The Bramptons Primary School

The Bramptons Primary School Harlestone Road, Chapel Brampton, Northampton, NN6 8AW

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 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 are making good progress overall.  Children in Reception make good progress. Good progress continues through Key Stages 1 and 2, particularly in reading and mathematics.  Teaching and learning are good, with examples of outstanding practice.  Learning in lessons has a clear purpose and teachers convey high expectations of what pupils should achieve.  Teachers accurately check how well pupils are progressing, so planning of learning usually involves demanding activities that are well matched to pupils’ different abilities.  Pupils show enthusiasm for learning. Their attitudes and behaviour are outstanding in some lessons.  They are safe and well cared for at school.  Through effective leadership and strong teamwork, The Bramptons has made good improvements since the previous inspection.  The headteacher and staff have shown determination in raising achievement and improving teaching from satisfactory to good.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Parents are pleased with the care and education provided.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils’ attainment and progress in writing trail behind what they achieve in reading and mathematics.  The school does not have a full complement of governors, and although the governing body has many strengths, it is not fully involved in setting the vision and long-term direction of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out with half a day’s notice.  The inspector observed teaching and learning in 11 lessons or part lessons.  He held discussions with the headteacher, staff, a representative from the local authority, members of the governing body, parents and pupils.  The inspector took account of the 13 responses to the online survey (Parent View) in planning the inspection.  School policies, assessment information, teachers’ plans, pupils’ work and school improvement planning were examined.  The inspector analysed seven questionnaires completed by staff.

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Inspection team

Derek Watts, Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 The Bramptons is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Most of the pupils are White British. A few pupils are of Pakistani, Caribbean heritage and any other White background.  The overall proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is average, but the proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  A much lower-than-average proportion of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium funding.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school is organised into three classes. Class 1 consists of Reception children and Year 1 pupils. Class 2 has pupils from Years 2 and 3 and Class 3 consists of pupils from Years 4, 5 and 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate pupils’ progress in writing and narrow the gap in attainment between writing and reading and mathematics by the end of Year 6, by:  implementing an effective programme for the teaching of handwriting so that most pupils have a fluent and joined hand by the end of Year 2  extending opportunities for role play and drama to provide ideas and stimuli for writing increasing opportunities for all pupils to write extended pieces, particularly the more able.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Fill vacancies on the governing body, and take effective steps to ensure that members of the governing body are fully involved in setting the vision and planning of the long-term direction of the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Throughout the school, most pupils make good progress and achieve well. These inspection findings are the views shared by all parents who completed the online survey.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children’s attainment on entry to Reception varies from year to year because of the small numbers in each year group. Most year groups enter with knowledge and skills broadly expected for their age. Children make good progress because of good teaching and the interesting learning activities provided and enter Year 1 with skills and knowledge at least in line with those expected nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils in Key Stage 1 and 2 make good progress in speaking and listening because of the regular opportunities for them to discuss their learning, particularly in pairs. Year-on-year attainment can fluctuate because of the small number of pupils in the year groups. However, by the end of Year 6, attainment is usually above average in reading and mathematics and broadly average in writing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 More-able pupils are challenged and extended in most subjects, but fewer pupils reach the higher-than-expected levels in writing than in reading and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Good progress is made in reading because of the school’s regular and discrete programme for the teaching of reading, particularly phonics (letters and the sounds they make). For example, pupils in Class 3 thoroughly enjoyed the writing style of Roald Dahl and made good progress reading this author’s books.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ progress in writing is often as expected rather than good. Pupils’ handwriting is underdeveloped, particularly in Years 2 and 3. Here, very few pupils are writing with a clear, fluent and joined hand. There are some good examples of pupils applying their writing skills across the curriculum. In the main, pupils, especially the most able, do not have sufficient opportunities to write extended pieces.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress in mathematics and apply their numeracy skills well. For example, in Class 1, pupils made rapid progress in estimating and counting objects. Those in Class 2 used dice and a 100 square effectively to solve addition and subtraction problems. Similarly, pupils in Class 3 made outstanding progress as they investigated different methods for solving multiplication problems.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make similar rates of progress, irrespective of social background, ethnic heritage or level of ability. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because their needs are carefully assessed and they receive well-targeted individual or group support from teachers and teaching assistants. Pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding are making good progress and those who need it benefit from helpful additional-adult support.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The school has been successful in improving teaching since the previous inspection. Teaching is good with examples of outstanding practice and ensures pupils’ successful learning, good progress and achievement.  One pupil said, ‘Teachers are amazing.’ Others commented, ‘They help you when you are struggling.’ All parents who responded to the questionnaire consider that their children are well taught.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the Reception areas, adults provide a good balance of adult-led activities and those chosen by the children. Independent learning is promoted very well and so children have plenty of opportunities to explore and be creative.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers plan learning in lessons well throughout the school. Learning has clear purpose because specific learning intentions are shared with the class so pupils understand what they are expected to learn.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ explanations and instructions promote learning well. Questioning is used skilfully to challenge the pupils and to check their understanding of new learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have high expectations of what pupils should achieve. For example, in an outstanding mathematics lesson, pupils in Class 3 responded very well to the teacher’s high expectations. They benefited from very clear explanations and demonstrations. Skilful questioning checked that the pupils understood the grid method of multiplication. These factors, supported by challenging tasks carefully matched to needs, resulted in pupils’ rapid progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The assessment of pupils’ attainment has improved, and teachers use assessment information effectively to plan and match tasks to pupils’ different abilities and learning needs. As a result, pupils are challenged well and they make good gains in acquiring knowledge and deepening their understanding.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers provide constructive feedback on pupils’ performance to help move them on as learners. The marking of pupils’ work is constructive and helpful. Good work is acknowledged, praised and clear comments help pupils to improve.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of reading and numeracy skills is effective and pupils make good progress in acquiring and apply these skills. The teaching of handwriting skills is less regular and effective. Furthermore, the use of modelling to demonstrate writing skills and sentence construction by teachers is an underused approach. While there are some good examples of role play and drama to promote ideas for writing, this approach is not used consistently well in all classes. Pupils do not have regular opportunities to write extended pieces.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. They create a positive classroom climate which is conducive to learning. Adults establish positive relationships and successfully encourage pupils to learn and work well together. Pupils show considerable care and respect for others. They reflect on their learning and appreciate the wonders of art, literature and music.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The parents who completed the online survey strongly agreed that their children are safe and well cared for at school. These views reflect the inspection findings.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Children in Reception settle very well into their new school. This is because of the very positive relationships which adults have with them. Children feel safe, confident and behave well. They readily share learning resources and take turns.  Behaviour is also good in lessons and around the school in Key Stages 1 and 2. Records of incidents show that behaviour is typically good. Pupils informed inspectors that behaviour is good most of the time. In some lessons and in assembly, pupils showed outstanding attitudes to learning and their behaviour was exemplary.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils feel safe and very well looked after at school. This is because of the positive school ethos and the good attention given to pupils’ care, welfare and safety.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Discussions with pupils reveal that they have good understanding of different forms of bullying, including persistent name-calling and cyber-bullying. They know how to prevent bullying and the action to take should it occur. The school has effective procedures for dealing with misbehaviour, including bullying. Pupils report that bullying is rare and stated, ‘Bullying is unacceptable and is dealt with.’

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Most pupils attend regularly. However, despite the school’s efforts to promote good attendance, there are a few families whose children have low attendance. In a small school, these few pupils have an adverse impact on the school’s overall attendance figure which is, consequently, average.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and staff have successfully created a positive school climate in which pupils can learn successfully. The school has gained the confidence of parents and the community.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has built and developed teamwork among the staff. The expertise of individuals is used effectively. Staff have worked together in successfully raising pupils’ achievement and in improving the quality of teaching.

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The leadership and management are good

 Strong emphasis has been placed on improving teaching. More accurate and robust systems for assessing and tracking pupils’ attainment have been implemented to enable staff to evaluate progress correctly. Learning in lessons now has a sharper focus and tasks are well matched to pupils’ needs. The school’s appraisal process of staff performance, well-planned training to enhance their skills and the sharing of good practice have all contributed to improvements in teaching and pupils’ achievement.

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The leadership and management are good

 Through accurate and thorough self-evaluation, school leaders and staff have a clear and accurate overview of the school’s performance. The findings are used well to inform improvement planning, but governors are not involved enough in this process.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum is broad and balanced in the range of subjects studied. It inspires pupils’ interest and enables them to achieve well. Leaders are taking positive steps to improve pupils’ achievement in writing. Other aspects of literacy are well developed.

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The leadership and management are good

 All pupils have equal opportunity to do well. The pupil premium is spent to provide helpful additional-adult support where needed, and to fund educational visits. No pupil is prevented from enjoying the full range of learning opportunities that the school provides. There is no discrimination in this school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered well. Since the previous inspection, opportunities have been extended for pupils to acquire a deeper understanding of different cultures across the world. Visiting specialist teachers enrich the school’s music provision. For example, all pupils in Class 2 showed enthusiasm and concentration in learning to play the cello or violin.  The local authority has made a good contribution to the school’s journey of improvement since its previous inspection. Involvement has lessened as the school has progressed from satisfactory to good.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  is supportive and has a sound knowledge of the day-to-day working of the school  asks challenging questions about the school’s current performance and holds it to account  meets statutory requirements, including those relating to safeguarding  has vacancies and so the responsibilities are shared by a few  is not involved enough in setting the longer-term vision and direction for the school.

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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 is

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Grade Judgement Description

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 121803 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 402052

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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 62 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Diana Hart Headteacher Martin Adamson Date of previous school inspection 8 February 2010 Telephone number 01604 842078 Fax number 01604 842078 Email address head@thebramptons.northants-ecl.gov.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, please

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School details

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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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