Greenfield Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Greenfield Primary School Cherry Tree Street, Hoyland, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S74 9RG

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Outcome

Greenfield Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is an inclusive school at the heart of the local community. Relationships between staff, pupils, parents and carers are strong. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. They say that staff listen, act on any concerns and that their children are happy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are three big rules: ‘be ready, be respectful and be safe’. Pupils’ behaviour is positive, because everyone understands leaders’ expectations of how pupils should behave. Pupils are keen to earn reward points to achieve certificates. They say that adults are fair. Adults remind pupils about their behaviour through the ‘Tweak of the Week’. Pupils earn stickers depending on the weekly behaviour theme. There is plenty for pupils to do at breaktimes and lunchtimes. Pupils feel happy and safe. Bullying occasionally happens, but adults quickly resolve it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders offer a wide range of clubs. They are well attended. These include art, forest school and football. During the inspection, in the science club, pupils were experimenting with chromatography. ‘Well-being Warriors’ organise school events. For example, ‘Greenfield’s Got Talent’ and other events help to raise money for school projects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders plan experiences for all pupils. Residential visits happen across key stage 2. A range of educational visits take place, such as going to the theatre. The recently re- formed parent and teacher association (PTA) offers community events, such as movie night. All the funds raised will support more experiences for all pupils.

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

Leaders have created an ambitious, broad curriculum, from early years to Year 6. In January, leaders introduced a new two-year curriculum model in most subjects. The new model sets out clearly the knowledge, skills and vocabulary that staff want pupils to know. These changes coincided with alterations to year group organisation. Leaders and governors identified that their class structure hindered progress for some pupils. The lack 17 and 18 May 2023

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of clarity and progression in these old curriculum plans means that some pupils struggle to remember and make connections to prior learning.

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Leaders are prioritising pupils’ oracy. From early years, staff are starting to model new vocabulary that they want pupils to know. Teachers check that pupils understand and use essential vocabulary. For example, in geography, Year 5 pupils could remember physical and human features of South America. Pupils enjoy their new curriculum as they repeat important information. They like the repetition, saying that it ‘gets stuck in our heads’. However, when recalling the previous curriculum, connections to prior learning were not as strong.

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Many subject leaders are new to role. They are in the early stages of checking that their curriculum subject is being implemented. In some foundation subjects, leaders are still deciding the best way to check what pupils remember over time. In mathematics, pupils and staff value the toolkits. Toolkits are a quick way of checking and revisiting different areas of mathematics. Adults use the clearly defined vocabulary to develop pupils’ understanding. For example, in Reception and Year 1, teachers modelled vocabulary such as ‘equal’ and ‘add’ effectively. Subject leaders appreciate the support brokered by the local authority. This helps them to develop their role to become more effective leaders. Leaders know that pupils’ presentation of work needs to improve. Leaders have a policy, but this is not consistently followed or modelled by staff. This means that pupils do not always produce high-quality written work.

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Reading is a strength of the school. Leaders have trained all staff in how to teach early reading. Staff value the extra support from the reading leader. Teachers quickly identify pupils who need extra help. These pupils receive effective support. Teachers make sure that the books that pupils read match the sounds that they know. This helps pupils to become more fluent readers. Older pupils love reading. There is a range of fiction and non-fiction books for all reading abilities. Pupil reading leaders reward weekly reading. Winners earn a certificate and praise in assembly – along with a celebratory biscuit!

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are making strong progress. Leaders place an emphasis on early identification of need. They work well with a range of agencies. Leaders support staff to adapt the curriculum into smaller steps. Staff use support plans to check that pupils have the right help to be successful.

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Visits and visitors enhance Greenfield’s curriculum. Pupils remember these events, such as visits to a local museum. The impressive school grounds help them to care for their environment. Nursery children enjoy their time in the school’s forest, finding mini-beasts and playing between the trees. Older pupils are active in their local community. Each year, they link with a local nursing home, singing for residents. Pupils know about different faiths and cultures. They respect others. However, they do not know the correct vocabulary to talk confidently about other religions and cultures.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. The recent changes to the curriculum help to reduce their workload. They value coaching opportunities. Staff work well together as a team. Governors and leaders have a clear vision to continue with these recent changes. 17 and 18 May 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have embedded a strong culture of safeguarding across the school. The safeguarding team knows their families well. Leaders work with external agencies effectively to ensure that pupils receive the support they need. This offer extends to parents and carers. The safeguarding team helps to run a successful parenting course.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is at the heart of induction processes for new staff. Detailed checks are in place. All staff are well trained to spot any concerns. Records identify concerns and support for pupils.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, for example when crossing the busy road outside school. They know not to share personal information with others.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Foundation subject leaders have not had sufficient time to check on the recent alterations to the implementation and impact of their intended curriculum. This means that leaders do not know whether the implementation of the new two-year curriculum programme is having a positive impact on what pupils know and remember. Senior leaders should ensure that subject leaders have the time to make these checks to measure the impact.  The school’s curriculum has been revised and recently implemented, including in the early years. Some teachers are in the early stages of developing new subject knowledge, including teaching new vocabulary. As a result, some teachers do not accurately model the subject-specific vocabulary that pupils need to know. This means that some pupils struggle to explain their understanding of subject knowledge and concepts. Leaders should ensure that pupils are given sufficient time and opportunities

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

to learn the specific vocabulary in each subject so that it sticks in their long-term memory.  Leaders have not ensured that there is a consistent, whole-school approach to the teaching of handwriting. There is variation in how teachers model handwriting, which leads to too much variability in pupils’ handwriting. Leaders and teachers need to ensure that the school’s handwriting policy is followed and that teachers help pupils to produce neater, more legible work. 17 and 18 May 2023

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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 January 2018.

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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. 17 and 18 May 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255854 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 Leanne Allen and Peter Bell

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School details

Website www.greenfieldprimaryschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 January 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school offers a breakfast club and several after-school clubs.  The school does not use 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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with senior leaders from the school, four members of the local governing body, including the co-chairs of governors, and a representative from Barnsley local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Pupils’ behaviour was observed during lesson visits and at breaktimes. Pupils shared their views on behaviour during discussions. 17 and 18 May 2023

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 The inspector reviewed safeguarding records, including the single central register. Discussions with staff and pupils were held to check their understanding of safeguarding.  The views of parents were sought face-to-face, and the inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey.  The inspector considered the views of staff from meeting with staff and from the responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.  The inspector held meetings with the special educational needs coordinator to consider the curriculum for pupils with SEND.

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Inspection team

Ian Clennan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 May 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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