Sledmere Primary School

Inspection of Sledmere Primary School The School Drive, Off Buffery Road, Dudley, West Midlands DY2 8EH

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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

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The headteacher of this school is Emily Redding. This school is part of Perry Hall Multi- 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 (CEO), Amarjit Cheema, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Andrew Brocklehurst. 1 and 2 April 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Sledmere Primary School. The school sets high expectations for all pupils to attend and achieve well. Pupils work hard to live up to these expectations and the school’s mission to ‘be the best you can be’. However, some published outcomes remain below national expectations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in school. As soon as pupils start in the early years, and continuing throughout school, they are nurtured and cared for. Pupils learn about keeping themselves safe, including, for example, when online and when crossing the road.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They listen carefully in lessons and look out for each other at breaktimes. Some pupils benefit from taking on leadership roles, such as the reading ambassadors who promote a love of reading. Pupils learn how democracy works through voting for, and being members of, the school council.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school and model its ‘core values’, including honesty, respect and kindness. In this diverse community, they show understanding of – and celebration of – difference. Pupils learn that they can contribute and bring about change, for example by redesigning the school logo. Learning about global events helps them to understand their place in the world.

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

Since the school opened in June 2022, the new leadership team, the trust, staff and governors have worked effectively to bring about significant and sustained improvements. In subjects where outcomes were previously low, the school is strengthening the curriculum and the quality of teaching effectively. The current standard of education is not reflected by the school’s previous published outcomes.

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

The school has overhauled the curriculum, which is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The important knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils should learn at each stage are identified precisely, from the early years onwards. Staff benefit from effective professional development which supports them to develop their subject knowledge and teaching expertise.

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

These improvements mean that pupils build on their learning well. For example, pupils link their knowledge about how sound travels in science to enhance their learning about pitch in music. In English, pupils talk about the writing features they use for different genres and audiences. However, in some subjects, there is some inconsistency in curriculum delivery. In a small number of subjects, curriculum content is too broad. Some teachers are not confident to model key skills effectively enough. Consequently, some pupils do not develop a sufficient depth of understanding in these subjects.

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

The school has focused on developing pupils’ oracy skills. Where this works well, strategies such as sentence stems are used effectively to help pupils explain their thinking 1 and 2 April 2025

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and use new vocabulary. However, this is not consistently the case. Sometimes, pupils use new words without a secure understanding of their meaning.

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Children get off to a flying start in the early years. They learn the right things to prepare them for later learning. Children in Nursery learn to listen carefully to familiar sounds. Therefore, they are ready to learn phonics as soon as they join Reception Year. Well trained staff deliver the school’s phonics programme effectively. Rigorous checking and tracking of pupils’ progress in reading ensures that any gaps are identified swiftly. Effective extra support means that all pupils learn to read efficiently.

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The school quickly and accurately identifies the needs of pupils with SEND. Skilful support and adaptation to learning means that pupils with SEND achieve well. The school also works closely with parents, carers and external agencies to ensure that pupils with SEND receive the best provision.

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The school has taken effective action to improve pupils’ attendance and reduce persistent absenteeism. Careful analysis of attendance information and effective use of dedicated staff means that the school can identify potential barriers to attendance and support families, where needed.

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Pupils behave well. They enjoy working towards individual and class rewards, which recognise how pupils model the school’s values. The school has thought carefully about pupils’ personal development. Events such as ‘faith city week’ help pupils understand life in modern Britain and views different to their own. Pupils show respect for others and model good manners. They develop a love of art and enjoy learning how to play musical instruments. Younger pupils learn how to ride their bicycles safely and all pupils learn the value of being physically and mentally healthy. Pupils learn what it is to be a good friend and develop character and resilience, for example through attending residential trips.

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The new leadership team is mindful of staff well-being while it drives forwards with school improvement. The trust ensures that delegated responsibilities are carried out robustly.

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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 curriculum is not implemented as consistently as the school intends. This means that some pupils do not gain the depth of knowledge they need to achieve well. The school should ensure that the curriculum is implemented successfully across all subjects to ensure the best possible outcomes for all groups of pupils.  In a small number of foundation subjects, the school’s work on oracy has not had the intended impact. As a result, pupils do not deepen their understanding and use of 1 and 2 April 2025

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subject-specific vocabulary. The school should build upon its early development work in oracy to improve pupils’ understanding, and confidence, when using subject and technical language.

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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). 1 and 2 April 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection of the predecessor school in March 2022, the school joined Perry Hall Multi-Academy Trust in June 2022.  The headteacher joined the school in September 2022.  The school makes use of one, registered, alternative provision.  The school provides on-site before-school care.

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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. 1 and 2 April 2025

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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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors spoke with the headteacher, deputy and assistant headteachers, the special educational needs coordinator and other leaders in school. The lead inspector met with the chair and another representative of the board of trustees, the chair and other members of the local governing body, the CEO of the multi-academy trust and other members of the central trust team.  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

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, English, science, art and design and geography. 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. The inspectors also discussed the curriculum and looked at pupils’ work in some other subjects.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free-text responses. The inspectors also took account of responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  The inspectors talked to parents and families at the school gate.

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Inspection team

Rachel Henrick, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lois Kelly 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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