Lift Shafton

Inspection of a good school: Shafton Primary Academy High Street, Shafton, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S72 8QA

p.1

Outcome

Shafton Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say they enjoy school and particularly like their teachers. Pupils are happy and say they have many friends. Pupils enjoy, art, mathematics, physical education and reading. They study a broad and balanced curriculum. Pupils beamed with pride when reciting poems they had learned by heart. They show enthusiasm for learning. Staff expect pupils to do their best and have high expectations. Pupils enjoy the range of educational visits and visitors. All classes have at least one visit annually. Classrooms are bright and attractive.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The vast majority of pupils behave well and are polite. When pupils do not behave well, staff have effective systems in place to help. Pupils can attend the ‘Sunshine Room’, which provides activities to support a range of individual needs. Pupils say bullying does sometimes happen, although it is rare. When it happens, adults work hard to sort things out. Pupils say they feel safe in school. They show a real understanding of what bullying is.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Most parents and carers are happy with the progress their children make. They particularly like the whole-school assemblies. One grandparent said: ‘It is amazing what the children can do. I wish education had been like this when I went to school.’

p.1

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders are highly ambitious for all pupils. The school places reading at the centre of everything they do. Attractive reading and library areas encourage pupils to pick up a book and read. Teachers plan daily reading time into the curriculum. Pupils speak about the range of authors they have read and show a love of reading.

p.1

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The teaching of early reading skills is effective. Most children can read by the end of Year 1. Teachers spend time making sure that children can pronounce sounds correctly. All teachers receive training in the school’s phonics programme. This helps them to provide extra support where needed. Sometimes, pupils use picture clues rather than sounding 16–17 October 2019

p.1

2

out the words. Most pupils leave key stage 1 as fluent readers.

p.2

2

Detailed mathematics planning sets out what pupils need to learn and in what order. Regular revision helps pupils remember knowledge from previous lessons. Alongside this, daily arithmetic sessions help pupils keep their number skills sharp. Pupils enjoy the timed challenges which they all take part in. Challenge tasks support the most able mathematicians. There is some inconsistency in how these are being applied. Too few pupils have reached the highest standard by the end of key stage 2.

p.2

2

Leaders have reviewed and improved the curriculum. They have ensured that teachers have strong subject knowledge through providing appropriate training. Regular staff meetings provide opportunities for staff to share work samples. They are beginning to check progression across the curriculum. Medium-term history plans are still in their early stages. They do not always show how each topic builds on the skills and knowledge from previous years. Where teaching is strongest, pupils remember significant amounts of knowledge from previous years. For example, pupils in Year 3 could explain why the Great Fire of London spread so quickly. In another class, pupils struggled to remember key information.

p.2

2

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. They receive detailed plans which set out the support they need. Staff communicate regularly with families. This ensures that staff keep parents well informed about how their children are doing.

p.2

2

Leaders consider the impact new initiatives will have on staff workload. Staff feel valued and say that their workload has improved. Newly qualified teachers feel confident in their new roles. They are well supported by other staff members. Effective training has helped all staff to improve their subject knowledge.

p.2

2

Children in the early years are happy and settled. They have already learned routines for tidying up and listening. They behave well. This is because staff form positive relationships with both children and parents. Teachers understand the needs of young children. They make sure that they provide a wide range of learning activities. Children have daily phonics sessions. At the moment, home reading books do not help children to practise their phonics skills at home. However, children do take home the sounds and key words they are learning. The majority of children leave the early years with the skills and abilities they need for Year 1.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

Safeguarding

Leaders provide regular safeguarding training for all staff. This means that staff know what to do if they have any concerns about any pupils’ welfare. The safeguarding team works well with outside agencies. Members make sure that pupils receive the support they need. Record-keeping is organised and thorough.

p.2

Safeguarding

The trust makes sure that all staff have the right checks before they begin working at the 16–17 October 2019

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum has been improved and rewritten. It takes into account the national curriculum and the changes in mixed-age classes at the school. Medium-term history plans currently consist of a list of which aspects of the topic will be covered. Further work is required to ensure more coherence and better sequencing of what needs to be taught and how it links to prior learning. Teachers need to be clear about what knowledge they want pupils to remember.  The proportions of pupils achieving the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics are well above the national averages. However, not enough pupils are reaching the higher standards, particularly in mathematics. Leaders need to ensure that teachers consistently provide opportunities for pupils to apply their knowledge in order to deepen their understanding.

p.3

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 17–18 November 2015.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

4

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

4

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. 16–17 October 2019

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10097551 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Chair of governing body Julie Price Grimshaw

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 17–18 November 2015

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is of average size. It is sponsored by the Academies Enterprise Trust.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well below the national average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is around the national average.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 I met with a range of school staff, including two newly qualified teachers. I also met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. I spoke to the director of primary and SEND education from the trust on the telephone. I spoke to pupils throughout the inspection. I spoke to a small number of parents at the end of the school day and to one parent on the telephone.  I considered the quality of education, focusing on reading, mathematics and history. I spoke to leaders, teachers and pupils. I visited classrooms to observe learning and look at pupils’ work. I observed adults read with individual pupils.  I took account of survey responses from 48 parents and nine members of staff.  Various safeguarding documents were reviewed. I checked the school’s procedures for 16–17 October 2019

p.5

6

recruiting, vetting and training staff. I looked at safeguarding records.

p.6

Inspection team

Janet Lunn, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 16–17 October 2019

p.6

7

regulates and inspects to 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.

p.7

7

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 .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

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

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7