Boundary Primary School

Boundary Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 18–19 April 2012 Inspection number 381490 Unique Reference Number 133291 Local authority Blackpool Inspection number 381490 Inspection dates 18–19 April 2012 Lead inspector Naomi Taylor

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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 420 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jenny Briscoe Headteacher Dayle Harrison Date of previous school inspection 13 February 2008 School address Dinmore Avenue Blackpool FY3 7RW Telephone number 01253 478250 Fax number 01253 399317 Email address admin@boundary.blackpool.sch.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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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

Naomi Taylor Maria McGarry Additional inspector Additional inspector Hilary Ward Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. The inspectors observed 20 teachers and visited 30 lessons. Discussions were held with school staff, groups of pupils, parents and carers, a representative of the local authority and members of the governing body. The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a wide range of documentation including safeguarding documents, the school’s self- evaluation and development plans, local authority evaluations, records of pupils’ attainment and progress, and pupils’ work. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line Parent View survey in planning the inspection. The responses in questionnaires from 131 parents and carers, 98 pupils and 37 staff were also analysed.

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Information about the school

This is a larger than average primary school. Most pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is much lower than the national average as is the proportion of those who speak English as an additional language. Those known to be eligible for free school meals is more than three times the national average. The proportion of pupils at School Action Plus and those who have a statement of special educational needs is average. Annually, throughout the school year, a very large number of pupils join and leave the school.

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Information about the school

Since the previous inspection the school has gained ArtsMark Gold and Digital Media awards in addition to maintaining the Dyslexia Friendly award. The school has Children’s University, Healthy School and Eco-Bronze status and is accredited with ICAN status which supports speech and language development. Boundary is part of the Blackpool Primary Schools partnership. Extended provision includes before- school, after-school and holiday clubs. The school hosts two Special Educational Resource Facilities for pupils who have behavioural, emotional and social difficulties from its own and other Blackpool primary schools. There have been significant staff changes since the previous inspection. The school exceeds the government’s current floor standard, which sets the minimum expectations for attainment and progress. 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. Good leadership and management have brought about improvements in provision which have led to pupils’ good achievement. Children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage and attain above average standards by the end of Year 6. This is not yet an outstanding school because the quality of teaching is no better than good overall. Also, too few Year 2 pupils attain levels in line with national expectations in English and mathematics. Pupils, parents and carers are very positive about the school.

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Key Findings

 The quality of teaching is good. Most lessons are well planned, have good pace and teachers and teaching assistants use a range of activities to meet individual pupils’ needs both in the classroom and outdoors. This ensures that pupils are highly engaged in their learning. Occasionally in Key Stage 1, there are missed opportunities for pupils to engage in tasks without direct supervision and the pace of learning in lessons does not always stretch and challenge all pupils. Those few parents and carers who engage in family learning opportunities in school are helping to support their children’s progress.

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Key Findings

 Pupils behave well. They show respect for each other and for adults. Those who join the school other than at the usual times are made to feel part of a strong school community. Pupils’ academic and personal development receive equal importance and give them confidence for the next stage in their education. Attendance is above average, an improvement since the previous inspection.

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Key Findings

 Leaders and managers, including the governing body, have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and areas for development. A new curriculum is being embedded, but there are currently missed opportunities for pupils to apply their numeracy and literacy skills in other subjects. Performance management is used well to improve the quality of teaching.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve attainment in English and mathematics to at least broadly average by the end of Year 2 by:  extending opportunities for independent learning  ensuring that the pace of learning in lessons consistently meets the needs of all pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve further the quality of teaching and learning and increase the proportion of outstanding lessons by:  providing more opportunities for pupils to apply their basic literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum  extending the opportunities for family learning to raise pupils’ aspirations. 

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Achievement of pupils

Evidence from lesson observations demonstrates that most pupils are engaged in learning fully and are making good progress. The school’s good support for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs leads to their good progress. The two special educational resource facilities have a very positive impact on improving the personal and academic development of their pupils.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils show excitement and interest in their work. For example, in a Year 4 English lesson, pupils were very keen to extend their understanding of the role of a narrator. They acted out the parts of characters from a script without a narrator. In small groups, they then analysed the impact of not having a narrator and how this role could enhance the performance. Prompted by thought-provoking questioning from the teacher and teaching assistant, they were highly engaged in developing their descriptive vocabulary, speaking, listening and writing. Their positive attitudes and good behaviour made a significant contribution to accelerating their progress.

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Achievement of pupils

Children start school with skills and knowledge that are generally well below those expected for their age. Through the Early Years Foundation Stage children achieve well. Pupils’ progress in Key Stage 1 is satisfactory, leading to attainment which is below national expectations by the end of Year 2 in English and mathematics, however, the gap with national averages in these subjects is closing. Overall attainment by the end of Year 6 is above average. Most parents and carers believe that their children are making good progress and this was evident during the inspection.

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Achievement of pupils

Key Stage 1 pupils who read to the inspectors were able to use their reading skills to break down and sound out difficult or unfamiliar words. They were then able to demonstrate an understanding of what they had read. Attainment in reading is below average by the end of Key Stage 1, although it is improving as a result of the impact of the school’s focus on reading and an increase in opportunities in some curriculum areas to develop literacy skills. In Key Stage 2, pupils make good progress in reading due to the impact of whole-school teaching of the links between letters and sounds, in groups created according to pupils’ level of understanding rather than their age. They have a good understanding of the importance of reading both for their schoolwork and for their futures. Attainment in reading is above average by the time pupils leave school at the end of Year 6.

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Quality of teaching

The quality of teaching is good, reflecting the positive views of parents, carers and pupils. The headteacher and senior leadership team are highly focused on improving the quality of teaching. Staff and pupils have worked together to develop a new curriculum with more topic work, such as Chinese New Year, which pupils find exciting. The teachers’ planning and teaching contribute considerably to the pupils’ good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, as demonstrated by the displays of pupils’ work in the classrooms.

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Quality of teaching

Some lessons seen were outstanding: exceptionally well planned, with rapid pace and use of a variety of activities drawn from the planned curriculum, which fully engaged and enthused pupils. For example, in a Year 6 mathematics lesson, pupils were highly motivated and worked, independently, exceptionally well as they solved numerical problems. The teacher cleverly used a range of items from a virtual shop which had been reduced in price during a sale and this highly engaged the pupils. They had to work out the new price following a range of percentage decreases from the original prices. There was effective use of the sharing and valuing pupils’ work and the pupils made excellent progress. Pupils of different abilities were all given well matched challenges to maximise their learning.

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Quality of teaching

A good lesson with a combination of pupils from Reception and Year 1 exemplifies the good teaching throughout the school of the links made between letters and sounds. Here, the pace of learning was rapid as pupils moved from one activity to another and this was enhanced by the good use of information and communication technology (ICT). The quality of teaching for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is good, as seen by intervention work in the general classrooms and in the special education resource facilities.

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Quality of teaching

When learning is satisfactory rather than good, it is because activities do not precisely meet the needs of different pupils and the pace of learning is too slow. Occasionally, pupils spend too much time on the carpet, listening, rather than moving on quickly to independent work.

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Quality of teaching

Pupils’ work is frequently and regularly marked and pupils are clear about the next steps to improve their work further because comments in lessons and workbooks are detailed. At whatever stage pupils join the school, they are individually assessed to ensure that the teaching and interventions match their particular needs. The new tracking system allows teachers to regularly set realistic and challenging targets which most pupils know and understand. The effective use of peer and self- assessment by the older pupils gives them the opportunity to reflect on their own work, as demonstrated in lessons and in their workbooks.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The overwhelming majority of pupils say they feel safe in school and are confident that they can turn to any adults if they have any concerns. They have a good understanding of the risks to which they may be exposed and they act safely. This was evident during the inspection from observations in all key stages and from discussions with pupils. They talked about how any occasions of unacceptable behaviour are dealt with and about regulating their own behaviour through choosing appropriate actions. A small minority of parents and carers questioned the strategies to manage behaviour, with some saying school was too strict and others, not strict enough. Inspectors found that there is a consistent approach to managing unacceptable behaviour. The effective behaviour policy ensures that pupils are securely aware of boundaries and consequences.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils behave well in and around school and incident logs indicate that there is very little evidence of bullying. The planned curriculum successfully raises pupils' awareness of different types of bullying, such as verbal or through electronic media. The code of conduct is understood by all members of the school community and good behaviour is celebrated and rewarded. Groups of pupils in Key Stage 2 enjoy the responsibility of supporting the younger children. The pupil voice is a real strength of the school. An example of this is the Pupil Leadership Team which is pro- active in working with staff to make improvements to school life. Pupils come together for collective worship where they clearly demonstrate their ability to organise themselves in an orderly manner.

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Leadership and management

Leaders and managers have worked successfully to raise attainment at the end of Year 6 to above average. The headteacher and senior leadership have worked very effectively with all staff and the governing body to focus on identifying the school’s strengths and areas for development. Consequently, there have been improvements in pupils' progress. With a new tracking system being trialled, the impact of new initiatives to raise achievement is monitored closely and pupils’ progress is clear. Staff and pupils have been engaged in developing a new curriculum which is increasing the opportunities for learning outdoors. There are occasions across the curriculum when opportunities are missed to reinforce pupils’ numeracy and literacy skills through applying them to realistic settings. Some parents and carers are engaged with their children’s learning through family learning opportunities, but as yet, these are few in number. The impact of improvements in the quality of teaching

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Leadership and management

and learning in lessons is seen in the increasing rate of pupils’ progress and the quality of their work. The senior staff work very effectively to support the professional development of the teachers. These improvements, combined with the pupils’ good behaviour, demonstrate the school’s good capacity to improve further.

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Leadership and management

Safeguarding procedures are a strength of the school and the school effectively promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination. Appropriate interventions accelerate the progress of many pupils who join the school other than at the usual times and those identified as potentially falling behind. There is an emphasis of respecting each other and knowing right from wrong. Pupils are engaged with their local community and have unique opportunities to perform in the professional theatres in Blackpool. Staff organise the curriculum so as to provide a range of opportunities in lessons and through an extensive range of trips, visitors, and before- and after-school activities to extend the experiences of pupils. These activities also impact well on the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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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 54 42 2 2 Primary schools 14 49 32 6 Secondary schools 20 39 34 7 Special schools 33 45 20 3 Pupil referral units 9 55 28 8 All schools 16 47 31 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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The data in the table above are for the period 1 September to 31 December 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 ).

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academ y 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

Floor standards: the national minimum expectation of attainment and progression measures.

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

findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Boundary Primary School, Blackpool, FY3 7RW

 Thank you for the warm welcome given to the inspection team when we came to inspect your school recently. A particular thank you to those of you who responded to our questionnaire survey and those who gave your time to talk to inspectors about how much you enjoy your work and the activities you take part in outside of lessons. Thank you, also, to those of you who read to inspectors, demonstrating how you work out unfamiliar words.

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Inspection of Boundary Primary School, Blackpool, FY3 7RW

We agree with you that you attend a good school where the staff do all they can to encourage and support you. The teaching you receive is good and improving. Your behaviour is mostly good in lessons and around the school and the school ensures that you have a very safe environment. You are good at looking after each other and this helps the younger children in the Early Years Foundation Stage to settle quickly into school. School leaders are successful in helping all these things to happen.

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Inspection of Boundary Primary School, Blackpool, FY3 7RW

We have asked the school to make sure that those of you who are in Key Stage 1 reach at least average standards in English and mathematics by:  increasing the opportunities for you to work more independently and ensuring that the pace of learning in lessons consistently meets the needs of you all.

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Inspection of Boundary Primary School, Blackpool, FY3 7RW

We have also asked the school to improve the quality of teaching and learning even more by:  providing more opportunities for you to practise your literacy and numeracy skills in all subjects across the curriculum, and to learn alongside your family.

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Inspection of Boundary Primary School, Blackpool, FY3 7RW

You can help by continuing to attend school regularly and by working hard in all your lessons.

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Inspection of Boundary Primary School, Blackpool, FY3 7RW

Naomi Taylor 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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