Lowerhouses CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school After a period of change, capacity in leadership has been strengthened. Leaders have successfully addressed recent low outcomes at the end of key stage 2. Pupils throughout school now make good progress across the curriculum, including in English and mathematics.

Middle leaders have made a good start to taking responsibility for their subjects and areas, but this work is still in transition from senior leaders. A strong partnership between school leaders, the Kirklees learning partner and other local authority consultants has ensured that weaknesses, particularly in writing, have been successfully addressed. Teachers have good subject knowledge an...d have responded quickly to leaders' improvement directions.

As a result, more pupils are working within age-related expectations. Teachers have started to put more effective support in place for higher-ability pupils, but they agree that this is an area that still needs improvement. Adults make sure that children get a very positive, safe and happy start to school life in early years.

Children thrive in the nurturing provision and enjoy their time there. All leaders and staff are committed to giving pupils the best start in life. They dedicate time and care to understanding the different needs and backgrounds of pupils and to keeping them safe.

They provide a haven where expectations of pupils are high and pupils are encouraged to be happy, confident learners. Pupils with additional needs, including those accessing the hearing-impaired resource provision, have learning that is well matched to their needs. They make good progress from their starting points across subjects.

Pupils' writing has improved substantially. Considerable differences between pupils' writing at Lowerhouses and other pupils nationally have been diminished. Lower-ability pupils are given clear feedback about the aspects of their work that need improvement, but in some classes they do not consistently respond to this, or know how to, as would be the school's expectations.

Pupils' behaviour is good due to the consistently high expectations of staff. Leaders are trying many different strategies to improve pupils' attendance, but this still sits stubbornly below the national average.

Information about this school

Since the last inspection, there have been temporary arrangements in place for leadership during two absences of the headteacher.

The previous early years and key stage 1 leader has been appointed to the role of deputy headteacher. New middle leaders have been appointed. A pupil premium review took place in 2017.

The school has a specially resourced provision for hearing-impaired pupils for pupils aged four to 11. It provides outreach for 174 pupils. A breakfast club and an after-school club are run by the school.

The food for the breakfast club is funded by Huddersfield Town Football Club Foundation. The early years consists of a Nursery, which children attend in mornings, and a Reception class. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the additional pupil premium funding is well above the national average.

The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan for SEN and/or disabilities is above the national average. The proportion of pupils who receive support for SEN and/or disabilities is below the national average. About half of the pupils are of White British heritage.

A similar proportion of pupils to the national average speak English as an additional language. The school did not meet the government's current floor standards in 2017, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' progress and attainment in reading, writing and mathematics. The school meets the Department for Education's definition of a coasting school based on Key Stage 2 academic performance results in 2015, 2016 and 2017.