South Elmsall Carlton Junior and Infant School

Inspection of South Elmsall Carlton Junior and Infant School Carlton Road, South Elmsall, Pontefract, West Yorkshire WF9 2QQ

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 November 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 22 and 23 November 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Positive and caring relationships are a key feature of South Elmsall Carlton Junior and Infant School. A strong family atmosphere helps pupils to feel safe and secure. Leaders ensure that pupils are at the centre of every decision in the school. All staff are passionate about supporting pupils to be ready for life beyond the school gates.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at social times is positive. Pupils interact well together. Bullying happens sometimes. Pupils are confident that adults act quickly to bring it to a stop. Leaders have established clear behaviour expectations. Adults help pupils to recognise and manage their behaviours. This helps to create a calm and focused learning environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders ensure that pupils have an excellent understanding and respect for people who have different religions and family types. Pupils demonstrate extremely mature levels of tolerance. Leaders include trips to different places of worship within the curriculum offer. Pupils understand and celebrate what makes people special.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The headteacher is determined that all pupils develop a love of reading. Each half term, every pupil receives the gift of a book to keep at home. In the early years, these books support children to develop a love of nursery rhymes and traditional tales. Older pupils speak with enthusiasm about the range of stories they have read.

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better?

Leaders have developed a well-sequenced curriculum that supports high ambitions for all pupils. Curriculum leaders know their subjects well. They provide effective training and development for all staff. Staff have the confidence to deliver the planned curriculum effectively. Teachers provide learning activities that meet the high curriculum expectations. In some subjects, such as geography and some key stage 2 English lessons, teachers do not adapt these activities effectively in order to meet the needs of all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Some pupils do not access the intended learning successfully.

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better?

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders adapted the curriculum for mathematics to provide additional time for pupils to revisit and embed learning within lessons. As a result, pupils use their mathematical knowledge well to support new learning. In mathematics and reading, teachers use assessment effectively in order to identify pupils’ learning needs. In other subjects, including science, the use of assessment is less consistent. In these subjects, assessment does not provide a clear picture of how well pupils are able to use and apply their new subject knowledge.

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better?

Leaders have embedded a well-sequenced phonics programme across the early years and key stage 1. Leaders ensure that all staff receive high-quality training to support their delivery of the programme. Leaders monitor lessons regularly and provide additional support to address any areas for development. There are high 22 and 23 November 2022

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levels of consistency across all lessons. Pupils read books that match their phonics knowledge. Adults provide effective support to help pupils read with fluency. Pupils who may be falling behind receive additional support to help them catch up quickly. In key stage 2, daily whole-class reading lessons help to strengthen pupils’ comprehension skills.

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The early years foundation stage is a strength of the school. Leaders ensure that children receive an exemplary start to their school life. Leaders have created a curriculum that supports children to develop their vocabulary, knowledge and relationships. There is a clear plan for progression from the start of Nursery through to the end of Reception. Leaders have given considerable thought to the links with the key stage 1 curriculum. They have identified the opportunities for children to begin to build the knowledge they will need to be ready for the next stage in their learning. Leaders have prioritised the development of children’s communication and language skills. Adults use questioning and interactions well to engage children in their learning. Furthermore, adults use an expert knowledge of the early years to adapt learning to meet the needs of children with SEND.

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The provision for personal development is excellent. Pupils develop the knowledge they need to stay safe. External speakers provide pupils with information on county lines (county lines is where illegal drugs are transported from one area to another, usually by children or vulnerable people who are coerced into it by gangs), anti- bullying and online pressures. Pupils have an excellent understanding of diversity and respect for those who are different to themselves. Through carefully selected texts and regular assemblies, leaders help pupils to understand the importance of the protected characteristics. Teachers provide highly effective support for pupils with SEND to ensure they access the full learning offer. Older pupils act as mental health champions. Pupils speak confidently about ways to stay mentally and physically healthy.

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The governing body provides effective challenge and support to school leaders. Governors ensure that they visit the school and meet with leaders regularly. This helps governors to have the curriculum information they need to ensure that the school continues to improve. Staff are proud to work in the school. They speak positively of the strong team ethos. Leaders provide staff with the support they need to manage their workload and well-being well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There are comprehensive procedures in place for checking that all adults who work in school are safe to do so. Leaders have provided staff with the training they need to keep pupils safe. Staff are vigilant for any signs of abuse. They are confident that any concerns they raise will be acted on quickly. Leaders work closely with external specialists to help support families. Staff describe their role as being the anchor in pupils’ lives. 22 and 23 November 2022

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Pupils understand that people are not always who they say they are online. They know not to give out any personal information or share images. Younger pupils understand about stranger danger. Pupils feel safe in school. They know there are adults who care for them.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, teachers do not provide activities that meet the learning needs of pupils with SEND. This limits the progress these pupils make. Leaders should support teachers to adapt learning materials effectively in order to enable all pupils to access the full curriculum offer.  In subjects such as science, religious education (RE) and geography, assessment activities do not measure pupils’ application of new subject knowledge. Subject leaders do not have a full picture of the effectiveness of the subjects they lead. Leaders should ensure that assessment provides the opportunity for pupils to demonstrate and apply their new knowledge across a range of learning activities.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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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 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241167 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 15 June 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There are two early career teachers, both in the second year of teaching.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the fourth routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteacher and the leaders for the early years and key stage 1. Inspectors met with representatives of the governing body and the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, geography and RE. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the 22 and 23 November 2022

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curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector met with the early career teachers and their mentors to discuss the programme of training and support.  Inspectors also met with the subject leader for personal, social and health education and the family support workers.  To judge the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors scrutinised the single central record of recruitment checks, checked procedures for safer recruitment of staff and held a meeting with the designated leader for safeguarding. Inspectors met with staff to check their understanding of safeguarding and the impact of any training.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s parent survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. In addition, inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Alex Thorp, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gill Holland Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 November 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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