Listerdale Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Listerdale Junior Academy Beech Avenue, Brecks, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S65 3HN

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Inspection dates: 30 November to 1 December 2022

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. Inspectors are recommending the next inspection to be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and kind at Listerdale Junior Academy. They enjoy attending school. Staff and pupils show care and respect for each other. Pupils feel safe here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have high expectations of pupils. Leaders have reintroduced systems to help pupils to recognise and manage their emotions and behaviour. Most pupils understand these. Consequently, behaviour is usually positive both in lessons and at other times of the school day. Pupils say that bullying is rare, but if it does happen, adults deal with it swiftly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

New leaders are determined to improve the curriculum further. In some subjects, such as mathematics and physical education, learning has been mapped out and supports pupils to learn effectively. However, there is more to do in some other subject areas to ensure that the curriculum content is clearly identified and supports pupils to learn more over time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are focused on developing the curriculum to ensure pupils are well prepared for life beyond the school. They teach pupils about healthy eating and encourage pupils to be involved in a broad range of sporting activities. Pupils are proud of taking part in hockey and rugby competitions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is an inclusive school. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In some curriculum areas, leaders’ expectations are being met and all pupils make strong progress. 30 November to 1 December 2022

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

There have been several changes to the leadership at the school over recent months. New leaders are working with staff from the multi-academy trust (the trust) to identify where improvements are needed in the school and the curriculum. Leaders are ambitious and determined to make these changes swiftly. They recognise strengths in areas of the curriculum such as early reading. However, there is much to do to improve other areas.

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

Leaders have prioritised early reading. They ensure that pupils at the early stages of learning to read are supported well. Staff are well-trained and follow the school’s chosen phonics programme with fidelity. Leaders assess pupils’ progress regularly. The information is used to ensure that any pupils falling behind are quickly supported to catch up. Leaders have organised books to ensure that pupils can practise the reading skills they have been taught in class. However, there are no age-appropriate books for pupils who are in key stage 2 and still on the phonics programme. This means that they are reading books that do not interest or encourage them to read more.

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

Reading in key stage 2 is not as well organised. Leaders have not yet developed a reading curriculum for pupils who have finished the phonics programme. While lists of texts to be used for learning have been identified, teachers do not have sufficient support to plan effective sequences of learning. Therefore, pupils’ reading skills do not build over time. Leaders have plans to improve the reading curriculum, but they are in the earliest stages. Leaders have focused on developing reading for pleasure. Pupils speak with enthusiasm about newly introduced approaches such as the ‘reading bingo’ cards, which they fill in as they read at home.

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

Mathematics teaching is a strength. Leaders have focused on improving the curriculum in this subject. They have ensured that the small and precise steps in learning are well planned. Teachers then use these plans to put in place lessons which support pupils to revisit past learning and build future knowledge. Consequently, pupils enjoy mathematics.

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

Some other wider curriculum areas are at different stages of development. Leaders of subjects such as physical education and history have identified the core learning in their subjects from early years to Year 6. They are still refining this content to support teachers to plan cohesive sequences of learning. In other subjects, the core knowledge that leaders want pupils to remember has not yet been identified. However, new subject leaders are keen to ensure that this is done quickly. Leaders also recognise that there is much to do to develop assessment systems. These are needed to enable teachers to check if pupils are remembering learning in all subjects.

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

Leaders have thought carefully about what pupils will be taught in personal, social and health education. Pupils speak with confidence about areas such as discrimination, equality and respecting others. They understand the importance of some British values and can apply learning about areas such as tolerance or individual liberty to meaningful experiences in their own lives. Pupils show a good understanding about online safety and keeping themselves safe in the local area. 30 November to 1 December 2022

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Governors and trustees understand the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. They have worked together to ensure that recent changes to leadership have been managed well. They are aware of the importance of supporting staff through change. Staff value the support they are given. Parents are also positive about the recent changes to leadership in the school. However, they would value more information about the curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are very clear about the importance of safeguarding pupils in the school. They ensure that staff are thoroughly trained and understand risks that pupils may encounter. There are systems in place for staff to report concerns. When this occurs, leaders follow up on these concerns in a timely manner. However, they do not always rigorously record or communicate their actions. Some of the systems in place to record and store information need streamlining. Leaders of the trust are aware of this, and work is taking place to ensure more robust practice will be introduced.

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Safeguarding

Pupils understand how to report concerns to a member of staff if they are worried. They are clear about how to keep themselves safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, including reading in key stage 2, leaders have not identified the important knowledge and skills that they want pupils to learn. Consequently, in these subjects, pupils do not learn as well as they might. Leaders should ensure that there is well-sequenced and clearly defined curriculum content identified in all subjects that contributes to pupils learning more over time.  In areas of the curriculum that are not as well-developed, leaders have not identified how or what teachers should assess about pupils’ learning. This means that teachers do not identify what pupils know and remember. Leaders should ensure that assessment systems reflect the knowledge taught in the curriculum and that teachers use this information to plan, adapt or extend learning for all pupils.  Although the school’s safeguarding culture is effective, the systems to record and share safeguarding information are inefficient. This means that information on vulnerable

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

pupils is not as accessible as it needs to be. Leaders need to ensure systems to record and share information are fit for purpose.

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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 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 30 November to 1 December 2022

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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.

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This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Dalton Listerdale Junior and Infant School, to be good in June 2010.

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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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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. 30 November to 1 December 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241962 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 October 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Listerdale Junior Academy converted to become an academy school in November 2014. When its predecessor school, Dalton Listerdale Junior and Infant School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be good overall.  Listerdale Junior Academy has been part of Aston Community Education Trust since June 2017.  The school has nursery provision.  The school operates breakfast and after-school clubs.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Prior to the inspection, the lead inspector reviewed documents on the school’s website, as well as published information about the school’s performance and previous Ofsted inspections. 30 November to 1 December 2022

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 Inspectors met with the acting principal, the acting vice-principal, other senior leaders from the school and the trust as well as the leader for SEND. Meetings were also held with subject leaders, class teachers, staff from across the school and pupils.  The lead inspector met with members of the local governing body and representatives of the Trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, inspectors looked at curriculum planning, conducted joint lesson visits with leaders, spoke to pupils about their work and looked at books and samples of work. Further meetings were held with leaders in PE, religious education and history to look at the curriculum planning and some pupils’ work.  During the inspection a range of safeguarding information was scrutinised, including the school’s policies and records. Inspectors spoke to pupils and observed relationships

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between pupils and adults.  The inspector observed pupils during playtime and lunchtime. They discussed safeguarding with pupils.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff and Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Parent View, including comments received via the free-text facility.

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Inspection team

Andrea Batley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Stuart Voyce His Majesty’s Inspector 30 November to 1 December 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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