Copthorne Primary School

Inspection of Copthorne Primary School All Saints’ Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD7 3AY

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Ofsted has not previously inspected Copthorne Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Copthorne Primary School to be outstanding, before it opened as an academy. The school remains outstanding. 2 and 3 November 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

‘No limits on learning’ portrays the very essence of this vibrant and inclusive school. Leaders, staff and pupils relentlessly strive for the very best in all they do. There are no limits on what pupils can achieve, both academically and personally. Leaders have exceptionally high expectations of staff to develop and nurture pupils’ skills, talents and interests. As a result, pupils value their time in school and are engrossed in their learning. One child said he was ‘drawn to school like it is home from home’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to school. The calm and purposeful atmosphere enables them to learn well. Pupils benefit from a consistently high standard of education across the curriculum. They greatly appreciate the wide range of extra-curricular clubs and enrichment activities available to them. They are proud of their achievements. One child said, ‘the more I try, the better I become’. Pupils thrive across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Without exception, pupils say that they feel safe in school. They know that adults in school care for them. Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils have a secure understanding of what good behaviour looks like. They say, and school records show, that bullying is extremely rare. Pupils believe that adults will help them should any form of bullying or discrimination occur.

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better?

Leaders are passionate and united in their expectations for pupils’ achievement. They strive for the very best in all they do. They are ambitious in their desire to develop the most effective teaching practices in school. Staff have worked together to create a curriculum that has children at its heart. Detailed planning is the starting point for the high quality of learning that exists across the school. Curriculum plans start in early years. These are then matched closely to the content of the national curriculum. Leaders have thought carefully about what they want pupils to know and the order in which crucial content should be taught. This ensures that pupils learn exactly what they need to. As a result, strong progression in pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding is secure. By the time pupils leave Year 6, they achieve highly across the curriculum.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that the ambitious curriculum extends to all learners and meets individual pupils’ needs. This includes disadvantaged pupils. Learning activities for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are carefully considered. Leaders know these pupils well. They ensure that focused support and intervention enable pupils to be fully included in all areas of the curriculum. Pupils with SEND contribute to all areas of school life.

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better?

Leaders have placed a high priority on the development of reading. This starts as soon as the two-year-olds enter school. A high priority is placed on developing early language and extending children’s vocabulary. The explicit teaching of phonics starts as soon as children join the Reception class. The clear structure and sequence of 2 and 3 November 2021

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learning enable children to learn how to decode words. They then build on their learning to develop fluency and comprehension. The books children read are carefully matched to the sounds they know. Those who struggle with their reading are given time and support to enable them to keep up. Pupils talk passionately about their reading. They speak with confidence about the texts they have read and how this links with their learning across the curriculum. Teachers have high expectations for pupils and actively encourage reading at home. Pupils speak excitedly about the school’s ‘Raving Readers’ approach to developing their reading. They appreciate opportunities to achieve rewards for their reading activities. Reading ambassadors actively promote reading with their peers. All pupils visit the school’s well-stocked library once a week. This further promotes a love of reading across the school.

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Behaviour throughout the school is exemplary. Learning is not disrupted by poor behaviour. Any minor distractions are addressed quickly, kindly and respectfully. Visits to lessons showed pupils highly engaged and motivated.

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There are many and varied opportunities to promote pupils’ personal development. These include developing character, an understanding of life in modern Britain and self-responsibility. The ethos of the school ensures that pupils have a strong understanding of what is right and wrong. There is a wide range of extra-curricular clubs on offer. These are available to all pupils. Opportunities exist for pupils to take on roles of responsibility. These include school councillors and challenge ambassadors. The ‘Talk It Out’ team is well trained to support other pupils facing challenges.

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Leaders have introduced a workload reduction group to promote staff well-being and address workload. Staff value this. They feel well supported by leaders and believe that ‘leaders really care’.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding systems are robust. Leaders have established a strong safeguarding culture and adopt the mindset of ‘it could happen here’. All staff and governors are aware of their statutory duty to keep children safe. Regular bite-size training covers a range of topics such as the ‘Prevent’ duty and online safety. This training helps staff know about the risks pupils may face. Staff are aware of the procedures to follow should they have concerns about a child or an adult. They know that leaders will act quickly to address their concerns. Through the curriculum, pupils learn about risks both off- and online. 2 and 3 November 2021

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 .

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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. 2 and 3 November 2021

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School details

Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 526 Appropriate authority Board of trustees

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Headteacher

Stephanie Ngenda (Headteacher) Christabel Shepherd (Executive Headteacher) Website www.copthorneacademy.co.uk

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Headteacher

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Exceed Academies Trust.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above the national average.  The school offers pre-school provision for two-year-olds.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school is the lead school for the Exceed Academies Trust school-centred initial teacher training.  The school is the lead school of the Bradford teaching school hub.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 2 and 3 November 2021

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This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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 Inspectors met with the head of school, the executive headteacher, other senior leaders, subject leaders and groups of staff. An inspector also met with representatives from the local governing body and the trust, including the chief executive officer of Exceed Academies Trust. An inspector discussed with them the quality of education provided by the school, pupils’ wider development, pupils’ behaviour and staff workload.  An inspector listened to pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult.  Inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and personal, social, health and relationships education. This involved meeting with senior and curriculum leaders, scrutinising curriculum planning and visiting lessons where pupils were learning these subjects. Inspectors talked to pupils in lessons and met with them to look at their work. Inspectors also scrutinised curriculum planning for geography and science. They met with leaders for these

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subjects. Inspectors also met with teachers to discuss the curriculum they were delivering.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school, including lunchtime. Inspectors also met with groups of pupils to discuss their views of the school.  In order to judge the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors read the relevant school policies, scrutinised the single central record, checked the school’s procedures for the safe recruitment of staff and interviewed the designated safeguarding lead. Inspectors also met with school staff to check their understanding of safeguarding and the safeguarding training they have received.  Additionally, an inspector met with governors to check their understanding of their statutory responsibilities to keep pupils safe.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s survey, Parent View, including the 22 free-text responses. Inspectors also considered the 57 responses to the staff

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survey and the 44 responses to the online survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

Gill Wild, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Matthew Vellensworth Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Natasha Greenough Ofsted Inspector 2 and 3 November 2021

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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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