Home Farm Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Home Farm Primary School Home Farm Close, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD6 3NR

p.1

Inspection dates: 26 and 27 January 2022

p.1

Outcome

Home Farm Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The pupils at Home Farm School are positive about their school. Relationships between staff and pupils are strong. Pupils describe their teachers as ‘kind, thoughtful and caring’. Pupils feel safe in school and are confident that they can talk to staff if they have any problems. Older pupils speak very maturely about the school’s values, including mutual respect and resilience. They relish the leadership opportunities that they can take on, which include acting as librarians and helping younger pupils at lunchtime.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. The curriculum is increasingly ambitious. Pupils rise to meet these expectations, taking on a variety of tasks with enthusiasm.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well both in lessons and at social times. They are clear that bullying is a rare event, but when it does happen, they say that staff deal with it well. Leaders’ records confirm this.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Parents speak positively about the school. The vast majority of those who completed the Ofsted Parent View survey would recommend the school. One parent said, ‘This is a fantastic school with kind, welcoming staff.’ Parents and grandparents that the inspector met with were just as positive.

p.1

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

Leaders have made reading a key priority. There is a well-managed programme to teach phonics. This starts in Nursery. Leaders provide teachers and teaching assistants with the training they need to develop their own expertise. Pupils, including those with special educational needs (SEND), receive the support they need to do well. This includes one- to-one support with their reading. Leaders have developed the reading programme in key stage 2 well. Every classroom has attractive displays of books and there is a well-stocked and well-used library at the heart of the school. Younger pupils take home books to practise their reading. Most of these books match pupils’ phonics knowledge well, but not in all cases. In addition, pupils take home story books from the library for parents to read 26 and 27 January 2022

p.1

2

to them. However, some pupils are not clear about this system. This can mean some pupils try to read books when they do not know all the sounds they need.

p.2

2

Pupils enjoy the topics they have studied in history and talk confidently about their recent learning. The curriculum covers a broad range of topics which are connected well to other aspects of the curriculum. Year 6 were learning about Dick Turpin and year 5 about the moon landings. However, pupils do not recall the knowledge from previous topics well. For instance, when older pupils were asked to explain why historical events happened, they had few examples to choose from and little knowledge.

p.2

2

Leaders have made improvements in the teaching of mathematics. The curriculum for number is carefully sequenced. Teachers encourage pupils to fully explain how they work things out. This helps to develop deeper understanding. Most pupils say they enjoy mathematics and are confident in using their knowledge of number. Pupils with SEND are supported well. They access the full curriculum or, where appropriate, follow their own tailor-made approach. Pupils’ knowledge of times tables in key stage 2 is sound. However, when questioned about shape, space and measure, pupils’ knowledge was less secure.

p.2

2

Leaders put a great deal of emphasis on pupils’ personal development. The headteacher talked with real passion about all that the school offers. There is a good range of clubs and activities for pupils, which they value, with cooking club being a real favourite. Although the programme is not yet back to its full capacity, leaders have worked hard to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. For example, Year 5 and half of Year 6 are swimming this year to ensure that no pupil misses out on this important learning. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about what they had learned from a recent world religions day. They had retained what they had learned about the different religions.

p.2

2

Pupils behave very well. There is very little disruption to learning. This is testament to the robust systems created by the headteacher. Staff are very positive about the support and professional development that they receive. Governors know the school well and provide good challenge to leaders. Staff are proud to work at Home Farm and morale is high.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding at this school. All of the correct procedures are followed in appointing staff. Leaders are tireless in their efforts to get support for pupils and their families. They know the community they serve very well. Staff receive regular training and understand their responsibilities. There is a full programme in place to teach pupils how to remain safe. This includes any risks that they may face online. Governors oversee this aspect of the school’s work well.

p.2

3

 The books pupils read at home do not always fully match the sounds they know. Some pupils are not clear on the purpose of their chosen library book. This means that some attempt to read texts that exceed their phonics knowledge. Leaders should make sure that everyone fully understands the purpose of the two books that are taken home.  The mathematics curriculum sequence prioritises number over other areas of mathematics. This means that pupils’ knowledge of shape, measure and space is less secure. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum for measure and geometry is embedded within the overall sequence of the mathematics curriculum to ensure pupils are regularly revisiting this learning.  Teachers do not ensure that pupils remember key knowledge in foundation subject topics. This means that pupils struggle to use their developing knowledge and understanding to make connections in their learning. Leaders should ensure that

p.3

3

teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to review and recall key knowledge. This will enable pupils to develop a deeper understanding of important subject concepts such as cause in history.

p.3

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 outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 2016.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.3

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 .

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 26 and 27 January 2022

p.3

4

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. 26 and 27 January 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10199930 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Chair of governing body Colin Fieldhouse

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 7 and 8 July 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed.  Since the last inspection, a new chair of governors has been elected.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 The inspector met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher, subject leaders and members of staff. The inspector met with the chair of governors and two additional governors, with one of these remotely. The inspector spoke on the telephone to a representative of the local authority and took account of 32 responses to the Ofsted survey for staff.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour both in lessons, at breaktime and lunchtime. He gathered pupils’ views from both formal and informal discussions.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documentation, including the school’s self- evaluation document, improvement plan and safeguarding information.  The inspector met parents and grandparents. He took account of 45 responses to Ofsted’s parents’ questionnaire, Parent View. The inspector looked in depth at the 26 and 27 January 2022

p.5

6

following subjects: reading, mathematics and history. In doing this, he visited all classes in the school and reviewed pupils’ work. The inspector spoke to pupils about their work and listened to them read. He also met with teachers.

p.6

Inspection team

Andrew Cummings, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 January 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7