Lapage Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Lapage Primary School and Nursery Barkerend Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD3 8QX

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Outcome

Lapage Primary School and Nursery has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteachers of this school are Shabana Khan and Dee Bhambra. This school is part of Northern Star 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), Jenn Plews, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Helen Murphy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy. They enjoy coming to school. Pupils treat staff and each other with kindness. They welcome visitors with politeness and respect. The school’s values are at the heart of school life. The house system, based on these values, builds a strong sense of community. Pupils are motivated by rewards, including house points and values certificates.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils. Pupils are safe and well cared for. Pupils, regardless of their background or starting points, access a high-quality education. Many pupils speak English as an additional language and join from other countries. They are warmly welcomed into the school’s inclusive community and supported to succeed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is excellent. The school’s high expectations for behaviour are firmly embedded. Routines are quickly established from Nursery. Movement around school is calm and orderly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take pride in roles such as prefects and school councillors. They see the difference they make to the school community. For example, head pupils were involved in the recruitment of the new headteacher. Through activities like camping and gardening, pupils build confidence, self-esteem and resilience. They develop a secure understanding of the 3 and 4 June 2025

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protected characteristics, fundamental British values and discrimination. They are well prepared for their next steps.

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

The curriculum is logically sequenced from Nursery to Year 6 with clearly identified end points. It has been carefully designed to build on pupils’ lower than expected starting points. The school prioritises the development of pupils’ personal and social skills and communication and language. Physical education and personal development have been carefully threaded through the curriculum to improve pupils’ understanding of the world beyond their locality.

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

Teachers have secure knowledge of the subjects that they teach. Resources are used effectively to develop pupils’ knowledge securely. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are swiftly identified. Staff use a range of adaptations to support pupils with SEND. Staff use effective questioning. They check pupils’ understanding regularly and address misconceptions. Pupils’ written work shows a thorough understanding of the knowledge they are learning. However, some pupils do not form letters correctly or present their work well.

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

Since the last inspection, the school has developed its approach to reading. Children in the early years get off to a strong start with reading. Staff are well trained to teach phonics consistently. Teachers pronounce sounds clearly and precisely. They use a range of strategies to ensure pupils read accurately the sounds that they know. Pupils read books that are matched to their ability. However, some pupils are unable to apply their knowledge in writing. Their phonics knowledge is less secure.

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

As pupils move through the school, they learn to read confidently, fluently and accurately. Pupils are enthusiastic about reading and talk with excitement about the books that they read. They appreciate the choice of reading materials available to them, including fiction, non-fiction and age-appropriate newspapers. Pupils enjoy visits to the school library and read regularly at home. They recognise the importance of reading, and it sparks their imagination for writing.

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

Children in the early years are quick to build curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. Areas of learning have been carefully thought out to develop children’s independence. Staff spend valuable time modelling children’s learning. Careful use of language extends children’s thinking and encourages them to want to know more. Children develop and secure their mathematical knowledge. For example, in Nursery, children recognise numbers and start to count. In the Reception Year, they work out simple calculations.

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

The school has developed a rigorous and regular approach to managing attendance. The dedicated attendance team is relentless in its approach to improving attendance. Staff work closely with families and external support to remove any barriers to pupils coming to school regularly. As a result, pupils’ attendance rates improve over time. 3 and 4 June 2025

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Pupils are provided with an extensive offer of enrichment and extra-curricular opportunities. The school makes excellent use of the local area to enable pupils to become responsible, respectful and active citizens. For example, active citizenship activities ensure that every pupil has a positive impact on the local community. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online and in the community. They learn about important issues including road safety. Educational visits are deliberately structured and purposeful to bring learning to life. Pupils enjoy the range of clubs on offer, including art, gymnastics and jujitsu.

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The transition to the new trust has been managed smoothly. Leaders, including governors and trustees, are ambitious for the school’s future. Staff appreciate the consideration that leaders have given to their well-being and workload during the move. Staff feel supported and valued by leaders. They enjoy being part of the school family.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s new approach to teaching phonics is not fully embedded. This means that some pupils at the earlier stages of reading have gaps in their phonics knowledge and they are unable to apply what they have learned in their writing. The school should ensure that they provide more effective support for these pupils to enable them to secure their knowledge of phonics and help them to write with greater accuracy.  The school does not have consistently high expectations of pupils’ letter formation and presentation. This means that some pupils do not form letters correctly or take sufficient care when presenting their learning. The school should ensure that the routines for writing across the curriculum are clearly established so that pupils present their work consistently, accurately and with pride.

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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 3 and 4 June 2025

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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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This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Lapage Primary School and Nursery, to be good for overall effectiveness in January 2013.

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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). 3 and 4 June 2025

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School details

Headteacher Shabana Khan (head of school), Dee Bhambra (head of school) Website www.lapageprimary.org.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 At the time of the inspection, there were two heads of school who both share responsibility for running the school. A substantive headteacher has been appointed and is due to take up their post from September 2025.  Since the last inspection the school has transferred to Northern Star Academies Trust.  There is a breakfast club on site, which is run by the school.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 3 and 4 June 2025

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 Inspectors met with the heads of school and the special educational needs coordinators.  Inspectors met with trust leaders, including the CEO. They met with the trustees, including the chair of the trust and the chair of the local governing body.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. They held discussions about the curriculum and spoke to staff. Inspectors heard pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around the school, at playtime and at lunchtime. Inspectors spoke with pupils about their views of the school, their learning, behaviour and safety.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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 considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. Inspectors also talked to parents in the school playground.  Inspectors met with staff to gather their views of the school. They also considered the responses from the Ofsted survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Nicola Beaumont, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Shan Brough Jones Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 June 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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