Totley Primary School

Inspection of Totley Primary School Sunnyvale Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S17 4FB

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

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The headteacher of this school is Ben Paxman. This school is part of the Mercia Learning 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), Neil Miley, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Rhona Dodds.

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since July 2015. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 3 and 4 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Totley pupils propel themselves to success. Compassionate, knowledgeable staff support them to be the best version of themselves. Staff value each pupil individually and assist them in achieving excellent outcomes over time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning a superb curriculum. They rise to the challenge of high aspirations and, as a result, achieve well. Pupils benefit from rich experiences that deepen their learning. For example, they see the music curriculum brought alive by attending orchestral performances.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s personal development offer is intrinsic to all that the school offers. The school’s personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is tailored to the needs of each child. It helps pupils manage the challenges of growing up safely in modern Britain. Teachers help pupils make informed choices about how to avoid the risks they may face online.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are fantastic ambassadors for the school. They have a clear understanding of the modern world and a determination to have an influence on the issues that the world faces, such as climate change, poverty and illness.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a calm, caring place where pupils’ behaviour is exceptional and they are happy learners.

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

The curriculum provides pupils with a wide breadth of knowledge that goes beyond the national curriculum. Staff and pupils value learning. This permeates into an excellent climate for learning in the school. Classrooms buzz with activity. All pupils immerse themselves in learning. Pupils confidently recall and apply knowledge. For example, in history, pupils compare different conflicts. They discuss how these conflicts have shaped the world today. Staff offer in-the-moment help and address misconceptions with efficiency.

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

Children start learning as soon as they join the school. Early years is a vibrant learning environment. Staff who work in the provision know the children extremely well. The interactions between pupils and teachers are rich and open-ended. The provision provides many ways to learn in different areas. The school maps the provision offer so that all children access all areas over a two-week period. The curious minds of children are nurtured by caring staff who empower the children with confidence and social skills that support them in key stage 1.

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

Pupils love to read in a vibrant community that celebrates and cherishes books. Pupils receive expert phonics teaching. This helps them to grasp the basics of reading through supportive, engaging and focused phonics activities. It makes learning both enjoyable and effective. Pupils needing extra help with reading get expert support and quickly catch up to their classmates. Reading fluency takes centre stage once the pupils have developed 3 and 4 June 2025

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confident decoding skills. The school maintains a focus on clear, engaging reading in all years. This helps improve understanding and makes stories come alive. The dedicated approach to fluency helps pupils to access increasingly complex texts.

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The school’s offer for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is of a remarkably high quality. Needs and care go hand in hand for pupils with SEND. Families and staff work effectively together to support pupils through their education. The school recognises and celebrates pupils’ strengths. It swiftly identifies pupils with additional needs.

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The school provides pupils with a wide range of opportunities and experiences. These include after-school table tennis, school sleepovers and trips to London and the Houses of Parliament. These opportunities support the PSHE curriculum in developing well-rounded, socially aware pupils. The school places a high value on raising awareness of issues that the pupils may face in later life. Pupils are ready to speak out against prejudice, injustice and behaviour that does not fit their idea of being a caring person in modern Britain.

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The school welcomes parents and carers and the community. Stay-and-dine sessions are well attended. Parents also join staff on learning walks around the school.

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Behaviour in school is excellent. Pupils arrive keen to learn and leave keen to tell parents what they have learned. Staff model excellent behaviours, which the pupils in all year groups have adopted. Manners and courtesy are automatic for the pupils at this school.

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Leaders have created something exceptional. Everyone who joins contributes uniquely to the team, enhancing its richness.

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Leaders support the staff with care and integrity. They have created an exceptional school. Staff, parents and pupils feel valued and part of the beacon of excellence that the school is.

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The governors, trustees, trust leaders and CEO come together to strive for the best for Totley Primary School’s pupils.

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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. 3 and 4 June 2025

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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

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 July 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Mercia Learning Trust.  The school currently uses one unregistered 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 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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have 3 and 4 June 2025

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taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector met with the CEO, the chair of the trustees and members of the local governing body.  Inspectors met with senior and middle leaders, including those responsible for safeguarding, personal development, careers, attendance and behaviour.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, physical education and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors looked at a range of information regarding behaviour. Inspectors observed the behaviour of pupils at social times.  Inspectors spoke with pupils and staff formally and informally throughout the inspection. Responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff, pupils and parents were considered

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by the inspection 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 safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Richard Jones, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lyndsey Lomas 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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