St Philip's CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Philip’s CofE Primary School Whitby Terrace, Girlington, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD8 9JL

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Outcome

St Philip’s CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff create an environment at St Philip’s CofE Primary school where pupils are polite and welcoming. Pupils enjoy coming to school and feel that it is a safe place to be. Leaders are passionate that pupils should get the best possible preparation for the next stage of their education and for life. Staff know the pupils, families and the community well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. Staff expect the best of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils play happily at playtimes and lunchtimes. Pupils say that staff are very good at resolving any conflicts or disagreements. Pupils insist that there is no bullying, saying that if there were it would be dealt with instantly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. They ensure that pupils experience leadership roles for worship and prayer and sit on the school council. These roles, alongside other responsibilities that pupils take on, prepare them well to be active citizens. Leaders want pupils to be aspirational and believe they can achieve great things. Pupils learn about different jobs and careers and the routes that they can take to find success in life.

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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 developed a clear sequence of learning that runs from Nursery to Year 6. They have identified the important knowledge that they want pupils to know. The curriculum is designed so that pupils’ knowledge builds over time. Leaders have ensured that the development of language, vocabulary and speaking skills is a high priority.

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

In most subjects, teachers have strong subject knowledge. Mathematics is taught well. The youngest children learn in an environment that is rich in opportunities for them to practise mathematical skills and deepen their understanding of mathematical concepts. 6 and 7 June 2023

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Teachers make regular checks on pupils’ knowledge so that they can identify any gaps and they adapt lessons accordingly. Effective adaptations are also made for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These pupils are supported well by receiving additional support or by accessing an adapted curriculum.

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In computing, the curriculum is well sequenced. In early years, children learn about instructions and use an algorithm to make their own play dough. They also give programmable toys simple instructions. These programming skills are built on further in key stages 1 and 2. However, there are aspects of the computing curriculum where pupils are less secure with their knowledge. This is because the curriculum has not been taught as leaders intended. This can be where teachers’ subject knowledge is less secure or when there are not the devices or technology available to deliver the intended curriculum.

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Leaders have prioritised reading. Following some disappointing outcomes in national tests for phonics and for reading in key stage 1, leaders have intensified the focus on helping pupils to learn to read. Leaders have ensured that teachers have received training in the teaching of phonics. They provide regular support and guidance to teachers. Those who teach phonics lessons are more confident than they have been in the past. The chosen phonics scheme is taught consistently. Pupils are now doing well in learning to read. Despite this, there are still some pupils who require additional support to ensure they catch up with their peers.

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Children get off to the best possible start in the early years. Leaders have planned a curriculum that prepares the children extremely well for the next phase of their education. Children in early years are confident and independent learners. They learn with sustained attention. Their behaviour is excellent and founded on well-established routines and high expectations of adults. Relationships are positive. Adults interact purposefully with the children. They share books, sing songs and support the children in a wide range of activities, such as planting and growing seeds to see how plants grow.

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There is a strong curriculum for personal, social and health education (PSHE). Pupils are inclusive and respectful of others and their opinions. They know about protected characteristics and stereotypes. They learn how to keep themselves healthy and about healthy relationships.

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Staff report that they enjoy working at the school. They talk about how well supported they are by leaders. They describe the workplace as like being ‘part of a family’.

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Governors and trustees share the high ambitions of school leaders. They understand their roles well and provide school leaders with appropriate support and challenge. Governors make regular visits to the school to check on the work of school leaders and the implementation of agreed policies.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 6 and 7 June 2023

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Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff are well trained. They know how to report and record concerns about pupils. Rigorous checks are made on staff or volunteers before they are allowed to work with pupils. Leaders work closely with external agencies when seeking to support vulnerable pupils or families.

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Pupils feel that school is a safe place to be. They know how to keep themselves safe, including when using technology.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is some variability in the how the curriculum is implemented. Pupils do not remember things as well as needed across all subjects. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is embedded securely in all subjects so that pupils remember the intended learning.  In recent years, pupils’ outcomes in reading have not been good enough. Leaders have raised the profile of reading across the school and reinvigorated the teaching of phonics. Phonics is now taught consistently well. However, some pupils in key stage 1 and lower key stage 2 are still not reading fluently. Leaders should ensure that pupils who are behind with their reading receive the support that they need to catch up with their peers.

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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 school to be good in July 2017.

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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. 6 and 7 June 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. 6 and 7 June 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10240465 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The Board of trustees

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School details

Date of previous inspection 4 and 5 July 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 St Philip’s CofE Primary School is a member of Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school’s religious character was last inspected in December 2016.

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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 his evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector heard pupils read.  The inspector met with the headteacher, assistant headteacher, subject leaders and other members of staff. The inspector also met with representatives of the trust and those responsible for governance. 6 and 7 June 2023

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 The inspector reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising safeguarding records and interviewing staff, and through discussions with pupils.  The inspector spoke with parents during the inspection. He considered responses to the Ofsted Parent View online questionnaire. The responses to the pupil questionnaire were also considered.

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Inspection team

Dughall McCormick, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 6 and 7 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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