North Rigton Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: North Rigton Church of England Primary School Hall Green Lane, North Rigton, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS17 0DW

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Outcome

North Rigton Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very proud of the school. They enjoy being in school, play well together and no one is left out. Pupils are polite, well-mannered and respectful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have great confidence and trust in staff. One pupil spoke for many when they said that ‘staff are exceptionally understanding, support them and always want the best for pupils.’ Pupils feel safe in school. Bullying is very rare and is not tolerated. Pupils know that they will be listened to if they have any worries or concerns and know staff will resolve issues quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have high expectations of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils have a desire to do well and know what is expected of them because of good promotion of the school’s values.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind and respect each other. They understand that people should be treated equally. When learning is challenging, they persevere and enjoy helping each other to succeed. Pupils strive to achieve rewards such as yellow and white ribbons for good work and contributing to school life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most parents and carers are very positive about the school. They recognise the care and attention given to their children. A small number of parents have some concerns. These are around flux in leadership and staffing.

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

Leaders are ambitious for pupils. They have put in place a well-thought-out curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils. There are comprehensive plans for mixed-age classes. Leaders make sure that teachers teach the right things in the right order from early years to Year 6. Staff break down complex concepts into small steps to build knowledge in a logical way. This helps pupils remember what they have been taught. 17 May 2022

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Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Staff teach reading and phonics well. This helps children in early years and pupils in key stage 1 to learn new sounds quickly. Overall, books are well matched to pupils’ phonics knowledge. Pupils who find phonics and reading more difficult get skilful support to help them catch up. Very occasionally, teachers are overambitious and books are too difficult for these pupils to read fluently. Pupils of all ages enjoy reading. Parents make a significant contribution to their children’s reading by making sure their children read regularly at home.

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Teachers are clear about what they want pupils to know. Teachers recap previous learning so that pupils are ready for what they are about to learn. In mathematics, pupils revisit and practise what they know to deepen their understanding. They do not always find mathematics easy, but understand the value of practice and persistence. Pupils’ knowledge is checked and assessed skilfully. It is used well to inform teachers’ planning and next steps for pupils.

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In art and design, teachers make sure that pupils practise techniques thoroughly. Work is well presented and shows strong skills in drawing and painting. Pupils show an appreciation of the work of famous artists. Assessment in art, as in other foundation subjects, is less developed than in core subjects. It does not pinpoint precisely what pupils need to do to improve their knowledge.

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Pupils with SEND are supported well. The school’s special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works well with teachers and parents to create plans that support pupils to learn well. Pupils follow the same curriculum as others, with teachers making suitable adaptations for their needs.

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Pupils behave well in lessons. They are keen to answer questions and do their best. Playtimes are harmonious because the outdoor area is well planned and resourced.

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Pupils believe that people should be treated equally, regardless of gender or ethnicity. Pupils learn about democracy and how to keep healthy. There is a range of sporting and other wider activities for pupils to choose from. Pupils greet and speak to visitors politely and relationships between adults and children are respectful.

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In early years, children cooperate very well with adults and enjoy working with others. They concentrate well and are keen to answer questions. Staff listen attentively to children and help them to extend their vocabulary and develop communication skills. Children are happy, settled and confident in the provision. Parents are very positive about their children’s experience in reception.

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Senior leaders and governors are aware of the workload of staff and make efforts to take this into account. Staff are proud to work in the school and believe leaders are considerate of their well-being. The trust and one of its schools have been supporting North Rigton Primary during a period of turbulence in leadership and staffing. This has helped maintain effective leadership and education for pupils. However, in this small school, some leaders have many subjects to support and other key leadership responsibilities, which impacts on workload. 17 May 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff are vigilant and know how to keep children safe. They know about local issues such as ‘county lines’ and have regular updates about safeguarding. When necessary, leaders work with parents and external agencies to keep children safe. Thorough checks are made on the suitability of adults to work with pupils. Local governors and the trust check the effectiveness of safeguarding procedures regularly.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are well aware of the risks they might face online and how to manage these. They learn about how to stay safe at the train station, how to cross the road safely and how to swim.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has gone through flux in leadership and staffing this year. This has resulted in some leaders having their workload increased. These leaders have wide-ranging subject responsibilities and other key leadership roles. Leaders should take effective steps to ease the burden of subject leaders in the school.  Subject leaders have introduced a new system for assessment in the foundation subjects. The cycle of assessment is not yet complete. As a result, leaders are not clear how well assessment is being used to improve pupils’ knowledge in the foundation subjects, or to develop the curriculum. Leaders need to ensure that assessment in the foundation subjects is being used consistently and effectively by teachers.

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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 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.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, North Rigton Church of England Primary School, to be good in January 2015. 17 May 2022

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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.

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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. 17 May 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227619 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 North Rigton Church of England Primary School converted to become an academy school on 1 June 2016. When its predecessor school, North Rigton Church of England Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good. It joined the Yorkshire Causeways School Trust on 1 December 2017.  North Rigton entered in a formal collaboration with All Saints CE Primary School, Kirkby Overview, on 1 September 2018. The collaboration is called The Fellowship of All Saints Kirkby Overblow and North Rigton Church of England Primary Schools and operates with a common headteacher. The governing bodies of the two schools merged on 1 January 2019 to form one local governing body for the ‘fellowship’ of schools.  The trust has appointed a part-time interim headteacher in February 2022 to cover for the headteacher at North Rigton. There is some temporary staffing in school covering absent teachers.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school 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.  Inspectors met with the interim headteacher, the acting headteacher from All Saints Church of England Primary School, Kirkby Overblow, base leader and subject leaders. The lead inspector held a discussion with the chair of trustees, a trustee, the trust chief executive officer, the trust’s primary improvement lead and four members of the local governing body including the chair person.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, art and mathematics. This involved meeting with curriculum leaders, visiting a sample of lessons, looking at samples of pupils’ work and talking to teachers and pupils. Inspectors also listened to some pupils reading to a familiar adult.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors looked at curriculum plans and pupils’ work with leaders.  Inspectors reviewed a range of safeguarding documentation, including the single central record. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding leader and checked how leaders record and respond to safeguarding concerns. Inspectors checked the safeguarding and welfare requirements for children in early years. They spoke with staff about safeguarding and child protection. Inspectors spoke to pupils about safety and how they learn to stay safe.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour throughout the day. They spoke to pupils about their views on behaviour in school. Inspectors considered how the school is supporting pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors spoke with a number of parents at the end of the school day. Inspectors analysed responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire.  Inspectors analysed Ofsted’s online questionnaires for pupils and staff.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with pupils and staff to consider their views.

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Inspection team

Jim McGrath, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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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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