Chapel Allerton Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Chapel Allerton Primary School Harrogate Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS7 3PD

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Outcome

Chapel Allerton Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Chapel Allerton Primary School are happy and confident. Staff help children in the early years become resilient so they are able to take on new challenges. Pupils support one another in lessons by being ‘Learning Partners’. Because pupils are hard- working, collaborative and determined, they experience success on a daily basis. Over time, achievement at the school has improved. Leaders are ambitious for future developments. Staff share this ambition and are proud to be part of a thriving school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave with maturity. They show respect for one another. Bullying is rare. Pupils are encouraged to sort out small problems themselves but know there is always an adult there to help them stay safe. Older pupils are strong role models for their younger peers. They eagerly take on responsibilities as ‘Reading Leaders’ or as members of the ‘Language Ambassadors’. These roles enable them to contribute to positive change in school and the wider local community. The school wants all pupils to become successful citizens of tomorrow.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders plan opportunities that broaden pupils’ horizons. These include cultural visits, talks from inspirational individuals and opportunities to debate important topics. As a result, pupils understand and appreciate the world around them better. The school motto of ‘Nurturing a lifelong love of learning’ is threaded through everyday life at the school.

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

The school has developed a curriculum that is exciting and highly relevant to pupils. For example, in geography, pupils explore the migration of birds they see in their local environment, learning how they move from a nearby coastal area to another on a different continent. The curriculum includes the knowledge, vocabulary and skills that pupils will need to succeed in future. Some aspects of the school’s curriculum need further refinement. For example, adaptations to the curriculum so that it meets the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), are still developing. 8 and 9 May 2024

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Staff quickly identify what pupils have, and have not, remembered. Gaps in knowledge are addressed through lessons that focus specifically on what pupils do not know. Each lesson begins with an opportunity to revisit previous learning. As a result, pupils are increasingly confident to discuss a range of topics. However, the way that staff assess what pupils know and remember in the foundation subjects is still being refined. This means that, for some pupils, there are small gaps in their knowledge and understanding.

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The school has developed a strong reading culture. Staff are confident and consistent in their approach when teaching phonics. Pupils know letters and the sounds they make well. Those who struggle to read get daily help to improve their confidence and accuracy. Leaders are passionate that every child will learn to love reading. There are a wide range of books for pupils to choose from. Many reflect the diversity of the school community. Children begin learning to read in the early years. Familiar stories and rhymes form part of their daily routine.

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The school is highly inclusive. This means that pupils with SEND are at the heart of everything they do. Staff are committed to getting the best out of all pupils, regardless of academic ability. Leaders have committed large amounts of time and resources to improving provision for pupils with SEND. In the majority of cases, this is having a positive impact on pupils’ academic and social outcomes.

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The early years curriculum is a strong foundation for what children will learn later in school. As well as improving their understanding of communication, language and mathematics, it includes many opportunities for children to explore the world around them. Well-resourced, exciting indoor and outdoor areas stimulate children’s interests. Formal learning takes place alongside activities which allow children to independently access various learning opportunities within the setting. These have been carefully planned to support children’s learning. For example, children explore the life cycle of a chicken while also labelling farm animals and role playing a veterinary practice.

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Pupils’ wider development is a high priority for leaders. They ensure that pupils understand how to be physically and mentally healthy. Staff and pupils are encouraged to talk about problems and find solutions. Pupils who struggle to regulate their emotions receive additional support in ‘The Hub’. This space, and the colleagues who work there, are valued by both pupils and parents. The school inspires pupils for their futures through a range of talks and activities. These include a ‘Science Day’, virtual reality tours of space and visiting authors.

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The workload placed on staff is closely monitored by the school. Staff feel empowered to do their jobs but know there is support available if required. High-quality professional development is a strength of the school. Governors support and challenge the school to ensure it is the best it can be for pupils and staff. They undertake their responsibilities with passion and commitment. Leaders at all levels are capable and ambitious.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 8 and 9 May 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some lessons, adaptations to the curriculum, particularly for pupils with SEND, are not as effective as they might be. This means that some pupils are not benefiting from the school’s ambitious curriculum offer. The school should ensure that adaptations in lessons are highly effective for all pupils and that the impact of these changes are closely monitored.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2015.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with 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). 8 and 9 May 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 December 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses one provider of alternative provision. This provider is not registered with the department for education.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above average.  The proportion of pupils entitled to receive the government’s additional pupil premium funding is below average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is above average.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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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 the school and has taken that into account in this evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The inspector also spoke with members of the governing body. 8 and 9 May 2024

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with some pupils and teachers, and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also met with leaders with responsibility for children with SEND and pupils’ personal development.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector 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.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in a range of situations, including in corridors and in lessons. The inspector also spoke to pupils about behaviour and bullying. The inspector spoke with leaders, teachers and pupils about the school’s programme of

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personal development.  The inspector considered the responses from parents to Ofsted Parent View. This includes the comments submitted via the free-text facility. The inspector also considered responses to Ofsted’s online pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

John Linkins, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 8 and 9 May 2024

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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