Outwood Primary Academy Lofthouse Gate

Inspection of a good school: Outwood Primary Academy Lofthouse Gate Canal Lane, Lofthouse Gate, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF3 3HU

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Outcome

Outwood Primary Academy Lofthouse Gate continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a section 5 inspection now.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to belong to this school. They know the school wants them to ‘be safe, be respectful and be responsible’. The behaviour of pupils in lessons and around school is exemplary. Adults model how to interact with others and help pupils to develop their skills. They all have high expectations. Pupils are polite and courteous. They are keen to talk about their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are opportunities for pupils to develop leadership skills. They include the school parliament, ‘digital leaders’ and lunchtime monitors. Pupils enjoy having responsibilities. They carry out their duties well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bullying is rare and not tolerated. Pupils have recently raised awareness of bullying. They have produced information for pupils and parents. There are peer mediators, who help other pupils to resolve any differences. They use a restorative approach with great success. Pupils were clear there are adults who will help them if this is needed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a high-quality experience. As a result, pupils in this school achieve well. Parents are supportive of the school. Many are overwhelmingly complimentary. A small minority of parents were less positive.

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

There is an ambitious curriculum from early years to Year 6. It is well sequenced and outlines what pupils should know and be able to do at each stage. Leaders have set high standards for the achievement of pupils in all subjects. These are in line with, and often exceed, the requirements of the national curriculum. 25–26 February 2020

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Curriculum leaders are experts in their subject. They have a detailed understanding of the demands of the subject they lead. There is a collaborative approach across the school. This ensures that all teachers deliver the curriculum well. Staff access ongoing high- quality training. They have support from other schools and leaders in the trust.

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In art, all teachers had training to develop their own skills. They create artefacts so they can model to the pupils how to use different techniques. All pupils use sketch books to record the development of their skills and knowledge. They could talk about the different ways they use their skills to produce their final piece. This includes information from other subjects. In a topic about Tudors, pupils drew portraits of important people in art. They knew they had to include jewels and large ruffs because it showed their high status.

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Leaders ensure that all pupils access a high-quality curriculum. This includes pupils who are disadvantaged or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). A range of interventions are in place for pupils when they need extra support. As a result, pupils make strong progress and achieve well.

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Reading is a high priority across the school. The foundations of phonics begin in the Nursery Year and continue into the Reception Year. Children are well prepared for the demands of the Year 1 curriculum. Most pupils achieve well in the phonics screening check. This is due to all staff being trained to a high level. Pupils who fall behind catch up, so they can keep up with their peers. A love of reading is well developed throughout the school. Children read daily and often hear adults read to them.

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In mathematics, pupils can talk about the way they use their mathematical skills and knowledge. They can apply them to their current learning. They develop a thorough understanding of mathematics and reach a high standard. Teachers use their skills in assessing pupils and deal with misconceptions immediately. Children in early years learn about number and how to use their skills to explain their answers. Many of these early skills develop, as they continue through the school.

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Pupils aspire to achieving a school ‘diploma’ each year from early years to Year 6. They are set a variety of challenges covering different themes each half term. Pupils can become ‘mental health and well-being champions’. They value the focus on being healthy. Some pupils take on responsibility as road safety officers. They check that the roads are clear from unsafe parking. They ask parents to follow the ‘parking promise’. Members of the school parliament visit London. They have an annual conference with other schools, in the Houses of Parliament. The school choir joins other schools in the trust to perform at a local theatre.

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Leaders are mindful of the need to ensure that workload is manageable. They have made changes to some systems and procedures to help this. Staff say they are approachable and provide the care and support they need. Governors are well informed and know how to make school leaders accountable.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 25–26 February 2020

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Leaders ensure that safeguarding is a priority across the school. All staff have received appropriate training and regular updates. They know how to recognise when a pupil needs help. All staff are vigilant and know about the potential risks that pupils face. They know how to report concerns. Leaders take swift action. They work well with other professionals. The checks on staff and adults who work with pupils are thorough. Records are well kept. This means adults are safe to work with pupils.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Parents are mostly positive and extremely complimentary about the school. Leaders have adopted numerous ways to communicate effectively with parents and resolve any issues as they arise. However, there are a small proportion of parents who do not feel they are listened to. Leaders need to find ways to build stronger relationships with these parents.

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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 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, 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 the school to be good on 21–22 June 2016.

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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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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 25–26 February 2020

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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. 25–26 February 2020

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Information about this school

 The academy is a member of Outwood Grange Academies Trust (OGAT).  This is a larger than average-sized primary school.  The school runs a breakfast club.

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Information about this inspection

 I met the chief executive of OGAT (the multi-academy trust) to which the school belongs, members of the board of trustees, members of the governing body and the chief executive principal. I met: the associate executive principal, the associate principal, directors from the trust for curriculum, early years, reading, English, mathematics, SEND, the lead practitioner for early years and the coordinator for pupils with SEND.  I met the human resources business coordinator, the director of business services and the human resources officer to check the school central record. I looked at training records for staff for safeguarding. I met with the designated safeguarding leader and one of the deputy safeguarding leaders to consider the effectiveness of child protection and safeguarding procedures. 25–26 February 2020

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 I met with curriculum leaders for reading, mathematics and art.  I considered the 65 results of the Ofsted online survey, Parent View.  I analysed the 41 responses to the Ofsted’s online staff survey and spoke to staff who perform different roles across the school, including support staff, recently appointed staff and newly qualified teachers.  I analysed the 256 responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey.  I spoke to pupils in lessons and around school to ask them about their learning and behaviour. I asked them how safe they feel in school.  I did deep dives in the following subjects: reading and phonics, art and mathematics. I visited parts of lessons with curriculum leaders. I looked at examples of pupils’ work and heard pupils read. I looked at examples of the school’s work to provide opportunities for their wider development. I talked to teachers about the lessons visited.  I considered school documentation including leaders’ evaluation of the school

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effectiveness, the school’s development plan and minutes of meetings of the governing body.

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Inspection team

Louise Greatrex, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 25–26 February 2020

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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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