have not made good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Low expectations, frequent staffing changes (almost all classes have had two or three different teachers within each academic year) and some weak teaching have contributed to standards failing to rise quickly enough.  There is still some inconsistency in the quality of teaching because in some classes expectations of what the most-able pupils can achieve are too low and, as a result, work lacks challenge. Some pupils are given work that is too easy, particularly the most able, and this prevents them from reaching the higher levels of attainment of which they are capable. As a consequence, some pupils show a lack of interest in their work and fail to concentrate.  The level of teaching assistant support is generous but its effectiveness varies too much. At times,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

teachers do not plan for their teaching assistants well enough to ensure that they target the right pupils at the right time.  The teaching of literacy is improving but is not yet consistently good in all classes. The teaching of reading, including phonics (the sounds that letters represent) is now increasingly organised and effective. However, there are still examples of reading activities being provided that are not at the correct level of difficulty and teachers sometimes fail to take enough account of what pupils need to learn next.  There are not enough opportunities for pupils to improve and extend their writing skills across a range of subjects; this hinders their achievement in writing.  Pupils are now making more rapid progress in mathematics because their basic understanding of number bonds and calculation is improving.  Occasionally, work set is too easy, most notably for the most able, to help them achieve the standards of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

which they are capable. Pupils do not have enough opportunity to develop and support numeracy skills in work in other curriculum subjects, such as science.  There has been some improvement in teaching. This is reflected, for example, in the higher standards currently in Year 6. Many pupils in Key Stage 2 have recently started to fill gaps in their learning and knowledge. Pupils are rising to the increased levels of challenge that are being provided and are taking more pride in doing the best work that they can. One member of staff commented, ‘I believe we are going in the right direction and every member of staff works together to make our school a good school.’

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Most pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. Even when some lessons are not entirely inspiring, pupils work cooperatively in pairs or small groups and also work individually for extended periods of time. The vast majority of pupils have a really good attitude to work.  Pupils look out for each other and without prompting show kindness and help. They show mutual respect for other pupils whatever their age or background.  Park Road pupils have a keen sense of right and wrong. They understand that the school’s ‘golden rules’ are made for their safety and happiness and, as a result, they feel valued.  Pupils are aware of the different types of bullying but asserted that bullying at Park Road is very rare, and they believe that it would be dealt with promptly when reported to adults.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe and staff provide regular updates to keep pupils’ understanding

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Personal development and welfare

fresh. Pupils learn how to ride bicycles safely and how to be careful pedestrians. They know what steps to take to keep themselves safe online, the different types of media and how to deal with a range of concerns.  Around 30 to 40 pupils enjoy attending the breakfast and after-school club where they enjoy the activities with their friends in a safe and friendly environment.  In some lessons, inspectors found that a few pupils did not concentrate so well. This was often where the work was too easy for them.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils of all ages are polite and welcoming. They have well-developed social skills, working well together in pairs or groups and to support each other in their learning tasks.  No incidents of poor or inappropriate behaviour were seen during the inspection. The log of behaviour incidents is kept up to date. On the rare occasion when a more serious event occurs, adults take immediate and appropriate action. Incidents of exclusion are rare and only used as a last resort.  Pupils are aware of healthy lifestyles and eating. They contribute well to improvements in school and one group was confident enough to arrange a petition requesting that pupils bring fruit to eat at break time.  Pupils are proud to take on positions of responsibility, such as school councillors and play buddies. They vote for a head boy and girl, showing a growing awareness of the British value of democracy. Senior

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Behaviour

leaders listen to their views. Many older pupils look after younger pupils. Pupils take care of their surroundings and wear their uniforms with pride.  Senior leaders have acted effectively to improve pupils’ attendance, which is now in line with the most recently published national figures. Persistent absence has reduced because of the actions taken by the learning mentor to work with the families involved.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 In 2015, standards in Year 2 were significantly below average in reading and mathematics and below average in writing. In the past, pupils have not achieved as well as they should in Key Stage 1.  There is significant variation in the rate of pupils’ current progress between year groups in Key Stage 2. Progress is good in some year groups, but relatively slow in others. Current work in pupils’ books shows that standards, particularly in reading and writing, are still sometimes too low given pupils’ starting points.  In Year 6 in 2015, the proportion of pupils achieving the higher Level 5 was much lower than average and significantly so in reading and writing. This was also the case at the end of Year 2, where no pupils achieved the higher Level 3. The most-able pupils did not do as well as they could have done because they were not given sufficient challenge.  The school’s current work to improve the achievement of the most-able pupils is beginning to raise

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

standards in places. Nevertheless, the work set is at times too easy for the most able and they are not routinely stretched to achieve their full potential.  The achievement of disadvantaged pupils varies widely between subjects and year groups, but overall it requires improvement. In Year 6 in 2015, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils was similar to that of other pupils in the school. However, compared with other pupils nationally, gaps in their attainment were significantly wider in all subjects.  Leaders recognise that gaps in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and others across the school have not been closed rapidly enough. They are analysing individual pupils’ progress more closely, and implementing interventions and support earlier and more precisely. A pupil premium champion has been appointed to oversee this work.  In the recent past, the achievement of pupils who have special educational needs or disability has varied

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

too much. This was because work was not set at the right level for these pupils. However, new leadership of special educational needs means provision is improving.  The achievement of the large number of pupils from minority ethnic groups, and those who speak English as an additional language, requires improvement. Their progress slows because work is not matched well enough to their different starting points and needs.  Pupils’ achievement in reading, although improving, still requires improvement. Currently, in Year 1, pupils’ skills in phonics are improving and the proportion of pupils likely to reach the expected standard is about average. Pupils in Year 2 enjoy reading and they do so accurately and with expression. Older pupils engage with reading well on the whole and enjoy reading aloud.  In writing, pupils’ skills are improving but still not at the level expected. Although many pupils write

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

sentences at an appropriate level in Year 1, in Year 2, spelling, punctuation and grammar are not being developed well enough because on too many occasions pupils are given the same work to do. Across Key Stage 2, pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar skills are still underdeveloped but this area of work is showing some improvement. However, pupils do not use and apply their knowledge sufficiently in subjects other than English.  Throughout the school, attainment in mathematics is improving. This is because the subject is generally well led. There are still some issues of the most able not being challenged enough, but almost all other pupils are making good progress because the work is well matched to their needs. The new curriculum is providing many opportunities for pupils to use their reasoning skills in solving word problems, and resources are routinely available to support their understanding.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Standards are beginning to improve as teaching improves. Progress is increasing in Key Stage 2, especially in Year 6. Here the standards seen accurately reflect the school’s predictions for improved outcomes in national tests and assessments in all subjects.

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Early years provision requires improvement

 The overall impact of the leadership of early years requires improvement. It has not ensured that the quality of teaching is good enough so that children achieve well. Leaders are aware of weaknesses in teaching and, with the support of the local authority’s early years team, are taking steps to address them.  Outcomes at the end of the early years are still below those seen nationally, despite a rising trend over time. The quality of teaching is inconsistent. In 2015, outcomes in reading, writing and number were lower than in other areas. Consequently, some children were not adequately prepared for learning in Year 1.  Teaching currently requires improvement. At times, children are not given clear guidance about the purpose of the tasks they undertake and what they are expected to learn from them. They spend too long completing activities which, for some, lack challenge, such as copying sentences and colouring in.

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Early years provision requires improvement

Work is not matched carefully enough to the children’s varying needs and abilities.  While children are encouraged to become interested in books, they are not taught to read well enough. Some staff lack the skills to explain learning clearly. However, others are knowledgeable and skilled in helping children to know letters and the sounds they represent. These members of staff provide interesting activities that bring phonics sessions to life so that children enjoy learning.  Children’s achievement in writing is hampered because there are too few opportunities for them to practise their skills both in activities indoors and outside.  Children learn to share and take turns because staff show them what good behaviour looks like. Most children behave well, but some are restless and inattentive because activities lack purpose and challenge.  Children settle in quickly because they are welcomed and prepared for school life. Parents say that their

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Early years provision requires improvement

children enjoy coming to school. Children are well looked after; staff are caring and build positive relationships with children. Staff ensure that children are kept safe and are appropriately supervised.

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School details

Unique reference number 107640 Local authority Kirklees Inspection number 10002180

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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 220 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Carol McDermott Headteacher Judith Hopwood (acting headteacher) Telephone number 01924 326728 Website www.parkroadschool.co.uk Email address head.parkroad@kirkleeseducation.uk Date of previous inspection 16–17 January 2014

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Information about this school

 This is a slightly smaller than an average-sized primary school.  Since the previous inspection in January 2014, the school has undergone many changes. The previous headteacher and chair of the governing body have left and there have been many staffing changes. There have recently been a number of new appointments, some of whom have not yet taken up their posts.  The acting headteacher leads the school for two days a week in collaboration with a local school. The deputy headteacher leads the school on the other three days.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is above average (the pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, and those who are looked after by the local authority).  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well above the national average: Pakistani and Indian pupils make up the majority. A small proportion of pupils are of White British heritage.

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Information about this school

 The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is also well above the national average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is below the national average. The proportion identified for additional support with an education, health and care plan is just above average.  In 2015, the school met 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.  The school provides a daily breakfast and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in all classes and some observations were carried out with the acting headteacher.  Inspectors talked to pupils about their work and looked at the work in pupils’ books. They also noted pupils’ behaviour at playtimes and lunchtimes and asked them for their views on the school.  An inspector also heard some pupils read.  Inspectors joined pupils and staff in an act of collective worship and visited the breakfast club.  Meetings were held with the acting headteacher and other staff with key leadership responsibilities.  Discussions were held with governors and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors looked at a wide range of documents including the school’s own check on its performance and the quality of teaching; the school development plan; governor documentation; information on pupils’ progress; and records relating to attendance, behaviour and safeguarding.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors looked at the 10 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including all the written comments. They also spoke to some parents at the start and end of the school day. Additionally they looked at 19 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Steve Bywater, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Lynda Florence 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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