Athersley North Primary School

Athersley North Primary School

Address: Lindhurst Road, Athersley North, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S71 3NB Unique reference number (URN): 131157

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

In recent years, leaders have made improvements to the quality of the curriculum. The curriculum is taught in a logical order and identifies important knowledge. This makes it clear to teachers what pupils need to learn and remember. Generally, the curriculum is taught well. Teachers use a range of strategies in the classroom. More recently, teachers have developed a range of speaking activities. This helps pupils to engage more effectively in learning and practise their speaking skills aloud. Teachers use a range of strategies to check how well pupils keep up with the curriculum. Adaptations support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to access their learning positively.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have revised the reading curriculum for older pupils in key stage 2. This enables teachers to build on the secure progress younger pupils make in their phonics lessons. Lessons now support pupils to practise their fluency regularly. Pupils break down texts to understand how they should read them aloud. They also learn new words and explore them in sentences.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The writing curriculum allows pupils to practise their word and sentence structures regularly. This ensures they can generally build a secure understanding of basic skills in this subject. However, at times, pupils do not continue to practise this as regularly as they progress through school, leading to misconceptions. These are not always addressed quickly by adults, which leads to gaps in some pupils' ability to write confidently.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

In mathematics, teachers use strategies such as visual representations to support pupils to understand concepts such as fractions. This enables pupils to engage effectively in their learning.

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Early years Expected standard

The curriculum in the early years is well planned and considered. Leaders have identified the skills and knowledge that children need to learn across the different areas of learning. For example, the curriculum clearly identifies the order in which children learn and can make improvements in their physical development. This allows teachers to understand how well children are learning and achieving. Generally, children achieve well from their starting points.

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Early years Expected standard

Typically, the delivery of the curriculum is secure. Teachers plan a range of activities to support children to learn the intended curriculum. At times, these activities are not as precise as they need to be. This means the children miss out on opportunities to develop their skills or address gaps in their learning. Despite this, children enjoy their activities. For example, a group of children carefully explored the language of ‘twisting’ and ‘stretching’ their play dough to develop their fine motor skills.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders and staff build positive relationships with parents and carers. They gather information about the children from other providers. This information supports them to ensure they are safe and settled when they start school. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are also appropriately supported. Staff make the appropriate referrals to ensure that these children are given additional intervention where appropriate, for example, with their speech and language development.

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Inclusion Expected standard

A number of pupils at the school face additional barriers. The school has a higher than average number of pupils who are disadvantaged and/or have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders have ensured that the needs of these pupils are met. This is because leaders know these pupils well. They quickly identify any gaps in pupils' learning and put appropriate adaptations in place. A range of strategies, including practical resources, help pupils to develop their communication skills and regulate their behaviour. As a result, pupils engage positively in their learning. For some pupils who need it, additional interventions are used effectively to support them with specific aspects of their development. For example, a group of pupils receive support to manage and regulate their feelings and emotions.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders work very well with other agencies. They are knowledgeable about the support that is available to pupils and wider families. This means staff can signpost them to specialist support where needed.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Disadvantaged pupils are supported well through the school’s pupil premium strategy. The allocated funding is spent appropriately to ensure that they receive a high-quality offer in school. This also enables pupils to access further pastoral support, such as the breakfast club, to ensure they are ready for learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are ambitious for pupils at their school. They want the very best for them. Leaders continue to improve the school. They have appropriate plans to make further improvements to ensure pupils attend school more regularly and achieve well. Middle leaders are knowledgeable about their roles. They benefit from a range of training and development opportunities. Middle leaders use this to ensure they impact positively on the quality of the curriculum.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors have made a number of improvements since the last inspection. They check that changes are made and are impacting positively.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the support they receive from leaders. They describe working at the school as ‘like a family'. Workload is regularly reviewed, and staff know that their wellbeing is at the centre of any decision-making. They appreciate the investment in their development and benefit from training they receive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents and carers are very positive about the school. Many parents appreciate the support they are given. This includes how effectively the school enables parents and carers to access support from other providers who can help their child with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Personal development is well embedded across school. Leaders have implemented a curriculum that shapes pupils’ views and attitudes and encourages them to work positively with others. Regular discussions about equality and what it is like to live in modern Britain support pupils to develop their understanding of discrimination and the values of tolerance and respect.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff teach pupils to look after their local community. Opportunities such as visiting the local shop to pick vegetables and other produce teach pupils important skills, including money management. They then work with their family and a local chef to create a healthy meal. This helps them to develop an understanding of how to stay physically healthy.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils also develop secure knowledge through the school’s personal, social and health education curriculum. They speak confidently about their learning of staying safe, including online. They also confidently discuss how they develop their understanding of what constitutes a healthy or unhealthy relationship.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders ensure that pupils benefit from wider experiences. Regular trips and visits enhance the school’s curriculum. For example, pupils visit the local wildlife park to learn about various animals. They participate in local musical festivals. Other opportunities, such as clubs, are tracked by leaders to ensure that pupils who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good use of this offer.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pastoral support is of high quality. This helps to reduce any barriers that pupils may face. The school’s inclusion team regularly provides support for pupils at difficult times in their lives. This extends to wider families when needed. Because of the positive relationships they build with staff, pupils feel confident asking for this support when they need it.

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Achievement Needs attention

The school effectively reduces pupils' barriers to learning and ensures that the curriculum is taught well. This has not translated into outcomes at the end of key stage 2. Last year, the number of disadvantaged pupils who achieved the national standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined was below average. This means pupils are not as prepared as they could be for secondary school. Leaders have identified and implemented appropriate strategies to identify gaps in these areas. It is too soon to see the impact of this.

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Achievement Needs attention

In other subjects, such as phonics, pupils achieve well and make good progress. This is reflected in the number of pupils who pass their phonics screening check at the end of Year 1. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities generally make secure progress from their starting points. In some foundation subjects, pupils speak confidently about their learning. In history, pupils can describe the legacy of King Henry VIII. Workbooks typically present effective learning across the curriculum.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders have developed detailed and timely systems to act upon gaps in pupil attendance. They identify patterns and carefully monitor pupils who attend school less regularly. Leaders then make comparisons to other figures, such as how well disadvantaged pupils attend compared to their peers. Despite this, attendance continues to decline. The number of pupils who miss school persistently is also increasing, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders are aware of this. They continue to work positively with families and pupils to make these improvements.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Behaviour across the school is calm and respectful. Pupils feel safe and well supported. The school’s nurturing ethos is evident in the relationships that are formed between pupils and staff. Historically, the number of suspensions has been above national averages. This has now reduced. Leaders have made appropriate adaptations to support pupils who were previously suspended. Attitudes to learning in lessons are positive. Pupils generally engage positively with their learning. Any incidents in which pupils do not meet the school’s expectations, including any form of discrimination, are appropriately challenged by staff. As a result, incidents of bullying are rare.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils at Athersley North Primary School enjoy being a part of this school. The values of risk taking, resilience, responsibility, reasoning and relationships are woven through many aspects of school life. As a result, pupils learn how to work positively with each other and take responsibility for their actions.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils, are included in all aspects of school life. The school's inclusion team carefully provides well-considered support that reduces many barriers to pupils' learning and wellbeing. This ensures that all pupils can access and enjoy learning.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Historically, too many pupils have left the school without the necessary knowledge and skills they need for secondary school. However, the curriculum is broad and carefully sequenced. Staff now typically teach this well. This helps pupils to learn and develop over time.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Behaviour at this school is very positive. Pupils follow the school’s behaviour policy well. They have positive relationships with staff. This allows pupils to feel nurtured and safe. They ask for help when they need it through the school’s ‘worry post box'. Bullying is not common. If any concerns arise, they are dealt with effectively. A number of pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should. This means they miss out on important learning and other opportunities that the school provides.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils learn from a range of experiences through the school’s personal development offer. Many pupils have leadership opportunities. For example, pupils are elected to form the ‘mini police’ and learn how to follow rules and laws. They teach other pupils about this to help them develop their understanding of why these are important. Other leadership roles

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Team inspectors:

Chris Jennings, Ofsted Inspector Abi Mulligan, His Majesty's Inspector promote the value of learning. For instance, ‘reading ambassadors’ speak confidently about how they use the school’s library to promote books from different authors and genres.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that gaps in pupils' key knowledge in writing and reading in key stage 2 are quickly closed by embedding the recent improvements in the teaching of these aspects of the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that outcomes in core subjects, particularly in reading, continue to improve and move towards national averages. Leaders should ensure that systems to improve attendance are embedded, so they lead to pupils attending school more regularly. Leaders should refine the provision in the early years, including outdoors, to ensure activity choices more precisely match learning and address gaps in pupils' knowledge.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Elizabeth Iles.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the co-headteachers and other senior leaders during the inspection. Inspectors also spoke with governors, including the chair of governors, staff and pupils.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

Co-headteachers: Clare Storr and Kirsty Wordsworth

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years. National average: 26.3%

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2022/23 (final) 74% 71% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2022/23 (final) 69% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 44% 47% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 47% 44% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2022/23 (final) 58% 60% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (final) 60% 59% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 68% 58% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 52% 61% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 63% 59% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 5.8% 5.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 13.9% 16.2% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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