Lilycroft Primary School

Inspection of Lilycroft Primary School Lilycroft Road, Manningham, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD9 5AD

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

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The headteacher of this school is Leah Florence. This school is part of The Priestley 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, Mathew Atkinson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Peter Lambert. 5 and 6 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Lilycroft Primary School is at the centre of this diverse community. It is the school’s mission to support and enrich the lives of pupils and their families. Pupils are happy and safe at this warm and welcoming school. Parents and carers talk positively about the school. Staff communicate well with parents and carers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The leadership of the school, under the Priestley Academy Trust, commits to enabling everyone to succeed. There are high expectations for all pupils. Recent actions taken by the school have led to higher-quality learning for pupils. This includes the appointment of a new leadership team and an overhaul of the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders promote positive behaviour and attitudes to learning. From the youngest age, children in Reception are well supported in managing their behaviour and following routines. Staff help pupils to develop positive attitudes that enable them to focus on learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a wide variety of clubs. Examples include choir, table tennis and multi-sport events. Pupils experience a wide range of meaningful opportunities that develop their character. Pupils talk with great pride about their leadership roles such as eco-warriors and digital leaders. These roles give pupils a sense of responsibility.

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

Pupils benefit from an ambitious learning environment. Pupils’ learning and their readiness for next steps sit at the centre of the school’s work. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths. Areas for further improvement have also been clearly identified.

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

Reading is a high priority. Staff are well trained and deliver the phonics scheme with precision. Regular opportunities to share good practice are valued by staff. Children start learning letter sounds as soon as they start school, with books carefully matched to the sounds they know. As a result, pupils quickly become fluent readers. Those at risk of falling behind are supported to catch up through carefully planned interventions. The school instils a love of reading throughout. Considered and innovative opportunities to develop pupils’ literacy are rooted in the curriculum. These help pupils to grow in confidence as readers and writers.

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

Leaders at all levels are pivotal in delivering an ambitious curriculum. It enables pupils to develop a wide-ranging knowledge. Pupils talk about what they have learned with confidence. As part of work to develop oracy, pupils are exposed to valuable, subject- specific vocabulary. Pupils are expected to include the correct vocabulary in both their spoken and written responses. There is some variation in how well some aspects of the curriculum are implemented. 5 and 6 November 2024

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in all aspects of school life. Where appropriate, pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their classmates. Staff are supported to meet pupils’ additional needs well.

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Behaviour in lessons is calm. Most pupils are highly attentive and focused and contribute well to lessons. Pupils show respect for the adults in school. They relish staff praise and enjoy meeting their high expectations. Staff follow the school’s approach to positive behaviour consistently. As a result, pupils know what is expected of them. When pupils do not meet the school’s expectations, the school takes effective action. This includes providing adult-led game zones in the playground.

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Ensuring high attendance is a key priority for the school. Many pupils have good attendance. Parents ensure that their children arrive on time. The school is highly effective in challenging and supporting those whose attendance needs to improve. Their evaluation of this work provides assurance that their actions are effective.

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Staff’s work to promote pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. Pupils consistently demonstrate a secure and mature understanding of fundamental British values. For example, pupils in Year 5 can talk with confidence about democracy. They highlight the origins of ‘rule by the people’ in Ancient Greece.

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Staff workload and well-being are both carefully considered. Staff also access a range of training opportunities. This includes the opportunity to network with colleagues across the trust. This work supports teachers in developing their teaching practice and leadership roles. Those with responsibility for governance fulfil their statutory duties. They are committed to the school and its pupils. Governors show a wealth of knowledge about the school and community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is some variation in how well aspects of the wider curriculum are implemented. This means pupils do not learn as well in some subjects as they do in others. The school should continue to strengthen subject knowledge and leadership so pupils learn well across all subjects. 5 and 6 November 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). 5 and 6 November 2024

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School details

Website www.lilycroftprimaryschool.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 6 and 7 November 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 Lilycroft Primary School is part of The Priestley Academy Trust.  The leadership team has changed since the last inspection. The headteacher took up her substantive post in January 2024.  There is a daily breakfast club for pupils run by the school.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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. 5 and 6 November 2024

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 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading and writing, mathematics, geography and religious education. 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.  Inspectors looked at a selection of pupils’ work from across the curriculum.  Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, other senior leaders, the early career teachers mentors, the trust’s improvement adviser, the chair of the local governing body and two governors.

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 Inspectors held discussions with the chief executive officer of The Priestley Academy Trust and the chair of the board of trustees.  Inspectors held meetings with leaders of these areas: behaviour, attendance, SEND and personal development.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 met with pupils and spoke to pupils informally at social times.  Inspectors spoke to parents before and after school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.

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Inspection team

Marcus Newby, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Greaves Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 November 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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