Tadcaster Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Tadcaster Primary Academy Grange Avenue, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire LS24 8AN

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Outcome

Tadcaster Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Tadcaster Primary Academy is a warm, friendly and welcoming place to learn. The school’s motto, ‘belong, believe, achieve’, and the school’s values of ‘respect, tolerance, kindness, friendship, confidence and creativity’ are woven through all that the school does. The playground is full of happy, smiling children who play well with each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for what pupils can achieve. They are focused on making sure that pupils learn well. Parents and carers are happy with the education that their children receive. Some comments to inspectors included, ‘This is a great school with a lovely family atmosphere. Our child is thriving here and loves coming to school every day.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. Staff encourage pupils to take responsibility for their actions. Pupils know what staff expect of them. Pupils concentrate during lessons. Pupils feel safe and are safe. Bullying is rare, and teachers deal with it well if it happens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils can join a wide range of clubs to nurture their interests, including clubs for music, dance, art and sport. Leaders work hard to make positive links with their local community. For example, parents and other volunteers from the community regularly organise fundraising activities. Pupils visit different local places of worship, such as a synagogue and York Minster.

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

Leaders have created a well-designed curriculum from early years through to the end of key stage 2. Pupils study an appropriate range of subjects. In most subjects, teachers are clear about what pupils should know and remember. Specialist teachers deliver weekly lessons in music, art and design, and physical education.

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

Leaders have recently revised the curriculum for mathematics. They have considered how the curriculum is structured and sequenced for all pupils. However, on occasions, some of the tasks given to pupils do not support them to make the progress of which they are 24 January 2023

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capable. For example, in some classes, some pupils are not moved on to more complex calculations when they are ready to do so.

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When children first join the school in early years, they get off to a good start in their education. Staff work well with parents to ensure that children are well prepared to join the school. Classrooms are set up to support learning. Story times help children to develop a love of reading. By the end of Reception, children are well prepared to continue learning in Year 1.

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Leaders ensure that reading is a priority. Starting in early years, children begin to learn phonics. Leaders ensure that staff teach the phonics programme well. Staff match the books that pupils read to the sounds that they are learning. This means that pupils can practise the sounds that they are learning when they are at home as well as in school. Most pupils learn to read fluently as a result. Staff regularly check how well pupils learn new sounds. If pupils fall behind, staff provide additional support. Pupils have access to a wide range of books. They love reading and talk with enthusiasm about the books that they have read. Pupils continue to develop their reading fluency and comprehension in key stage 2.

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In lessons, teachers check on pupils’ understanding before moving on to new knowledge. However, in some subjects, such as mathematics and history, teachers do not identify the gaps in pupils’ knowledge consistently well. Leaders are reviewing how teachers check to make sure that pupils remember what they have been taught.

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Leaders have the same ambition for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) as they have for all pupils. Pupils with SEND study the same curriculum as their peers. Staff identify pupils’ needs accurately and in a timely manner. Staff provide high-quality support that ensures that pupils with SEND learn effectively in all years.

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Pupils respond to teachers’ high expectations. They enjoy learning. There is very little low-level disruption in classrooms. Pupils behave well in the playground and around school. From early years onwards, pupils follow clear routines and expectations. They are polite and courteous.

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The curriculum supports pupils’ social and emotional development well. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. Through the curriculum and appropriate visits, pupils develop a good understanding of different faiths. Pupils enjoy a wide range of after-school clubs, including those for craft, art, dance and various sports.

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The school is well led. Leaders receive well-planned support from the academy trust. Trust and school leaders understand the strengths of the school and have appropriate plans to help it improve further. Governors and trustees provide appropriate challenge and support. Staff enjoy working at the school and are proud to be part of the school community. They feel well supported by leaders, who are considerate of their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 24 January 2023

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Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding. They have established effective systems to keep pupils safe. Staff receive regular training, including regular checks on their understanding of safeguarding. Staff know how to report any concerns that they may have. Leaders work with external agencies to offer support for vulnerable pupils and families.

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Staff teach pupils how to stay safe. For example, pupils learn about online safety, fire safety and road safety. They know how to report any issues or concerns.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders are not fully aware of some inconsistencies in the implementation of the mathematics curriculum. Sometimes, pupils can do more than teachers expect of them. Consequently, the curriculum in mathematics does not consistently allow pupils to make as much progress as they could. Leaders should review their oversight of mathematics provision and ensure that it promotes pupil progression in the subject.  In some subjects, such as history and mathematics, teachers do not check what pupils have remembered from the taught curriculum. Because of this, teachers are not consistently able to ensure that misconceptions and gaps in learning are addressed. Leaders should ensure that assessment in all subjects better checks the most important knowledge that pupils should remember.

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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 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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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Tadcaster East Community Primary School, to be good in July 2016.

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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. 24 January 2023

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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. 24 January 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Tadcaster Primary Academy converted to become an academy school in September 2018. When its predecessor school, Tadcaster East Community Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  Tadcaster Primary Academy is part of Ebor Academy Trust.  The school does not make use of 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the assistant headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, subject leaders, the designated safeguarding lead and other members of staff. They met with two governors, including the chair of governors, and the vice-chair of trustees. They also held online conversations with representatives from the trust, including the chief executive officer. 24 January 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with curriculum leaders, spoke to pupils and teachers, visited lessons and looked at their work. The inspectors heard pupils read.  Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans for other subjects, including music and art.  Inspectors observed the work of the school and scrutinised a wide range of evidence, including the school’s self-evaluation, school improvement plans, attendance and behaviour records, safeguarding files and recruitment checks. The inspectors talked to staff about their role in keeping pupils safe. They also talked to staff about workload and about the training and support they receive from leaders.  Inspectors spoke with parents during the inspection. They considered responses, including free-text comments, to the Ofsted Parent View online questionnaire. The responses to the staff questionnaire were also considered.

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Inspection team

Dimitris Spiliotis, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

James Duncan His Majesty’s Inspector 24 January 2023

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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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