Beckfoot Priestthorpe Primary School & Nursery

Inspection of Beckfoot Priestthorpe Primary School & Nursery Mornington Road, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16 4JS

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 14 and 15 June 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Priestthorpe are happy. They enjoy coming to school and speak highly of their teachers. Many pupils are positive about their experience at school. Pupils learn to contribute to their community and how to be active citizens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils behave well. They are courteous and polite towards each other, and adults. Pupils respond positively to the high expectations that adults have of them. Pupils feel that the school is a safe place to be. They understand what bullying is. Bullying is rare and always gets dealt with appropriately by adults.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate having additional responsibilities and leadership roles. Play leaders support younger pupils at playtime and lunchtime. School councillors take their responsibilities seriously and have a strong commitment to environmental issues. These opportunities prepare pupils well to be positive citizens of the future.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The vast majority of pupils demonstrate respect and tolerance for others. They are understanding of the differences between people. In lessons, pupils listen and respond sensitively to the opinions of others.

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better?

Leaders have focused on developing an ambitious curriculum. They have identified what they want pupils to learn and when. Pupils follow a curriculum that builds progressively over time. For example, in art, pupils develop knowledge of shading and colour-mixing by revisiting topics in different years. They produce artwork of high quality. Teachers have good subject knowledge. They design lessons that follow a sequence which helps to develop and secure pupils’ knowledge. Teachers regularly check where pupils have gaps in their knowledge. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. There is no less ambition for these pupils.

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better?

The curriculum in the early years prepares children well for the next stage of their education. Leaders provide opportunities for children to learn independently. Adults interact purposefully with children. Relationships are positive. Children behave well and learn the routines of school. They cooperate, learn together and share resources. Adults use a range of strategies to ensure that children develop their vocabulary and communication skills.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised reading. They have introduced a structured programme for the teaching of phonics. This programme is used consistently by teachers who are well trained in the teaching of early reading. Children in Reception begin to learn to read straight away. When pupils struggle or slip behind with reading, they are quickly identified and supported to catch up. For a small number of pupils, the books that they read are not well matched to the sounds that they are learning. This limits how well some pupils develop fluency in reading. 14 and 15 June 2023

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The curriculum for personal, social and health education ensures that pupils learn about how to live healthy lives and about healthy relationships. Leaders are committed to ensuring that pupils understand about the diversity that exists in modern Britain. Themed assemblies and lessons help pupils to learn about diversity, equality and protected characteristics. Many pupils express empathy for those that are different to themselves. However, occasionally, some pupils use sexist language on the playground.

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Leaders plan for pupils to have experiences that enhance the curriculum. Pupils attend visits to interesting places and go on residential trips. There are a number of extra-curricular clubs that pupils attend. These include sports clubs. However, leaders have not considered how they can make these clubs easily accessible to all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. Leaders do not monitor how well these clubs are attended and are unsure if all pupils have access to these wider opportunities.

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Leaders benefit from expert support from the trust. Investment in professional development for staff has improved staff subject knowledge. Leaders are mindful of staff well-being and workload and ensure that staff get the time and support that they need to do their job well. Members of the trust and the local school committee understand their roles and their responsibilities. They share the strong ambitions of school leaders.

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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, timely training. They are aware of the signs that pupils may be at risk of harm. Staff report concerns whenever they arise. Leaders enlist the support of outside agencies in support for vulnerable pupils.

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Safeguarding

Pupils insist that the school is a safe place to be. They learn about how to keep themselves safe, including when using technology.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 For a small number of pupils at the early stage of learning to read, the books they read are not well matched to the sounds that they are learning. This sometimes limits pupils’ ability to use their knowledge of phonics to read fluently. Leaders should ensure that the books pupils read are well matched to the sounds that pupils are learning.  Leaders have not ensured that extra-curricular activities are accessible to all pupils. As a result, some pupils are unable to access some opportunities to 14 and 15 June 2023

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develop their talents and interests. Leaders should ensure that all pupils can access extra-curricular clubs and activities.  A small number of pupils use sexist language. This means that some pupils feel uncomfortable at playtimes. Leaders should ensure that pupils understand that sexist language is unacceptable in modern Britain.

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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. 14 and 15 June 2023

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 1 and 2 December 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Beckfoot multi-academy trust in September 2017.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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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 second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued 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, art and design, and geography. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with curriculum leaders, spoke to pupils and teachers, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work. The inspectors heard pupils read. 14 and 15 June 2023

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders and other members of staff. They also met with representatives from the trust and those responsible for governance.  The inspectors talked to staff about their role in keeping pupils safe. They also talked to staff about workload, and about the amount and quality of training and support they receive from leaders.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, at breaktimes and at lunchtimes. The inspectors gathered pupils’ views from both formal and informal discussions.  Inspectors spoke with parents and carers during the inspection. They considered the responses, including free-text comments, to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire. The responses to the staff and pupil surveys were also considered.

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Inspection team

Dughall McCormick, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Richard Beadnall His Majesty’s Inspector 14 and 15 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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