Park Spring Primary School

Park Spring Primary School

Address: Swinnow Lane, Leeds, LS13 4QT Unique reference number (URN): 107964

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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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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established an inclusive approach throughout the school. They ensure any needs pupils have are identified quickly when they join the school. Staff know pupils well. They prioritise meeting the needs of pupils with vulnerabilities promptly.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. Staff use a wide range of resources to help pupils with SEND to learn effectively. Staff receive appropriate training. This enables them to provide appropriate support for pupils. Partnerships with external agencies, such as speech and language therapists, help the school to provide support that removes pupils' barriers to their learning. This supports pupils with SEND to typically make appropriate progress from their starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

In response to increasing numbers of pupils entering the school with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), leaders have set up internal provisions for a number of pupils with SEND who find the busy classroom environment challenging. The support pupils receive in The Learning Zone and The Hive enables them to progress well from their starting points and enjoy success. The Hive is only recently set up. Leaders' plans to further strengthen this provision are ongoing.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school identifies pupils who are disadvantaged and uses its additional funding to support these pupils’ achievement and wellbeing. Leaders carefully consider the use of alternative provision for part of pupils' education only when it is right for an individual pupil. Staff support pupils who are known to social care effectively.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have developed a clear programme for pupils’ personal development and wellbeing. It typically provides pupils with the knowledge and skills they need to be ready for their next stage of education and beyond. Pupils demonstrate a secure understanding of key concepts such as online safety, relationships, drugs and road and rail safety. They talk about how these issues might relate to them and people they know. The school arranges specialist visitors, such as the police to enhance pupils’ knowledge. Leaders check how well pupils understand and recall their learning.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils have a range of opportunities to broaden their experiences and to develop their talents and interests. Pupils take part in events such as ice -skating, football and learning to ride a bicycle safely. Pupils enjoy many educational visits to places such as the farm and the wildlife park. Leaders ensure that pupils with barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing are fully involved in all aspects of school life. They track participation to ensure disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities take part.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school's personal development programme contributes to pupils' social and cultural development. Pupils learn about fundamental British values, equality and diversity. This prepares pupils to live in a diverse British society when they are older. Some pupils’ knowledge of faiths and cultures other than their own is superficial. However, they are typically respectful towards others.

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Needs attention

Pupils’ wellbeing is high priority. Leaders make sure that pupils understand what they can do to maintain their own mental wellbeing. Some pupils have been trained to support other pupils at breaktimes who may feel sad, worried or lonely. Leaders have developed outdoor play so that pupils have greater opportunities to collaborate and develop their imagination, curiosity and resilience as they build dens, explore woodland and invent new games.

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Achievement Needs attention

Typically, Year 6 pupils do not attain as well as other pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. This means that many pupils are not ready for their next steps in education. Leaders' work to strengthen the teaching of early reading means that pupils in Year 1 attain as well as other pupils nationally in the phonics screening check. Recently, due to the improvements in the mathematics curriculum, pupils are making some notable gains in this area. However, some older pupils continue to have gaps in their learning that hinder their academic achievement.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders are not consistently addressing gaps in pupils’ foundational knowledge as securely as they should. Pupils’ work shows that many lack basic skills for letter formation, spelling and handwriting. This impedes the progress pupils make across the wider curriculum.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and other pupils who face barriers to learning generally make better progress from their starting points across the curriculum. This is particularly evident in reading, writing and mathematics, because of the support that they receive. Disadvantaged pupils typically attain as well as their disadvantaged peers nationally.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders have introduced an effective approach to supporting pupils to attend school regularly and punctually. Staff have an empathetic approach to families. They work with parents and carers to remove any barriers to attendance. Although attendance is not yet in line with attendance in similar schools nationally, attendance for most pupils is now beginning to show an improvement. This includes for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

The school is a generally calm and orderly environment that begins with a positive start to each day. Pupils are happy and confident. Leaders have clear, high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. However, the school's recently revised relationships and behaviour policy is not implemented effectively or consistently. In some lessons, pupils do not demonstrate the standards of expected behaviours for learning. On occasions poor behaviour disrupts the learning of others. Staff do not consistently make sure that pupils listen carefully and follow instructions in class.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Most pupils behave well at breaktime. They enjoy the wide variety of activities on offer. Staff are sensitive in their approach towards pupils with SEND who require support to manage their behaviour. Leaders deal with bullying and discrimination, whether online or offline, quickly and effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

On the whole, the school has a curriculum where new learning builds on previous content. The reading approach has been strengthened in recent years, this has improved outcomes for pupils in the phonics screening check. However on occasions, checks on pupils’ knowledge are not precise enough and some pupils move on before they have secured essential knowledge.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders reviewed the maths curriculum in response to disappointing pupil outcomes in national assessments. Pupils are now demonstrating increasingly secure mathematical fluency across school. Leaders' intended approach to writing is in its infancy. It does not yet support pupils at the early stages of learning to write because the learning sequence is not precise enough. This means that many pupils struggle with their handwriting, spelling and basic sentence construction over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The curriculum is not consistently taught well or adapted effectively to meet the needs of all pupils. Teachers do not always revisit prior learning. They do not always select the best activities to deliver the curriculum. They do not consistently identify and address misconceptions. As a result, pupils do not develop their knowledge across the curriculum as quickly and as thoroughly as they should.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The school does not have robust systems in place to check pupils’ knowledge and understanding. As a result, staff do not consistently know how well pupils are learning some subjects. Teachers’ feedback is variable and pupils do not routinely act upon feedback. Errors and misconceptions are repeated over time. This prevents pupils from securing the strong foundations of knowledge that they need

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Early years Needs attention

The curriculum in early years does not identify and sequence the key knowledge that children will learn across all areas of learning. This means that staff do not always teach children or plan opportunities that meet their specific learning needs. Some children have gaps in their knowledge that prevents them from being ready for Year 1. For example, many children leave the early years not ready to listen and follow instructions. Some aspects of the early years curriculum, such as early writing, do not prepare children effectively for Year 1.

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Early years Needs attention

Staff know children and their families well, and early morning routines are clear and well established. These help children settle quickly. Adults mostly support children’s personal, social and emotional development well. Children feel safe and become increasingly independent in their play.

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Early years Needs attention

Across early years, staff interact purposefully with children. They model language carefully and support children's learning through play. Children develop their small-muscle skills by using scissors, play dough and paint. They benefit from exploring the outdoor environment, developing balancing and climbing skills. The phonics programme is taught well. Pupils learn to read accurately and with increasing fluency. Recent work to strengthen the early maths is having a positive impact on children’s understanding of number.

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Early years Needs attention

The new leader for early years understands the strengths within the setting and the areas that need improvement. Leaders have begun to take appropriate action to improve the day- to-day provision. The school know that strengthening the curriculum is a priority.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

In some areas of the school's work, leaders have not established a clear strategic plan. In addition, leaders’ and governors' processes for checking how well things are working lack the precision. This means that weaknesses are not always identified in a timely fashion and the actions that school takes are not as effective as they could be.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

However, governors understand their statutory duties in relation to safeguarding and equalities. They scrutinise the impact of additional funding to ensure this improves the offer for pupils who face barriers to their learning. Governors are visible and engage effectively with the school community.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders want the very best for pupils here. Their ambition is to help pupils 'to grow, to know and to thrive'. The school's culture is rooted in providing the utmost care for all pupils and their families. Leaders know their pupils and the local community extremely well. They understand the challenges faced by pupils' families and respond with empathy and practical solutions.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Most staff are proud to work at the school and feel well supported. Leaders check on staff workload and wellbeing regularly and act where needed. Staff are positive about professional learning and how this supports their teaching. For example, some recent training has impacted positively on how they support pupils with additional needs to manage their emotions.

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

Pupils at Park Spring Primary School are typically happy and enjoy school life. They value the range of opportunities available to them and feel part of the school community. However, not all pupils achieve as well as they should, which limits how well they are prepared for the next stage of education.

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

Many pupils have gaps in essential knowledge that begin the early years and these are not addressed quickly enough. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs identified accurately, and they receive effective support. This means they make appropriate progress. However, pupils’ outcomes in the Year 1 phonics check have improved over time and early indications are that leaders’ work to improve the mathematics curriculum and teaching is having a positive impact on pupils’ achievement. Pupils typically treat each other with kindness and respect. They benefit from a wide range of rich experiences that leaders plan carefully. Pupils are highly enthusiastic about the improvements to their playtimes. All pupils are included in school life. They are all supported to take part in wider opportunities such musical and drama productions and sporting

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

competitions. Pupils value taking on leadership roles, like play leaders and contributing to the school community. Leaders ensure that disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND access all enrichment activities.

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

Pupils are safe in school and know who to talk to if they are worried. They have a good understanding of bullying and feel confident that adults would help sort out any problems. However, pupils report that poor behaviour sometimes interrupts lessons, which affects their enjoyment of school.

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

Attendance is beginning to improve but remains too low for some pupils. Pupils learn about fundamental British values and know the importance of contributing positively to their school and the wider community. However, inconsistent behaviour and attitudes prevent some pupils from thriving and achieving as well as they could.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that staff identify gaps in pupils’ foundational knowledge quickly and provide targeted support so pupils catch up rapidly. They should ensure pupils are supported to keep up with key learning so they are ready for the next stage in their education. Leaders should ensure that the writing curriculum is coherent and well sequenced, with subject-specific rigour so that pupils build the necessary knowledge over time and can then apply their writing skills consistently well across other subjects. Leaders should ensure that teachers have a strong shared understanding of the school’s curriculum and its approach to teaching and assessment and monitor that these are consistently applied across school. Leaders should ensure that they continue to work with families and external partners to improve attendance levels. Leaders should continue to embed the school’s approach to pupil behaviour so that staff

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Next steps

are confident in applying the school’s approach and that incidents of low level disruption in class reduces and that pupils are consistently clear about routines and expectations. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum in early years supports all children to make progress from their starting points with the foundational knowledge and skills that children need for later learning clearly identified. Leaders and governors should ensure they have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They should use this information to support them in taking precise action to secure rapid and sustained improvement.

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Team inspectors:

Lindsay Lomas, Ofsted Inspector Coralie Corrin, Ofsted Inspector

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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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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Rachel Yates.

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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 (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMI.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with school leaders, members of the local governing board, a representative from the local authority, staff, parents and pupils during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspector(s) confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school currently makes use of one alternative provision, this is a registered setting.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Rachel Horan National average: 272

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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.

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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. National average: 15%

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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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average

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

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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

2023/24 (final) 68% 72% 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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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) 46% 47% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 36% 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

2024/25 (final) 65% 63% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 71% 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) 54% 59% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 50% 58% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 61% 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) 50% 61% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 50% 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

2023/24 (3 term) 6.2% 5.5% 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

2023/24 (3 term) 15.4% 14.6% 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. 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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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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