Baildon Glen Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils do not have access to a curriculum that is coherent and well structured.

Too few subjects are effectively planned or delivered. Staff's expectations of what pupils can learn are too low. Leaders have not developed teachers' subject knowledge effectively.

This hampers pupils' learning as they move through school. Pupils in each key stage do not achieve highly. By the end of Reception, not all children are ready for the demands of key stage 1.

Most pupils want to learn and behave well. There are instances where adults foster mutual respect and pupils respond well to this. However, low-level disruption is evident.

In some classes, there are signi...ficant groups of pupils who do not engage with their learning.

Older pupils spoke about the inappropriate language they hear in school. They say that homophobic, sexualised and racist language is used.

This makes pupils feel uncomfortable. Bullying is commonplace. Pupils say that they are afraid to challenge these behaviours as it can result in them also being bullied.

Leaders and governors have not ensured that pupils learn effectively about local and national risks, such as county lines. Opportunities to discuss and debate issues are not woven effectively through the curriculum. Pupils enjoy trips to places such as Salts Mill in Saltaire and speak with excitement about the school's forest school.

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

Leaders and governors have not identified the correct priorities in their plans for the school's improvement since the previous inspection. Their actions to improve the curriculum have been ineffective. Senior leaders have not halted the decline in pupils' behaviour at the school.

There has been insufficient work to support pupils to understand how to protect themselves from the risk of harm. Leaders did not act quickly enough to mitigate issues of staffing instability. This has lessened leaders' capacity to secure the necessary improvements.

The curriculum delivered to pupils at Glenaire Primary School is weak and lacks ambition. Leaders have not checked that plans for subjects are being taught in line with their expectations. Pupils receive a disjointed learning experience that lacks challenge.

Leaders have not focused on improving teachers' subject and pedagogical knowledge. As a result, teachers' abilities to plan, teach and assess specific subjects clearly and effectively are inconsistent.

Although leaders have rightly prioritised improvements in reading, there is still much more work to do.

Adults do not consistently use the school's agreed strategies to support pupils who are learning to read. Books do not precisely match pupils' phonic knowledge. Some pupils are asked to practise reading with books that contain letters and sounds they have not learned.

This hampers pupils' progress towards becoming fluent and confident readers.Leaders have worked with partners from the federation and a local mathematics hub to improve mathematics. A knowledgeable leader monitors this well-considered curriculum.

Assessment is used well to pinpoint the gaps many pupils have in their mathematical understanding. This information is used by leaders to check that teaching is meeting pupils' needs.

In some classes, a significant minority of pupils have negative attitudes towards their learning, and to one another and to the staff who support them.

Strategies to support teachers in managing pupils' behaviour are not effective. Leaders were not sufficiently agile in adapting their procedures following the return of all pupils from the lockdown in the spring term. Because of this, pupils do not behave as they should.

Older pupils told inspectors that the behaviour of other pupils means that, at times, they do not feel safe in school. A small minority of pupils stated that they have little confidence that staff will address their concerns. Pupils prefer to deal with incidents themselves.

They say that this is in case they 'are not believed'.

Leaders do not consistently take effective action against discriminatory and derogatory language. Too often, pupils hear homophobic, sexist and racist language.

This is used by a minority of pupils with the intention of causing distress.

There is an 'anti-snitch' culture in the school. This allows bullying to thrive.

Pupils say that they will be shunned by their peers if they report instances of unacceptable behaviour. This creates an isolating environment for some vulnerable pupils.

Many children in early years work and play well together.

They concentrate well and spend time on meaningful activities, supported by knowledgeable adults. However, not all children develop successfully in all areas of learning. Some children are not as well prepared for Year 1 as they should be.

Leaders have plans to change the ways in which they support children who are at risk of falling behind in their learning.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported effectively. This support helps pupils to meet the targets identified on their plans.

Leaders have developed their personal, social and health education (PSHE) and religious education offers. In PSHE, pupils find out about keeping themselves healthy. They discuss ecological issues.

Leaders have consulted parents and carers on their proposed relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education programme. Leaders' plans for pupils to learn about spiritual and cultural differences are in their infancy and still developing.

Leaders are developing pupils through the outdoor adventure programme, delivered in the forest school.

Pupils were eager to tell us about their experiences. For instance, they were able to talk about keeping themselves and others safe around fire.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

Leaders have not created a strong culture to keep all children safe. The curriculum does not adequately educate pupils about local and wider safeguarding risks pupils may encounter. Leaders have not comprehensively considered the risks pupils might face.

There are insufficient opportunities for pupils and teachers to focus on issues such as county lines, and radicalisation and extremism. Teachers are reactive in supporting pupils to understand dangers once they have occurred.

Checks on the suitability of adults to work with pupils have not been consistently carried out in a manner that reduces risks to pupils.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders and governors have not ensured that the school has clear or coherent plans for its improvement. The school has declined in its effectiveness. As a matter of urgency, leaders need to develop and implement credible improvement plans, taking account of the available support from federation partners and the local authority, and focusing their attention on the correct priorities for improvement.

• Teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can learn or achieve in the wider curriculum. This results in unambitious teaching and learning. Leaders must ensure that the curriculum across all subjects is at least as ambitious as the national curriculum intends.

• Teachers' subject knowledge across the curriculum is not good enough. This results in poor teaching and low ambition. Leaders need to ensure that teachers and subject leaders have the necessary skills and knowledge so that all subjects are taught and led well.

• There are inconsistencies in the teaching of early reading. Pupils are asked to practise reading using books that are not well matched to their phonic knowledge. Leaders must ensure that only those books that are precisely matched to pupils' abilities are used by pupils to practise reading.

Leaders must also check that staff teaching early reading and phonics are consistent and effective in their approach. ? The use of inappropriate language by pupils is too common. Pupils say that this makes them feel uncomfortable.

Leaders must take immediate action to tackle and prevent discriminatory and derogatory language. ? There is an 'anti-snitch' culture in the school. This vastly limits the upward communication of concerns that pupils might have.

Leaders must challenge this with urgency and ensure that pupils feel confident to report any worries. ? Leaders have effective approaches to recording incidents of bullying. Leaders' actions, however, do not reliably make a positive difference for pupils.

Inappropriate behaviour reoccurs. Leaders must thoroughly evaluate the effectiveness of their actions in supporting all pupils. ? A number of children in early years are at risk of falling behind in their learning.

Leaders must refine and enhance the support for these children, so that they are well prepared for the curriculum in Year 1. ? Safeguarding procedures are ineffective, which puts pupils at risk. Leaders must ensure that all aspects of safeguarding are effective and that procedures for staff recruitment meet statutory requirements, including making all necessary checks and recording these accurately before staff begin work at the school.

• Pupils' awareness of how to protect themselves from issues such as county lines varies. This leaves them vulnerable to exploitation. Teachers must develop pupils' knowledge and understanding of potential risks to their safety and well-being more effectively.