Farnham Primary School, located in Bradford, West Yorkshire, has recently undergone an inspection on the 1st and 2nd of November 2023. The overall effectiveness of the school has been rated as good, maintaining a strong standard in various areas including the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. The headteacher, Baljit Bains, leads the school, which is part of Pennine Academies Yorkshire, overseen by CEO Michael Thorp and a board of trustees chaired by Nick Briggs.
The school has not been inspected previously under its current academy status, as it was exempt from routine inspections until November 2020. However, it did receive an ungraded inspection in September 2021. The current inspection reflects the school’s progress and changes since its last graded inspection.
Pupils at Farnham Primary School take pride in being part of a diverse community. The school fosters strong relationships between staff and students, contributing to a positive learning environment. Most pupils exhibit polite and respectful behaviour, and while there are instances of distraction during lessons, these are generally minimal. The school actively teaches pupils about bullying, and most students feel that it rarely occurs, with records supporting this claim. The school has effective processes in place to monitor attendance, which is improving, and promotes high attendance rates through various initiatives.
Farnham Primary School has high aspirations for its pupils, ensuring that the curriculum is designed to help them achieve well. Most students leave the school well-prepared for their next educational steps. Subject leaders have worked to ensure that the curriculum builds on early years education, and pupils with special educational needs and disabilities receive appropriate support to foster independence.
The curriculum is carefully structured, with a focus on essential knowledge and vocabulary. However, some areas require further breakdown of knowledge to facilitate better connections to prior learning and to enable teachers to assess what pupils have retained. Staff benefit from high-quality training and value opportunities for professional development, although the school needs to improve its systems for checking the impact of these developments.
Reading instruction is a priority, with a consistent approach to teaching phonics. Staff are well-trained, enabling them to teach reading effectively and address any pronunciation errors promptly. The school is committed to ensuring that all pupils learn to read as soon as possible, which is crucial for accessing the broader curriculum.
In the early years, children are provided with ample opportunities to develop communication and language skills through play. Adults effectively model language use and support children’s exploration of learning. Pupils also benefit from educational visits that enhance their cultural awareness and engagement with the community.
Leaders have established collaborative processes with parents, including workshops and feedback opportunities, which help strengthen the school community. The school’s safeguarding arrangements are effective, ensuring that staff are trained to keep pupils safe, although some training could be more tailored to the school’s specific context.
To improve further, the school needs to refine its curriculum to ensure that all essential knowledge is clearly defined and assessable. Additionally, it should enhance its monitoring of staff development impacts and ensure that safeguarding training is contextually relevant for all staff members. Overall, Farnham Primary School demonstrates a commitment to providing a good quality of education and fostering a supportive environment for its pupils.
