Totley Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Pupils make excellent rates of progress and attain very high standards by the end of Year 6. The school is led and managed very strongly by the headteacher and his senior team who have the highest expectations of staff and pupils and monitor the school's work thoroughly.

The governing body challenges the school highly effectively, within the very supportive umbrella of the trust, to ensure the school sustains the excellent teaching and achievement. Teaching is consistently of a very high standard, so that the progress of all groups of pupils accelerates as they move through the school. Work for the most able pupils is particularly effecti...ve in the challenge it offers them.

Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning because : work challenges them to achieve their potential and interests them. Marking is very helpful in telling them how to make further progress. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is outstanding.

They are prepared exceptionally well, both academically and personally for secondary school and their place as responsible young citizens in society. Pupils feel safe and secure in a supportive environment, in which they behave exceptionally well. Subject leaders are very effective overall in securing the high quality of teaching in their areas and pupils' achievement, and in supporting the senior team by checking their areas carefully.

The early years provides a good start to children's learning. It is not outstanding because the children do not have sufficient chances to learn and develop as effectively as possible in the main areas of learning, including when they choose their own activities. The method of assessing children's learning does not enable the staff to see quickly how well the children are learning and developing.

Information about this school

The school is smaller than many other primary schools. Totley Primary School converted to become an academy in February 2014. When its predecessor school of the same name was last inspected by Ofsted in July 2010, it was judged to be good.

The school accepts children into full-time early years provision in the Reception Year. Pupils are taught in mixed-ability classes throughout the school. Most pupils are of White British heritage and speak English as their first language.

The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below average. The proportion of pupils known to be disadvantaged and therefore supported through the pupil premium is below average. (The pupil premium funding is additional funding that schools receive for those pupils who are eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority).

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics. When it became an academy, Totley Primary School formed The Mercia Learning Trust with its associated secondary school, King Ecgbert School. Since then, Valley Park Community School and Newfield School have joined the trust.

The schools work together to improve transition from primary school to secondary school, to provide support for the most able pupils and to develop and share professional expertise. The school is a key partner in The Escafeld Teaching School Alliance and has specific responsibility for the Primary School Direct programme in supporting other schools. Totley Primary School was in the top 100 state primary schools in 2013 and 2014 for standards.

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