Greenside Primary School

Greenside Primary School Chapeltown, Pudsey, West Yorkshire LS28 8NZ

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The acting headteacher and her deputy have provided strong leadership for the school during a period of significant change. They have led improvements since the previous inspection and remain determined to drive the school forward and achieve the best for every pupil.  Leaders have ensured that there is an effective approach to teaching across the school. They have made regular checks and acted swiftly to rectify any weaknesses. As a result, the quality of teaching and learning in key stages 1 and 2 is now good and pupils make good progress.  The most able pupils, however, are not always provided with challenging activities as soon as they are ready to move on in their learning. On these occasions, they make slower progress.  Middle leaders are increasingly effective in improving the quality of teaching, particularly in English and mathematics. Those who are new to their subject leadership role share a determination to ensure that all pupils achieve

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

their best.  Leadership of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. Leaders’ actions have ensured that these pupils make strong progress.  Teachers in key stages 1 and 2, including those who are new to teaching, have high expectations and they plan creative lessons that spark pupils’ interest and inspire them to do well.  Pupils love learning and this is reflected in their high level of attendance. Pupils behave well in and out of lessons. They are polite and respectful to each other and adults.  Pupils feel safe and well cared for. Their personal development and welfare prepare them well for life in modern Britain.  The school is a vibrant, happy place. The school’s exciting curriculum and strong values develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.  Significant staffing changes in the early years have meant that provision does not

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

consistently meet the needs of all children. As a result, children do not make the good progress they should.  The majority of parents are very supportive of the school. They believe that their children are very well cared for, and that they progress well in their learning. Parents are not regularly involved in their children’s learning, particularly in the early years. Parents would like better communication with the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in the early years by ensuring that: – decisive action is taken to strengthen leadership in the early years – adults use information about what children already know and can do to plan tasks that immediately meet their needs, particularly of the most able children – all adults have higher expectations of what children are capable of.  Leaders should continue to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in key stages 1 and 2 by making sure that: – the most able pupils receive sufficient challenge to enable them to make the progress of which they are capable in all subjects – teaching is adjusted more swiftly when pupils are ready for more challenging work – parents receive regular communication and are given more opportunities to become involved in their children’s learning, particularly in early years.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Since the previous inspection, the school has been through a period of significant change in leadership, including governance. However, since their appointments, the acting headteacher and deputy headteacher have galvanised the staff team and taken decisive action to bring about rapid change. Leaders are successfully driving improvements and raising aspirations for pupils in key stages 1 and 2. Leaders have implemented clear strategies to improve provision in the early years. However, improvement is not as rapid as in the rest of the school.  Leaders have wasted no time in tackling the areas of concern, determined to improve pupils’ progress and fulfil the school’s vision to ensure that this is ‘where children come first’. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas that require further improvement. The school improvement plan is regularly evaluated to ensure that it reflects the school’s current position and focuses on precise next steps.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leadership of teaching and learning is effective. Leaders work closely with a range of external partners to provide teachers with tailored packages of professional development and support where required. Staff report that since the appointment of the acting headteacher, their teaching skills have improved. Those who spoke with inspectors said that they feel valued by leaders and appreciate the opportunities they have to develop professionally.  Subject leaders are passionate about their areas of responsibility and have responded successfully to the considerable opportunities provided to enable them to continue developing their expertise. Those who are new to their role have already begun to work alongside colleagues to strengthen teaching. As a result, the confidence and skills of staff have improved in teaching subjects such as science and geography.  The English and mathematics subject leaders are highly effective and determined to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

improve teaching and pupils’ achievements. They have clear plans in place to help them to carry out their roles to good effect. They are very well supported by senior leaders, who hold them rigorously to account for their actions.  Leaders use additional pupil premium funding to effectively support the learning and attendance of disadvantaged pupils. There are specific interventions to support pupils’ social and emotional needs and improve their learning. Consequently, disadvantaged pupils participate in a broad range of opportunities and are making strong progress across key stages 1 and 2.  Leadership to support pupils with SEND is strong. Leaders use additional funding well to ensure that pupils receive the appropriate support they need to overcome any barriers to learning. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is meticulous in ensuring that pupils continue to make progress and flourish, regardless of the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

challenges that they may face. Leaders are proud to have been invited to share their ideas about this provision with other local schools.  The leader of physical education (PE) ensures that the additional sport premium funding is used exceptionally well to benefit both staff and pupils. Pupils participate in a range of competitive and non-competitive activities within and beyond school. Staff report favourably on their professional development in PE. The recent introduction of ‘I’m OK 1K’ challenge is used well to promote and increase levels of physical activity during the school day. The school is proud to have received the School Games Mark Gold Award for the last three years.  The curriculum is exciting because learning intentions are meaningful and relevant to pupils. It helps pupils to develop as well-rounded individuals who learn from their own experiences as well as from the experiences of others. The curriculum is enriched and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

developed extremely well through a range of visits and other extra-curricular activities.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The school is strongly committed to equality of opportunity, fostering good relationships and discouraging discrimination. Initiatives such as the ‘crunch moment’ discussions are well designed to provoke pupils’ mature and challenging consideration of aspects of democracy. Leaders ensure that they prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain.  The school is working hard to engage with parents. Those who spoke to the inspectors said that they now feel welcome in school. Most of those who responded to the online questionnaire praised leaders and the staff. Some parents, however, believe that, although improving, communication from the school could be better. Others wish to be more involved with their children’s education, particularly in the early years.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The local authority works effectively alongside the school to provide advice and support after the previous inspection when the school was judged to require improvement.

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Governance of the school

 Governors have ensured that they have a more detailed understanding of the impact of leaders’ work than in the past. New governors bring a wealth of different skills to the role and the revised responsibilities of the governing body enable governors to be increasingly effective.  Governors are well informed about the work of the school through governing body meetings, headteacher’s reports and through their regular monitoring visits. Evidence shows that where they have challenged leaders about the progress of pupils, changes have been made leading to improvement in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Governors are working with leaders to ensure that plans for improvement are concise and are focused on improving outcomes for all pupils in all subjects.  Governors carry out their legal duties, including those related to safeguarding. Governors ensure that additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils and those

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Governance of the school

with SEND is spent effectively to meet the needs of these pupils.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Policies and procedures meet legal requirements and all staff and governors work effectively to keep the pupils safe. They receive regular training to refresh their understanding of their role and responsibilities in keeping children safe at all times.  The school’s records show that links with individual families, especially where pupils are in vulnerable circumstances, demonstrate the school’s deep duty of care.  Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe at school and all parents who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, agreed that their children are safe and well looked after.  Pupils are taught e-safety. They have an age-appropriate understanding of the potential dangers from working online. They know how to protect themselves and who they need to tell if they have any concerns.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Leaders’ monitoring accurately evaluates teaching, learning and assessment as good in key stages 1 and 2. Observations carried out by the inspection team and scrutiny of pupils’ work confirmed this view. Leaders have taken swift action to address specific weaknesses, particularly in the quality of teaching in early years.  Due to the wealth of professional development provided by leaders, teachers’ subject knowledge is secure, and they use appropriately challenging language to communicate it. Pupils are becoming more confident in using this language. Pupils of all abilities respond well to teachers’ questioning, which deepens their thinking. Pupils demonstrate high levels of engagement and most take pride in their work.  Pupils’ workbooks clearly show a standardised approach to the teaching of mathematics. It is evident that the leader’s action plans are being embedded across the school. Number recall, reasoning and problem-solving are central to teachers’

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

planning and questioning. Initiatives such as the use of ‘mini maths books’ are improving pupils’ speed, confidence and enjoyment in mathematics. They are particularly proud of being on the leader board in the Pudsey schools’ times table challenge.  Pupils in key stage 1 apply their phonics knowledge well in their reading and writing. The focus on ensuring that pupils are secure at each phase means that pupils have become confident and fluent readers.  Pupils are supported to read regularly and independently. Teachers provide high- quality resources to provoke thoughtful reading comprehension. For example, in Year 5, pupils made excellent use of a colour spectrum diagram to select and describe the colours which best represented a page of their reading book. Pupils have opportunities to develop their vocabulary, inference, prediction, explanation, retrieval and summary skills. This is aiding the acquisition of the higher-order reading skills.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Effective teaching ensures that pupils’ writing demonstrates increasing accuracy when applying more sophisticated vocabulary and spelling. Pupils learn from the mistakes they make and, overall, do not make them again once corrected. As a result, pupils make strong progress in writing. There is a very clear writing structure that has been refined further since the previous inspection. This has seen a rapid improvement in pupils’ outcomes, particularly in Year 1, where pupils are not skilled at writing at length when they join the class from Reception.  Teaching assistants work effectively alongside the teachers. They are confident and knowledgeable due to the training and guidance they receive. They support pupils with SEND sensitively in lessons, structuring their learning when necessary but also encouraging independence.  Teachers plan a creative and exciting curriculum that interests pupils and ensures that

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

they are mostly fully engaged in learning. Teachers’ joint planning ensures that new topics are carefully introduced in order to promote effective learning, particularly for boys and disadvantaged pupils. For example, Year 2 boys thoroughly enjoyed using expressive vocabulary to describe their dinosaur. One boy wrote: ‘When he eats, he gulps and devours everything…what a despicable dinosaur.’  Teachers have skilfully developed cross-curricular links between subjects. Pupils write well, with imagination and at length in a range of genres. For example, Year 6 pupils created imaginative mathematical stories using specialist vocabulary, to accurately describe the shape of complex graphs.  Most teachers have high expectations of what pupils can do. Teachers model effectively and enable pupils to learn from each other. However, teachers are not always confident enough to adapt learning activities, in a timely manner, to better

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

meet the needs of pupils. For example, most-able pupils are not always given more complex tasks and challenges as soon as they are ready to tackle them, which slows their progress in some subjects.  Teachers plan homework that develops pupils’ core skills in literacy and mathematics and aspects of the wider curriculum. It consolidates learning well and prepares pupils for forthcoming learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and friendly. These positive relationships help pupils develop into confident learners. The school has a calm atmosphere that supports effective learning.  Teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to develop respect towards one another and raise their self-esteem through the school’s personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. As a result, pupils say that they are confident and respect one another’s viewpoints. They recognise that people in society have different viewpoints and that diversity should be celebrated. One pupil said, ‘It’s okay to be unique, be whatever you want to be.’  Pupils are taught well about how to stay safe both inside and outside of school, including when using social media. They say that adults respond swiftly to any concerns that they may have. Pupils say that they feel safe and well cared for.

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Personal development and welfare

 Pupils have a good understanding about the choices that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. They have regular opportunities to develop their physical fitness through exercising during social time.  The school offers a wide range of trips and extra-curricular opportunities. These are well attended and contribute well to pupils’ personal development.  Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy school and the teachers help them to learn. In lessons, they have positive attitudes towards their learning and are keen to engage in discussions with adults about their work.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Staff across the school, promote positive behaviour skilfully and calmly. The atmosphere in classrooms is purposeful. Most of the time pupils are enthusiastic learners, remain focused on their work and concentrate well. Most pupils demonstrated positive attitudes to learning in all lessons visited.  Good behaviour and positive manners are apparent on the playground, in the dining hall and as pupils move around the school. Pupils are polite and sensible, showing self- discipline in a range of situations.  Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ attendance. They work hard with families to ensure that parents and pupils are aware of the impact of non-attendance. Consequently, attendance is consistently above average and very few pupils are persistently absent. This demonstrates pupils’ enjoyment of school.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils are making strong progress in English and mathematics in key stages 1 and 2. This is due to the high expectations of leaders and the highly effective leadership of these subjects. The rapid improvement in the progress made by pupils in 2018 enabled over a third of them to reach the higher standards in reading and mathematics at the end of key stage 2.  Writing attainment has also improved and compares well with other schools nationally. A higher than average proportion of pupils reached the higher standard at the end of key stage 2 in 2018. Assessment information, supported by the inspection team’s observations and work scrutiny, shows that pupils are making good progress in writing from Year 1 to Year 6. Outcomes are improving. Pupils present their work carefully. Spelling is a strength, and pupils are at pains to select the right language and punctuation for their texts. Pupils’ handwriting is now well formed, joined and fluent.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 There has been a comprehensive approach to the teaching of phonics since the last inspection. Having improved dramatically in 2017, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the phonics screening check declined last year. This does not fully represent the complex, cohort-specific issues which prevented some pupils from reaching the required standard. However, the skilful support they receive has enabled them to catch up quickly and they are confident in applying phonics knowledge when reading unfamiliar words.  Pupils read with confidence and can comprehend their reading material well. Pupils of all ages enjoy their reading, and a love of books is clear. Pupils, particularly the most able, are developing their skills of inference and deduction. The new guided reading system is enabling more pupils, particularly boys, to transfer these skills to their writing. A range of carefully targeted catch-up and pre-teaching interventions prevent

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Outcomes for pupils Good

pupils from falling behind.  In mathematics, pupils’ books show that they make clear progress from their starting points, particularly those who join the school at different times. The consistency in the approach adopted by staff is evident across classes. After a slow start in Year 1, where pupils are not initially secure in their basic number skills, pupils increase their knowledge, skills and understanding as they progress through to Year 6.  Disadvantaged pupils make strong progress. However, this strong progress, as seen in the pupils’ workbooks, is not always reflected in the national test results at the end of each key stage.  Pupils with SEND receive good academic and pastoral support. Leaders and teachers carefully track their progress and tasks are planned to match the level of their needs. Consequently, they make good progress and achieve well, both academically and socially.  Teachers’ creative approach to other areas of the curriculum shows that pupils are

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Outcomes for pupils Good

making progress in other subjects. This progress is particularly strong in Years 5 and 6, where pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. However, planned tasks do not always consider what pupils already know and can do in all subjects. Some tasks lack challenge and pupils are not always able to progress their learning as soon as they are ready to move on. On these occasions, they make slower progress.

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Early years provision Requires improvement

 Children enter Reception typically being able to do what is expected for their age. However, teaching and learning activities do not consider children’s starting points well enough and this is particularly the case for the most able children.  Changes in staffing and the quality of leadership since the last inspection have meant that the good provision in the early years has not been sustained. Although the proportion of children achieving a good level of development was above the national average in 2018, too few children made the progress of which they were capable.  Although the early years leader is knowledgeable about early years, monitoring shows there is not enough rigour and precision in ensuring that the practice across the Reception classes is consistently effective.  School leaders are successfully addressing the weaknesses in children’s progress, particularly in writing and mathematics. Experienced teachers are sharing effective

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Early years provision Requires improvement

practice to ensure that adults’ expectations of what children can do when they enter Reception are raised. Evidence shows that this is already having an impact on children’s phonics applied in their writing.  Children are more confident learners when they work with adults than when they choose their own learning. In the adult-led activities children enjoy working with an adult and want to do well. When working on their own, a few children find it difficult to sustain interest and concentration, particularly when it is unclear to them what they are supposed to be learning.  Adults do not consistently support children to make the best progress they can. This happens when adults do not skilfully intervene to ensure that children’s learning is purposeful. This is particularly the case when children choose their own tasks and follow their own lines of enquiry.  Although children enjoy learning in the inside and outdoor areas, some of the activities

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Early years provision Requires improvement

planned do not excite or encourage children’s learning. This is because they lack purpose and children are not always clear what to do, particularly outside. This results in children flitting from one activity to another, rather than learning to focus and concentrate on developing basic skills and applying their knowledge and understanding.  All adults in early years form warm and caring relationships with children. Children are happy and sociable and they behave well. Adults have a good understanding of how to keep children safe and know how to assess when children might be at risk. Children are comfortable to approach adults when they are worried and regularly seek help when they want or need it.  Early years staff are beginning to work more closely with parents than in the past. Parents appreciate the communication from staff, which is helping them to understand how well their children are doing. However, parents do not have regular opportunities

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Early years provision Requires improvement

to join their children in learning. Some parents say that they would like more opportunities to contribute to their child’s learning at home.

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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

Headteacher Catherine Chojnowski (Acting Headteacher)

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School details

Email address c.morgan@greenside-sch.org

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School details

Date of previous inspection 7–8 February 2017

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Information about this school

 Greenside Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The large majority of pupils are of White British or Other White background.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is lower than average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium funding is lower than the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is lower than that seen nationally. A higher than average proportion of these pupils has an education, health and care plan.  The school provides full-time places for children in the Reception class.  In November 2018, the deputy headteacher was appointed as the acting headteacher and the assistant headteacher was appointed an acting deputy headteacher.  There are three newly qualified teachers who have recently joined the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Meetings were held with the acting headteacher, governors, senior and middle leaders and staff from the school.  The lead inspector met with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors visited lessons across year groups to observe pupils during learning. A number of visits were undertaken jointly with school leaders.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils formally and informally.  Observations of pupils’ behaviour took place during lessons, in an assembly, at playtime and lunchtime and when pupils were moving around the school.  Inspectors jointly reviewed a range of pupils’ work in English, mathematics and other subjects with subject leaders. They discussed pupils’ work and monitored their progress. An inspector heard pupils from Year 1 and Year 2 read.  A range of documentation provided by the school was examined. This included leaders’ evaluation of the school’s performance, their development plan, attendance and

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Information about this inspection

behaviour information, assessment information and documentation relating to safeguarding.  Inspectors considered 26 responses to the staff survey and 40 responses to the pupil survey.  The inspection took account of the views of 32 parents who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, which included 45 free-text responses. Inspectors also spoke with parents as they brought their children to school.

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Inspection team

Cathy Morgan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Andy Taylor 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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