Priestley Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe. They know the school's 'spikey' values well, such as sharing great ideas and taking responsibility. Most pupils are determined to live up to these values.

Many older pupils, for example, have leadership roles. They contribute to school life by helping to organise events, like the recent 'Priestley 250'. Younger pupils help in the classroom by tidying up at the end of a lesson.

Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. Most live up to the school's expectations of their behaviour in classrooms and around the school. However, a minority of pupils do not follow classroom routines well enough.

For example, they sometimes do not l...isten to adults when they have been asked to. This means they do not follow instructions or take note of the information presented to them. This hinders their learning.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of trips, visits and visitors. Residential trips, for example, build pupils' confidence and independence. The annual careers fair brings pupils into contact with a range of employers.

This helps them to begin to understand the choices they have for their futures. Pupils develop their knowledge of religions by visiting different places of worship and their geographical skills through local fieldwork.

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

Pupils follow a broad and ambitious curriculum.

The school has planned carefully what pupils should learn and when, starting in the Reception Year and building to Year 6. For example, children start learning about the human body in the Reception Year. They use this knowledge later in science when they consider the functions of different parts of the body, such as muscles and the skeleton.

In most subjects, pupils build their knowledge and understanding over time. In mathematics, for instance, they use number facts gained in the Reception Year to help them solve mathematical problems. However, in some subjects, pupils do not recall their learning or deepen that understanding sufficiently.

As a result, they do not build knowledge cumulatively or make connections between what they have learned.

The school has started to strengthen teachers' subject knowledge. Where they have sufficient expertise, teachers support pupils to achieve the aims of the curriculum.

They use assessment well to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and take action to remedy these gaps. However, teachers do not have the expertise they need in all subjects. Consequently, they do not adapt teaching and assessment well enough.

This means that pupils do not learn the intended knowledge and deepen their understanding.

Most pupils are enthusiastic readers. The school has considered thoughtfully the range of authors and types of books that pupils read.

For instance, teachers read books to pupils that develop their understanding of difference and diversity. Older pupils have the chance to perform poetry, while younger children get to know familiar stories well. Children start learning to read as soon as they start in the Reception Year.

Most pupils read books that are well matched to the sounds they are learning and get extra support if they need it.

The school identifies accurately the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers receive information about how to meet pupils' needs and apply this well.

On occasions, however, the information provided is not exact enough. As a result, teaching is not adapted for the precise next steps in pupils' learning. Nevertheless, most pupils with SEND build their independence and develop their knowledge and skills over time.

Most pupils attend school regularly. The school maintains a close watch on pupils' attendance and provides effective support where absence needs to be reduced.

Pupils know about the different characteristics protected by law, such as race and age.

They develop a strong understanding of why, and how, they should treat others with respect. For example, they say that 'it is about being kind to everyone' regardless of who they are. Pupils learn important aspects of citizenship, such as democracy.

They enjoy voting for their 'Priestley parliamentarians' and in the Reception Year for books they read.

The school has designed an effective personal, health and social programme. Pupils develop an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships.

They know some of the steps they can take to keep themselves mentally and physically healthy.

Governors ensure that statutory duties are fulfilled, but they do not challenge leaders sufficiently. Leaders have recently increased the quality of information they provide to governors.

However, governors do not use this information to hold leaders strongly enough to account. As a result, they do not gain the insight they need to assure themselves that improvements are made.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A minority of pupils do not follow classroom routines well enough. This sometimes hinders their learning. The school should ensure that high expectations and clear routines are firmly established and applied consistently.

• Teachers do not have some of the subject knowledge they need to teach the curriculum effectively. Where this is the case, pupils do not recall knowledge well or deepen their understanding sufficiently. The school should ensure that teachers have the expertise they need to adapt the curriculum and assess pupils' learning precisely.

• Governors do not gain sufficient insight into the impact of the school's work. Consequently, they cannot challenge leaders to make improvements where required. The school should ensure that governors have the skills they need to seek assurances about the school's effectiveness.

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