St Chad's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Chad’s Church of England Primary School Northolme Avenue, West Park, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS16 5QR

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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. The next inspection will therefore be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils enjoy school and feel safe. There is a trusted adult in school to whom pupils can talk if they have any worries or concerns. Pupils enjoy the opportunities to take on leadership responsibilities in the school, for instance being a member of the worship crew and junior leadership team. Pupils said that this helps them to prepare for secondary school and beyond.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils, staff and parents feel that pupils behave well. The new behaviour policy is understood by staff and pupils and is improving behaviour. When bullying does happen, most parents and pupils say that the school deals with this well. However, some parents and pupils who responded to Ofsted’s surveys do not feel that the school deals with incidents of bullying well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s wider curriculum is not as ambitious as it should be. Expectations of what pupils should and can achieve in some foundation subjects are not high enough. Consequently, pupils do not achieve as well as they should in these subjects. The teaching of phonics, although improving, is not consistent. Not all pupils who need help with learning to read receive the best support.

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

In some foundation subjects, leaders and teachers are not clear about the essential knowledge that pupils must know in detail. The order in which content is taught is not well considered. There is sometimes too much content for pupils to learn at once. There are limited opportunities for pupils to revisit what they have previously been taught. As a result, pupils find it difficult to remember what they have learned. 8 and 9 February 2023

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Leaders have prioritised the teaching of reading. They select whole-class books based on what pupils are taught across the curriculum. Pupils are enthusiastic about reading. Leaders ensure that staff are trained in the school’s phonics programme. However, there are inconsistencies in the teaching of phonics. Some pupils who find learning to read more difficult are not supported well enough. On a very few occasions, the books that pupils read do not match the sounds that they know.

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Leaders have identified the essential knowledge that pupils must learn in mathematics. There are opportunities for pupils to revisit what they have previously been taught. Teachers model the most effective methods. Pupils practise these methods regularly before moving on to new content. In the early years, adults place high importance on developing children’s confidence in using numbers. The subject leader ensures that teachers receive effective training.

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Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is inconsistent. On occasion, support for pupils with SEND is not provided quickly enough. Some parents are unclear about the help their child is receiving. The school’s special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) is beginning to address this through opportunities for parents to attend information sessions, including talks from external professionals.

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Most pupils behave well. There is some low-level disruption in lessons at times. However, most teachers deal with this well. Most teachers feel well supported by senior leaders to deal with any behaviour incidents. In the early years, routines are well established. The school’s own behaviour records show that there are a small number of incidents of inappropriate language used by pupils. Staff deal with these incidents and provide intervention where necessary. Leaders are also addressing this by ensuring that whole- class reading books increasingly reflect diversity.

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There are a range of extra-curricular clubs and activities. Leaders consider pupils’ views when establishing new clubs and activities. Some pupils and parents expressed the view that they wanted more competitive sporting activities. Leaders acted on this. There are opportunities for pupils to learn beyond the classroom. For instance, they enjoyed an art trip to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Pupils understand the importance of fundamental British values. They show an interest in learning about different religions. However, pupils find it difficult to remember important information about these religions.

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A significant minority of parents are unhappy with the communication they receive from school. Some parents acknowledge that this has improved recently. However, school leaders, governors and trustees recognise that there is further work to do to improve communication between home and school.

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The vast majority of staff feel that senior leaders consider their workload. Most staff feel well supported by senior leaders, including those staff who are new to teaching. Most staff are proud to work at the school. 8 and 9 February 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand the vital role they play in keeping pupils safe. Leaders ensure that staff and governors receive regular safeguarding training and updates. Senior leaders test out staff’s knowledge and understanding of the training that they receive.

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Safeguarding

Older pupils understand the risks they may face online. However, they are unclear about some of the risks they may face in the locality. Some staff do not have a good knowledge of these risks.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and the deputy DSL work with external agencies to ensure that pupils receive timely help and support, when required. However, safeguarding record-keeping is not consistent. At times, the actions that leaders take to keep pupils safe are not recorded.

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Safeguarding

Pupils spoken to by the inspector have a good understanding of the meaning of consent. This is covered effectively in the school’s personal development curriculum.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that the necessary checks are made on staff, external agency staff and volunteers.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s phonics programme is not fully embedded. This means that some pupils are not receiving the most effective support to enable them to catch up quickly. Leaders should ensure that staff who need further training receive this. Leaders must also ensure that phonics sessions are delivered consistently well so that pupils who find learning to read more difficult are supported effectively and catch up quickly.  Leaders have not considered the most essential knowledge that pupils must remember and the order in which this content is taught in some foundation subjects. In these subjects, pupils do not have the foundational knowledge to understand new and more complex content. Teachers do not effectively check that pupils understand what they have learned. As a result, pupils find it difficult to remember what they have been taught. Leaders should ensure that the essential knowledge that pupils must learn,

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

from the early years to Year 6, is identified, including the order in which this content is taught. They should also ensure that teachers check pupils’ understanding before moving on to new content, so that pupils achieve well across the curriculum.  Some staff and pupils do not have a good understanding of the local safeguarding risks. Leaders should ensure that all staff and pupils understand the potential risks in the locality. Leaders do not consistently record the actions that they take to keep pupils safe. This means that there are gaps in safeguarding records. Leaders must make sure that the school’s safeguarding records reflect the actions taken, including the impact of these actions. 8 and 9 February 2023

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 A significant minority of parents expressed concern about communication between home and school. This is not leading to positive relationships in some cases. Leaders should ensure that the work they have already started to improve communication is implemented with more urgency so that more positive relationships are established between home and school.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2013.

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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. 8 and 9 February 2023

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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

 The school is a member of the Abbey Multi-Academy Trust.  There is a new head of school, and deputy headteacher, since the last inspection.  At the time of the inspection, the school did not use any alternative education provision.  The school’s last Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) took place in January 2018. Leaders anticipate that the next SIAMS will be due from September 2023.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector did deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. The inspector met with subject leaders, talked to pupils about their work, looked at pupils’ work and met with teachers. The inspector also looked at curriculum plans and pupils’ books in some other subjects. 8 and 9 February 2023

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 The inspector heard some pupils read.  The inspector scrutinised documents relating to the school’s work to keep pupils safe. The inspector spoke to staff and governors about the safeguarding training they receive. The school’s single central record, which includes recruitment checks made on staff, was reviewed.  The inspector met remotely with the chair of the board of trustees and the safeguarding trustee. The inspector also met with a group of governors, including the joint chairs of the local governing board.  The inspector met with the SENDCo, who is also the DSL, and the deputy DSL. The inspector met with some trust leaders.  The inspector met with the head of school and the deputy headteacher to discuss pupils’ behaviour and personal development.  The inspector considered the views of members of staff who responded to Ofsted’s staff survey. The inspector also considered the views of parents and pupils who

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responded to Ofsted’s pupil and parent surveys.  The inspector held a telephone call with the local authority designated officer.

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Inspection team

Michele Costello, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 February 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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