Whinmoor St Paul's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Whinmoor St Paul’s Church of England Primary School Whinmoor Crescent, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS14 1EG

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Outcome

Whinmoor St Paul’s Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a vibrant, welcoming school that provides an extensive range of opportunities for pupils to broaden their experiences. Each year, pupils benefit from talking to important visitors and visiting interesting places. Pupils take on a wide range of responsibilities that support improvements in school. The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve. The majority of pupils reach these expectations by the time they leave the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending school. Displays around the school celebrate pupils’ learning and provide them with useful information. Behaviour is good. The atmosphere is calm and purposeful as you walk around the school. Pupils show good manners, holding doors open for others and encouraging them to ‘have a nice day’. Pupils listen to adults carefully in classrooms. They work hard and support each other to complete work if they are stuck.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn how to stay safe, including when using the internet. All groups of pupils enjoy attending extra-curricular clubs, such as craft or baking club. Pupils compete with children from other schools in sporting tournaments. Pupils contribute well to the local community. For example, pupils gather food to contribute to the local food bank and sing for older adults at Christmas.

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

The early years classroom is attractive and well organised. Children develop independence from an early age. Clear routines and a nurturing approach lay the foundation for the positive behaviours that are seen throughout the school. 1 and 2 April 2025

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The school ensures that learning to read is a priority. The school promotes a love of reading well. Pupils enjoy visiting the library to choose books and enjoy reading in a quiet, relaxing area. Pupils start to read as soon as they arrive in Reception. They follow a well- planned reading curriculum. If they fall behind, pupils receive extra support to help them catch up. The books that pupils read are well matched to the sounds they know. This helps them to build their confidence when reading.

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In mathematics, pupils’ knowledge and skills build logically on what they learn each year. Pupils spend time each day practising skills they have learned. They have frequent opportunities to develop their problem-solving abilities and apply their knowledge and skills. Teachers check whether pupils are keeping up during lessons. Teachers do not plan activities that are well matched to what some pupils can already do. This means that some pupils find work too easy and do not deepen their understanding. As a result, not enough pupils reach the higher standards by the end of Year 6.

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Children are inquisitive about learning from the very start of school. They enjoy taking part in class discussions and listen carefully to their peers. This helps them to think about other opinions and reflect on their own. The school has reviewed and improved the curriculum. Pupils build on what they know and can do as they move through the school. As a result, pupils can talk confidently about what they have learned. They connect learning from different subjects well. For example, pupils can talk in detail about the impact of the Second World War on life today.

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The school has ensured that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early and supported well. Staff work closely with professionals from external agencies to ensure that pupils with SEND receive the help that they need. Support plans help teachers to meet the needs of these pupils well. As a result, pupils with SEND make good progress.

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The school analyses patterns in pupils’ behaviour and attendance. Leaders use this information to take effective actions, such as working closely with families to increase regular attendance. As a result, pupils behave well and attend more regularly.

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The school is careful to promote equal opportunities and encourage pupils to be aspirational. Pupils learn about famous people who have contributed to society. Pupils understand what it means to discriminate against others. They know this is wrong and do not tolerate this in school. Pupils have a good awareness of the strategies that promote mental health and well-being.

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The school places a strong emphasis on the well-being of staff and pupils. Staff are proud to work at the school. They feel there is a supportive team ethos. The school has maintained standards since the last inspection. The governing body is passionate about the school. However, governors do not provide leaders with enough challenge. They do not check the information leaders provide carefully enough. As a result, governors do not have the knowledge they need to provide leaders with effective support. 1 and 2 April 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, pupils are not given work that allows them to build on what they already know and can do and deepen their understanding in mathematics. This means that some pupils do not develop the sophisticated understanding of mathematics of which they are capable. The school should ensure that staff give pupils activities in mathematics that consistently help them to deepen their knowledge and understanding.  The governing body does not check the information it receives from senior leaders well enough. This means governors do not have the knowledge they need to challenge and support leaders effectively. The school should ensure that governance is effective.

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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 school to be good for overall effectiveness in January 2020.

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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 1 and 2 April 2025

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when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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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). 1 and 2 April 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 January 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses one registered alternative provision.  The school has a Christian religious character. The school’s most recent section 48 inspection took place in June 2019.

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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 met with the school’s senior leaders, members of the governing body, a member of the Leeds Diocese and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 1 and 2 April 2025

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 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 observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspector considered the responses of parents and carers to Ofsted Parent View, as well as the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including safeguarding records and minutes of governing body meetings.

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Inspection team

Jaimie Holbrook, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 April 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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