Knowleswood Primary School

Knowleswood Primary School

Address: Knowles Lane, Bradford, BD4 9AE Unique reference number (URN): 149586

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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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Early years Expected standard

The early years provision prepares children well for Year 1. Many children start Nursery with lower starting points in their social and emotional development. Children quickly pick up the routines and expectations and typically follow these positively. They learn how to ask for help when they need it. Children in Reception continue to build on these skills well. They engage positively in their learning activities and listen to their teacher.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders ensure that they adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of the children. They have thought carefully about what to teach and when. They ensure that children learn a range of skills and knowledge across the early years. Books are also a feature of the curriculum. Leaders ensure that children are exposed to a wide range of high-quality texts. Children hear stories read by their teachers and engage with rhymes and actions. This also helps children to learn new words. Staff model these words in their speaking to help children know how to use them appropriately.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff in the early years build positive relationships with parents and carers. They get to know families and their children well. Staff take good care of children in the early years, noticing changes, asking questions and creating a safe environment.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Many pupils at the school are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders show their commitment to all pupils by ensuring the school’s inclusive offer meets their needs well.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders provide effective support for a significant proportion of pupils who are known to or previously known to social care. They understand the challenges that these pupils face. This enables them to deliver precise pastoral support.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders successfully remove barriers so that pupils, including the high proportion of disadvantaged pupils, can access everything the school offers. For example, they use the pupil premium funding to ensure that pupils attend all trips and enrichment activities. While this is appropriate, leaders recognise that there is further work to ensure the funding has a more positive impact on pupils' achievement and attendance.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders work diligently with other professionals, such as social workers. A network of support helps families reduce barriers to their children's learning and/or wellbeing.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Pupils with SEND receive the support that they need. Leaders help pupils with social and emotional difficulties to access the classroom and engage in learning. Leaders routinely check how well interventions support pupils. They make changes where necessary. This ensures that barriers to learning are reduced. Pupils with complex needs receive targeted support through the school's ‘hub’ space. Leaders seek specialist advice to support these pupils. This ensures that staff make the correct adaptations for these pupils’ needs.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils' personal development is a priority. There is a positive culture of celebrating success. This supports pupils to build their self-esteem and take pride in their achievements. Pupils speak proudly about their leadership roles in school. The 'Powerful Girls’ group' makes a positive difference by sharing presentations about inequalities that may exist. The 'Happiness Heroes' promote positive mental health and teach others how to look after one another. These opportunities allow pupils to make a positive difference to their school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The personal, social and health education curriculum is well thought out. It contains important knowledge about how to stay safe in the local community. Pupils learn about possible risks to themselves. This helps them speak confidently about how to keep themselves safe, including online. Pupils are knowledgeable about other aspects of the curriculum. They know how to stay healthy and understand what bullying is. They can articulate their learning about tolerance and how to show respect to others. This supports them well to prepare for life in modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders provide a wide range of extra opportunities. Most pupils attend sports events throughout the school year. They learn how to work with others and take part in a team. This gives them important life skills for the future. Pupils visit places beyond Bradford to build their knowledge of the wider world. For example, older pupils attend an overnight residential in a rural location. This helps them connect their learning in geography with real-life experience.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The pastoral support at the school is a real strength. Leaders make every decision in pupils’ best interests to remove barriers to learning and wellbeing. Every pupil benefits from the caring culture created by leaders. Leaders provide an array of support for pupils, from therapy sessions to working with educational psychologists. This means that, over time, pupils are more ready to learn and can tackle any challenges that life may bring.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils have not attained as well as they could in national tests and examinations over time. Some have left the school without the skills and knowledge they need for secondary school. This means there has been variation in how well pupils are prepared for their next steps in education. Leaders recognise that disadvantaged pupils could also attain better across the curriculum. A number of disadvantaged pupils have gaps in what they know and remember. They do not attain as well as other disadvantaged pupils nationally by the end of key stage 2.

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Achievement Needs attention

A large proportion of pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Many of these pupils have lower starting points. Typically, these pupils make appropriate progress. Pupils learn and remember key skills, such as regulating their emotions and improving their speaking. Leaders are developing new strategies to further improve pupils’ academic support. Pupils learn to read with confidence. They receive appropriate support to learn new sounds in phonics and read books that match their stage of learning. Teachers provide catch-up sessions for pupils who need extra support. This means most pupils can read by the end of Year 1.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders have prioritised improving pupils’ basic skills, but some pupils continue to have gaps in their learning. This means there are inconsistencies in how pupils present their learning, both verbally and in their workbooks. Some pupils present their learning clearly and can explain what they have learned, such as about World War 2. Other pupils are less sure how to show and explain their knowledge, because they have not learned it securely enough.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Too many pupils do not attend school regularly. Over time, the number of pupils who persistently miss school is significantly higher than national averages. Leaders track absence closely and provide extra support to pupils and families. They take a clear and well- considered approach, using a range of innovative strategies to improve attendance. For example, the inclusion team uses the school's 'attendance bus' to ensure pupils arrive on time for school. Despite this, attendance remains too low, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Behaviour at the school has improved over recent years. Most pupils follow the school rules well. Pupils are polite and friendly. They open doors for visitors and welcome them. Pupils play sensibly at playtimes with the different activities on offer. In lessons, pupils typically engage well and demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. Leaders track any instances of discrimination, including bullying. They take appropriate and effective action to deal with this. Some pupils need extra support to regulate their behaviour. Staff identify the challenges pupils face and provide the appropriate adjustments. This supports pupils to regulate their behaviour more routinely. As a result, instances of behavioural incidents have reduced.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The curriculum is taught inconsistently across classes. Where practice is most effective, teachers explain learning clearly and check pupils’ understanding. In other lessons, teachers do not precisely check how well pupils understand new knowledge. This means that some pupils make mistakes or misunderstand what they are learning. As a result, some pupils continue to have gaps in their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders’ actions to close gaps in basic skills are beginning to have a positive impact. Teachers practise arithmetic in mathematics through systems such as 'drilling'. In writing, teachers model accurate sentences, where younger pupils enjoy practising them. Older pupils have more opportunities to learn important skills such as accurate letter formation and spelling patterns. However, this is in the early stages. This means gaps in some pupils' learning continue.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

There is a broad and balanced curriculum across the school. Pupils learn a range of different subjects. Leaders regularly check the quality of the subject curriculum. This allows them to make any changes, such as adjusting the order in which learning is taught. As a result, the curriculum is well considered and organised. Pupils enjoy learning and talk positively about the enjoyable experiences they have.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders are committed to making the needed improvements in the quality of teaching and increasing the regularity of pupils' attendance. They also recognise that historically, too many pupils have not achieved well enough in reading, writing and mathematics. These pupils have left the school without the skills and knowledge they need for secondary school. While leaders have appropriate plans to make improvements, it is too soon to see the impact of this work. Despite this, they are ambitious for the pupils and have their best interests at heart.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

In other areas of the school, leaders have established effective systems to improve the quality of education and ensure these are of high quality. For example, the personal development offer and the quality of the early years provision have improved over recent years. The impact of leaders' strategy is clearly evident, and pupils are benefiting positively from these improvements.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Trustees, alongside the local governors, understand their roles well. They ask challenging questions of leaders and hold them to account. They articulate the strengths and areas for improvement clearly.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Staff value the support from leaders and the wider trust, including the consideration of their workload and wellbeing in any changes leaders make. Staff value the many professional learning opportunities on offer. This helps staff to refine the way they deliver the curriculum. Staff understand how pupils learn more clearly and are beginning to use this knowledge in their teaching.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Parents and carers are generally positive about the school. Most say the school supports their children well.

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

Knowleswood Primary School is an improving school. Pupils have benefited from improvements in many aspects of school life since the school joined the multi ‑ academy trust, including stronger support for their personal development. They learn how to be positive citizens in the local area. Experiences outside the classroom help them use and apply this knowledge. For example, pupils learn how to stay safe when riding a bicycle.

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

Pupils behave well and engage positively with their peers. They show care towards each other. They appreciate the friends that they make during their time at school. Staff deal with any occasions where pupils do not follow expectations quickly and effectively. As a result, bullying is rare. Pupils are safe and very well cared for. Positive and nurturing relationships between staff and pupils mean they are able to share any worries they have. Some pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), do not attend school regularly enough. This means that they miss significant parts of their learning and the wider support the school offers.

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

Many pupils at the school are disadvantaged or have SEND. These pupils are fully involved in all aspects of school life. Staff support pupils through social and emotional support, small groups and excellent pastoral care. This ensures that pupils’ needs are met.

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

Pupils do not attain as well as they could in national tests and examinations. In the past, too many pupils have not had the skills and knowledge they need for secondary school in subjects such as reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils receive a variable experience in the classroom. They develop gaps in their learning as a result. Leaders are taking effective action to address this. For example, children in the early years receive an appropriate education and make good progress.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to accelerate the improvements in the quality of teaching so that pupils’ achievement, including in published outcomes, improves. Leaders should continue to implement and evaluate their attendance strategy to improve pupils’ attendance and reduce persistent absence, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils. Leaders should strengthen staff’s use of assessment within lessons to ensure that they swiftly address gaps in pupils’ foundational knowledge. Leaders at all levels, including those responsible for governance, should continue to refine the use of monitoring and evaluation so that variation in practice is identified and addressed quickly. Leaders should continue to routinely evaluate the school's approach to personal development to ensure all pupils can access a rich range of wider opportunities and experiences that support their personal growth, wellbeing and participation in school life.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Exceed 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, Duncan Jacques, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Hearl Lenton.

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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 headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteachers and other leaders at the school. Inspectors also met with representatives from the local academy council, the board of trustees and the trust's governance professional.

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Team inspectors:

Judy Shaw, Ofsted Inspector Sam O'Brien, Ofsted Inspector Paul Higginbottom, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 23 June 2026

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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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420

Above average The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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420

The school uses one registered alternative provider.

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420

The headteacher started at the school in April 2026.

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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 6 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 needs support 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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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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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

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

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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

2023/24 (final) 53% 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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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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Persistent absence

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

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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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Urgent improvement

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

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