Queens Road Academy

Inspection of a good school: Queens Road Academy Queens Road, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S71 1AR

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Outcome

Queens Road Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders, following the previous inspection in 2017, have ensured that Queens Road Academy continues to make progress. Leaders actively seek and implement advice to improve the provision for pupils. For example, leaders recently worked with a safeguarding expert from the local authority to review their practice.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are educated well. They are happy and safe. Staff have caring relationships with pupils. The school’s values of communication, innovation, curiosity, positive mindset, resilience and critical thinking underpin pupils’ experiences. Pupils have a thorough knowledge of these values. There is a purposeful learning atmosphere in lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils academically. Pupils achieve well. As per the school motto, ‘Learning and beyond’, leaders promote learning beyond the curriculum effectively. For example, pupils learn valuable skills in ‘life’ lessons, such as how to use a washing machine. Pupils are well prepared for their futures. Parents and carers value the very effective communication between school and home, including online updates.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have set clear expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils behave well throughout the school day. They understand the rewards and sanctions system in school. Pupils respond well to the special ‘gold’ award which recognises their consistent good behaviour and regular attendance. Staff deal with the very few incidents of inappropriate behaviour quickly and effectively.

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

Leaders have created a well-planned curriculum. Subject leaders are knowledgeable. Staff access a range of effective resources to support their teaching. Teachers deliver activities which help pupils to practise and recall their learning. For example, in mathematics, each lesson starts with a focus on the rapid recall of facts. From Year 1 onwards, pupils complete a daily ‘arithmetic rehearsal’. Consequently, pupils have a thorough knowledge 22 and 23 June 2022

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of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Pupils talk articulately about the many topics they have learned. They use the subject-specific vocabulary they have been taught well. Staff check pupils’ understanding in lessons and in books to address any misconceptions. However, in some subjects, assessment systems are in development.

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Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough. Many are absent because of holidays taken in term time. They miss out on too much learning. In some cases, leaders’ actions to improve pupils’ attendance have been effective, but not all.

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Leaders, acting on the results of their monitoring, have recently introduced a new scheme to teach phonics. Staff are well trained and use the resources consistently. Staff place a high priority on teaching pupils to read. Children experience daily phonics right from the start. Pupils who need help to catch up receive daily support. Staff ensure that activities and books are carefully matched to the pupils’ ability. Most pupils read accurately and fluently. Leaders promote a love of reading effectively. They have invested in high-quality texts. Pupils are enthusiastic about reading. They have a thorough knowledge of authors and books that they have read or been read to.

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The early years staff work as a team effectively. Leaders have written thorough planning for all seven areas of learning. Staff have created and use a ‘knowledge organiser’ for each topic. These organisers detail what the children will learn each half term. Children access purposeful learning activities in both the indoor and outdoor areas. Staff skilfully teach children how to use new vocabulary. For example, children in Nursery accurately describe activities which are first, next or last.

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Leaders have high expectations for pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to ‘achieve the best they can’. Staff include these pupils well by adapting resources. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) holds regular meetings with parents. Parents are well informed about the progress their children are making towards their targets.

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Leaders ensure that pupils are taught about health and well-being effectively. Pupils know how to stay safe, both online and offline. Many pupils enjoy accessing a range of clubs, such as drama and basketball. Responsibilities, such as being members of the school council or being head boy or head girl, help pupils to develop their leadership skills. Pupils have a thorough understanding of equality and are aware of British values.

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The trustees know the strengths and areas of development for the school well. They ensure that the school is well led and managed. Leaders promote the well-being of staff. Most staff feel valued and say that leaders are considerate of their workload. The headteacher recognises the importance of re-engaging the community beyond the school after COVID-19. The sports day events, which took place during the inspection, were great opportunities for parents to be directly involved with the school once again.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 22 and 23 June 2022

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Leaders ensure that safeguarding pupils is a high priority in the school. The headteacher sets a safeguarding question at the weekly briefing for teachers. The answer is shared with all staff. This keeps them updated and alert to the risks, including those in the local community, that pupils might face. Staff are well trained. They know how to raise concerns. Pupils who need help are identified quickly and receive effective support. Staff provide a high level of pastoral care for pupils and their families. Leaders work well with a range of external agencies. The necessary checks have been made to ensure that staff and visitors are safe to work in school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some wider curriculum subjects, such as physical education, assessment systems are in development. Staff do not have a clear understanding of gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills. Leaders need to implement and embed a consistent approach to assessment in every subject.  Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough. These pupils miss out on essential learning. They have gaps in their knowledge. Leaders must take action to ensure that pupils’ attendance improves.

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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 May 2017.

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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 . 22 and 23 June 2022

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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. 22 and 23 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10228140 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9 and 10 May 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is a member of the St Mary’s Academy Trust.  Leaders run a breakfast and after-school club.  Leaders do not use 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 her evaluation of the school.  The inspector held several meetings with the headteacher during the inspection.  The inspector met with the early years leader, the SENCo and the leader responsible for pupils’ personal development.  The inspector met with four trustees, including the chair of the trust, the chair of the governing body, the CEO and the deputy CEO.  Deep dives were carried out in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning 22 and 23 June 2022

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and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  The inspector spoke to pupils formally and informally about their learning and experiences at school.  Safeguarding documentation and records for behaviour and attendance were checked.  The inspector spoke with some parents at the end of the school day and reviewed the 18 responses received through Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 14 free- text responses. The inspector considered the 11 responses received through Ofsted’s staff questionnaire and 35 responses received through Ofsted’s pupil survey.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour throughout the school day, including during lesson visits and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. The inspector spoke to groups of pupils about their views on behaviour and the wider experiences they receive at school.

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Inspection team

Kate Williamson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 22 and 23 June 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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