Teagues Bridge Primary School

Teagues Bridge Primary School Teagues Cresent, Trench, Telford, TF2 6RE

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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.  Children achieve well in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Their good progress continues in reading, writing and mathematics in Years 1 to 6. All groups achieve well, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs.  Teaching is good. Teachers provide pupils with a wide range of interesting and engaging experiences that they enjoy. Relationships in lessons are positive and pupils work hard.  Pupils’ behaviour is good and they make a strong contribution to the well-ordered school and the smooth flow of lessons. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive. They feel extremely safe in school and have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe and secure.  The headteacher’s drive to improve the school is enthusiastically shared by staff. Leaders, including the governing body, successfully use training to strongly improve the quality of teaching.  Since the last inspection leaders have

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

improved progress in mathematics in Years 3 to 6 so that it is good. They have successfully tackled the progress of girls, which had been slower than that of the boys in recent years. This means that the school has a strong capacity to improve further.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The typically rapid pace of learning is not sustained when, occasionally, lesson introductions last too long or when some members of the class are not fully challenged.  Pupils’ written work is sometimes let down by inaccurate spelling and grammar.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed the teaching in all classes. They visited 17 lessons.  Inspectors held discussions with pupils, teachers, the headteacher, representatives of the governing body and a local authority officer.  The inspectors looked at records of pupils’ progress and heard them read. They evaluated safeguarding documentation, records of exclusions and the results of the school’s checks on the quality of teaching. They also examined the work in pupils’ books.  The views of 28 parents were analysed through the Parent View website. Other parents’ views were sought at the start of the school day. The views of one parent, who wrote to inspectors, were also considered.

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Inspection team

Gerald Griffin, Lead inspector Additional inspector Lynne Bradbury Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Teagues Bridge is smaller than the average primary school.  An average proportion of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in local authority care and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of pupils who are supported at school action is below average.  The proportion of pupils who are supported at school action plus or have a statement of special educational needs is above average.  There are fewer pupils from minority ethnic groups than in most schools of this size. A small number of these pupils are learning English as an additional language.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Teagues Bridge Pre-School, that is based in the school site, is not managed by the school’s governing body and was not inspected.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 By July 2013, improve teaching and progress to outstanding by making sure that teachers consistently secure a rapid pace of learning throughout lessons by:  keeping lesson introductions short  planning work that fully challenges each member of the class.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 By July 2012, improve the accuracy of spelling and grammar to raise attainment in writing by:  making sure marking rigorously identifies errors in spelling and grammar  ensuring that pupils frequently use dictionaries and other resources to check the accuracy of their spelling and grammar.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In most years, children start school with knowledge, skills and understanding that are below those expected for their age. Children make good progress in all areas of learning to reach attainment that is average at the end of their Reception Year. Leaders check carefully that their assessments of children’s levels and progress are accurate.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In the Reception class, children are curious and are keen to investigate and experiment. As a result, they gain a good level of independence in managing their own learning. In a good Reception lesson, children were making good progress in accurately painting detail on a picture. This prepared them well for learning to write letters.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children’s good start is built upon in later years, and pupils’ progress is good in Years 1 to 6 in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment in reading is currently average at the end of Year 2. Pupils are keen to read and do so regularly.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment was above average in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 in summer 2012. This was an improvement on the previous year in reading and writing, when attainment was average.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 When writing, pupils use vocabulary and punctuation skilfully to express their ideas clearly in a wide variety of contexts such as factual accounts, scripts and stories.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In a Year 4 English lesson, pupils made outstanding progress in the use of connectives to join together sentences to write an exciting sequence of events in a story. They discussed their ideas in groups, worked with a high level of independence and were able to write their stories with minimal help from the teacher.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Spelling and the use of the correct verb tense in written work are not always accurate enough. This is because errors are not consistently corrected in marking and pupils are not encouraged sufficiently to check the accuracy of their work, for example by using a dictionary.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In mathematics, pupils’ ability to apply their calculation skills to solve mathematical problems is well developed.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The progress of girls in English and mathematics has accelerated because changes to the curriculum mean they find work more appealing and challenging.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Good achievement and positive attitudes to learning prepare pupils well for secondary school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils are developing their basic skills of reading, writing, communication and mathematics effectively in all subjects. For example, pupils use their mathematics skills competently to accurately measure and record the results of science experiments.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs concentrate well in lessons. Their good progress is secured by effective teaching, which enables them to achieve small but challenging next steps in learning. As a result, their attainment is above that of their peers nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school supports the progress of those who receive the pupil premium by, for example, providing them with extra classes during the holidays and on Saturdays. The attainment of these pupils is also above their peers nationally.  Pupils who do not speak English as their first language are supported well by adults who are experts in their needs. This helps them to make good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers convey high expectations about what pupils must achieve. Teachers’ questions are probing and make pupils think deeply. They use resources such as computers and educational games effectively to develop understanding. However, teachers do not always make sure that pupils use resources such as dictionaries to check the accuracy of their spelling and grammar.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Learning is often best when pupils are actively engaged in interesting practical tasks, such as discussing ideas and planning work in pairs. Learning sometimes slows when pupils spend too long passively listening to teachers’ instructions and explanations.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the large majority of lessons, teachers use test and other data well to plan challenging tasks that stretch all members of the class. Occasionally, work set for some pupils is either too hard or too easy and their pace of learning slows.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage classes, teachers plan an appropriate balance of adult-led and child-chosen activities in the well-resourced setting. Learning takes place inside and outdoors, and provision develops children’s understanding of the world at large and promotes their physical and creative development effectively.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers plan many opportunities to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, pupils are encouraged to reflect maturely on the moral issues raised in stories.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants provide valuable support, especially for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, those receiving the pupil premium and pupils who do not speak English as their first language. For example, they keep notes on each individual’s progress which are shared with the teacher to help with future planning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Marking and feedback provide pupils with a clear understanding of how they can improve their work in mathematics. The marking of writing provides good feedback on the correct use of vocabulary and punctuation but does not consistently show errors in spelling and grammar.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 School records and discussions with pupils confirm that good behaviour is the norm.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are enthusiastic and have positive attitudes towards school and learning. They cooperate and collaborate well in groups. They have good levels of perseverance, show initiative and can think and learn for themselves. Pupils mostly manage their own behaviour well, which means lessons proceed without interruption.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have a good understanding of what constitutes bullying. For example, they understand cyber-bullying, how to avoid it and what to do if they encounter it. They say that bullying is unheard of, and this is supported by school records. Pupils are highly confident that any bullying would be quickly resolved by the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils feel very safe and know precisely how to keep themselves safe, for example on the internet. Pupils take care to keep those around them safe. For example, pupils carefully consider the risk to others and themselves when using playground apparatus.  Leaders have taken effective actions to tackle the low attendance of a few pupils and to reinforce the need to attend very regularly with pupils, parents and carers. As a result, attendance is improving strongly and was average last year. Pupils are punctual to school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Key leaders, including the governing body, set challenging targets for school improvement. Their drive has improved the teaching of mathematics at Key Stage 2, which was an area for improvement at the time of the previous inspection. This, together with improved progress of girls and rising attendance, demonstrates the school’s capacity to improve further.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders use the outcomes of robust checks on teaching and the quality of learning well to plan successful actions to overcome weaknesses and improve and develop teachers’ skills. For example, they have successfully sharpened teachers’ planning to improve pupils’ solving of mathematical problems.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders’ very regular checks on the progress of each pupil are effective. The resulting interventions make sure that individual pupils quickly catch up on areas of their knowledge and understanding which are weak.

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The leadership and management are good

 Accurate assessments of the needs of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are used to provide them with appropriate learning programmes. The targeted support for pupils whose circumstances may make them vulnerable is very effective.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has made a strong contribution to staff training in English and mathematics teaching.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school provides many opportunities for parents and carers to join their children in lessons so that they are better placed to support their child’s learning at home. Parents and carers said they found the recent school’s course on letters and the sounds they make (phonics) invaluable in supporting their child’s reading at home.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school website has too little information about how parents and carers can help their children’s learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 Nearly all parents and carers expressed positive views about their children’s progress, teaching, behaviour and leadership of the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum widens pupils’ horizons and raises their level of ambition. It strongly promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, it provides many opportunities for pupils to reflect on their feelings and those of others. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the many clubs and visits that are organised for them.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has an effective safeguarding policy that is implemented robustly. It ensures that the government’s safeguarding requirements are met.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders have a clear commitment to combating discrimination and to equal opportunities, as shown in the good progress made by all groups of pupils, from all backgrounds. Leaders are effective in promoting a very tolerant and harmonious school community.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  systematically challenges senior leaders and, as a result, the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement has improved  ensures that the management of financial resources is effective.

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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 123451 Local authority Telford and Wrekin Inspection number 402163

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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 194 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rose Gregory Headteacher Sarah Abdulla Date of previous school inspection 10 Febraury 2010 Telephone number 01952 388450 Fax number 01952 388452 Email address a2191@telford.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,

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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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