Kippax Ash Tree Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The quality of education at this school is not good enough. Pupils do not achieve well in all subjects. Recently introduced curriculum plans in subjects such as history do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can learn.

These plans do not enable pupils to deepen their knowledge. However, achievement is improving in some areas, such as reading, writing, mathematics and physical education (PE).

This is a happy school.

Pupils are well looked after and say that they feel safe. Leaders strive to ensure that pupils' social and emotional welfare is a priority. As an example of this, two therapy dogs work alongside the school's pastoral team to support pu...pils in this nurturing environment.

Pupils are respectful and care about one another's feelings. They have good manners and were keen to talk with the inspection team. Pupils told inspectors that bullying rarely happens.

If they have worries, they trust and confide in members of staff. Pupils behave well in school. However, in some classes, they can be slow to start working and, at times, talk over their teachers' instructions without this being checked.

Leaders have now been able to reintroduce an eclectic mix of extra-curricular activities. This includes yoga, baking and many opportunities for physical activity.

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

Leaders promote a love of reading.

Leaders prioritise reading because they believe that it develops important language skills and opens a world of learning. Staff ensure that, from the very earliest start in Nursery, readers practise their phonics knowledge daily. Similarly, older pupils practise their reading skills each day.

Teachers are quick to identify those pupils who have fallen behind with reading. These pupils receive additional help from well-trained and skilled staff. Pupils respond well to the school's rewards system, which encourages them to read regularly at home.

Some aspects of the curriculum, such as phonics, reading, writing and PE, are ambitious, well designed and thoughtfully sequenced. Carefully considered plans and effective teaching ensure that pupils know more and remember more. In these subjects, teachers check what individual pupils know and can do.

They use this information to plan next steps and share these successes with pupils.

However, most subjects in the wider curriculum, including history, are not planned effectively. The curriculum is not designed to give pupils the opportunity to revisit and deepen their learning.

They cannot build on what they already know and remember. As a result, pupils experience superficial and often shallow learning. These broad plans do not enable teachers to design meaningful lessons.

Teachers' assessment of pupils' knowledge and understanding is not helpful. It does not help teachers plan for next steps in the wider curriculum. Leaders have not ensured that the quality of the curriculum is consistently strong.

Plans for what children will learn in early years are clear. Because of this clarity, children in early years experience a haven of curiosity that is carefully designed to promote all aspects of learning. Children are encouraged to explore their interests and develop their language and communication skills.

Staff engage in purposeful dialogue with children, knowing what their next steps are.Leaders offer many opportunities for pupils to realise the 'Ash Tree' values. Staff support pupils to become respectful and well rounded.

The school's 'pupils' parliament' enables pupils to experience British values in action. Pupils thrive by taking on extra responsibilities, such as leading sports activities. This enhances their social skills and encourages them to be active citizens.

Before the pandemic, the school offered a wide range of extra-curricular clubs. Many of these extra activities have now resumed.Pupils say that they get on with one another and that bullying is rare.

School rules are clear, and pupils were able to explain these to inspectors. A minority of classrooms are quite noisy, making it difficult for pupils to concentrate. Occasionally, pupils talk over teachers and this means that they and others miss valuable instructions.

Staff have worked hard to improve pupils' attendance. However, some pupils still do not attend often enough. The school is working with these families to address this.

The additional funding the school receives to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is used effectively. The recently appointed special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has been effective in making sure that carefully focused actions are put in place to meet the needs of pupils with SEND, including children in early years. This is monitored effectively.

As a result, these pupils access the full curriculum and are learning more and remembering more. Communication and partnership with the families of these pupils are strong.

Governors give strong support to school leaders.

They visit the school regularly and check on its work. Governors have attended training and are supported by the partnership of schools to help them carry out their roles effectively. They understand their duties around safeguarding and well-being.

The school is supported effectively by the trust. Leaders work closely with other schools in the trust to share expertise.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The school's safeguarding leaders are well trained and ensure that staff fully understand their safeguarding responsibilities. All staff engage in regular training. Effective strategies, such as weekly briefings and mini quizzes, help keep this knowledge fresh and at the forefront of adults' minds.

Leaders ensure that appropriate safeguarding checks are made on all adults who work at the school.These are recorded efficiently. Leaders work closely with external agencies, where necessary, to ensure that vulnerable pupils and their families are given the support that they need.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders' curriculum planning for subjects in the wider curriculum, such as history, is not ambitious. Teachers are unable to use these plans to ensure that pupils develop sufficiently deep knowledge and understanding in these subjects. This holds pupils' learning back.

Leaders need to ensure that their curriculum plans have high expectations and clearly set out what pupils should learn and when. ? Assessment within wider curriculum is not effective. The assessment system in place focuses on pupils' knowledge of specific facts.

This is checked using a multiple-choice questionnaire. This does not allow pupils the opportunity to show how much they know and gives an inaccurate view of a pupil's knowledge. Leaders must use effective strategies to assess what pupils know, what they remember and what they can do.

• Not all curriculum leaders have a deep enough understanding of the subjects they lead. They are not all able to check that curriculum plans are being implemented effectively. Senior leaders need to make sure that curriculum leaders develop subject expertise and the ability to check the quality and impact of the curriculum in their subjects.