Bankfoot Primary School

Bankfoot Primary School Bolingbroke Street, Bankfoot, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD5 9NR

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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This is an outstanding school

 The absolute commitment, clear vision and relentless efforts of the headteacher and other leaders makes Bankfoot a flourishing and highly successful school.  Leaders, teachers and other staff uphold consistently high expectations of pupils. Teachers aim high, stretching pupils of all abilities.  Well-trained support staff are skilled in supporting pupils, so make a strong contribution to pupils’ progress.  All groups of pupils, including the disadvantaged, those who have special educational needs or disability and the most able make substantial and sustained progress across the age range from low starting points.  Pupils who arrive at school with little knowledge of the English language make rapid progress because of the solid support given to them.  By the time they leave Year 6, almost all pupils reach at least the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics. This, along with their excellent personal development, fully prepares

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This is an outstanding school

pupils for secondary school.  Due to the excellent teaching, pupils exhibit enthusiasm for learning. They work hard all day long and are confident, resilient learners.  Pupils’ behaviour is impeccable because all adults uphold the highest expectations of conduct at all times.  The broad, balanced and inspiring curriculum stimulates pupils’ enthusiasm. Pupils produce high-quality work in all subjects.  Leaders and teachers prepare pupils exceptionally well for life in modern Britain by instilling strong values and building a harmonious school community in which everyone demonstrates thoughtfulness and respect for each other.  Strong leadership and teamwork in the early years produce highly effective teaching, so the youngest children get off to a great start.  Capable governors provide robust challenge and support to school leaders, successfully holding them to account for the quality of teaching, pupils’

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure the quality of every teacher’s questioning matches that of the best.  Enable parents of children in the early years to contribute regularly to their children’s assessment records.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 The passion, determination and high expectations of the headteacher are contagious, securing the best efforts of the whole school community. One member of staff told inspectors, ‘The team at Bankfoot Primary are an inspirational, motivated group of people.’ This is indeed the case.  Leaders do not stand still but are always looking for ways to improve standards further. For example, leaders recently adopted a challenging mathematics scheme based on the methods of teaching used in highly successful Singapore state schools. This strategy has further raised teachers’ expectations of all pupils, challenging pupils of all abilities, particularly the most able, to attempt difficult mathematical problems.  The headteacher has coached and developed other senior and middle leaders so they are effective in their roles. Because they check the work of teachers, and pupils’ progress, leaders spot areas for

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

development quickly and take action to improve teaching. Leaders set challenging targets for teachers and check to make sure that teachers are meeting the high standards set. Consequently, teachers know their strengths and weaknesses, and continuously strive for improvement.  Leaders prioritise the continuous development of the knowledge and skills of staff, carefully targeting training. For example, some teaching assistants have recently accessed training in autism and in speech therapy, to help them support identified pupils more effectively.  Leaders have established an effective new assessment system that helps teachers to see clearly what pupils ought to be able to do within the new national curriculum, and to set work that stretches all groups of pupils. Meticulous tracking of pupils’ progress means that any pupils falling behind their potential, including the most able, are identified quickly and measures put in place to help them reach their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

potential.  Highly effective use is made of additional government funding for disadvantaged pupils. Consequently, disadvantaged pupils do as well as other pupils in all subjects and in all year groups.  Leaders ensure the highest expectations for pupils who have special educational needs or disability. The special educational needs coordinator knows every identified pupil’s needs, checks on their progress and keeps parents informed. Consequently, these pupils make excellent progress.  Leaders have developed a broad, balanced and inspiring curriculum that enthuses and motivates pupils. Pupils improve their reading, writing and mathematics skills in other subjects because teachers uphold the same standards of work in subjects, such as science and geography, that are expected in mathematics and English lessons. Leaders make effective use of additional funding for physical education and sport. Most pupils have benefited from after-school sports clubs such as gymnastics, handball and cricket, and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

agility, balance and coordination sessions.  The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is exceptional. Pupils learn about values that enable them to be lifelong learners and good citizens. They demonstrate a good understanding of different beliefs and about democratic processes, for example by voting for school councillors and house captains. Teachers give pupils an excellent grounding in respectful debate. Consequently, Bankfoot Primary School is a harmonious community in which pupils demonstrate genuine open-mindedness and respect for each other’s differences.  The local authority monitors the performance of the school and makes the most of the expertise of the headteacher and other leaders to support the improvement of other schools.  The governance of the school The governing body provides clear direction. Governors strongly believe in education as a means to improving the local community and the life chances of pupils. With the headteacher, governors have

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

successfully increased the active participation of parents in their children’s learning. Governors make frequent visits to school. They hold accountability meetings with individual leaders and attend meetings with leaders and teachers to find out about the progress of pupils. Along with the helpful information that the headteacher gives to governors, these activities provide governors with an accurate view of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, helping them to challenge leaders. Governors check that teachers are meeting the targets set for them and make decisions about teachers’ pay based on the impact of teachers’ work. The governing body fulfils its statutory responsibilities by regularly reviewing policies, ensuring proper financial management and making sure that all safeguarding arrangements are in place.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have been well trained and take action when they

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

have concerns about the safety or well-being of any pupil. Leaders conduct fire drills and properly assess the potential risks of activities, including educational visits. Proper arrangements are in place to check that anybody appointed to work in the school is suitable to work with children. Staff and governors have had ‘Prevent’ training so they know how to proceed if they suspect any child is at risk of exposure to extremist views or radicalisation.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

 Teachers have consistently high expectations of all pupils. They plan work that is well matched to the needs of groups of pupils, including those who have special educational needs or disability and the most able. As a result, all groups of pupils make substantial and sustained progress from the time they enter school to the time they leave.  Teaching assistants make a terrific contribution. They are well trained and skilled in questioning pupils, helping pupils to think for themselves. No time is wasted, as teaching assistants select pupils from the moment they enter the school in the morning to help them with their reading and other activities. Intensive support for new arrivals with little or no English, including expert support from a Slovakian- speaking teaching assistant, helps these pupils make rapid and sustained progress, closing the gap quickly with other pupils.  Teachers and support staff check pupils’ understanding throughout lessons, correcting misconceptions

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

and giving verbal feedback to help pupils through challenging tasks. The quality of teachers’ questioning in the early years and throughout the school is highly effective in helping pupils to think. In a few classes in key stage 2, questioning could be even more effective in deepening pupils’ understanding.  Both teachers and teaching assistants teach early reading very well. As a result, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading by the end of Year 1 is high. As they progress from year to year, all pupils develop fluency in their reading.  The teaching of mathematics is highly effective. Teachers challenge pupils of all abilities, including pupils who have special educational needs or disability, ensuring that they are all taught the challenging age- appropriate content of the national curriculum. All pupils, including the least and most able, regularly attempt challenging mathematics problems.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

 Leaders have built very strong relationships with parents and carers. Teachers provide meaningful and interesting homework activities and work hard to promote reading at home. Parents are well informed about their children’s progress and what their children need to do to improve. As a result, many parents actively work alongside their children in the home, helping them to practise what they have learned in school. Just about every parent attends parent consultation meetings, and much value the workshops put on to help them support their children’s learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Pupils are polite and courteous to each other and adults. They say ‘thank you’, ‘sorry’ and ‘excuse me’, and hold the doors open for each other and for adults. Pupils respectfully listen to each other’s contributions.  Pupils look after their school: the building and school site are clean, tidy and litter free. Pupils wear their uniform smartly and with pride.  Pupils rise to the high standards leaders and teachers set for them. They show pride in their work, most of which is immaculately presented.  Pupils’ enthusiasm for learning is unwavering. No matter how high the expectations, they exhibit confidence and willingness to ‘have a go’. Because of the high levels of challenge, they develop resilience and are happy to learn from their mistakes. Pupils’ strong commitment to learning is evident in that most of them come to school at least half an hour early every day to practise their reading and mathematics

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Personal development and welfare

skills before formal lessons begin.  Pupils have a good understanding of the dangers associated with the internet and social networking. Older pupils learn about how their bodies change and they have a strong awareness of how to stay healthy.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  The behaviour of the vast majority of pupils in lessons and around the school is impeccable. All staff use effective behaviour management techniques and uphold the highest expectations of pupils’ conduct at all times of the school day.  Bullying is virtually non-existent. Pupils are satisfied that adults deal well with rare conflicts.  Attendance dipped last year, but due to the very effective work of leaders and the gentle but persuasive approach of the learning mentor, the attendance of all groups, including the disadvantaged, is again above the national figure. The rate of persistent absence has reduced and is now low. The attendance figures are negatively affected by the small number of parents who take their children abroad in term- time.

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Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

 Since the last inspection, the attainment of pupils, most of whom speak English as an additional language, has steadily risen. Last year, nearly every Year 6 pupil reached at least the national standards in reading, writing and mathematics, and grammar, punctuation and spelling. This represents exceptional progress from below typical starting points.  Several pupils who arrived from overseas mid key stage made exceptional progress from low starting points to reach the expected standards by the end of key stage 2 last year.  For pupils currently in key stage 2, the proportions reaching above-average standards in reading and mathematics is rising. Stretch and challenge provided by teaching are enabling the most able pupils to achieve highly. Half the Year 6 pupils last year reached the higher level 5 standard in writing, and three- quarters of them in the grammar, punctuation and spelling test, above the national average. Fewer

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Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

pupils, around a third, reached this standard in reading and in mathematics, but from their starting points this still represents strong progress.  The proportion of pupils reaching the required standard in early reading by the end of Year 1 has consistently been above the national average. No children left key stage 1 last year who had not met the standard. This is because of the very effective teaching about letters and how they blend together to make sounds.  School assessment information and the work in pupils’ books confirm the strong and sustained progress they make through key stage 1. In 2015, attainment by the end of Year 2 was above the national average.  There are no gaps between the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and others in any year group in reading, writing and mathematics. In 2015, the achievement gaps between disadvantaged pupils in the school and the non-disadvantaged nationally were virtually closed for all measures.

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Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

 Pupils who have special educational needs or disability throughout the school make very strong progress, most closing the gap on many of their peers to reach age-related levels.

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Early years provision is outstanding

 Almost all children enter the school with skills, knowledge and understanding below those typical for their age, and make more than typical progress by the time they join Year 1. The proportion of pupils reaching a good level of development by the end of the early years in 2015 was above the national average. A similar proportion of children in early years are on track to reach a good level of development in 2016.  The early years leader has provided training to develop the expertise of staff, and has built a close-knit team. Staff have visited excellent provision elsewhere to gather ideas about how to improve practice further. It is hard to distinguish between teachers and teaching assistants because all are skilled in questioning and interacting with children to develop children’s thinking and language.  Regularity of discussion between teachers and teaching assistants, and accurate assessment, ensures

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Early years provision is outstanding

that the needs of each child are met. Adults plan precisely the next steps in each child’s learning so support is carefully targeted. It is this that makes the biggest contribution to children’s strong progress.  An excellent environment and quality resources engage children independently in all aspects of learning. Children sustain interest in their play and exploration on their own or with their peers. They are highly motivated to learn.  Environments are safe and well supervised. Children move safely between activities indoors and outdoors, for example using the handrail when walking down the steps.  Parents share information at ‘meet and greet’ meetings prior to their children starting in the nursery, so teachers can take account of what children can already do. Teachers and parents discuss children’s targets together at parents’ meetings so parents can support their children at home. Staff welcome

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Early years provision is outstanding

parents into the classrooms for the breakfast club and ‘stay and play’ sessions so parents can see what their children are learning. More can yet be done to enable parents to contribute on an ongoing basis to their children’s assessment records.  The Reception class teacher shares information with the Year 1 teacher, so as children enter Year 1 they hit the ground running and continue to make gains in their learning.

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School details

Unique reference number 107248 Local authority Bradford Inspection number 10003817

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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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 350 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jamil Rafiq Headteacher Juliet Wright Telephone number 01274 732068 Website www.bankfootprimary.co.uk Email address office@bankfoot.bradford.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 2–3 March 2011

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Information about this school

 Bankfoot Primary School is a larger than the average-sized primary school.  The vast majority of pupils are from minority ethnic groups and most speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is above the national average. The pupil premium is additional government funding for disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and for children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is a little above the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards. These are the minimum expectations of pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited all classes at least once to observe teaching. Some of these visits took place with the headteacher.  Pupils were questioned about their learning and what it is like to be a pupil at Bankfoot Primary School. Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ workbooks and listened to a number of pupils read. Pupils’ behaviour was observed around the school, including at breaktimes and at lunchtime.  Discussions took place with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, teachers, four members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors questioned parents at the start of the second day of the inspection and analysed the responses of 16 parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View.  The inspectors analysed the 25 responses to the staff questionnaire and 226 responses to the pupils’ questionnaire.  Documents were analysed, including school development plans, governing body minutes and information

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Information about this inspection

about pupils’ achievement.  Records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding were scrutinised.

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Inspection team

Philip Riozzi, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Catherine Parker Ofsted Inspector Stephen Rigby Ofsted Inspector Julia Wright 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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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