Scapegoat Hill Junior and Infant School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Scapegoat Hill Junior and Infant School School Road, Scapegoat Hill, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD7 4NU

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Outcome

Scapegoat Hill Junior and Infant School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make the most of their experiences in this small and friendly rural school. The school is characterised by warm and positive relationships between staff and pupils. There are high expectations for pupils’ achievement. Pupils do well in reading and mathematics in national assessments at the end of key stage 2. Children in Reception Year are well prepared for learning in Year 1.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are considerate and understanding of any peers who may need a little more help with their learning. Pupils of all ages know and demonstrate the school values of aspiration, respect and compassion. They engage in a variety of leadership opportunities, such as ‘Happiness Heroes’ and the school council.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school supports pupils to develop their talents and interests. Despite the small size of the school, the pupils regularly put together teams for sporting tournaments. Gardening club and dance are just two of the popular after school activities that teach pupils about healthy lifestyles. Pupils also benefit from a variety of trips and visits to bring to life their classroom learning. These include trips to a Sikh temple to support their learning in religious education (RE) and trips to an art gallery and science museum.

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

The reading curriculum ensures that pupils study a diverse range of books and other texts. Pupils show an enthusiasm for reading. Children in Reception Year enjoy learning from classic children’s stories, alongside more diverse texts that they have not encountered before. 24 June 2025

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Early reading is taught effectively. Pupils learn to read with fluency and comprehension. Some pupils need more support to get their reading going. This support is provided quickly. It is effective in helping pupils to make a breakthrough with their reading.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs accurately and quickly identified. This strongly informs the support they get for reading. However, in some other subject areas the adaptations to learning required by some pupils with SEND could be more precisely defined and delivered.

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School leaders have carefully considered what they want pupils to learn. The most important concepts and knowledge are clearly defined. Teachers check that pupils understand what is being taught. Subject curriculums carefully take account of the progression of learning in the mixed-age classes. For example, in history, pupils learn about the Roman Empire. They go on to study the concepts of empire and civilisation again when they consider the Islamic golden age. In geography pupils learn about tourism and can apply this knowledge later when they study the Alps. While the curriculums are taught in a logical sequence, some of the activity choices and resources used in class do not focus sharply enough on the key knowledge.

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Pupils behave well in class and at social times. In lessons, they work hard and they show interest in their learning. Children in Reception Year quickly learn the school routines. They concentrate well and show the focus needed to choose their own activities. Adults help them to learn new vocabulary and to confidently count and learn about shape and size.

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The school is successful in developing positive attributes in the pupils, such as compassion and resilience. Pupils quickly become confident and independent. These attributes are supported by an effective programme of personal development. Pupils understand important topics, such as healthy relationships and how to keep themselves safe online. The school supports pupils to learn new skills beyond the classroom. For example, pupils have learnt first aid, completed a cycling safety course and achieved a road safety award.

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Pupils play an active role by engaging in school activities that support the community. Pupils have recently planted a hedgerow and performed in the local church. The local scarecrow festival is a particular highlight for pupils of all ages. Pupils with SEND play a full part in the wider life of the school alongside their peers.

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Leadership and governance arrangements at the school have undergone recent change. Many governors are new to the school. The transition to a new governing board has been managed well. Governors understand the unique characteristics of this small school and they provide appropriate challenge and support to school leaders. There is a strong sense of community and teamwork in the school that supports teachers to manage their workload and well-being. Staff enjoy working at the school and feel proud to do so. Parents and carers are highly supportive of the work of the school, particularly of the care and guidance that their children receive. 24 June 2025

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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 support for some pupils with SEND, is not as precise as it could be. This means that some pupils with SEND do not learn as securely as the school would wish. The school should ensure that all staff understand and implement the most effective adaptations that will support pupils with SEND to learn effectively.  In a minority of subjects, the approaches used in class do not support pupils to learn the most important knowledge. This means that some pupils do not securely grasp some important concepts before moving on in their learning. The school should ensure that the tasks selected for pupils closely match the ambitious knowledge that is set out in the subject curriculums.

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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 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 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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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in April 2016. 24 June 2025

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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). 24 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.scapegoat-hill.kirklees.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 28 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is much smaller than the average primary school.  The school provides a breakfast club.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  At the time of the previous inspection, the school was federated with Linthwaite Clough Junior, Infant and Early Years Unit, with a joint governing body. The federation was dissolved on 1 st March 2025. A new governing body is now in place.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation of the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection 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. 24 June 2025

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 Inspectors spoke with the headteacher along with a range of staff. Meetings were held with members of the governing body and the school improvement advisor.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, looked at pupils’ work and spoke to pupils about their learning.  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 of safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors spoke to staff and pupils to learn their views about the school.  Inspectors took account of responses to Ofsted’s Parent View survey.  Inspectors considered a range of documents. These included safeguarding records and records for pupils with SEND.

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Inspection team

Carl Sugden, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Greaves Ofsted Inspector 24 June 2025

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