Ferney Lee Primary School

Inspection of Ferney Lee Primary School Ferney Lee Road, Todmorden, West Yorkshire OL14 5NR

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 8 and 9 February 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and learn well at Ferney Lee Primary School. The school ‘rainbow’ values inspire pupils. These are ‘to be responsible, adventurous, independent, to never give up, to believe in yourself, to be open-minded and well mannered’. Pupils try hard in lessons. They are respectful and kind. They value people from different backgrounds.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ achievements, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders and staff know every pupil well. This helps them to provide the support that each pupil needs to be a successful learner.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between pupils and staff are warm and respectful. Pupils live up to the high expectations staff have of them. They learn to take responsibility for their actions. They know when they can resolve friendship issues on their own and when to ask for adult support. Leaders act quickly to resolve rare instances of bullying. Pupils know that adults will help them if they are anxious or worried about anything.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide an interesting range of clubs and activities, such as choir, art, netball, orchestra, football and dance. Outdoor learning provides challenge and adventure. Many pupils learn to play a musical instrument. Leaders help pupils to look after their mental health and well-being. As a result, pupils develop self-esteem and confidence.

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better?

Leaders provide a broad and interesting curriculum. Across all subjects, they have identified what they want pupils to learn and when. Leaders provide effective training for staff. Teachers present information clearly. They use activities such as ‘give me five’ to help pupils to remember what they have learned. Pupils build their knowledge and skills over time.

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better?

However, in a small number of foundation subjects, the curriculum is new. In these subjects, pupils have gaps in their learning. The use of assessment to identify and address these gaps is at an early stage of development. Leaders have plans to help teachers check pupils’ knowledge and adapt lessons to fill the gaps.

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better?

Teachers read to pupils every day. They encourage pupils to read for pleasure in school and at home. Year 6 pupils keep a ‘book of books’ in which they review and recommend books for each other. Nursery children enjoy listening and recognising sounds in the environment. This helps them to be ready to learn to read. In Reception, teachers regularly check that children have remembered new sounds. They give children who need it extra help to keep up. In key stage 1, phonics lessons focus on the next steps for each pupil. This helps pupils who have fallen behind to catch up. The books that pupils use to practise reading match the sounds they know. However, a 8 and 9 February 2023

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small number of pupils are given books to read which contain too many unfamiliar words. This prevents them from reading well and gaining confidence.

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Leaders have designed the curriculum for early years to prepare children for learning in Year 1. The development of speaking and listening is a priority. Adults use specific vocabulary in their conversations with children to help them learn new words. Teachers plan the indoor and outdoor learning areas to provide stimulating learning. As a result, children flourish.

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Leaders make sure that all pupils are fully involved in the life of the school. Leaders work in partnership with the parents and carers of pupils with SEND. Leaders gather the full picture of the needs of each pupil. Pupils with SEND follow the same curriculum as their peers. Teachers make appropriate adaptations to the curriculum and to routines. Where necessary, staff break the learning down into smaller steps for children with SEND. This ensures that the curriculum is ambitious for all. Pupils with SEND are happy, settled and achieve well.

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Leaders work exceptionally hard to improve attendance. They make sure that parents and pupils understand the importance of every school day. Although attendance has started to improve, some pupils still do not attend regularly enough.

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Leaders provide experiences that develop pupils’ self-belief and knowledge of the wider world. These include a range of educational visits, visitors and outdoor activities. Pupils are proud of the diversity in their school. They are keen to help each other.

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Leaders have the well-being of staff and pupils at heart. They have introduced ways of working which reduce staff workload. Leaders have fair and realistic expectations of staff. Governors know the school well. They hold leaders to account effectively. Governors are making efforts to be more representative of the diverse school community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders check that all adults who work in school are suitable to work with children. They provide staff with regular training on safeguarding issues.

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Safeguarding

Staff report any concerns, no matter how small, promptly. Leaders are tenacious in engaging the help of outside agencies, such as children’s services They make sure pupils get the support they need as quickly as possible.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to stay safe online and in the wider world. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 learn about local risks and how to seek help if they are worried. 8 and 9 February 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not identify gaps in pupils’ learning consistently well across the curriculum. Pupils have gaps in their knowledge that are not identified. Leaders should implement strategies to ensure that teaching meets pupils’ needs.  The reading books given to some pupils who need to catch up are too challenging. Pupils have to sound out too many words for them to read with fluency and confidence. Leaders should ensure that pupils can read a high proportion of the words in their books instantly.  Some pupils do not attend school often enough. These pupils miss too much teaching. Leaders should continue to support parents to understand the impact of poor attendance on their children’s attainment and progress.

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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. 8 and 9 February 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255750 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Danielle Colcombe

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 June 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a nursery provision, catering for children from age three.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club for pupils who attend the school.  The school does not currently make use of alternative provision.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium grant is above average. The proportion of pupils with SEND is above average.

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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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held several meetings with the headteacher during the inspection. 8 and 9 February 2023

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 The lead inspector held a meeting with the chair of governors and a co-opted governor.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and music. 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, where appropriate, looked at samples of pupils’ work.  An inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  An inspector met with the leader of English and looked at samples of writing across the school.  The lead inspector had a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.  The arrangements for safeguarding were checked. This included checks on the single central register of recruitment checks, staff training and safeguarding records. The lead inspector also talked to the designated safeguarding lead.  The lead inspector discussed the school’s records on attendance and behaviour

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with the headteacher.  Pupils talked to inspectors, formally and informally, about their learning and experiences at school.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text responses. They also considered the responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Janet Keefe, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Jo Robinson Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 February 2023

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