Broadmeadow Junior School

Age group 7–11 Inspection date(s) 17–18 November 2011 Inspection number 376869 Broadmeadow Junior School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 103286 Local Authority Birmingham Inspection number 376869 Inspection dates 17–18 November 2011 Reporting inspector Jeffery Plumb

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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 Junior School category Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 212 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Alan Bridge Headteacher Judy Matthiae Date of previous school inspection 19 May 2009 School address Monyhull Hall Road Kings Norton Birmingham B30 3QJ Telephone number 0121 4641717 Fax number 0121 4642642 Email address enquiry@brdmedoj.bham.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 three additional inspectors. They observed 12 lessons taught by 12 teachers. Inspectors held meetings with members of the governing body and with groups of staff and pupils. They spoke with parents and carers in the playground at the start of the school day. They analysed a wide range of evidence, including data on pupils’ progress and attainment, attendance, curriculum planning, a sample of statements of special educational needs, and work in pupils’ books. They also scrutinised school policies (including safeguarding policies), minutes of governing body meetings, the community cohesion plan, the school development plan, two case studies of pupils in vulnerable circumstances and 64 questionnaire returns from parents and carers, together with those from staff and pupils.

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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

 Do pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make sufficient progress and is their attainment high enough?  What is the impact of the recently implemented strategy to raise pupils’ achievement in writing, particularly in Year 5?  Does the school successfully promote pupils’ awareness of cultural diversity?

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Information about the school

This is an average sized junior school. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well above the national average. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average, the proportion with statements of special educational needs significantly so. The majority of pupils are White British, but in recent years the number of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds has increased. There are no pupils who are at an early stage of learning to speak English. The school works closely with the infant school, which shares its site. The school has recently joined ‘The Big Community’, an organisation that supports schools and the families they serve.

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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

Broadmeadow Junior School is a good school. The school successfully engages parents and carers and so involves them in the learning of their children. This is helping to raise pupils’ achievement in reading and mathematics. Effective links with other schools and external partners enriches pupils’ learning. For example, it enables them to learn foreign languages and so raises their awareness of cultural diversity.

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Main findings

Achievement is good. Most pupils make good progress from relatively low starting points and attainment in English and mathematics for Year 6 pupils is broadly average. Overall, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress. However, the good progress they make with their reading, writing and mathematics whilst in small intervention settings is not always consistently sustained when they are taught in mainstream classes. In a few mainstream lessons pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities who grasp and fully understand the work set for them at the start of the lesson are not moved on quickly enough. Their learning then slows due to a lack of challenge and through keeping them together as a group to work on the same activity, rather than allowing them to join in with their peers who are doing harder work.

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Main findings

Attendance is above average and the vast majority of pupils enjoy school. Effective strategies have significantly improved attendance and punctuality, except for that of a few pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and this adversely affects their learning. Behaviour is good and pupils engage enthusiastically with learning in the vast majority of lessons because activities are challenging. The rare instances of bullying are tackled swiftly. Pupils say that they feel safe at school and they take good care of each other. Pupils’ adoption of a healthy lifestyle is good. They participate enthusiastically in a wide range of sporting activities and opt to eat healthy food. Enterprise projects such as the school’s ‘Mineral Garden’ make a valuable contribution to the development of pupils’ work-related skills. Pupils’ spiritual awareness is raised well through magical moments in science and music.

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Main findings

Their awareness of cultural diversity is good.

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Main findings

Teaching is good. A little satisfactory teaching remains where teachers take too long explaining to pupils what they are going to learn in the lesson. This slows the pace of pupils’ learning. Occasionally pupils are not sufficiently challenged and do not reach their full potential. The vast majority of lessons, however, buzz with learning because pupils are engaged with tasks which extend them and so they make good progress. The curriculum is broad and balanced. It is enriched by a residential experience and

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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

many after school clubs which enhance pupils’ learning well. Pupils and families in vulnerable circumstances are well-supported through effective and collaborative working of health, educational and social services professionals.

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

Leadership and management are good. The leadership team reflects deeply on its practice following thorough self-evaluation and takes decisive action to improve the quality of education for pupils. Consequently, the school’s capacity for sustained improvement is good and is illustrated in several ways. For example, the considerable success of the innovative approaches to the teaching of reading and writing have raised pupils’ achievement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve attainment and progress for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities by:  ensuring all teachers plan specific learning outcomes for them matched to their needs  developing more flexibility within lessons so that pupils with special educational needs can be moved to a higher achieving group within the class once they grasp and understand the work set for them at the start of the lesson; and  work with parents and carers to ensure that the very few pupils who have poor attendance and who come to school late in the morning, attend regularly and arrive on time

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the remaining small amount of satisfactory teaching by:  ensuring that all teaching is delivered at a brisk pace so as to accelerate pupils’ learning in all lessons; and  ensuring that expectations of pupils’ learning are consistently high and that all pupils are challenged through activities which are based on their prior attainment and planned to meet their learning needs.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

All groups of pupils make good progress in most lessons because teachers use assessments to plan specific activities matched to their needs. When taught in small intervention groups, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good and at times outstanding progress. However, their rate of progress is not consistently sustained in all mainstream lessons. On rare occasions teachers do not plan specific learning outcomes for pupils based on their prior attainment and this slows their learning. Teachers are usually adept at re-aligning their teaching, on-the- spot, to accelerate pupils’ progress in lessons. For example, in a good Year 6 mathematics lesson the teacher recognised, through questioning, that the pupils did not grasp the posted learning objective. She skilfully engaged the pupils in working through, for themselves, how to tackle the problem by building their confidence as

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

she broke the task down into small steps. By the end of the lesson all pupils in the

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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

class successfully and confidently calculated the area of compound shapes. However, in a very few lessons pupils are not sufficiently challenged and this slows their learning. Attainment on entry is below average. National curriculum test results for 11-year-olds have undulated in recent years, reflecting the fact that the number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is significantly higher in Year 6 groups from one year to the next. In the summer of 2011 test results were above the national average at the higher level for 11-year-olds in English. The school’s rigorous tracking shows rising attainment in Year 6 again this year. Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds achieve at least as well as their peers. The gap between the achievement of boys and girls in writing is also narrowing. A targeted intervention group in Year 5 is making a valuable contribution to raising boys’

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

Pupils enjoy school and engage enthusiastically with learning. They have an adult in whom they trust and can turn to with any problems. They are actively involved in improving their school and plan and execute a wide number of charity fund raising events. They exercise responsibility willingly, taking on jobs within the school. Pupils are equipped with the skills required to think critically and solve problems. By the end of Year 6 they have the skills required to be successful learners at secondary school. Pupils information and communication technology skills are developed effectively, through project work. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Their awareness of cultural diversity has improved significantly, through a ‘blogging initiative’ by which they communicate with other schools in different parts of the world.

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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

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

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contribute to their future economic well-being

Taking into account: Pupils’ attendance 1

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The extent of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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

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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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How effective is the provision?

Most teaching is good because it is well planned with a wide range of relevant and interesting activities, which successfully engages pupils’ interests and accelerates their learning. In a good Year 5 literacy lesson all pupils made good progress in writing sentences because they had a good bank of descriptive words which the teacher had built up by gathering the descriptive words they came up with whilst watching a film clip. Teachers use their subject knowledge and questioning skills effectively to accelerate pupils learning. Assessment is used effectively to group pupils and match work to meet their needs and makes a valuable contribution to raising pupils’ achievement. In a very few lessons though, inflexibility in moving pupils from one group to another speedily, actually slows their learning. Marking of pupils books is good and gives them clear guidance on how to improve their work.

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How effective is the provision?

Flexibly planned and innovative, the curriculum meets pupils’ needs well. A recently launched reading scheme has significantly raised outcomes for higher achievers. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported through one to one activities, in improving their fine motor, reading and writing skills, and in managing their feelings of anger. Pupils’ learning is enhanced by talented providers from outside the school who work with them. A sports coach makes a valuable contribution to improving pupils’ ball skills; pupils learn to speak French; learn to play a range of musical instruments; and engage in fascinating science projects.

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How effective is the provision?

Induction arrangements for pupils into Year 3 are effective and ensure that they settle quickly. Year 6 pupils are well prepared to move on to secondary school. Health professionals, social service staff and education staff work effectively to remove emotional and physical barriers that impede learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Support for pupils, and families in vulnerable circumstances, is a strong feature with good advice on how to access health resources within the community. Robust procedures contribute to the above average attendance for the majority of pupils.

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How effective is the provision?

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

The senior leadership team, led by the headteacher, share responsibilities and

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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

effectively promote drive and ambition which focuses on removing barriers to learning for all pupils, so raising their achievement. Monitoring of teaching and learning and of teachers’ marking is regular and rigorous. Feedback given to teachers on how to improve their practice is followed through and monitored.

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

Equality of opportunity lies at the heart of this school and race relations are good, but in a few lessons the rate of progress made by pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities lags behind their peers. Effective policies and management systems are in place to ensure that pupils are safe and secure. Child protection procedures meet requirements. Staff are carefully vetted when appointed to the school and risk assessments are thorough and detailed. Pupils understanding and involvement in their local, national and global communities is good. It is enhanced through internet conferencing with a school in a very different type of area in England from which the pupils in this school live and a school in the United States of America. Governance is both supportive and challenging. Governors ask the headteacher penetrating questions about pupils’ achievement. They work ceaselessly to target resources where they are most needed to raise attainment and progress.

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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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driving improvement

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

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Views of parents and carers

Inspectors agree with parents and carers positive comments about the school. A few parents and carers expressed concern about the way in which the school manages behaviour. Inspectors investigated this thoroughly and found that although on rare occasions instances of bullying and unacceptable behaviour do occur the policy to deal with these matters is implemented rigorously and that the problems are sorted quickly. Parents and carers also expressed very positive comments about what the school achieves for their children. They wrote that ‘they cannot speak of this school

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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

highly enough’; ‘this school always listens to pupils’; and ‘the teachers really inspire the children’.

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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 Broadmeadow Junior 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 64 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 212 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 39 61 22 34 1 2 2 3 The school keeps my child safe 36 56 25 39 1 2 1 2 The school informs me about my child’s progress 28 44 34 53 1 2 1 2 My child is making enough progress at this school 32 50 30 47 1 2 1 2 The teaching is good at this school 33 52 29 45 1 2 1 2 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 27 42 32 50 3 5 1 2 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 35 55 28 44 1 2 0 0 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) 28 44 29 45 1 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child’s particular needs 25 39 34 53 2 3 0 0 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 23 36 33 52 3 5 2 3 The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 23 36 34 53 2 3 1 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 35 55 27 42 1 2 1 2 Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 38 59 23 36 1 2 2 3

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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. 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 Broadmeadow Junior School, Birmingham, B30 3QJ

We thank you for the warm welcome you gave us when we visited your school. We enjoyed talking with you and seeing the enthusiasm you have for learning. We found that your school is a good school, which you told us was the case. Here are the main things we found

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Inspection of Broadmeadow Junior School, Birmingham, B30 3QJ

 Most of your lessons are challenging, interesting, relevant and meet your needs well.  The school makes sure that you experience a wide range of interesting activities like going on a residential trip, being coached in developing ball skills by a specialist coach and learning to play a range of musical instruments.  You make good progress, particularly in producing good writing and becoming confident readers who enjoy books.  You adopt a healthy and safe lifestyle and care for each other very well.  You take on jobs of responsibility willingly and enthusiastically.  You are well cared for.  Your headteacher and other senior leaders manage and lead your school well.

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Inspection of Broadmeadow Junior School, Birmingham, B30 3QJ

We have asked your headteacher to make a few things better for you. We have asked her to make sure that all of you, especially those of you who sometimes struggle a bit with your work, are challenged in all lessons so that you achieve your very best. We have asked her to make sure that your teachers always give you activities which enable you to learn successfully. Finally, we have asked her to work as hard as possible to improve the attendance and punctuality of those of you who come to school late in the mornings and or who do not attend as regularly as you ought to.

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Inspection of Broadmeadow Junior School, Birmingham, B30 3QJ

Please help your headteacher to make your school even better than what it is by arriving on time in the morning, attending regularly and doing your very best work.

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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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