Castleford Park Junior Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further refine curriculum planning and implementation by:
  • exemplifying expectations of each year group so the quality of recorded work in all subjects is as high as that in English and mathematics
  • providing opportunities for pupils to use and apply their computing skills
  • extending teachers’ subject knowledge and skills in all subjects.
• Further improve the learning and progress of all pupils by ensuring that:
  • errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation are addressed swiftly
  • teachers’ expectations of what all pupils can achieve within each lesson are high enough
  • pupils have sufficient practical and visual support to develop, secure and consolidate their mathematical understanding before formal recording.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher and her team are uncompromising in their commitment to continue to improve provision and outcomes for pupils. They are highly focused on ensuring that the school continues to improve. As a result, pupils’ progress and attainment have improved. As a consequence, in 2018 Year 6 results were above average in reading and writing and broadly average in mathematics.
• Leaders’ evaluations of the school’s strengths and areas for development are accurate. They know precisely where further work is needed and how they will tackle areas. For example, they know that almost all current pupils are making good overall progress as a result of the continued improvements in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment; but they know that there is a little variability.
• Coaching and support to improve teaching are effective. Leaders use their observations and evaluations of teaching to ensure that staff receive appropriate guidance and support that develop their individual needs. Staff value the professional development they receive. Staff are proud to work at the school.
• Leaders correctly identified the need to improve progress and attainment in mathematics following two years where mathematics progress has lagged behind that of reading and writing. As a consequence, mathematics planning, along with the approach to teaching, was reviewed. When introducing a new or difficult mathematical concept teachers provide pupils with practical equipment and visual displays before beginning formal recording. While this approach has improved progress across the school, there remains a little variability.
• Leaders have clear roles and responsibilities and they are committed to making the school even better. Although some leaders are relatively new to their roles, they understand their roles and responsibilities.
• Parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, are largely supportive of the school. Although there are regular parents’ evenings and an annual written report each year a small minority would welcome more information about their children’s progress.
• Since the previous inspection, leaders have reviewed the school’s curriculum. It now offers pupils a variety of interesting themes to study. These include ‘Survival of the Fittest’ and ‘A Night at the Museum’. The curriculum is developing well under the passionate and focused guidance of two leaders. However, teachers’ expectations in subjects other than mathematics and English are not always as high and this is reflected in books. In part, this is because teachers, sometimes within the same year groups, are not clear about what they want pupils to achieve by the end of the year in each subject. While pupils regularly use computers and other electronic devices to enhance their learning, some specific skills outlined in the national curriculum programme of study for computing are sometimes underdeveloped. A wide variety of extra-curricular opportunities increase and enrich pupils’ life experiences effectively.
• The school’s work to promote fundamental British values is effective. Pupils have a steadily developing understanding of these. By the time they reach Year 6, they can discuss and apply them confidently, with a high degree of maturity. For example, in a writing lesson pupils discussed the fact that in Sparta the soldiers were all male but, in our country, now both men and women can serve as soldiers.
• Pupils have a secure understanding of racism and gender stereotypes. They have studied a wide range of key historical characters and understand the issues that they faced. They can apply their learning well to a range of real-life situations.
• Leaders have a good knowledge and understanding of the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). There are clear processes for identifying these pupils, which are understood by staff. Pupils have detailed support plans, which ensure that they make good progress from their different starting points.
• The primary physical education and sport premium is used well. The full-time sports teacher models sports teaching for other staff. There are various clubs and sporting events that pupils say they enjoy.
• Leaders identify disadvantaged pupils’ barriers to learning. They have developed clear strategies to provide them with targeted support both in and out of the classroom so that funding is used effectively. This is helping to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils, but leaders know there is more work to do.

Governance of the school

• Governors know the school very well. They know exactly where improvements are being made and where further work is needed. They understand the school’s data and, with leaders, have used this knowledge to prioritise the use of resources such as the pupil premium grant. They take their roles and responsibilities very seriously and provide effective challenge and support to leaders.
• The school and its staff have been effectively supported by the Castleford multi-academy trust. The chief executive and the director of primary education make regular support and challenge visits to the school. Work with other trust headteachers highlights where further improvements are needed.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The designated safeguarding leaders ensure that all training for staff is up to date and that procedures to keep pupils safe are in place. They work well with external agencies so that they can support pupils and their families effectively. Leaders ensure that accurate safeguarding records are kept, and that they have a good oversight of vulnerable families. Staff are vigilant about pupils’ safety and confident to refer any concerns promptly.
• Pupils are clear about who they would speak to if they had any concerns or worries about anything. They speak highly of the inclusion team who operate an ‘open door’ policy that is valued by pupils.
• Risk assessments are in place and reviewed regularly. Accidents and incidents requiring first aid are regularly analysed to identify any potential patterns. Staff training in first aid is regularly reviewed.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Very effective guidance and support for teachers have led to secure improvements to the quality and consistency of teaching. Improvements since the previous inspection mean that across the school current pupils are making good progress.
• Teachers have good relationships with pupils. As a consequence, they manage the classroom behaviour well. This supports pupils’ good attitudes to learning.
• Teachers have good subject knowledge in English and mathematics and almost all have high expectations of what most pupils can achieve. However, this is not always the case and some teachers are less confident with other subjects.
• Teachers use questioning effectively to challenge and extend pupils’ learning. Teachers encourage pupils to discuss their work and confidently share their ideas. Pupils listen to each other and collaborate well, often supporting each other and checking and editing each other’s work.
• Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning. They provide pupils with advice, support and additional challenge. As a result, most pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress.
• In mathematics lessons, pupils are confident using equipment and they often benefit from visual displays before they go on to formally record work. However, on a small number of occasions pupils are moved on to formal recording too quickly, before they fully understand new ideas and concepts. The school’s ‘Ninja Maths’ sessions are effective in supporting mental mathematical recall.
• Teachers present pupils with tasks of increasing difficulty known as ‘Hero’, ‘Record Breaker’ and ‘Legends’ as well as ‘Diving for Depth’. Initially used in mathematics, this approach is being extended to other subjects including physical education lessons. This effectively challenges and motivates pupils to do their best. Pupils are encouraged to self-select tasks that are appropriate to their abilities. This is motivating many pupils to try hard.
• Teachers place a high priority on improving vocabulary and pupils respond well to this in lessons, using increasingly interesting words in their writing. Pupils are taught the full range of reading skills; teachers spend time developing and embedding each skill in lessons. The change to whole-class reading has developed and supported children’s love of reading. As a consequence of becoming more immersed in texts, they are developing empathy for the characters. This was particularly evident in a Year 3 lesson where pupils used ‘freeze frames’ to explore settings and characters’ thoughts and feelings.
• Teaching of writing is secure. Pupils are provided with opportunities to identify the features of different genres of writing before they go on to draft and edit their own work. Pupils have opportunities to write in a range of subjects. However, sometimes the quality and quantity of recorded work is not always as high as the work in English and mathematics books. Sometimes errors in pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar are not checked and, as a consequence, some pupils make repeated mistakes.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils say they feel safe because all of the adults take good care of them. Pupils are clear on who they would speak to if they had any concerns over safety or were worried about anything. Almost all parents who completed the online questionnaire agreed that their children are well cared for.
• Since the last inspection, a concerted effort to develop pupils’ understanding of people from a wide range of faiths and cultures has been effective. Pupils say they enjoy learning about religions and understand that it helps them to better understand and respect people who are different. Assemblies and classroom discussions develop pupils’ understanding of differences and tolerance effectively; one pupil commented, ‘It’s ok to be gay, that’s your personality, you should be who you want to be.’
• Pupils understand how to keep themselves healthy and can talk about potential dangers associated with safe use of the internet. Learning mentors are effective in supporting pupils to deal with problems and to become resilient learners.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils’ behaviour observed in and around the school was very good. Pupils told inspectors that behaviour was almost always good. They say any incidents of poor behaviour are quickly addressed by adults.
• Pupils are polite and courteous to each other and to visitors in school. They move around the school building in an orderly manner at all times of the school day, often holding doors open for each other. Parents have no well-founded concerns about pupils’ welfare.
• Rigorous systems are in place to monitor and encourage good attendance. Most pupils arrive in school keen and ready to learn. Appropriate systems are in place to follow up unexplained absences, including contacting the parents or other agencies if necessary.
• School records show that confirmed incidents of bullying, racism and homophobia are rare but when they do occur they are addressed quickly. Pupils’ comments and evidence gathered during the inspection show that teachers quickly follow up and address any reported concerns. This swift intervention ensures that no repeat incidents involving pupils take place.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Observations of pupils’ current learning in lessons along with scrutiny of work in books show that pupils are making good progress. Since the last inspection, outcomes have improved across the school and for almost all groups because of improvements to the quality of teaching and learning.
• From typically average starting points, pupils make good progress in a wide range of subjects, including English and mathematics. Consequently, pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education. Outcomes in 2018 reflect the improvements in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Pupils reached above-average standards in reading and writing with broadly average standards in mathematics. This represented good progress from their differing starting points.
• The school correctly identified that progress in mathematics over the last two years had not been as strong as in reading and writing. Improvements to the teaching of mathematics have resulted in pupils, across the whole school, improving their fluency, reasoning and problem-solving skills. Pupils are typically confident mathematically and are successfully able to tackle work at an age-appropriate level. For example, in a lesson on fractions, pupils could add together fractions with different denominators, confidently justify their mathematical thinking and explain the importance of setting out their work neatly to show how they worked out the answers.
• Over time, the most able pupils have made good progress to ensure that they achieve as well as they can, given their abilities. Most teachers have a clear understanding of what they expect pupils to be able to do by the end of the year in reading, writing and mathematics. However, there is not always the same clarity of end-of-year expectations in all subjects.
• Pupils make good progress in a wide range of subjects. For example, pupils make good gains in their scientific enquiry skills and know how to set up a fair test.
• Pupils identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress because of the effective support that they receive in class. For example, pupils have very small step targets, and these are used to tailor work to individual needs.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 139359 Wakefield 10059063 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Junior School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy converter 7 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 413 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher John Dossey Kathryn Law Telephone number 01977 518 959 Website Email address www.pjacademy.net/ enquiries@pjacademy.net Date of previous inspection 28–29 September 2016

Information about this school

• The school is a larger than average-sized primary school and numbers are rising.
• The school operates a breakfast club each morning as well as an after-school club.
• The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium is slightly above average.
• Most pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and who speak English as an additional language is well below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average.
• The school is a member of the Castleford multi-academy trust.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in all classes; some of these observations were undertaken jointly with senior leaders. An inspector visited the before-school club.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around the school, at breaktimes and lunchtimes.
• Inspectors met with three groups of pupils as well as talking to pupils in lessons and around the school.
• An inspector listened to a group of pupils read and talked to them about their reading.
• Inspectors examined the quality of work in pupils’ English, mathematics, topic and science books, including some with senior leaders.
• Discussions were held with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and other school leaders.
• Inspectors also took account of the views expressed in the 16 responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire.
• The lead inspector met with the chair of the governing body and six governors. The lead inspector met with the CEO and primary director of education from the trust.
• Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documentation, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans, information about current pupils’ attainment and progress, records of checks made on the quality of teaching, records relating to safeguarding and attendance, minutes of meetings of the governing body and information on the school’s website.
• Inspectors took into consideration the 110 responses to Parent View. Inspectors spoke to parents at the beginning and end of the school day.

Inspection team

Amraz Ali, lead inspector Heather Mensah Darren Marks

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector