Bankfoot Primary School

Inspection of Bankfoot Primary School Bolingbroke Street, Bankfoot, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD5 9NR

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

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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 Requires improvement 26 and 27 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They have very positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils rise to the high expectations the school has for their behaviour. Pupils embrace the school community values. They understand what these are and model them in their behaviours. For example, pupils show respect by holding the door open for one another. These lived values help create a strong community within the school. Pupils enjoy attending Bankfoot Primary School.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils relish the rewarding learning opportunities that the school provides. They engage with their learning with enthusiasm. Well-established routines begin in the early years. Older pupils also benefit from the calm and purposeful learning environment. Pupils in the school achieve well in end-of-key-stage assessments.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a wide range of exciting trips. Children in early years develop their understanding of the world with a trip to a local farm. Pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 discuss their residential trip with enthusiasm. They express how they overcome challenges during these experiences. These rich experiences help pupils to develop valuable skills such as teamwork.

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What is it like to attend this school?

One pupil spoke for many when they said that they are ‘proud, safe, confident and included’ at the school.

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

The school’s well-sequenced curriculum ensures that learning opportunities build over time. For example, children in early years learn about different religious festivals and beliefs. Pupils in Year 4 deepen this knowledge when they learn about the ancient Egyptians. Pupils experience more challenging content as they progress through the school. This helps prepare them well for their next stage of learning. However, in some subjects, the school does not check what pupils have remembered. This means that some pupils have gaps in their knowledge that are not identified and addressed.

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

Pupils express a love of reading. They describe their class reading sessions with enthusiasm. Teachers select books that promote a love of reading and link with learning. For example, pupils in Year 1 enjoy reading ‘Peace at Last’. They describe how this links with their learning in science about the senses, such as sight. Well-trained adults teach pupils at the early stages of reading. This helps pupils develop highly effective reading skills. The school identifies those who need extra support. This ensures that the school closes any gaps in pupils’ reading.

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

The school, rightly, recognises that too few pupils excel in writing by the end of key stage 2. It has introduced a new approach to writing. This is helping pupils to use features such as expressive language and punctuation with more precision. The school provides clear instruction for how to develop writing skills from early years onwards. Writing opportunities are also mapped in subjects. For example, pupils write a newspaper report about World War Two in their history lesson. This revised approach to writing is at an 26 and 27 November 2024

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early stage in its development. The school has not yet been able to fully check the impact of this work.

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The school accurately identifies the support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) need. This ensures that pupils with SEND access the ambitious curriculum well. The school implements deliberate adaptations where needed. For example, children in early years use a pom-pom to help them develop the correct pencil grip. Teachers make pupils with SEND aware of what they will be learning. This helps pupils with SEND understand what is coming next in their learning. Such personalised approaches help pupils with SEND to achieve well.

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Visitors to the school help pupils understand how to stay safe. For example, pupils in Year 5 learn about fire safety during the visit from the local fire service. Pupils in Year 4 learn about water safety in preparation for their swimming lessons. These experiences help pupils to understand danger and avoid unsafe risks. Children in the Reception Year learn about hygiene during their visit from the school nurse. This helps them to develop self- care skills.

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Pupils enjoy trips to different places of worship. For example, pupils in Year 2 visit a local mosque, while pupils in Year 5 visit a mandir. These experiences help pupils develop their understanding of different faiths. Pupils have a deep understanding of different cultures.

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The school and local governing body serve the best interests of the children at the school. They work in partnership with the local authority. The local governing body provides suitable challenge and support to the school. Leaders at all levels have an accurate overview of the school. Adults know that the school considers their workload and well- being. They know they are valued and are proud to work 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 school does not check what pupils have remembered over time. Pupils have gaps in their learning. The school should develop opportunities for pupils to revisit prior learning and ensure any misconceptions or gaps are addressed.  Teaching has not enabled some pupils to achieve as highly in their writing as they should. Over time, pupils have not had enough opportunities to develop their writing skills. The school should continue to implement and evaluate the recent changes to the writing curriculum to ensure that it is having the desired impact. 26 and 27 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). 26 and 27 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 to 23 June 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher joined the school in September 2024.  The school does not use any alternative providers of education.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 26 and 27 November 2024

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and the assistant headteacher during the course of the inspection.  The lead inspector met with members of the local governing body, including the vice- chair. They also met with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, art and design, history and mathematics. 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.  An inspector met with the SEND coordinator. They also reviewed documentation relating to SEND.  The lead inspector met with the literacy leader and reading leader to discuss the writing strategy. They also reviewed a selection of pupils’ work.  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.  A range of school documents were reviewed, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, Ofsted Parent View. The lead inspector also spoke with parents as they arrived with their child at school in the morning.  Inspectors considered the views of pupils through meetings held with them.  Inspectors considered the views of staff through meetings and through their responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Andrew Gibbins, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Simon McCarthy Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 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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