Pupils "failed" by leadership at Yorkshire primary school slammed as inadequate by inspectors

Ofsted inspectors visited Heckmondwike Primary School on Cawley Lane– which educates more than 400 pupils – in January 2023.

In the recently published report, inspectors found the school to be ‘inadequate’ in four of five areas - requiring improvement in behaviour and attitudes.

Pupils at Heckmondwike Primary receive a very poor standard of education, inspectors found.

The curriculum does not meet the needs of pupils, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Leaders have not ensured that staff are well trained in delivering the school’s curriculum.

Pupils do not achieve well, including children in the early years, according to inspectors.

The school was last visited by inspectors in 2017 and rated as ‘Good’.

However, in the latest report inspectors found pupils “have been failed by deep-rooted weaknesses in leadership”.

"Senior leaders, including governors, have done too little to tackle the significant shortcomings of the school”, inspectors said.

"As a result, the school’s effectiveness has declined significantly since the last inspection.

“Pupils do not benefit from a well-thought-out and ambitious curriculum.”

A significant number of pupils are persistently absent from school.

In a wide range of subjects, pupils do not achieve as well as they should at the school.

Most pupils with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) do not receive the support that they need at the school.

Inspectors continued: “Because of this, they do not achieve as well as they should.

"While some parents of pupils with SEND are happy with the support that their children receive, many are not.

"Parents feel increasingly frustrated because things do not seem to improve.

"Leaders need to make significant and rapid improvements to how they meet the needs of pupils with SEND so that these pupils can make necessary progress through the curriculum.”

Inspectors recommended the school does not appoint early career teachers due to the findings.

“His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school”, the report concluded.

Pupils are friendly, courteous and welcoming to visitors and they behave well at the school, inspectors found.

Bullying is rare and staff respond swiftly if it does occur in the school.

Heckmondwike Primary School was contacted by The Yorkshire Post for comment.

Mrs K Chubb and Mr S Mark, Executive Headteacher and Acting Headteacher, said: “Whilst we are extremely disappointed by the overall outcome, the School and Governors accept Ofsted’s judgement identified in the report.

"Prior to the inspection, the school were already working with the local authority to address some of the issues raised by OFSTED.

“The school continues to address these issues in order to make rapid improvements and we will continue to work alongside the Local Authority. Some of the improvements we have already prioritised include:

∙ Appointment of an Executive Headteacher to lead and drive improvements and add additional leadership capacity

∙ Additional expertise in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) ∙ Improved provision in SEND

∙ Systems in place for tracking, assessing and monitoring pupil progress

∙ Improvements in the school environment as a purposeful space which focuses on high expectations and pupil progress, celebrates the children’s work and stimulates learning ∙ Improvements within the curriculum

“The school would like to point out that the report also stated:

∙ The arrangements for safeguarding are effective

∙ Pupils are friendly, courteous and welcoming to visitors and they behave well ∙ Bullying is rare and staff respond quickly if it does happen

∙ Pupils say that adults help them sort out any problems they may have

∙ Pupils say they feel safe and well looked after”