Ryecroft Primary Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Ryecroft Primary Academy Kesteven Close, Holmewood, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD4 0LS

p.1

Inspection dates: 11 and 12 February 2025

p.1

Outcome

Ryecroft Primary Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

p.1

Outcome

The executive principal of this school is Lisa Hillyer. This school is part of Delta Academies 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), Paul Tarn, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Steven Hodsman.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and confident. They enjoy coming to school and talk about their learning with enthusiasm. Many pupils reach the high expectations that the school has of them and achieve well. Older pupils relish opportunities to support younger pupils, such as by being a ‘reading ambassador’. This is just one of many leadership opportunities that pupils can apply for.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils behave well in lessons and at social times. They are keen to earn rewards for their behaviour. Pupils learn the importance of treating others with respect. However, some pupils report that there are sometimes incidents of bullying and name-calling. While they are confident that adults will resolve this quickly, sometimes it reoccurs. Pupils know that they can talk to a trusted adult if they have any worries.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is determined to provide pupils with a wide set of experiences before they leave at the end of Year 6. Some of these experiences help to foster pupils’ aspirations for the future through, for example, visiting universities and careers events with local employers. Other opportunities help to develop positive character traits. For example, pupils take part in a residential visit which helps to develop their independence and teamwork skills.

p.1

2

The school has identified the key knowledge that pupils should know and remember in all subjects. This knowledge builds sequentially over time from Nursery through to Year 6. The school considers how units of learning follow on from and build on each other. For example, a topic on Greece in geography is followed by a history topic on the ancient Greeks. Teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge. They choose appropriate resources to support teaching. However, some of the adaptations that staff make for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not effective. This means that sometimes pupils with SEND find it difficult to complete tasks in lessons.

p.2

2

The school prioritises the teaching of early reading and writing is a high priority. The recent introduction of the early writing curriculum is supporting pupils to develop secure letter formation from the early years. High-quality texts are used in a range of subjects to help pupils in their learning. From Nursery, children are introduced to a wide range of stories, songs and rhymes. Older pupils study texts with more complex themes that reflect the diverse world we live in. The phonics programme is well embedded and taught effectively. Most pupils achieve well in phonics. The school ensures that any pupils who struggle get the support that they need to catch up quickly.

p.2

2

Teachers regularly check what pupils know and remember. They use the information from these checks to help them devise future lessons. Sometimes though, staff do not identify and address pupils’ misconceptions and errors in basic skills quickly enough. This means that pupils repeatedly make the same mistakes which inhibits how well they learn across the curriculum.

p.2

2

The school has a clear procedure for staff to follow when they suspect a pupil may have SEND. Consequently, pupils with SEND are identified quickly. Staff make timely referrals to external agencies, such as speech and language services, to ensure that pupils get the support that they need.

p.2

2

The school promotes the importance of high attendance and works well to communicate this to parents and carers. It uses external agencies where necessary to support pupils and their families to improve attendance. A range of incentives and rewards are on offer to pupils whose attendance is high. Despite its efforts, a small group of pupils do not attend school regularly enough. These pupils miss out on valuable learning and wider experiences.

p.2

2

Recently, the school has introduced a new curriculum for personal, social and health education. Through this, pupils learn how to lead safe and healthy lifestyles. For example, they develop an age-appropriate understanding of consent and what a healthy relationship looks like. Pupils have opportunities to discuss ideas and to engage with views that are different from their own. They are supported to do this in a considered way. The school teaches pupils about fundamental British values. The school provides extra-curricular activities that help to develop pupils’ interests and talents. For example, pupils attend sewing, multi-sports or football club.

p.2

2

Despite changes in staffing since the previous inspection, the school has worked well to improve pupils’ overall outcomes. The trust has strong systems in place to ensure that 11 and 12 February 2025

p.2

3

staff are well supported and receive ongoing professional development. Most staff appreciate this support and recognise leaders’ efforts to reduce their workload.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Staff do not consistently identify and address basic errors in pupils' work quickly enough. This means that some pupils make the same mistakes repeatedly and do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that all staff prioritise supporting pupils to overcome gaps in their basic skills so that they learn and achieve well in all subjects.  There is variability in how well staff adapt learning for pupils with SEND. As a result, pupils with SEND sometimes find it difficult to complete tasks in lessons. The school should ensure that staff know how to make effective adaptations to their teaching so that pupils with SEND learn well in lessons and over time.

p.3

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.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in January 2019. 11 and 12 February 2025

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 11 and 12 February 2025

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 30 and 31 January 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 At the time of the previous inspection, the school was sponsored by Northern Education Trust. Since then, it has become part of Delta Academies Trust.  There have been some changes in staffing and leadership since the previous inspection.  The school has a nursery that admits children from the term after their third birthday.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  A breakfast club operates every morning. This is run by school staff and overseen by the board of trustees.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 11 and 12 February 2025

p.5

6

 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 have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with senior leaders, including the executive principal and the interim headteacher. They also met with the associate CEO of the trust, representatives of the board of trustees and directors of learning.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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.  The inspector spoke to some parents and considered the free-text responses to

p.6

6

Ofsted’s survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. They also considered the responses to the staff survey.  The inspector considered how the school caters for pupils’ broader development.

p.6

Inspection team

Philippa Kermotschuk, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 11 and 12 February 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7