Leeds primary school told to address 'gaps' in pupils learning - Ofsted report
‘Typically, Year 6 pupils do not attain as well as other pupils nationally’
A primary school in Leeds has been told to address the “gaps” in pupils learning by visiting Ofsted inspectors.
Park Spring Primary School, located on Swinnow Lane, Bramley, received an ‘Expected standard’ rating in two categories and a ‘Needs attention’ rating in the remaining four categories during an inspection on June 16.
Inspectors said the areas of achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, early years, and leadership and governance needed attention.
Previously rated as Good under the old grading system during a 2022 inspection, the school met the ‘Expected standard’ for inclusion and personal development and wellbeing.
“Typically, Year 6 pupils do not attain as well as other pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics,” the education watchdog said. “This means that many pupils are not ready for their next steps in education.
“On the whole, the school has a curriculum where new learning builds on previous content. However on occasions, checks on pupils’ knowledge are not precise enough and some pupils move on before they have secured essential knowledge.”
Many pupils have “gaps in essential knowledge” that begin the early years and are not addressed quickly enough, according to the report. The curriculum in early years does not identify and sequence the key knowledge that children will learn across all areas of learning.
Leaders have reviewed the maths curriculum in response to disappointing pupil outcomes in national assessments and as a result, pupils are now demonstrating increasingly secure mathematical fluency across school.
Staff have introduced an effective approach to supporting pupils to attend school regularly and punctually. Although attendance is not yet in line with attendance in similar schools nationally, attendance for most pupils is now “beginning to show an improvement.”
They have also established an inclusive approach throughout the school and ensure any needs pupils have are identified quickly when they join the school. Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is said to be “effective.”
Focusing on areas of further improvement, inspectors added: “Leaders should ensure that staff identify gaps in pupils’ foundational knowledge quickly and provide targeted support so pupils catch up rapidly. They should ensure pupils are supported to keep up with key learning so they are ready for the next stage in their education.
“Leaders should ensure that teachers have a strong shared understanding of the school’s curriculum and its approach to teaching and assessment and monitor that these are consistently applied across school.”
Pupils at Park Spring are typically “happy and enjoy school life,” according to the report. However, not all pupils achieve as well as they should, which limits how well they are prepared for the next stage of education.
While, in some areas of the school's work, leaders have not established a clear strategic plan. They want the “very best” for pupils and their ambition is to help them 'to grow, to know and to thrive'.
They have developed a clear programme for pupils’ personal development and wellbeing. It typically provides pupils with the knowledge and skills they need to be ready for their next stage of education and beyond.