Bratton Primary School

Bratton Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 126178 Local Authority Wiltshire Inspection number 360012 Inspection dates 4–5 November 2010 Reporting inspector Raymond Jardine

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 159 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Richard Pollock Headteacher David Brown Date of previous school inspection 14 May 2008 School address Westbury Road Westbury BA13 4RL Telephone number 01380 830511 Fax number 01380 830511 Email address admin@bratton.wilts.sch.uk

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Age group 4–11 Inspection dates 4–5 November 2010 Inspection number 360012 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 1234 234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the documentation in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to 'Subscribe'. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA T: 0300 1234 234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors. Inspectors observed 14 lessons taught by six teachers. Meetings were held with groups of pupils, the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Governing Body and school staff. They observed the school's work, and looked at a range of school documentation, including the school development plan, pupils' books, arrangements for safeguarding pupils, school policies, minutes of meetings and school assessment data. Inspectors analysed completed inspection questionnaires from 48 parents and carers as well as questionnaires from pupils and staff. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at the following.  The achievement of more able pupils, particularly in mathematics, to determine whether teaching is challenging.  The use of assessment to monitor and guide pupils in their next steps in English.  The children's learning and progress in Early Years Foundation Stage to determine if

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Introduction

provision has improved since the last inspection.

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Information about the school

Bratton Primary is a smaller than average primary school that serves the village of Bratton and surrounding areas. Almost all of the pupils are of White British backgrounds. A few pupils are looked after and there are also a few from the Traveller community. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is about average, as is the proportion who are registered as having special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school has gained Healthy School and International School awards. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in a mixed-age class with Year 1 from this year.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Main findings

Bratton Primary is a satisfactory and improving school. It provides a positive, safe and encouraging learning environment and good standards of care and welfare. Pupils from diverse backgrounds contribute much to a harmonious school community, they behave well and most enjoy their time at the school. Attainment by the end of Year 6 has risen in English, mathematics and science, and was a little above average in 2010. Pupils now make satisfactory progress. Progress in mathematics, particularly for the more able pupils, was a weakness at the last inspection, as was provision in Early Years Foundation Stage. Both these areas have improved considerably. Attainment in English has also improved, although reading is currently much stronger than writing. A number of factors have contributed to these improvements. The school has an accurate view of its strengths and weaknesses gained from detailed analyses of its performance. There are also robust systems for monitoring pupils' progress.

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Main findings

These include regular reviews of each class by senior leaders, which helps to ensure that underachievement is tackled promptly. The staff work together well, morale is high and middle leaders are becoming more influential in their work. The impact seen in pupils' rising attainment, learning and progress demonstrates the school's satisfactory potential to improve further. However, the school's development plan is too long and is a key reason why the momentum of improvement is not even quicker. It contains too many strategies which tend to obscure the key priorities, and criteria for judging progress and success are not sharply focused. This limits the influence of the governing body in monitoring the school's progress and challenging the pace of change. Most lessons are stimulating and interesting with pupils engaged in a variety of activities. The school is working to provide a more creative curriculum using the local and

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Main findings

wider community to help enrich pupils' experiences. Teaching quality is satisfactory and improving but is not yet consistent enough to secure pupils' good progress across subjects and year groups. Lessons are planned around clear objectives and most pupils are given appropriately challenging work. The school is working to improve standards of writing, focusing on creativity, writing for different purposes across the curriculum and in acquiring good skills in handwriting and the use of vocabulary. Teachers' marking and feedback on specifically chosen writing tasks is also providing pupils with targets to guide them. The best practice provides clear and specific next steps for pupils and a platform on which the school can build its expertise. These strategies are not yet fully embedded and consistent across the school and there are plans to develop them further. In addition, some lessons give too little emphasis to pupils' independence and decision-making in their learning.

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Main findings

Consequently, many pupils are not yet skilled enough to make full use of their curriculum targets in both English and mathematics to reflect and improve their own work.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment in English, particularly in writing, by: developing pupils' vocabulary, creativity and writing styles across the curriculum building on the best practice in assessing pupils' progress to provide more sharply focused next-step targets for them.  Extend pupils' independence by ensuring that they reflect on their learning and use curriculum targets consistently to review and improve their work.  Sharpen the focus of the school's priorities in its development plan and include measurable outcomes in order to accelerate the pace of improvement.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Children's attainment on entry to Reception is broadly in line with that expected for their age, although considerably below expectations in their linking of letters and sounds and writing. Year 6 attainment has risen steadily since the last inspection, most noticeably in mathematics and in science, and although average overall, some pupils perform at above average levels. Attainment is considerably better in reading than in writing where too few pupils are attaining the higher Level 5 by the time they leave. In the lessons seen, pupils' learning and progress was at least satisfactory and in some, it was good. In science, for example, the increased emphasis given in recent years to the acquisition of scientific enquiry skills can be seen in the good progress currently made by many pupils, particularly in Years 3 to 6. Pupils are more adept and confident in their skills at solving mathematical problems and puzzles, and in their mental calculations, as past weaknesses have been

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

tackled. However, standards of presentation and writing by some pupils are relatively weak. This is an area that the school is working on, partly through specific sessions devoted to handwriting. Teachers and their assistants plan for and support those pupils who have special educational needs, emotional difficulties or disabilities effectively to reduce barriers to their learning, and consequently their progress is at least satisfactory. There is little difference in the learning and progress of boys and girls or between different groups evident in recent assessment data. Typically in lessons, pupils enjoy their learning, work collaboratively on their activities and are keen to contribute to class discussions. Even so, their skills of independence, for example in making decisions for themselves or reviewing and improving their own work, are not so well developed. There are strengths in pupils' spiritual, moral and social

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

development which are reflected in the respect that they show to others and to their environment. They acquire a strong sense of what is right and fair. However, their understanding of other cultural traditions in the United Kingdom is limited. Pupils are well informed of, and make good choices in, their healthy lifestyles. They have an effective voice through the school council, for example in influencing the choice of play facilities around the school grounds. They are also becoming more enterprising through their imaginative schemes for raising funds for specific projects. Overall, pupils acquire sound basic skills to prepare them for their next stage in education and for adult life. Pupils learn much about how to stay safe and they say they feel very safe at school. They are confident that any incidents of harassment or bullying are dealt with effectively. Attendance is satisfactory.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 3

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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3

Taking into account: Pupils' attendance¹

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The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4

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How effective is the provision?

Lessons seen during the inspection were at least satisfactory with some better. Pupils respond well to their teacher, relationships are good, and little time is lost in managing pupils' behaviour or attention. Most lessons achieve an appropriate balance between whole-class teaching and group or individual work to develop and extend pupils' knowledge and skills. In the better lessons, activities are challenging for the full range of pupils' abilities but this level of planning is not consistent across the school. Teaching assistants are skilled at helping pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities to be fully involved and working for themselves. Pupils readily engage with activities and work well together. Even so, some tasks are directed by teachers to an extent that constrains pupils from working more independently. Marking is regular but is better developed and more consistent in its approach in English. The best marking

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How effective is the provision?

provides well-chosen and sharply focused next-step curriculum targets for pupils but their quality varies considerably between classes. The school is working to achieve high quality across all classes and to develop its practice further through recently adopted national strategies for assessing pupils' progress. The curriculum is adequately matched to pupils' needs and provides an appropriate emphasis on developing basic skills, particularly in literacy and numeracy. Well- developed partnerships with other schools and organisations extend the school's provision, for

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

example for gifted and talented pupils and through the good range of sporting opportunities. The school's recent effort to extend creativity and add real-life experiences and relevance to the curriculum is now being embedded in its work. Provision for pupils' personal, social and health education is good and a wide range of clubs and out-of-school visits add to pupils' learning and enjoyment. Adults provide good standards of care to promote pupils' learning and well-being. Inspectors observed a number of examples of effective assessment and well-targeted support given to pupils who have emotional, physical or learning difficulties. Arrangements for promoting good behaviour are well understood and effective. The school works well with its partners to engage with harder- to-reach families, for example, to ensure their children's regular attendance and integration into school life and learning.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching 3

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

Staff are proud of their school and feel that their contribution is valued. All staff are involved in contributing to the school's improvement. Subject and curriculum leaders are becoming more influential, for example, through monitoring their subjects and analysing patterns in assessments. The school now makes good, strategic use of assessment data within its self-evaluation to monitor pupils, including its more vulnerable groups. This makes an important contribution to promoting equality of opportunity. The impact can be seen, for instance, in closing some gaps in pupils' past performance and better provision for Reception children. Detailed analyses of the school's performance have ensured that it has the right priorities. Despite this, the school's development plan is cluttered with too many strategies that tend to obscure those most important, and this slows the pace of improvement. Governors know the school's strengths and weaknesses through their

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How effective are leadership and management?

monitoring and are keen to see greater drive and momentum. Together with senior leaders, they consult with parents and carers about important changes such as the recent introduction of some mixed-age classes. Safeguarding arrangements, including checks on adults working with children, are thorough and regularly monitored by senior leaders and the governing body. Governors are becoming more confident in professionally evaluating and challenging the school, but this aspect of their role is not yet fully systematic or sufficiently guided by measurable criteria.

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How effective are leadership and management?

The school is much involved in its local community and has until recently enjoyed strong international links to help provide a global dimension to pupils' learning. New international links are currently being developed. The school is also actively seeking more

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

partners nationally to help pupils gain a better insight into cultures and ways of life in the United Kingdom in order to help tackle discrimination and promote community cohesion.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for leadership and management

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3

Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children make satisfactory progress in their learning. Progress is stronger in linking sounds and letters, and in shape, space and measure. Children quickly settle into their new environment and benefit from some working alongside their older classmates in Year 1. Children enjoy good relationships with adults and listen to and follow instructions well. They are keen to learn, sustain concentration and show respect for resources. Provision has improved substantially since the last inspection when it was inadequate. There are more planned opportunities for children to be creative, develop fine motor skills and to write, both in the indoor and the outdoor environment. There are now good opportunities for children to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world, for example when looking at features of autumn leaves. Adults make careful observations of children's achievement and often use these assessments to plan activities which meet children's

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Early Years Foundation Stage

needs. New leadership has established a strong team, and staff plan and work together effectively. Links with pre-school settings are developing, for example, to promote consistent approaches to writing. The team are clear about what needs to be improved, although self-evaluation is not yet systematic and routine to their work.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

Nearly all parents and carers who responded to the inspection questionnaire report that their children enjoy school, they feel safe and are well prepared for the future. A few feel that the school could deal with incidents of unacceptable behaviour better. Inspectors found during the inspection that such incidents are few and that senior leaders and governors have effective arrangements in place for dealing with them and promoting good behaviour. While reports of their children's progress are quite detailed, some parents and carers would like to be better informed. The school is working to provide additional guidance with reports to help parents and carers interpret the assessment data within them.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Bratton Primary School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school. The inspection team received 48 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 159 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 25 52 21 44 2 4 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 28 58 20 42 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 11 23 29 60 8 17 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 10 21 33 69 5 10 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 15 31 29 60 4 8 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 11 23 31 65 6 13 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 18 38 27 56 3 6 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 12 25 33 69 1 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 10 21 32 67 6 13 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 10 21 28 58 7 15 2 4

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 15 31 26 54 7 12 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 12 25 29 60 5 10 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 16 33 29 60 3 6 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils' needs.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2009 to 31 March 2010 and are the most recently published data available (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). Please note that the sample of schools inspected during the autumn and spring terms 2009/10 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Secondary school figures in clude those that have sixth forms, and sixth form figures include only the data specifically for sixth form inspection judgements.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils' work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school's overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

 The school's capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils' attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's

Inspection of Bratton Primary School, Bratton, Westbury BA13 4RL

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's

On behalf of the inspection team, I would like to thank you for the warm welcome which we received when we visited your school recently. We were grateful to those of you and your parents and carers who completed the inspection questionnaire. I am now writing to tell you about our findings. Yours is a satisfactory and improving school. The staff and governors take good care of your safety and well-being and we noted that many of you say you enjoy school life. We were impressed by your good behaviour, the respect that you show to others and your commitment to leading healthy and fit lives. Most of you make satisfactory progress in your learning and, for some of you, it is good. The school has worked hard to improve standards in mathematics since we last visited. So it is pleasing to see more of you now gaining Level 5 in the subject by the end of your time at the school and that many of you are also doing well in your science. The staff and governors are now rightly focusing on

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's

improving your writing. This work is well underway and needs to be sustained to see its full impact. One of the things they will be doing is refining their methods for assessing pieces of your writing and setting next-step writing targets in order to better guide you. We are also encouraging the school to help you to become more independent in your learning and skilled at reviewing and improving your work, including using your targets, so that you learn more quickly. Most of you enjoy lessons and are eager to take an active part when given the opportunity. But some of the tasks you are given can be made more challenging. The headteacher and staff are always looking for ways of improving your education. However, the school's development plan contains too many priorities and actions for the staff and governors to efficiently work on, so we are requesting that these be reduced. We have also asked that clearly defined expectations are set for achieving them so that the school

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's

can improve even more quickly. Yours sincerely

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www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please

telephone 0300 1234 234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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