Athersley South Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Athersley South Primary School Wakefield Road, Smithies, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S71 3TP

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 October 2024

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Outcome

Athersley South Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Emma Sanderson. This school is part of the Every Child Matters 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 (CEO), Geraldine Wilson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by William Ward.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a friendly and happy school. Pupils love coming here. The school’s vision is ‘to ensure that every child is successful, enjoys learning and develops their talents’. Staff are determined to do the best for pupils. Pupils are safe and understand how to stay safe. They know they can always share concerns with an adult in school. Staff place a strong emphasis on pupils’ well-being. For example, pupils enjoy booking time with the school dog. They say a ‘dog-hug’ makes them feel better.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils. The school offers a wide and varied curriculum. Pupils achieve well. They enjoy strong and positive relationships with staff. Pupils are kind and polite. They strive to achieve a ‘success stone’ for their house team. They look forward to seeing which team wins the prize each half term.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen to take on new responsibilities. For instance, they become librarians and help Reception children at lunchtime. Year 6 ‘Team Captains’ model the school’s values well. The school offers a wide range of clubs and activities. These include creative activities such as art and singing. Older pupils attend a secondary school transition club to support them in readiness for Year 7.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents speak positively about the school. All parents who responded to the Ofsted Parent View survey said they would recommend the school. 15 and 16 October 2024

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

The school has constructed an ambitious curriculum. Leaders have carefully chosen the knowledge and experiences they want pupils to learn. They provide staff with high-quality training. The school constantly checks that the curriculum works for all pupils. This includes those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For example, leaders realised pupils needed extra opportunities to build their confidence as musicians. The school now provides extra time for all pupils to learn percussion and brass instruments.

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

Staff know the vocabulary that they need to prioritise. From the early years, staff encourage children to speak in clear sentences. The school focuses on getting the foundations for learning right from the start. Leaders are clear about how good oracy leads to high-quality writing and communication skills over time. In history, Year 6 pupils could talk about historical evidence sources from the Second World War. They shared their opinions orally with clarity before writing their answers.

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

The school has prioritised promoting pupils’ love of reading. Pupils access a wide variety of high-quality books throughout the school. Teaching staff are well trained in teaching phonics. They help pupils to master the knowledge that they need to read fluently. Weaker readers receive effective additional support to catch up quickly.

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

Pupils take pride in their work. Staff teach pupils to regulate their own behaviour. In Nursery, children quickly learn to tidy up. Older pupils walk around the school in a calm manner. Staff explanations are precise so pupils fully understand what is expected of them. In mathematics, Year 2 pupils followed their teacher’s example when explaining equations with a partner. Staff ensure that pupils have regular opportunities to recap and build on learning over time. Staff support pupils with SEND to ensure they are secure with key information before moving on to more complex ideas.

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

Trust and school staff are working on improving attendance for some pupils. Clear plans are in the early stages of development. The rates of attendance for some pupils are low and have been for some time. The school provides catch-up sessions for pupils when they have been absent. Attending extra sessions means pupils miss other parts of the school’s exciting curriculum, as well as some social times.

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

The school provides a wide variety of opportunities to promote pupils’ personal development. Pupils understand the importance of mutual respect. They know about other faiths and cultures. The school council makes decisions based on pupils’ suggestions, including that Year 6 might sit on benches in assembly. Pupils value all that the staff do for them. They are keen to nominate a member of staff for praise in the weekly ‘shout out’. The pastoral work in school is a strength. Recent changes to the work around mental health are having a positive effect. This creates happy pupils. Daily check- ins with staff mean that pupils quickly get help if needed.

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

Staff are proud to be part of the school team. They appreciate all that the school and trust do to help their workload and well-being. Governors, trust and school staff know 15 and 16 October 2024

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their community and pupils well. They hold one another to account for their actions. They work in harmony to ensure that all pupils achieve well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s initiatives to improve pupils’ attendance are not reducing rates of absence swiftly enough. Some pupils’ low attendance means that they miss out on important learning and wider aspects of school life. The school should now carry out further work with pupils and families to further improve attendance.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Athersley South Primary School, to be good for overall effectiveness in October 2018.

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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. 15 and 16 October 2024

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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). 15 and 16 October 2024

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School details

Website www.athersleysouth-primary.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Athersley South Primary School converted to become an academy school in July 2020. When its predecessor school, Athersley South Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good for overall effectiveness.  The school is part of the Every Child Matters Academy Trust.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school runs a breakfast club.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke with the chair of the trustee board and two trustees. He spoke 15 and 16 October 2024

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with representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The inspector spoke with school leaders, the CEO and the deputy CEO.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work.  Pupils’ behaviour was observed during lesson visits and at breaktimes. Pupils shared their views on behaviour at the school during group discussions.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey Ofsted Parent View. The inspector also spoke with parents in the school’s playground.  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.

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Inspection team

Ian Clennan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 October 2024

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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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