Cliffe Hill Community Primary School

Cliffe Hill Community Primary School Stoney Lane, Lightcliffe, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX3 8TW

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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

 Pupils make good progress from their starting points. This is the case in all key stages and for different groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those who have special needs and/or disabilities.  Teachers plan engaging activities which pupils enjoy and focus on. Teachers use opportunities to mark pupils’ work as an effective way to check their progress, and use these checks to inform the planning of activities. This means that pupils’ needs are met well.  Pupils’ conduct is good. They also demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. The welfare and personal development of pupils are good and always at the centre of activities planned by staff and leaders.  Attendance is in line with the average and the links the school makes with parents are outstanding.  Leaders have worked effectively to respond to areas for improvement at the last inspection. This means that teaching and pupils’ outcomes have

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This is a good school

improved well and are now good.  Governors have a very sharp focus on and clear understanding of what the school’s challenges are and how these are overcome. They also pay very close attention to the protocols in place to keep pupils safe, and the systems used to check pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching.  Children make good progress in the early years and their specific needs are well understood so that activities meet these needs.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The teaching of elements of the broader curriculum, namely science, humanities, religious education and languages, requires improvement, because opportunities to reinforce reading, writing and mathematics skills are sometimes missed.  The monitoring of the wider curriculum is not robust enough to pick up inconsistency in the quality of teaching. Consequently, other subjects are not improving as quickly as English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to improve the quality of teaching and outcomes by: ensuring that the quality of teaching in all aspects of the curriculum, in particular humanities, science, languages and religious education, specifically offers pupils regular opportunities to reinforce their key skills in reading, writing and mathematics. ensuring that checks on pupils’ understanding in lessons are made equally across all areas of the curriculum to inform teachers as to where misconceptions are apparent so that reinforcement can be given and, where appropriate, pupils can be moved on more rapidly.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that leaders develop the broader leadership of the school further by: offering bespoke coaching and training to subject leaders new to the role so they are all able to robustly and rigorously monitor the quality of teaching and outcomes of pupils in their area offering subject leaders opportunities to work collaboratively to plan so that the reinforcement of key skills is done regularly and equally across the broader curriculum.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Leaders have responded effectively to the areas for improvement at the last inspection. There has been a clear and strong focus on the quality of teaching which has improved through more rigorous training, which meets teachers’ needs well. This has improved classroom practices and the outcomes of pupils, and different groups of pupils across all key stages now achieve well. A small amount of teaching still requires further improvement, however.  Due to improvements, pupils’ attainment has risen and is now at least meeting the national average, and an increased proportion are exceeding this average. This is also the case for the rate of progress pupils now make in reading, writing and mathematics. This is apparent for all groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.  Pupils from different backgrounds and varying abilities, including those who are educated with support

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

from the specialist resource, have an equal opportunity to achieve well.  Appraisal of staff is rigorous and teachers are held to account about the progress pupils in their class make. Performance management arrangements ensure that staff understand the importance of meeting pupils’ needs well so that they can access the learning and move on rapidly. Teacher training has also supported this.  Information provided for appraisal is accurate because teaching is robustly monitored by leaders and because the assessment of reading, writing and mathematics identifies pupils’ achievement clearly, including any underachievement. This assessment information informs extra support programmes to overcome underachievement, and this has contributed to better outcomes for all groups of pupils.  The leadership of the autism spectrum disorder resourced provision is strong. Parents also report that the work done in the resource has massively contributed to better relationships and routines being

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

established in the home, which impacts positively on everyone.  Leadership of provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities in the rest of school is also strong. As well as having a very high proportion of pupils with specific needs, the range of needs is wide and the level of complexity is also often high. Pupils’ needs are clearly understood and worked with carefully. Teachers and their assistants are well trained to deal with pupils’ needs and the leader of the area makes sure that information provided for staff is up to date and detailed to inform teachers’ planning and to meet these pupils’ needs well.  The curriculum is broad and balanced. In addition, the curriculum, including extra-curricular activities, strongly supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, pupils go on residential trips where they take part in team activities to test and develop their capacity to work

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

collaboratively, to share ideas and be respectful of others’ opinions. The range of pupils’ abilities and specific needs is also used very positively to ensure that pupils have a very clear understanding of the diverse way in which people work and interact. Pupils demonstrated throughout the curriculum their acceptance and celebration of each other’s differences through their respectful attitudes. This is further upheld by the lack of any serious behaviour incidents and bullying, including bullying of a prejudicial nature. In this way and through the diverse range of visits, pupils also have a clear understanding of the core British values. For example, key stage 2 pupils visit the local magistrates’ courts to understand the justice system and what happens when people do not follow the rule of law.  In humanities, science, languages and religious education opportunities are sometimes missed to reinforce reading, writing and mathematics. In addition, the broader curriculum is led by new subject

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

leaders who have not yet had specific coaching to monitor the quality of teaching and to support improvements, as necessary.  The engagement of parents by leaders and governors is outstanding. Parents are extremely positive about the impact the school has on their children, the caring nature of the staff and the opportunities pupils have to broaden their horizons.  The additional primary school sport funding is used to good effect. The school has used funding to improve the expert teaching in sport, the variety of sports clubs available for pupils and the opportunities to enter competitions. For example, the mixed-age dance troupe recently won the North West Regional Dance Competition and will soon be competing at a national level.  The local authority has supported leaders well on the journey to becoming a good school, advising them but also brokering support with a local national leader of education who has worked particularly in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

ensuring that monitoring of teaching is accurate.  The governance of the school Since the last inspection, governors have worked with leaders to ensure that all staff are fully accountable for the performance of their pupils. In addition, they have worked with leaders to implement an assessment system which provides clear information about the achievement of groups to ensure that where underachievement is apparent, leaders and teachers can respond appropriately. These actions have supported improvements in teaching and outcomes. Governors are linked to classes and are regularly in school speaking to pupils and staff. These links ensure that governors have a transparent view of what is happening in school and can support leaders in further improving the school.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school works closely with the local authority to ensure that safeguarding is effective. Clear policies are understood by staff, and this means that protocols

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

can be quickly implemented when necessary. Pastoral staff work well as a team and with leaders and teachers. The strength of this work means that pupils are well supported and safe. Records show that pupils’ safeguarding needs are documented as appropriate and staff are regularly trained to ensure that pupils are safe at school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Pupils’ work in books, and teachers’ assessment information all demonstrate good outcomes. Teaching ensures that pupils make good progress over time and this means that attainment is rising for all groups of pupils. The school’s own monitoring of teaching identifies accurately the strengths in teaching and where more could be done.  Most teachers’ use of marking means that they check pupils’ work regularly and this informs their lesson plans. These provide activities which meet pupils’ needs well and engage different groups of pupils well. Occasionally, the checks teachers make of pupils’ understanding in books, or through the work they do with pupils in lessons – such as questioning – is not always used well to inform planning.  Activities in learning are challenging and pupils enjoy the fact that they are often asked to work hard. This means that they engage well with learning and this helps their progress. The most able pupils

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

receive work that challenges them and allows them to move on rapidly. As a result, an increasing proportion of these pupils are reaching the higher than expected levels of reading, writing and mathematics.  Most teachers use questioning skilfully to support learning, taking the needs and abilities of different groups into consideration. Teachers, as well as teaching assistants, know how to reshape and reframe questions to help pupils understand and move their learning on. Questioning is also used to challenge individuals so that learners are also developing their oral communication skills and become more skilled in articulating themselves fully and with confidence.  Teaching assistants are skilful and well trained. They are very aware of the needs of the pupils they support, whether these pupils are underachieving or have specific needs. Teaching assistants are expert in pushing pupils to think for themselves and recognising their achievements. As a result, the pupils

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

supported by the teaching assistants, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress.  The autism spectrum disorder resourced provision works successfully to help pupils to work increasingly independently, at times working within the mainstream classes for different parts of the curriculum. The individual needs of these pupils are very well understood by adults who use this information to provide bespoke timetables. This means that pupils are confident, make friendships with pupils in the mainstream and form positive relationships with adults in school.  Sometimes teachers do not make best use of the broader curriculum to reinforce the key skills of reading, writing, mathematics, spelling, punctuation and grammar.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils feel safe. They say that adults in school care for them and know them well. They also understand potentially dangerous situations and know what to do if they are concerned about something or someone.  Pupils’ attendance is in line with the average for most groups of pupils. Those with specific physical and medical needs do not always have regular attendance but for very good reasons, and the school still provides these pupils with work, if requested.  Pupils are aware of different types of bullying, including cyber bullying and prejudiced-based bullying. They believe that bullying is very rare and dealt with well if it does occur. Parents agree with this. This view is confirmed by the school’s survey of parental opinion and the school’s record of incidents.  Pupils are proud of their school. They talk very positively about their experiences in class and away from

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Personal development and welfare

the classroom. They particularly enjoy the increased opportunities to represent their school in competitions. They present their work well in books, and take pride in their own appearance. The classrooms and other areas around the school are tidy and well organised.  Pupils know how to keep themselves fit and healthy, thanks to the work done in sport and during other lessons. They enjoy school dinners and report that these are varied, tasty and healthy.

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Behaviour

 Behaviour is a strength in the school, in terms of the pupils’ personal welfare and development and their conduct. Pupils are keen to learn and enjoy lessons, thus demonstrating good attitudes to learning, although this is not consistent where a very small proportion of teaching is not good.  School offers a calm and purposeful environment at both social times and in lessons, and lessons are rarely disrupted because of poor behaviour. Routines are well understood so little adult intervention is required to remind pupils of the expectations.  There are no recent serious behaviour issues and disruption of learning is rare. Pupils report that this is because learning is fun and they know it is useful.  Pupils are enthusiastic and hard-working learners, as seen in their attitudes in lessons, their work in books, including the close attention they pay to teachers’ feedback, and their good attendance.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils make good progress and the standards they reach in reading, writing and mathematics have improved. They enter the school with levels of development that are broadly below what is typical for their age. They make better than expected progress during their time in school, accelerating the standards of attainment and, therefore, leaving each key stage in line with or above standards expected nationally. They are well prepared for their next stage of learning.  Different groups of pupils achieve well. This includes disadvantaged pupils who make good progress and often make better progress than peers in school. This means they are reaching and sometimes exceeding the standards expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities have good outcomes. Their very varied and, at times, complex needs are well understood, and bespoke support is provided by strong teachers and

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Outcomes for pupils are good

teaching assistants to ensure that pupils make good progress across the curriculum and skill areas. This includes pupils who work in the autism spectrum disorder resourced provision. Due to strong support of these pupils’ academic needs, as well as their personal, social and emotional development, they become increasingly independent and able to access parts of the mainstream curriculum.  Pupils who are disadvantaged make good progress that in line with, and at times better than, peers in school. Like other groups, these pupils’ needs are checked well in lessons and by using the good assessment system. Where underachievement is apparent, this is identified quickly and dealt with.  Early reading skills are taught well from the early years onwards and a high proportion of pupils consistently pass the check of phonics knowledge at the end of Year 1. Pupils who are struggling in this area of learning are given extra help to meet the expected standard by the end of Year 1.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 The most able pupils reach higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics, in line with their peers nationally. This is because the level of challenge has improved since the last inspection and pupils are moved on more rapidly in their learning. Since the last inspection, the attainment of these pupils and other ability groups has improved.

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Early years provision is good

 The early years teachers and leader work well to provide good teaching for children. Children enter the setting with levels of development which are generally below what is typical for their age. Over their time in the setting, they make good progress and are well prepared for Year 1.  Regular and accurate assessment identifies any gaps in children’s learning and development. The personal, social and emotional development of children, as well as their speaking and listening skills, and their understanding are strong focus areas for teachers. Leaders’ strong focus on these areas allow other aspects of children’s learning to be developed effectively.  High expectations of children’s behaviour come through clear routines which children get to know quickly when they arrive. These routines make children feel secure and help them to settle so that they are quickly ready to learn. The routines also help the transition between activities to be quick and calm.

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Early years provision is good

 Children’s interest in the activities and the compliance with expectations and routines in class and outside mean that they conduct themselves well and demonstrate their eagerness to learn.  Children’s welfare and personal development are central to the work of adults. Parents agree that the school could not do more to ensure that their children are safe, well, happy and making good progress. Parents also value the regular chances they have to see their children’s work and the advice they receive around supporting their children at home with their learning. Children are safe and say they feel safe.

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School details

Unique reference number 107525 Local authority Calderdale Inspection number 10012035

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 208 Appropriate authority The local authority Chair Lindsey Murray Headteacher Lindsay Lomas Telephone number 01422 202086 Website www.cliffehill.calderdale.sch.uk Email address head@cliffehill.calderdale.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 26–27 June 2016

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils are White British.  A much higher than average proportion of pupils are disadvantaged. These pupils are supported through pupil premium funding, which is additional government funding provided to support pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals or who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is well above average.  The school has an autism spectrum disorder resourced provision. There are six places in the resource, serving pupils from Year 3 to Year 6. Pupils have an individualised timetable and spend time both in the resource and in the mainstream school as required, based on their specific needs.  Children enter the school in Nursery on a part-time basis and then move into the Reception class on a full-time basis.  The school is supported by the local authority and has previously been supported by a national leader of

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Information about this school

education from the Bright Futures Academy.  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.  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 learning, some of which was observed with the headteacher.  Inspectors observed and spoke with pupils during lessons and at breaktime. They also met formally with groups of pupils from key stages 1 and 2. They observed pupils in an assembly and at lunchtime.  Meetings were held with senior and middle leaders. Meetings also took place with members of the governing body, a representative from the local authority and the headteacher from the support school.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and considered pupils’ work and a range of documents, including the school’s arrangements for safeguarding, performance management procedures and records of pupils’ attendance. They also looked at information about pupils’ progress and attainment.  Inspectors considered 20 responses from parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. They also spoke with parents as they brought their children to school during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Fiona McNally, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Linda Griffiths Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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

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Inspection team

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

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Inspection team

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

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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