Farnley Tyas Church of England Voluntary Controlled First School

Inspection of Farnley Tyas Church of England Voluntary Controlled First School Butts Road, Farnley Tyas, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD4 6TZ

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 October 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

The school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 11 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection. School 12 and 13 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

The warm and respectful relationships between staff and pupils are a great strength of Farnley Tyas First School. Pupils, including children in the early years, love attending this small, friendly school. Pupils know how to be good friends, and older pupils clearly enjoy playing with and supporting their younger ‘buddies’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school and feel safe there. Leaders have successfully created a culture throughout the school in which equality is championed and diversity celebrated. They have the highest expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils live up to these expectations impressively. Pupils understand what bullying is and say that bullying is simply not a problem in their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high ambitions for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These ambitions are summed up in the school’s motto: ‘Working together to be the best we can be’. These words are apt. Pupils love to learn, work extremely well together and take pride in their work. They typically achieve well. The curriculum is broad and interesting. Leaders enhance the curriculum well with a wide range of out-of-school activities and school trips. Pupils spoke positively about these to the inspectors.

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better?

The school has prioritised curriculum development. Subject curriculums, including in early years, are clear and well structured. Leaders have set out clearly the subject- specific content and vocabulary that they want pupils to learn. Leaders’ work to strengthen the curriculum has ensured that pupils now typically know and remember more. Curriculum content is broad and ambitious. Staff use assessment strategies well to check on pupils’ knowledge and understanding. However, in a small number of lessons, pupils’ work is not aligned closely with the curriculum that leaders have planned.

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better?

The school has a sharp focus on reading. By the time they leave the school at the end of Year 5, most pupils are keen and confident readers. They have a good knowledge of different authors and types of books. Pupils read both for pleasure and to find information. Their reading journey begins from the start of Reception.

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better?

The teaching of phonics is organised well. Leaders have made sure that staff are trained and are knowledgeable about developing early reading. Staff choose learning activities carefully to help children in the early years develop their phonic knowledge and understanding. Staff make regular checks on pupils’ progress with reading and phonics, so that any pupils who are struggling receive extra help. However, at times, these pupils do not read books that are matched well to their existing phonic knowledge. This means that they do not make the accelerated progress that they need to catch up with their peers. School 12 and 13 October 2023

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Farnley Tyas is an inclusive school. Pupils with SEND take part in every aspect of school life and achieve well. Leaders source appropriate specialist support to help meet pupils’ needs. Teachers make suitable adaptations for pupils who need additional support. This helps pupils to access learning with other pupils. In the early years, staff ensure that provision, both inside and out, helps all children to access the different areas of learning.

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Pupils’ behaviour around school is first rate. The school is an extremely happy and harmonious place. Attendance levels are high and leaders’ efforts have ensured that persistent absenteeism is rare. In the early years, children come together from many different pre-school settings. They quickly learn to play and share with each other. Throughout school, attitudes to learning are excellent. Older pupils are proud to be given positions of responsibility, such as being school councillors. The buddy system helps to ensure that older and younger pupils mix well together throughout the day.

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The school provides pupils with a broad range of activities and opportunities beyond the classroom. Pupils, including those with SEND, join in with different extra- curricular activities. These include playing different sports and taking part in residential trips and musical performances. Pupils develop a strong awareness of tolerance and respect. They learn about different cultures and religions, preparing them well for life in modern Britain. Staff encourage pupils to think about others. Pupils enjoy being able to help others, including by raising money for charity.

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Governors have a fair and accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for further development. They fulfil their statutory duties effectively. Governors provide support and challenge and recognise the positive impact that new leadership has had on the school. Staff are highly positive about working in the school. They are particularly appreciative of the degree of care that leaders show for their workload and well-being. Parents are exceptionally positive about the school and, without exception, would recommend it to other parents.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects and lessons, teachers are not delivering the curriculum consistently in line with leaders’ intentions. This means that some pupils do not learn all that they are intended to. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders check that the planned curriculum is being taught effectively, so that pupils build up their knowledge and understanding over time.  Pupils who need additional support with their reading do not read books that are matched well to the sounds that they know. This means that the additional support that staff provide is not helping these pupils to make the accelerated School 12 and 13 October 2023

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progress they need. Leaders should ensure that the books pupils read enable them to develop their reading confidence and fluency, so that they catch up quickly.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). School 12 and 13 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Co-chairs of governing body Joanna Donaghey and David Love

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 5 and 6 January 2012

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Information about this school

 Farnley Tyas is part of a federation of three small first schools, known as the Greenhills First Federation. Schools in the federation share a headteacher and deputy headteacher.  The school is part of the Diocese of Leeds. Its last section 48 inspection was carried out in December 2016.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.  There is a before-school club at the school which is overseen by the governing body.

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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

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. School 12 and 13 October 2023

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the 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 and art. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  An inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  An inspector spoke to leaders about the curriculum and sampled pupils’ work in other subjects.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, at breaktimes, in the dining hall and when walking round the school. They discussed behaviour and bullying with pupils, senior leaders, teachers and support staff.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  An inspector spoke with school leaders, one of the co-chairs of the governing body and other governors.  An inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative of the Diocese of Leeds and spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being.  Inspectors considered the views of parents and carers who responded to Ofsted Parent View. This included free-text comments. An inspector also spoke with parents as they dropped their children off at school.  Inspectors considered the views of staff and pupils who responded to their respective surveys.

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Inspection team

Neil Dixon, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

David Harrison Ofsted Inspector School 12 and 13 October 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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