Burley St Matthias Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Burley St Matthias Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Burley Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS4 2HY

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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 school provides a harmonious learning community where diversity is welcomed and celebrated. This inclusive approach and strong ethos enables pupils of many faiths and religions to learn well together.  The committed and dedicated co-headteachers have secured improvements in teaching. Their vision and values permeate the school.  Pupils make good progress from their different starting points, including disadvantaged pupils. There is an upward trend in results for pupils who have been at the school for the majority of their schooling.  Training and professional development for staff are strong, enabling teachers to improve their practice. As a result, pupils’ outcomes are improving.  Governance is highly effective. Governors are knowledgeable. They challenge, question and support school leaders. Together, they present a formidable force for improvement.  Pupils’ personal development and welfare are good.

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This is a good school

The quality of care, nurture and support that is provided enables pupils to feel safe, attend regularly and achieve well.  Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. Pupils are respectful and polite; they relate well to one another and are justifiably proud of their school.  Children in the early years get off to a good start. They make good progress from their starting points and are increasingly better prepared for Year 1.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Senior leaders are still getting to grips with changes to the curriculum. Assessment systems are at an early stage of development.  The proportion of most-able pupils achieving at the highest levels is not in line with that seen nationally, particularly in mathematics and writing.  There is some inconsistency in the quality of feedback for pupils. Sometimes staff do not follow the school’s marking and feedback policy.  Some teaching assistants have not developed the skills and expertise to ensure that pupils make the progress they should. Inspection report: Burley St Matthias Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 21–22 April 2016 2 of 9

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop and deepen the expertise and skills of staff, including those of teaching assistants, so that teaching becomes outstanding and pupils make rapid and sustained progress by: – providing sufficient challenge for the most-able pupils so that their outcomes exceed expectations for their year group – following the school’s marking and feedback policy consistently.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop rigorous assessment and tracking systems, so that leaders and managers can keep a check on how pupils are doing by: – refining data and information used to record pupils’ attainment and progress – using assessment information when planning the next steps in learning for individuals, groups and classes – tracking precisely the performance of pupils who are new to the school. Inspection report: Burley St Matthias Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 21–22 April 2016 3 of 9

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The co-headteachers are dedicated and passionate about developing a school culture of continuous improvement rooted in care and support for all. They have sharpened practice to bring about improvements in teaching and learning and to secure better outcomes for pupils. Their commitment has brought about significant improvements since the previous inspection.  Monitoring, training and support of teaching staff are strengths. Leaders identify clear areas for improvement and give detailed feedback to staff, with opportunities for reflection. As a result, teachers have been able to analyse their own strengths and areas for development, leading to improved classroom practice. The systems to manage teachers’ performance are thorough, hold teachers to account and help to bring about improvement.  The support and development of newly qualified teachers are particularly strong. Leaders regularly observe their work and give feedback. Teachers have opportunities to visit other schools to see good

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

practice. They receive support for planning and assessment. These activities have led to greater teacher confidence and have enabled newly qualified teachers to improve pupils’ progress.  The school is developing assessment systems in line with the curriculum changes. However, the way leaders track pupils’ progress matched to the new curriculum is at an early stage of development. A tracking system has been introduced to record attainment and progress, but is not secure enough to provide the same level of detail about pupils’ progress that the school was able to provide previously.  The curriculum is well planned and meets the needs and interests of pupils. There is a focus on the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. Pupils’ learning in the more creative subjects is developing strongly through topic work. Pupils have many opportunities to enhance their experiences. For example, in Year 4, during the inspection, a visiting theatre group engaged pupils fully in practical drama activities to deepen

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

their learning about Ancient Egypt.  The leadership of the provision and support for pupils who have special educational needs and disabilities is good. Close links mean that the local children’s centre makes staff aware early on of any pupils with particular needs. Staff observe pupils who speak English as an additional language or arrive mid-year closely and monitor their progress carefully. The school works hard to engage parents and keep them informed.  Parents and carers find the school welcoming and appreciate the support that staff give to pupils to help them to do well and to make sure that they are happy. The school gives good support to families new to Britain. They are supported to find classes to help them develop their spoken English. As one pupil stated, ‘New children always settle well here.’ The school runs a newly established food bank so that families in need can benefit.  Leaders use the pupil premium effectively to support disadvantaged pupils. Funding is targeted towards

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

additional staffing, enrichment activities, pastoral support, after-school clubs and intervention activities. The school’s inclusive approach allows pupils to flourish, attend school well and enjoy their learning. As a result, the progress of disadvantaged pupils is improving over time and gaps in attainment are closing.  The school uses the physical education and sports premium funding judiciously to improve the standard of teaching and learning in physical education and to promote healthy lifestyles. This is giving pupils greater opportunities to engage in competitive sports. For example, during the inspection, pupils in Year 6 spoke with eager anticipation about their forthcoming netball tournament with neighbouring schools.  Staff prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain. They learn to understand and adopt British values through assemblies, circle time and personal, social and health education lessons. The school places great

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

emphasis on British values, such as respect and tolerance, and relationships are good between all groups of pupils. Visits and visitors enhance pupils’ knowledge and experience. For example, an assembly attended by Muslim and Christian visitors together reinforced messages about ‘saying no to racism’. As a result, pupils show good understanding and empathy for different ways of life.  The curriculum highlights pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school’s ethos is strongly committed to celebrating personal as well as academic achievements, such as through weekly awards. For example, pupils can gain ‘caring’, ‘challenge’, ‘respect’ and ‘believe’ awards. Pupils take pride in upholding the values implicit in the school’s nine ‘special words’: learning, special, caring, awesome, challenge, believe, friendly, respect and fun.  The governance of the school – Since the last inspection, the governing body has taken decisive action to increase its effectiveness.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Inspection report: Burley St Matthias Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 21–22 April 2016 4 of 9 Governors have carried out an internal review, ensured the regular and effective working of governor committees and appointed new governors with the skills the school needs to help it improve. – The governors’ joint review group, supported by the local authority adviser, has strengthened governors’ engagement in school life. One governor is a national leader of governance and has sharpened the work to secure improved outcomes for pupils in receipt of the pupil premium. – Governors support, challenge and hold senior leaders to account. They undertake close monitoring checks on the school’s progress and outcomes and the impact of leaders’ actions. – Governors have an accurate picture of the school’s strengths and areas for development.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Senior leaders support and care for pupils and ensure

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

their safety. Staff are clear about what to do if there are concerns about any pupil and take appropriate action including the involvement of outside agencies where appropriate to keep pupils safe. Appropriate training has taken place for all staff. Parents are happy that the school keeps their children safe.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Since the previous inspection, significant work has been carried out to secure good teaching and learning. Senior leaders have worked diligently to develop the skills of individual teachers through training, rigorous monitoring and discussion. As a result, there are many strengths to the teaching across the school.  Pupils are confident to apply their skills because of effective questioning and clear explanations by teachers. For example, in Years 5 and 6, pupils confidently tackled calculations in mathematics.  Pupils benefit from a range of structured teaching and targeted support for individuals and groups. This means that pupils who speak English as an additional language, and pupils who have special educational needs or disability, make good progress to catch up with their peers.  The school has strong links with parents. Parents have supported staff in their work to improve pupils’ reading. For example, pupils are expected to read at home three times per week, with parents signing to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

say that reading has taken place. This regular practice and support from parents helps pupils to make good progress in reading from their different starting points.  The school is implementing the revised national curriculum effectively. For example, pupils in Year 4 enjoyed a guided reading session with their teacher linked to the Ancient Egyptians. They displayed good comprehension skills as a result of the teacher’s open-ended questioning, which allowed them to share their ideas and focus on the text.  The impact of the work of additional adults in supporting learning varies. There are some skilled support assistants working with pupils to help them succeed. However, leaders recognise that some teaching assistants need further training to develop their skills. Where the support is most effective, support assistants prompt and challenge pupils through careful questioning and this moves their learning forward.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Occasionally in lessons, work is too easy for the most-able pupils so that they do not move on in their learning as quickly as they should. In the most effective lessons, teachers follow the school’s marking and feedback policy closely. In a Year 5 class, children were able to share their targets for improvement and could confidently explain their work about fractions. However, the marking policy is not applied consistently across all classes.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils know how to keep safe. They have a good understanding of internet safety and know the steps to take if they encounter something inappropriate while working online. Pupils understand about taking risks.  Pupils have a well-developed sense of road safety at this split-site school which involves younger pupils crossing the road on a daily basis.  Parents say their children are safe and happy in school. They agree that the school deals effectively with any concerns that they might have. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are catered for sensitively through the school’s values and curriculum both in assemblies and during lessons.  Parents and staff agree that the school deals effectively with bullying. Pupils have a well-developed Inspection report: Burley St Matthias Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 21–22 April 2016 5 of 9

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Personal development and welfare

understanding of what bullying is. Furthermore, they are quite clear that where bullying has taken place, this has been dealt with quickly and effectively by staff.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. The conduct of pupils is orderly and calm when moving around the school and it is clear that pupils know the expectations and routines well. This results in a happy and positive culture across the school.  There are clear systems for managing pupils’ behaviour, which all members of the school community understand well. Relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults are productive. Pupils are welcoming, respectful and polite and they show positive attitudes towards their work and one another. They understand the systems of sanctions and rewards that underpin the school’s behaviour policy.  Staff deal positively with the small amount of more-challenging behaviour at lunchtimes and outside of lessons. The learning mentor supports pupils, where necessary, so that they can succeed and get along with their peers. The number of incidents of poor behaviour has declined as a result of intervention and

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Behaviour

support for individual pupils along with better analysis and planning to meet their needs.  Pupils cooperate well in lessons, through partner work, group work and games. At playtimes pupils direct their own games and activities successfully. Similarly, pupils engaging in well-organised team games supported by adults play successfully without falling out.  Attendance has improved since the last inspection, with overall absence falling so that it is currently in line with the national average. The school knows its families well and works effectively with them to secure good attendance where there are concerns.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 School assessment information shows that pupils who have spent the majority of their time at the school perform better than those who have joined the school at different points. Results can vary because of the high numbers of pupils arriving and leaving outside normal times.  In the early years, standards have been rising over the last three years. Children make good progress from their different starting points. The attainment and progress of boys in the early years have improved since the time of the last inspection.  At key stage 1, although results were below average in 2015, there has been an upward trend since the previous inspection. Gaps in attainment are closing. Given their starting points, pupils in key stage 1 are making good progress.  Leaders are aware of the need to enable the most-able pupils to exceed expectations for their year group and are using staff carefully to help these pupils do the best they can.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Performance in the Year 1 check on pupils’ skills in phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) is improving. In 2015, although performance overall was below that of pupils nationally, the proportion of boys reaching the required standard was average. Children use letters and sounds to unpick tricky words with confidence and enjoyment.  At key stage 2, although performance was below average in 2015, internal tracking shows that pupils present in school throughout the key stage made at least good progress from their different starting points. Standards are higher now than they were at the time of the previous inspection.  Current pupils’ work in mathematics, English and topic work confirm that most pupils make good progress. However, some of the most-able pupils do not make as much progress as they should, particularly in mathematics, because the work set does not challenge them sufficiently.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Gaps in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and the others continue to close. Targeted support from adults, intervention activities and specialist support enables these pupils to make strong progress. In 2015, in Year 6, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils compared favourably with that of their peers in reading and mathematics. Attainment in writing has improved since the time of the last inspection.

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Early years provision is good

 There is an improving picture of attainment for children in the early years. The gap between boys’ and girls’ attainment is closing, with boys performing better than boys nationally in some areas of learning. Similarly, pupils supported by the early years pupil premium performed well in 2015 because staff have made good use of this additional government funding. Inspection report: Burley St Matthias Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 21–22 April 2016 6 of 9  Leadership of the early years provision is good. The early years leader works closely with the Reception teacher and maintains a clear overview of how well pupils are doing. Together, they monitor children’s learning and attainment, so that children can make the progress they are capable of from their starting points. As a result, children are well prepared for their transition to Year 1.  The school works well with outside agencies to secure support for pupils who have special educational

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Early years provision is good

needs or disability in the early years. This is particularly the case for those children who have language needs.  Children settle well in the Reception class. They benefit from an emphasis on the use of rich language, speaking and listening and taking turns. Parents are fully involved in their child’s start at school. They are very positive about the support and guidance they receive and appreciate the good relationships and ‘open’ culture.  Teachers plan the curriculum well to engage children and promote a sense of awe and wonder. For example, during the inspection children were excited by caring for the chicks in their classroom. They enthusiastically drew, painted and created chicks of their own by sticking feathers into dough. The good- quality teaching is tailored to the interests of the children and enables them to make good progress across the different areas of learning.  In the outdoor provision children are active, cooperate with one another and share resources. Children

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Early years provision is good

make good progress in developing their skills in phonics, counting and early number as a result of carefully planned activities.  The early years meets all statutory safety and welfare requirements. Children are well looked after and kept safe and given clear guidance on how to behave. As a result, children know what is expected of them, behave well and learn to act with care and thought for others. Staff manage the small number of children with challenging behaviour well. Inspection report: Burley St Matthias Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 21–22 April 2016 7 of 9

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School details

Unique reference number 108001 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 10002102

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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 Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 200 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mike Winter Headteacher Kate Cameron and Debra Dettmar (co-headteachers) Telephone number 0113 336 7401 Website www.burleystmatthias.co.uk Email address jmayhall@burleystmatthias.co.uk Date of previous inspection 5–6 November 2013

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Information about this school

 Burley St Matthias is a one-form-entry primary school. It is smaller than the average-sized primary school and has a split site divided by a road.  At its previous inspection the school was found to require significant improvement.  The school is led by two co-headteachers  The proportion of pupils who come from minority ethnic backgrounds is high. While many nationalities are represented, the largest groups are White British and Pakistani.  An above-average proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is well above average. The pupil premium is additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children looked after.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is slightly below average.  The proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs or supported by an education,

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Information about this school

health and care plan is below average.  The proportion of pupils who join or leave the school at times other than normal starting points is well above average.  The school has a breakfast club which is managed by the school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Since the last inspection there have been considerable changes in staffing.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. Inspection report: Burley St Matthias Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, 21–22 April 2016 8 of 9

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed a range of lessons, some jointly with the co-headteachers, and made short visits to classrooms.  Inspectors also undertook a work scrutiny of mathematics with the co-headteachers and a work scrutiny of English and topic books.  Inspectors heard a range of pupils reading.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, during breaks and at lunchtimes.  Inspectors talked to pupils in the playground and classrooms and held more formal discussions with pupils in key stages 1 and 2.  Inspectors held discussions with the co-headteachers, other senior and middle leaders, teachers (including newly qualified teachers), support assistants, governors and four representatives of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body. Inspectors took into account 10 responses to the staff survey.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation relating to school improvement and pupils’

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Information about this inspection

development and welfare, including the school’s safeguarding arrangements.  Inspectors took into account the views of parents in Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. They considered 18 responses. Inspectors spoke to parents at the start of the school day.

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Inspection team

Elaine Watson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Janet Lunn Her Majesty’s 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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