Shibden Head Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders at Shibden Head Primary Academy want pupils to 'be the best that they can be'.

As a result of the provision that leaders have created at the school, pupils are aiming to be their best. Pupils live out the school's expectations by ensuring that they are safe, respectful and responsible.

There are excellent relationships between staff, pupils and families.

Staff take the time to get to know pupils well. Bullying is extremely rare. Pupils know that they can talk to staff about any worries that they may have.

The school is calm and orderly. In almost all lessons pupils behave well and display positive attitudes towards their learning. Pupils spok...e to say that they feel happy, safe and secure.

Pupils enjoy coming to school. This is evident from their high levels of attendance and punctuality. Leaders work with families to ensure that any barriers to attendance are identified, understood and, where possible, removed.

At the heart of the school is a vibrant curriculum that leaders are proud of. Memorable moments throughout the curriculum help pupils remember their learning. For example, Year 4 pupils talk with great depth about the features of rivers having visited and followed the course of a nearby river.

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

Leaders are rightly proud of the curriculum that they have developed. Ambitious curriculum plans set out the knowledge that leaders want pupils to learn. Teachers use the school's 'pedagogical principles' to design their lessons.

These provide pupils with opportunities to recall and build on what they have learned before. This helps pupils to remember new things. As a result, pupils achieve well.

They talk in depth about what they have learned across the curriculum. Year 2 pupils, for example, build on their previous experiences of colour mixing. They apply this knowledge to their current learning about colour tones.

The curriculum is usually well delivered. However, there are some inconsistencies between different subjects and classes. For example, some subjects, such as religious education, are not as embedded as others, such as art.

Leaders' oversight of how well the curriculum is being delivered is also not as well established in some subject areas. Leaders are working to ensure that the delivery of all subjects is of equal quality across the curriculum.

Leaders prioritise developing pupils' love of reading.

Pupils enjoy having stories read to them. They also enjoy selecting books from the well-stocked library. Pupils talk with passion about their favourite books and authors.

Learning is so memorable that some pupils confidently quote lines from the stories that they have read. Leaders have implemented a new programme for the teaching of phonics. Staff teach the programme well.

However, occasionally in lessons, the noise from other phonics activities creates distractions. This limits the effectiveness of the teaching for some pupils. Teachers ensure that pupils read books that match the sounds that they are learning.

Pupils who need extra support get the help they need to become confident readers.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. These pupils study the same topics as their peers.

Leaders know the needs of pupils with SEND well and ensure teachers meet these needs. Adaptations may include working with an extra adult or having learning broken down into smaller steps.

Children in the early years have a positive start to their education.

Learning and behaviour routines are well established. These support the children to become confident and independent learners. Adults have warm and supportive interactions with the children.

Leaders and teachers place a clear focus on early language and mathematics. Children enjoy selecting activities and remain engaged in their learning. Children take part in teacher-led activities such as learning about odd and even numbers.

Leaders are passionate about pupils' personal development. They make sure pupils have access to opportunities that develop them spiritually, morally, socially and culturally. This includes a range of visits and visitors to enrich learning.

Pupils also take part in events such as an arts festival. These provide a real-life context for their work. Leaders ensure that the personal, social and health education curriculum gives pupils an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships.

The recently appointed headteacher has brought renewed vision, energy and drive to the school. Staff and the community hold her in high regard. Teachers value the commitment that the leaders have to reducing their workload and ensuring their well-being.

Trustees and local governors know the school well. In partnership, they hold each other and school leaders to account. They are all aligned around a vision of excellence.

In some key areas of school life, they are making this a reality.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure all staff are aware that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and is a priority across the school.

They make the necessary checks on adults who work with pupils. Staff receive appropriate and regular safeguarding training. This means that they have the knowledge and skills to identify pupils who may be at risk of harm.

Staff place emphasis on the importance of the relationship between home and school. Leaders ensure that when they need it, pupils and families get the right support at the right time.

Staff teach pupils how to keep themselves safe.

Pupils are knowledgeable about topics such as online safety and healthy relationships.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum. The majority of the curriculum subjects are well embedded.

The teaching of the curriculum in some subjects does not match the quality of the more developed subject areas. Because of this, pupils' experience of the intended curriculum varies between classes and year groups. Leaders should ensure that their checks on the curriculum provide stronger oversight of the content choices and lesson design that teachers make.

• Not all children are learning phonics as effectively as they could due to some distractions in the learning environment. This means that some pupils require additional intervention in order to keep up with age-related reading expectations. Leaders should review how they are implementing their programme into daily classroom teaching to ensure that learning conditions are at optimum.

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