Upton Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Upton Primary School Waggon Lane, Upton, Pontefract, West Yorkshire WF9 1JS

p.1

Inspection dates: 18 and 19 October 2022

p.1

Outcome

Upton Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Everybody cares at Upton Primary School. Leaders care deeply about the pupils and the community. Staff and pupils care for each other. There is a strong commitment to the welfare and safety of pupils. Leaders also have high ambitions for pupils and have designed a curriculum that prepares them well for the next stage of their education.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The vast majority of pupils behave well, and they have positive attitudes to their learning in lessons. On occasions, some pupils struggle to maintain the behaviours expected by staff and when this happens, leaders take decisive action to ensure that everyone is kept safe. Pupils report that there is no bullying at the school and know that adults would support them if cases did arise. Pupils have important Barnardo’s Equality Ambassador (BEAMs) roles. Pupils know that BEAMs will help them if they have worries or are unhappy. Pupils say that school is a safe place to be and that they feel safe at school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The majority of parents have positive views of the school. Leaders work hard to involve parents in their child’s education. They hold ‘Inspire’ sessions, inviting parents into school for workshops, including those for reading and mathematics.

p.1

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

Leaders have thought carefully about the curriculum. They have identified the important knowledge that they want pupils to learn. It is aspirational for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers have good subject knowledge and lessons reflect the learning that has been planned for pupils. The curriculum in the early years is well designed to meet the needs of all children. Leaders have prioritised the development of communication and language for the youngest children. Adults work effectively to develop and broaden children’s vocabulary. Displays and activities in the Nursery are well designed to develop children’s skills, knowledge and vocabulary in early mathematics. In reading and mathematics, teachers use assessment well to identify and address gaps in learning. Strategies for checking pupils’ knowledge in the wider curriculum are less well developed. This means

p.1

2

that teachers and leaders are not always clear about what it is that pupils need to learn next or where they have gaps in learning that need to be addressed.

p.2

2

Learning to read is a high priority at Upton Primary School. Children get off to a good start in the early years, where they learn about the sounds that letters make soon after starting school. Leaders ensure that the reading programme is used consistently. Many staff are well trained in the programme and planned future training will improve the teaching of reading further. When pupils fall behind with their reading or where they have SEND, they are identified and appropriate interventions help them to keep up. Pupils enjoy reading and have a range of opportunities to read. Adults regularly read aloud and in early years, children enjoy joining in with familiar stories.

p.2

2

There are a number of pupils in school with SEND, some with complex and challenging needs. These pupils are supported very well. They receive timely help and the resources and support they need. This enables them to learn well and make good progress.

p.2

2

Pupils are polite, friendly and welcoming. They enjoy positive relationships with adults and each other. In early years, these relationships are an effective basis for learning to flourish. There are a number of pupils who do not attend school regularly enough. These pupils miss out on important learning.

p.2

2

There is a well-considered and comprehensive offer for pupils’ wider development beyond the classroom. There are opportunities for pupils to have leadership roles through the school council or as BEAMs. Pupils have opportunities to attend a wide range of extra- curricular clubs and activities. Leaders monitor attendance to ensure that these opportunities are as inclusive as possible. Pupils understand difference and tolerance. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They uphold the values of Upton Primary School. They are caring, and they understand what discrimination is and that it is unacceptable.

p.2

2

Staff talk about how proud they are to work at Upton. Senior leaders support them well by prioritising their professional development and ensuring that their workload is manageable.

p.2

2

Governors know the school well. They are committed to the school continuing to improve and have considerable skills and expertise. They make regular, focused visits to the school. This helps them to know the school well and to hold leaders to account.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff receive timely training on important safeguarding topics. They are vigilant in identifying signs of vulnerability in pupils and follow the processes for reporting their concerns. Leaders keep oversight of pupils they know to be vulnerable. They work well with external agencies, to make sure that these pupils and their families receive the support they need. Leaders complete required checks on all staff they employ. 18 and 19 October 2022

p.2

3

Pupils say that they feel safe at school. They know about the dangers of using technology and can talk about how they have learned to keep themselves safer online.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Staff regularly check some of what pupils know in the core subjects. However, leaders have not developed similar strategies for the foundation subjects. Teachers do not regularly check how successfully pupils learn the curriculum in the foundation subjects. Leaders need to ensure that strategies to check pupils’ knowledge in the wider curriculum are informative and correctly identify gaps in pupils’ learning.  Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough. As a result, they miss too much learning. Leaders need to work with families to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly.

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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2017.

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

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 18 and 19 October 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. 18 and 19 October 2022

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 19 September 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 This school is larger than the average-size primary school.  The headteacher was appointed in April 2022.  The school uses an alternative education provision.

p.5

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 carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and PE. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteacher, subject leaders and other members of staff. The inspector met with those responsible for governance, including the chair of the governing body. 18 and 19 October 2022

p.5

6

 The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour both in lessons, at breaktimes and lunchtimes. The inspector gathered pupils’ views from both formal and informal discussions.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documentation, including the school’s self- evaluation and improvement plan.  The inspector checked the school’s single central record, met with the school’s designated safeguarding lead and reviewed safeguarding information.  The inspector met with parents and carers. The inspector took account of the responses to Ofsted’s parent survey, Ofsted Parent View.

p.6

Inspection team

Dughall McCormick, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 18 and 19 October 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