Ark Orchard Head Primary School

Inspection of Pontefract Orchard Head Junior and Infant and Nursery School Orchard Head Lane, Pontefract, West Yorkshire WF8 2NJ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good 7–8 November 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Orchard Head Primary is a caring school. The motto ‘value, respect and appreciate everyone’ is threaded through all aspects of the school. Family and community are at the heart of this school. One parent commented that ‘children love coming to school and feel valued.’ Pupils told us it was ‘like one family’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and enjoy school. They are well behaved and engaged in lessons. Staff have high expectations for pupils. Adults set a good example and pupils respect them. Relationships are strong. Pupils told us that staff challenge them to try their best. Pupils in Year 6 value the buddy system. They told us this supports friendships and improves their work. Pupils feel safe. Bullying is rare. Pupils say there is always someone to talk to if they have any worries or concerns. Staff quickly sort out any problems.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the opportunities they have for learning beyond lessons, for example, the roles of reading ambassador and school councillor. One reading ambassador told us, ‘I want to share my love of reading with everyone.’ The ‘50 activities to complete by the end of Orchard Head Primary’ idea increases pupils’ aspirations of what they can achieve in the future.

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better?

The school has improved since the last inspection. It is a happy place to be. Staff are proud to work here. The head of school leads the school very well. The multi- academy trust has transformed governance. Governors hold school leaders to account. They have ambitious plans for improving the curriculum.

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better?

Reading is at the heart of the school’s new curriculum. The multi-academy trust has worked with teachers to map out what pupils should learn. The trust’s ‘literary canon’ of books makes links to subjects. These plans show how work is sequenced. They raise aspirations for the pupils and their local community. Staff told us that the multi-academy trust’s shared planning and training have reduced their workload.

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better?

In some subjects, pupils use what they have already learned well. In physical education, pupils could remember what they had learned last term. They linked this knowledge to their new learning. Mathematics is taught well. Teachers organise lessons so that pupils build on what they know. Mathematical vocabulary is mapped out from early years to Year 6. Pupils feel the work they do is challenging. We agree.

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better?

Science learning is interesting and challenging. Older pupils told us that teachers build on their knowledge. For example, when learning about refraction, pupils moved on to more difficult work. Pupils struggled to explain prior learning in design technology. They made links to science instead. Leaders are aware of this and have plans in place to make sure pupils know more about design technology over time.

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better?

Leaders and staff want all pupils to achieve well in all subjects. They make sure that 7–8 November 2019

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pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get all the support they need. Leaders work well with other professionals to get extra help for pupils.

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Pupils also have the chance to attend a range of clubs and to try out new activities. They take part in competitive sport across the multi-academy trust. Pupils show respect and tolerance to others. They can explain the importance of democracy, linking this to their school council. Some struggled to talk about their understanding of other faiths and cultures. Leaders have curriculum plans that are in the early stages of development which will help pupils’ understanding.

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Leaders help pupils to love reading. Teachers choose a wide variety of books for pupils to read. They read with enthusiasm to pupils. Many pupils choose to read at home. Staff encourage parents and carers to read to their children. They share ways that parents can support reading at home. Pupils can talk about a range of stories, poems and rhymes. Pupils read in lots of subjects for pleasure, purpose and productivity (the school’s ‘three Ps’).

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Younger children get off to a great start in early years. They learn to listen, take turns and work well together. Children often practise learning to read. Pupils read books that contain the sounds that they know. Staff teach phonics skilfully. They are clear about what pupils should be able to read by the end of each term. If a pupil struggles with reading, teachers give them extra help. A small number of pupils do not practise sounds often enough to build confidence and fluency in reading.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and governors have created a strong culture of safeguarding. Pupils’ welfare has the highest priority. Staff have regular training. They know what to do if they think a pupil may be at risk. Leaders work well with other agencies. They are not afraid to challenge if they think pupils need more help. Leaders have thought about particular risks in the local area. They make sure pupils know about these risks. The curriculum helps pupils understand how to stay safe, both online and in the world outside school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In Reception and key stage 1, the books that most pupils take home to read match the sounds that pupils know. However, for the weakest readers, they are not spending enough time practising these sounds to become fluent readers. This means they are not catching up quickly enough. Leaders need to make sure that pupils have enough practice and check that this extra practice is effectively helping pupils to become fluent readers.  Curriculum leadership of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education 7–8 November 2019

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is in its early stages of development. Leaders should define clear end points for each sequence of work so that teachers know what specific knowledge and understanding pupils need to secure. This will allow pupils to gain a better understanding of different faiths and cultures.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 7–8 November 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10110613 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 February 2019

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Information about this school

 The school is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  The school is part of the Pontefract Academies Trust.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club that is attended by many pupils.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 We met with representatives of the multi-academy trust, the head of school, senior leaders, subject leaders and other members of staff. We also met with a group of governors, including the chair of the school performance review board. We took account of the 25 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  We looked in depth at the following subjects: reading, mathematics, design technology, science and physical education. In doing so, we visited classes across all year groups and reviewed pupils’ work. We spoke to pupils about their learning and listened to them read. We also met with teachers.  We observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school, including at 7–8 November 2019

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playtimes and lunchtimes. We gathered pupils’ views about the school through formal and informal discussion. I also considered the 68 responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.  We scrutinised a range of documentation, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans, curriculum information and a range of safeguarding documents.  We gathered the views of parents at the start of the school day. We also took account of the views of 52 parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and the 52 free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Ian Clennan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

James Kilner Ofsted Inspector 7–8 November 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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