Grimes Dyke Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching, especially in reading, writing and mathematics, by:
  • raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils can do, especially for boys in writing, including in the early years
  • ensuring that teachers include those pupils who do not offer an answer in discussions, and pitch questions appropriately to pupils’ abilities
  • ensuring that pupils develop resilience in tackling difficult tasks, especially for the most able pupils, so that pupils are fully engaged in learning and reduce the amount of time they become distracted
  • ensuring that reading activities help the low-attaining pupils read with understanding.
• Improve the quality of leadership and management by:
  • ensuring that leaders’ evaluations of teaching and pupils’ learning are accurate and used to secure improvements in pupils’ attainment and progress
  • ensuring that the curriculum prepares pupils well for the rigours of key stage 2 across all subjects
  • ensuring that leaders use assessment information to monitor and evaluate how well different groups of pupils are doing and support teachers to use that information to improve the quality of teaching and learning
  • developing effective strategies to reduce the number of behaviour incidents which disrupt pupils’ learning.
• Improve the quality of the provision in the early years by:
  • making more resources available to support children in their reading, writing and number skills
  • improving the assessment of children’s progress and use it to plan activities which match their needs more precisely. An external review of the school’s governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Leaders have not tackled all the areas for improvement since the previous inspection. There remains a lack of challenge for the most able pupils, and weaknesses in pupils’ writing and mathematical skills. Boys’ progress and engagement in the early years continue to be a concern. Pupils’ outcomes at the end of key stages 1 and 2 fell short of leaders and governors’ aspirations.
• The school had a difficult time last year. Some weak teaching, staff absence and some knotty staffing issues all contributed to creating a decline in the quality of teaching. Leaders have not been sufficiently ambitious in responding to the demands of the recent changes to the key stage 2 curriculum. Consequently, pupils were ill prepared for the next stage in their education.
• The headteacher and senior and middle leaders undertake regular monitoring of the quality of teaching, but their evaluations have been over optimistic. Where there have been clear indications of underperformance, leaders have put in place effective support plans for individual teachers and this is beginning to bear fruit.
• Leaders and governors have undertaken a candid review of the causes of the poor results at key stage 2 in 2017 and they have taken urgent action to secure improvements in pupils’ reading and writing skills. Their actions are showing early signs of success and work in pupils’ books has improved.
• The school’s work to improve the teaching of phonics resulted in a sharp rise in the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in 2017. Nevertheless, leaders know that there is no room for complacency in ensuring that improvements are maintained.
• Pupils benefit from a number of trips and visitors, which extend their knowledge of other cultures and religions. Leaders ensure that pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. Leaders’ determination to provide a breadth of experience occasionally meets with resistance from some parents. For example, some parents did not want their child to experience a visit to a local mosque. Leaders were tenacious in persuading parents about the benefits of such a visit.
• The school’s use of the pupil premium funding has had some success, and disadvantaged pupils’ attendance is now in line with the national average. Leaders’ analysis of the barriers facing disadvantaged pupils is accurate and thorough. For example, leaders identified that many disadvantaged pupils had speech and communication difficulties. Leaders successfully used the expertise from the school’s specially resourced unit, and there are clear signs of pupils gaining confidence and skills as a result of this support.
• Leaders have ensured that the additional funding for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is used effectively. There is a strong team whose members ensure that pupils who have additional needs are identified, and individual reviews of how well pupils are doing are carried out in a timely fashion.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities frequently have significant needs, predominantly with emotional, behavioural and social difficulties, and with speech, language and communication difficulties. Staff have regular training to equip them with the skills to support these pupils. Generally, this is done well, but occasionally teaching assistants do not always deal with disruptive behaviour effectively, and consequently, other pupils’ learning is disrupted.
• The quality of the support from the local authority has been variable. Officers were slow to take decisive action when they first had concerns about the school.

Governance of the school

• Governors are candid in admitting that they have ‘taken their eye off the ball’. They failed to challenge effectively when pupils’ outcomes were not as strong as they should have been in 2016. They were aware of changes to the curriculum in key stage 2, but their level of challenge and support to school leaders was ineffective in preventing poor outcomes for pupils in 2017.
• Governors have now started to re-evaluate their own skills and expertise. Governors accurately identify the priorities for the school. They are passionate in supporting the school in maintaining excellent relationships with families and the community. They recently visited the school for a day to explore how they can offer better challenge and support. However, it is too soon to see any demonstrable impact.
• Governors understand how the pupil premium funding has been spent, but they do not fully appreciate the range and success of the activities it supports. They have had more success in ensuring that the physical education and sport premium is used effectively. Governors have checked that the work of the sports coach has been successful in engaging more pupils in taking up out-of-school activities. As a result, more pupils are enjoying the benefits of regular exercise and of belonging to a club or team.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• There is a strong safeguarding culture in the school. The safety of pupils, especially the significant number who are in vulnerable circumstances, is at the heart of the school’s work. Staff are vigilant in spotting when pupils are experiencing difficulties. Liaison with external agencies is frequent and effective. Records include a clear chronology of incidents and actions, enabling staff to spot any escalations in the number or types of concerns. Consequently, pupils and their families are confident that any concerns are dealt with effectively.
• Leaders have ensured that the risk posed by extremism is assessed appropriately. The school is highly successful in creating an environment in which pupils feel comfortable and safe. Staff have had effective training and they are confident in discussing difficult topics so that pupils feel able discuss their ideas and thoughts in a safe environment.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can do have led to dips in pupils’ progress and a weak set of results for Year 6 and at the end of key stage 1 in 2017. A consequence of these low expectations is that pupils have not attained high enough standards in reading, writing and mathematics. The quality of teaching is improving but not enough to eradicate inconsistencies.
• Teachers do not consistently use assessment information effectively to build on the skills, knowledge and understanding pupils already have. Teachers use questions to test out pupils’ understanding, but too readily give pupils the answers. This holds back their progress, especially that of the most able pupils. Some pupils offer answers to teachers’ questions frequently but many do not, choosing not to put up their hands. There are occasions when teachers match the difficulty of the question to the ability of the pupil, but this does not happen consistently.
• Teachers work harder than their pupils. Pupils give up too easily when they find the work challenging. They do not seek to find out solutions to problems for themselves. Instead, they rely too much on teachers and teaching assistants to encourage and support them. Consequently, pupils are not resilient when they are sitting tests and do not develop independence.
• Teachers have had recent success in improving pupils’ stamina in writing at length. Throughout the school, boys’ writing continues to be weaker than that of girls. Pupils’ writing is not of the same quality in subjects such as science or topic work as it is in English.
• The teaching of phonics has improved and this has resulted in a sharp rise in the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check last year. Leaders are aware that there are occasionally inconsistencies in how well sounds are modelled by adults. Nevertheless, pupils use their skills effectively to sound out words and are gaining increasing confidence and enjoyment in their reading. Less able readers are keen to have a go with unfamiliar texts, but not with full understanding.
• Teachers are becoming more skilled in ensuring that pupils have opportunities to explain their thinking in mathematics and undertake investigations to explore problems. Teachers regularly offer pupils an extra challenge when they have completed their main task. However, pupils often select the level of challenge they will undertake and this sometimes leads to the most able pupils not being challenged sufficiently.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Teachers know their needs, and teaching assistants generally offer a strong level of support so that pupils make progress and develop pride in their achievements.

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 have strong and warm relationships with all the adults in the school and with each other. A significant proportion of pupils experience turmoil in their life outside school and staff work effectively with them to develop their confidence. Pupils are courteous and they are confident in talking with adults.
• The school has created trusting relationships with parents, who speak highly of staff. School staff go above and beyond expectations to support families through difficult times. This approach is highly effective in overcoming obstacles to pupils’ learning and gaining the support of parents.
• Teachers and other adults ensure that pupils have good-quality opportunities to debate tricky subjects as part of the school’s personal, social and health education programme and through informal support. The school’s effective nurture unit is highly valued by parents and pupils.
• Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including staying safe online. They have faith in staff to take action on their behalf should they need it, in the knowledge that support will be swift, effective and sensitive.
• Pupils who have speech, language and communication difficulties develop confidence and skills. They play a full and active part in all school activities.
• Pupils’ confidence in tackling difficult work is less well developed because they do not have enough opportunities to tackle demanding tasks.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• The school is generally a calm and orderly environment. A significant number of pupils, mainly boys, have identified behaviour difficulties. They are generally supported well in managing their challenging behaviour. However, the school’s records show that there is a high number of incidents that interfere with learning. Pupils also report that they have had to leave their classrooms on occasions so that adults can deal with an incident.
• Pupils are generally amenable and show respect towards each other and to adults. However, in lessons, they are typically restless, and fidget when they are not engaged by the teaching.
• Pupils understand how all forms of bullying can be upsetting and they know that they can approach any adult for help should they need it and get a swift response. Pupils are generally kind to each other and help each other out. Some pupils in key stages 1 and 2 who spoke with inspectors said that occasionally pupils call each other names and fall out. This tends to be about appearance or teasing about families.
• On the playground, pupils play well together. Games are lively and pupils are quick to invite others to join in. Older pupils, in their high-visibility jackets and caps, act as ‘play buddies’ to support the setting up of games and help with any minor fallings-out between friends. Plenty of adults are close at hand to support.
• The school has had success in ensuring that pupils attend well and pupils’ attendance is average. In keeping with the school’s ethos, exclusions are rare and the school works extremely hard and generally successfully to keep pupils with identified behaviour difficulties in school and accessing learning.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Results at the end of key stage 2 in 2017 show that a much lower than average proportion of pupils reached the expected standard. Pupils’ attainment in combined mathematics, reading and writing was well below average standards and has declined since 2016. Overall, pupils’ progress in reading was not good enough. Progress in mathematics and writing was particularly weak, especially for boys in writing. Disadvantaged pupils made similarly weak progress.
• Fewer pupils reached the expected standards at the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics in 2017 compared with the previous year. The proportions of pupils achieving a higher level of understanding were disappointing in reading and writing and especially poor in mathematics.
• Work in pupils’ books since July shows that pupils’ skills in writing and mathematics are improving. Pupils in key stage 2 are beginning to make up the ground they lost last year. Pupils are developing more stamina in their writing and enjoying more interesting problem-solving work in mathematics. Boys’ skills in writing are not improving as quickly as those of girls.
• The current progress of disadvantaged pupils, who account for the majority of pupils, is keeping pace with the smaller proportion of other pupils in reading, writing and mathematics.
• The most able pupils across the school are not making rapid enough progress because teachers do not expect enough from them. Their ability to wrestle with difficult problems or investigations is limited.
• Leaders and teachers have concentrated on improving pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics, with some early signs of success. However, the progress pupils make in other subjects, such as science and topic work, is weaker.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are currently keeping pace with other pupils. Sometimes they make better progress because the support they have from teachers and other adults is tightly focused on specific skills and knowledge. Pupils who have speech, language and communication difficulties are also supported well, and generally make good progress.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• The majority of children enter the Nursery class with skills, knowledge and abilities which are below those typical for their age. Children’s personal, social and emotional development and the development of their speech and language skills are generally the weaker elements.
• Additional funding has been used to support children with extra help from a speech and language specialist in the Nursery and Reception classes. This has had some success, but it has been more limited for boys, because adults do not engage them effectively in reading and writing activities. Instead, boys generally choose to do more physical tasks, such as riding bikes or throwing and catching balls, and adults do not successfully use these activities to stimulate boys’ interest in writing and reading.
• The resources for stimulating children’s interest in reading, writing and mathematics are underdeveloped. There are not enough exciting writing and number activities for children to use independently.
• The proportion of children who reached a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year was below the national average in 2017 and has not kept pace with improvements nationally. This is due in part to the variation from year to year in the skills and knowledge with which children enter the school, with not all children coming through from Nursery. Nevertheless, the extent to which children are prepared for the move into Year 1 is inconsistent.
• Leaders’ assessments of children’s progress have not been sufficiently precise. For example, photographs of children’s activities are not accompanied by an evaluation of their gains in skills, knowledge or understanding. Leaders are developing a more effective strategy for assessing children’s progress, but this is a recent development and it is too soon to evaluate it fully.
• Children gain confidence in the early years, often from low starting points. They are kind to each other and develop increasingly confident social skills. The early years is a safe and nurturing environment in which children develop positive relationships with adults and with each other. The work to ensure that children are safe and well cared for is very strong.
• Children enjoy most success in developing their reading, writing and number skills when they are involved in adult-directed activities. For example, children working with the teacher persevered in forming letters correctly, and commented to each other about how well they were doing and how hard they were trying.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 107924 Leeds 10024018 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Maintained 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 287 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Graeme Greenfield Louise Hill 0113 294 1066 www.grimesdyke.leeds.sch.uk louise.hill@grimesdyke.leeds.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 13–14 December 2012

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school is an average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are eligible for support from the pupil premium is much higher than the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is much higher than the national average.
• The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils who have speech, language and communication difficulties. There are currently five pupils accessing this provision through support in class.
• In 2016, the school met the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• The inspection was carried out over three days. The inspectors observed learning across the school and made short visits to classrooms. The headteacher and deputy headteacher accompanied the lead inspectors on a number of occasions.
• The inspectors listened to pupils read and reviewed the work in pupils’ books.
• Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and during break was observed.
• The inspector talked informally with pupils in lessons and around the school and held formal meetings with pupils across key stage 2.
• The inspectors held discussions with the headteacher and senior leaders. In addition to this, the inspectors met with members of the governing body, subject leader/ coordinators and staff responsible for safeguarding, behaviour and attendance. Inspectors also met a representative from the local authority on two occasions.
• Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation, including leaders’ evaluation of the school’s performance and school improvement planning. They also looked at minutes of governing body meetings and documentation relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance.
• Inspectors took into account the views of parents during the inspection, as well as 57 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View. One inspector met with two parents.
• Inspectors took into account the views of the staff throughout the inspection.

Inspection team

Joan Hewitt, lead inspector Mary Lanovy-Taylor Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Eve Morris, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector