Addingham Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils are incredibly proud to attend this outstanding school, where they thrive in every area. Over time, despite the challenges of a global pandemic, this school has provided an exceptional educational offer.

All staff have the highest expectations of pupils. Every aspect of the quality of education provided at Addingham Primary is first class.

Pupils' experiences of wider curriculum opportunities are exceptional.

Pupils work with nationally leading expert professionals, such as Professor Rick Battarbee Emeritus, Professor of Environmental Change at University College London, and with local community and environmental groups. This has truly enriched pup...ils' learning experiences. Pupils' depth of knowledge in all subjects goes far beyond national curriculum expectations.

The exceptional curriculum for pupils' personal development has led to a rich culture of mutual respect. Pupils take leadership roles in many aspects of school life. This includes as playground leaders.

There is no bullying. Pupils use the strategies they have learned to settle minor friendship difficulties between themselves, resolving conflict with maturity. They know that some pupils struggle socially, and pupils independently find ways to help them.

Pupils may not use this terminology, but they understand the principle of making reasonable adjustments, and they naturally find ways to do this. Pupils' attitudes are remarkable.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

At Addingham, outstanding leadership starts right at the top.

Governors have a crystal-clear strategic plan to give pupils the best education possible. Their ambitious vision is shared by all staff. This is reflected in the outstanding education and care that pupils receive.

The new headteacher immediately prioritised the development of curriculum subject leaders. Staff use research evidence to underpin their curriculum design and teaching methods. Leaders teach alongside their colleagues to model best practice in each curriculum subject.

They use assessment to check pupils' understanding carefully. The headteacher was determined that every teacher should rapidly achieve the highest standard of expert subject leadership. They have succeeded.

Staff appreciate the time that leaders give them to manage their workload. Leaders have improved the implementation of the curriculum exponentially. Teachers' subject knowledge is superb in every national curriculum subject.

They are rightly proud of this achievement because it has led to pupils having excellent curriculum knowledge and high achievement.

Leaders have designed a challenging curriculum that exceeds national expectations for the early years. Children learn to read quickly and accurately.

Most children can read words consistent with the phonic knowledge and sound blending that they learn in lessons. All adults are experts in how young children learn. Consequently, staff have created an enabling environment in Reception that children find irresistible, preparing them fully for key stage 1.

In mathematics, opportunities for children to practise counting, calculating and investigating are threaded throughout the provision. These activities are carefully planned and structured. As a result, children consolidate their learning independently when they are playing.

This is rapidly building children's knowledge of number, and their confidence in explaining their mathematical thinking and reasoning.

Leaders sustain an equally ambitious curriculum in key stages 1 and 2. Pupils thrive on this curriculum and ultimately, they achieve exceptionally well in English, mathematics and science by the end of key stage 2.

Year on year, pupils are thoroughly prepared for secondary education.

Teachers frequently check and review pupils' learning and progress in phonics. The curriculum for early reading is successfully adapted for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) takes advice from specialist teachers in the local authority. They design together a personalised curriculum for those pupils with SEND who need this. This is successfully helping all pupils with SEND learn to read well.

The quality of the curriculum at Addingham is exemplary. Pupils' attitudes to learning are excellent because lessons are so fascinating and appropriately matched to what pupils need to learn next. Leaders provide exciting opportunities for geography fieldwork or science investigations in the school grounds.

Younger pupils are enthusiastic explorers in science.

In geography, leaders skilfully build pupils' mapping and atlas skills sequentially. Pupils move from studying aerial plans and line route maps to learning about compass points and contour lines.

The depth of their knowledge and skills in all curriculum subjects exceeds national curriculum expectations.

The curriculum for pupils' moral education is exceptional. Leaders have structured personal, social, health and economic (PHSE) education, so that it is woven throughout the curriculum.

Leaders arrange a wide range of educational visits and interfaith projects to enrich pupils' deep knowledge of different beliefs and cultures. Pupils' depth of learning in history helps them to understand how this changed the world. For example, pupils compare past discrimination of women as suffragettes, to the equality for men and women in the world today.

These pupils are exceptionally well prepared to make a positive contribution to society as future leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know the signs that may indicate that pupils may be at risk of harm.

Leaders work closely with other professionals to keep pupils safe.

Pupils understand the risks they may face outside of school. The PSHE curriculum helps pupils learn how to keep themselves safe locally and online.

Pupils understand consent and why this is important.

Pupils are confident that they have a trusted adult in school to talk to. Pupils speak warmly about the impact of nurture support on their good mental health.

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