Carrfield Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Carrfield Primary Academy Highgate Lane, Bolton-on-Dearne, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S63 8AL

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Outcome

Carrfield Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Carrfield Primary Academy is a happy and welcoming school. Pupils enjoy coming to school and feel that it is a safe place to be. Leaders have created an environment in which pupils can flourish. They have high aspirations for all pupils. They believe that all pupils can do well. Leaders constantly reflect on how they can improve the experience of pupils. Everyone works together to ensure that pupils are the best that they can be.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and welcoming of guests. They behave well throughout the school and at breaktimes. They feel that everyone is treated fairly. Pupils understand what bullying is. They say that it is rare and trust that adults would deal with it swiftly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have opportunities to experience a range of activities that enrich and enhance the curriculum. These include a variety of trips and residential visits. Pupils enjoy engaging in extra-curricular activities, such as gardening, art and a range of sports clubs. These clubs are inclusive and open to all. Pupils appreciate having opportunities to take on leadership roles. Pupils have roles as play leaders and support other pupils at playtime.

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

Leaders have planned an ambitious curriculum. They have identified the knowledge that they want pupils to learn across all subjects. There is a clear sequence of learning from Reception to Year 6. In subjects such as mathematics, teachers use their good subject knowledge to enable pupils to apply their knowledge securely over time. In foundation subjects, such as history, pupils build their knowledge of important ideas, such as monarchy and political leadership. Teachers make adaptations for pupils who have gaps in their knowledge or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have planned for pupils’ knowledge to grow progressively. Teachers ensure that pupils revise and revisit prior learning to secure their knowledge. 23 and 24 May 2023

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Some aspects of the foundation curriculum are less well implemented. Teachers do not consistently set pupils tasks that enable them to demonstrate their learning. On occasion, teachers’ questions do not focus sufficiently on the important things pupils should remember.

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Leaders have developed a culture where books are celebrated and reading is prioritised. Children in the early years learn phonics successfully by following a precise programme. The school’s chosen phonics programme is taught consistently by teachers who are experts in the teaching of reading. Leaders ensure that teachers are trained and supported to teach reading well. Pupils’ books are closely matched to the sounds they know. This helps pupils to develop their fluency. If pupils struggle or fall behind in reading, they are quickly identified and supported to keep up.

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The school’s agreed strategies to support pupils’ handwriting are not consistently realised. This contributes to too much variation in the quality of pupils’ handwriting.

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Pupils with SEND are supported to progress through the curriculum. Systems for identifying, supporting and monitoring these pupils are very effective. Some of these pupils benefit from adult support and adaptations to the curriculum to meet their needs.

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Children get off to a very good start in the early years. Leaders have thought carefully about the knowledge, skills and qualities they want the children to acquire. They ensure that they provide a range of opportunities for the children to learn and develop. Children have opportunities to learn through role play. For instance, they learn about money in a ‘shop’ or keeping healthy in the ‘doctors’ surgery’. Children develop their construction skills by using hammers and saws. Relationships between children and adults are extremely positive. There are strong routines, and these help to create an environment where behaviour is excellent.

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Pupils recognise and consider the impact of their actions on each other and the wider world. They are inclusive and considerate of the difference in others. They develop into responsible and respectful citizens. Leaders prioritise and promote their personal development. They learn about how to keep healthy and about the importance of a healthy diet.

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Governors and leaders are mindful of staff well-being and workload. Staff describe the school as a positive place to work. The results of the staff survey were overwhelmingly positive. Governors know the school well. They understand what needs to improve. They challenge and hold leaders to account effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff receive regular training and updates in relation to safeguarding. They know the signs to look out for if pupils are at risk of harm and how to refer those concerns. Leaders keep detailed records of any 23 and 24 May 2023

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concerns about pupils’ safety and of the support given to pupils. Appropriate checks are made on those seeking to work with children.

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Pupils talk confidently about how to keep themselves safe, including when using technology.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is variance in how consistently the school’s agreed handwriting policy is applied. This means that standards of handwriting are not good enough. Leaders should ensure that handwriting is taught consistently well.  In some foundation subjects, teachers do not check pupils’ learning carefully enough. This means that teachers do not know if pupils remember their learning or know how to apply it. Leaders should ensure that there are suitable arrangements for checking on pupils’ learning so that staff can use this information to better inform their teaching.  Teachers do not consistently set pupils tasks that enable them to demonstrate their learning. When this occurs, pupils do not build their knowledge well. Leaders should ensure that staff develop their understanding of pedagogy so that teaching helps pupils to successfully deepen their knowledge in all subjects.

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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 February 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. 23 and 24 May 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. 23 and 24 May 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255665 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 29 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Astrea Academy Trust.  The school does not make use of any 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 school leaders, members of the local governing council and representatives from the trust, including the regional director and the chief executive officer. No trustees were available to meet with the inspector.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history.  The inspector visited classes in the selected subjects and reviewed samples of pupils’ work. The inspector spoke to groups of pupils, as well as teachers and subject leaders. The inspector listened to groups of pupils read. 23 and 24 May 2023

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 Pupils’ behaviour was observed in lessons and at other times, such as playtime or in the dining room. The inspector discussed behaviour with leaders, staff, pupils and parents. Records of behaviour, attendance and exclusions were scrutinised.  The arrangements for safeguarding were checked. This included checking the single central record in the school. Discussions were held with leaders about safeguarding systems and processes.  The inspector took account of the views of pupils through formal and informal discussions. Parents’ views were considered through the responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and comments made in the free-text responses. The inspector also spoke with parents during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Dughall McCormick, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 23 and 24 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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