Gracefield Preparatory School

Gracefield Preparatory School Independent school standard inspection report

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DfE registration number 801/6009 Unique Reference Number (URN) 109343 Inspection number 408708 Inspection dates 18–19 September 2012 Reporting inspector John Seal HMI 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk No. 090070 Independent school standard inspection report

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Purpose and scope of the inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Section 162A of the Education Act 2002, as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school. 1, 2

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Information about the school

Gracefield is an independent primary school for girls and boys aged from four to eleven years. Situated in Fishponds, in the east of the City of Bristol, the school occupies a detached Victorian house. The school opened in 1950 and is registered for 112 pupils. Currently there are 90 on roll. This includes 15 children in the Early Years Foundation Stage, all of whom are funded under the government’s nursery scheme. None attend part time. The school is currently organised into seven classes, one for each year group. None of the pupils have a statement of special educational needs and no children are looked after. The majority of pupils are White British with a small proportion from a diverse range of minority ethnic backgrounds. Three pupils speak English as an additional language. The school states that it aims are to ‘prepare each child for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult

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Information about the school

life’. This is the school’s third full Ofsted inspection. The last inspection was in September 2009.

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Evaluation of the school

Gracefield School provides a good quality of education and meets its aims well. All regulatory requirements are met, which is an improvement from the last inspection. All children make good progress because of the good teaching and assessment supported by a good curriculum. Provision for welfare, health and safety, including safeguarding arrangements, is good. Strengths throughout the school include outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and outstanding behaviour. The school has addressed the two areas for further improvement identified in the previous report effectively.

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Quality of education

The curriculum is good. Policies are up to date and relevant. All subjects have clear plans which provide good coverage of the activities undertaken across the school. Long- and medium-term schemes of work are broadly based on the National Curriculum organised into a broad range of topics and themes. The school has updated its Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum effectively to meet recent changes. Children in Reception have regular well-planned learning activities outdoors, an improvement since the last inspection. Additional subjects of French

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Quality of education

1 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/32/contents . 2 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/18/contents . Independent school standard inspection report and Spanish are also appropriately planned and are taught effectively by specialist teachers. Basic literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) skills are well covered for all pupils. Their skills in handwriting, spelling and written presentation are better than typically seen for their age and contribute well to their preparation for later life. Personal, social and health education (PSHE) is a strength of the school. It is taught in discrete topics and also interwoven with other subjects where relevant. Physical education (PE) is very well organised and provision is a strong feature of school life. Although all subjects are planned and covered effectively, the school is still in the early stages of matching different tasks and activities more closely to pupils’ needs. For example, in some topic lessons seen,

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Quality of education

pupils were observed taking part in exactly the same activity regardless of their skills or abilities. Effective support is provided for pupils identified as having a disability or with special needs and for those who speak English as an additional language. Some have individual education plans through which their progress is monitored. Pupils have many opportunities to visit the local park and leisure centre. Other physical activities include football, cricket, rounders, netball and swimming. The school runs a variety of clubs after school. This includes computers, construction and Nippy Netballers. The curriculum is suitably enriched with regular visits for all pupils. These include organised visits to aquariums, Victorian, Roman and Tudor museums and, more locally, to visit the Bristol science museum. Visitors include authors and parents and carers who talk about their countries of origin. A highlight for Year 6 pupils is the

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Quality of education

Teaching and assessment are good. Provision is not outstanding because teaching and curriculum provision do not lead to outstanding outcomes. The quality of lessons from Reception to Year 6 is never less than satisfactory, the majority are good and on occasions, outstanding. Senior managers have well established plans for monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching to ensure that it is effective. In the lessons that are very well taught, teachers use their plans well and tell pupils what they are going to learn. Assessment information and pupils’ prior learning are used effectively to plan activities that closely match pupils’ differing learning needs and abilities. Teachers’ good questioning challenges pupils’ thinking and secures pupils’ understanding and knowledge well. A good example of this was seen in a Year 6 mathematics lesson, where pupils were investigating cubed numbers. Teachers are

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Quality of education

beginning to use National Curriculum levels to good effect to provide pupils with clear targets and to identify next steps in their learning. As a result of these effective strategies, most pupils make good progress and are aware of their targets. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, teachers carry out accurate focused assessments and observations. They skilfully question children during activities in order to re-shape tasks and provide explanations to improve their learning. All teachers have the highest expectations of what pupils are capable of, but some are still developing their practice in gauging the range and standard of work of pupils to ensure it accurately matches their needs. In the few satisfactory lessons, assessment information is not consistently used by teachers in a refined enough way to ensure work is properly matched to the pupils’ capabilities. Consequently, some children find the work too easy and others too hard. In addition, some teachers direct the learning

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Quality of education

to such a degree that pupils have limited opportunities to make as much progress as Independent school standard inspection report they are capable of. On occasions, this leads to slower progress, especially for the more able pupils.

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Quality of education

Assessment is good. Since the last inspection, the school has further developed its system for tracking the progress of all pupils in all subjects. The progress of a class or group can be evaluated, which is an improvement from the previous inspection. This information provides an accurate picture of progress in each year group. In the Reception class, children’s progress in the revised areas of learning are recorded securely and used to plan further activities. However, teachers are still refining their use of this information in their planning to ensure that pupils are provided with work that challenges them to make even better progress. Marking in most subjects is regular and up to date. Comments about next steps for improvement are beginning to be seen more widely.

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Quality of education

Pupils’ progress is good. Standards in reading are a particular strength and pupils told inspectors about their love of books and stories. Those pupils who read to an inspector did so with confidence and fluency. From work seen in lessons, pupils’ books and the school’s assessment information, pupils make good progress in most subjects from when they start in Reception, through to the end of Key Stage 2. Many of them start in Year 1, with standards in reading, writing and mathematics which are above those expected for their age. A good proportion of them are well above age expectations by the time they leave the school in Year 6. However, the school recognises that as the assessment systems become more effective more pupils will make even better progress. Almost all pupils enter the secondary schools of their parents’ choice.

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

Pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development is outstanding. The school has close and productive relationships with parents and carers. The significant majority of parents and carers who responded to the on-line questionnaire were highly positive about the school and its work. There is a warm, friendly atmosphere which is reflected in the bright, colourful and well-organised building. Pupils’ attendance is consistently good. Their behaviour is outstanding. This is seen from the very youngest to the oldest. At playtimes and around the school, all pupils are self- assured, happy and get on with each other in a tolerant and harmonious manner. Pupils told inspectors that they feel very safe and enjoy their school life. One pupil said, ‘The staff really look after us.’ There are no reported incidents of bullying and inappropriate behaviour. Pupils enjoy contributing to the school community. The older pupils are proud to be head boy and girl, prefects and generally like helping

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

around the school. All pupils are able to tidy up and help organise games at break times. Pupils have a generally good understanding and awareness of people from different cultural backgrounds, but the school’s organisation of ensuring a regular programme of activities to underpin this is underdeveloped. Music, drama and art are well covered by the school, with regular visits to theatres and pupils performing in the ‘Shine’ assemblies, occasions where they can celebrate their range of different talents and skills. Independent school standard inspection report

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Welfare, health and safety of pupils

Provision for pupils’ welfare, health and safety is good. Arrangements for child protection training and safeguarding procedures are well established and all staff have been suitably trained to fulfil their child protection responsibilities. Risk assessments for a range of off-site activities and the school premises are securely in place. Policies and procedures for behaviour management, anti-bullying, health and safety, fire and first aid are regularly reviewed and are conscientiously implemented. Staff’s training in first aid is up to date and there are sufficient first aiders on site. Pupils are well supervised at all times. The school ensures that provision for outdoor physical activity compensates well for the small grounds through the regular visits to the local park and leisure facilities. A very small number of older pupils who returned their questionnaires did comment on the small play space for breaks.

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Suitability of staff, supply staff and proprietors

Thorough procedures for the vetting and appointment of staff and others are in place and arrangements meet all requirements. The school has a single central register of staff checks which contains all of the required information.

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Premises and accommodation at the school

The school’s premises offer appropriate accommodation for all pupils to be taught securely and safely. The space available, although compact, is very well maintained, bright and cheerfully decorated. There is a specialist room for information technology and a well-resourced library. Arrangements and facilities for pupils who are ill are appropriate.

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Provision of information

All of the required information is provided, or is made available, to parents, carers and others. Newsletters are regular, colourful and informative. The website has a good range of information, policies and news. The previous years’ academic performance is appropriately reported, an improvement since the last inspection.

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Manner in which complaints are to be handled

The complaints procedure meets regulatory requirements.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The proprietor has ensured that the school meets all The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010, schedule 1 (‘the Regulations’).

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What the school could do to improve further

While not required by regulations, the school might wish to consider the following points for development. Independent school standard inspection report  Ensure teachers consistently use assessment information and knowledge of pupils’ prior achievements to tailor activities that more closely match pupils’ needs and abilities.

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What the school could do to improve further

 Develop a more systematic approach to increasing pupils’ awareness and understanding of the diverse nature of multicultural Britain. Independent school standard inspection report Inspection judgements outstanding

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The quality of education

How well the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of pupils 

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The quality of education

How effective teaching and assessment are in meeting the full range of pupils’ needs 

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The quality of education

How well pupils make progress in their learning 

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The quality of education

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Quality of provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 

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Welfare, health and safety of pupils

The overall welfare, health and safety of pupils  Independent school standard inspection report

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School details

Number on roll (full-time pupils) Boys: 50 Girls: 40 Total: 90

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School details

Number on roll (part-time pupils) Boys: 0 Girls: 0 Total: 0

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School details

Number of pupils with a statement of special educational needs Boys: 0 Girls: 0 Total: 0

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School details

Number of pupils who are looked after Boys: 0 Girls: 0 Total: 0

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School details

Address of school 266 Overndale Road Fishponds Bristol BS16 2RG

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School details

Email address enquiries@gracefieldschool.co.uk

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School details

Proprietors Ivan and Elizabeth Morgan Independent school standard inspection report

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Gracefield School, Bristol, BS16 2RG

When inspectors recently visited your school, we really enjoyed meeting you and talking to you about your work and life at school. Thank you for your friendly welcome and for being so polite and helpful. We judged Gracefield School to be a good school and that it meets all government requirements. This is because it gives you a place where you:

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Inspection of Gracefield School, Bristol, BS16 2RG

 enjoy your school  learn many things because of your good teachers  show excellent behaviour and get on with each other extremely well  have good attendance  feel safe and well looked after  have lessons that are well planned, but could give you work that suits your needs more closely  have some knowledge about people from different backgrounds in this country, but could learn even more.

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Inspection of Gracefield School, Bristol, BS16 2RG

We talked to your headteacher and staff about plans to ensure your work is matched to your specific needs and learning about people from other backgrounds. They are already planning to improve these things.

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Inspection of Gracefield School, Bristol, BS16 2RG

I hope that you all continue to enjoy your learning at Gracefield School in the future.

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