Brede Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 8–9 November 2011 Inspection number 378851 Brede Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 114389 Local Authority East Sussex Inspection number 378851 Inspection dates 8–9 November 2011 Reporting inspector Clive Dunn

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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 66 Appropriate authority The governing body Acting Chair Linda Stevens Headteacher Nicole Cummins Date of previous school inspection 16 June 2009 School address Udimore Road Broad Oak Brede Rye TN31 6DG Telephone number 01424 882393 Fax number 01424 882393 Email address office@brede.e-sussex.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

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors. They observed teaching and learning in nine lessons taught by three staff, as well as through a series of shorter ‘drop-ins’ across the school. Inspectors spoke with pupils, parents and carers, staff and representatives of the governing body. They observed the school’s work, and looked at planning and monitoring information, a range of policy documents and records including safeguarding, minutes of meetings of the governing body and a range of pupils’ work. They also analysed 24 questionnaires returned by parents and carers, 46 from pupils and five from staff.

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Introduction

The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school’s work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.

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Introduction

 How well the school meets the needs of different groups of pupils in mixed-age classes.  How well pupils know how to improve their own writing and take effective steps to do so, and how well marking and feedback support this.  How far self-evaluation is rigorous and accurate enough to contribute effectively to the school’s capacity to improve.

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Information about the school

This school is much smaller than most primary schools. Pupils are mainly of White British heritage, and all taught in one of three mixed-age classes, including children in Early Years Foundation Stage. The proportions are below average of children known to be eligible for free school meals and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Larger than usual numbers of children join or leave the school at times other than the normal points of entry, though these have reduced in recent years and the number on roll is very steadily rising. The Nursery, being developed on-site and not yet open, is managed by a private provider and was not part of this inspection. 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

Brede Primary is a good school. Improvements since the previous inspection have successfully raised from satisfactory to good pupils’ achievement, the quality of teaching, the curriculum and the overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This considerable success reflects the school’s good capacity to sustain further improvement. Guided by the headteacher’s good leadership and high aspiration for the school, the small but dedicated team of staff share a determination and drive to develop further. The governing body provides the school’s leaders with effective support and challenge to achieve this. All have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas still requiring further development. Although leaders monitor the quality of provision and pupils’ performance thoroughly, these activities and evaluations are not always sufficiently rigorous to make resulting plans for

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Main findings

improvement sufficiently tightly focused and precise enough to promote even more rapid improvement.

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Main findings

Pupils overwhelmingly enjoy school. They are motivated and engaged by the effective curriculum and teaching, reflected in their significantly improving attendance. As one parent put it, ‘Our children are extremely happy to go to school each day.’ Parents, carers and pupils spoke excitedly about how learning is made surprising and fun, such as the day families arrived at school to find the staff all dressed-up and engaged in an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ tea-party to mark the start of an open day to celebrate children’s achievements. With significant input from the governing body, the school has improved its promotion of community cohesion from inadequate at the previous inspection to good. This has given pupils good opportunities to engage with groups and contexts different from their own, for example through video-conferencing.

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Main findings

Strong relationships throughout the school effectively support pupils’ good development and well-being. Pupils new to the school, joining either Reception Year or later year groups, settle quickly and feel warmly welcomed by the school community. Good teaching was observed in all classes, though some inconsistencies remain across the school. In the small minority of satisfactory lessons, teaching and tasks do not match closely enough the needs of different groups in the class to secure more than expected progress. That said, good and improving rates of progress overall have secured a rising trend in attainment. For the last three years, pupils’ results in English and mathematics have been above national averages. Skilled teaching assistants provide good support for a range of different groups, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Although good overall, the Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

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Main findings

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

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Main findings

picture of progress in writing is not consistent. Pupils do not always have sufficient opportunities to use and apply the writing skills they are learning by independently producing extended pieces of work. However, pupils make good use of teachers’ effective marking to improve their writing, and have plentiful opportunities to discuss, explore and develop ideas together in readiness for written tasks.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Eradicate the remaining satisfactory teaching and accelerate pupils’ progress across the school so that it is at least consistently good and more is outstanding by:  customising teaching and tasks more sharply to ensure they have precisely the right levels of challenge for all groups  ensuring pupils have enough opportunities to improve, develop and sustain independent writing skills.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Refine the school’s evaluation of its own performance by further increasing the rigour of monitoring activities and use the information gained to ensure plans for improvement are tightly focused and precise about what they are intended to achieve.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school and demonstrate a clear understanding of right and wrong. They show good respect for each other’s ideas in lessons, and pupils of all ages mix together and negotiate well in their games at break times. Pupils say that they feel safe at school. They develop a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe in different situations, such as older pupils’ understanding of appropriate and safe conduct when using the internet. They have a good knowledge and understanding of different factors affecting their health. Extra-curricular physical activities, such as the popular tag-rugby club, are well attended. The oldest pupils proudly and responsibly carry out their extensive roles and responsibilities, such as operating the music in assembly or helping organise and manage the dining hall. However, these opportunities are largely limited to pupils in Years 5 and 6. Pupils from Year 2 upwards are involved in the active school council

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

that creates good opportunities to discuss and influence a good range of issues, from improving equipment for the playground to the marking policy. Pupils are proud of their involvement in the local community, such as their harvest contributions, and respond thoughtfully to regular opportunities to reflect on the world around them during lessons. They are eager to engage in regular activities that give them good opportunities to experience and learn about cultures and religions not represented in the immediate community.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Enthused by effective teaching that successfully motivates pupils of all ages within each class, they are keen to do well and work at a good pace in lessons. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 achieved well in a literacy lesson because the teacher’s good 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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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

questioning helped them link previously learned writing skills with specific features of non-chronological reports. Effective support from the teaching assistant for the more-able Year 6 pupils developed well their understanding of how to adopt an appropriately formal style and tone. Good additional support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities ensures they make progress in line with their peers, with well-tailored additional support for individuals sometimes resulting in exceptional gains in learning. Pupils engage well and sensitively to regular opportunities to review and suggest improvements to their own and each other’s work. Pupils in Years 2, 3 and 4 did this particularly well in an art lesson, because the teacher modelled the skill so effectively and gave pupils very clear criteria to identify.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

The very small sizes of individual cohorts mean statistical comparisons of pupils’ attainment compared with national averages need to be treated with extreme caution. To counter this, the school has sensibly drawn together averages over three years to make more reliable comparisons. This shows that results are consistently above national figures in all areas and improving rates of progress across the school mean the gap is widening. Above average attainment and attendance, pupils’ range of good personal skills and their competent use of information and communication technology prepare pupils well for the next stage of their education and life beyond. Though pupils know their next step targets to improve their work, including their writing, they do not always understand these deeply enough, such as knowing when they might or might not need to apply them to the task in hand.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

These are the grades for pupils’ outcomes Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning Taking into account: Pupils’ attainment 1 The quality of pupils’ learning and their progress The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress The extent to which pupils feel safe 2 Pupils’ behaviour 2 The extent to which pupils adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community 2 The extent to which pupils develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being Taking into account: Pupils’ attendance 1 The extent of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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How effective is the provision?

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4 is low 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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How effective is the provision?

Teachers check pupils’ understanding as lessons progress to target their support or provide additional explanation as required. They use good subject knowledge effectively to ensure explanations are clear for all pupils within the mixed-age classes. The good questioning skills of teachers and teaching assistants encourage pupils to develop and explain their answers, and pupils are confident to pose questions as well. At times, though on task, discussions can slow the pace of written work, or limit the time available to complete a written task. Good quality dialogue between adults ensures assessment of pupils’ progress is used to inform future planning, as seen at the end of a mathematics focus group activity for the Year 1 pupils within the youngest class. Sometimes teachers rely too heavily on providing additional support for groups or slightly adapting the same task for the whole class, rather than using different tasks to meet the learning needs of different groups more

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How effective is the provision?

closely. The majority of marking is of good quality, identifying clearly for pupils what they have done well and what they need to do next to improve. Pupils are in good habits of using this advice well, securing the good impact it has on their learning.

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How effective is the provision?

A good range of enrichment activities and trips away, including a residential visit, provide pupils with memorable learning experiences. Good links between subjects help pupils make links in their own learning, as well as use and apply their skills for real purposes. In Years 2, 3 and 4, pupils combined mathematics, scientific and information and communication technology skills to investigate and measure light levels. They were confident to hypothesise, even when not sure, and sensitively and appropriately challenged and explored each other’s ideas. Good levels of supervision, positive relationships and effective systems and policies contribute well to pupils’ good personal development and well-being. Good links with other professionals for pupils whose contexts make them potentially vulnerable help ensure the school is successful in breaking down barriers to achievement or engagement. Where appropriate, provision is planned at an individual level for pupils with special

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How effective is the provision?

educational needs and/or disabilities, though the school does not always measure the impact of this provision precisely enough.

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How effective is the provision?

These are the grades for the quality of provision The quality of teaching Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils’ needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships The effectiveness of care, guidance and support 2

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How effective are leadership and management?

There is a strong sense of teamwork, and leaders and staff at all levels clearly understand their role and contribution. Although plans for improvement do not always include precise enough measures against which to evaluate success 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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How effective are leadership and management?

rigorously, actions and aims are realistic and challenging. Clear feedback to teachers of strengths and areas for development following lesson observations have helped to secure good improvements to the quality of teaching. The headteacher recognises that monitoring is not always sufficiently precise and sharply enough focused on learning to have secured more teaching that is outstanding. The governing body is involved routinely and systematically in evaluating the school’s performance and is influential in planning for further improvement. It has clear mechanisms for seeking and responding to the views of pupils, and parents and carers. Good systems ensure that statutory duties are met, and thorough safeguarding systems and procedures are well known and followed by staff. Comprehensive risk assessments and stringent fire drills help ensure the safety and protection of pupils, staff and visitors.

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How effective are leadership and management?

The school has audited its promotion of community cohesion, subsequently planning, implementing and evaluating necessary actions, including establishing national and international links. These have developed pupils’ understanding of diversity and cohesion well, though leaders recognise that in the school’s mainly White British context, securing a stronger understanding for pupils is still a work in progress. The school has benefited well from working in partnership with a local school to moderate teachers’ assessments of the levels at which pupils are working to ensure their accuracy. As well as rigorously tracking the progress of individual pupils, the school carefully monitors the progress of different groups of pupils as part of its good promotion of equal opportunities. Resulting action is successful in narrowing any gaps, which are usually specific to individual cohorts. The school does not tolerate

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How effective are leadership and management?

any form of discrimination and there have been no reported racist incidents in recent years.

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How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for leadership and management The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning The effectiveness of the governing body in challenging and supporting the school so that weaknesses are tackled decisively and statutory responsibilities met The effectiveness of the school’s engagement with parents and carers 2 The effectiveness of partnerships in promoting learning and well-being 2 The effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures 2 The effectiveness with which the school promotes community cohesion 2 The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money

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Early Years Foundation Stage

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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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage. They quickly grow in confidence and develop a good level of independence, through following school routines and making choices in their play and learning. From the time they arrive, careful observations and assessments of their capabilities, learning and development ensure their needs are well met, and in turn secure the good gains they make. They are able to select their own activities well. When given these opportunities, children are mostly productive, well supported by the good quality environment inside and outside. A teaching assistant took the opportunity to further develop the knowledge and understanding of a group already purposefully engaged in the class bird-hide role play area. Overhearing the discussion, a girl announced, ‘I’m making a nest!’ and busily organised herself with the resources to do so. Meanwhile, outside, the

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Early Years Foundation Stage

teacher’s effective questioning prompted and developed a group of boys’ problem- solving skills as they tried to stop their cars falling off a ramp. Due to the organisation and structure of the day in the mixed-age class, occasionally potential opportunities for the children to initiate their own learning, or the range of choice, are restricted. Leaders have successfully secured an improving trend in outcomes for children as they enter Year 1. Their welfare and well-being are effectively promoted in line with whole-school policies and approaches.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

An average number of parents and carers responded to the questionnaire, expressing mostly positive views. Those that answered each question were unanimous in their agreement that their children enjoy school and are making enough progress, that the school keeps them safe, helps them to have a healthy lifestyle and meets their particular needs. While the large majority of parents and carers agreed that the school takes account of their views and suggestions, the very small minority of parents and carers who disagreed with the statement made this their biggest area of concern. Written and verbal comments expressed mixed views, with some expressing concerns and others singling this out as a particular strength of the school. Inspectors found that overall the school engages well with parents and carers using a wide range of informal and formal communication channels, including the internet. They found the school takes good account of the range of views

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Views of parents and carers

expressed by parents and carers through consultations, such as those about school uniform and times of the day. The large majority of written comments were positive about various aspects of the school.

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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 Brede 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 24 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 66 pupils registered at the school.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Statements Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Total % Total % Total % Total % My child enjoys school 15 63 9 38 0 0 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 14 58 9 38 0 0 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school informs me about my child’s progress 8 33 14 58 1 4 1 4

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

My child is making enough progress at this school 11 46 13 54 0 0 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The teaching is good at this school 13 54 10 42 0 0 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school helps me to support my child’s learning 13 54 7 29 1 4 0 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 13 54 11 46 0 0 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

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) 6 25 10 42 0 0 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school meets my child’s particular needs 11 46 11 46 0 0 0 0 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 11 46 11 46 1 4 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 10 42 8 33 3 13 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school is led and managed effectively 9 38 13 54 2 8 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 15 63 8 33 1 4 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

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. 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 43 47 10 0 Primary schools 6 46 42 6 Secondary schools 14 36 41 9

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Sixth forms 15 42 41 3 Special schools 30 48 19 3 Pupil referral units 14 50 31 5

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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 2010 to 08 April 2011 and 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. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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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.  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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Inspection of Brede Primary School, Rye, TN31 6DG

Thank you for the lovely welcome you gave us when we visited your school recently. We really enjoyed meeting you and found all of the things that you told us about your school really helpful. Thank you also to those of you who answered our questionnaire. You told us that you enjoy school very much and we can see why – Brede Primary is a good school.

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Inspection of Brede Primary School, Rye, TN31 6DG

You achieve and behave well, and develop good personal skills for the future. The adults in school care for you a good deal and this helps to make sure that you feel safe and confident when you are there. You find learning interesting and fun and you are making sure that you come to school whenever you possibly can, so that attendance is above average and getting better. Much of the teaching is good and we were pleased to see you getting involved in looking at your own and each other’s work regularly to see how you can make it better. You also use well your teachers’ good marking and follow their advice carefully. Children get off to a good start in their Reception Year when they first join school.

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Inspection of Brede Primary School, Rye, TN31 6DG

Your headteacher and others responsible for running the school are doing a good job at making things better for you all. We can see how things have really improved since the last time inspectors did a complete review of your school. Everyone is very keen to keep improving things even more to make the school the best it can possibly be. To help them with this, we have asked them to do a couple of important things.

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Inspection of Brede Primary School, Rye, TN31 6DG

 Make sure teaching and your progress is always at least good by always giving you tasks that are not too easy or too difficult and giving you enough chances to do longer pieces of writing.  Check even more closely how well the school is doing, so that those running your school know in detail exactly what to do to make things even better.

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Inspection of Brede Primary School, Rye, TN31 6DG

You can all help by continuing to try your very best, and by really concentrating and working hard when your teacher gives you longer writing activities to do.

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Inspection of Brede Primary School, Rye, TN31 6DG

Clive Dunn 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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