Flockton CofE (C) First School

Inspection of Flockton CofE (C) First School Barnsley Road, Flockton, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF4 4DH

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 January 2025

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

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 21 and 22 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at Flockton Church of England First School. Their well-being is at the heart of all the school does. Pupils enjoy coming to school. They know the adults in the school care for them. They feel safe and are safe. Flockton’s Christian values shine through the ethos of the school. One parent said, ‘There is love for each and every child.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are welcoming and polite and show respect for each other. They behave well. They enjoy earning golden tickets for good behaviour. If a pupil’s behaviour does fall below the school’s high expectations, they are supported swiftly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a range of extra-curricular activities on offer to pupils. These include choir, basketball, design and technology and archery. Pupils and parents and carers value these. Pupils are encouraged to play an active role in the school and the wider community. The reading ambassadors enjoy the responsibility of hearing younger pupils read. They are enthusiastic about the book swap they are planning. Older pupils help run the tuck shop to raise funds for the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s curriculum is enriched through a range of visits and visitors. Pupils recently took part in an ancient Egyptian workshop. They enjoyed being archaeologists and learning about mummification.

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

The school is aspirational for all pupils. It is determined to continue to improve outcomes for all. The school has recently reviewed the curriculum. Careful consideration has been given to how it meets the needs of mixed-age classes. The curriculum is carefully considered and well sequenced. It maps out the knowledge, skills and vocabulary pupils will learn. Some subjects, such as geography, are in the early stages of implementation. As a result, pupils do not have the same depth of knowledge as they do in other subjects such as mathematics and design technology.

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

In lessons, teachers present information clearly. They regularly check what pupils know and can do. Activities are well matched to the intended learning outcome. Pupils enjoy mathematics. The school has instilled a culture of ‘stickability’. Pupils are confident to have a go, even when they find something tricky. In design and technology, pupils are inspired to create interesting designs, building on their evaluations of existing products. However, the written work pupils produce is not presented to a consistently high standard. Pupils do not always form their letters correctly, and sometimes these inaccuracies are not addressed by staff.

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

A love of reading is promoted throughout the school. In reading lessons, older pupils have enjoyed books such as ‘James and the Giant Peach’ and ‘How to Train Your Dragon’. Phonics is taught from the start of the Reception Year. The school is committed to all pupils becoming confident and fluent readers as quickly as possible. It ensures that staff have the skills and knowledge to teach phonics highly effectively through personalised training and coaching. Pupils’ reading books are closely matched to the sounds they can 21 and 22 January 2025

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read. They use their knowledge of sounds well to tackle words they have not read before. Pupils who need extra help are identified quickly. They get the support they need to catch up.

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The carefully designed early years curriculum ensures children make a good start to their school journey and are well prepared for Year 1 and beyond. Adults interact skilfully with the children, developing their knowledge and vocabulary. Children show high levels of engagement and cooperate well with each other. They persevere and show resilience when they are playing independently. Relationships between adults and children are warm and nurturing.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified quickly. The school knows these pupils well. It strives to ensure that pupils with SEND get the support that they need. Staff use a range of strategies to remove barriers to learning for these pupils. This helps these pupils to access the curriculum alongside their peers.

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The school has a sharp focus on supporting pupils’ personal development. Pupils’ spirituality is fostered through daily collective worship. Pupils are respectful and tolerant of others. However, their understanding of protected characteristics and fundamental British values is not as well developed as they could be. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves mentally healthy. They are enjoying learning about the brain and how it impacts their emotions. One pupil said she used to be very critical of herself, but now she feels more confident and is proud of herself and what she can do.

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Staff and governors are passionate about their roles. They are proud to be a part of the ‘Flockton family’. The newly appointed co-chairs of the governing body have a clear vision for the school. Governors understand their statutory duties and have the skills to challenge and support the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subjects are in the early stages of implementation. As a result, some pupils do not have the same depth of knowledge in these subjects as others. The school should ensure all teachers understand how to implement effectively any changes to the curriculum so pupils’ knowledge is secure and builds on previous learning.  The school has not ensured that teachers’ expectations of pupils’ recorded work are consistently high, and there are weaknesses in pupils’ handwriting and presentation. The school should ensure that the teaching of handwriting and presentation is implemented consistently well and all teachers have high expectations for handwriting and presentation. 21 and 22 January 2025

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 Pupils’ understanding of protected characteristics and fundamental British values is not sufficiently developed. Some pupils have a limited understanding of British values and protected characteristics and why these make a difference in everyday life. The school should ensure the curriculum provides pupils with the necessary opportunities to further develop their understanding of these, so they are fully prepared for life in modern Britain.

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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). 21 and 22 January 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Josephine Lavery and Helen Kerr

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Leeds. The most recent inspection of the school’s religious character took place in November 2023.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector 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 and 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 21 and 22 January 2025

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taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Prior to the inspection, inspectors reviewed documents on the school’s website, as well as published information about the school’s performance.  Inspectors spoke to senior leaders, including the co-chairs of the governing body, the school improvement partner and a representative from the diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, English, mathematics and design and technology. 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 also looked at curriculum plans and a sample of work for geography and music.  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

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the extent to which the school created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors spoke with leaders about SEND, visited some pupils with SEND and spoke to them about their learning.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in the classrooms, around the school and at playtime. They spoke to pupils about their views of the school, behaviour and safety.  Inspectors spoke with parents and evaluated the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also evaluated the responses that staff made to Ofsted’s online survey.

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Inspection team

Ruth Beckett, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Paul Higginbottom Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 January 2025

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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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