Brookdale Primary School

Brookdale Community Primary School Escolme Drive, Greasby, Wirral, Merseyside, CH49 1SE

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils enjoy coming to school and are well cared for by staff. When asked to express their views, there was strong praise for their learning and the wide range of extracurricular opportunities on offer.  Teaching is good and some is outstanding. The teaching of reading is well-developed.  Pupils treat each other and the school environment with respect and most show good behaviour. Bullying occurs rarely and most pupils say that that it is dealt with very well by staff.  Pupils achieve well and make good progress from their starting points. By the time that they leave the school, they attain above the national average in English and mathematics. Disabled pupils and pupils with special educational needs also make good progress.  The school has successfully addressed the recommendation made at the previous inspection, to improve the tracking and monitoring of pupils’ progress.  The school is strongly led and this has a

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

positive impact on teaching and achievement. School leaders and governors have a good overview of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. With the clear vision and plans of the newly appointed headteacher, the school has the capacity to be even better.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not yet enough outstanding teaching and learning across the school.  Teachers’ marking does not always give pupils clear guidance about their next steps.  Teachers do not use teaching assistants to their full potential in every lesson. There are insufficient opportunities for senior leaders and subject coordinators to develop a deep understanding of school performance.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning and teaching in 13 lessons, observed and spoke to pupils at a range of other times and heard a range of individuals read.  Meetings were held with members of the governing body, staff and the local authority.  Inspectors looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own monitoring of teaching, self-evaluation and the new headteacher’s initial plans for the school.  The inspectors took account of 28 responses from parents and carers to the online Parent View survey and the school’s own survey.

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Inspection team

Tim Vaughan, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Doreen Davenport Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average and the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  A slightly below average proportion of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  Very few pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds or speak English as an additional language.  The school shares a site with Brookdale pre-school playgroup and an out of school club, Brookdale Paintbox. Neither of these settings were part of this inspection. Children start school in Reception class.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Since the last inspection there is no longer a unit for pupils with moderate learning difficulties

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Information about this school

in Key Stage 2.  A new headteacher commenced duties in September 2012.  The school has achieved a number of awards including the Green Flag Eco Award, Artsmark and International School Award.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by using more activities that fascinate pupils and develop their imagination and by regularly checking on pupil progress throughout lessons and making full use of support from teaching assistants.  Ensure that teachers’ marking consistently provides clear guidance to pupils on the next steps that they need to take to improve their work.  Enhance the impact of subject leaders and senior leaders through giving them more time to monitor and evaluate teaching and achievement and to share good practice.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 When children start in the Reception class their skills, knowledge and abilities are broadly typical for their age.  As a result of the well-planned curriculum in the Early Years Foundation Stage, children quickly grow in confidence and skill and are well prepared for entry to Year 1.  Pupils in Key Stage 1 continue to make good progress and attain above the national average by the end of Year 2, with mathematics a particular strength.  When pupils leave the school in Year 6 they attain above average standards. This represents good achievement given their starting points. Some individuals are making outstanding progress in English and mathematics in Key Stage 2.  School data indicate that links with a local secondary school have contributed to some children attaining high levels in national tests in mathematics in 2012.  Across the school, pupils with special educational needs and disabled pupils make good

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The achievement of pupils is good

progress because of the careful tracking of their achievement and the effective leadership provided by the special educational needs coordinator.  Pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium also make good progress from their starting points.  Parents and carers have an accurate view of pupils’ learning and most comment that their children are making good progress.  Pupils spoken to during the inspection consistently said how much that they enjoy books. Those for whom reading is more difficult share this enthusiasm and have a well-developed understanding of the sounds that letters make. Careful use is made of individual and guided reading books at home and school to ensure that children make good progress in their reading.  Pupils from each year group benefit from a well-stocked library that includes representation of different minority ethnic groups, cultures, faiths and places. Positive illustration of other

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The quality of teaching is good

 Displays around the school give high value to children’s learning across the curriculum and good examples of children’s writing are presented.  The school’s own evidence and the inspection findings indicate that teaching is mainly good and some is outstanding. In a few examples it requires improvement.  The impact of the good and better teaching is seen in the good overall progress that pupils make from their starting points and in their enthusiasm for learning.  In the better lessons, teachers plan lively and interesting activities to capture pupils’ interest, imagination and enthusiasm for learning.  In an outstanding Year 2 mathematics lesson about using mathematical language and articulating their thinking, pupils were totally enthused by the skilful stimulation of the teacher. Her well-planned, open-ended questions extended and inspired children’s language and thinking.  Where teaching is less successful, planned tasks are not sufficiently stimulating and rely too

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The quality of teaching is good

much upon teacher-direction or the use of worksheets and teachers do not regularly check pupils’ understanding during the lesson.  In all lessons there are good relationships between pupils and staff.  The feedback given to pupils in the marking of their work is not regular and consistent across the school. As a result not all pupils are clear about how to improve their work.  Teachers use interactive whiteboards well and good use is also made of opportunities to teach information and communication technology skills.  Classroom assistants provide effective support for pupils in each year group, particularly those that find learning difficult.  The best use of classroom assistants was seen in the Reception class, where the strong teamwork was seamless and had a positive impact on the support for all children. In some classes, this valuable resource was not used to the maximum.  The school has invested significant time, professional development and resourcing into the

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The quality of teaching is good

teaching of literacy. Consequently, this strand of the curriculum is good and parents and carers play a key role in supporting the teaching of reading.  Staff correctly enunciate the sounds that letters make and carefully track pupils’ progress in becoming good readers.  Pupils spoken to feel that teaching in the school is good and almost all parents and carers believe that their children are taught well.  Levels of curriculum expertise and knowledge among staff are good and there is a strong commitment to working collaboratively.  In order to broaden pupils’ understanding of the world, pupils visit places of worship from different faiths. Food, dance, art and visitors are used within cultural celebrations and good links have been made with a partner school in Germany.  Visits to the school by disabled people have further helped children to celebrate and respect differences.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are punctual and work with enthusiasm and interest.  A typical pupil comment was, ‘This is a happy school, we learn a lot and everyone gets on well together.’  Attendance is above average. However, first-day absences are not rapidly followed up.  The school manages behaviour well including for those who find self-control more difficult.  Pupils’ behaviour outdoors and in corridors and at lunchtime is lively yet self-disciplined.  Pupils understand common risks and told inspectors about how to keep themselves safe with regard to strangers, site security and e-safety.  Low-level disruptions to lessons are uncommon.  The majority of parents and carers are happy with the school’s work on bullying and behaviour.  Pupils spoken to by inspectors said that they feel safe and they did not regard bullying as a problem and that, if it arises, staff swiftly and effectively deal with their concerns.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils said that the use of homophobic language has halted because of the concerted efforts of staff. As one child said, ‘We don’t use the word ‘gay’ any more, not in a negative way. We’ve stopped.’  Case studies of the support given for individual pupils indicate that the school places a strong emphasis upon caring for children’s learning and well-being, flexibly and positively.  Pupils are proud of their school and those who have taken on additional roles, such as on the school council, are particularly pleased to be able to help and support others. Other opportunities for pupils to help others are well-promoted. For example, in a Year 4 classroom there are adverts for a class-register monitor, class librarian and class book provider, and lists by the pupils of the required personal qualities.

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The leadership and management are good

 School leaders and governors have successfully created a positive learning environment throughout the school where discrimination is not tolerated.  Staff respect pupils and one another and are committed to supporting pupils to achieve their full potential in line with the school motto, ‘striving for knowledge and happiness through learning’.  Parents and carers are strongly supportive of the school and all who commented said that they would recommend it to other families.  The school has continued to improve since the last inspection and has addressed the recommendation made at that time about improving systems of tracking pupil progress. As a result staff and governors are much clearer about the achievement of individuals and groups of children.  Partnerships with other schools are used to good effect to enhance the curriculum and foster good relations among different communities.  Pupils of all backgrounds and abilities have equal access to a range of learning opportunities

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The leadership and management are good

and extracurricular activities.  Within one week, the new headteacher has set out a clear vision for high standards and ongoing improvement which has been welcomed by pupils and staff.  Regular evaluation of teaching quality is clearly linked to staff development priorities and performance management. School leaders are not complacent and have already planned to sharpen teacher performance-management objectives.  Safeguarding arrangements meet requirements. There are aspects of recording, evaluation and training that are under review.  The local authority provides light touch support for this good school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  has a clear, strategic oversight of the provision and outcomes  is ambitious and strongly committed to seeing the school improve further  is well-informed about staff performance and data and holds senior leaders to account  has an adequate oversight of safeguarding.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school

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Grade Judgement Description

is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 105028 Local authority Wirral Inspection number 402961

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 222 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Stephanie Myers Headteacher Paul Prescott Date of previous school inspection 11 March 2008 Telephone number 0151 6775170 Fax number 0151 6755170 Email address schooloffice@brookdale.wirral.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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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School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

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School details

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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School details

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. 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,

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School details

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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School details

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

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