Borrow Wood Primary School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 19–20 March 2012 Inspection number 378623 Borrow Wood Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 112975 Local authority Derby Inspection number 378623 Inspection dates 19–20 March 2012 Lead inspector Alison Cogher

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 415 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Carole Riley Headteacher Helen Hough Date of previous school inspection 27 March 2008 School address Arundel Drive Spondon Derby DE21 7QW Telephone number 01332 662826 Fax number 01332 664929 Email address admin@borrowwood.derby.sch.uk 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

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. 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 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . 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 information 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’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. The inspectors visited 26 lessons and observed 13 teachers for periods of between 15 and 45 minutes. Small groups being led by teaching assistants and a support teacher for pupils with special educational needs were also observed in lessons, and in other areas of the school. Meetings were held with members of the governing body, staff and pupils and some parents and carers were spoken to informally. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection. The views of staff, pupils and 125 parents and carers were considered, as expressed through the returned questionnaires. Inspectors observed the school’s work, and looked at documents including the school’s self-evaluation information, the school development plan and curriculum planning. Pupils’ work and information about their attainment and progress were also scrutinised.

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Information about the school

This is a larger than average sized school. It was formed in 2010 as a result of the amalgamation of a Nursery and Infant, and Junior School that shared the same site. It serves a largely White British community from the surrounding area. The proportion of disabled pupils, those with special educational needs, including those with a statement, and those known to be eligible for free school meals are below average. The school meets the current government requirement for the proportion of pupils attaining Level 4 and above in English and mathematics.

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Information about the school

The school has achieved a number of awards including the Silver International School and Artsmark Gold awards, Healthy School status and the Basic Skills Quality Mark.

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Information about the school

A breakfast club is run each day during term time. This provision is not managed by the governing body and is inspected separately. 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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Key findings

 This is a good school. ‘Borrow Wood is a lovely friendly school with staff who, put children first’, is typical of the many positive comments about the school conveyed by the parents and carers who completed the questionnaire. The school is not outstanding because teaching is not securing pupils’ rapid progress over time.

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Key findings

 The school’s aim ‘To bring out the best in everyone’ is reflected in the positive attitudes that permeate all activities at the school. Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage. By the end of Year 6 pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is above average. All pupils make good progress from their individual starting points and their achievement is good.

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Key findings

 Teaching is good overall. In the very best lessons pupils make rapid progress because pupils’ prior learning is considered carefully and activities are tightly matched to their abilities, including extension tasks for the more- able. In these lessons teachers also use questioning to challenge pupils to think for themselves and to give reasons for their responses, and this develops their knowledge and understanding extremely well. These features are not of a consistently high quality in all classes. Teachers mark pupils’ work thoroughly and give them good information about what they have achieved. However, pupils are not always provided with a clear indication of what they need to do next to improve.

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Key findings

 Pupils are extremely well -behaved, polite and courteous individuals. When working together in pairs and small groups they show exceptional levels of collaboration and cooperation.

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Key findings

 Good leadership and strong teamwork have secured improvements to teaching and the overall performance of the school since the last inspection. The effective use of accurate school self-evaluation to inform the school 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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Key findings

development plan is securing improving outcomes for pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching and learning so that 50% is outstanding by April 2013, by:  ensuring that questioning is used to best effect in lessons to further help pupils’ learning  using marking to identify clearly for pupils what they need to learn next to improve  ensuring that activities in lessons are always tightly matched to the needs and abilities of all pupils, including the provision of extension tasks to extend the learning of the most able.

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Achievement of pupils

Children start at the school with skills that are broadly at the level expected for their age. They make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes, and develop into active, independent learners with a ‘can do’ attitude. Pupils continue to make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics through Years 1 to 6 and their enthusiasm for learning continues to grow. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, and those known to be eligible for free school meals, make similar progress to their peers. Parents and carers who returned the questionnaire expressed confidence that their children learn well at school and make good progress. Inspection evidence supports this view.

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Achievement of pupils

Attainment in reading is above average by the end of Year 2. Pupils’ make good progress and by Year 6 their attainment in reading is much higher than the national average. Pupils enjoy their reading and use a range of approaches, including their knowledge of the sounds letters make to help them read unfamiliar words. The school’s data and inspection evidence show that pupils’ progress is accelerating across the school. This is a consequence of improved teaching and the careful planning of opportunities for pupils to use their reading, writing and mathematics skills in other subjects. For example, in their science work pupils in Year 2 wrote explanations of how bread changes when it is heated. Similarly, in a Year 5 and 6 science lesson, pupils recorded their ideas, and read each other’s ideas as they considered what factors might affect the pitch of instruments. They then measured carefully the volume of water they used to make their own instrument using glasses.

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Achievement of pupils

These types of activity also enable pupils to communicate and share ideas as they work collaboratively.

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Quality of teaching

Inspection evidence supports the questionnaire responses of parents and carers, all 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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Quality of teaching

of whom consider that children are well taught in both the Early Years Foundation Stage and all other year groups in the school. Pupils, too, consider that teaching is good and that they learn a lot at school. Effective teaching is ensuring pupils make good progress and develop an enthusiasm for learning as well as the social skills that allow them to make the most of working together. Relationships in all classrooms are very supportive so pupils confidently try out ideas without fear of failure. The marking of pupils’ work is frequent and encouraging. In most instances, pupils are given clear information about what they have done well, but they are not always given specific guidance that tells them what they need to next to improve.

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Quality of teaching

The well-organised curriculum supports teachers in their planning of lessons so that they generally meet the range of pupils’ learning needs. At times however, the match of work does not take full account of pupils’ prior learning or ability and so a few pupils find tasks either too difficult or relatively easy, which in both cases slows the progress they make. The best teaching observed was outstanding and did take full account of pupils needs. For example, in a Year 2 mathematics lesson, the teacher used cubes and real money to revisit the process of giving change from 20 pence or 50 pence, having noted from the previous day that some pupils had not secured this skill. As a result, pupils understanding improved markedly so they were then able to tackle their group tasks confidently and made rapid progress during the lesson. In these high quality lessons teachers also use questioning that requires pupils to

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Quality of teaching

respond by explaining what they have learned. Additional questions are then used to encourage pupils to think for themselves and to extend their learning further. For example, in a Year 5 and 6 English lesson, the teacher challenged pupils to put in rank order, giving reasons for their choices, a selection of sentences that would add interest and be most appropriate in a letter they were to write from ‘Mr and Mrs Strauss’, passengers on the Titanic, to their daughter at home in England. This excellent practice is not used to best effect in all lessons.

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Quality of teaching

Assessment information is used well to ensure that pupils needing additional help receive targeted support. This includes the careful grouping of pupils for various purposes as well as targeted support for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. This very well managed provision ensures pupils sustain an enthusiasm for learning. For example, playing a game outside where pupils had to identify letters by the sound they make and then find a paving slab on which the letter was written, fully engaged a group of pupils with particular needs and reinforced their learning.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, for example by setting clear expectations for behaviour and providing many opportunities for pupils to value each other’s views and ideas as they work together.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

All the parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire expressed confidence that the school is a safe place for their children. In discussions, pupils commented 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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Behaviour and safety of pupils

that they consider behaviour to be very good and that they feel very safe at school. Inspection evidence supports these very positive views. Pupils behave extremely well when playing together and in lessons. They develop excellent levels of self-discipline as a consequence of the school’s high expectations and supportive approach. They are helped to take responsibility for their own actions and to make appropriate choices in a variety of situations.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils have a very good understanding of how to keep themselves safe. They report that bullying of any kind, including name-calling and cyber bullying is extremely rare and they are very confident that if it does occur it is dealt with swiftly and robustly. The very few pupils in need of extra help for their behaviour are extremely well cared for and respond very positively to the support they receive.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils are exceptionally polite, friendly and courteous. Their enjoyment of school is high and reflected in their above average attendance, the way they work hard to do their very best, and the extremely productive way they work together in lessons. Respect and tolerance underpin relationships throughout the school and is evident in lessons in the way adults relate to pupils and the way pupils relate to each other. Pupils frequently work with a partner or in small groups. At times these groups contain pupils of different ages and abilities, in this situation all pupils within the group are valued equally and give each other the same opportunity to contribute to the task in hand without prompting by adults. This exemplary behaviour and high levels of engagement ensures that virtually no time is lost for learning in lessons.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher provides energetic and motivational leadership to a team of highly focused, professional staff who have secured the successful amalgamation of the two schools. Improvements since the last inspection to teaching, the school improvement planning process and the way in which pupils’ attainment and progress are assessed, demonstrate the school’s good capacity to improve further. A clear vision of raised expectations of teaching and of what pupils can achieve has been successfully communicated to all staff. Teamwork is strong and there is a shared commitment to achieving continuing school improvement. The effective use of performance review linked to professional development and focused monitoring has secured some marked and sustained improvements to teaching. The school sees itself as a ‘learning community’ where adults and pupils are helped to aspire to achieve as well as they can. This culture of learning extends to the close partnership links the school has

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Leadership and management

with local schools that provide additional learning opportunities for pupils, and also promotes the sharing of expertise between staff.

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Leadership and management

Monitoring and evaluation activities are led by a range of staff and this reflects the broad range and depth of expertise of senior and middle leaders in the school. Assessment information about pupils’ attainment and progress is used well to set challenging targets for pupils and to inform evaluations made about the quality of teaching and curriculum provision across the school. 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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Leadership and management

The governing body is well-informed about the school’s strengths and areas for development. They provide a good balance of support and challenge and are actively involved in monitoring the school. Safeguarding procedures meet requirements and are managed well.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum provides pupils with a range of memorable experiences that contribute well to the school’s successful promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school is a harmonious and inclusive community that develops pupils’ awareness of the local, wider British and global communities well.

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Leadership and management

The school engages well with parents and carers. They are welcomed in to share the start of each morning in classrooms and to attend some sessions to observe their children being taught. Questionnaire responses indicate that this approach is much appreciated by parents and carers who feel well-informed, listened to and included. All groups of pupils, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are helped to make similar progress to other pupils. This demonstrates the school’s success in promoting equality of opportunity for pupils of all abilities and backgrounds.

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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. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. 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

Nursery schools 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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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

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and 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 governors and 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.

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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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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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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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Inspection of Borrow Wood Primary School, Derby, DE21 7QW

Thank you for helping us with the inspection of your school and for the very friendly and polite welcome that you gave us. We enjoyed talking to you, reading your questionnaires, hearing some of you read and looking at the work you do in lessons. Your school is giving you a good education.

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Inspection of Borrow Wood Primary School, Derby, DE21 7QW

There are many good things about your school and these are some of them.

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Inspection of Borrow Wood Primary School, Derby, DE21 7QW

 You are extremely well behaved, pay very good attention in lessons and the way you work together is exceptionally good.  You are taught well so you are making good progress in your reading, writing and mathematics learning.  You make good use of your reading, writing and mathematics skills in different subjects.  Adults in school take good care of you so you feel very safe and well-supported.  The headteacher, all the staff and governors are working hard to make sure that you get the help you need to do your very best.

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Inspection of Borrow Wood Primary School, Derby, DE21 7QW

This is what I have asked your school to do to make it even better.

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Inspection of Borrow Wood Primary School, Derby, DE21 7QW

 I have asked your teachers to make sure that your work in lessons always helps you to learn more, and that the questions they ask you help you to think for yourselves and that you are asked to give reasons for your answers. I have also asked them to ensure that when they mark your work they make it clear to you what you need to do next to make it better.

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Inspection of Borrow Wood Primary School, Derby, DE21 7QW

All of you can help by continuing to work hard, by doing your best to answer your teachers’ questions and following their advice about how to improve your work.

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Inspection of Borrow Wood Primary School, Derby, DE21 7QW

Alison Cogher Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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