Pudsey Bolton Royd Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff at Pudsey Bolton Primary School have high expectations for what pupils learn and experience. Pupils embrace these expectations. The school cultivates a culture that is safe and nurturing.

Pupils feel happy and are safe.

Staff build positive relationships with pupils. Staff use the school's approach to behaviour effectively.

This supports high levels of engagement during lessons. Pupils have positive attitudes towards school and their learning. They say that bullying can happen but that when it does, adults sort it all out.

Leaders make sure that the educational visits that pupils experience are linked to the curriculum. These visits are accessi...ble to all pupils. For example, pupils learn about sustainability and the environment and then visit Nell Bank.

These experiences are memorable for pupils and they speak positively about them. The school also invites visitors to the school to support learning. Recently, a theatre company delivered a performance to coincide with what pupils were learning in history.

This has enriched the curriculum, making the learning come to life.

Leaders ensure that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. This includes learning about road safety and how to protect themselves when online.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum that supports pupils' learning over time. It is well sequenced so that pupils can make connections in their learning and build on their understanding. The curriculum is supported by high-quality interactions between adults and pupils.

For example, adults model how language can be constructed effectively. Adults provide sentence starters to support pupils during discussions with their peers. This provides pupils with the opportunity to practise and embed their learning.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early and supported effectively. This includes through using practical resources, precise target setting and high-quality adult support.

Leaders have prioritised reading.

Pupils learn the different sounds that make up a word and then how to blend these together to decode words. Parents are welcomed into the school so that they can support pupils' reading at home. Pupils are given a book to take home to practise.

The books pupils take home closely match their reading ability. Pupils enjoy these books, and this helps them to develop positive attitudes towards reading. The school identifies pupils who fall behind in their reading.

These pupils access extra help to help them to catch up. This enables them to read with increasing confidence and expression.

The school has a range of assessment processes in place.

Teachers revisit prior learning and identify what pupils have learned at the end of a specific topic. On occasions, some assessment is not linked closely enough to the important knowledge that pupils need to learn. When this happens, gaps in understanding are not identified or addressed.

Children get off to a positive start in early years. The school makes sure that the areas in which pupils learn are purposefully designed. Children access these areas independently.

Staff receive training to support the learning needs of the children, such as help to develop children's communication and language. Training supports adults to personalise learning to meet the needs of individual children.

Pupils learn about democracy.

They develop their understanding of this during elections for key leadership positions in school. Pupils are passionate about the roles and responsibilities they can hold at school. These include well-being active leaders and playtime active leaders.

These roles help pupils to develop a sense of responsibility. They understand the importance of being kind and treating people as they would like to be treated.

Leaders ensure that pupils get the opportunity to develop their talents and interests.

There are a range of clubs on offer, such as football, dance and gardening. A number of pupils also learn musical instruments and apply what they learn in the school orchestra.

Leaders have a sharp focus on attendance and punctuality.

They work with parents to help them engage with school so that pupils can attend more often. This approach is having a positive impact.

Leaders ensure that staff access training to support their teaching of the curriculum.

Staff value this training and say that they are well supported by school leaders. Governors check the school's performance with leaders. They visit the school and speak to staff and pupils.

As a result, they get an accurate picture of the school. This helps them to fulfil their roles and responsibilities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On occasions, assessment is not linked closely enough to the important knowledge that pupils should have learned. When this happens, gaps in understanding are not identified or addressed. The school should take further action to help staff to better use assessment so that pupils' understanding is checked well.