Lindley Junior School

Inspection of Lindley Junior School George Street, Lindley, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD3 3LY

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 13 and 14 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Lindley Junior School. They form strong relationships with each other and staff. They care about the views of others and respect and value each other’s opinions and differences. Their manners and behaviour are impeccable.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders, including governors, have a strong vision that every child will have an exciting curriculum. They meticulously plan visits and trips that allow pupils to ‘experience’ their learning. Pupils enjoy showing off their singing talents in venues including the Royal Albert Hall.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Every pupil has access to a range of personal development opportunities. Some pupils enjoy participating in projects where they present to local and national audiences. Such projects promote careers and help pupils to develop personally through improving teamwork and making new friends. Pupils love to take part in festivals and competitions. There are a range of after-school clubs that they can attend, such as dance, archery and fencing.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils welcome opportunities to take on roles, including as ‘well-being warriors’, to support others. If pupils have any wider concerns, for example bullying, they are confident to speak to members of staff. They know that any issues will be quickly dealt with. They feel safe.

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better?

Leaders have high ambitions for every pupil to achieve well. These high expectations can be seen in the exceptional support that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive. Leaders work closely with parents and the local infant school to ensure there is a smooth transition for pupils. Many parents feel that leaders go above and beyond to support their child with SEND. Leaders know the precise needs of individual pupils with SEND. Staff receive regular training that enables them to adapt the curriculum so that all pupils with SEND can access the same content as their peers. Pupils with SEND access further support if needed. As a result, pupils with SEND thrive.

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better?

In mathematics, leaders carefully sequence their curriculum so that it builds on what pupils know. During lessons, teachers check pupils’ understanding of new concepts. If they struggle, teachers re-teach those concepts until pupils have a secure understanding. Leaders promote their philosophy ‘going slow to move faster’ for pupils who struggle. This ensures pupils’ success.

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better?

Leaders promote a love of reading through various initiatives, including book fairs, working with local authors and reading buddies. Pupils love to take books home to read for pleasure. Pupils at the early stages of reading take home books that match the sounds that they are learning in their reading interventions. The support that they receive enables them to make rapid progress. 13 and 14 March 2023

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Pupils enjoy the range of experiences in the wider curriculum, such as visiting a local mill to learn about the life experiences of children in Victorian times, in history. However, leaders have not planned the exact knowledge that they want pupils to know in lessons. There is a lack of clarity in what pupils should know at the end of each year group and by the time they leave school. Teachers are unable to recap on specific gaps in pupils’ knowledge because they are unsure of what they are. This makes it difficult for teachers to check what pupils have remembered.

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Pupils have good knowledge of different faiths and cultures, including some elements of fundamental British values. They know the school values and the behaviour system well. They have positive attitudes to their learning and the future. However, some pupils are less knowledgeable about aspects of personal, social and health education (PSHE), such as different family make-ups and how to stay healthy. Leaders do not use the information that they have gathered about pupils’ behaviours and their knowledge of the world outside school to inform their PSHE curriculum. As a result, pupils receive lessons that do not support them as well as they might to make healthier choices or know the changes that will happen to them as they mature.

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Teachers love working in this school. They feel that leaders are mindful of their well- being and try, where possible, to reduce workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have a good understanding of local safeguarding issues. They receive regular training and updates to keep them abreast of any new policies and legislation. They know the indicators of harm and how to report and record any incidents that may happen. Any reports or concerns are quickly followed up by leaders. Leaders work with external agencies to get the right support for pupils and their families.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know how to stay safe. They receive a range of lessons that cover how to stay safe, such as regarding road safety and online safety.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum in some foundation subjects and in PSHE does not set out the precise knowledge that leaders want pupils to know. As a result, some pupils do not remember what they have been taught. In PSHE, some pupils are not equipped with the skills and knowledge to prepare them for adulthood. Leaders need to carefully plan the precise knowledge they want pupils to know and be able to use in the foundation subjects and in PSHE. 13 and 14 March 2023

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 Teachers do not check on the exact knowledge that pupils know and remember in the foundation subjects and in PSHE. As a result, teachers do not recap on knowledge misunderstood or forgotten by pupils. Leaders need to ensure that teachers regularly check on gaps in pupils’ learning and teach to those gaps so that pupils remember what they have learned.

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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. 13 and 14 March 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is a larger-than-average junior school.  There is a new leadership team in place since the last inspection. A new headteacher was appointed in September 2022, alongside a new deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher.  The school does not make use of an alternative education provider.

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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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, physical education and music. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to 13 and 14 March 2023

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teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. An inspector also listened to pupils reading.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders and a range of staff. The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair and vice- chair, and members of the board of trustees.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors met with the designated safeguarding lead to review records. They scrutinised the single central record of recruitment and vetting checks.  Inspectors reviewed a range of other school documentation and policies, including the school development plan and self-evaluation form.  To gather pupils’ views, inspectors spent time observing and speaking to pupils.  Inspectors gathered parents’ views by reviewing the responses and free-text responses submitted to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors spoke to parents at the beginning of the school day.

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 Inspectors gathered staff members’ views by speaking to several of them and reviewing the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Jenny Thomas, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

James Duncan His Majesty’s Inspector 13 and 14 March 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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