Blenheim Primary School

Inspection of Blenheim Primary School Lofthouse Place, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS2 9EX

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 November 2022

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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What is it like to attend this school?

Blenheim Primary School is a place in which leaders, staff and pupils truly live by their school motto, ‘Aiming high in the heart of the city’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Classrooms across the school buzz with engaging and purposeful learning. Leaders and staff have high expectations of pupils. Pupils rise to this high standard exceptionally well. Pupils told inspectors that teachers expect them to work hard and that they have fun at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils move around school calmly and sensibly. They speak politely and thoughtfully to adults, visitors and their peers. Adults foster a climate of mutual respect. They engage pupils in meaningful discussion about behaviour. Pupils demonstrate a mature attitude in how they treat others. They know their actions have consequences. Pupils know, and follow, the school’s moral code to be helpful, kind, polite and honest.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s curriculum, assembly time and displays celebrate the range of nationalities in the school. Pupils are proud to attend the school. They enjoy coming to school and feel that they are part of the school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders take incidents of bullying seriously. Bullying is rare. Pupils say they feel safe in school.

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better?

Leaders at all levels, including governors, are determined to provide the very best education for all pupils. They understand that ‘children only get one chance at education’. They have effectively designed and implemented an ambitious curriculum for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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better?

Leaders’ work to develop the school’s curriculum is exceptional. They constantly seek ways to adapt and develop lessons to ensure they meet the needs of all pupils. Leaders strive for excellence in all that they do.

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better?

The teaching of reading takes high priority in the school. Children in Reception begin to learn to read as soon as they start school. Most pupils quickly make progress in identifying the sounds represented by letters. They develop fluency and accuracy in their reading. This helps them to access different and increasingly complex texts.

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better?

Deliberate and purposeful consideration has been given to the texts that pupils read. They study a variety of authors, genres and stories from different backgrounds and cultures. Pupils speak confidently about the books they have read. 22 and 23 November 2022

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Pupils told inspectors that they love reading and can see the progress they have made. Pupils value the importance of reading to support their studies and future employment, as well as being able to read for pleasure.

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Leaders have ensured that what they intend pupils to learn develops over time. ‘Do it now’ activities take place at the beginning of every lesson. These provide opportunities for pupils to revise key concepts and prior learning. Pupils recall and make links to learning from previous lessons. In a design and technology lesson, pupils used their knowledge about electric circuits to identify the reason for their ‘buzzer game’ not working.

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Children in the early years get off to a flying start. They settle quickly into the purposeful and engaging environment. Adults support children effectively in their learning. Children play for sustained periods of time and benefit from meaningful learning opportunities. They quickly develop independence and are taught how to be polite to others. Adults skilfully develop children’s speaking and listening skills by engaging children in conversation. The early years curriculum is purposefully designed to ensure a smooth transition to Year 1. The vast majority of children are ready for the demands of Year 1 by the time they leave Reception.

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Pupils benefit from a carefully planned programme to support their personal development. Over time, they gain a mature understanding of other people’s faiths and beliefs. They reflect on how knowing about a person’s faith helps them to consider beliefs from different points of view.

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Leaders ensure that teachers receive focused and highly effective training. Staff value the time provided to learn from their peers. Subject leaders are knowledgeable about their areas of responsibility. They provide guidance to colleagues to ensure that the curriculum is delivered effectively. Leaders, including governors, consider the impact of their decisions on staff workload.

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Governors provide effective support and challenge to leaders. They are a visible presence in school. Governors ensure that the school fulfils its statutory duties and considers these regularly as part of their work.

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Parents and carers are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. All parents who responded to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s survey of parents, said they would recommend the school to another parent. 22 and 23 November 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, both in person and online. Pupils are taught to speak to an adult if they are concerned about something.

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Safeguarding

Robust procedures are in place to ensure that staff and volunteers are suitable to work with children.

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Safeguarding

Regular quizzes ensure that staff remain up to date with statutory guidance. Staff are aware of the need to remain vigilant to any signs and symptoms of abuse.

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Safeguarding

Family mentors provide a range of support to families and work with external agencies effectively.

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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 10227452 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 5 June 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a larger-than-average-sized primary school.  The school provides Nursery provision for up to 39 children. Children can attend for 30 hours a week.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above the national average. Over 50 different home languages are spoken by pupils.  The school does not place any pupils with alternative education providers.

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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 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. 22 and 23 November 2022

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteachers, subject leaders and the school’s two special educational needs coordinators. An inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair and vice-chair.  An inspector spoke to the school’s improvement partner from the local authority.  Inspectors undertook deep dives in early reading, mathematics, geography, physical education and design technology. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors looked at the school’s safeguarding records, including the single central record of recruitment checks. Inspectors also discussed safeguarding arrangements with leaders, teachers, support staff and pupils.  An inspector visited the school’s breakfast club.  Inspectors considered the 124 responses to Ofsted’s survey, Ofsted Parent View,

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the 49 responses to the staff survey and the 64 responses to the pupil survey. An inspector also spoke to some parents at the beginning of the school day. Inspectors met with some members of staff separately to gather their views of the school.

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Inspection team

Matthew Harrington, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jenni Machin 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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