Greengates Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Greengates Primary Academy 31 Stockhill Road, Greengates, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD10 9AX

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Outcome

Greengates Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend Greengates Primary Academy. They form positive, warm relationships with staff. Pupils say that they feel well cared for. They flourish in the welcoming and supportive environment of the school. Staff are ambitious for pupils here. They have high aspirations for the achievement of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school’s motto, ‘Reach for the stars and you will be flying’, runs through all aspects of school life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Staff ensure that pupils rise to these. As a result, behaviour in school is good. Pupils move around school calmly. They are polite and engage in their learning with minimal disruption. Pupils are not worried about bullying. They say that it is rare at their school. Pupils are confident that if they had any concerns or worries, an adult in school would help them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The attendance of pupils at the school is improving. Leaders recognise that they need to continue this work to ensure that all groups of pupils attend school on time, every day.

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

Reading is a priority in school. Leaders ensure that all staff share this vision. Teachers recognise that reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils have a good understanding of the importance of learning to read. They talk about the difference that it will make to their lives. The promotion of language and stories starts in the early years. This encourages pupils to develop a love of reading at an early age. Parents and carers take part in workshops and events. This enables them to know how to support their child’s reading at home . Phonics teaching is planned and delivered with consistency by well-trained staff. Teachers receive regular support and training from members of the Trust. Reading leaders from the Trust, as well as staff in school, have a detailed understanding of pupils’ individual needs. This ensures that those pupils at risk of falling behind are quickly identified. Additional reading

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

sessions support these pupils to catch up. In key stage 2, pupils continue to receive daily 7–8 June 2023

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teaching of reading strategies. Book choices are deliberately planned to make sure that pupils are accessing a rich variety of texts and a level of ambition to meet their needs .

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Leaders have developed a broad and interesting curriculum that is ambitious. The early years has been considered as the starting point for this curriculum. Leaders have thought carefully about the knowledge, including new words, that pupils should learn at each stage. The development of pupils’ vocabulary in all subject areas is a priority. In lessons, teachers ensure that pupils have the opportunity to revisit previous learning. This gives the confidence that pupils are secure in their learning before they move on.

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Leaders ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are carefully considered. Pupils learn the curriculum alongside their peers. Where pupils need more individual support, this is put in place in a timely way.

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In the majority of subjects, leaders check teachers’ delivery of the subject curriculum. Where this happens, leaders have an accurate view of their subject across school. However, this practice is not yet consistent across all subjects. Some subject leaders are still developing their ability to evaluate the information that they need to gather in order to identify what is going well and what needs to be refined in their subject.

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Leaders are passionate that pupils experience a wide range of opportunities. This offer is fully inclusive. The school ensures that no child misses out. Leaders have thought carefully about how to use educational outings and visitors to enrich the curriculum. Pupils talk excitedly about their experience of going on a residential. One child shared that it had helped her to develop in confidence. In addition, staff make sure that pupils have opportunities to have roles that develop their understanding of responsibility. Pupils have the chance to become eco-warriors, ‘bookworms’ or part of the pupil leadership team.

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Leaders and staff prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain. Weekly questions that are posed to pupils encourage them to discuss, debate and share their own views on current issues. Pupils learn to respect the views of others and recognise that people may have different beliefs to their own. Through personal, social and health education lessons and assemblies, pupils learn about the fundamental British values. Pupils talk about learning the importance of the similarities that people in the wider world may share, despite their other differences.

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Those responsible for governance are aware of their roles and responsibilities, particularly around checking on the well-being of staff. The Trust offers leaders and staff an added level of support. It has been a driving force bringing about recent improvements in the school. Staff say that leaders support their well-being. They talk about the benefits that the Trust brings in terms of support for workload, as well as extra opportunities for training and professional development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 7–8 June 2023

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Leaders are vigilant in their approach to safeguarding pupils. They understand the potential risks that pupils may face, including those within the local community. Clear systems are in place for reporting safeguarding concerns. Staff receive regular training and safeguarding updates. Leaders ensure that logs of concerns are thoroughly recorded. They report clearly on actions that have taken place to support the child.

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Pupils say that they feel safe in school. Teachers ensure that pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, particularly when using the internet.

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Those responsible for governance prioritise and carry out the necessary checks on safeguarding in the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subject areas, subject leaders have only just started to carry out the necessary checks to identify what is going well and what needs to improve further. This means that leaders cannot be certain that the curriculum is being implemented as they intended. Subject leaders should ensure that regular checks are made so that they can continue to provide clear guidance to teachers on how the delivery of their subject can be refined and improved.  Not all groups of pupils arrive at school or attend every day. This means that they are missing important learning which will help to prepare them for their next stage of education. Leaders should continue the important work that they are doing, working with families and outside agencies to ensure that pupils attend school on time, every day.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Greengates Primary School, to be good in November 2017. 7–8 June 2023

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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. 7–8 June 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not use any alternative provision.  The school operates a breakfast and after-school provision for pupils at the school.  The school joined Delta Academies Trust in December 2018.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding is above the national average.

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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 school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  The inspector met with the senior leaders of the school and from Delta Academies Trust.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and art.  The inspector met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ books and talked to pupils and teachers. Curriculum leaders and senior leaders were involved in the activities with inspectors.  The inspector listened to pupils read to a familiar adult and visited phonics lessons. 7–8 June 2023

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 The inspector checked the school’s safeguarding documentation and behaviour and attendance information.  The inspector considered the responses that were received through Ofsted’s Parent View, as well as free text responses.

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Inspection team

Sarah Gordon, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 7–8 June 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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