Wilsden Primary School

Wilsden Primary School Tweedy Street, Wilsden, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD15 0AE

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school has improved the quality of teaching in Years 5 and 6. However, teaching throughout the school is not consistently good enough for pupils to make the progress they should.  The disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make slow progress. This is because teachers do not plan activities which are sufficiently well focused on their needs.  In reading and mathematics teachers do not always correct misunderstandings. Tasks planned for the pupils do not always develop the skills and knowledge they need to learn in order to make rapid progress.  Expectations of the youngest children in the early years are too low and the activities they are allowed to choose do not always move learning on fast enough.  Although pupils say they feel safe and the school follows correct procedures to ensure the safety and well-being of pupils, the records and documentation relating to safeguarding are not

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

always well organised or readily accessible.  When school leaders and governors evaluate the school initiatives they have not been focused enough to help the most vulnerable pupils achieve as well as they could.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 After much turbulence the school now has a settled staff. They share the headteacher’s vision for high standards and are committed to accelerating the pace of improvement.  Pupils’ attendance has improved. Pupils’ behaviour is good and they focus well on their learning. They are keen to learn and enjoy well-chosen homework projects, which help them make good progress.  The curriculum is well planned giving the pupils a rich experience of different topics. Pupils say they find learning interesting and this motivates them to learn.  The school has worked hard to promote the enjoyment of reading and this has been successful in engaging pupils’ interest in a range of books and literature.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so pupils make good progress by:  sharing the best practice in school  providing tasks in mathematics and reading which develop pupils’ skills and understanding in these subjects  planning work to correct pupils’ misunderstandings  using assessment to set work at the right level of difficulty for the disadvantaged pupils as well as those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.  Improve the quality of provision in the early years by:  raising expectations of what children should achieve  using assessment information to ensure tasks the children do are building on the skills they need to learn.  Strengthen leadership and management by:  developing skills and expertise at all levels so leaders can evaluate the impact of changes on the disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities  ensuring safeguarding documentation is organised and regularly checked by the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 The headteacher and senior leaders have successfully improved the quality of teaching in upper key stage 2. This good practice is not sufficiently evident lower down the school or in early years to enable pupils to make good progress from their various starting points, particularly the disadvantaged pupils.  Until very recently the support and guidance for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities has been inconsistent. As a result, these pupils have not always made the progress they should. The school has recently appointed a permanent special educational needs coordinator to ensure good provision for this group of pupils.  The headteacher has delegated some aspects of the welfare and safeguarding of pupils to several members of staff. Because their work has not been thoroughly overseen, information is sometimes disorganised and not quickly accessible to the people with ultimate responsibility for safeguarding.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leaders have used the pupil premium funding to provide additional teaching for the disadvantaged pupils, some of whom have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Senior leaders and governors are relentless in monitoring how well these pupils are doing. However, they have been less successful in evaluating the impact of changes and therefore have not responded quickly enough to findings from monitoring to ensure that these groups of pupils catch up.  The school has developed a system for tracking the attainment and progress of pupils. This provides comprehensive information for leaders to analyse strengths and weaknesses. However, it is not used well enough by teachers to enable them to plan tasks in reading and mathematics which are well matched to what pupils need to learn.  There has been some turbulence in staffing since the school’s previous inspection. The present staff bring renewed energy and enthusiasm which is reflected in the pupils’ good

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

attitudes to learning.  High-quality displays around the school reflect high expectations. Senior leaders require classrooms to be well organised and there is a consistent approach to the presentation of pupils’ work.  The school has adopted a whole-school approach to the teaching of writing. This results in some good work throughout the school, where many pupils of all ages are achieving high standards. Pupils’ handwriting is good. They effectively edit and improve their work, which results in a well-constructed and presented piece of writing.  The leadership team has monitored and evaluated teachers’ performance. Performance management targets are clearly linked to pupils’ progress and attainment. Support has been given where teaching is weaker and this has had a marked impact on improving the quality of teaching particularly in upper key stage 2.  The school’s curriculum is a real strength, providing enjoyment and enrichment. As a

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

result pupils are keen to learn. Some of the disadvantaged pupils told inspectors that visits and ‘seeing things for themselves’ before starting a topic really helped them understand things.  Primary school sports funding has been used effectively to improve the skills of teachers to deliver good-quality physical education lessons. Coaches bring to the school a high level of expertise and mentor the teachers. Additional extra-curricular activities provide opportunities for all pupils to participate in more sports and represent the school in competitive games.  Lessons, assemblies and the Christmas productions, which were held during the inspection, promote effective reflection on faith, culture and personal choices. The opinions of pupils are taken into consideration when changes are introduced. This helps pupils to gain an understanding of democracy and reflect on the views of others, considering equality and fairness. Pupils show respect for people from all backgrounds

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

and demonstrate a good understanding of British values, which prepares them well for life in modern Britain.

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Governance of the school

 Governance of the school is good.  Governors are robust in holding the senior leaders to account and challenging the headteacher. They have a good understanding of the quality of teaching across the school and scrutinise the school’s assessment data to see how well pupils are doing.  Governors are aware that disadvantaged pupils do not achieve as well as other pupils and have allocated resources to support this group. They have been less effective in evaluating what difference these resources are making to the outcomes of disadvantaged pupils so they can reconsider further changes to enable these pupils to make better progress.  Governors understand that the progress pupils make should be the main driver when awarding pay increases for teachers and the headteacher. They are fully prepared to challenge underperformance where teaching has not been good and have rejected pay increase requests that are not warranted.

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Governance of the school

 Governors are fully conversant with their statutory duties for safeguarding, ensuring staff are recruited with careful consideration. The school’s systems for safeguarding pupils are effective.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The school follows correct procedures to ensure that pupils are safe. It takes appropriate action when necessary, refers to and communicates with outside agencies and follows up concerns.  A number of staff support the headteacher in his role as the designated lead for safeguarding pupils. Various members of staff deal with external agencies and parents where appropriate. While this teamwork approach has been successful in improving attendance it has resulted in some of the information being disorganised and not quickly to hand.  The school checks all members of staff before they are recruited and keeps an accurate and up-to-date single central record which is checked by governors.  Teachers and pupils are aware of the school’s procedures for safeguarding. Training for staff is up to date and they are aware of their obligations in preventing radicalisation and

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Safeguarding

extremism. Pupils say they feel safe and the majority of parents agree. The school is keen to give pupils the opportunity to go on school trips and plans these with appropriate risk assessments so that pupils are safe at all times.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The quality of teaching is good in Years 5 and 6. The quality of teaching in the rest of the school is inconsistent because work is not always pitched at the right level of difficulty. In the younger classes activities given to the pupils are sometimes more about completing the task rather than focused on the skills and knowledge they need to learn.  Teachers have a lively and engaging way of presenting new topics to the pupils but sometimes miss opportunities to correct misunderstandings, particularly in mathematics. The introduction of ‘daily drilling’ gives the pupils regular practice in basic arithmetic. However, too often pupils make mistakes that are not addressed.  The school has a comprehensive assessment system and teachers use this to gain an overview of pupils’ achievements but it is less well used to plan suitable work to accelerate the progress of those pupils who have special educational needs and/or

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

disabilities or those from disadvantaged backgrounds.  The school has reviewed the way reading is taught. Pupils enjoy books very much and the most able readers can discuss their preferences for different authors. While pupils have many opportunities to read either on their own or as part of a group, these sessions do not always make the most of the time in helping pupils refine the skills they need to become fluent readers. Some of the most able readers were not aware what it was exactly that they needed to do to improve.  The teaching of writing is good. Pupils have learned the skill of editing and improving their own work and presenting this to a high standard. As a result pupils are able to write effectively for different purposes and for a range of audiences. Pupils proudly showed inspectors their writing work displayed in each classroom.  Teachers use information technology which engages the pupils’ interests and motivates

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

them to learn. In a key stage 1 class pupils were learning about Tudor houses by watching a power point presentation. Once they knew they were going to make a model in design and technology they were very excited and keen to start work. This enthusiasm helps them to achieve well.  Teachers provide good feedback to pupils on how they could improve their work. However where pupils have made mistakes teachers do not always use this to plan appropriate tasks.  The teaching of curriculum subjects such as design and technology, science and art is well structured through topics and this results in some good-quality work. Pupils’ books showed that they are able to use the skills they have learned in English to write effectively in subjects such as geography and history.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. The school provides good opportunities for pupils to take responsibility in roles such as play leaders, librarians and school council representatives.  Funding is used to provide opportunities for extra-curricular clubs and trips for pupils who would otherwise not have the chance to participate in out-of-school activities. This is having a positive impact on the attitudes of disadvantaged pupils.  Pupils have a good understanding of what bullying is and were able to explain the difference between falling out and victimisation. They say bullying does not happen often and they feel the school keeps them safe.  Pupils have learned how to keep themselves safe riding their bikes and when using the internet. They have a good understanding of cyber-bullying and bullying related to gender and race. They know what to do if bullying occurs.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s breakfast and after-school clubs provide a safe and well-organised place to start and finish the day.  Pupils talked about what they had learned during Black History week and were firm in their belief that ‘we are all unique’ and we should respect people from different cultures and religions. Pupils were clear that people had a right to make different life choices and hold different views. They are well prepared to develop into good citizens in a tolerant and diverse modern Britain.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. The majority of parents who responded to Parent View agree. The school has been very effective in raising the aspirations of pupils. The school’s expectation that pupils take responsibility for their own learning has been pivotal in developing their positive attitudes.  Pupils’ growing confidence as learners is clearly evident. They are able to persevere when something is difficult or find an appropriate resource to work out a problem. Pupils were able to show inspectors their work and explain their journey of progress. They rightly have a pride in their learning journals and their edited writing displayed in the classrooms.  Pupils are well mannered and courteous. They are attentive, listen well to the adults and their peers, and show respect for the views of others. They play cooperatively in the playground and move around the school in an orderly way.  The school’s focus on celebrating good attendance and addressing persistent absence

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Behaviour

with focused intervention means attendance has improved, including for the disadvantaged pupils, and it is now as good as the national average.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 The outcomes for the end of key stage 2 have improved since the school’s last inspection and pupils make progress similar to that of their peers nationally in reading, writing and mathematics.  The progress of disadvantaged pupils in reading by the time they leave primary school is poor when compared to other pupils nationally.  The overall improvements at the top of the school are not reflected in either the early years or the end of key stage 1 where too few pupils make better than expected progress from their starting points.  Since the school’s last inspection pupils’ achievement in phonics at the end of Year 1 and Year 2 has been inconsistent and improvement is not stable. This is reflected in pupils’ weak achievement in reading at the end of key stage 1.  Achievement in writing at the end of key stage 1 has improved but not for the disadvantaged pupils, whose achievement lags well behind other pupils nationally. At the

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

end of key stage 1 pupils’ achievement in science is weak.  In mathematics higher-ability pupils achieve well at both key stage 1 and key stage 2. From the end of key stage 1 and through to Year 6 higher-ability pupils achieve well in reading. This is reflected in their obvious enjoyment of books and their well-informed opinions of different genres and authors.  This success is not reflected in the achievement of higher-ability disadvantaged pupils. It is not until they get into Years 5 and 6 that their progress accelerates and they start to catch up with their most able peers nationally.  Across the school the progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is patchy. This is acknowledged by the school. There is some good provision for those pupils with the severest need. While there is some skilled support in classes, teachers do not use assessment sharply enough to plan activities which develop precisely

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

the skills and knowledge these pupils need.  Pupils’ books show an improving picture particularly of writing across the whole school.  Pupils write effectively across the full range of the curriculum. Their learning journals are a well-presented book showing the pupils’ learning in subjects such as science, geography and history, all presented to the same high standard as their English work.

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Early years provision Requires improvement

 Leadership of the early years is bringing about a clearer focus on improving the quality of learning. As a result outcomes are improving but not quickly enough. Children enter the Reception class with skills and knowledge typical of their age. Expectations of what these children could achieve are too low, and for the most able pupils there is a lack of challenge. As a result they make no better than expected progress from their starting point, which means too few are entering key stage 1 with higher standards.  Assessment is used effectively to plan the direct teaching of the basic skills of mathematics and literacy. Teachers use precise questioning to develop pupils’ mathematical understanding. The skills the children learn during these sessions are not as well developed as they are through activities they are allowed to choose for themselves. The planning for this provision is not sharp enough in making sure children

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Early years provision Requires improvement

practise the skills they need and this slows their progress.  The outside area does not reflect the language-rich environment of the indoor classrooms. Insufficient monitoring of children’s access to the range of activities means that too often boys opt out of the more focused work of reading and writing and this is reflected in their slower rate of progress in these subjects.  Children’s behaviour is good both in the classroom and in the outside area. They are confident and willing to initiate conversation and keenly share their work showing a high degree of motivation. Children cooperate well in pairs, take turns, listen carefully and follow instructions. They follow well-established routines and meet expectations for the way they conduct themselves.  Children are excited by the activities provided, particularly the overnight visit from Father Christmas who had left snowy footprints across the classrooms. They were busy

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Early years provision Requires improvement

making reindeer food and were able to explain the purpose for this, which helped develop their speaking and listening skills.  The needs of individual children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are adequately met. Those pupils needing additional support with acquiring basic skills are fully integrated. In phonics for example children participate in the same activities but the teacher’s questioning is adapted to their needs.  Relationships with parents are good. The welfare and safety of the youngest children are given the correct priority in the early years. Staff are skilled and responsive to children’s individual needs. Transition arrangements are good and all health and safety requirements are met. The unit is a safe place for children.

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School details

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

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 2–3 December 2014

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Information about this school

 This is a larger than average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils are White British.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is lower than average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English 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

 The inspectors visited lessons in all classrooms, some with the headteacher. In addition, the inspectors observed small groups of pupils being taught.  The inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work, heard pupils read and spoke to pupils about their enjoyment of school and their opinions of behaviour and safety.  The inspectors held discussions with staff and governors.  A wide range of school documents were taken into account as part of the evidence, including: the school’s self-evaluation, its school development plan, behaviour and attendance records, governing body documents and documents relating to the monitoring of teachers’ performance.  54 parents submitted responses to Parent View and parents’ written comments were considered by the inspection team, who also talked to parents before and after school.

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Inspection team

Karen Heath, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jim McGrath 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

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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 .

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Inspection team

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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.gov.uk/ofsted

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