Briercliffe Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 19 Dec 2012

Briercliffe Primary School Delamere Road, Briercliffe, Burnley, Lancashire, BB10 2JU

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement.  Although, overall, pupils make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 2, too few pupils are making better than expected progress in Key Stage 1, particularly in English.  There are some examples of good and better teaching, but teachers do not always plan lessons well enough to consistently get the best out of all of the pupils, particularly in Key Stage 1 English lessons. The teaching assistants provide support for pupils, but there are inconsistencies in how well they are deployed throughout lessons.  When marking work, teachers give clear guidance to pupils on how to improve but time is not regularly set aside in lessons for pupils to respond to teachers’ comments.  Senior leaders have introduced new initiatives to improve the quality of teaching. However, some middle leaders do not always check rigorously enough on how well teachers are

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

using information on pupils’ learning of English to plan lessons to meet the needs of all abilities.

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The school has the following strengths

 This is an improving school. The strong leadership of the headteacher is driving change. Despite turbulence in staffing since the previous inspection, the teaching of mathematics has improved.  All staff are dedicated to providing a caring environment in which pupils can learn.  Behaviour and safety are good. Pupils are respectful towards each other, the adults around them and visitors to the school. They enjoy coming to school and are keen to learn.  Since the previous inspection, the governing body has developed its role in providing both support and challenge for the school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 11 teachers and visited 24 lessons, one of which was observed with the headteacher. In addition, a number of short visits were made to lessons.  Discussions were held with school staff, groups of pupils, senior leaders, subject leaders, parents, a representative from the local authority and members of the governing body.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a wide range of documentation including safeguarding documents, reports of the school’s checks on how well it is doing, development plans, local authority reports, records of pupils’ current attainment and progress, documents relating to pupils’ attendance and behaviour and pupils’ work.  There were no responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) prior to the inspection. 10 responses were recorded during the inspection and these were taken into account by the inspectors.

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Inspection team

Naomi Taylor, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Sheila Mawer Additional Inspector Gary Kirkley Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Briercliffe is a larger than average-sized primary school.  Almost all pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is much lower than that found nationally.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is below average, as is the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  There are 11 classes and some pupils in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 are taught in mixed-age classes.  There has been significant turbulence in staffing since the previous inspection.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is at least good or better by:  planning lessons precisely to meet the needs of pupils of all abilities, remembering that some pupils work more quickly than others  ensuring that teaching assistants are used effectively throughout lessons to support pupils with their learning  regularly allowing time in lessons for pupils to respond to teachers’ marking in order to correct and improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that all Key Stage 1 pupils are learning quickly enough in English by:  checking that the level of work in guided reading sessions is well matched to meet all pupils’ needs and that they clearly understand the task that they have been given  ensuring that middle leaders rigorously check the pace at which pupils are learning in reading and writing, and how well teachers are using this information to plan and adapt their lessons.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children settle quickly into the Early Years Foundation Stage as a result of effective links between school and home. The teachers and teaching assistants ensure a secure and happy environment which contributes to parents saying that their children ‘love school’.  Most children start school with skills that are below those typically expected for their age. They make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage as a result of a curriculum which provides a balance of activities led by adults and opportunities for children to play together and find out things for themselves both indoors and outdoors.  In Key Stage 1, most pupils make expected progress but too few do better than that, particularly in English. Occasionally, the work is too easy for the more able or too hard for the least able and this slows their pace of learning.  Pupils join Year 3 with skills in reading and mathematics that are below those expected for their

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

age, but they are weaker in writing. Throughout Key Stage 2, pupils make good, and for some better, progress. Pupils leave Year 6 with skills in mathematics and reading that, overall, are in line with national expectations, and better in writing.  Pupils with special educational needs and those supported by the pupil premium do just as well as others in the school and across the country. The introduction of the Sunshine Room provides additional support for those who may be potentially vulnerable and who may need additional emotional support. This demonstrates that the school promotes equality of opportunity.  White British pupils make the same progress as other pupils within the school.  Overall, children’s abilities in speech and language when they join the Reception classes are lower than those expected for their age. Pupils learn letters and their sounds in Reception and practice linking them to work out words. In Key Stage 1, the variable speed at which pupils are

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

learning to read means that by the time they reach the end of Year 2, pupils are not yet reaching the standards which are typical for their age. However, pupils make better progress in Key Stage 2 so that by the time they leave Year 6, pupils’ ability to read is generally typical for their age.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 While there is some good and better teaching, some needs to be improved, especially in English in Key Stage 1. This is why overall pupils are reaching average standards, and not higher, by the time they leave Year 6.  In some lessons, the tasks do not meet the needs of the wide range of abilities so the pace at which pupils are learning is not rapid enough. Examples of this were seen in guided reading sessions in Key Stage 1, when some pupils who were working independently did not fully understand the activity and found the work too hard. Too little progress was made by these pupils.  The most effective teaching captures the imagination of pupils and inspires them to investigate and find out things for themselves. For example, in a Year 3/4 science lesson, pupils were planning and carrying out tests to find out which materials have the strongest magnetism. Good teacher planning ensured that pupils had to think hard and work out things for themselves. They

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

clearly enjoyed the challenge and extended their skills in both mathematics and English as they recorded the results of their tests. They made good progress in developing their understanding of the use of magnets and the magnetic qualities of different materials.  Teaching assistants play an important role in supporting individuals and small groups of pupils, both in the classroom and one-to-one. Occasionally, there is not enough thought given by the teachers on how the teaching assistants can best be used throughout the whole of a lesson.  Adults give pupils much praise and use skilful questioning to encourage pupils to think for themselves. Good use is made of information and communication technology to encourage pupils to find out things for themselves. Topic work has helped pupils to explore areas which are of particular interest to them. This increases pupils’ enjoyment of learning.  Teachers check on pupils’ understanding of what they are learning during lessons and they

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

regularly mark pupils’ work. However, time is not always set aside in lessons for pupils to respond to teachers’ comments in order to improve their work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils in lessons and around the school is good. Pupils show respect for each other, the staff and visitors to the school, and this leads to a strong school community where pupils are happy. Almost all parents say they are happy with the school and would recommend it to others.  Pupils say they feel safe in school and they learn how to stay safe in their own community and other environments. The older pupils were able to explain how to keep safe when using computers and the potential dangers of making friends through the internet. Parents and staff alike are confident that the school provides a safe and secure place which encourages pupils’ personal and academic development.  The curriculum ensures that pupils learn about different forms of bullying but pupils are adamant that bullying is very rare at Briercliffe. They are also clear that they could turn to any adult if they had any concerns.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school. This is due to the ethos in the school and the opportunities for personal development through the planned curriculum and extracurricular activities.  Pupils have good attitudes to learning and generally find lessons interesting, although admit to sometimes finding the work too easy. Even so, behaviour generally remains good, although pupils are less engaged by their learning. Pupils help each other and enjoy opportunities to share ideas with each other but equally work well on their own.  Above-average attendance reflects how much pupils enjoy school. Despite being excited about Christmas and their parties in school, behaviour in lessons and around school during the inspection was never less than good and this is reflected in the school’s own records of behaviour over time.  All staff are dedicated to looking after the pupils at Briercliffe. Many parents were confident in

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

saying that all staff know every child really well.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The senior leadership team has a clear vision for driving school improvement. A period of unavoidable turbulence in staffing has been extremely well managed by the headteacher but has slowed the pace in improving the quality of teaching since the previous inspection. However, the local authority has provided support and it is clear that the quality of teaching is improving, particularly in mathematics.  Leaders and managers regularly check the pace at which pupils are learning. There are procedures in place to check how well teaching is helping pupils to learn. However, there is not yet enough rigour in Key Stage 1 from some middle managers in seeing how well teachers use information on the rate at which pupils learn in order to plan activities in lessons to meet the needs of individuals.  The curriculum is providing pupils with a range of opportunities for learning, both within the school and beyond. This is enhanced by a range of extracurricular activities, trips and

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The leadership and management requires improvement

residentials which contribute to both academic and personal development.  All staff are totally committed to the school community. The headteacher holds staff to account by setting challenging targets and checking that these are being met. Staff are supported through a range of training opportunities and the work with a mathematics consultant from the local authority has contributed to standards in mathematics improving.  Safeguarding and safeguarding procedures meet statutory requirements.  The governance of the school:  Since the previous inspection, a new chair has been appointed together with new members of the governing body. They are all very committed to seeing the school improve. The governors ensure that the school fulfils its statutory responsibilities and that child-protection procedures are in place; all staff have been vetted and trained appropriately to keep pupils safe. Governors challenge staff on how well pupils are learning and the quality of teaching. They

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The leadership and management requires improvement

are now playing a more central role in shaping the long-term plans for the school, based on how well pupils are progressing compared to other schools. They know the areas within teaching which need to be developed further and this is reflected in decisions about salary progression. The governing body has also agreed the use of pupil-premium funding to provide one-to-one help and small group work to ensure that the attainment gap between those pupils eligible for the funding compared with national averages is closing.

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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 119168 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 401817

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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 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 299 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Peter Foley Headteacher Karen Jackson Date of previous school inspection 25 January 2010 Telephone number 01282 459421 Fax number 01282 455744 Email address head@briercliffe.lancs.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, please

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School details

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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