Walkley Primary School

Inspection of Walkley Primary School Burnaby Crescent, Walkley, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S6 2RZ

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 7 and 8 November 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Walkley Primary School has a strong sense of community. Pupils are safe and happy. Staff expect pupils to show high levels of respect for everyone around them. Pupils meet these expectations well. At social times, they play well together. Some older pupils are play mentors. They lead playground games and make sure nobody feels left out.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils engage well during lessons. They are usually focused and keen to learn. However, a small number of pupils do lose focus sometimes. When this happens, staff usually get pupils back on track quickly. Sometimes, they take longer to intervene.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

School leaders have rapidly improved the school since the previous inspection. The curriculum has developed strongly. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn and achieve well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ achievements in both their schoolwork and their conduct are celebrated each week in a ‘golden assembly’. This celebration is highly effective. It is very well attended by parents. Pupils feel their efforts are valued by the whole community.

p.2

better?

Staff are well trained and knowledgeable about how children learn to read. Most pupils engage well during phonics lessons. Pupils who need extra help with reading get effective support. Pupils have lots of opportunities to read aloud, which boosts their confidence.

p.2

better?

The curriculum is planned well. Leaders break down the knowledge pupils need into small steps. This is usually detailed and helps teachers know what to emphasise. In some foundation subjects, some of this work is not detailed enough. When this happens, staff are less able to emphasise the most important knowledge and check pupils have learned it. Leaders are aware of this. Subject leaders are effective and knowledgable. They are already working towards a more consistent level of clarity and precision in each subject area.

p.2

better?

The school meets the needs of pupils with SEND well, including those with a high level of need. Staff work closely with families. Teaching assistants are highly effective in supporting pupils with a wide range of needs. Pupils with SEND engage well in learning. Teachers are skilled in adapting learning to meet pupils’ needs where necessary. Trained staff deliver a range of effective interventions, such as sensory activities to support pupils.

p.2

better?

In the early years, children get off to a good start. The curriculum prepares children well for their next stage of learning. Activities are purposeful and children usually engage well. Children play and learn well together. Some adults are skilled at developing children’s vocabulary. However, sometimes, adults miss opportunities to 7 and 8 November 2023

p.2

3

extend children’s knowledge and vocabulary. When this happens, children do not get as much out of the activity as they could.

p.3

3

The curriculum for pupils’ personal, social and health education (PSHE) is well thought through. It covers local risks to children, which helps pupils to keep themselves safe. Pupils remember the PSHE curriculum. They can discuss online safety and understand British values. Pupils also learn about managing finances. They learn and remember important information about world faiths. Shared values of mutual respect are embedded. This all helps pupils to be well prepared for life in modern Britain.

p.3

3

There is a good range of extra-curricular opportunities for pupils. Educational visits support pupils in learning the curriculum. Leaders have carefully chosen a range of residential trips. These trips develop different aspects of pupils’ character. For example, the Year 6 residential trip encourages appropriate risk-taking and develops pupils’ confidence to try new challenges. A range of clubs are available, such as gardening and yoga. Many pupils have attended at least one club across the school year. These clubs help pupils to explore their interests and talents.

p.3

3

Governors know the school well. They challenge and support leaders to continually improve the school. Governors carry out their statutory duties effectively. Staff feel valued and morale is high. Staff receive effective training and support across a range of areas including curriculum design. Parents are extremely positive about the school.

p.3

3

Leaders have highly effective strategies to support pupils who do not come to school regularly. Most pupils attend school every day.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, current systems for checking pupils’ understanding do not consistently help staff identify gaps. Staff cannot be sure how well pupils are remembering some aspects of their learning over time. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is consistently detailed enough to help staff identify and regularly check that the most important knowledge is remembered over time.  In the early years, adults sometimes miss opportunities to extend children’s knowledge and vocabulary through high-quality interactions. When this happens, children do not get as much out of activities as they could. Leaders should make sure all staff are trained to take every opportunity to extend children’s knowledge and vocabulary. 7 and 8 November 2023

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 7 and 8 November 2023

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 20 and 21 April 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school has a nursery. Children attend from age three.  The school makes use of one unregistered alternative provider.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the second inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector held several meetings with the headteacher during the inspection.  The lead inspector met with seven members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority. 7 and 8 November 2023

p.5

6

 Deep dives were carried out in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and design technology. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  An inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors spoke to pupils formally and informally about their learning and experiences at school. An inspector also spoke to parents as they dropped their children off at the school gate.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single 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.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour throughout the school day, including during

p.6

6

lesson visits and at breaktime. Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils about their views on behaviour and the wider experiences they receive at school.  The inspectors reviewed the parental responses received through the Ofsted online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. Inspectors also considered the responses received through Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.

p.6

Inspection team

Zoe Helman, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Sam O’Brien Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 November 2023

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7