Orchard Primary Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Continue to improve pupils’ behaviour by:
  • further reducing the incidence of name-calling, particularly that involving homophobic and racist language
  • further developing pupils’ skills to be self-disciplined and less reliant on the presence of adults to maintain a good standard of behaviour.
• Continue to improve the outcomes of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities by:
  • supporting the professional development of teaching assistants so that they can extend their skills further
  • exploring further strategies for the in-class support of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, in addition to the intervention strategies which are already in place.
• Accelerate the recent improvement in outcomes to secure even stronger consistency in teaching and learning by:
  • ensuring that teachers check pupils’ understanding of learning before progressing to the next stage or activity
  • making sure that all pupils give their full attention when the teacher is speaking to the class.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since his appointment in September 2017, the principal has set about the rapid transformation of the school with a single-minded determination. His unswerving belief in the ability of the pupils and their entitlement to a good education is bringing about a cultural shift in the school. Expectations of what pupils can achieve are high. Staff morale is high.
• The principal is ably supported in this work by the chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust and the governors. They share the principal’s commitment and have given him the support to make the numerous tough decisions which were required to improve the school. As a consequence of these actions, teaching is improving rapidly, and outcomes, from a low base, are strengthening quickly.
• Following a period of significant turbulence in the staffing of the school, the principal has established a new leadership team and a settled teaching team. Although it is only possible to see ‘green shoots’ since they have been just a few weeks in post, these leaders are already having an impact on the quality of teaching.
• During the last year, leaders used targeted, intensive training to bring about rapid improvement in the quality of teaching. Now, as standards are beginning to rise, leaders have implemented a professional development plan which is carefully interlocked with leaders’ plans to improve the school further. There is a coherence to their planning.
• Since taking up their posts, new leaders have acted swiftly and decisively to introduce an effective curriculum. Pupils are taught about the world beyond the school gates and are increasingly aware of the differences between people in society. Leaders have ensured that pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is a priority. Already, just a short time into the school year, pupils’ understanding of modern Britain and the complexities of the world is growing. Pupils speak positively about the range of extra-curricular activities that they can do, particularly sport.
• Leaders’ use of the physical education (PE) and sport premium and additional funding for pupils who are disadvantaged is effective. Outcomes for disadvantaged pupils are improving. As a result of leaders’ use of the PE and sport premium, the ‘School Games Gold Award’ has been achieved. Funding for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is carefully used, especially for additional resources and intervention strategies. Leaders recognise, however, that there is more to do to strengthen the provision further for these pupils in the classroom.

Governance of the school

• Governors share the principal’s ambitious vision for the school. They have supported him in taking difficult actions so that the quality of education improves. As a result of their steadfast support and challenge, the culture of the school is undergoing a significant change for the better.
• Governors acknowledge that pupils’ outcomes are not good enough and have not been good enough for some time. Over the last year, they have worked with the leaders of the multi-academy trust to address these failings. Consequently, teaching is getting better and pupils are achieving more.
• Governors know their school well. They know its strengths and they know its weaknesses. They do not try to shirk any responsibility for why outcomes have been poor over time. Crucially, they are now taking the necessary steps to put things right.
• It is clear that governors hold leaders more fully to account for the performance of the school. Minutes of governors’ meetings provide ample evidence that, during the last year, they have challenged leaders about the most important areas for improvement. This has contributed to the improving picture.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school.
• Leaders have ensured that the necessary checks of adults working in the school are carried out. Procedures for the safer recruitment of staff are in place.
• Leaders ensure that all staff have received the necessary training and that this is regularly updated. Teachers told inspectors about weekly ‘safeguarding dilemma’ discussions in staff briefings, so that they remain alert to the dangers facing their pupils. Staff are aware of the signs to look out for and the procedures to follow should they be worried.
• Those with specific responsibility for safeguarding matters work closely with external agencies and ensure that vulnerable children are kept safe.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teaching is improving quickly across most years and key stages. Typically, teachers have high expectations of their pupils. Teachers mostly set work which challenges pupils and enables them to make strong gains in their learning. For the majority of the time, teachers make effective checks on pupils’ understanding before moving on to the next step.
• In key stage 2, for example, teachers make effective use of the ‘guided reading’ scheme to extend pupils’ vocabulary and their enjoyment of reading. Pupils in Year 6 were able to show inspectors how they had chosen more interesting and expressive language as a result of this teaching. In Year 3, pupils of all abilities use dictionaries to learn the meanings of unfamiliar and more challenging vocabulary. As a result, their writing is becoming more engaging. Pupils are becoming more skilled writers, better equipped to express shades of meaning beyond the literal and obvious.
• In key stage 1, pupils’ reading is strengthening as the result of leaders’ actions to improve phonics teaching. Teachers now use a single approach to phonics teaching, which has led to improvements in pupils’ reading. For instance, in Year 1, pupils demonstrate growing competence in matching the sounds they have learned with the spellings of words. Teachers make sure that the books pupils read are well matched to their phonics stage.
• The teaching of mathematics is also improving rapidly. Pupils are taught a range of approaches to the solving of mathematical questions, which enables them to make progress and move to more challenging tasks. Problem solving and mathematical reasoning questions are introduced in key stage 1, so pupils do not just repeat lots of the same basic sums. As a result, leaders are ensuring that the skills necessary for pupils to achieve well in key stage 2 are systematically taught from key stage 1.
• Pupils make strong progress in wider subject areas. In key stage 1 history, for example, pupils write extended pieces on the castles of William the Conqueror. In Year 3 science, pupils can write up experiments about the properties of soil in an appropriate scientific style. Year 5 pupils use their widening vocabulary to enable them to write longer pieces about Antarctica.
• Teachers’ planning is frequently well matched to pupils’ needs. Teaching assistants are often deployed effectively in the support of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, for example with appropriately set tasks. The progress of these pupils is improving as a consequence. Leaders have identified the further professional development of teaching assistants as a priority.
• Occasionally, pupils make less progress than they should because a minority of teaching is not as effective. Sometimes, teachers do not take the time to check fully that pupils have grasped the learning point before they move on. This has the result that some pupils are left behind, especially boys. When this happens, the pupils become inattentive and lose focus.

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 are proud of their school. They want to do well. They have responded to the raised expectations which now permeate the school. In conversation with inspectors, pupils spoke enthusiastically about how much better the school has become under the leadership of the principal. They told inspectors about the numerous ways in which teachers enable them to be successful learners. They know what it is they have to do in each subject to achieve as highly as possible.
• Pupils told inspectors about how much safer they feel in school as the result of leaders’ actions. For example, a ‘no-touch’ rule has been introduced to reduce the frequency of boisterous physical contact between pupils. Pupils said that, ‘This used to be a hectic school. It’s a lot calmer now.’ They also feel safer as the result of enhancements to site security, such as fencing, and value the ‘lockdown’ drills they practise in case of an intruder emergency.
• Leaders have ensured that pupils receive education about matters such as e-safety, ‘bikeability’, road safety and the dangers of swimming in open water. They learn about some of the risks associated with extremist views.
• A recently introduced personal, social, health and economic curriculum supports pupils in their emotional development. Across the early years foundation stage and key stages 1 and 2, pupils have learned about World Black History Month and World Languages Day. They have had a focus on social and emotional mental health. In discussion about the effect of studying these topics, pupils told inspectors that, ‘Everybody is different, but we’re all equal.’
• Pupils spoken to by inspectors said that bullying is uncommon, but that, if it occurs, they know that it will be dealt with by staff. A few parents and carers are less certain that bullying is well managed. Leaders monitor the incidence of bullying, and school records show that action is taken.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• There is a shared consensus among staff and pupils that leaders have significantly improved behaviour over the last year. It is not yet consistently good, however.
• Pupils across all year groups told inspectors that hurtful name-calling, while reducing, still happens when adults are not present. Older pupils said that this includes homophobic and racist language. Leaders are aware that this is the case and have acted to lessen the frequency of such instances. There is more to do so that pupils have the self-discipline to refrain from such name-calling.
• For most of the time, pupils’ behaviour in class is good. They display positive attitudes to learning. On occasion, however, their attention wanders and they become inattentive. At times, pupils talk while the teacher is talking, or ignore instructions, particularly boys. This is usually because the teaching does not sufficiently engage them. Leaders are aware of these pockets of inconsistency, including those which have existed for a number of years and until recently have not been tackled.
• Pupils’ attendance is in line with national averages, as the result of concerted actions by leaders. Persistent absence is below the national average.
• Following a spike in fixed-term exclusions during the last year, while leaders implemented a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to get a grip on behaviour, the use of exclusion is reducing. The disproportionately high number of exclusions involving pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities has reduced significantly, as a result of leaders’ actions to meet the needs of these pupils better.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Over time, outcomes are not good enough. Leaders all acknowledge this fact. However, although still not where they need to be, the signs of improving outcomes are clear.
• Provisional information for the end of the key stage 2 national tests in 2018 indicates that pupils’ progress has improved compared to 2017 in each of reading, writing and mathematics. However, progress is still below the national average in each of these subjects.
• Disadvantaged pupils’ progress in the key stage 2 tests is also well below the progress of other pupils nationally, suggested by provisional data. It has improved, however, on 2017 figures. The school’s analysis indicates that the attainment of disadvantaged girls in 2018 was better than the attainment of non-disadvantaged girls in 2018. The progress of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is, according to the school’s analysis, well below the progress of other pupils nationally and is a priority for leaders.
• The attainment of pupils in key stage 1 remains below the national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. However, attainment in 2018 is significantly better than in 2017.
• The proportion of pupils achieving the standard in the phonics screening check increased by a substantial margin in 2018 compared to 2017, although it is still below the national figure for 2017.
• As the result of improving teaching, pupils currently in the school are making stronger progress than previously. This is the case in most years and in both English and mathematics. Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged are increasingly well supported in making gains in their learning.

Early years provision Good

• Although the provision has only been in its new base for a few weeks, leaders and teachers are already having a positive effect on the children’s development. Routines are established, so that children are settled well into their curriculum.
• Leaders have established strong relationships with parents and carers. For example, parents are encouraged to remain with their child for the first 10 minutes of the day to aid their child with the transition into the base, but mainly so that parents can see what it is that their child will be doing. This is to support parents in reinforcing and practising the learning with their child at home.
• Children’s learning is recorded effectively in learning journals. This includes parental engagement. Teachers and parents communicate electronically, so that they can work together to address gaps or misconceptions in the child’s understanding. For example, inspectors saw evidence of how teachers planned activities in response to parental communication, to address difficulties in number sequencing.
• Leaders have high expectations of what the children can achieve. They attach importance to the teaching of numbers and to reading. Children’s fluency in counting and recognising small numbers of items is effectively taught. The teaching of phonics enables the children to begin to recognise and sound out vowels and consonants, supporting them in beginning to read whole-class books.
• Teachers actively plan opportunities to develop children’s language skills. While the children have a wide range of play areas to choose from, there are frequent adult-led sessions where the teacher’s questioning is skilfully used to consolidate and extend the children’s oral skills.
• The outdoor area is taking effective shape as a learning environment and is already providing opportunities for physical development. Leaders have appropriate plans to expand this aspect of the provision further.
• Standards of behaviour in the early years foundation stage are strong. The children conduct themselves well. They are polite to visitors. They play together considerately and thoughtfully, sharing spaces and resources.
• Outcomes are improving. Although the proportion of children achieving a good level of development in the last two years has been below the national average, they join the provision with skills and knowledge below that which would be typical for their age. Despite this, there was a notable improvement in the proportion of children achieving a good level of development in 2018. They are increasingly well prepared for starting key stage 1.
• Welfare and safeguarding measures are appropriate and effective.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 142003 Kirklees 10053421 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Sponsored academy 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 303 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Principal Telephone number Website Email address Barbara Cunningham Matt Carbutt 01924469578 www.orchardprimaryacademy.org office@orchardprimaryacademy.org Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Orchard Primary Academy is an average-sized primary school.
• The principal took up post in September 2017. The vice-principal commenced in role in September 2018. The leader for mathematics also took up post in September 2018.
• The school is part of South Pennine Academies’ multi-academy trust, which it joined in November 2015. Trust members delegate responsibility for the governance of the school to the trustees, who sit on five committees. In turn, governance responsibility is then delegated to local governance boards. There is a chief executive officer of the trust.
• The school has a higher-than-national-average proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan and a higher than national average of pupils who are in receipt of special educational needs support. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well above the national average. The school serves a community with a higher level of deprivation than is the national average.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors undertook observations of teaching in lessons, across years and key stages. On occasions, they were accompanied by senior leaders. During these observations, inspectors spoke with pupils about their work.
• Pupils’ work was also scrutinised as part of work samples.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ conduct between classes and around the school.
• Meetings were held with: the chief executive officer of the trust; the principal and other senior leaders; leaders of subject areas or key stages; the special educational needs co-ordinator; teachers at different career points; and a group of non-teachers. The lead inspector met with the chair of governors and the vice-chair of governors. He also met the school’s improvement adviser.
• Inspectors met with groups of pupils formally and spoke with them around the school at social times.
• An inspector spoke with parents at the start of the day.
• An inspector listened to pupils read.
• A range of school documentation was scrutinised. This included information relating to: safeguarding and child protection; attendance and behaviour; bullying; the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans; information about pupils’ progress and attainment; and minutes of governors’ meetings and activities. Leaders’ records and analysis of the quality of teaching were reviewed.
• Inspectors took into account 53 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire Parent View, including 15 free-text responses, and 31 responses to the staff survey.

Inspection team

Steve Shaw, lead inspector Eleanore Pickard Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Mary Lanovy-Taylor Ofsted Inspector