Atlas Community Primary School

Inspection of Atlas Community Primary School Lincoln Close, Manningham, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD8 8DL

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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The headteacher of this school is Lisa Simpson. This school is part of the Priestley 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), Mathew Atkinson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Peter Lambert. 29 and 30 April 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a warm and nurturing place for pupils to learn and grow. Pupils and staff glow with pride when describing their school. Pupils are unfailingly polite and respectful towards adults. They model tolerance and understanding. Excellent relationships with teachers ensure that pupils feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high ambition for pupils’ achievement. Pupils study a curriculum that interests and challenges them. They learn with determination and successfully build knowledge over time. Pupils are focused in lessons and produce work of a high standard. The environment across the whole school supports effective learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In the early years, pupils experience exciting days of thoughtfully designed learning and discovery. They benefit from well-established routines and staff who focus on language development and have high expectations in all areas of learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are thoughtful and kind towards each other. Their behaviour in lessons and around school is exemplary. There is a calm sense of purpose. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about their many leadership opportunities and contribution to the life of the school and the wider community. They enjoy many opportunities to play games and attend clubs. Pupils are clear that they are all equal, and that difference is valued at this school.

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

School leaders and governors, in partnership with the Priestley Academy Trust, have ensured significant improvement since the last inspection. They have focused on reading, the curriculum, teaching and attendance, which is rapidly improving.

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

Curriculum thinking is ambitious, precise and relevant to the pupils in school. Learning flows from Nursery to Year 6. Pupils learn essential knowledge and skills over time and have a deep understanding across the curriculum. In lessons, pupils revisit prior learning. They talk confidently about their learning and remember important knowledge. Teachers check pupils’ understanding skilfully to identify any gaps in learning and ensure that they are addressed. In mathematics, pupils recall important knowledge and facts well. When the curriculum is taught through discrete lessons, pupils apply their learning accurately. However, some aspects of mathematics are taught through the wider curriculum. These parts of the curriculum have not been as carefully designed. Staff do not check pupils’ understanding as effectively as they could. This means that pupils’ knowledge in these areas of mathematics is not secure.

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

The teaching of reading is precise because staff are highly skilled. Pupils learn sounds quickly and remember them. Almost all pupils make excellent progress with their reading. They confidently read books matched to the sounds that they are learning. Pupils also practise writing the sounds and words they know. Where needed, extra support is delivered with expertise so pupils can keep up with the phonics programme. Older pupils love to read increasingly complex texts, developing fluency, expression and comprehension. 29 and 30 April 2025

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In this inclusive school, the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are securely identified. Staff work hard to ensure that pupils are supported and barriers to learning are reduced. However, the targets set in plans are not always precisely matched to pupils’ needs. This means that adaptations and provision for pupils with SEND in lessons do not always match the targets set out in individual plans. Therefore, learning for some pupils with SEND is not as effective as it could be.

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Children in the early years are confident, curious learners. Meticulous curriculum design ensures that every activity has a purpose and that adult interactions are highly effective. The rich and engaging indoor and outdoor environments successfully promote learning and independence. Children in the early years get off to a flying start and are prepared exceptionally well for key stage 1.

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Pupils know what excellent behaviour is and behave in an exemplary way. They demonstrate exceptional attitudes to learning through the pride shown in their books. Bullying is rare; pupils say it never happens and are confident that, if it did, adults in school would sort it out quickly.

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Personal development is at the core of this school. It is woven through the whole curriculum precisely. Pupils talk with maturity about being safe, including online. They discuss different faiths and cultures with deep understanding. Pupils understand equality, describing their school as ‘supportive and welcoming’. They debate ideas like democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law knowledgeably. Pupils contribute to the wider community, for example by supporting the food bank and planting trees in the local park as part of an environmental project. They develop aspirations for future careers through their learning. Pupils value the wide range of clubs and activities on offer. A carefully thought-out programme of visits, visitors and enrichment activities helps pupils experience the world beyond the school. Pupils are exceptionally well prepared for life in modern, diverse Britain.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The aspects of mathematics taught through the wider curriculum are not as clearly designed as aspects taught through the discrete mathematics lessons. As a result, staff do not check pupils’ understanding as effectively as they could. Pupils’ recall of their learning in these areas is not as secure as it is in discrete lessons. The school should refine curriculum thinking for aspects of mathematics taught through the wider curriculum and ensure pupils know and remember more essential knowledge over time.  At times, the adaptations and provision for some pupils with SEND do not match the 29 and 30 April 2025

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targets set out in individual plans. This means learning for these pupils slows down. The school should ensure that precise targets, taken from accurate assessment, are consistently implemented in lessons so outcomes for pupils with SEND are as strong as they can be.

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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). 29 and 30 April 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 2 and 3 November 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Priestley Academy Trust.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school has a breakfast club.  The school has been recognised as a School of Sanctuary.

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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. 29 and 30 April 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other staff.  The lead inspector met with members of the local governing board, the board of trustees and the CEO.  Inspectors met with the leader for behaviour and attendance, the leader for personal, social and health education and the special educational needs coordinator.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and art. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum planning, conducted joint lesson visits with leaders, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with subject leaders for geography, music and physical education and

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looked at curriculum documents in these subjects.  Inspectors met with the leader for the early years and carried out lesson visits to the Nursery and Reception classes.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms, around school and at playtime and lunchtime.  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 safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils and Ofsted Parent View. These included comments received via the free-text facility. Inspectors also talked to some parents at the start of the school day.

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Inspection team

Chris Jennings, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jo Buckley Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 April 2025

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