Broomfield School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 25–26 April 2012 Inspection number 380222 Unique Reference Number 121359 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 380222 Inspection dates 25–26 April 2012 Lead inspector David Shearsmith

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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 241 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Peter Wilkinson Headteacher Susan Gill Date of previous school inspection 12 November 2008 School address Broomfield Avenue Northallerton DL7 8RG Telephone number 01609 774050 Fax number 01609 767730 Email address admin@broomfield.n-yorks.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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Introduction

David Shearsmith David Bridgewater Additional inspector Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. The inspectors spent time observing teaching and learning in 26 lessons or part-lessons. They observed 11 teachers and several teaching assistants, listened to a sample of pupils read and looked at examples of pupils’ work. They considered a wide range of documentation, including school policies, particularly for safeguarding, the school development plan and records of pupils’ progress. The inspectors also held meetings with members of the governing body, senior staff and groups of pupils. Inspectors considered the responses to the online Parent View survey, questionnaires returned by 76 parents and carers as well as those from pupils and staff.

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Information about the school

Broomfield is an average-sized primary school. Most pupils are White British with a well-below average proportion having minority ethnic heritage. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is also below average. The children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are in two classes, one of which includes pupils from Year 1. The school exceeds the current government floor standard, which sets the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress. The school has experienced some turbulence in staffing during the last year. The school has the following awards Healthy School and Activemark Awards, Forest School status and the Basic Skills Quality Mark. There is an on-site before and after-school club not managed by the governing body and so was not part of this inspection.

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Information about 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

 This is a good school overall. It has a caring and supportive ethos with high expectations that ensures that most pupils achieve well. The school’s overall effectiveness is not outstanding because there are some inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and in pupils’ achievement in writing.

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Key Findings

 Pupils’ achievement is good generally. Pupils start school with skills that are typical for their age although sometimes with weaknesses in literacy skills. Pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 is above average in English and mathematics with pupils generally having made good progress. Progress in writing is slower than other areas with a few pupils not making sufficient progress. Reading is taught well throughout the school, so that pupils become fluent and confident readers.

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Key Findings

 Teaching is mainly good with some examples of outstanding teaching. Teachers make clear to pupils what they are going to learn and use questioning well to develop their thinking and assess their understanding. Lessons are conducted at a good pace and are generally interesting and challenging for pupils. A few inconsistencies in teaching slow progress for some pupils.

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Key Findings

 Pupils’ behaviour is good as is their attitude to learning. Pupils also say they feel safe and that behaviour is usually good and that bullying is rare. The school has recently developed effective systems to promote anti-bullying and revised their anti-bullying policy including e-safety. They have also invested heavily in security fencing to enhance safety on the shared school site.

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Key Findings

 Strong, purposeful leadership from the headteacher and senior leaders ensures good teamwork. They have effectively led improvements in teaching and learning, and monitor and evaluate performance well. They also have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. Regular monitoring of pupils’ progress helps them identify pupils who are not making the expected progress, providing effective, targeted support where necessary.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of good and outstanding teaching by: - ensuring that, in all lessons, pupils are given sufficient time to develop their independent learning - ensuring that pupils are reminded how to be successful in lessons through the consistent use of the school’s top tips for learning - ensuring that pupils have more opportunities to assess their own learning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ achievement in writing to be at least good by: - providing more extended opportunities for pupils to practise their writing skills across the curriculum - ensuring pupils are given the opportunity to respond to marking and feedback to accelerate their progress in writing - improving the quality of handwriting and pupils’ presentation of their work.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils achieve well in this well-organised school, it has a strong ethos that promotes pupils’ learning and good progress. Children join the school with skills and knowledge that are generally typical for their age, but sometimes have weaknesses in their literacy skills, particularly writing. Good relationships and a caring ethos mean that they settle quickly and enjoy their time in Reception Year. Well-planned, interesting activities and effective teaching mean children make at least good progress. This good progress continues through Key Stage 1, although there has been a slight decline in attainment, revealed by assessments that are now more accurate following rigorous moderation. Results in reading are above those found nationally at the end of Year 2, because of a strong focus on developing pupils’ knowledge of letters and sounds from the moment they arrive in school. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

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Achievement of pupils

has also improved, with reading and mathematics in 2011 above that found nationally. Writing attainment is broadly average overall, although progress is accelerating across Key Stage 2 and attainment is showing signs of improvement.

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Achievement of pupils

Achievement is generally good because the school regularly analyses and checks pupils’ progress; appropriate strategies are then put in place to boost progress and rectify any identified underperformance. The school’s documentation, observations in lessons and scrutiny of work confirm that the great majority of pupils are making better than expected progress in reading and mathematics from their starting points. However, progress in writing varies from too slow to good. Poor handwriting and presentation are not always corrected in books and so does not improve for those pupils. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make better than expected progress due to good intervention and support. The attainment of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is also above average. Those who speak English as an additional language, also generally make good progress. Parents and carers generally agree with the inspectors that their children make good progress.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching ranges from satisfactory to outstanding but is good overall. In most lessons teachers have high expectations of all pupils and conduct lessons at a brisk pace, making good use of resources and in some cases technology to interest and engage them. This was seen to good effect in a mixed class of pupils from Years 3 and 4 where pupils were looking at multiplication and division and investigating ways of solving practical problems related to their class theme. Teachers generally manage behaviour well, with well-established routines. In the Early Years Foundation Stage classes, for example, children move between activities and work well independently. Pupils in other key stages have fewer opportunities to work independently and assess their own learning and this sometimes inhibits their progress. Most staff plan work that appeals to pupils, such as in a mixed Reception and Year 1 class where pupils focused on giving instructions related to their experience in making a thumb

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Quality of teaching

pot. Pupils were highly enthused and made outstanding progress due to this highly stimulating first-hand experience.

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Quality of teaching

Most staff expect pupils to produce plenty of work, but this is not always presented neatly in books and sometimes weaker handwriting skills slow a pupil’s progress and clarity of learning. Marking is generally good, especially in writing, although time is not always given for pupils to improve and this slows progress. For example, in a mixed lass of pupils form Years 1 and 2, pupils enjoyed a wide range of exciting and purposeful activities that promoted their early basic skills. They produced writing to promote the museum they had been to visit, which motivated them to learn. They mainly made good progress in their writing but it was not made sufficiently clear to them, how they could be even more successful using the school’s ‘top tips for learning’ and further accelerate their progress. The school makes good links between subjects in lessons; however, there are still insufficient opportunities for extended

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Quality of teaching

Teaching has a positive impact on pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development as pupils discover new things and are fascinated by outdoor learning as well as learning about other cultures through the schools links with Ghana. Reception children were amazed by the patterns they made on paper after standing in the mud and support staff supported this learning well through good discussion to extend their thinking and creativity. This is indicative of the good support teaching assistants give to ensure that pupils who are disabled and have special educational needs also make good progress.

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Quality of teaching

Parents and carers rightly consider that teaching is mainly good, a view reflected by the pupils themselves when discussing how much they enjoyed their work in school.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The great majority of pupils are keen to learn and do their best which makes a strong contribution to the school’s calm, purposeful and safe learning environment. The curriculum also makes a good contribution to pupils’ understanding of how to manage risk. Pupils show a good awareness of how to stay safe, such as when using the internet and as they play on the school’s playground equipment. Pupils say that they feel safe and secure in school and this is echoed in the responses to the inspection questionnaire by parents and carers. They have a good awareness of different forms of bullying but say that there is very little bullying and any issues tend mainly to be around minor disagreements. They say that they are taught to use the internet safely and had an anti-bullying week last year to raise their awareness.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good and has been over time, despite some disruptions in staffing. Pupils are kind and courteous to each other and work well together and they say that behaviour is mainly good. There is also a consistent approach to managing behaviour by the majority of staff. Good relationships ensure that pupils respond well to the school’s high expectations of behaviour and safety in and around the school. Attendance is above average and most pupils say they really enjoy coming to school.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Most parents and carers who responded to the inspection questionnaire consider that there is a good standard of behaviour in the school. A very small minority of parents and carers raised some concerns over bullying and behaviour disrupting lessons. Recent turbulence and changes in staffing arrangements have sometimes caused disruption in some lessons but this is usually managed successfully by the school.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher provides a strong but consultative approach to improving the school and this has had a positive impact on the development of provision and improvement in standards. The turbulence in staffing has been managed well. The effectiveness of subject leaders has improved significantly and supports the drive to improve the school through very effective monitoring, evaluation and teamwork. There is a very clear understanding of individual pupil’s progress, including the progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, through focused progress meetings. Priorities for further development are also accurately identified and addressed well. Close working relationships at all levels ensure that each pupil flourishes and has an equal chance to achieve well. Discrimination in any form is not tolerated. Staff development, linked to rigorous performance management, has enabled all staff to improve their practice. This is evident in the improvements in

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Leadership and management

pupils’ achievement, their good attendance and their enjoyment of school.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum is good because it is rich and creative and engages pupils’ interests well. In the Early Years Foundation Stage there is a good balance between adult-led activities and where children choose for themselves. Activities before and after school and at lunchtimes are well attended. The Forest School project’ has proved to be a huge success and pupils love their outdoor experiences. The school has a strong commitment to using visits and visitors to the school which enhance pupils’ understanding and progress by inspiring them to learn. This, in turn, promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. The curriculum promotes links to other subjects but there are insufficient opportunities for extended writing across the curriculum. The role of the governors has strengthened and the governing body is closely involved in all school activities. They have good monitoring systems in place and

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Leadership and management

identify improvements which are then implemented rapidly, such as increasing the number of classrooms and improving provision for information and communication technology. Safeguarding is a priority; it is robust and well monitored by the school and its governing body. There are good links with the local school cluster and the local secondary school and these and other partnerships enrich and enhance the work of the school. The improvements made since the previous inspection in provision and standards indicate that the school has good capacity to improve.

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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 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 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

Attendance the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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

Floor standards 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

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 Broomfield School, Northallerton, DL7 8RG

Thank you very much for welcoming us to your school. I would like to thank all those pupils we spoke to and those of you who filled in the questionnaire, telling us about all the interesting things that you do.

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Inspection of Broomfield School, Northallerton, DL7 8RG

Your school is providing you with a good education and these are some of the things that stand out as being particularly good.  You behave well at school, and work hard in your lessons.  You feel safe in school. All staff look after you really well, and you are good at looking after each other, too.  Your lessons are really interesting and you particularly like learning outdoors and going on visits to help you with your learning.  Most of you are making good progress at school because you enjoy coming to school and attend well.  Everyone who helps to lead and manage your school knows what to do to make it an even better place to learn.

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Inspection of Broomfield School, Northallerton, DL7 8RG

To make your school even better, we have asked that:

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Inspection of Broomfield School, Northallerton, DL7 8RG

 teaching improves so that it is always good or better by giving you more time to work on your own and by helping you to know how to be successful through assessing your own learning  you improve your writing by having more time to write in other subjects and by being given more time to improve your writing after it has been marked. You also need to need to improve you handwriting and presentation.

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Inspection of Broomfield School, Northallerton, DL7 8RG

You can help by continuing to work hard and by doing your very best at school. It was a real pleasure to visit your school and I wish you every success in the future.

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Inspection of Broomfield School, Northallerton, DL7 8RG

David Shearsmith 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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