West Vale Primary School

West Vale Primary School Stainland Road, West Vale, Greetland, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX4 8LS

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Outcomes for pupils 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

 Safeguarding is inadequate. Procedures relating to the reporting and recording of serious incidents are not robust, nor undertaken in a timely manner. The safety of pupils is at risk.  Leaders, including governors, have not done enough to improve the school. They have failed to tackle many of the areas for improvement raised at the last inspection.  Leaders and governors have not been rigorous enough in checking on the quality of pupils’ work or how well pupils are taught. The progress of pupils has been allowed to slip, especially at key stage 2.  Leaders’ monitoring of teaching and learning is not accurate or sufficiently detailed and, consequently, leaders and governors have an inaccurate view of the school’s effectiveness.  Outcomes for, and the progress of, pupils are not good enough, especially at the end of key stage 2 in writing and mathematics, because the quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders have not been effective in making sure pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve as well as they can or get the support they need.  The standards reached by disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities in the school are not improving rapidly enough.  Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can do are not high enough, particularly in key stage 2. Pupils of different abilities often complete similar work and, therefore, the work planned, particularly for the most able, is not challenging.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The teaching of phonics is effective and, as a result, the proportion of younger pupils meeting the required standard by the end of Year 1 is above the national average.  Pupils behave well, they are courteous and eager to learn. They say they feel safe and feel the school is a happy, caring place to be.  Children get off to a good start in the early years. They are taught very well and make strong progress, reaching levels above the national average. Children are well prepared for Year 1.  Effective teaching and accurate assessment of pupils in key stage 1 have improved their rate of progress.

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Full report

In accordance with sections 44(1) and 13(3) 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?

 Ensure that governors fulfil their statutory safeguarding responsibilities by ensuring that: – safeguarding policies and procedures are reviewed urgently to ensure that they are robust and rigorously applied – all staff understand fully, and apply consistently, the procedures for reporting and recording concerns about pupils’ safety – all incidents or concerns are recorded accurately and communicated swiftly between those responsible for safeguarding and all other appropriate agencies.  Urgently improve leadership and governance by: – improving the skills and knowledge of leaders at all levels, including governors, in the school to bring about the improvements required – improving the leadership of special educational needs to enable more accurate monitoring of the performance of those children and pupils in order to act swiftly to make sure their needs are being met effectively and accurately – ensuring that governors hold leaders to account for their actions, including the

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

effective use of additional government funding for improving the outcomes of disadvantaged pupils – making sure that the recently appointed middle leaders are given the appropriate support to address the priorities needed to improve outcomes for reading, writing and mathematics – ensuring that subject leaders are skilled in checking learning and supporting teaching and have sufficient time to make sure that both are good across a wide range of subjects.  Rapidly improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so that pupils’ outcomes improve, especially at key stage 2, by: – raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve – ensuring that support staff are deployed effectively – making certain that rigorous plans for the teaching of mathematics are introduced quickly and their impact is monitored robustly – more accurately matching the work pupils do to their level of ability, so that

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

unnecessary repetition is avoided and all groups, especially the most able, make rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics – making sure pupils develop their skills and knowledge further in reading, writing and mathematics across a range of different subjects – ensuring that disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are given more effective support, so that they make progress that is at least in line with other pupils nationally.  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 funding 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

 Leaders, including governors, have not been rigorous enough in tackling many of the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection. The headteacher and other senior staff have not been sufficiently rigorous in referring concerns disclosed by children to the appropriate agencies.  Weaknesses in teaching remain, especially at upper key stage 2. Consequently, in 2016, results at key stage 2 indicate a decline in outcomes, especially for writing. Over time, and currently, progress for different groups of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, the most able and those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, is variable because the quality of teaching is too variable.  The school’s capacity for improvement is currently dependent on external support being provided by the local authority and leaders from a local school, the second school to be providing support. Leaders are complimentary about the support and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

challenge for senior and middle leaders being offered. The support has had a positive impact in some aspects of the school’s work, in particular the work of the mathematics and English leaders.  Leaders have an overgenerous and inaccurate view of the school’s performance because procedures for leaders to check on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment are ineffective. Although there is effective practice in the early years and key stage 1, pupils are underperforming in upper key stage 2 and are not achieving the standards of which many are capable. The most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, regularly complete work that is too easy.  Middle leaders, especially subject leaders for English and mathematics, are new to their roles and it is too soon to evaluate their work in tackling the weaknesses associated with their areas of responsibility. New leaders are keen to do well and they have

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

accurately identified priorities for improvement; however, they do not have enough dedicated time to tackle these priorities with sufficient urgency.  Leaders’ analysis of the progress made by different groups of pupils has been inaccurate, especially for disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders have not given effective support consistently to these pupils, across the school, and there is more to be done to ensure equality of opportunity for all. Consequently, the impact of the use of funding for special educational needs is too variable.  Leaders’ plans to secure improvement in teaching, learning and assessment lack detail and precision. The activities they have planned to bring about improvements are not robust or challenging, especially for leadership and management, teaching and pupils’ outcomes.  Leaders have spent pupil premium funding on a range of measures, but this has not

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

been effective and disadvantaged pupils have not achieved as well as other pupils nationally. Leaders have started to track the progress of disadvantaged pupils but they have not checked carefully enough on the impact of learning support. Consequently, the use of pupil premium funding to raise standards requires improvement.  The primary physical education and sport premium funding is used well to provide a range of sporting activities, including judo, dance and netball. Teachers have increased the quality of their teaching by working alongside a specialist coach. Pupils understand the importance of being fit and healthy. Healthy eating is promoted well by the cook. Pupils are provided with a range of chopped fruit or vegetables as a starter at lunchtime and collect team points for healthy eating.  The curriculum incorporates all of the subjects that it should, but they are not taught consistently well across the school. Some children are not learning enough in subjects

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

such as geography, computing and science. Educational visits and the use of historical and real objects to enhance learning in the classroom add some moments of excitement within the curriculum.  The curriculum does not support pupils’ understanding of British values sufficiently well. Pupils’ involvement in religious education lessons and assemblies provides opportunities for reflection, but pupils’ work shows their spiritual development requires improvement. Social and moral education is promoted effectively. However, pupils’ cultural understanding is a weaker element and requires improvement in order for children to better understand why people have different beliefs and faiths.  Popular after-school clubs are well attended, including ‘jumping clay modelling’, cooking and sports clubs. Parents, and pupils, comment positively on the wide range of after-school clubs that are enhancing their children’s social development.

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Governance of the school

 Governors have not checked the serious incidents and safeguarding records carefully enough. Consequently, they have not carried out important reviews of safeguarding practice after incidents have come to light. The school’s agreed policies and procedures to protect pupils from risk are not consistently applied. Inspectors found evidence of serious incidents that were not reported, recorded accurately or acted upon with urgency.  Governors do not insist that leaders demonstrate clearly how they ensure that pupil premium funding leads to improved outcomes for the intended group of pupils. As a result, the additional funding has not been spent or monitored effectively.  Since the previous inspection, the governing body, together with the local authority, has tried to recruit additional members to provide further expertise and skills. However, this has proved difficult and membership of the governing body still remains low.

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Governance of the school

 Governors understand the local community. They are passionate about the school and keen to offer support to school leaders.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.  Leaders and governors have failed to ensure that all safeguarding policies, practices and procedures are sufficiently robust and adhered to consistently. Pupils have been left vulnerable, due to poor and inconsistent reporting arrangements and a delay in following up concerns.  Systems and procedures for ensuring the safe recruitment of staff are in place and the requirement for staff to be trained in safeguarding procedures, first aid and paediatric first aid is met. However, the application of the safeguarding and child protection procedures currently in place is not consistent and, as a result, needs urgent improvement.  The evaluation of the school’s effectiveness with regard to safeguarding has not been systematically checked by governors or the local authority.  Leaders work cooperatively with other agencies to help support the needs of those

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Safeguarding

pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Teaching over time has not been successful in securing the outcomes of which many pupils are capable. Teaching is variable, although it is stronger for the youngest pupils than in upper key stage 2.  Teachers do not plan work consistently at the right level or check pupils’ understanding carefully enough to move them on to harder tasks. Pupils rightly identify that there is insufficient challenge in some lessons and they know they could learn more. As a result, pupils, including the most able, do not make as much progress as they could.  Some teachers are not clear enough about what they want pupils to achieve. Teachers sometimes give pupils activities which keep them busy, but do not help them to make progress. Examples of this were seen in the Year 5 and Year 6 classes. Despite differences in age and ability, all pupils were asked to undertake the same task. Answers given by pupils and work in their books demonstrates that many pupils are

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

already competent in the skill being taught and could easily tackle more complex problems. This lack of consistent challenge prevents many pupils, especially the most able, from making more rapid progress, particularly in mathematics.  Teachers’ expectations of pupils are not consistently high. The standard of presentation of pupils’ work and adherence to the school’s marking policy are variable.  The impact of additional adults on pupils’ learning varies from class to class. Where adults understand how to move pupils’ learning on through well-chosen questions, pupils make effective progress. However, opportunities are being missed because adults and pupils are focused on completing a task rather than deepening learning.  The teaching of phonics is effective and is helping pupils to make better progress in reading. Pupils who read to inspectors demonstrated secure phonics skills. The most able readers read fluently and with expression.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Recently revised approaches to teaching reading are helping pupils to develop their skills further. However, less-able pupils, although able to read words, struggle to decipher the meaning of texts without the support of an adult.  Teaching ignites pupils’ interest in a number of subjects. Pupils particularly enjoyed history through the whole-school topic on the Tudors. Evidence was seen in the quality of pupils’ art and writing, including home learning, on display around the school.  The teaching of French is a strength. Pupils take part in whole-class lessons where they learn to speak, read and write in French. Pupils demonstrated, through singing, speaking, reading and writing in French, that they understood and could use the language effectively.  Pupils enjoy good relationships with their teachers and other adults that help them. They say their teachers are kind and help them to learn, although older pupils say that

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement. The curriculum does not fully capitalise on opportunities for pupils to learn about the values that would prepare them for life in modern Britain. For instance, when asked, pupils’ knowledge of significant people in history is limited.  The school’s work to promote British values and pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is evolving but there is scope for improvement. Older pupils speak with some conviction about their work to support a local charity and how this has made them feel. Pupils have little understanding of other cultures.  Pupils know about keeping themselves safe in a range of situations, including road safety and on the internet. They understand different forms of bullying and say that bullying is infrequent and that any incidents are dealt with swiftly by adults. As a result, pupils feel safe when they are at school. Parents have very few concerns about

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Personal development and welfare

bullying.  Older pupils are good role models for younger pupils, as seen in their role of lunchtime dinner servers. Pupils’ manners observed across lunchtime were often exemplary, with pupils saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ for the food they receive.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and are keen to learn. Pupils behave well in lessons, taking the opportunity to collaborate well with one another. During whole- school assembly, children wait patiently until all are ready and they are respectful at prayer time.  Pupils understand the school’s expectations of behaviour and behave well at all times and in different situations around school. The school is a calm and orderly environment.  The school’s own records show that behaviour incidents are low in number and are addressed effectively.  Older pupils have leadership roles and help to sort out problems that may occur. As play leaders, they teach younger pupils different games to play, as well as leading clubs for younger children. This leads to harmonious playtimes when social skills and positive relationships between pupils are developed.  Pupils know about keeping themselves safe in a range of situations, including road

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Behaviour

safety and on the internet.  Attendance overall is improving and, at the time of the inspection, it was close to the national average. Although improving, the approach to analysing the patterns of non- attendance is not rigorous enough to support those pupils who are persistently absent.  There have been no exclusions this academic year. The very few exclusions over time have been dealt with in line with the statutory guidance.  A large majority of parents expressed their satisfaction with the standard of pupils’ behaviour.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 In 2016, pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of key stage 2 were considerably lower than the national averages, particularly in writing, given their individual starting points. As a result, pupils are behind their peers when they start the next stage of their education.  Standards in writing in key stage 2 are often limited by lower expectations of pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar skills in subjects other than English. Teachers have not ensured that pupils fully apply these key skills in all subjects. As a result, the quality of work in science, history and geography is too variable.  Work in books and school assessment information show variations in the progress made by pupils. The school’s own information shows that the progress made by disadvantaged pupils lags behind that of their peers. These differences are variable across year groups and across reading, writing and mathematics. Most-able pupils are

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

not demonstrating their understanding well enough to reach the high standards of which they are capable.  The school’s own assessment information is not fully reliable or backed up by evidence seen in pupils’ books. The assessment information does not match inspection evidence or support the school’s optimistic view of improved progress for all groups of pupils, including the most able, since September 2016.  The progress made by disadvantaged pupils requires improvement. Pupil premium funding has not been used effectively to bring about rapid improvement for this group of pupils. The school’s own information indicates that disadvantaged pupils in key stages 1 and 2 make variable progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  The most able pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, do not reach the highest standards. Tasks set for the most able pupils are not always challenging and are not demanding enough. As a result, over time these pupils have made variable progress.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported sensitively by additional adults. However, this support is not delivered through a whole-school approach or evaluated. The support is not focused sufficiently well on improving the progress these pupils make and, as a result, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make variable progress. The school’s assessment information for these children is not fully accurate and is not supported by inspection evidence.  The number of pupils in Year 1 meeting the expected standard in the national phonics screening check has increased over the past three years. As a result, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in 2016 was above the national average. The leadership of phonics is effective and has brought about this improving picture.

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Early years provision Inadequate

 The early years provision is inadequate because safeguarding across the school is inadequate. As a result, senior leaders and governors have not ensured children’s safety and welfare.  The highly effective early years leader has an accurate picture of the strengths and areas for development within the unit. She leads with tenacity, her main aim being to ensure that the children get off to the best start they can, which they do. The leader works closely with external nurseries and childminders which transfer children to the school to ensure good transition into the early years.  Most children enter the early years with skills that are broadly typical for their age. By the end of Reception, the proportion attaining a good level of development is above average. There are some children who exceed expectations in their development from their starting points.  The early years leader has ensured that the curriculum provides exciting opportunities

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Early years provision Inadequate

for children to engage in reading, writing and mathematics. There are good opportunities for children to develop a wide range of appropriate skills, both indoors and outdoors. The rich curriculum supports children’s personal and social development and behaviour.  Children settle quickly in the early years and they are happy and safe within the provision. Staff have high expectations, which ensure that routines and good learning habits are established quickly. Children work hard to reach these high expectations and, as a result, achieve well.  Children are keen learners. They cooperate well with adults and work cooperatively together. Children enjoy the exciting opportunities that adults plan for them. Their behaviour is positive. The care of each individual child is a priority for the leader.  Staff are encouraging and enthusiastic. Their effective use of questioning and clear modelling of phonics and writing enable children to make rapid progress in their writing

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Early years provision Inadequate

and letter formation. The development of basic skills is a strength of the setting.  Adults support children’s learning effectively. There are too few disadvantaged children and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities to make meaningful comparisons between their progress and that of others, but the overall progress of all children is good.  Records of children’s learning are well kept. Parents make a good contribution to children’s learning by adding evidence of what their children are doing at home to the ‘photo books’. Parents are very positive about the work that is being done with their children.  Leaders recognise that there is more work to be done to ensure that the outdoor area matches the provision inside in order to further enhance the opportunities on offer for all children.  Children are well prepared to start their learning in Year 1.

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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

Email address admin@westvale.calderdale.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3–4 March 2015

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Information about this school

 The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information it provides for parents about special educational needs on its website.  West Vale Primary School is smaller than an average-size primary school.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well below average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average. A small number of these pupils have an education, health and care plan.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium is in line with the national average.  The school did not meet the government’s floor standards in 2016, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  The school runs popular breakfast and after-school clubs on site.  Children in the Reception class attend full time.

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Information about this school

 Leaders, including governors, are currently being supported by the local authority and leaders from a local primary school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed a range of teaching and learning in 10 part-lessons, with four of the lessons jointly observed with a senior leader.  Throughout the two days of the inspection, inspectors spoke with pupils in meetings, playtimes and in lessons, about learning, behaviour and safety.  Inspectors listened to pupils read. They reviewed pupils’ work in lessons and analysed samples of work in pupils’ books.  Inspectors held meetings with members of the governing body, the local authority, senior leaders and staff.  Inspectors looked at the school’s review of its own performance, its monitoring procedures and improvement plan, a number of key school policies and the minutes of governing body meetings. Inspectors considered a range of documentation in relation to child protection, safeguarding, risk assessments, health and safety, recruitment of staff, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors analysed 17 responses to the online questionnaire for parents (Parent

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Information about this inspection

View).  Nine responses to Ofsted’s online pupil questionnaires were considered by inspectors.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the start and end of the school day.

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Inspection team

Nicola Shipman, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Cathy Morgan 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

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, 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.gov.uk/ofsted

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