Ossett Southdale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School

Inspection of Ossett Southdale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School Southdale Road, Southdale Ce Junior School, Ossett, West Yorkshire WF5 8BA

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good School 13 and 14 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish in this wonderful school. They develop a deep passion for learning. They build exceptionally strong relationships with staff and their peers. They rise to the very high expectations that the school has for their behaviour. Pupils are kind, self-controlled and calm. They are proud to attend the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respond very well to the school’s high expectations for their academic success. Pupils attain highly across the curriculum and in national tests and assessments. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from the school’s highly effective support. As a result, they make exceptional progress through the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils access an exciting, well-thought-out array of educational trips and visits. In every year group, pupils have opportunities to take part in residential visits. These experiences help pupils to develop vital skills, such as independence and teamwork. Pupils appreciate these memorable experiences. These opportunities are complemented by the rich variety of activities that pupils take part in at school.

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

The expertly mapped and taught curriculum ensures that pupils build their knowledge securely over time. Pupils create clear links between their past and new learning. For example, pupils in Year 5 apply their previously learned multiplication facts very well when learning about squared and cubed numbers. Pupils make meaningful connections in the curriculum and remember their learning exceptionally well.

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

The school checks, in impressive and varied ways, what pupils remember. Teachers use skilled questioning to check that pupils understand new learning. Staff enable pupils to showcase their learning in creative ways. For example, pupils in Year 6 created a video to demonstrate the geographical processes that can lead to natural disasters. If teachers identify any gaps in pupils’ knowledge, they take prompt action to ensure that pupils build thorough subject knowledge.

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

The school is swift to identify those pupils who may need extra support with their reading. It ensures that phonics sessions provide carefully considered help for those pupils who need it. As a result, pupils make rapid progress in their learning of phonics and can access the rest of the school’s ambitious curriculum.

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

Pupils have a love of reading. They describe with great knowledge and enthusiasm the content of the books that staff read to them. For example, pupils in Year 4 discuss their class novel with clarity and enthusiasm. The school makes very deliberate choices about the texts that it provides for staff and pupils to read at school. This ensures that pupils learn about ambitious topics while developing a love of reading.

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

Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. The school is relentless in its commitment that all pupils have access to an enriching curriculum experience. It identifies the needs of pupils with SEND quickly and accurately. The school ensures that skilful School 13 and 14 May 2025

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teaching of curriculum content helps all pupils to understand their learning. Staff are well informed about the support that individual pupils require. Pupils with SEND make exceptional progress through the curriculum.

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The school teaches pupils about important aspects of personal, social and health education. Pupils have a deep understanding of different faiths and cultures. Pupils value and care deeply for others. During morning routines, pupils reflect carefully on their thoughts and feelings. They learn how to manage their own feelings very well. Staff prepare pupils exceptionally well for their life as citizens and the challenges that they may encounter.

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The school’s vision helps pupils to be the best they can be. The high level of challenge and support provided to the school by the governors ensures the school has a continuous focus on refinement and improvement. Staff are proud to work at the school. They appreciate how the school carefully considers their workload and well-being. One parent captured the views of many when they said, ‘My child is absolutely thriving at this school and all staff members seem to care massively about the children and the school.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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). School 13 and 14 May 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 27 and 28 November 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school has a Church of England religious character. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in February 2018.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. School 13 and 14 May 2025

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 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 taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and deputy headteacher during the inspection.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: art and design, early reading, geography and mathematics. For each deep dive, the 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.  An inspector met with some pupils to discuss their learning in computing and design technology. Inspectors met with leaders to discuss the writing strategy and reading strategy beyond early reading. They visited some lessons and viewed a sample of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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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 lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the vice-chair.  The lead inspector met with a senior school improvement advisor from the local authority. He also spoke with the deputy director of education from the diocese.  The inspectors reviewed a range of school documents, including the school’s self- evaluation and improvement plans.  The inspectors considered the views of parents through the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.  The inspectors considered the views of staff and pupils through discussions and through their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Andrew Gibbins, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Greaves Ofsted Inspector School 13 and 14 May 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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