Scholes Village Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Scholes Village Primary School Old Popplewell Lane, Scholes, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire BD19 6DN

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Outcome

Scholes Village Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school and learning new things. The headteacher and her staff are passionate about learning. They expect the best from everyone. Pupils play their part by trying their best in all that they do. They know that if they make mistakes they will learn from them. Pupils achieve well throughout the school, particularly in reading and mathematics. Pupils enjoy real-life experiences of learning outdoors. They also enjoy raising money through the school’s enterprise programme. Pupils show their care for others by donating money they raise to charities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel happy and safe. They say adults provide a safe environment and care for them well. Pupils behave well in calm and productive classrooms. Pupils settle down and concentrate well in lessons. They work well together in teams, showing care, respect and politeness to each other. This means that pupils are ready to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say acts of bullying and unkindness are infrequent. They say that if it does happen they trust adults to resolve problems. Some pupils enjoy taking on special responsibilities to support their friends. Some pupils enjoy taking the role of a ‘befriender’. These pupils help to sort out problems quickly.

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

Leaders know their school very well. Leaders and teachers work well together as a close-knit team. The headteacher has created a happy and motivated workforce. She ensures that staff are well trained to perform their jobs. Staff value the training and support they receive. Staff are proud to work at this school. They say leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being. Teachers say that whole-school policies, including assessment procedures, are not overly demanding. Leaders have plans to improve teachers’ understanding of pupils’ achievement in different subjects.

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

Staff have a good understanding of pupils’ individual needs, particularly those who are most vulnerable. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well. So 22–23 October 2019

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do disadvantaged pupils. This is because staff know, in detail, pupils’ barriers to learning. Staff provide the right support to help pupils to achieve well across the curriculum. The most vulnerable pupils take part in all aspects of school life. They have high attendance in activities beyond the school day. Pupils relish the wide range of sporting and artistic opportunities on offer. Some pupils enjoy showcasing their talents at ‘Scholes has got talent.’

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Leaders’ curriculum plans take into account the knowledge and skills that pupils need. In geography, history and science, plans detail the order in which pupils learn things. This helps pupils to build on what they know already. The plans for other subjects, such as music, art and design technology, are less developed. Leaders are aware that the quality of learning in these subjects needs to improve.

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The teaching of early reading is effective. There is a well-planned programme for teaching phonics. This means that pupils get off to a good start in their reading. From the time they start school, children learn the sounds that letters make. They quickly learn how to use their phonic knowledge to help them to read and spell. Pupils read books that are matched to the sounds they know. Children enjoy listening and taking part in stories, poems and nursery rhymes.

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Leaders have focused on improving mathematics since the previous inspection. Staff have worked with neighbouring schools as part of the ‘stronger together partnership’. This joint work has transformed the teaching of mathematics. The teaching of mathematics is strong. Pupils learn basic skills well and have secure knowledge of mental arithmetic. All pupils gain a good understanding of different mathematical concepts. This includes pupils with SEND. Pupils achieved well in mathematics in 2019, particularly by the end of key stage 2.

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Teachers regularly check pupils’ understanding in lessons and in their books. Teachers ensure that pupils move on to new learning when they understand their work. Teachers’ use of assessment in subjects such as science, art and music is at an early stage of development. Checks that teachers make on how well pupils learn are stronger in other curriculum areas.

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Leaders have a good understanding of what they still need to improve. They recognise some parents would like more information about their children’s learning and progress.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff take their safeguarding duties seriously. They have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Staff undertake regular training. This helps them to understand the risks pupils may face. Staff act swiftly to report concerns to leaders. Leaders make detailed and comprehensive records when they log concerns. Leaders take prompt action to provide pupils with the support they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe through lessons and assemblies. Visitors such as 22–23 October 2019

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police officers or charity workers provide a range of safety advice. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe when working online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders should review the information they give to parents so that more parents feel well informed of their child’s learning across the curriculum.  Some subjects, such as art, design technology and music, are not as well planned as others. Leaders should develop curriculum planning so that pupils’ knowledge and skills develop progressively in all curriculum subjects.  Teachers do not use formative assessment effectively to check if pupils’ achievements match their curriculum expectations in some subjects. In reading, writing and mathematics, teachers use summative assessment to measure pupils’ achievements. In some subjects, including science, art and music, leaders should ensure that assessments help to better support teachers’ and curriculum leaders’ understanding of pupils’ achievements. This should not add to teachers’ workload.

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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.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Scholes Village Primary School to be good on 1 and 2 July 2015.

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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.

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How can I feed back my views?

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

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You can search for published performance information about the school.

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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. 22–23 October 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10088976 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website http://scholespri.kgfl.dbprimary.com

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1–2 July 2015

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Information about this school

 Scholes Village School is a smaller-than-average-sized primary school.  The very large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is in line with those seen nationally.  The school operates a before-school club each day.

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Information about this inspection

 I met with the headteacher, assistant headteachers and the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo). A meeting was held with six members of the governing body. I also held a telephone conversation with a local authority representative.  I reviewed the school’s safeguarding arrangements. I looked at documentation, staff training and recruitment checks. I also considered how well adults in the school act on concerns about pupils’ welfare.  I evaluated the quality of education by looking in detail at reading, mathematics and science. I completed a range of inspection activities to consider these subjects in depth, including meetings with curriculum leaders, lesson visits alongside curriculum and senior leaders, reviewing pupils’ work in books and discussions with pupils about 22–23 October 2019

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their learning.  I took into account the views of 20 members of staff who responded to Ofsted’s staff survey. I considered these alongside the views of teachers and support staff gathered during meetings.  I considered the views of 40 responses to Ofsted Parent View and 20 additional free- text responses. I met with parents informally at the start of day one of the inspection.

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Inspection team

Brian Stillings, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 22–23 October 2019

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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.

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