Old Bank Junior Infant and Nursery School

Old Bank Junior Infant and Nursery School Taylor Hall Lane, Mirfield, West Yorkshire WF14 0HW

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and governors have not addressed the weaknesses in the curriculum, the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes. They have not ensured that safeguarding is effective.  Leadership capacity to secure improvements is weak. Too much improvement is dependent on the recently appointed acting headteacher.  Governors are supportive of the school. However, they have failed to hold leaders to account for poor pupils’ outcomes, the impact of the spending of additional funds the school receives and the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements.  At the end of key stage 2, pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is too low. As a result of inadequate teaching over time, current pupils continue to underachieve because they are making weak progress across the curriculum. Very few pupils are working at higher standards in English and mathematics.  Appropriate education, health and care (EHC) plans for pupils with special educational needs

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and/or disabilities (SEND) are in place where required. However, leaders do not check the progress of all pupils with SEND. As a result, they are unable to monitor the effectiveness of additional SEND funding .  Leaders have not ensured that the curriculum is well planned. Pupils do not acquire appropriate knowledge, skills and understanding. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is limited, so pupils are poorly prepared for life in modern Britain.  Teachers’ use of assessment is weak and, as a result, work is not matched appropriately to the pupils’ ability.  Inconsistencies in behaviour management have resulted in some pupils displaying poor attitudes to their learning, their peers and staff. Exclusions are high, and leaders have not established effective approaches for supporting pupils on return from exclusion.  Arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. Leaders have not ensured that all

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

statutory policies and welfare requirements are in place. Consequently, pupils and staff are placed at risk. Some pupils do not feel safe in the school.  Leaders have not ensured that statutory policies, risk assessment and welfare checks are in place for the early years provision. The attainment of children in early years is too low and their progress is not sufficiently strong.  Some parents, carers and pupils are concerned that the school does not address incidences of bullying quickly enough.

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Full report

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

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Urgently, improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by: – rapidly improving the quality of teaching, so pupils make strong progress – establishing tightly focused improvement plans with clear lines of accountability to address the school’s weaknesses – ensuring that the school’s arrangements for safeguarding meet all statutory requirements and ensure the welfare of all pupils – improving governors’ support and challenge to leaders, particularly in relation to pupils’ outcomes and the use of additional funding – providing a broad and rich curriculum that enables pupils to develop secure knowledge and skills in all subjects – ensuring that leaders and governors monitor the effectiveness of the pupil premium funding stringently, so that disadvantaged pupils make at least good progress – establishing effective leadership of English and mathematics, so that there is capacity to bring the required improvements in these subjects

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– providing training for teachers and performance management approaches to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.  Rapidly improve teaching, learning and assessment by: – providing structured, systematic phonics teaching which is well matched to pupils’ needs – improving the teaching of reading, so that pupils’ vocabulary is widened and their comprehension of the meaning of texts increases – ensuring that grammar, punctuation and spelling, along with the key features of different types of writing, are taught effectively – increasing opportunities for pupils to develop their fluency and problem-solving in mathematics, so that more pupils deepen their learning – ensuring that staff set high expectations for the presentation of pupils’ work and what pupils can achieve – using assessment accurately, so that teachers plan effectively from pupils’ starting points.  Quickly improve outcomes for pupils by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– accelerating the progress that pupils make, so they catch up from their low starting points – increasing the proportion of pupils who attain the expected and high standards in reading, writing and mathematics, so that progress is at least in line with national averages.  Promptly improve pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare by: – implementing behaviour strategies effectively, so that any disruptive behaviour is dealt with quickly – supporting pupils at risk of exclusion and those returning from exclusion effectively – developing procedures to address incidents of bullying and pupils’ understanding of bullying through a well-planned curriculum.  Rapidly improve the effectiveness of early years provision by: – ensuring that the provision for children in early years meets all requirements and pupils are safe – ensuring that leaders have an accurate picture of strengths and weaknesses of the

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

provision and use this to inform the planning of the next steps of learning for children – improving assessment of children’s learning in all key areas – ensuring that teaching challenges all children to make strong progress, especially in their reading, writing and mathematics development – making expectations of behaviour clear to children, so they can thrive and succeed in learning. 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 pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 The school provides a poor quality of education for its pupils. Leaders have not established high expectations of what pupils should learn. By the end of Year 6, too many pupils fail to reach the standards in English and mathematics that are required for them to make a good start at secondary school.  Turbulence in leadership arrangements have reduced the capacity for any sustained school improvement. Too much improvement is dependent on the recently appointed acting headteacher.  Leaders have not been effective in holding staff to account for the quality of their work or supporting them to make the necessary improvements. Leaders have an accurate picture of the quality of teaching and learning, but do not have the necessary systems in place for improvement.  The school’s plans for improvement lack precision. They do not show clearly how leaders and governors will check whether planned actions are making a difference to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

pupils’ outcomes.  There are currently no English and mathematics leaders. Capacity for improving teaching and pupils’ outcomes is weak.  Pupil premium funding is not used effectively, because the school’s strategy is not tightly focused on improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. Leaders, including governors, have not monitored the effect of the plan carefully. Consequently, rates of progress and attainment of disadvantaged pupils are low.  Leaders’ oversight of the curriculum is weak. The curriculum is poorly planned and does not provide pupils with the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding in a wide range of subjects. The recently appointed acting headteacher has established a long-term plan for the curriculum, but this has had little time to have an impact on pupils’ learning.  Pupils study a range of topics. However, in subjects such as history and science, the standard of work is poor. Pupils’ books show that teachers expectations are too low, as

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

work is unfinished and there is very little evidence of developing knowledge based on prior learning.  The school’s provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is weak. There is limited evidence of pupils developing an understanding of British values and life in modern Britain. Pupils have few opportunities to consider and respect the diversity of groups in Britain and do not have a broad knowledge of world faiths.  The leadership of provision for pupils with SEND is developing. EHC plans are in place and relevant. There is some provision for social and emotional support. However, the impact of this support has not been evaluated thoroughly and the impact is not known.  Leaders have not made effective use of the formal support and guidance provided, or brokered by, the local authority. As a result, this support has had little effect in helping the school’s improvement.  Although leaders organise some training for staff, including those new to their teaching

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

careers, leaders cannot identify the impact of professional development on the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress.  School leaders have made effective use of the additional physical education and sports premium funding. Specialist coaches work alongside staff to develop teachers’ skills in teaching lessons. The funding has also been used to increase the number of after- school clubs available, so more children have the opportunity to take part in sport.  Newly qualified teachers may not be appointed.

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Governance of the school

 Governance is weak. Governors do not have a precise understanding of the school’s effectiveness. They are not able to challenge leaders and hold them to account. For example, they have not ensured that statutory polices are in place. They have not acted on concerns from the local authority quickly enough to address the areas of weakness.  Governors are very supportive of the school and want to serve the pupils and the community well. However, their strategic leadership has not had sufficient impact on improving provision and pupils’ progress and standards.  The local authority highlighted concerns with governors of the school and issued a warning notice in February 2019. The new chair of governors has written an improvement plan to address these concerns, but it is too soon for this to show any impact.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.  Some statutory policies, risk assessments and welfare requirements are not in place and this puts pupils and staff at risk. The missing policies include those on administering medicines, whistleblowing, anti-bullying and managing allegations against staff.  Some pupils do not feel safe in the school.  The local authority has raised concerns around delays in reporting allegations in a timely manner. An appropriate policy is still not in place.  Exclusions of pupils are not well managed. Leaders have not ensured that pupils who are at risk of exclusion or returning from exclusions are successfully supported.  There are no risk assessments in place for pupils who display extreme negative behaviours.  Leaders carry out and record all necessary checks to ensure that adults in the building are suitable to work with children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 Teaching, learning and assessment do not enable pupils to develop the subject-specific skills and knowledge they need. Across the school, teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are low.  Teachers’ assessment of pupils’ learning is weak. Teachers do not have a deep understanding of what pupils can and cannot do. As a result, pupils are set work that is either too hard or too easy. The most able pupils are often set work that is too easy.  Teachers do not check pupils’ understanding carefully in lessons. They do not use questioning effectively to check pupils’ knowledge. As a result, teachers do not address pupils’ misconceptions quickly enough. Pupils continue to make the same mistakes, and, over time, progress is weak.  Pupils are often unclear about what they are learning. This is because teachers frequently fail to explain work clearly and accurately enough to ensure that all pupils

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

understand. As a result, additional support lacks precision, and pupils who fall behind fail to catch up.  Although the school has recently introduced a new strategy for teaching writing, this is not sufficiently focused on improving the accuracy of writing in some year groups. Too many pupils continue to make basic errors in simple word and sentence construction. This hampers their ability to write with accuracy and complexity. The most able pupils are not challenged enough to extend their learning. Consequently, in 2018, no pupils at the end of key stage 1 and 2 achieved the higher standards in writing.  Teachers do not have a clear approach for the teaching of reading. As a result, pupils do not read widely or often, and their comprehension skills are particularly weak. Not enough is done to support the progress of pupils who need to catch up with their reading. As a result, the progress that pupils make in reading, at key stage 2, is

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

significantly below that seen nationally.  Weaknesses in the teaching of phonics mean too few pupils reach the expected standard by the end of Year 1. Current teaching is not focused sharply enough on improving progress. For example, some pupils are unable to use their phonic skills effectively when attempting to read unfamiliar words and fail to make enough progress in their reading.  The teaching of mathematics is poor. Teachers do not build successfully on what pupils have learned previously. The work provided by teachers is not well matched to pupils’ abilities. Many pupils are not challenged enough. Pupils are not given enough opportunities to apply their understanding to solve problems or develop their reasoning skills. Consequently, pupils’ progress in mathematics is restricted. The most able pupils are rarely challenged with problems that deepen their understanding.  Provision for pupils with SEND is variable. Appropriate plans are in place for pupils with

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

EHC plans. However, leaders do not check carefully on progress made by other pupils with SEND. The additional support that is provided by teaching assistants is not always focused on the specific needs of the pupil.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate.  Pupils do not have a clear view of how to be a successful learner because of weak teaching. They rely heavily on adult support.  Pupils do not develop consistently good attitudes to learning. Some do not always concentrate well on their activities in class. These pupils do not take pride in their work and sometimes show little interest and enthusiasm in their learning. This is apparent across both key stages.  The wider curriculum does not provide for pupils to fully develop a deep understanding of British values. Pupils’ understanding, such as of respect or of valuing differences in others, is often lacking.  Pupils have some understanding of how to stay safe and understand the risks associated with the internet and social media. Pupils knew who to tell if they felt unsafe online.  The school provides a breakfast club every morning. Pupils who attend the club have

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Personal development and welfare

the opportunity to play with pupils of different ages.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is inadequate.  During the inspection, pupils’ conduct in some classes was disruptive, and there were some incidents of poor behaviour throughout the day. Some pupils have concerns about the behaviour of their peers. Several parents informed inspectors that they did not believe that behaviour is well managed.  Leaders have created an online system for recording incidents of bullying, which staff have been trained to use. However, a significant number of parents who spoke to inspectors or responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, are concerned that staff do not fully address incidents of bullying. Some pupils told inspectors they have concerns about bullying within the school.  In 2017/18, pupils’ attendance was below the national average. Leaders have not been successful in addressing current low attendance. Too many pupils are regularly absent from the school, and this hampers their learning.

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Behaviour

 The proportion of pupils excluded is higher than the average found in similar schools. The school does not have effective systems in place to monitor pupils at risk of exclusion and those returning from exclusions. This does not support a successful return to school for some pupils.

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 Over time, pupils in the school underachieve substantially. Too few achieve the standards expected of them, and very few achieve the higher standards at all key stages. Pupils are not well prepared for their next stage of education.  By the end of key stage 2, pupils’ attainment is low, and their progress is weak. In 2018, Year 6 pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics was in the bottom 20% of all schools nationally. In the last two years, progress in reading was significantly below average. The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics in key stage 2 was well below the national average.  The performance of the most able pupils is not strong, because they are not provided with appropriate work to reach the higher standards. In key stage 2 tests for reading and mathematics for the past two years, the proportion of pupils reaching the higher

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

standards has been very low compared to national averages.  Leaders have recently acted to improve the teaching of writing. However, the effect on pupils’ progress so far is limited. Current school information shows that pupils’ attainment in writing is still weak across the school.  The progress of current pupils in school is poor, because leaders have failed to act with the degree of urgency required to tackle weak teaching. Actions that leaders have taken have not had a positive impact on learning. Consequently, pupils in key stages 1 and 2 do not make sufficiently strong progress, and standards remain low in reading, writing and mathematics.  Outcomes for disadvantaged pupils are weak. Additional support is not sufficiently well matched to pupils’ individual needs, and teachers’ expectations of what these pupils can achieve are generally not high enough.  Pupils with SEND make poor progress, because teachers do not plan work that is well

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

matched to their needs. Leaders have not evaluated the impact of interventions for pupils with SEND.  Over the last two years, the proportion of pupils who have achieved the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check has declined, and in 2018 was well below the national average. Leaders have not taken effective action to address this trend. The current school information shows that the proportion on track to achieve the expected standard is even lower this year.

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Early years provision Inadequate

 Early years provision is inadequate, as some statutory policies, risk assessments and welfare checks are not in place. Consequently, safeguarding is ineffective and welfare requirements are not fully in place.  Leaders do not have an accurate picture of strengths and weaknesses in the early years and have not made the necessary changes to improve the provision for children. Assessment is weak, and not enough children reach a good level of development.  Children enter the early years with skills and knowledge below those typical for their age. Children make poor progress, because teachers’ expectations are not high enough. Not enough children are well prepared for Year 1.  The leadership of early years is not well developed. Leadership does not focus on aspects of teaching that need to improve urgently, particularly on ensuring that teaching challenges children sufficiently. Checks of the quality of provision have been

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Early years provision Inadequate

dependent on an external consultant report. The early years leader has recently created a plan to address the weaknesses identified. However, it is too early to determine the effect of the planned actions.  Teaching in early years is weak. Adults do not have high expectations of what children can achieve. Planned learning does not challenge children or sustain their interest. As a result, children make poor progress and do not reach the expected levels of development in the curriculum.  Children’s behaviour, particularly that of boys, is not strong. Staff do not set clear expectations of the children. Poor behaviour happens around adults and staff do not address this quickly. Sometimes, children do not maintain their interest in learning activities. They often do not receive effective support from staff to motivate them to engage purposefully with available activities. As a result, children’s progress is

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Early years provision Inadequate

hampered, and their behaviour deteriorates.  Not enough has been done to involve parents in their children’s learning. Staff do not develop children’s interests or strengths to increase the pace of learning. The leader has recently introduced a system of sharing achievements with parents, but this is not fully embedded.  The organisation of learning in the outdoors is not carefully planned to meet children’s learning and welfare needs. Consequently, children do not develop their reading, writing and mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding well in these areas.  The school’s records and information from the local authority show that the numbers of children who have an accident are high in the early years’ outdoor provision. Leaders have not ensured that risk assessments are in place for all equipment, and the area is poorly planned.  The school is developing its practice for two-year-old children, who are happy and

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Early years provision Inadequate

settled and engage well with other children and adults.

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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 head.oldbank@kirkleeseducation.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 8–9 December 2016

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Information about this school

 Old Bank Junior, Infant and Nursery School is a smaller-than-average-sized primary school.  There is a recently appointed acting headteacher, appointed in February 2019.  The school is receiving external support from the local authority, including brokered support from a national leader of education in a neighbouring school.  The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is above average.  The proportion of pupils with an EHC plan is above average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is higher than the national average.  Children attend part time in Nursery and full time in Reception.  The school has provision for two-year-old children.  The school has a breakfast club for its pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed a range of teaching and learning in every class in the school. Some observations took place jointly with the new acting headteacher.  Inspectors spoke with pupils, both individually and in groups, to gather their views about the school.  Inspectors reviewed pupils’ work in lessons and analysed samples of work in pupils’ books. Inspectors listened to pupils read.  The lead inspector held a meeting with the chair of the governing body and two other governors.  The lead inspector held a phone call with the local authority school improvement partner.  The lead inspector held a meeting with the national leader of education who supports the school.  Inspectors also held meetings with senior leaders and other staff.  Inspectors looked at the school’s review of its own performance, its development and improvement plans, several school policies and the minutes of meetings of the governing body. They considered a range of documentation in relation to pupils’

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Information about this inspection

outcomes, child protection, safeguarding, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors analysed the 16 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents Parent View. They also analysed the responses to the pupil and staff questionnaires. Inspectors met with parents at the beginning and the end of the school day.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Clayton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Michael Reeves Her Majesty’s 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

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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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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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