Rufford Park Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Rufford Park Primary School Rufford Avenue, Yeadon, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS19 7QR

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Outcome

Rufford Park Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Rufford Park Primary is a welcoming and friendly school. There is a calm and purposeful atmosphere. Pupils buzz with excitement to begin their school day. They say that teachers make lessons fun, interesting and challenging. Because of this, pupils are enthusiastic about their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have high expectations for pupils. All staff model good standards of behaviour. Pupils respond well to this. They are friendly, polite and well-mannered. Pupils listen to others’ views without interrupting. They behave exceptionally well in lessons and at social times. Pupils understand what bullying is and say it rarely happens. School records confirm this. Pupils are confident that staff will resolve any issues that occur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy participating in a wide range of interesting activities. For example, pupils take part in a Shakespeare festival and poetry competitions. Many pupils are involved in after- school clubs, music and sporting events. These exciting experiences enrich pupils’ learning. Years 4 and 6 pupils enthusiastically spoke about their residential visits to Nell Bank and Peat Rigg Outdoor Training Centre.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. One parent, typical of many, commented, ‘My child is flourishing here because staff go the extra mile.’

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

Since the previous inspection, the school has been through much change, including key appointments to senior leadership and governance. Following the arrival of the headteacher and other leaders, the school has continued to improve. Senior leaders work closely with an effective governing body. Together, they are highly ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

Leaders are taking a strategic approach to developing the school’s curriculum. There has been some interruption due to the pandemic. Nonetheless, this work is well underway. 19 and 20 July 2022

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Leaders have created a curriculum that is ambitious and engaging. Subject leaders have identified the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to remember to reach ambitious end points. Leaders have considered how this knowledge is sequenced from Reception Year to Year 6. Different subjects are carefully interconnected through themes. Teachers ensure pupils are taught content in a sensible order. Pupils have lots of opportunities to build on their prior learning. As a result, pupils achieve well in a wide range of subjects. The knowledge pupils gain prepares them well for their next stage of education.

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This is a highly inclusive school. Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. Leaders and teachers identify pupils’ needs early. Adults provide the right tailored support to ensure that pupils with SEND achieve as well as they can.

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Most subject leaders have benefited from high-quality training to help them lead their subjects well. These leaders successfully provide subject-specific support and training for teachers. As a result, teachers confidently deliver the curriculum as planned. They use assessments effectively to check pupils’ knowledge and understanding. In a few foundation subjects, leaders have not received sufficient subject leadership training to help them monitor the subjects they lead well. Senior leaders have plans in place to address this.

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Reading is a high priority. This can be seen in the displays around school, the books in class libraries and the high-quality texts used in the English curriculum. Reading for pleasure is encouraged. Pupils enjoy choosing books from the school’s well-stocked library. They read often. Pupils talk excitedly about their favourite books and authors. The school’s reading curriculum has a positive influence on the excellent quality of pupils’ writing. Leaders have worked hard to strengthen early reading. Children in the early years learn phonics from the moment they join the school. Staff receive appropriate training to teach phonics well. Pupils confidently apply their phonics knowledge when reading. They are provided with books to read that match the sounds they know. Pupils who need extra help with reading receive timely and targeted support. As pupils move through the school, they become confident and fluent readers.

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Children in the early years get off to a flying start. They benefit from a well-considered curriculum. Staff expertly provide appropriate activities that match the children’s interests and developing needs. Because of this, children are prepared for future learning successfully.

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Pupils’ personal development is a strength. Leaders are uncompromising in their work to provide opportunities for pupils to broaden their experiences and raise their aspirations. Leaders work diligently to foster pupils’ confidence, resilience and independence. Pupils appreciate the responsibilities they are given. This is particularly the case for those who are student council members and sports leaders. These experiences help to develop pupils’ leadership skills. Pupils know that they make a positive difference to the school.

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Staff confirm that leaders are mindful of their workload. Teachers appreciate the professional development opportunities provided for them within the Aireborough Learning Partnership. 19 and 20 July 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and governors prioritise safeguarding. The well-being of pupils is at the heart of the school. There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff receive appropriate safeguarding training and frequent updates. They understand and know their responsibility to safeguard pupils. Staff are confident to raise any concerns they may have. Leaders are resolute and take swift and decisive action. They liaise closely with a wide range of external agencies to ensure pupils receive the support they need. The appropriate checks are carried out on adults who work at the school.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations in and out of school, including when working and playing online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few of the foundation subjects, assessment systems are in varying stages of development. Some are not focused enough on checking the important knowledge that pupils should know. In these subjects, leaders do not have an accurate view of how effectively pupils are learning the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that assessments in all subjects provide a clear and accurate picture of what pupils know and remember over time, and identify any gaps in pupils’ learning.  Although senior leaders have developed most subject leaders successfully, this is not the case in a few subjects. As a result, some subject leaders have not received subject leadership training to help them to lead their subjects effectively. In these subjects, teachers do not consistently receive the support they need to deliver the school’s curriculum well. Senior leaders should continue to implement their plans to develop all subject leaders so that they can lead their subject successfully and ensure that the

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

curriculum is being implemented effectively.

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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 school to be good in March 2017. 19 and 20 July 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. 19 and 20 July 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Jessica O’ Hanlon

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School details

Date of previous inspection 2 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new chair of governors was appointed in July 2022.  The school runs before- and after-school clubs for pupils.  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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, curriculum leaders, a sample of teachers and support staff.  The inspector met with a school improvement partner from the local authority and representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The quality of education was considered through deep dives in early reading, computing and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils 19 and 20 July 2022

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about their learning and scrutinised samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also listened to pupils read.  The inspector also looked at samples of pupils’ work in other subjects and scrutinised curriculum plans in art, design and technology and science.  The inspector examined a range of documentation, including leaders’ self-evaluation, improvement plans and documentation relating to pupils’ attendance and behaviour.  The inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead and deputy safeguarding leaders. The inspector considered the safeguarding policy, training records and examples of safeguarding concerns. The single central record of checks on the suitability of staff to work with children was also scrutinised.  The inspector observed pupils at social times and held formal and informal discussions with pupils about what it is like to be a pupil at the school. The inspector also took into account the 137 responses from pupils to the online pupil questionnaire.

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 The inspector considered the 68 responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire. The inspector also considered the 37 responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Jean Watt, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 July 2022

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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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