Luddenden CofE School

Inspection of Luddenden CofE School Dene View, Luddendenfoot, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX2 6PB

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 1 and 2 December 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Since the previous inspection, leaders have brought about significant improvements across all aspects of school life. The headteacher is now supported by an effective senior leadership team.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning at Luddenden Church of England School. They say that adults help them to learn and remember the important things in the curriculum. Leaders have high expectations of what pupils will achieve. Curriculum plans are well sequenced and constructed to build on what pupils have learned before. Pupils are proud of their achievements right across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not always identified accurately enough. This means that some pupils do not get the support they need. In the early years, teachers do not consistently follow detailed curriculum plans. As a result, opportunities for learning are missed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour has improved. The new behaviour policy, based on the school’s Christian principles, is followed consistently. Behaviour around school is calm and sensible because adults have high expectations. Pupils play well together at breaktimes. Adults help them to play team games. Pupils and parents say there is sometimes bullying and disruptive behaviour. However, they are confident that leaders take swift action to sort it out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy taking responsibility. Some of them are anti-bullying ambassadors. The older pupils take care of the younger ones at playtimes and lunchtimes. The librarians set a good example by keeping the library neat and tidy.

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better?

Senior and subject leadership has been strengthened. As a result, the school is well placed to continue its journey of improvement. Governors receive detailed information from leaders. This helps them to have a good understanding of what the school needs to do to improve. Governors’ usual visits to the school have not been possible, due to the pandemic. However, they have clear plans in place to check and follow up on the information they receive.

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better?

The quality of education has improved since the previous inspection. Subject leaders are now in place and are knowledgeable about the subjects they lead. Learning is broken down into small, well-sequenced steps. In art and design, pupils had drawn detailed designs and practised different joining and fixing stitches. They were rightly proud of the cushions they had made. However, the implementation of the leaders’ curriculum plans is at an early stage. Pupils do not yet have the prior knowledge needed to support new learning well in all subjects. 1 and 2 December 2021

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Leaders have made sure that reading is a high priority. They choose books carefully to enhance the wider curriculum. Teachers read to pupils for pleasure every day. Adults have received training in leaders’ chosen phonics programme. They accurately model the sounds pupils need to learn. As a result, pupils use the sounds they know to read words that are new to them. Teachers use assessment well. They know when pupils need extra help to keep up with their reading. Teachers make sure that the books pupils read match the sounds they already know. This helps pupils to enjoy reading with confidence and fluency.

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The curriculum for mathematics is suitably ambitious. All teachers have received recent and relevant training. Adults ensure that pupils revisit key knowledge to help them to remember what they have been taught. Pupils are able to use resources well to help with calculations, for example, in Year 5, when pupils were exploring factors of 10.

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The support that pupils with SEND receive varies too much. Some are supported well and fully included in lessons and school life. Other pupils, such as those with social and emotional needs, are not identified quickly or accurately enough. Plans to support these pupils are not precise enough. As a result, these pupils do not get the help they need to succeed.

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The curriculum for phonics and mathematics in the early years is implemented effectively. Children in Reception can read simple words using the sounds they have learned. Some children were learning about odd and even numbers using pairs of socks. The curriculum plans for areas of learning in the early years provide a framework to prepare children well for learning in Year 1 and beyond. However, teachers do not follow these plans consistently. They do not provide enough opportunities for children to explore, investigate and practise what they are learning.

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Pupils care deeply about the environment. They say they walk or skate to school. Or, if they cannot do this, they ‘park and stride’. The school provides a range of opportunities to extend pupils’ experiences and for them to be active citizens. At the time of the inspection, the school choir was looking forward to singing by the Christmas tree in the town centre. Pupils learn about the significant achievements of many different role models. These include Paralympians, local and international artists, and people who may be different to them who perform a wide range of roles. This helps pupils to have a positive view of diversity.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure everyone receives the training they need to help keep pupils safe. They take swift and appropriate action to ensure the safety of vulnerable pupils. Leaders and staff remained vigilant during lockdown periods. They made regular and frequent contact with all families whose children were not in school. 1 and 2 December 2021

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Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe online and in the community. Some pupils explained confidently what to do if approached by a stranger online. They know never to reveal any personal information. Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 have had workshops about county lines to help them to be aware of and avoid dangerous situations.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The learning needs of some pupils with SEND are not identified accurately. This is particularly the case for pupils who have social and emotional needs. Leaders have focused on managing challenging behaviours rather than providing precise learning support to help these pupils to access the curriculum successfully. Leaders should ensure that they identify the needs of pupils with SEND accurately so that teaching meets their needs.  Teachers and adults who work in the early years do not follow the detailed curriculum plans with consistency. As a result, resources are not used well enough to engage and interest children in exploring and following their own ideas and interests. Pupils are not being given the opportunities to practise what they have been taught. Leaders should now make sure that staff in the early years have the training and resources they need to help children to apply their learning

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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. 1 and 2 December 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10200708 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website http://www.luddenden- ce.calderdale.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 24 – 25 April 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Most of the pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support funded by the pupil premium is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average. However, the proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs, or education, health and care plan is lower than the national average.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school is voluntary controlled. The last section 48 inspection carried out by the diocese took place in October 2019.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 1 and 2 December 2021

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, the acting deputy headteacher, the English leader, the mathematics leader, the special educational needs coordinator and the leaders of art and design and history.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The lead inspector spoke with representatives from the local authority and the Diocese of Leeds.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, art and design and history. This involved meeting with senior leaders, subject leaders and teachers, looking at curriculum plans, visiting lessons, speaking to pupils about their learning and scrutinising pupils’ work. An inspector also observed adults listening to pupils read.  The arrangements for safeguarding were checked. This included checks on the single central record, staff training and safeguarding records. An inspector also talked to the designated safeguarding leader.

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 An inspector discussed the school’s records on attendance and behaviour with the headteacher.  The lead inspector analysed the school’s self-evaluation document and plans for improvement.  Inspectors talked informally with pupils in lessons and at breaktimes. They also took account of the 45 responses to Ofsted’s online pupil questionnaire.  Inspectors took account of the 30 responses to Ofsted’s survey, Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors met with staff and took account of the 15 responses to Ofsted’s online survey.

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Inspection team

Janet Keefe, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jane Nolan Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 December 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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