Clayton St John CofE Primary School

Clayton CofE Primary School Bradford Road, Clayton, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD14 6DD

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Following the last inspection, there was a severe decline in pupils’ progress from which the school has barely recovered. This is because of weak leadership at all levels over time.  Leadership capacity is currently not sufficient to improve teaching and outcomes quickly enough.  Pupils’ outcomes are inadequate. Progress in mathematics over a number of years has been exceptionally poor, especially at key stage 2, and is not improving.  The progress of the most and least able pupils, the disadvantaged, and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities varies too widely between subjects and year groups.  The weak and variable progress made by pupils is because of inconsistencies in the quality of teaching in a wide range of subjects and year groups. Teaching fails to deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding.  There are weaknesses in pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. For

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

example, many pupils’ knowledge about religions other than Christianity, and about other cultures, is weak.  Behaviour is not good. A significant minority of pupils in some lessons disrupt their own and others’ learning. Adults are ineffective at preventing the bullying of a minority of pupils.  Too many children in the early years do not make the progress of which they are capable. Adults do not have high enough expectations of what children can achieve.  Too many disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are regularly absent. This holds back their progress.  The governing body has not managed to address the serious concerns of which they have been aware for some time.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The recently appointed temporary executive headteacher has made a promising start. In addition, the governing body has recently taken action that is more effective, beginning to put the school on the right path.  There are pockets of stronger teaching in some subjects and year groups.  There are signs of improvement in pupils’ outcomes in reading and writing in some classes across the school.

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Full report

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management, by: – securing the permanent senior leadership of the school – ensuring that there are enough middle leaders to share the workload and responsibility – coaching and training new leaders in their responsibilities so that they quickly begin to make a demonstrable difference – making sure that checks on teaching lead to consistency in the quality of teaching overall – holding leaders to account for the impact of their actions on the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes – sharpening school improvement plans so that actions are more appropriate and robust and measures of success are more precise – providing the governing body with more detailed information about the achievement and attendance of groups of pupils so governors can better challenge leaders – making sure that the work of governors concentrates on the most important priorities.  Increase pupils’ progress in all subjects, especially mathematics, by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– planning an effective whole-school strategy for teaching mathematics mastery – improving teachers’ knowledge in all subjects where it is required – training and developing teaching assistants and deploying them effectively – securing consistency in the quality of teaching in all year groups – providing children in the early years with more appealing and challenging activities – sharing teacher expertise across the school where it is stronger.  Improve behaviour, by: – always responding effectively to any incidents of bullying – being more alert to any use of discriminatory language and increasing pupils’ understanding of what is not appropriate – insisting on good manners from all pupils at all times, helping them to see what is and is not appropriate in school – ensuring that all groups of pupils are fully involved and engaged in learning so they do not lose interest and disrupt learning.  Raise the attendance of those pupils who are persistently absent, especially those who

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

are disadvantaged and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.  Better prepare pupils for life in modern Britain, by: – more effectively teaching pupils about a range of cultures and religions, current affairs and gender issues.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved. 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 Inadequate

 Senior leaders have failed to address serious weaknesses in pupils’ outcomes over a number of years. The capacity of leaders currently in the school is insufficient to improve teaching and outcomes quickly enough. The executive headteacher is only able to spend a few days a week at the school. The remaining senior leaders are unable to demonstrate the impact of their work; new leaders have only just taken up their roles so their effectiveness is unproven.  On arrival at the school, the executive headteacher discovered a more challenging situation than expected. She has made a positive start, introducing a range of appropriate measures. She has rallied the staff, securing their commitment to improvement. However, most improvements are at an early stage and are fragile. Actions have not had time to shift significantly the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement.  Over time, senior leaders have made regular checks on the quality of teaching,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

identifying strengths and weaknesses. However, leaders have not made effective use of this information to improve teaching. As a result, inconsistencies in the quality of teaching persist.  Procedures to hold teachers to account have not been precisely targeted at what should have been the most important priorities. Targets have not been appropriate or sharp enough to bring about improvement. Recently, the executive headteacher has introduced procedures that are more robust. These are beginning to help teachers see clearly what is expected of them. It is too early to assess the effectiveness of this work.  School improvement planning identifies some correct priorities but is not robust. The identified actions are not all entirely appropriate or rigorous enough to bring about the change needed. For example, the list of actions to improve mathematics does not address the fundamental requirements for an up-to-date approach to enable pupils to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

reach the required standards. Furthermore, the measures of success in the plan are not precise. Measures are unlikely to help leaders or governors check that sufficient progress is being made quickly enough.  Leaders track the achievement of groups of pupils but do not make effective use of this information to target resources well. Leaders’ use of pupil premium funding to improve the achievement of disadvantaged pupils has been limited in its effectiveness. The lion’s share of the funds has been used to maintain a large team of teaching assistants. However, the expertise and appropriate deployment of support staff are inconsistent so too many disadvantaged pupils have not made good progress.  The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) understands the needs of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities well. She makes checks on the way they are taught and, as a result, some of the pupils currently in the school are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

supported well, with some effective use being made of additional funding. However, weak teaching, much of which does not meet the needs of the least able pupils, continues to hamper the progress of too many, despite the work of the SENCo. In addition, leaders do not have a grasp of the progress the pupils make from different starting points and how it compares with other pupils’ progress. Historically, the progress of these pupils has been weak.  Pupils are often motivated by a stimulating and reasonably broad and balanced curriculum. For example, some pupils were seen enjoying enacting a Victorian classroom scenario in costumes. However, not all subjects are well developed. There is insufficient opportunity for practical science work, for example. Writing and mathematics opportunities are not well developed in other subjects. The work in some pupils’ topic books leaves much to be desired because teaching does not challenge

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

pupils or deepen their understanding. This is especially so for the most able pupils.  Many pupils benefit from a range of extra-curricular out-of-school-hours activities such as karate, gardening and singing. Leaders’ use of additional sports and physical education funding has given pupils access to more sporting activities and some expert coaching. However, leaders have not evaluated the effectiveness of spending well enough.  Leaders have identified opportunities to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education across the curriculum and some of these opportunities have been to good effect. For example, many pupils thoughtfully contribute their written prayers. However, the school is not doing enough to promote an understanding of religions other than Christianity or other cultures represented locally or globally. Pupils are not taught about other aspects of difference such as gender and different family groupings.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 A senior local authority achievement officer is providing some valued extra support to the executive headteacher and governing body. The executive headteacher has secured further support from a local assistant headteacher to coach teachers, but it is too early to assess the impact of this work. External support has not ensured that the school’s leadership has sufficient capacity, at present, to bring about the necessary improvements.

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Governance of the school

 Governors, despite any concerns they have had, have been unsuccessful in their diligent attempts to challenge leaders. They accept responsibility and make no excuses.  Headteacher’s reports to the governing body have not been sufficiently detailed so governors have not been well enough informed to be able to challenge effectively. Furthermore, governors, in their frequent visits to school, have not given their attention to the most important priorities. However, governors have a reasonable understanding of the main strengths and weaknesses and understand how unsatisfactory pupils’ outcomes have been.  The governing body is well organised and this enables it to carry out its important statutory responsibilities such as checking the appropriateness of policies, making sure safeguarding is effective and keeping an eye on the finances. Members of the governing body have a wide range of skills and experience to help them in their roles.

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Governance of the school

 Over the last year, governors have acted decisively. Despite being unsuccessful in appointing a suitably qualified full-time headteacher, they have taken steps to find an executive headteacher. They have wisely sought improvement through partnership working. With the executive headteacher, they are taking steps to try to strengthen leadership. Governors recognise that it is imperative they secure a permanent headteacher as soon as possible.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders keep accurate and detailed records that enable them to keep a close eye on any pupil who may be at risk of harm. Adults know their duties well because leaders have ensured the staff receive up-to-date training. For example, adults know to whom they should report concerns and how. They have been trained to identify signs that a pupil may be exposed to radicalisation or other forms of abuse.  Leaders carry out all the proper checks on adults at recruitment and keep an accurate central record of this vetting, as required.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 Inconsistency in the quality of teaching over time has resulted in weak progress for different groups of pupils, especially in key stage 2. Teaching is inadequate because it leads to inadequate progress.  Teachers’ expectations of what pupils should be able to achieve vary between classes and subjects. In addition, too many teachers do not take enough account of what pupils already know and can do when planning learning. This results in work that is too hard for some and too easy for others. The most able pupils too often sit through explanations that they do not need to hear or do work that does not challenge them.  The inconsistency in quality is seen in a number of key teacher skills. This includes the ability to ask questions that deepen pupils’ thinking, the effectiveness with which teachers check pupils’ learning during lessons, and the quality of feedback they give to pupils. Too many pupils, therefore, do not make the progress they should.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 The work of teaching assistants ranges from very effective to ineffective. At best, some support staff question pupils skilfully to really help them work things out, while at worst some teaching assistants give pupils far too much help. This is sometimes because adults do not have the expertise and in some cases because teachers do not deploy other adults well.  Most teachers lack subject knowledge in at least some subjects. This is especially the case in mathematics, which is weak across the school. Teachers are unfamiliar with the fundamentals of the 2014 mathematics national curriculum requirements. In particular, teachers provide too few opportunities for pupils of all abilities to use mathematical reasoning skills and to attempt tricky problems.  Weaknesses in the teaching of phonics mean that, over time, too few pupils have met the required standard by the end of Year1. There are a significant minority of pupils

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

now in key stage 2 who did not meet the standard by the end of key stage 1 and this is holding back their progress in reading. The teaching of reading throughout the school varies in its effectiveness. Some of the most able readers have exceptional skills, while too many do not make the progress of which they should be capable.  Some teachers are effective in teaching writing, others less so. Pupils’ outcomes in writing have improved, but are not yet consistently good. Pupils within and between classes are inconsistent in the success with which they use punctuation and paragraphs, for example. Leaders and teachers have had some success in improving the quality of handwriting recently, though this varies greatly too.  Teachers’ assessment has not always been accurate, such that some school assessment information is unreliable. Last term, the executive headteacher introduced a new assessment system, which is enabling teachers to assess with more accuracy,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

giving them a truer picture of what pupils need to learn next. Where teachers use this tool well, teaching is more effective.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement. Strong relationships between adults and pupils mean that most pupils feel safe and well looked after.  However, too many pupils do not exhibit good manners because adults do not instil this in pupils. Many pupils forget to say please and thank you. The lack of pride and care some pupils take in their school is evident in the amount of waste food on the hall floor at lunchtimes.  A small minority of pupils told inspectors that they occasionally experience bullying with which adults do not deal effectively, so it might continue. Most pupils were happy that they do not experience bullying or that if they do, adults deal with it well. Fewer than half the parents surveyed were confident that bullying is dealt with well. Some pupils reported to inspectors they occasionally hear discriminatory homophobic language.

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Personal development and welfare

 The weakest teaching does not engage or challenge pupils well enough so they lose interest and begin to disrupt each other’s learning. Conversely, where teaching is strong, pupils show high levels of motivation and work very hard. This variability is evident in the pride pupils do or do not show in the presentation of their work.  The lack of challenge in lessons that too many pupils experience means that many do not develop independence or resilience in their learning. A number of pupils whom inspectors questioned said they thought they could work harder. Stronger teaching results in pupils demonstrating greater staying power.  Adults teach pupils how to stay safe. Leaders recognise that some of this work needs strengthening. For example, while most pupils show a good understanding of internet safety, a few pupils questioned by inspectors showed some naivety.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  Pupils largely conduct themselves well around the school. At playtimes, most pupils play well together. Too many pupils, however, mainly boys in key stage 2, are boisterous and do not always show care in the way they use the available playground space, causing a nuisance to other pupils. This continues unchecked by adults. Pupils play more safely in the key stage 1 playground where they have access to play equipment, which they use safely.  Attendance is near to the national average. However, the proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals and those who have special educational needs that are absent for more than half a day a week, on average, is at an unacceptable level. This holds back the learning of these pupils.

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 Over a number of years, pupils’ progress through key stage 2 has been exceptionally weak. There was an improvement in Year 6 outcomes last year in reading and writing, with progress being broadly average. However, progress in mathematics remains poor. This is the main reason that outcomes are inadequate.  Most pupils up to 2015 left school having met the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics, but too few reached the higher standards of which they are capable. In 2016, only around a third of pupils met the expected standard in the more challenging tests in these three key subjects combined. Too few pupils left fully prepared for secondary school.  The historic picture is reflective of the progress of pupils currently in the school. The inconsistency in teaching is evident in the fact that the achievement of groups of pupils varies a great deal, such that it is not possible to identify trends. For example,

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

disadvantaged pupils may do well in some classes and subjects but not in others. This variability applies to subjects across the curriculum.  To illustrate further, last year, by the end of key stage 2, the progress of the most able pupils was not significantly different from average, while the progress of the most able disadvantaged in mathematics was in the bottom 10% nationally. By the end of key stage 1 last year, maths again was the weakest subject in terms of progress, and the achievement of disadvantaged pupils was significantly below average in reading and writing. Progress overall at key stage 1 was broadly average.  In the too few instances where teaching is stronger, it is producing better progress in writing and reading for the most able pupils.  The progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities has historically been weak. For this group of pupils currently in the school, progress from

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

different starting points is best described as average overall.

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Early years provision Requires improvement

 Children enter school with skills, knowledge and understanding that are broadly typical for their age. The proportion of children reaching a good level of development by the time they leave the early years has been in line with and above average for the last few years. However, too few children make the more than typical progress of which they should be capable. The proportion of the most able children who exceed the early learning goals is too low in some areas of learning.  Nevertheless, most children are sufficiently prepared for learning in Year 1. This includes the most disadvantaged children. There is no difference between the proportions of disadvantaged children and other children reaching a good level of development.  A large number of adults currently employed in the early years are new to working with very young children and leaders have not provided sufficient training. Consequently, a

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Early years provision Requires improvement

number of adults do not know how to get the best out of the children. Adults’ inexperience was seen, for example, in the inappropriate modelling of the letter ‘a’ that is causing children to form this letter incorrectly. Adults are sometimes too quick to complete tasks for children, such as writing their name, rather than helping them to complete this for themselves. Interactions between adults and children often fail to enhance or deepen learning.  Adults’ assessment of children is accurate, but some assessments do not identify achievements precisely, so do not inform the next steps in learning well enough for each child.  Children enjoy playing and exploring together. However, the arrangement of many of the resources does not entice children to stay in any one place for long. Too many of the activities do not challenge children and this limits their learning and independence. For example, children do not make effective use of the outside equipment but choose

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Early years provision Requires improvement

instead to run around, while adults supervise but do not intervene. Some areas are poorly resourced. For example, there was no play money for children to use in the role- play shop.  The children behave well and play safely. They follow instructions, for example lining up sensibly. Children feel safe and adults care for them well. Safeguarding arrangements are effective.  The early years leader understands where the strengths and some of the weaknesses are but leaders’ evaluation of the provision is overgenerous. Leaders have not identified some key weaknesses, including the low demands too often made on children, so these persist.  Parents are generally happy with the Nursery provision. They appreciate the way their children settle quickly and are cared for and say that staff are approachable. Leaders have put on some ‘stay and play’ sessions for parents. However, leaders and teachers do not do enough to actively secure the engagement of parents in their children’s

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Early years provision Requires improvement

learning and assessment. For example, parents do not have access to their children’s assessment records.

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address office@claytonce.bradford.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18–19 September 2012

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Information about this school

 The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about the curriculum and pupil premium funding on its website.  A local authority achievement officer is providing some extra support and challenge for school leaders.  The chair of the governing body is a local leader of governance.  The school is a much larger than an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding is similar to the national average for primary schools. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is also broadly in line with the national average.  About a third of pupils are from minority ethnic groups, mostly of Pakistani or Indian heritage. The proportion of pupils who do not speak English as their first language is below the national average.  The school met the floor standards in 2015. These are the minimum expectations of

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Information about this school

pupils’ achievement in English and mathematics set by the government.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited most classes more than once to observe teaching and pupils’ learning. Many of these observations took place with senior leaders.  Inspectors questioned pupils about their learning, and what it is like to be a pupil at the school. Pupils’ workbooks were scrutinised, and inspectors listened to a few pupils read. Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around the school, including at the start of the school day, at breaktimes and at lunchtime.  Discussions took place with the executive headteacher, the head of school and other school leaders and teachers, and several members of the governing body. The lead inspector held a discussion with the local authority achievement officer.  Inspectors listened to the views of a few parents during the inspection. There were 52 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. Inspectors also took account of parents’ written responses to the online survey. There were 18 responses to the staff

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Information about this inspection

survey and 48 responses to the pupil survey.  Inspectors analysed a number of documents, including the school improvement plan, leaders’ monitoring notes, and notes from external reviews, governing body minutes and information about pupils’ achievement. Records relating to attendance, behaviour and safeguarding were scrutinised.

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Inspection team

Philip Riozzi, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Julia Foulger 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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