Stansfield Hall Church of England / Methodist Church Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this school. They feel safe and emotionally secure. Pupils' well-being is supported effectively and they are treated with respect by staff.

In turn, this fosters positive relationships between all members of the school community.

Pupils appreciate the enrichment opportunities on offer. They spoke highly of the residential visits and the club that they can attend.

They particularly enjoy the opportunities to take part in various school performances.

Leaders' ambition for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to achieve well is borne out in mathematics and early reading. However, lead...ers have not given enough thought to the curriculum in other subjects.

Moreover, they have not ensured that children in the early years receive a suitable education. As a result, children and pupils are not achieving as well as they should in some subjects beyond reading, writing and mathematics.

Leaders expect pupils to behave well in classrooms and around the school.

Most pupils conduct themselves sensibly, especially during breaktimes and lunchtimes. However, at times, some disruption to learning occurs.

Leaders deal with any incidents of bullying or inappropriate language effectively.

Pupils stated that staff deal with any such issues as soon as they arise. Pupils trust staff. They are confident that any concerns that they raise will be taken seriously by staff.

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

Leaders have successfully focused on ensuring that pupils study a carefully designed curriculum for early reading and mathematics. As a result, teachers know what they should teach and pupils build up their knowledge in these subjects over time. This means that most pupils achieve well in these areas.

However, this is not replicated in some other subjects. This is because leaders have not thought carefully enough about pupils' age and stage of development in their curriculum design. At times, the curriculum does not match the ambition of the national curriculum.

Pupils' achievement across these subjects is not good enough.

In the absence of clear information about what pupils should learn and when this should happen, teachers are ill-equipped to design learning, and effective assessment strategies, that enable pupils to build their knowledge over time. This means that pupils are sometimes given disconnected activities that do not lead to secure understanding.

At times, pupils are faced with tasks that they can do easily. Elsewhere, pupils struggle with tasks because they do not have the building blocks in place to help them to succeed.

The curriculum in the early years is unsuitable.

The statutory early years foundation stage framework is not fully in place. This means that children are taught the key stage 1 curriculum in many areas of learning. These children are not ready for much of this curriculum and, as a result, they miss out on the fundamental building blocks that they need for later success.

This also means that some children do not develop effective behaviours for learning quickly enough. Therefore, children do not get off to a good start in the early years.

In some subjects, and in the early years, leaders do carry out some checks to see how well the curriculum is being delivered.

However, these checks do not provide them with the pertinent information that they need to understand what is going well and what needs to improve. This limits leaders' ability to identify and address any weaknesses in their subject.

Reading is prioritised at the school.

Leaders have invested in a new library space, which pupils enjoy visiting. There is a clear and consistent approach to teaching phonics because staff have been well trained to deliver the phonics programme. Pupils read books that are well matched to the sounds that they know.

Pupils who need extra help with phonics are identified quickly and they receive effective support to help them to keep up. This helps pupils to become confident, fluent readers.

Pupils with SEND have their needs identified effectively by leaders.

Leaders also make sure that pupils with SEND are included in all aspects of school life. However, due to the variation in the curriculum design and delivery, the achievement of pupils with SEND mirrors that of other pupils in the school.

Leaders promote pupils' personal development effectively.

Leaders ensure that pupils gain a deep understanding of diversity and equality. For example, pupils learn about different relationships and family types. Pupils take part in theme days or weeks that recognise significant people and cultural events.

As a result, pupils have a tolerant and respectful attitude to others. Pupils develop a secure understanding of British values. They understand concepts such as democracy and equality.

This prepares them well for life in modern Britain. Pupils have a good understanding of how to look after their mental and physical well-being.

Pupils behave well during social times and generally have positive attitudes to their learning.

However, low-level disruption sometimes occurs. This is more prevalent in the early years.

Governors know the school well and are engaged in school life.

Governors and leaders fulfil most of their duties effectively. Governors and leaders engage well with the school community. This is appreciated by staff, parents and carers.

Leaders take account of staff's workload and well-being. This is valued by staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that all staff receive appropriate safeguarding training. Staff know how to identify and report any safeguarding concerns they may have. Concerns are appropriately recorded and acted upon.

Leaders take effective actions to secure any help that pupils might need.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, for example, when they are out in the community or working online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The statutory early years foundation stage framework has not been implemented fully in the early years.

This means that children do not learn what they should in many areas of learning. Consequently, children are not gaining the crucial building blocks that they need for their future learning. Leaders, including governors, must ensure that the early years foundation stage framework is implemented fully for Reception-age children.

They should also make sure that staff are suitably equipped to deliver this framework. ? In some subjects other than early reading and mathematics, leaders have not given enough consideration to the knowledge that pupils should know and the order in which it should be taught. This means that pupils do not build their knowledge in a coherent way.

Leaders should ensure that the curriculum identifies what pupils at different ages should know and be able to do across all subjects. ? In some subjects, teachers do not design learning that enables pupils to build a secure body of knowledge over time. A lack of curriculum guidance means that they present content that is too easy or is too difficult for pupils.

At times, this leads to low-level disruptive behaviour. It also means that pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that teachers have the guidance that they need to design learning that helps pupils to know and remember more over time.

• Some subject leaders do not know how well their curriculum is being delivered and the impact it is having on pupils' achievement. This means that some weaknesses in the curriculum are not sufficiently addressed. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders develop their oversight of their curriculums, so that they can support teachers to help pupils to learn what they should.