Wakefield Lawefield Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Wakefield Lawefield Primary School Lawefield Lane, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF2 8ST

p.1

Outcome

Wakefield Lawefield Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Wakefield Lawefield Primary School has a strong sense of community. Pupils benefit from a well-designed curriculum. There are many wider opportunities for pupils to experience. Pupils take on a variety of roles and responsibilities, which they perform with pride, both in school and beyond into the local community. One pupil explained, ‘We’re very diverse. We have many people with different religions, [and] with different skin colours, yet everyone has their own talents and no-one’s the same.’

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils. Pupils rise to these expectations. As a result, they achieve well. There is a clear sense of purpose everywhere. Pupils are polite and well mannered around school. They listen intently in lessons and work well with their peers. These behaviours are established in early years, where children learn and play alongside each other happily.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like coming to school. They enjoy making friends. They feel safe, and can discuss ways they are taught to stay safe in school and online. They say bullying is rare and that staff deal with any incidents swiftly.

p.1

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

The school has devised an ambitious curriculum. It builds coherently from when children enter early years through to the end of key stage 2. Staff make deliberate choices to regularly revisit key learning. Where appropriate, pupils are given opportunities to consolidate their learning through links to other subjects or experiences. Approaches such as these are helping pupils to learn and remember more over time and achieve well.

p.1

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

The school prioritises early reading. This reflects in the improving outcomes pupils are achieving in reading. A clearly structured reading programme is in place, which is followed carefully and adhered to consistently. Staff check pupils’ understanding frequently. This 25 and 26 June 2024

p.1

2

helps them to spot and address any misconceptions. Any pupils who fall behind are swiftly identified and receive the support they need to help them catch up. Pupils enjoy reading. The books they read are well matched to their ability. Pupils know the school has high expectations of reading both at home and at school. They are proud of their new ‘reading shed’ in the playground, and the books they can earn for their class libraries by reading at home.

p.2

2

Across the curriculum subjects, teachers demonstrate confidence in their subject knowledge, sharing it with good effect. They carefully introduce pupils to new learning in small steps, which helps them to build on what they already know and can do effectively over time. There is a strong focus on making sure that pupils learn important subject- specific language. Pupils are given plenty of encouragement and opportunities to use it in lessons.

p.2

2

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn both alongside their peers and, where necessary, with appropriate additional support. Teachers adapt the curriculum well to meet their needs. They skilfully break down learning into small, manageable steps. This helps pupils with SEND to make good progress from their individual starting points.

p.2

2

In early years, children’s mathematical development gets off to a good start. Children’s exposure to mathematical language is skilfully weaved through the early years environment and reinforced through their play. For example, children in Reception enjoy learning about ‘doubles’ using counters, and then finding domino doubles outside. Across the school, some pupils find learning mathematics difficult. These pupils often receive additional adult support in lessons. However, the planned activities and learning resources used are not consistently well adapted to support pupils’ learning effectively. This prevents them from catching up with their peers as quickly as they could.

p.2

2

Pupils’ understanding of history is developing well. They know how timelines help them understand and compare different periods of history. For example, pupils develop their understanding of similarities and change by comparing the Egyptian and Mayan civilisations. Pupils in key stage 1 are able to talk about famous people and events. One pupil keenly remembered ‘Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic’.

p.2

2

Attendance at school is improving. The number of pupils who are persistently absent is reducing. The school has effective systems to manage absence. It provides pupils and families with any support they need.

p.2

2

Pupils’ personal development is well considered. The curriculum for personal, social and health education ensures that pupils develop a good understanding of aspects of their personal development, such as mental health and healthy relationships. Pupils learn about people from different backgrounds and with different religious beliefs. Pupils have many opportunities to perform leadership roles, including reading ambassadors, green guardians and peer mediators. They volunteer in the community and engage in local events with music and the arts. 25 and 26 June 2024

p.2

3

Staff talk positively about the training they receive. They say that leaders take both their workload and well-being into consideration. Leaders take effective strategic decisions to improve the school. Since the last inspection, for example, the early years has improved. The school works well with external specialists to develop the curriculum and ensures that middle leaders are well trained. Governors know the school well. They carry out their duties professionally, and with high ambition for all pupils.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The planned activities and resources used to support some pupils who struggle to learn mathematics are not fully effective. Opportunities to help these pupils to catch up with their peers and achieve well are sometimes missed. The school should ensure that activities and resources used in lessons are effectively adapted to meet pupils’ varying needs so that all pupils are fully supported in their learning.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2019.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 25 and 26 June 2024

p.3

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 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). 25 and 26 June 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 26 and 27 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school provides a breakfast club.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

p.5

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 his evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, other school leaders, school staff, representatives of the governing body, and a representative from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector 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.  The inspector listened to pupils read to a known adult.  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

p.5

6

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 lessons and around school. The inspector met pupils to hear their views. The inspector also spoke to leaders, teachers, governors and pupils about safeguarding.  Inspectors considered responses to the online survey for pupils, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. They also looked at responses to the staff and pupil surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Paul Martindale, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 June 2024

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 looked after children, 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