Pupils thrive within 'friendly, nurturing community' at Leeds primary school - Ofsted

A Leeds primary school has been praised for helping pupils thrive within a “friendly, nurturing community.”

Bardsey Primary Academy, located on Woodacre Lane, Bardsey, received a ‘Strong standard’ rating in all seven inspected categories - during an Ofsted visit on June 16.

Inspectors adjudged the school to have reached a strong standard in the areas of achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, early years, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing.

It was the school’s first full inspection since joining the GORSE Academies Trust in 2023.

“Pupils thrive within this friendly, nurturing community,” inspectors said. “This starts in the Reception Year where children are deeply engrossed in their learning. They access an ambitious curriculum and receive appropriate support from dedicated members of staff.

“The school's values of ambition, creativity, unity and curiosity positively prepare pupils for life. Pupils are ambitious for themselves and others. They show independence by using well-developed strategies, such as helping each other with spelling, so that they do not have to rely on staff support.”

Leaders at Bardsey primary have overseen considerable changes to the school in recent years, according to the report. They work tirelessly to provide meaningful opportunities and experiences tailored to the context of the school.

Staff identify pupils’ needs quickly. Leaders gain a deep and detailed understanding of pupils who may face additional barriers to their learning.

Attendance rates for different groups of pupils are “consistently above the national average.” Leaders manage pupils' attendance very effectively.

Pupils display “highly positive attitudes” to learning. They are keen to learn and support each other in doing so, and take a real pride in all that they do.

The education watchdog added: “Leaders have developed an ambitious, rich and well-structured curriculum that is designed to develop deep thinking and reflection. Pupils enjoy considering the overarching questions that are the basis for half-termly topics.

“Teachers provide meaningful opportunities for pupils to recall previous learning. They use very effective strategies to check pupils’ understanding of the curriculum. They identify pupils’ mistakes and address gaps in pupils' knowledge quickly.

Parents and carers are extremely positive about the school's work, according to the report. They say leaders go above and beyond to secure pupils’ academic progress and personal development.

Leaders prioritise the early years because they know that giving children the best start to their education is crucial for future success. As a result, leaders have developed a “highly effective curriculum” for the Reception Year that meets children’s needs.

Focusing on next steps, the report recommends that leaders should embed the recent developments in the personal development offer to fully deliver their vision of preparing pupils for adulthood.

Graham Parry, Principal of Bardsey Primary Academy, said: “This report is a proud moment for everyone at Bardsey Primary Academy. To be rated ‘strong’ in every area is a superb achievement and the result of a real team effort. Everyone involved with the school has played their part in this success – our hard-working, talented staff, our supportive parents, The GORSE Academies Trust, and of course our wonderful pupils.

“We are committed to providing the very best education possible both inside and outside the classroom, including a wide and enriching educational offer, so we are thrilled that this has been recognised by Ofsted.

“I want to thank our whole school community for all that they have done. We will continue to work hard every day to continue to give our children the best education possible.”