Hunslet St Mary's Church of England Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Urgently improve the quality of leadership, including governance, by:
  • raising leaders’ expectations of what pupils of all abilities ought to be able to achieve
  • ensuring that middle leaders are supported to become effective in their responsibilities
  • identifying precisely, in strategic plans, the intended impact of actions on pupils’ learning and progress and how this will be measured
  • ensuring that the checks made by leaders at all levels on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment lead to rapid improvements
  • improving the leadership of special educational needs so that the identification and monitoring of the progress of pupils with SEND are accurate and that swift action is taken to ensure that their needs are effectively met
  • ensuring that governors hold leaders to account stringently for their actions, including making sure that pupil premium funding is used effectively to improve the achievement of disadvantaged pupils
  • giving more careful thought to the planning of the curriculum so that pupils acquire knowledge systematically and progressively over time and make good progress.
• Rapidly improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so that pupils make consistently good progress across a wide range of subjects, especially reading, by:
  • raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve across the curriculum, so that a higher proportion reach and exceed the expected standards for their age
  • making more effective use of assessment so that teachers plan tasks which build upon what pupils already know, understand and can do
  • reviewing the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics and introducing more effective strategies that help pupils to make rapid progress in these subjects
  • providing effective teaching and support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.
• Improve pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare, by ensuring that:
  • pupils, particularly boys, consistently behave considerately to others when playing
  • pupils develop greater stamina in their learning, so that they persevere and work hard
  • all incidents and allegations of poor behaviour, including bullying and the use of discriminatory language, are recorded and followed up appropriately. An external review of governance should be undertaken to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved. 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. The school may not appoint newly qualified teachers.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

• The quality of teaching and pupils’ progress have deteriorated since the last inspection. Leaders have failed to stem this decline. Leaders have not successfully addressed the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection. Leaders and governors have an inaccurate and overly positive view of the school’s effectiveness.
• Senior and middle leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, and their subsequent actions, have not brought about improvements quickly enough. As a result, standards across the curriculum are too low. The large majority of pupils are insufficiently prepared for secondary school when they leave at the end of Year 6.
• Leaders have not ensured consistently good behaviour. Positive relationships with adults, and the application of the behaviour policy, help the majority of pupils to behave well much of the time. However, these measures have not helped a minority of pupils to develop self-discipline and positive attitudes to learning.
• Leaders’ strategic plans do not identify the intended impact of actions on pupils’ outcomes. Leaders and governors measure success in terms of the accomplishment of actions rather than evaluating the impact of those actions on the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress.
• Middle leaders’ skills are underdeveloped. They lack effective mentoring and direction from senior leaders. Some do not have the knowledge to be able to support teachers effectively, for example in teaching reading. Middle leaders’ actions have made insufficient difference to the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes.
• Leaders have not ensured effective provision for disadvantaged pupils, those with SEND, and the most able. Leaders check the progress of pupils regularly, but have not properly measured the impact of teaching on pupils’ progress. The effectiveness of the use of the pupil premium funding and funding for pupils with SEND is limited.
• Leaders have recently reviewed the curriculum to ensure teaching covers all subjects within the national curriculum. Pupils acquire knowledge in a wide range of subjects, but the accumulation of knowledge has been limited over time and lacks depth. Generally, work in subjects such as history, geography and science makes insufficient demands on the large majority of pupils. Furthermore, teachers provide too few opportunities for pupils to effectively use, practise and apply their reading, writing and mathematical knowledge in these subjects.
• Funding provided for physical education (PE) and sport is used effectively. Many pupils value opportunities to participate in sporting activities, including through a range of after-school sports clubs.
• Leaders promote the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils through such activities as collective worship, religious education (RE) lessons and ‘circle time’. The impact of these activities on pupils’ preparation for life in modern Britain is variable. Many pupils demonstrate knowledge about, and respect and tolerance for, a range of faiths other than Christianity and different views about gender; others do not.
• The local authority and the diocese recognise many of the weaknesses in the quality of education.

Governance of the school

• Governors have a limited understanding of the achievement of different groups of pupils. Governors have not properly checked that the use of pupil premium funding leads to improved outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. As a result, the additional funding has not been spent effectively and this group of pupils do not achieve as well as they should.
• The governing body is aware that much needs to be done to improve the school, but still has an inaccurate view of its overall effectiveness. This is, in part, because information provided by leaders is sometimes not helpful or accurate.
• The recently appointed chair of the governing body is ambitious for pupils and families. He is encouraging more governors to challenge leaders about the information they receive and to ask searching questions. Minutes of governing body meetings do not accurately reflect the challenge governors assert they give to school leaders.
• Governors understand the local community. They are passionate about the school. They are keen to offer support to school leaders to improve the outcomes and opportunities for pupils.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Systems, procedures and checks for ensuring the safe recruitment of staff are in place. The record of these checks is complete and accurate.
• Staff are suitably trained in safeguarding procedures. Adults report their concerns about pupils to the appropriate leaders and record concerns carefully. Leaders work with other agencies to support the needs of those pupils whose circumstances may make them vulnerable.
• Leaders do not record incidents of poor behaviour, and allegations and/or incidents of the use of discriminatory language systematically enough. Pupils are too accepting of some behaviour and language so do not report these incidents to adults. This limits adults’ ability to see patterns in these behaviours and to plan appropriate responses. However, the safety of pupils is not unduly compromised by these weaknesses. Most parents and carers and pupils are satisfied that adults deal effectively with infrequent incidents of bullying.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

• Leaders’ and teachers’ expectations of what pupils are able to achieve are too low. Pupils’ rates of progress and learning across the curriculum, therefore, are too variable and generally weak over time.
• Pupils typically get on with their work and complete their tasks, although, too often, the rate at which they complete their work is slow. When teachers do not challenge and inspire pupils, uninterest causes a minority to become restless and disrupt each other’s learning. Valuable learning time is lost.
• Some teachers and teaching assistants do not check sufficiently carefully how well pupils are learning in lessons. This is particularly the case for disadvantaged pupils and for those with SEND. Consequently, these pupils do not make the progress of which they are capable.
• Teaching assistants are not consistently deployed effectively. Inspectors noted some effective examples of adults helping pupils new to learning English. At times, however, some teaching assistants do too much for pupils, particularly those with SEND, limiting their independence.
• The quality of phonics teaching is variable, resulting in too few pupils reaching the required standard by the end of Year 1. Last year, a concerted effort helped all pupils who did not reach the standard by the end of key stage 1 to do so by the end of Year 2. Teachers do not give enough help to key stage 2 pupils who are struggling with their reading, so they do not catch up. The teaching of reading is inadequate.
• An increasing proportion of pupils have attended the daily ‘rise and read’ sessions before the start of the school day. These sessions have had very little demonstrable impact on standards in reading.
• The teaching of mathematics for pupils currently in the school has begun to improve. This is because teachers use apparatus and visual images to help pupils develop better conceptual understanding. However, teachers expect too many pupils to revisit work which they have already mastered. Progress over time has been weak. Current teaching is not helping pupils to catch up quickly enough.
• Over time, the teaching of writing has been more effective than the teaching of reading and mathematics. However, teachers do not help pupils to develop speed, fluency and stamina in their writing well enough. Too many pupils are not inspired to write because teachers do not engage them with stimulating purposes to write in a range of subjects.
• Teaching across other curriculum subjects is too variable in quality. Generally, teachers make use of resources that do not make sufficient demands of middle- and higher-ability pupils. Teachers do not deepen pupils’ thinking sufficiently well.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement. Teachers are not helping pupils to develop stamina in their learning and to work quickly enough.
• Pupils are mostly too accepting of the use of discriminatory language, shrugging it off and not reporting it to adults. There are very few records kept of incidents that would help adults to recognise patterns of poor behaviour over time well enough. Nevertheless, parents feel that their children are safe in school. Most pupils have confidence that these issues are dealt with properly by adults when they seek help. A very small number of parents and pupils said reported incidents are occasionally not properly addressed by school leaders. Most parents, however, are positive about their child’s experience at school.
• Most pupils whom inspectors questioned demonstrated understanding of how to stay safe online. A small number of pupils had a less well developed understanding.
• A small minority of pupils do not take sufficient care or pride with the presentation and organisation of their work in all subjects. Some books are not presented well or cared for.
• Many pupils exhibit good manners. They hold doors open, smile and say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. They welcome and show interest in visitors. Inspectors noted some pupils tidying a classroom without being asked. A small minority of pupils are less well mannered. For example, they are not respectful of others in the shared use of playground space, push each other when lining up, and run in the corridors.
• Pupils benefit from regular, nurturing, family group acts of worship and reflection.
• Pupils have a developing knowledge of the importance of healthy lifestyles and have a healthy living contract between home and school. Pupils described how they value sporting opportunities. Families value the ‘Fuel to Schools’ initiative.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• A number of pupils expressed concern about the behaviour of some of their peers, for example, boys fighting in the playground, usually over disagreements in football games. Inspectors witnessed some fighting at playtime which went undetected by school staff. Adults do not manage pupils’ behaviour consistently well at playtime and lunchtime. Nevertheless, many pupils behave well.
• Attendance is broadly in line with the national average. Levels of persistent absence have fluctuated over time. The persistent absence of disadvantaged pupils is higher than that of all pupils nationally. Leaders’ actions have resulted in improvements in attendance for some pupils.

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

• Outcomes for current pupils are too variable across different year groups and in a wide range of subjects. Although children’s learning gets off to a good start in early years, pupils’ progress is weak in key stages 1 and 2.
• Over the last few years, progress across key stage 2 has been weak in reading and in mathematics. Typically, only around a third of pupils have left Year 6 having met the expected standard for their age in reading, writing and mathematics. This is well below the national average and means that too many pupils are not adequately prepared for secondary school.
• In 2017, standards of attainment in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2 were very low. Although standards in each of these subjects improved in 2018, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected or greater depth standards still remained well below average in reading. In writing and in mathematics, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard was near to the national average. However, too few pupils achieved greater depth in their learning.
• The most able pupils do not reach the standards of which they are capable. Tasks set by teachers are not demanding enough to enable these pupils to reach their full potential. Some pupils stated that work is too easy, particularly in mathematics.
• The achievement of disadvantaged pupils is poor. Their performance is considerably lower than that of other pupils nationally. While there are some signs that these differences are beginning to diminish, they remain too wide.
• Pupils with SEND have made weak progress over time. Although pupils are provided with additional adult support, the quality of support is too variable. Leaders are unable to show convincingly the impact that support is having on improving pupils’ outcomes.
• In 2017 and 2018, the proportion of pupils in Year 1 reaching the expected standard in the national phonics screening check was below average. As a result of a concerted effort, all of the pupils who did not reach the expected standard by the end of Year 1 in 2017 caught up by the end of Year 2 in 2018.
• The weakest readers do not read regularly enough to develop fluency. They have very limited understanding of simple vocabulary, which hinders their understanding. The quality of the teaching of reading is such that progress was in the bottom 10% of schools nationally in 2018 for pupils at the end of key stage 2. Over several years, only half of the pupils leaving Year 6 have been able to read well enough by the time they enter secondary school.
• Despite recent improvements in the teaching of mathematics, progress is not strong enough to help pupils to catch up quickly. Outcomes in writing are better than they are in reading and mathematics. In 2018, progress and attainment in writing at the end of key stage 2 were broadly in line with the national average. This was not the case at the end of key stage 1.
• Pupils’ outcomes across the wider curriculum are too variable. Pupils’ workbooks show that they are not developing their knowledge, understanding and skills well enough.

Early years provision Good

• Children enter the Reception class with knowledge, skills and understanding largely below those typical for their age. As a result of effective provision, boys and girls make good progress from their starting points. Since the last inspection, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development has improved.
• The progress made by disadvantaged children in early years has improved steadily over recent years. Consequently, the difference between the progress and attainment of disadvantaged children and those of their peers has diminished each year.
• There are many engaging opportunities to read, write and develop number skills in different areas of the setting. Children, including boys, choose to participate for sustained periods of time in these activities.
• Teaching in early years is good. A wide range of creatively and carefully planned activities ensures that children have many opportunities to develop their love of learning. Children enjoy making choices about what they would like to learn and the curriculum is adapted to reflect their interests. Adults are skilled in choosing when to intervene to move learning forward and do so effectively.
• Adults’ expectations of children are high. Adults model the behaviour they wish children to display. As a result, behaviour is good and children share resources and cooperate well. The positive relationships that children form with staff and their peers help them to gain confidence and independence as they go about their work calmly and safely.
• The learning environment is orderly, stimulating and welcoming. There is a range of areas in which children can develop skills and play purposefully. It caters well for the wide needs and interests of the children. The outdoor area is utilised well to allow a varied choice of activities that support learning.
• Safeguarding and the welfare of children are a priority and all procedures are implemented thoroughly, including regular and rigorous risk assessments. Children are kept safe and understand how to keep themselves safe. There are strong relationships between home and early years. Parents are very positive about the care and support their children receive.
• The early years leader is determined to improve provision in early years even further. She leads a team of staff who work with her effectively to plan and deliver the best for the children they work with. The leader has an accurate understanding of the strengths of early years and what still needs to be improved.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 108053 Leeds 10042203 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 Voluntary aided 5 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 249 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Waheed Kahn Mark Ford 0113 271 7204 www.hunsletstmarys.co.uk mark.ford@stf.hunslet-st-marys.leeds.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 20–21 November 2013

Information about this school

• Hunslet St Mary’s is an average-sized primary school. It is a voluntary aided Church of England school in the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds.
• The school shares the same site as the nursery of the local children’s centre, which is under separate management.
• Most pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is broadly average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average. A smaller proportion of pupils than the national average has an education, health and care plan.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium funding is above the national average.

Information about this inspection

• Two of Her Majesty’s Inspectors visited the school in January, following the inspection in December, to gather further evidence.
• In December, inspectors visited lessons across the school to observe teaching and learning. In January, inspectors briefly visited most classes to observe pupils’ behaviour.
• Formal and informal discussions took place with senior leaders, including governors, subject leaders, staff, pupils, parents, a representative from the local authority and a representative of the diocese.
• Documentation relating to the school’s website and safeguarding procedures, including the single central record and information about recruitment checks, was scrutinised.
• Inspectors examined a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation, minutes of meetings of the governing body, records of the monitoring of teaching, plans for improvement, external reports on the school’s performance, and analysis of pupils’ attainment, progress and attendance.
• Pupils’ work in a wide range of subjects was extensively scrutinised, some alongside senior leaders. Inspectors listened to a number of pupils from key stages 1 and 2 reading aloud.
• Pupils’ behaviour was observed by inspectors in lessons, and during break- and lunchtimes.
• Inspectors spoke with pupils about their work informally during lessons and at other times of the school day. They met with groups of pupils to discuss their learning and listen to their views about their school. There were no responses to the online pupil survey.
• Inspectors spoke to a number of parents at the start and end of the school day. The inspection team took account of the seven written responses to the Ofsted questionnaire, Parent View. Inspectors also took account of the 27 staff responses to the online survey.

Inspection team

Nicola Shipman, lead inspector Jane Nolan Philip Riozzi Kirsty Godfrey

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector