Outwood Primary Academy Lofthouse Gate

School report Outwood Primary Academy Lofthouse Gate Canal Lane, Lofthouse Gate, Wakefield WF3 3HU

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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 Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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This is a good school

 The executive principal and principal have quickly built a strong and effective team of leaders. Together with some leaders from the academy trust, they make a highly effective contribution to school improvement. Consequently, teaching, learning and assessment are generally good and improving rapidly in English and mathematics.  Children who begin school in the Nursery and Reception classes, get off to the best start possible. Outstanding teaching in the early years and consistently good and better teaching in key stage 1 have created and sustained a momentum of high achievement for all groups of pupils, including the most able.  Teachers in upper key stage 2 have high expectations and work hard to ensure that gaps in pupils’ learning in English and mathematics are addressed. This means the high achievement seen in 2015 has been at least sustained, if not improved upon.  Disadvantaged pupils and those who have special

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This is a good school

educational needs or disability make remarkable progress in English and mathematics. Leaders know what is needed to close the gaps in their achievement.  Pupils’ behaviour is of the highest order. Pupils look after one another exceptionally well and take their responsibilities seriously. Their overwhelmingly positive relationships with each other and adults clearly demonstrate the level of respect and tolerance they have for each other.  Safeguarding is highly effective. The school is vigilant and meticulous in its work to ensure that pupils are safe and well cared for at all times. Pupils and parents and carers agree.  Together, the local academy board and academy trust provide effective challenge and support for the school. Resources, including additional funding such as the pupil premium and sports funding, are used very effectively.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not all teaching is as effective as it should be to ensure consistently good progress in some curriculum subjects and in lower key stage 2.  Not all pupils receive their full entitlement to a well-balanced curriculum. Standards in some curriculum subjects, such as history and geography are not as high as they need to be.  Leaders do not focus sharply enough on the impact of teaching on learning; consequently, their evaluation of the quality of teaching is over- generous.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that the good and rapidly improving foundation in learning pupils have in the early years and key stage 1 is built upon effectively through school, so there is no need for pupils to spend time catching up in Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Sharpen the monitoring of teaching to evaluate precisely the impact of teaching on learning, to ensure that all teachers have the highest expectations and teach to a consistently high standard by: – carefully and more rigorously checking pupils’ understanding of what they learn and do when leaders observe teaching – checking on the level and timeliness of the challenge teachers offer, particularly in mathematics and for the most able – looking closely at pupils’ work to evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum and teaching over time, particularly in writing.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to develop the curriculum to ensure that: – all pupils have access to a broad and balanced curriculum throughout their primary school years – teachers provide pupils with work that challenges them and enables them to use and apply their well- honed English and mathematics skills – teachers set appropriate and suitably challenging tasks and have high expectations of pupils’ written work in other curriculum subjects.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The principal is passionate about ensuring that pupils receive the best education and care possible. She is extremely well supported in this vision by the executive principal, the school’s leadership team and the academy trust.  Since converting to an academy, there have been concerted changes in leadership at various levels. The capacity of the leadership team to embed improvements across the school, and to move the school to outstanding, has increased because of the excellent support and collaborative working the academy trust provides. This supports not only the development of leaders in school but all teaching staff, including newly qualified teachers. There is a now a cohesive team of determined, innovative and increasingly effective leaders at all levels who make a significant contribution to school improvement and high outcomes for pupils. Nevertheless, leaders have more work to do to ensure that some pupils in lower key

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

stage 2 have access to the same high levels of quality classroom teaching. This is to reduce the need to boost pupils’ learning and progress in English and mathematics at the end of the key stage. It also ensures that teaching across the curriculum and in all year groups is of the highest order.  Leaders regularly monitor teaching and standards. Staff say they that value this immensely in terms of their own professional development. This has embedded a culture of learning and development which has enabled leaders to provide greater consistency in the agreed approaches to teaching. Much of the monitoring of teaching has focused on what teachers do rather than what difference this is making to pupils’ learning and development. This has resulted in school self-evaluation that is descriptive rather than deeply evaluative and, as a result, is too generous.  The executive headteacher has been instrumental in developing an effective system of tracking pupils’

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

progress. This is set against highly aspirational targets for pupils’ achievement. Rigorous checking on the progress pupils are making has been effective in accelerating progress for many pupils, particularly the small proportion of disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs or disability.  There are clear systems and structures in place within the school and trust to hold staff to account for the quality of their work. Leaders use this effectively when making decisions about pay progression, and reward consistently good and exceptional practice.  The curriculum is developing to provide pupils with increased opportunities to learn about and explore the world they live in. However, pupils’ entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum is not consistently strong across year groups and some parents expressed concern about this. The standard of teaching in curriculum subjects, other than in mathematics and English, is variable across the school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well through aspects of the curriculum, after-school activities, visits and through the life and work of the school. Pupils show a great level of respect and tolerance for each other, as seen in their collaborative work in class and the way older pupils take their responsibilities seriously. Leaders and staff set the tone through their relationships with each other and with pupils. Pupils understand and respect differences. For example, the school’s work to break down stereotypes in sport is increasingly effective. Both boys and girls happily play football together during lunch and breaktimes and girls take part in a football club and boxing class after school. The school works hard to ensure that pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain.  The pupil premium funding is used very effectively to ensure that disadvantaged pupils get the teaching and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

support they need to succeed. This has had a notable impact on their progress and attendance this year.  The funding to increase pupils’ participation in sports and physical activity is used very well. A large proportion of pupils engage in a range of sporting and keep-fit activities such as boot camp, athletics, rugby, football and street dance. The subject lead makes sure pupils have a voice in choosing the types of activity on offer, which ensures high participation rates. The funding is also used to enhance adults’ skills in teaching physical education (PE). The school is committed to ensuring that pupils receive their entitlement to two hours’ quality PE each week.  A good proportion of parents responded to Parent View and many took time to write comments. Inspectors also took some time to talk with parents. Overall, parents were very positive about the leadership and work of the school. They felt their children were happy and safe.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The governance of the school: – The governance structure is highly effective in seeking to hold the school’s leaders to account, both at trust level and through the local academy council. The chief executive officer takes a personal interest in the development and progress of the school and manages the performance of the executive principal and principal. – The local academy council values what being part of a large academy trust brings to the school and their roles. Members of the council act as critical friends and provide a good level of challenge while representing the interests of the community in a school operating within a large academy trust. The activities they undertake enable them to know and challenge the school well. – The academy trust has the statutory responsibilities of governance and ensures that funding is used appropriately and effectively to enhance pupils’ education.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The procedures in place to keep pupils safe are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

rigorous. The school has excellent partnerships with parents, carers and external agencies. Safeguarding training for staff and governors is up to date and staff are very vigilant in their approach to pupils’ welfare, ensuring that the school fulfils its aim, to put ‘children first’. All appropriate checks are carried out and recorded.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The school’s assessment information and pupils’ work show that, over time, the quality of teaching is good, and in some instances, outstanding in English and mathematics.  Most teachers are consistent in their use of the agreed systems and procedures for teaching and assessing pupils’ learning and progress. This has increased the quality and pace of pupils’ learning, which in turn is raising standards in English and mathematics to the higher levels now expected in each year group.  The teaching of reading has improved. Teachers and teaching assistants skilfully and systematically develop the younger pupils’ phonic skills (their knowledge of letters and the sounds they make). Consequently, pupils readily use their knowledge of phonics to read and spell with increasing confidence and accuracy. Teachers and teaching assistants target questioning effectively to develop pupils’ understanding of what they read and pupils have access to a wide range of books and resources which is

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

supporting these improvements.  Teaching is not so strong in some of the other curriculum subjects. Scrutiny of pupils’ work shows there are inconsistent opportunities for pupils to use and apply the knowledge and skills taught in English and mathematics across the curriculum. Some teachers’ expectations of what pupils should do and can do in other subjects are too low.  Not all teachers have got to grips with new expectations in writing. Leaders know this and have provided models of writing for staff, worked with individuals to support improvement and ensured that teachers have opportunities to moderate pupils’ work. Leaders know that teachers continue to need support to plan and deliver more effective sequences of teaching and have recently revised the curriculum and planned training to support this development. Some teachers do not model good standards of handwriting and presentation when providing written feedback in pupils’ books. A new handwriting

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

scheme and a push in key stage 1 ensure that pupils take greater care and pride in their work.  Innovative practice in the teaching of mathematics is raising standards quickly because teachers promptly address pupils’ misconceptions. Nevertheless, most-able pupils could progress at a faster pace and learn at a deeper level if teachers intervened sooner. While undertaking a joint work scrutiny with the inspector, leaders noted missed opportunities for pupils to explore the relationship between numbers and operations and other mathematical areas of learning. They agreed that teachers do not consistently help pupils to make these connections to check on the accuracy of their calculations or use and apply their knowledge and understanding in an increasing variety of contexts, including real-life situations.  Teaching assistants make a substantial contribution to pupils’ progress, providing timely and appropriate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

levels of support when and where needed. This is particularly the case for pupils who have special educational needs or disability. Inspectors saw a number of examples of effective practice and high expectations for these pupils. Many parents took time to express their gratitude for this particular aspect of the school’s work.  Teachers provide a number of purposeful homework tasks for pupils which parents can, if they choose, use to support learning. Parents say homework is suitably challenging, if not always engaging.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  The school helps pupils to develop personal qualities that will stand them in good stead as they progress through their education and life. The development of these characteristics can be seen from the outset in the early years and throughout school as pupils seek to work alongside each other and adults. The way pupils cooperate is exemplary, not only in the way they assist one another with their learning, but in the way they play and interact with each other and adults. Pupils relish their roles of responsibility which are many, such as school councillors, class ambassadors, peer mediators and learning leaders.  The school works highly effectively with a range of other agencies to ensure that all pupils are safe and well cared for. Pupils say they feel very safe in school and know who to go to for help. Parents agree.

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Personal development and welfare

 Pupils have a very good understanding of how to keep themselves safe, for example when using the internet or social media. The school is proactive in the way it communicates with parents about these matters by holding parent information sessions and providing easy access to online resources on the school’s website.  Incidents of bullying are rare. Pupils understand the different forms bullying can take and know how important it is to show respect and tolerance for others. They know the use of derogatory language is unacceptable and say they rarely hear it in school, but know that when and if it does happen, adults will deal with it appropriately.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils fully understand the school’s behaviour system and respond positively to the high expectations set by leaders, teachers and other staff.  Pupils are extremely thoughtful and caring towards each other and relationships are strong between adults and pupils. Pupils know how to manage their own behaviour and know the difference between what is right and what is wrong.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive and behaviour in class is typically of the highest order. They quickly develop and apply the learning behaviours the school promotes through its values and learning model. Their ability to work cooperatively and show empathy towards others plays a strong part in their good, and increasingly outstanding, learning and personal development.  Attendance is consistently above the national figures. This year, the school has secured much improved attendance for the small number of disadvantaged pupils.

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Behaviour

 Pupils enjoy attending their new breakfast club, where they have a healthy, happy and positive start to the day.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils’ outcomes by the end of key stage 2 have been consistently above those seen nationally, significantly so in writing and mathematics in 2015. Outcomes look set to be at least as high this year and the lower performance in reading is being addressed effectively. Nevertheless, for some of the oldest pupils, this has been at the expense of their entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum because they have needed to catch up.  Progress in lower key stage 2 is not as rapid, and pupils have some catching up to do. This is particularly noticeable in pupils’ writing in English and across the curriculum.  Throughout school, most pupils make expected progress and many often better in the core subjects of reading, writing and mathematics. Progress is particularly strong in reading and mathematics but writing lags behind.  The standard of writing in Year 6 is exceptionally strong. Pupils have more opportunities to write and

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Outcomes for pupils are good

redraft in order to practise, develop and fine-tune their knowledge and skills. Marking and feedback make a strong contribution to their progress. Pupils say, ‘We do it differently in Year 6.’ Throughout the school, pupils’ progress and standards in writing are variable. Some teachers’ weaker subject knowledge and lower expectations of what pupils, particularly the most able, should do and achieve means these pupils do not always make the progress they are capable of.  In mathematics, pupils make good progress across almost all classes because new and innovative approaches to teaching have enabled them to do so. However, the scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that some pupils spend too much time on things they can do. They are not always provided with tasks that fully challenge them to enable greater opportunities for more far-reaching learning, particularly for the most able.  Leaders’ actions to improve outcomes in the early years and key stage 1 have been highly successful.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

There is now a momentum of consistently higher achievement working its way through the school with less need to intervene. This means these pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their learning.  The proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics check has risen rapidly to above national figures and has increased at a faster pace. This is a significant strength and in recent years has contributed to the rise in standards of reading at the end of key stage 1. Younger pupils read enthusiastically, with fluency, expression and full understanding. Leaders know that reading has been a weaker aspect over time. They have ensured that approaches to the teaching of reading have improved and given pupils access to a wider variety of books and texts. This is helping to raise standards across both key stages.  Disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs or disability make exceptionally good

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Outcomes for pupils are good

progress from their various starting points because of the quality of support and teaching they receive.

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Early years provision is outstanding

 The principal has been committed to securing better provision and outcomes for children in the early years. The appointment of a highly effective early years leader has enabled this to happen quickly to ensure that all children make excellent progress from their starting points in Nursery, which are generally assessed as typical and some below.  Nearly all children make the good and outstanding progress needed for them to reach a good level of development by the time they leave Reception. This has increased rapidly over three years to a figure well above that seen nationally. This means most children are ready for their next stage of learning in Year 1. Any weaknesses in outcomes, such as children’s development in their understanding of the world and expressive arts and design, have been addressed effectively.  Staff plan activities which capture children’s imagination and challenge all abilities. Effective use is made

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Early years provision is outstanding

of the outdoor provision, even though there are plans to improve it, and staff are well deployed to boost learning and language development.  Children in Nursery rapidly learn about letters and the sounds they make. They are taught to form their letters and numbers correctly. Children in both settings put this to good use in their reading, writing and number work across the areas of learning. This is laying good foundations for future learning.  Children relish the opportunities they have to cooperate and learn from each other. They play with sustained concentration and clearly know how to be successful, confident learners. They behave well and typically participate fully in the activities provided for them.  Staff skilfully observe, assess and evaluate children’s learning and plan for their next steps. They intervene when appropriate to challenge and deepen children’s thinking and learning. Relationships are

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Early years provision is outstanding

exceptionally strong and help to promote children’s personal, social and emotional development very well.  The welfare arrangements in the early years are met. Staff carry out daily risk assessments indoors and outdoors to ensure that children are safe. They make sure that children are handed over to an appropriate adult at the end of a session or the day.  Staff work closely with parents, who are very positive about their children’s induction into the setting. The staff are welcoming, supportive and enable children to settle well.

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School details

Unique reference number 140085 Local authority Wakefield Inspection number 10011022

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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 Academy converter Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 434 Appropriate authority The academy council Chair Jonathan Stone Executive Principal Lee Wilson Principal Jacqueline Savage Telephone number 01924 303110 Website www.lofthousegate.outwood.com Email address principal@lofthousegate.outwood.com Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This school is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  The vast majority of the pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability receiving support is below that seen nationally, with a few pupils who have an education, health and care plan or a statement of special educational needs.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding is well below that seen nationally. Pupil premium funding is provided to support pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority.  Children in the Nursery attend part time and those in the Reception class attend full time.  The school meets the government’s 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 meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this school

 The school converted to an academy in September 2013 and since this time has had some significant changes in leadership and staffing.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed the quality of teaching in all classes, some jointly with the principal and senior leaders. The inspectors also made short visits to classrooms to evaluate the quality of the curriculum.  The inspectors reviewed the work in pupils’ books, heard some pupils read and observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.  The inspectors spoke to pupils informally in lessons and met two groups of pupils more formally.  Discussions were held with the chief executive officer of the academy trust, the executive principal and principal, other senior leaders, middle leaders, the academy council and pupils.  The inspectors evaluated a range of information relating to school improvement, including: the school’s own evaluation of its performance; minutes of the academy council meetings; information on pupils’ progress; monitoring records on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment; and information on

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Information about this inspection

pupils’ attendance and behaviour. The inspectors also looked at documents relating to safeguarding (protecting children and making sure they are safe) and evaluated a wide range of information on the school’s website.  Inspectors considered 50 responses made by parents to the Ofsted online questionnaire (Parent View) and considered the views expressed by parents spoken to before school. The views of 14 staff were also taken into account from the staff questionnaires. There were no responses to the questionnaire for pupils in this inspection.

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Inspection team

Anne Bowyer, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Kathleen Mc Arthur Ofsted Inspector Jane Moore Ofsted Inspector Harkireet Sohel 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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