Heaton Primary School

Heaton Primary School Haworth Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD9 6LL

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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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

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Teaching has not been strong enough to ensure that pupils make consistently good progress, particularly disadvantaged pupils, boys and those with special educational needs.  The most-able pupils are not always given work to stretch and challenge them. When pupils find work too easy, they switch off from learning and their progress slows.  Current improvements in pupils’ progress have not been sustained over a long enough period to help them catch up with their peers nationally.  Teachers do not always plan and teach foundation subjects as well as they do for mathematics and English. As a result, pupils’ progress is patchy in topic work.  Assessment information is not always used effectively by teachers to make sure that pupils of all abilities have the right level of challenge.  Teaching is not consistently good across all year groups so that pupils’ progress is not always sustained across key stages or from year to year.

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Pupils’ attendance has not improved quickly enough and remains adrift of national averages.

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The school has the following strengths

 The school is improving strongly. Leaders have secured rapid improvements in reading and mathematics but especially in writing this year.  Children in the early years have plenty of opportunities to learn through using their imagination, particularly in the Reception classes. Two-year-old children make great strides in learning new words and different ways to express themselves.  Middle leaders, supported by senior leaders, have developed sharp and accurate skills in monitoring the quality of teaching and pupils’ work. Leaders’ effective coaching and good-quality training is driving improvements in the quality of teaching and learning.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. They are kind and helpful to each other, respecting each other’s differences. Pupils feel safe and secure because of the careful work of the adults in the school.  Pupils in the Acorn Centre are supported well in overcoming behaviour difficulties and moving back

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that pupils make consistently good progress in all years and across all subjects by: – ensuring that teaching and feedback to pupils in foundation subjects matches that in mathematics and English and progressively builds pupils’ skills over time – ensuring that assessment information is used consistently well to build on pupils’ previous learning and that there is sufficient challenge for more-able pupils – ensuring that teachers include pupils who do not offer an answer in discussions and that questions are pitched appropriately to pupils’ abilities.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ attendance and reduce the number of pupils who are persistently absent.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Reduce the inconsistencies in the progress made by pupils, especially boys, pupils who have special educational needs and disadvantaged pupils by: – developing sharper analysis of how different groups of pupils are doing, and use the information to support teachers in meeting pupils’ specific needs.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher, along with her capable senior team and enthusiastic governors, have the confidence of staff, pupils and parents. The ethos in the school is positive and reflects the headteacher’s determination that every pupil will achieve the best they possibly can.  Since the previous full inspection leaders have secured some very important improvements in pupils’ skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Work in the early years, particularly in the Reception classes, has resulted in marked improvement in children’s confidence and skills. Consequently, they are developing their writing and an understanding of number effectively. Pupils and teachers throughout the school are clear about leaders’ expectations and consequently aspirations and morale are high. Leaders’ plans for improvement identify the correct priorities and have a clear focus on how actions will be evaluated.  The systems to check on the quality of teaching and learning are now robust and accurate. The work of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

middle leaders has been the bedrock of this success. They visit lessons regularly, talk to pupils and spend a great deal of time looking at pupils’ work to make sure that pupils are making progress and are learning the right things.  Teachers’ performance is carefully monitored and training is closely linked to emerging strengths or areas which need to improve. Although teaching is not yet good, this exacting practice is driving up the quality of teaching and learning and giving teachers increasing confidence in their work. Performance management systems are tied in to the school’s priorities so that staff are clear how their work contributes to improvements in pupils’ achievements.  The curriculum offers pupils a wide range of experiences and prioritises pupils gaining confident skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils also have access to the ‘forest school’, in which pupils learn to manage risk and develop good relationships. Pupils respond very positively to this enriching opportunity,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

which is reflected in their thoughtful writing. However, it is not clear how pupils’ skills in managing risks and developing good relationships will be developed year on year. Other areas of the curriculum provide positive experiences but they are not as well planned as English and mathematics, so pupils’ progress is not consistently good.  Clubs and activities after school give pupils plenty of opportunities to pursue special interests such as joining a choir. Other activities are designed to help pupils develop specific skills and promote good attitudes to learning. For example, the school has worked with the police to provide a boxing club, which develops physical skills as well as building good community relationships. The physical education (PE) and sport premium funding for primary schools has been used effectively to engage pupils in a wide range of activities resulting in increasing pupils’ participation. Teachers have been supported in improving their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

skills in teaching sport and physical education and they are gaining confidence.  Leaders have been effective in helping pupils appreciate and celebrate their differences. The result is that pupils are accepting and helpful when others have difficulties. For example, pupils keep focused on their work when staff are supporting pupils with challenging behaviour. Visits to local places of worship and faith assemblies also contribute to preparing pupils effectively for life in modern Britain.  Leaders have worked hard to make sure that pupils who have special educational needs are identified early and that individual reviews of how well they are doing are carried out in a timely fashion. Leaders do not have a fully effective means of identifying how well this group of pupils are making progress in different key stages and years. A consequence of this is that teachers’ training to support pupils who have

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

special educational needs has not been well focused.  The governance of the school – Governors make an effective contribution to the school. They are curious and determined to get to the bottom of any concerns they have. Minutes demonstrate that they ask searching questions. – Governors make sure they have a broad set of skills through audits, and ensure that they keep up to date with developments in the school through ‘key messages’ quizzes. They are acutely aware of the gaps in progress for some groups of pupils. – Governors have not been able to make robust checks on the impact of the pupil premium funding because the analysis provided by leaders is not sufficiently precise. Nevertheless, funding has been spent appropriately, resulting in the gaps in progress narrowing within school.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school’s safeguarding systems are secure, including the provision of staff training. Consequently, pupils are kept safe and secure. Risk is assessed

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

appropriately, including the risk posed by extremism and radicalisation. Crucially, leaders have made sure that staff are confident in discussing difficult topics so that pupils feel able discuss their ideas and thoughts in a safe environment. Parents are appreciative of the school’s work and leaders have had significant success in engaging parents through coffee mornings and classes designed for parents.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Over time teaching has not been strong enough to secure rapid and sustained improvements in pupils’ progress. A consequence of this is that pupils have not attained high enough standards in reading and mathematics.  Teachers do not always use assessment information effectively to plan tasks that build on the skills pupils have already learned. This is especially marked in the teaching for the most-able pupils. These pupils are not routinely challenged to extend their thinking. Tasks designed to challenge the most able are not always successful because activities involve pupils doing more of the same activity. However, this is not always the case and there are some good examples of most-able pupils relishing tasks that challenge them to deepen their understanding. For example, in Year 2 most-able pupils were asked to consider a mathematical solution and say if it was true or false and the reasons for their answer.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 The quality of teaching and learning is more inconsistent in topic work and other subjects than it is in English and mathematics. This is due in part to teachers’ feedback to pupils being less helpful in identifying what pupils have done well and what they should do next to improve their work.  The quality of teachers’ questioning skills is inconsistent. Typically, teachers direct questions to the loudest voice or to pupils with their hands up. Consequently, the questions do not always offer an appropriate level of challenge because they are too easy for the most able or too difficult for pupils who have special educational needs. A further result is that boys tend to dominate class discussions as they offer answers more frequently than girls.  Guided reading sessions are supporting pupils to improve their skills, especially their understanding of new vocabulary. This has not always been the case, and older low-ability pupils sometimes read without

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

fully understanding the meaning of the words. Groups where teachers work closely with pupils are much more successful than those where pupils work together in a group without an adult. During these times progress slows and pupils start to fidget. This is particularly true of boys.  Reading is being promoted by teachers well, and they make sure that pupils access books that offer the right level of challenge. There are plenty of opportunities and cosy places for pupils to settle down to read attractive books and this is fostering a love of reading.  The teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) is strong in the early years and key stage 1. Pupils quickly learn to use their skills to work out how to read unfamiliar words.  Pupils who are at the early stages of learning English are taught well and make rapid progress in gaining fluency. Teachers use a range of exciting strategies to get pupils’ interest, including using performance

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

arts. Good use of a well-equipped flexible space for them to perform keeps their motivation high. When pupils who speak English as an additional language are in the mainstream classes they settle in quickly and continue to make gains in their reading and writing skills.  Pupils’ work in books shows that the teaching of writing has been particularly successful. This starts in the early years, with pupils writing their own stories and learning how to improve the quantity and quality of their writing, right through to Year 6, where pupils write fluently and at length. Work in Year 6 pupils’ books demonstrated an expert approach to using a variety of strategies to create suspense.  The teaching of mathematics has improved and work in pupils’ books shows they have plenty of opportunities to apply their mathematical skills to solving problems. For example, pupils in Year 1 were encouraged to identify important information from a written mathematics challenge about sharing and

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupil’s personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils learn quickly to be responsible and kind to each other. This is evident during playtimes, where pupils from a range of different backgrounds play happily together and cooperate well.  Pupils are developing confidence and they are proud of their work. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are supported well and they settle into the routine of school life quickly. Other pupils make a point of befriending them and including them in their games. Pupils with disabilities are equally welcomed and swiftly become valued members of the school community.  Teachers take opportunities to debate tricky subjects as the need arises and pupils feel content that they can turn to an adult if anything is troubling them.  Pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable are well supported by the wrap-around care the school

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Personal development and welfare

provides in liaison with a range of external agencies. The school’s investment to provide additional help such as the services of an educational psychologist ensures that pupils and their families can access the support they need swiftly.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils understand the negative effects of all kinds of bullying. They have a great deal of faith in the adults in the school to take swift action if they encounter any type of bullying behaviour.  Pupils in the Acorn Centre make good progress in overcoming their significant behavioural difficulties and making successful transitions back into their mainstream school or specialist provision.  Behaviour during playtimes is good and during lessons the school is a calm place of learning. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are generally strong, although they occasionally drift off, become restless or chat when tasks do not catch their interest.  Pupils’ absences are reducing and getting closer to the national average because of the rigorous actions to promote good attendance. This includes contacting home on the first day of an unexplained absence and home visits where this happens for a second day. Nevertheless, the attendance of disadvantaged

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Behaviour

pupils remains stubbornly below that of other pupils. Pupils are punctual to lessons and to school.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Pupils’ attainment in mathematics and reading have been below the national averages at the end of key stage two for over three years. In key stage one standards have also been low for some time. More worryingly, the number of pupils who making the expected progress in reading and mathematics from their different starting points has also been adrift of the national picture.  Leaders are in the early stages of implementing a new system for tracking pupils’ progress. As this develops it is difficult for leaders to be accurate in identifying which groups of pupils, including boys and those who have special educational needs, are on track to achieve their targets. To establish current progress, inspectors looked at a large number of pupils’ books. The work that pupils have completed since September confirms that pupils’ skills in writing and mathematics have improved significantly. Many pupils are now making good progress in these subjects, especially in Year 6, but this is not consistent

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

across all years and subjects. Consequently not all pupils are adequately prepared for the move to secondary school.  The current progress of the most-able pupils in mathematics and writing is not as strong as other pupils. There are examples of good progress being made in all years, but not consistently in each class. Often pupils from different starting points complete the same task before the most able move on to more challenging work, and this slows their progress.  The progress made by disadvantaged pupils has improved, but the gap between the progress they make and that of other pupils nationally remains too wide in reading, writing and mathematics. Current work suggests that the gap in school between disadvantaged pupils and their peers is continuing to close.  There are examples of pupils who have special educational needs making good progress because the support they have from their teacher and other adults is focused tightly on specific skills, knowledge or

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

understanding. Equally, there are examples when this effective practice does not happen and pupils’ progress stalls.  Pupils who attend the Acorn Centre do not always make strong progress because there are often gaps in their skills, knowledge and understanding.

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Early years provision is good

 The majority of children enter the Nursery with skills and abilities below what is typical for their age. Children’s speech, language and communication skills are generally the weakest element.  Children make stronger progress across the early years than in the main school because the quality of teaching is more consistent. Adults are particularly skilled in the nursery for two-year-olds and in the Reception classes in spotting opportunities to extend children’s communication skills.  Two-year-old children are taught well. They have frequent opportunities to play alongside other children of their age and develop their language, number and communication skills. For example, children playing on the equipment outside were taught words about positions, such as over, under and beside. They then began to use these words when they were indoors playing independently.  When children are guided by adults in small groups, they maintain high levels of engagement. On

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Early years provision is good

occasions this is less marked for some three-year-olds because adults working with this age group are less skilled at knowing when and how to intervene successfully to further children’s learning.  In the Reception classes there is a rich environment which supports pupils’ writing and reading skills. Parents told an inspector that their children were keen to read at home and said the school helped families with strategies to support reading at home. For many children, learning to do things for themselves has been an important part of their learning, and parents also report a rapid improvement when their child first starts school.  The number of children who achieve a good level of development by the end of Reception rose sharply last year and is now much closer to the national average and set to rise again this year. This is improving how well children are prepared for the move into Year 1.  Children are kind to each other and follow instructions carefully. They are developing a good

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Early years provision is good

understanding of rules and the consequences of breaking rules.  Senior leaders have taken decisive action to admit two-year-olds to the school as an important strategy for supporting disadvantaged children and their families. This is paying dividends in helping children to understand rules and routines, interact more confidently with others and develop a better quality of language.  The leadership of the early years is strong overall but there are a few remaining inconsistencies in the three-year-old nursery, where the conversations adults have with children are not of a consistently high quality.

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School details

Unique reference number 107209 Local authority Bradford Inspection number 10011955

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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 2–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 730 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rizwana Jamil Headteacher Zoe Mawson Telephone number 01274 363070 Website www.heaton.bradford.sch.uk Email address office@heaton.bradford.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 12–13 March 2014

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Information about this school

 The school is much larger than the average sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs is higher than average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are supported by the pupil premium is well above average. The pupil premium funding provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those looked after by the local authority.  The large majority of pupils are of Pakistani heritage, although there are many ethnic minorities represented, including an increasing proportion of children from Eastern European backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above average.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school manages a resourced behaviour unit, the Acorn Centre, on behalf of the local authority. There

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Information about this school

are currently nine pupils attending the unit.  The school is on track to become an academy with the Beckfoot Trust at the end of August.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed a range of lessons, some of which were observed jointly with senior leaders.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ work and spoke to pupils formally and informally.  Several meetings were held with leaders, governors and staff. The inspectors visited the Acorn Centre, a resourced behaviour unit which is managed by the school.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of the school’s documents, including the school’s improvement plan, governing body minutes and the school’s self-evaluation documents.  Inspectors took into account the views of staff and pupil responses to Ofsted’s online survey.  Inspectors also spoke to parents informally and took into account the 78 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View.

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Inspection team

Joan Hewitt, lead inspector Senior Her Majesty’s Inspector Gillian Wiles Ofsted Inspector Mark Dent Ofsted Inspector James Reid Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

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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