Paradise Primary School

Paradise Primary School 1 Bretton Street, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire WF12 9BB

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The leadership team, governors and trustees have not ensured that all aspects of the independent school standards have been met.  The role of the middle leaders is not developed sufficiently.  Weaknesses in safeguarding procedures mean school leaders, governors and trustees have not made adequate provision for pupils’ welfare.  The welfare and safety regulations in the early years have not been met.  Leaders, governors and trustees have not ensured that all safeguarding requirements have been met. At the time of the inspection, safeguarding record-keeping was not sufficiently detailed and the work of the designated safeguarding leader was not checked carefully enough by senior leaders or governors. The school’s response to a reported safeguarding incident was poor.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 During the inspection, the school leaders, governors and trustees took immediate action to improve safeguarding record-keeping. A new electronic system was in place before the end of the inspection.  Leaders closely monitor the quality of teaching and learning within the school. They very quickly evaluate individual teachers’ needs and ensure that tailored support is put in place. As a result, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding across the school.  Pupils show exceptionally positive attitudes to learning. Relationships between teachers and pupils in the classroom are very strong. Pupils’ behaviour outside the classroom is also excellent, as evidenced by the very few incidents of difficult behaviour recorded in school logs.  The very effective curriculum designed by leaders ensures that pupils make excellent progress overall, both in the main school and in the early years unit.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

The school must take action to meet the requirements of the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 and associated requirements. The details are listed in the full report.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 As a matter of urgency, improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that: – an effective system is in place which ensures that safeguarding records kept are written, detailed, accurate and stored securely – all staff receive effective training on how to accurately record incidents on the new safeguarding recording system – the designated safeguarding leader has a clear understanding of the role they play in keeping children safe in school.  Increase the role that middle leaders play in supporting senior leaders to bring about further improvement.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Leaders, governors and trustees have not ensured that all aspects of the independent school standards have been met.  At the time of the inspection, safeguarding incidents were not effectively recorded and documentation was not kept in an orderly manner. As a result, the requirements of current legislation were not met.  Senior leaders and those responsible for governance had not carried out sufficient oversight of the work of the designated lead for safeguarding. As a result, pupils’ welfare needs have not been supported sufficiently.  By the end of the inspection, a new electronic system had been put in place to record safeguarding incidents. However, staff training had not been completed on use of the system.  Middle leaders spoken to during the inspection were keen to develop their role further, particularly in relation to monitoring pupils’ progress within their subject areas.  Senior leaders, governors and trustees have a very clear vision for the future of the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

school, which is shared with staff.  Senior leaders have in place a very effective system for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning. Lesson observations undertaken with the headteacher demonstrated her exceptional accuracy when judging the strengths and areas for improvement within teaching and learning. Her incisive and perceptive observations matched those of the inspection team and are key to the success of the school’s current monitoring approach.  Pupils make exceptional progress from their starting points. Many join the school in Nursery and Reception classes, often arriving with skills and knowledge broadly in line with those typical for their age. Many pupils leave having reached standards well above those expected nationally in reading, writing and mathematics and spelling, punctuation and grammar.  The school curriculum is innovative and is regularly reviewed by school leaders. Pupils

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

follow the national curriculum, which leaders believe has led to higher expectations from staff for pupils’ outcomes. Islamic studies are also on the curriculum once a week. This – leaders believe – enables pupils to learn to be strong academically and spiritually.  Pupils undertake a wealth of visits away from school. These opportunities – coupled with a range of different visitors into school – have contributed to pupils’ positive attitudes and understanding of the lives of others. For example, pupils visit a care home and help with the gardening as part of an intergenerational project. Pupils have recently participated in an equality day which highlighted disability awareness, as well as undertaking projects such as ‘Who is our neighbour?’ These experiences contribute well to developing pupils’ tolerance, respect and acceptance of others. Furthermore, these experiences help pupils to become spiritually, morally and socially aware and ready to contribute effectively to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

British society.  School leaders work hard at engaging parents and carers in their children’s learning. Parents are regularly invited to staff-led sessions which give them advice on how to support their children when completing homework. Sessions are well attended, and parents demonstrate a keen interest in how their children are progressing.

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Governance

 The trustees and governors have not reviewed the school’s safeguarding systems and procedures with sufficient rigour. As a result, the quality of practice has slipped, and pupils’ welfare requirements have not been met.  Governors and trustees accept that they have not been vigilant enough. However, before the end of the inspection, they had put in place a more effective system which they intend to monitor closely.  In other areas, governors and trustees are knowledgeable about the needs of the school. Several hold leadership posts in a range of different schools and other educational establishments. This enables them to hold leaders to account in most other areas of the school.  Governors and trustees are committed to bringing about improvement to the school as fast as possible. They have started to put in place a system which should increase their role in monitoring the quality of safeguarding procedures.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.  At the time of the inspection, safeguarding record-keeping was inadequate. The work of the designated safeguarding leader was not checked with sufficient rigour by leaders and those responsible for governance.  Staff have received recent and relevant training in line with current requirements. However, senior leaders are aware that further training will be needed to ensure that staff become familiar with the new system for recording safeguarding incidents.  Staff spoken to during the inspection were clear about the procedures in school for making a safeguarding referral. Staff were also clear about recent changes in safeguarding documentation and the effect on their work.  Examination of historical safeguarding records shows that the safeguarding lead has worked closely within multi-professional teams in the past in support of individual pupils’

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Safeguarding

welfare.  At the start of the inspection, the incorrect safeguarding policy was present on the school website. The correct safeguarding policy – which meets with current legislation – was available in paper form. When the issue was raised with senior leaders, the clerical error was immediately resolved so that the correct safeguarding policy was displayed on the website by the end of the inspection.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 Teachers have very strong subject knowledge and an excellent understanding of the needs of pupils.  Pupils thrive in classrooms across the school, developing skills such as inquisitiveness and a thirst for knowledge. During the inspection, pupils’ enjoyment of learning was clear from the enthusiastic way they arrived promptly to lessons and the excellent standard of work seen in their books.  Staff have very high expectations of pupils and they work hard to ensure that the needs of individual pupils are met. Targets are set by senior leaders and pupils’ progress is recorded on the school tracking system. If a pupil is falling behind, extra work is planned for them which ensures that they catch up quickly.  Teachers and school leaders have developed exceptionally strong partnerships with parents and include them in pupils’ learning as much as possible. The school uses an electronic classroom communication system, and this enables parents and teachers to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

communicate directly. Analysis of entries on the system demonstrated its high levels of effectiveness. For example, teachers can show parents how to support their children if they are unsure of a concept by using a video tutorial. The effective use of this system has increased the amount of homework pupils complete, which has contributed to pupils’ accelerated progress.  Pupils are offered a variety of opportunities to write longer pieces of work, particularly in English. In some other curriculum areas – such as science – opportunities to develop pupils’ writing even further are sometimes less well developed.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate.  School leaders have not ensured that all safeguarding requirements have been met. As a result, leaders have not always ensured that pupils’ welfare needs have been taken fully into consideration since the last inspection.  During the inspection, many pupils readily spoke to the inspection team, demonstrating confident and happy attitudes. All said they enjoyed coming to school and enjoyed learning. Pupils spoken to showed mature attitudes to others in society. For example, when asked about same-sex relationships, pupils spoken to were clear that – while entering into a same-sex relationship may not be in line with their religious expectations – being respectful of others who did was essential.  Pupils spoken to also took a pragmatic approach to bullying. Understanding that, on occasions, bullying behaviour can happen and that it is wrong, they were exceptionally

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Personal development and welfare

clear about what to do if they should ever be affected. Their positive attitudes to ensuring that – as they said – ‘Everyone is important in our school’ clearly underline their self- confidence and the very caring attitudes fostered by the school’s personal, social and health education curriculum.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils show exceptional attitudes to learning. They are very keen to arrive in the morning and are ready to learn. The positive and helpful attitudes they show to each other and to visitors also reflect their excellent behaviour.  Pupils move around school calmly, line up after break with little fuss and very rarely disturb others’ learning. Younger pupils are equally calm and learn how to behave from the very good example given by older pupils.  Pupils’ attendance overall is higher than that of other primary schools nationally. Absence levels are low.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

 Pupils make excellent progress from their starting points. This is because staff have very high expectations of what the pupils can achieve and ensure that the work set for them accurately matches their needs.  Last year, by the end of Year 6, pupils had made exceptional progress in English and mathematics, exceeding the national averages in all areas. This cohort of pupils started Nursery or Reception with skills broadly in line with those typical for their age. This demonstrated outstanding outcomes overall.  Parents play an intrinsic part in their child’s learning and have a close partnership with staff. Their support for their children’s learning – leaders believe – contributes significantly to the excellent standards reached by pupils at the end of Year 2 and Year 6.  Pupils read widely and often and are clearly developing a love of books. During the inspection, for example, a number of girls proudly showed the inspection team their

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

reading books in the playground. Several suggested that reading the Harry Potter stories was ‘so exciting’ that they did not want to put them down and needed to continue reading when they were outside.  Work in pupils’ books further evidences the very strong progress they make over time. However, work in books also shows that pupils have less opportunity to write longer pieces of work in subjects other than English and mathematics, such as science. School leaders are aware of this but have not increased opportunities for more extended writing opportunities in these other curriculum areas.

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Early years provision Inadequate

 The early years statutory welfare requirements have not been met because the school’s safeguarding procedures are not secure. Other aspects of children’s welfare – for example the ratio of staff to children – are compliant in the Nursery – including for two-year-olds – and in the Reception classes.  Each child has a key worker who is responsible for ensuring the needs of a small group of children. Children observed during the inspection related well to all adults but were aware – as they said – of who their ‘special person’ was.  Children attend Nursery on a part-time basis, including some two-year-old children. They settle quickly into the caring and nurturing environment of the early years, separating from their parents calmly each morning and – for most – without a second thought.  Both the indoor and outdoor learning areas offer children a wealth of opportunities to learn and develop. For example, sparkly colourful dough and clay enchanted and engaged

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Early years provision Inadequate

the younger children, enabling staff to start to support them to form the letters in their name.  A robust phonics programme is in place which supports both Nursery and Reception children to develop their reading and writing skills. Many are fluent writers by the end of their Reception Year and make a very smooth transition into Year 1.  Staff record the progress children make on small notes in the classroom which are then transferred to an online system, which parents regularly access. The quality of the recording made by staff is high and enables the early years leader to effectively plan activities which support the learning of individual children.  Children in the Reception class undertake more formal learning, as well as learning through play. This enables them to make accelerated progress towards the early learning goals, which the vast majority reach.  The leadership and management of the children’s learning and development are excellent.

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Early years provision Inadequate

Senior leaders work closely with staff to ensure that children get off to a flying start. Parents spoken to support the work of staff and feel the quality of teaching and learning and the outcomes reached by their children are excellent.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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School details

Email address info@paradiseschool.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26–28 January 2016

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Information about this school

 The school makes provision for two-year-old children. Currently, there are seven children on the school’s roll who are in this age group.  The previous standard inspection took place in January 2016.  The school has an Islamic character. School staff and leaders run a Koran club for approximately half of the pupils. Attendance at this club is at the discretion of parents. The Koran club takes place before and after school, and staff from the school teach all classes.  The early years unit offers wraparound care to a small number of children.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team carried out a range of activities – including an inspection of the school building – to ascertain the school’s compliance with the independent school standards.  Meetings and discussions were held with members of the leadership team, members of staff, the chair of trustees and three other trustees, and several groups of pupils.  The inspectors carried out an analysis of all documents required for the school to meet the independent school standards. These included the school’s curriculum policy, safeguarding documentation, health and safety documents and the school’s complaints policy.  The inspectors also took into account the feedback given by more than 40 parents who completed Ofsted’s online questionnaire – Parent View – and the feedback from questionnaires received from current staff.

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Inspection team

Marian Thomas, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and – 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school- – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils. 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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Parent View 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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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