Outwood Primary Academy Bell Lane

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 21 September 2022

Leaders in this school have high expectations for every pupil. This is clear from the ambition of curriculum thinking. It is also evident in the atmosphere pupils learn in. There is calmness and consistency throughout the school. This is because all staff understand and follow the same rules and routines. Staff use 'silent signals' to help pupils move safely and purposefully around classrooms and the school. These routines help pupils to feel safe and secure. Pupils who need more support with their behaviour receive it. These pupils talk with enthusiasm about how this helps them to make positive choices and how it supports them to learn. Pupils make a positive contribution to the life of the school. They have opportunities to apply for a variety of roles in school. For example, mental health ambassadors talk about introducing worry jars into classrooms. Pupils are very positive about how this has helped them. Pupils know that adults are there to help them. There is a positive and respectful culture between pupils and adults throughout school. Pupils understand how to recognise bullying and report it. On the rare occasions that bullying happens, adults deal with it effectively.

What the school should improve

• Through the personal development offer, pupils remember their activities and experiences more readily than the knowledge, understanding and values that leaders intended. Leaders should ensure that the personal development curriculum is further refined and adapted to ensure that all pupils have the knowledge they need be citizens of modern Britain and the world.
• In some subjects, some activities chosen by teachers do not allow pupils to focus clearly on the most important knowledge leaders have identified in the curriculum. As a result, there are missed opportunities for establishing exactly which part of learning pupils have understood or they need more help with. Leaders should ensure that teachers continue to receive highly focused professional development which supports them to make pedagogical choices which provide the best opportunities for pupils to achieve the learning set out in the curriculum.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)