Britannia Community Primary School

Britannia Community Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 28–29 May 2012 Inspection number 395426 Unique Reference Number 119189 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 395426 Inspection dates 28–29 May 2012 Lead inspector Lynne Read

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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 208 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Kathleen Holt Headteacher Mike Hull Date of previous school inspection 30 January 2008 School address Rochdale Road Bacup OL13 9TS Telephone number 01706 874447 Fax number 01706 873935 Email address bursar@britannia.lancs.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 ser vices 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

Lynne Read Clare Daniel Additional inspector Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 13 lessons taught by seven teachers. Meetings were held with groups of pupils, members of the governing body, a group of parents and carers, a representative from the local authority, middle managers and staff. Inspectors observed the school's work and looked at a range of evidence, including the school's documents for self-evaluation and safeguarding. They also studied standards in reading, pupils’ workbooks and the tracking system used to monitor pupils' progress. Inspectors considered the 132 questionnaires completed by parents and carers, as well as those from pupils and staff.

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Information about the school

The school is similar in size to most primary schools. The majority of pupils is from White British backgrounds; a small number has minority ethnic heritage. A lower than average number of pupils is supported at school action plus or has a statement of special educational needs. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The school holds the Sportsmark award and has Healthy Schools status. The school meets the current floor standard which sets the minimum standards expected by the government for attainment and progress.

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Information about the school

Before- and after-school clubs are provided on the premises. This aspect of care is run by a private provider and is subject to a separate inspection. The report for this facility can be found on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the school

There have been significant changes to senior and middle leadership at the school. Both the headteacher and deputy headteacher have been at the school for less than a year. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory and 4 is inadequat e Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key Findings

 This a good school. Pupils achieve well and the school successfully fulfils its aims in providing a welcoming environment where pupils and adults treat each other with care and respect. The school is not yet outstanding because there are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and in pupils’ progress between subject areas and age groups.

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Key Findings

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children make good progress overall, but in early reading and writing, learning is slower. By the end of Year 2, the proportion of pupils attaining the expected level is above average, but fewer pupils attain the higher level, especially in reading. A programme for teaching phonics (the sounds that letters make) is in place, but organisation and practice are inconsistent between the classes. In addition, some pupils are taught in large, mixed-ability groups and work is not always tailored to their needs. Progress in Key Stage 2 is good and attainment is above average by Year 6. Progress in mathematics has improved this year.

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Key Findings

 Teaching is good overall with some outstanding practice. Pupils’ targets for improvement are used effectively in some classes, and by some groups of pupils, but not all. The quality of teachers’ marking is variable and generally better when commenting on pupils’ writing than in mathematics. Planning for pupils to apply and practise their skills and knowledge through cross-curricular work is at an early stage of development.

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Key Findings

 Behaviour and safety and the promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are good. These factors make a significant contribution to the calm, productive atmosphere in school. Attendance is above average.

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Key Findings

 The headteacher and staff have high expectations and are ambitious for their pupils. The leadership of teaching and the management of performance are good. Senior staff know the school’s strengths and weaknesses well and are driving improvement energetically. However, middle and subject leaders do not monitor teaching rigorously enough to ensure consistency.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and learning further by: - developing a systematic programme for teaching phonics across the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 - providing smaller, focused groups for work on phonics - ensuring that pupils’ targets for learning are always used to best advantage so that pupils are constantly reminded about how they can improve their work - ensuring that teachers’ marking is consistently of the best standard and provides useful advice for pupils, especially in mathematics - developing links between subjects so pupils have increased opportunities to consolidate the new skills and knowledge they are learning.   Develop the role of the subject and middle leaders to provide more rigorous monitoring of teaching and ensure consistency of approach.

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Achievement of pupils

The very large majority of parents and carers who returned the questionnaire agreed that their children are making good progress and that the school meets their children’s needs. Inspection findings support these views.

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Achievement of pupils

Children enter the Reception class with skills that are in line with those expected for their age. Progress is good overall and by the time they enter Year 1, children are working at just above expected levels in many areas of learning. However, early reading and writing skills are relatively less well-developed.

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Achievement of pupils

An increased emphasis on learning phonics ensures that most pupils read confidently by the age of six. A very large majority of pupils attains the expected level in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2 but a below average proportion attains the higher level in reading. During Key Stage 2, pupils make good progress. Many lower junior pupils are catching up on their performance in Key Stage 1, which was lower than usual for the school. They are making accelerated progress and are on track to achieve the targets set for them this year. Pupils have access to a wide range of quality books and become confident, expressive readers with a good range of study skills. These well-developed skills help pupils to write creatively and for different purposes. In one outstanding lesson, pupils explored the techniques used by authors to keep the reader guessing, while generating suspense and imagery. In another, they used slogans and alliteration to create powerful advertisements

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Achievement of pupils

and capture interest. By the end of the Key Stage, a good proportion of pupils is working above the level expected of their age group in reading and writing. Following the 2011 tests, the school identified a number of issues with mathematics and these have been addressed successfully. Mathematics lessons include interesting opportunities for problem-solving; pupils say this subject is a great favourite. In one lesson, pupils enjoyed exploring the patterns and relationships between numbers in a sequence, using their computational skills to the full. Pupils who have special educational needs have clear targets that are used well in lessons and referred to in teachers’ marking; they make the same progress as that of their classmates. The progress of boys and girls, and that of pupils with summer birthdays, is tracked very closely, with intervention work successfully ensuring that all groups make equal

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Quality of teaching

The very large majority of parents and carers feels that their children are taught well. Pupils have similar views: they say they enjoy learning and that that adults provide good help. Inspection findings support these views.

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Quality of teaching

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, teaching is good overall. Planning takes account of children’s interests, and tasks include opportunities for children to choose activities, explore their world and develop independence. One good session, in the outdoor classroom, included opportunities for children to manoeuvre their wheeled toys ‘around town’, play collaborative games and to enjoy some large-scale construction.

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Quality of teaching

Across school, lessons promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well, resulting in friendly, respectful relationships between pupils and staff. Planning is based on a broad and balanced curriculum, but does not always exploit opportunities for pupils to extend their core skills when studying other subjects. Teachers make the purpose of the lesson clear so pupils know exactly what is expected. Teaching assistants help to ensure that pupils with special educational needs take a full and active part in lessons. The use of peer- and self-assessment especially for the older pupils, is effective and helping them to become independent learners.

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Quality of teaching

Phonics is taught from the Reception class upwards but the programme does not ensure continuity of practice and learning. In some classes, pupils have planned, timetabled sessions, while in others the teaching is woven into lessons on a more informal basis. In addition, teaching groups are sometimes large in number and pupils are of mixed abilities. This makes it difficult for teachers to tailor work to meet individual needs, to provide opportunities for pupils to articulate sounds and to check learning. Under the new leadership team, improvements have been made to the quality of teaching, but not all are embedded. Pupils have helpful long-term targets to guide their work. Sometimes, these are readily accessible so pupils have useful reminders to help them improve. However, this is not consistent practice and pupils sometimes forget where they should focus their efforts. Marking often includes useful advice but it is sometimes less effective, especially in

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils say they enjoy school, have lots of friends and feel safe because adults are always on hand. Most parents and carers agree that behaviour is good, but a few expressed concerns about bullying. Pupils say that staff listen to both sides and act swiftly and effectively to deal with any incidents that occur. That view is confirmed by a scrutiny of behavioural records and discussions. These show that pupils, including those with emotional or behavioural difficulties, are well-supported in coping with school life and lessons are very rarely disrupted. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including when using the Internet. Through anti- bullying projects and lessons on personal development, they have a good understanding of different types of bullying. Pupils are well equipped to deal with risk and know what to do if they have a problem. The ‘Britannia Bees’ behaviour code is displayed in every classroom; it

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

is respected and followed. Pupils know, for example, to ‘be kind, be friendly, and be honest’. By Year 6 pupils demonstrate mature attitudes and good self-discipline. Good opportunities exist for pupils to experience responsibility. For example, school and Eco-councillors and Year 6 volunteers contribute much to the day-to-day running of school and to the process of decision making.

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Leadership and management

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher and deputy headteacher form a strong team that is committed to providing the best for pupils. Several parents and carers commented positively about the changes made this year, especially the development of a Parents’ Panel for gathering and discussing stakeholder views.

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Leadership and management

Comprehensive evaluation systems, including very good use of assessment data, ensure that senior leaders have a clear overview of provision and performance. The information gathered is fed into school development planning; this is focused on the main priorities with clear actions and measurable targets. It is also used to good effect to manage the performance of the staff. As a result, pupils’ progress and attainment in mathematics have improved significantly this year and a higher proportion of pupils is meeting expectations at Key Stage 1. This has been achieved through improvements to teaching, well-planned professional development and challenging termly targets. The school has good capacity to improve further. Subject and middle leadership is an area for development at the school. Monitoring systems are in place but are not yet applied rigorously enough to ensure a consistency of approach across classes and subjects.

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Leadership and management

The good curriculum has a positive impact on pupils’ outcomes. It includes interesting after- school activities, such as the popular dance, running, film and board games clubs. Visits to places of interest, residential experiences and competitive sport all help to extend pupils’ horizons. There are insufficient planned opportunities, however, for pupils to practise and consolidate their knowledge and skills through, for example, ‘topic work’ that links areas of learning together. Staff and members of the governing body are focused on providing equality, ensuring that opportunities are open to all, regardless of disability or special needs. Staff go the extra mile to source equipment and expertise to cater for specific needs. This aspect of the school’s work was commended by several parents and carers. The school does not tolerate discrimination in any form and this contributes significantly to the harmonious

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Leadership and management

Good partnerships bring many benefits. Links with other schools ensure continuity of learning for those pupils transferring to secondary education, and links with the Children’s Centre provide additional learning opportunities, such as yoga classes for the Reception children. Safeguarding arrangements meet current requirements and staff training is up to date. The governing body provides good support for management. Members have recently undergone further training and are in the process of developing their monitoring role further.

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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 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 up 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 Britannia Community Primary School, Bacup, OL13 9TS

Thank you for the very warm welcome you gave us when we inspected your school. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with you and appreciated all the help you gave us. Britannia Community Primary provides you with a good standard of education. Good teaching enables you to achieve well and the school helps you to develop into well- mannered and caring people. Behaviour and safety are good. You get on well together and take good care of each other. A special ‘thank you’ goes to the pupils who talked with us. It is good to know that you like your teachers, learn a lot, feel safe and are happy in school.

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Inspection of Britannia Community Primary School, Bacup, OL13 9TS

You are keen to learn and work hard. Your mathematics work has improved really well recently. However, we think learning could be improved further so we have asked the adults in your school to:

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Inspection of Britannia Community Primary School, Bacup, OL13 9TS

 improve the way that they teach letters and sounds in the Reception class and Years 1 and 2 so more of you can progress quickly  make sure that you are reminded about your targets in lessons and that marking provides you with a good amount of help and advice, especially in mathematics  make more links between subjects when planning lessons so that you have more opportunity to practise your skills and extend your knowledge.

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Inspection of Britannia Community Primary School, Bacup, OL13 9TS

In addition, we have asked your teachers to check lessons to make sure that all these improvements are working.

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Inspection of Britannia Community Primary School, Bacup, OL13 9TS

You can help by continuing to work hard, being keen to learn and keeping up the very good attendance. Thank you once again for the interesting conversations we had. Please accept our best wishes for the future.

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Inspection of Britannia Community Primary School, Bacup, OL13 9TS

Mrs Lynne Read 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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