Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy

Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy Hendford Drive, Pollard Park, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD3 0QT

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The inspirational principal is relentless in her pursuit of excellence. Her passion for every pupil to have the very best care and education shines through and is at the core of all decisions made.  Star Academies Trust and governors provide exceptional support to, and oversight of, the school. Their wide-ranging expertise provides precise and effective guidance to staff, leading to a high quality of education. Staff appreciate the excellent professional development they receive.  Middle leadership is a strength of the school. Leaders have a very strong oversight of their subject areas and know about their priorities with great accuracy.  Pupils make exceptional progress in reading and mathematics. High-quality teaching enables pupils to develop the skills and knowledge they need to read challenging texts and solve complex problems.  All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND),

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

disadvantaged pupils and those for whom English is an additional language, make strong, and often rapid, progress in a range of subjects.  The rich and varied curriculum is exceptionally well planned to develop pupils’ passion for learning. It leads to outstanding academic outcomes and ensures that pupils are extremely well prepared for secondary school.  Respectful and positive relationships between pupils and adults are a visible strength throughout the school. Pupils both value and live up to teachers’ very high expectations for learning and behaviour.  The school’s values of service, teamwork, ambition and respect (STAR), underpin the ethos of the school. The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, cultural and emotional development and welfare is exceptional.  Attendance is consistently above the national average and almost all pupils have high attendance. Pupils feel safe and the school has a

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

vigilant safeguarding culture.  Strong leadership of the early years provision and highly effective teaching ensure that children make excellent progress from their very low starting points.  Teachers are highly skilled in supporting pupils to make very strong progress. However, sometimes, teachers do not move pupils on in their work as soon as they are ready.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that teachers move pupils on quickly in their work when they are ready.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 Star Academies Trust, governors and leaders are highly committed to their vision of ‘nurturing today’s young people, inspiring tomorrow’s leaders’. Together, they have developed a culture of the highest aspirations for all and a nurturing environment in which staff and pupils thrive.  The principal provides modest, calm and reflective leadership. She fulfils her responsibilities with the utmost integrity. The principal and vice-principal are uncompromising in their aim for pupils to achieve as well as they possibly can.  Senior leaders and the trust have successfully led the school through a series of significant recent events. In addition to the challenges resulting from high pupil mobility and changes in staffing, leaders have successfully overseen a change of academy trust, a major building programme and an increase in the number of pupils on roll. Teachers, staff, parents and pupils have risen to the challenge. The quality of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

teaching, learning and assessment has improved further and, as a result, there have been significant improvements in pupils’ outcomes across the school.  Leaders’ high expectations and aspirations have not been realised at the expense of pupils’ or staff members’ well-being or happiness. Responses to Ofsted’s staff survey were very positive about support from leaders and the improvements made. Almost all parents and carers who spoke to inspectors and/or submitted comments to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, were positive. One comment from a parent, typical of others, was: ‘The teachers are very friendly and welcoming, always helpful and informative.’  All school leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and work to continually improve the school further. Leaders use their checks on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment to identify what works best and where practice can

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

improve further. They make sure that priorities for improvement are precisely focused, and are underpinned by astute actions that make a positive difference to pupils’ experience of school. Staff, including teachers new to the profession, value the high- quality training and development provided.  Middle leaders, particularly leaders of English and mathematics, are a strength of the school. They fulfil their responsibilities effectively through regular monitoring and working closely with senior leaders and experts from the trust. Subject leaders’ regular checks and expertise ensure that teachers’ planning supports pupils’ strong gains in learning across a full range of subjects.  The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is meticulous in ensuring that pupils with SEND continue to make progress and flourish, regardless of the challenges that they may face. Adults provide high levels of personalised support to pupils with SEND,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

including those with complex needs. This helps these pupils make very strong progress.  Leaders use the additional funding for the many disadvantaged pupils to ensure that pupils have access to all activities offered and have any additional help they need . Leaders have evaluated their actions thoroughly and are clear about what works best to support learning. As a result, disadvantaged pupils make progress that is similar to, or better than, that of their classmates with similar starting points. Disadvantaged pupils’ achievement is typically at least as good as that of other pupils nationally in the end-of-key-stage tests and teacher assessments.  The primary physical education (PE) and sport premium is used purposefully to provide pupils with a wide variety of opportunities to be physically active and experience a very broad range of sporting activities. Pupils are appreciative of these activities.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 The school’s values are woven throughout the broad and balanced curriculum. It provides rich and varied learning experiences for pupils in science, humanities and creative and expressive arts, as well as developing pupils’ strong skills in reading, writing and mathematics. This is further enhanced by well-considered visits, which give pupils opportunities that they might not otherwise experience. An increasing number of pupils attend the residential trips. Pupils told inspectors that they particularly enjoy these opportunities.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is at the heart of this inclusive school. The school’s environment is rich and stimulating. Prompts and displays successfully reinforce positive attitudes to learning. The school’s own values are consistent with British values. Pupils know the school’s values and understand that keeping them will help them to be responsible and positive adults.

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Governance of the school

 There are clear roles and responsibilities within the structure of the trust. Experienced governors form the academy transition board. Governors understand the challenges facing the local community. They share the same passion and commitment seen from all who work at the school.  Governors have a comprehensive understanding of the strengths of the school and the areas for further improvement. They understand clearly how well pupils are doing compared to other pupils nationally. Governors have the experience and knowledge to enable them to challenge leaders and hold them to account. The governors themselves are held to account by the trustees.  The school benefits a great deal from expert support and guidance from the members of the trust, who are highly skilled. Together, they have been fundamental to the significant improvements at the school.  Members of the trust, the academy executives and governors work in collaboration to

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Governance of the school

maintain high levels of accountability. As a result, the standard of education is high.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are extremely effective and are a strength of the school. Parents, staff and pupils are all extremely confident that pupils are safe in school. The curriculum is carefully planned so that pupils know how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations, including online.  Leaders ensure that a culture of vigilance exists. The school grounds are secured well, and visitors’ details are checked thoroughly on entry to school. Members of staff are a visible presence, ensuring that security remains high.  Meticulous procedures are in place and these are understood and followed by all. Leaders with responsibility for safeguarding are tenacious in following up any issues that arise. They ensure that all adults who work in the school are thoroughly checked to ensure that they pose no threat to pupils. Pupils thrive in a safe and nurturing environment, feeling valued and cared for.

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Safeguarding

 Staff are well trained in all aspects of safeguarding. They are thorough in looking out for any signs that may indicate that a pupil may be at risk of harm or abuse. All staff are clear about potential risks outside of school. They are particularly vigilant about ensuring that no child or family is at risk of radicalisation or extremism. Equally, they are alert to signs of neglect, deprivation and abuse.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 Teachers understand that many children enter school with knowledge and skills markedly below those typical for their age and stage of learning, and that many are at the very earliest stage of learning English. As a consequence, they work effectively to ensure that the pupils make as much progress as they can in improving their communication skills.  The relationships between staff and pupils are excellent. Teaching is consistently strong throughout the school. Staff have high expectations of all pupils and pupils are keen to learn. Pupils behave very well in lessons. They listen attentively, concentrate fully and work productively with each other and with staff. Pupils are highly motivated to do the best that they can.  Teachers and teaching assistants work well together, discussing pupils’ learning and sharing ideas to ensure that the work they plan is very effective in supporting pupils’ learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 Teachers use their secure subject knowledge to support pupils’ learning across the curriculum. All staff use questioning well to check pupils’ understanding and help them think deeply. Most staff closely monitor pupils’ progress in lessons to inform subsequent activities. This helps all groups of pupils make substantial progress. On occasion, teachers wait too long before providing pupils with more challenging tasks as soon as they are ready; this slows their progress.  Whenever possible, teaching ensures that pupils with SEND have access to the same curriculum as their peers. Where appropriate, teachers adjust their teaching to enable these pupils to make the progress of which they are capable.  The teaching of phonics is highly effective. Pupils are able to confidently apply their phonics knowledge in both their reading and writing. Teachers in all year groups introduce and model vocabulary linked to subjects and topics. As a result, pupils use

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

and apply an increasing range of vocabulary during discussions and within their written work.  Reading is a high priority for the school. Initiatives, such as the young readers programme, encourage pupils to read regularly at home. Class texts are used effectively to extend pupils’ vocabulary and strengthen the quality of their writing. The teacher in Year 2 enthused pupils by dressing up as Little Red Riding Hood and answering pupils’ questions, which they later used in their writing. Pupils were clearly motivated to use expressive language in their stories and letters, modifying carefully to improve the quality of their sentences. In Year 6, pupils demonstrated mature and empathetic attitudes in their imaginative writing about the characters in the video version of The Piano. Older pupils regularly read together in lessons and some are proud to be chosen to read with pupils in Year 2. Pupils read widely and talk

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

enthusiastically about the books they read for pleasure. As a result, pupils make excellent progress in reading.  Teachers provide pupils with numerous opportunities to write in a range of different styles and at length across the curriculum. The teaching of grammar, punctuation and spelling is highly effective. Stimulating activities are planned to spark pupils’ interest, and meaningful links are made to develop pupils’ learning further. For example, pupils in Year 2 were very proud to receive a formal and positive response from the principal following their persuasive, written requests for a new key stage 1 library. Evidence from books and displays shows that pupils are making very strong progress in writing from their starting points.  The teaching of mathematics is a strength across the school as a result of the quality of leadership. Teachers provide pupils with many opportunities to develop secure

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

fluency and apply their mathematical skills in problem-solving and reasoning activities. Pupils can articulate their learning clearly, using correct mathematical vocabulary.  Staff give pupils informative verbal and written feedback in line with the school’s policy. Pupils regularly review and assess their own work during lessons. They are taught from a very early age to reflect and consider what they have done, and how to improve it.  Teachers make effective use of the school’s assessment information to quickly identify any pupil who begins to fall behind. Additional teaching is planned to help them to catch up quickly. When appropriate, pupils, including those with SEND, have highly effective, precise, additional teaching to help them master key learning and vocabulary.  Homework, such as multiplication tables, phonics, spelling and topic work, is used well to consolidate learning across the curriculum. Parents receive useful and regular

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

information about how well their children are learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Leaders ensure that the STAR values are at the heart of the curriculum. As a result, pupils are respectful of others’ ideas, tolerant of differences and demonstrate an impressive level of empathy for others.  The school’s breakfast club has a highly engaging atmosphere where adults provide a warm, welcoming and educational start to the school day. In this environment, great emphasis is placed on pupils’ well-being.  Pupils talk with understanding about the need to contribute positively to wider society. They are unfailingly kind, and work and play happily together. The personal greetings between staff and pupils each morning and during assemblies epitomise the high- quality relationships between adults and pupils and get the day off to a great start.  The school’s work to promote emotional well-being makes a strong contribution to

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Personal development and welfare

pupils’ overall health. Pupils are encouraged to adopt a healthy and active lifestyle. The school held its own children’s mental health awareness week, encouraging pupils to discuss the things that make them feel worried or anxious. The pastoral support provided is pivotal in ensuring that pupils and their families receive timely support when needed, to maintain their well-being.  Pupils have a strong understanding of fundamental British values, such as democracy. They are given many opportunities to develop important leadership skills and capably use their authority to make positive changes. Pupils relish being able to help others in roles such as student councillor, forest school ambassador, paired reader, handwriting coach and anti-bullying ambassador. All those who take on responsible roles are fully trained so that they know exactly how they can help their fellow pupils.  Leaders use every opportunity to raise aspirations and expand pupils’ horizons. For

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Personal development and welfare

example, the school’s ‘Big Star, Little Star’ initiative is used effectively to inspire pupils to aim high. Pupils enjoy hearing from a range of renowned community leaders who talk about their journey to success. Pupils who spoke with inspectors enjoyed sharing their own aspirations for the future.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils are very proud of their school and appreciative of all that the staff do for them. Pupils in Year 6 are proud to wear the smart blazers and ties provided for them by the school. They are mature and caring and provide positive role models to younger pupils.  Pupils enjoy learning and thrive in the calm and nurturing environment. Pupils work hard to have their names on the positive ‘rainbow’ section of their class behaviour chart and they are thrilled when awarded STAR merits for positive work and/or behaviour.  Pupils work hard and take pride in their work. The quality of work in pupils’ books is impressive and shows that they are rightly proud of their efforts. Pupils’ topic and separate subject books are particularly noteworthy.  In class and around the school, pupils conduct themselves exceptionally well. They respond promptly to adults’ instructions and there are very few incidents of

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Behaviour

inappropriate behaviour. Pupils speak confidently that, should any such incidents occur, they are dealt with appropriately by adults. Pupils who struggle to make the right choices about how to behave are given the help and support they need. Pupils have a good understanding of how their behaviour affects others.  Pupils are helped to recognise and manage risks they may face. Staff take swift action to follow up when pupils are absent, particularly the most vulnerable pupils. Pupils’ attendance is consistently above the national average. Staff welcome pupils into school each morning and speak with parents. Leaders’ systems to support families and encourage pupils to attend regularly are highly effective and build positive relationships with families.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

 Pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has been, and remains, above national averages at the end of key stage 2. This is because of the outstanding teaching, learning and assessment at the school and the positive learning attitudes of pupils. Consequently, pupils are exceptionally well prepared for their next steps in education.  Pupils’ progress by the end of Year 6 has continued to improve since the school became an academy in 2016. Pupils’ progress in mathematics and reading in 2018 was well above the national average. Progress in mathematics was in the top 1% of primary schools nationally and reading progress was in the top 3%. This is an outstanding achievement, given pupils’ low starting points when they join the school.  The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard for their age in reading, writing and mathematics is improving year on year. In 2018, the high proportion of

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

disadvantaged pupils reached standards higher than the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils currently in key stage 1 are making strong progress, particularly those with English as an additional language and those who join the school at different times in the school year.  Phonics is taught systematically from Nursery. The proportion of pupils in Year 1 who meet the required standard in the phonics screening check is also improving. Having been above the national average in 2017, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in 2018 declined. This was as a result of the increased number of pupils joining the school in Reception and in Year 1, many of whom faced challenges in their language development. Pupils who are struggling are given the help they need to catch up quickly in Year 2. Currently, the excellent teaching of phonics in the early years is built on very well in Year 1 and almost all pupils are on track to reach the

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

standard required.  From a young age, pupils read with interest and enjoyment. As they move up the school, they make rapid progress. They become fluent readers who develop a love of reading and read widely and often.  Evidence collected during the inspection supports leaders’ views that progress in writing is improving rapidly because of their actions. Current pupils are now making much stronger progress in developing their writing skills than in the past. Evidence shows that pupils write imaginatively in a range of styles and present their work neatly.  The school has a successful track record of supporting pupils from vulnerable groups. As a consequence, pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds make accelerated progress as they move through the school. Their outcomes at the end of key stage 2 are very strong in reading, writing and mathematics.  Individual needs are carefully identified, and pupils are provided with exceptional

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

support through consistently effective teaching. As a result, pupils with SEND make very strong progress from their starting points and achieve very well.  Pupils’ work, inspection evidence and information the school holds about the achievement of pupils show that pupils currently in the school are making strong progress in all subjects, including science, geography and history.

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Early years provision Outstanding

 The majority of children enter early years with starting points below, and often well below, those that are typical for their age. Many speak little or no English, and the proportion with language difficulties is high. Leaders have identified that many children do not attend a nursery before joining the Reception classes. These children often have limited experience of learning through play and need to develop their communication skills. From these starting points, children make outstanding progress, especially in communication, language and literacy. Progress is substantial for all children because of outstanding teaching over time.  Leadership of early years is outstanding. The leader ensures that staff in the Nursery and the Reception classes work closely together and are unrelenting in their pursuit of excellence. The clarity of thinking ensures that there are high expectations about what children can achieve.

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Early years provision Outstanding

 Children in early years are very happy and safe. Safeguarding is a high priority for staff at all times. Children behave extremely well and work cooperatively with each other. Children listen carefully to adults and respond quickly to instructions. They move sensibly and safely around the learning environment. They demonstrate a clear awareness of their safety and the safety of others.  Leaders make effective use of additional funding to support the needs of children with SEND. Such funding is used to provide these children with additional support individually and/or in small groups. As a result, these children make strong and sustained progress from typically low starting points.  The high proportion of children who arrive in early years at the earliest stage of learning English are extremely well supported by bilingual teaching assistants. They play a significant role in encouraging children to speak and take part in activities. They

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Early years provision Outstanding

identify where children may have additional needs.  Teachers use funding effectively to support the needs of disadvantaged pupils. Leaders of early years highlight that the main barrier to their learning relates to language development. Leaders ensure that specialist support is provided for these children to support their development.  Teaching is very effective in early years. Excellent use is made of precise assessments to plan learning that builds on what children know, understand and can do. The learning environments are stimulating and very well resourced to enable children to access a wide range of learning experiences.  Teachers ensure that learning is exciting and that children have a wide range of opportunities to work alone and with others. Adults miss no opportunities to involve children in activities that support their speaking and listening skills. This was demonstrated clearly during children’s discussion with an adult about their newly

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Early years provision Outstanding

hatched chicks. Carefully crafted questions encouraged children to use imaginative vocabulary and a range of words and phrases to describe the chicks.  Staff work very effectively with parents. Parents are encouraged to visit early years regularly to take part in activities alongside their children. This is enabling more of them to support their children’s progress in areas such as early reading. Parents speak highly of the opportunities they have to choose books to take home to read with their child.

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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

Email address Ann.winter@barkerend.staracademies.org

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy joined the Star Academies Trust in April 2018 following the demise of the Wakefield City Academies Trust. The school had been a member of this trust since June 2016.  This is the school’s first inspection since becoming a member of a multi-academy trust.  The predecessor school was inspected in February 2014, when it was judged to require improvement.  The school is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  The number of pupils on roll increased in 2016 when it became a three-form entry school, teaching pupils from Nursery to Year 6.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is higher than the national average, as is the proportion of pupils with SEND. A smaller than the national average proportion of these pupils have an education, health and care plan.  Almost all pupils are from minority ethnic groups and a high proportion speak English as an additional language.

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Information about this school

 A high proportion of pupils enter or leave the school at times other than those expected.  There are two newly qualified teachers who have recently joined the school.  The school operates a breakfast club.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team visited teaching sessions across a range of subjects from Nursery to Year 6. Many of these were conducted alongside members of the senior leadership team.  Inspectors held meetings with the principal, senior and middle leaders, governors and members of the trust, including the chief executive officer.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ work, spoke to pupils formally and informally about their learning and listened to several pupils read.  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’

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Information about this inspection

evaluation of the school’s performance, their development plan, attendance and behaviour information, assessment information and documentation relating to safeguarding.  Inspectors considered 44 responses to the staff survey and 26 responses to the pupil survey.  The inspection took account of the views of 34 parents who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, which included 13 free-text responses.  The inspectors spoke to parents at the start of the school day and reviewed results from the school’s own consultation activities. They also spoke to several staff members.

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Inspection team

Cathy Morgan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie Brown 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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