Ladywood Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Miss Clare Grainger Headteacher Ladywood Primary School Nancy Road Grimethorpe Barnsley South Yorkshire S72 7JX

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Short inspection of Ladywood Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 31 January 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since your school was judged to be good in May 2013.

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Short inspection of Ladywood Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Your school is a happy place, where pupils feel safe and cared for. You have created a stimulating environment in which pupils thrive and flourish. Your leadership team knows the strengths and weaknesses of the school and has demonstrated the capacity to make improvements. You use data well to ensure that pupils are set challenging targets from their starting points. You have high aspirations for all pupils. Pupils are resilient and not afraid to learn from their mistakes. As a result, they have positive attitudes and enjoy learning.

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Short inspection of Ladywood Primary School

The senior team has worked successfully to embed a culture of good achievement and high-quality teaching across the school. Additional adults are well trained in supporting pupils both academically and pastorally. Carefully targeted interventions have made sure that pupils at risk of falling behind receive effective support.

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Short inspection of Ladywood Primary School

Most pupils are currently making good progress. Where progress is not as strong, leaders are very aware of each pupil’s individual needs and are supporting their pastoral and academic learning effectively. Leaders’ careful tracking identifies any gaps in pupils’ learning and this supports teachers in planning work that is well matched to pupils’ needs.

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Short inspection of Ladywood Primary School

Pupils with whom I spoke told me that they enjoy school. They benefit from a varied programme of lessons and other activities that support their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, as well as their understanding of fundamental British values. These activities include lessons in religious education, where pupils learn to understand different faiths and study personal, social and health education. All pupils could talk about how to keep safe on the internet. Pupils are really appreciative of everything the school does for them. They particularly value the free toast in the morning and say that the teachers ‘go above and beyond’ when looking after them.

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Short inspection of Ladywood Primary School

You have successfully addressed the areas for improvement from the last inspection. Pupils with the lowest starting points are challenged effectively and support is in place to ensure that they make strong progress. This is especially evident in mathematics, where in Year 6 in 2017 the progress of all groups of pupils was in the top 25% of schools nationally. You have improved the quality of provision for learning outdoors in the early years. You have developed a vibrant and purposeful area that effectively promotes children’s curiosity, love of learning and skills in the various areas of learning. Children in the early years progress well from their starting points. You know that increasing the proportion of pupils working at greater depth in writing across the school is an important next step for improving pupils’ achievement further.

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Short inspection of Ladywood Primary School

Newly appointed mathematics and English leaders have had a positive impact on their subjects in a relatively short amount of time. They have a clear vision for their subjects. Leaders are keen to listen to advice, such as from the local authority, and have responded with prompt action. However, some plans for further improvement lack the focus and sharpness to be able to clearly identify and measure the impact of their actions on pupils’ outcomes.

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Short inspection of Ladywood Primary School

The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. You and your safeguarding team make prompt referrals when necessary to appropriate agencies. You are also rigorous in pursuing issues that may require more rapid attention, and relentlessly challenge external agencies when you have concerns about a child. The school’s record-keeping is detailed and logs are comprehensive. Staff are fully aware of safeguarding procedures, including how to report concerns, and they do so appropriately.

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Short inspection of Ladywood Primary School

Pupils feel safe and well cared for. They say bullying does not happen and when some pupils do call each other names, the teachers and teaching assistants deal with it effectively. Pupils said that everyone is respected at Ladywood and, if someone came with a difference, they would be really interested in their differences but they would be ‘treated the same – really respected’.

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Inspection findings

 At the start of my visit, we agreed a number of key lines of enquiry for the inspection. First, I looked at the rates of progress that current pupils are making in key stages 1 and 2 from their previous starting points. This is because in the past, although an above-average proportion of pupils have reached the expected levels of attainment, too few have reached the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics. Expectations of pupils are high. Teachers set aspirational targets for pupils and these are used to plan work that is effectively matched to pupils’ needs. Pupils, including the most able, are challenged effectively. Current school data shows that the proportion of pupils working at the higher levels of attainment is improving, especially in reading and mathematics. However, more still needs to be done to increase the number of pupils working at the higher levels in writing across the

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Inspection findings

school.  I also wanted to review the provision for disadvantaged pupils. The provision for disadvantaged pupils who need to catch up or who have additional needs is a real strength of the school. You have allocated funding towards providing good-quality intervention, nurture and pre-learning support. This is successfully supporting a variety of pupils’ academic, social and emotional needs. Teachers and teaching assistants are very well trained in both academic and pastoral support strategies. Governors have a good understanding of this work and its impact. Current data shows that previous gaps in achievement between disadvantaged and other pupils are closing quickly. Disadvantaged pupils are achieving well.  Finally, I focused on what leaders have done to ensure consistently high outcomes in mathematics at the end of key stage 2, and how leaders in other subject areas are learning from this. Across the school, achievement in mathematics is given very high

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Inspection findings

priority. Expectations of what pupils can achieve are consistently high. Pupils are given many opportunities to complete challenging problems and reasoning tasks, and to show their resilience. Teachers ensure that pupils are moved on quickly to complete work that is more challenging. Pupils approach their work with positivity and excitement. Outcomes in mathematics continue to be very strong.  Leaders have been very active in ensuring that standards are rising in their subjects. They have accurately prioritised areas for improvement in the school development plan. However, you are keen to sharpen success criteria within the plan to be more precise, measurable and related to pupils’ outcomes. You acknowledge that this will increase accountability and support leaders in checking the effect of improvement actions.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 they increase the proportion of pupils working at greater depth in writing across the school  leaders’ improvement plans are sharp with clear and measurable criteria to judge success and ultimately relate to pupils’ outcomes.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Barnsley. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During the inspection, I held meetings with you, the inclusion manager, and the leaders for English and mathematics. I also met with four members of the governing body and spoke with a representative from the local authority. I evaluated documentation, including the school’s self-evaluation, the school development plan, information about pupils’ progress, minutes of governing body meetings, behaviour and attendance records, and information about safeguarding. I spoke with several parents and considered the 10 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. I met with a group of pupils from a range of year groups. You and I visited every classroom together to observe teaching and learning and scrutinise pupils’ work in their books.

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