Kirkroyds Infant School Ofsted Report

Full report

In accordance with section 44(2) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Urgently ensure that leaders and governors fulfil their statutory safeguarding responsibilities, by:
  • making sure that the designated safeguarding leaders act immediately and appropriately in response to concerns and record the actions they take
  • reviewing safeguarding policies and procedures to ensure they are effective and thoroughly applied
  • making sure that all staff fully understand and consistently apply the procedures for reporting and recording concerns about pupils’ safety.
• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that:
  • plans for improvement contain precise targets so that governors can hold leaders to account more thoroughly
  • governors hold leaders to account for their actions, including the effective use of additional government funding
  • senior and middle leaders, including in the early years, are given appropriate professional development so that they can lead improvements effectively in their areas of responsibility
  • assessment systems are used effectively to monitor the progress of different pupils so that underachievement is addressed quickly
  • assessment information is used effectively to hold teachers to account for the progress pupils make.
• Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good or better and results in strong progress for pupils by ensuring that:
  • teachers’ expectations of pupils’ progress are high
  • teachers plan purposeful and challenging activities to extend pupils’ learning
  • teachers use assessment information about pupils’ skills and knowledge to plan intended learning
  • teachers use consistent approaches to develop pupils’ phonics skills rapidly
  • pupils are given books to read that match the letters and sounds they know.
• Improve pupils’ attendance and punctuality, especially for disadvantaged pupils, so that the number of pupils who are regularly absent from school decreases rapidly.
• An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

• Leaders and governors have failed to ensure that all safeguarding policies, practices and procedures to keep pupils safe are consistently adhered to and effective. Leaders and governors have not fulfilled their duty to ensure that safeguarding concerns are recorded fully and accurately. They were not able to demonstrate to inspectors that, where necessary, they refer their concerns to other agencies appropriately and swiftly. Leaders have potentially left pupils at risk.
• Senior leaders have not checked the quality of teaching accurately enough over time. Teaching has been inconsistent, and this has led to pupils’ outcomes in the early years and in the Year 1 phonics screening check remaining below the national average over time.
• Leaders do not focus sufficiently on the progress made by different groups of pupils. Leaders are aware that disadvantaged pupils do not achieve as well as they should, but they do not monitor the progress of this group well enough. Leaders do not know the impact of some of the initiatives to improve disadvantaged pupils’ progress. Disadvantaged pupils are not achieving as well as other pupils nationally.
• Leaders’ self-evaluation lacks detail. Leaders have insufficient information to explain why outcomes have been low over time, what strategies teachers are using to remedy this and the impact they have. Leaders have an overgenerous view of the school’s performance.
• The school’s plans for improvement lack precision. They do not show clearly how leaders and governors will check whether planned actions are making a difference to pupils’ outcomes.
• The leader for special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) knows the individual pupils well. They identify these pupils’ needs quickly and ensure that staff support their needs effectively. Staff are skilled and work hard to develop the self-esteem and emotional well-being of pupils with SEND. These pupils make good progress in their learning.
• Subject leaders for English and mathematics are new to their roles. They are keen to improve standards. However, they do not have a clear understanding of the quality of teaching across the school. Consequently, their impact on improving teaching and pupils’ progress is limited.
• Leaders ensure that pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is effective. Pupils have a wealth of opportunities to learn about different artists, significant events in history and different religions. Leaders have ensured that, through assemblies and the wider curriculum, pupils have a good understanding of what it means to be a British citizen. By electing school council representatives, pupils develop their understanding of democracy, equality and diversity.
• Leaders spend the primary physical education (PE) and sport funding on additional coaching to enhance pupils’ enjoyment of physical activity. Leaders and governors say that the funding has increased pupils’ participation in a range of PE and sporting activities as well as developing the skills of staff.

Governance of the school

• Governors have not ensured that safeguarding is effective.
• Leaders do not provide governors with precise-enough information about the quality of teaching and the outcomes for groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils. As a result, governors do not have a clear understanding of the impact of the school’s improvement plans. Governors’ expectations of pupils’ progress are too low, and they have not recognised that targets outlined in the school’s improvement plan are not ambitious enough. Governors do not challenge leaders appropriately to ensure that rapid improvements are secured.
• Governors do not hold leaders to account effectively for the spending of additional funding. They do not challenge leaders to evaluate the difference their spending is making to pupils. Outcomes for disadvantaged children in the early years and disadvantaged pupils across key stage 1 are not as good as they should be.
• Governors are passionate about their school and value the opportunities pupils have to promote their personal development and welfare. They have a suitable range of applicable skills and are keen to offer support to school leaders.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.
• Leaders and governors have failed to ensure that all safeguarding policies, practices and procedures are sufficiently robust and adhered to. Pupils have been left vulnerable due to poor and inconsistent recording and reporting arrangements.
• Leaders and governors do not systematically check that risk assessments for educational visits are carried out thoroughly prior to visits taking place. They are not assured that appropriate measures are in place to manage risks during these excursions.
• Leaders do not recognise that low attendance is a potential indicator of vulnerability. They do not check the patterns of attendance of those pupils who may be vulnerable closely enough or respond decisively to ensure that they attend school regularly.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inconsistent across year groups and across subjects. Work in pupils’ books, observations in lessons and the school’s target-setting information show that teachers’ expectations of pupils are not high enough. Pupils often receive teaching and learning activities that lack challenge. This hinders pupils’ progress.
• Teachers do not use their knowledge of pupils’ prior learning or end-of-year expectations well enough to plan learning effectively for all pupils.
• Teachers do not assess what pupils know, can do and understand with enough accuracy or consistency. Teaching is not remedying gaps in pupils’ skills and knowledge quickly enough and, at times, pupils are not given work at the right level of challenge. As a result, some of the most able pupils and disadvantaged pupils do not make the progress of which they are capable.
• The teaching of phonics is not consistent across the school. Teachers do not make good enough use of assessment information during phonics sessions to tackle pupils’ misconceptions. As a result, phonics teaching does not build on pupils’ existing knowledge consistently well and pupils do not apply their phonics skills to their writing proficiently. This hinders the progress that pupils make over time.
• Teaching is not sufficiently focused on improving the accuracy of writing in some year groups. Too many pupils continue to make basic errors in simple word and sentence construction. This hampers their ability to write with the accuracy and complexity that is expected for their age. Teachers do not pick up pupils’ errors consistently, so pupils do not receive the timely guidance that they need to improve their understanding and use of spelling, punctuation and grammar. The most able pupils are not challenged enough to extend their learning. Consequently, in 2018 no pupils at the end of key stage 1 achieved a greater depth of learning in writing.
• Most pupils enjoy reading both at home and at school. Many can discuss what they are reading and apply their phonics skills effectively to read unfamiliar words. However, this is not consistent across the school. Some of the books pupils use for practising early reading contain words which they cannot decode.
• The school has recently adopted a clear system for supporting the development of mathematics. Pupils, especially the most able, now have regular opportunities to become fluent in their number work and use these skills to problem-solve. As a result of this new approach, outcomes in mathematics in 2018 at the end of key stage 1 were above the national average and the proportion of pupils achieving a greater depth of learning increased significantly so that it was also above the national average.
• Some teachers use questioning effectively in lessons and encourage pupils to explain their thinking so that they can gain a deeper understanding of key concepts and skills. This is not consistent practice across the school.
• Leaders have ensured that the school’s approach to developing reading has been a priority. This has helped to develop a love of reading among pupils. In 2018, pupils’ outcomes in reading at key stage 1 improved, and were above the national average. The proportion of pupils achieving a greater depth of learning in reading increased significantly and was also above the national average.
• Teachers provide pupils with enriched experiences across the wider curriculum. Pupils enjoy investigative work in science and study a range of topics in other subjects, which helps to expand their knowledge of other cultures, famous artists and events in history. Educational visits to places such as the Yorkshire Wildlife Park also enhance children’s learning experiences.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils show respect and care for each other. They value the opinions of others and work happily, cooperatively and enthusiastically in lessons. Their attitudes to school and to learning are mostly good.
• Pupils benefit from holding a range of leadership roles. They take pride in being monitors and helpers. As a result of these opportunities, pupils show high levels of maturity in taking responsibility for the smooth running of their school. For example, they show great independence in setting out and clearing away play equipment at lunch and breaktimes.
• Leaders place heavy emphasis on pupils’ social development. Pupils have a wealth of opportunities to develop their interpersonal, speaking and listening skills, for example through frequent opportunities for role play. Pupils are skilful in working with others, negotiating and resolving any disagreements.
• A specialist play leader has been employed at lunchtimes and is effective in promoting pupils’ teamwork skills and sporting attitudes. A small number of pupils are also well supported to manage their own behaviour more effectively in the lunchtime ‘butterfly group’. These initiatives, along with teachers’ consistent messages about the importance of friendship, ensure that breaktimes are positive experiences for pupils.
• Pupils thrive in the positive and caring school environment. The sporting and artistic opportunities pupils have mean that their physical and emotional well-being are very well promoted. For example, pupils are taught about a range of significant artists. This learning is made meaningful as pupils imitate artists’ styles in relation to other areas of the curriculum. For example, in mathematics pupils used Piet Mondrian’s artwork as inspiration to develop their learning about shape.
• Leaders have ensured that lessons in geography, history and religious education equip pupils with knowledge of a variety of cultures. For example, pupils have been enthused by recent themed weeks during which they learned about China, Africa and Aboriginal culture. As a result, pupils are tolerant and welcoming of diversity.
• Pupils say that they feel safe and bullying is not common. Pupils understand how to keep safe on the internet and know who to go to when they need help.
• Parents speak positively about how their children are happy at school and about the variety of after-school clubs on offer.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• Pupils’ attendance rates are below average. School leaders have not been successful in addressing low attendance, especially that of disadvantaged pupils. Too many pupils are regularly absent from school and this hampers their learning.
• In a small minority of lessons, there is low-level disruption which interrupts learning. This occurs when teachers do not match tasks to pupils’ abilities and work is not sufficiently challenging.
• Pupils conduct themselves well at different times of the school day. This is the result of the positive relationships that they have with the adults in school and each other.
• Pupils know the school rules and usually follow them. Pupils are polite, well-mannered and thoughtful. Incidents of pupils using derogatory language are very rare.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Outcomes for pupils require improvement due to the inconsistencies in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.
• Unvalidated data for 2018 shows that the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check remains below the national average. However, by the end of Year 2 the vast majority of pupils catch up and achieve the expected standard.
• By the end of key stage 1 in 2018, pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the expected standard was above the national average. The proportion of pupils exceeding the expected standard was also above the national average in reading and mathematics. However, no pupils achieved higher than the expected standard in writing.
• The outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics for disadvantaged pupils lag behind those of other pupils nationally. Leaders and teachers do not use assessment information well enough to close gaps in pupils’ learning. As a result, disadvantaged pupils underperform.
• For current pupils, particularly the most able, the lack of challenge across a range of subjects hinders their progress. For example, in mathematics pupils in Year 1 have insufficient opportunities to develop their reasoning and problem-solving skills.
• Pupils with SEND make good progress from their starting points. The school caters well for the growing complexity of some pupils’ social and emotional needs.

Early years provision Inadequate

• While provision and outcomes for children in the early years require improvement, weaknesses in the effectiveness of the school’s work to safeguard pupils mean the overall judgement for early years is inadequate.
• Leaders’ expectations of what children in the early years can achieve are not high enough, particularly in their number work and writing. Leaders’ plans for improvement are not sufficiently precise, and do not fully reflect the correct priorities to generate more-rapid improvement. Adults do not use assessment information well enough to make sure that learning tasks match children’s needs routinely. Some children, especially the most able, do not make as much progress as they should during their Reception Year.
• The early years leader has promoted the development of children’s physical, social and emotional abilities effectively. The same level of challenge has not been expected in children’s reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers do not provide sufficient opportunities for all children to develop these basic skills rapidly enough.
• Published data shows that the proportion of children leaving the early years with a good level of development has been below the national average over time. Unvalidated data for 2018 shows that the proportion of children reaching the expected standard and exceeding the expected standard in writing is lower than the national averages. Likewise, the proportion of children exceeding the expected standard in number is also lower than the national average.
• Teachers have established clear routines for children to follow. Relationships between adults and children are strong and teachers’ expectations of behaviour are high. As a result, behaviour is good, and children cooperate well together.
• The teaching of phonics across the early years is inconsistent. As a result, children do not develop early reading skills quickly and not all are well prepared for Year 1.
• Teachers plan well for imaginative learning to support language development. Children show high levels of concentration and independence when engaging in these activities.
• Relationships between staff and parents are strong. Parents appreciate the support and encouragement they receive from members of staff. For example, workshops equip parents with the knowledge they need to support their children’s reading development at home. Parents say that their children are well supported and settle well.
• Leaders ensure that welfare requirements are met. As a result, children appear happy and secure in their learning.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 107686 Kirklees 10042195 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Infant School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 4 to 7 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 157 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Dawn Whiteley Chris Wood 01484 222482 www.kirkroyds.co.uk office@kirkroyds.co.uk Date of previous inspection 12–13 March 2014

Information about this school

• Kirkroyds Infant School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is below average. A small number of these pupils have an education, health and care plan.
• Almost all pupils are of White British heritage.
• The school federated with a local junior school in January 2013. The headteacher also leads and manages the junior school. There is a shared governing body between the two schools.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed a range of teaching and learning in lessons. Some lessons were observed jointly with a senior leader. Inspectors looked at pupils’ work in books covering a range of subjects, abilities and year groups.
• Inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and leaders with responsibility for the early years, SEND, English and mathematics, science and PE.
• Inspectors met with members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.
• Inspectors met with a group of pupils and considered their views of the school. They also spoke informally with pupils during lessons and during lunchtimes and breaktimes.
• Inspectors considered the 31 responses and 18 free-text responses from parents to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and spoke informally with parents at the start of the school day.
• Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including leaders’ self-evaluation of the school’s performance; the school improvement plan; minutes of governing body meetings; information about pupils’ outcomes, behaviour and attendance; and several key school policies. Inspectors considered a range of documentation in relation to child protection, safeguarding, risk assessments, health and safety and the recruitment of staff.
• There were no responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.
• There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire.

Inspection team

Peter Heaton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Karine Hendley Her Majesty’s Inspector