St Botolphs CE Academy

Inspection of St Botolph’s CE Academy Primrose Vale, Wakefield, Knottingley, West Yorkshire WF11 9BT

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

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The executive headteacher of this school is Louise Sennett. This school is part of the Enhance Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Mark Randall, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Peter Townley. The executive headteacher is responsible for this school and one other. 1 and 2 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this happy and caring school. They have strong and positive relationships with staff. Pupils appreciate how well they are cared for and know that any member of staff will help them if they have any concerns. This helps pupils to feel safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s motto of ‘Find Your Fantastic’ is visible everywhere. Pupils proudly show off their wristbands showing what they have been fantastic with today. Pupils across the school are very polite and well mannered. They hold doors open for each other and just enjoy spending time together. Classrooms are calm and children try hard with their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are a wide range of opportunities to further enhance the curriculum. An interactive Tudor workshop supports learning in history. Carefully chosen visitors help bring pupils’ learning to life. Pupils can attend a variety of clubs like cooking, swimming, games and breakfast club.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in the early years get off to an exceptional start with their learning. There is a keen focus on developing children’s communication and language in each area of learning. Established routines help children to quickly develop strong learning behaviours.

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

The school and trust are united in their ambition for all pupils to achieve well. Leaders have worked relentlessly to address the areas from the last inspection. They have redeveloped the whole curriculum to ensure that the key knowledge that pupils need to know and remember is clear. In many subjects, pupils are able to talk about their current learning and link this to prior learning in a careful and considered way. However, in some subjects, the important knowledge that pupils need to learn has recently been changed. This means that some pupils struggle to link their learning over time.

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

The school has an established approach to developing pupils’ early reading. Staff are well trained. They deliver the phonics programme consistently well. Teachers carefully check pupils’ progress through the programme. They make sure that pupils who find reading difficult receive extra help so that they can keep up with their peers.

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

The leadership of early years is very strong. Children in the early years are challenged and engaged from the moment they arrive in school. The school is exceptionally ambitious for what children will achieve. Nothing is left to chance. The curriculum is expertly planned to ensure that each activity supports children’s communication and language development. Children show high levels of concentration and interest in each activity. They use the new vocabulary from their class book confidently when talking to each other. For example, children were experimenting with ‘big’ and ‘small’ when talking about food, plates and spoons. The careful planning and sequence of learning means that children develop a strong knowledge base to move into Year 1. 1 and 2 October 2024

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The school’s clear rules and routines help to create calm classrooms, where pupils can focus on their learning. Across the school, pupils display positive attitudes. Learning is rarely interrupted by any incidents of poor behaviour. The school’s systems and procedures to promote high attendance are effective. Any attendance concerns are quickly identified and addressed.

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The school makes sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the best possible opportunities to succeed. Staff produce detailed support plans, in partnership with parents and external organisations. They work skilfully in giving pupils clear steps to help them to learn. Pupils with SEND are highly motivated and well supported.

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The school provides effective pastoral support to pupils to help them understand how to manage their well-being and mental health. There are opportunities for yoga and mindfulness during the school day. Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities that help develop their leadership roles in school. Pupils design their own manifesto and talk to their class about why they would be a good leader. As part of their personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, pupils learn how to take responsibility for their own safety. For example, pupils know how to keep themselves safe online, they understand the importance of road safety and know how to report concerns.

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Leaders at all levels have remained steadfast in their commitment to a ‘no excuses’ culture of improvement. The trust works closely with the local governing body to hold the school to account for the quality of education that pupils receive. Trustees and governors are mindful of the importance of staff well-being when making changes and they ensure that staff workload is reduced wherever possible. Staff appreciate the support offered by the trust and they enjoy working at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the knowledge that pupils need to know and remember has recently changed. This means that some pupils struggle to link their learning over time. The school should ensure that, in these subjects, teachers are supported to design learning that helps pupils make strong links with prior learning. 1 and 2 October 2024

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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 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). 1 and 2 October 2024

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School details

Headteacher Louise Sennett (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 5 and 6 July 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Enhance Academy Trust.  The school runs a breakfast club.  The school makes use of one alternative provision.  The school is part of the Church of England Diocese of Leeds. The school’s last section 48 inspection was carried out in December 2021. The school’s next section 48 inspection will be within eight school years.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 1 and 2 October 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of the school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account with their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with senior leaders from the school, three members of the governing body (including the chair of governors), the chief executive officer and the director of education of the trust. Inspectors also spoke to a representative from the Diocese of Leeds and a trustee.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, history and geography. 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 work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in other subjects.  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.  The inspectors spoke with members of staff about their workload and well-being.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.  The inspectors considered the responses, including the free-text comments, to Ofsted Parent View. The inspectors also spoke to parents and carers at the beginning of the school day.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation provided by the school. This included information about the school’s self-evaluation and school improvement priorities. They also looked at school policies, curriculum documents, SEND records, behaviour records, attendance records and minutes of meetings held by the governing body.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Clayton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Nicola Witham Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 October 2024

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