Broadmeadow Infant School

Broadmeadow Infant School Monyhull Hall Road, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B30 3QJ

p.1

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

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The headteacher, well supported by staff and governors, has significantly improved teaching and pupils’ achievement since the previous inspection.  From low starting points, pupils make good progress to reach slightly above average standards by the end of Year 2.  Most teaching is good and some is outstanding.  Pupils enjoy coming to school and feel safe. They behave well around the school. Attendance continues to improve and is now broadly average.  Children settle into school quickly and make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes.  All groups of pupils, including those who are disabled or who have special educational needs and those known to be eligible for the pupil premium make good, and at times outstanding, progress. This is because of the good support they receive.  Support for families and for pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable is well managed.  Pupils have many memorable experiences

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

including a wide variety of exciting visitors to school throughout the year.  The governing body has a good knowledge of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement, and works effectively with the headteacher.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding.  Pupils who are more able are not given enough chances to work by themselves, exploring topics and problems in depth, and the work they are given is not always hard enough.  In some lessons teachers do not use their assessments of what pupils have already learnt when planning activities, so do not move pupils’ learning on quickly enough.  School leaders, other than the headteacher, do not play a full role in checking on teaching and learning.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 17 lessons involving eight teachers, which included three joint observations with the headteacher, and one assembly.  Inspectors held discussions with school leaders, staff, governors and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at documentation, including improvement plans, the systems for tracking pupils’ progress, the arrangements for safeguarding pupils and samples of pupils’ work. They heard groups of pupils read and spoke to others about behaviour and safety arrangements at the school.  Inspectors took account of the 16 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and the views expressed by those parents and carers who spoke with them at the start of the school day

p.2

Inspection team

Michael Bartleman, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Anne Wesley Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 This school is an average-sized infant school.  The majority of pupils come from a White British background.  An increasing proportion of pupils come from minority ethnic groups.  The proportion of pupils who start at the school speaking English as an additional language is below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average as is the proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils eligible for free school meals and those in local authority care) is above average.  The Early Years Foundation Stage is made up of one part-time morning and afternoon Nursery class and two Reception classes.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of teaching which is outstanding and so raise attainment in English and mathematics by:  sharing more widely the outstanding examples of teaching that exist in the school  ensuring that more-able pupils are always given work that is hard enough to make them really think  developing more opportunities for pupils to explore topics for themselves, to work without direct supervision and to be more responsible for checking and correcting their own work  ensuring pupils respond to teachers’ comments in marking  ensuring teachers use their checks on pupils’ skills in lessons and previous learning to plan work that is set at the right level for pupils’ differing abilities.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop the role of middle leaders to assist the headteacher in checking the effectiveness of planned school developments, the extent of pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ achievement has improved since the previous inspection. From starting points that are below those expected for their age, particularly in communication and language, all groups of pupils make good progress to reach slightly above average standards in reading and mathematics. However few pupils reach the higher National Curriculum level 3 in writing.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 In the Nursery and Reception classes children make good progress in their personal and social development, learning to be independent as well as to cooperate and play very well with other children. They also make good progress in their language skills because teachers take every opportunity to reinforce the importance of using language accurately and to extend vocabulary.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 Although improving, progress in writing is not as rapid as in reading and mathematics. Teachers do not give pupils clear examples of the steps to follow in producing good-quality writing so they can refer to them when completing their own work. Pupils do not always take enough care with their spelling and writing or use teachers’ comments to correct or improve their work

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupil premium funding is used to provide additional teachers and teaching assistants who give extra support. As a result, most pupils who benefit from the pupil premium are currently making good progress. They are closing the gap with their peers, and several reach higher levels of attainment than other pupils in the school, in both English and mathematics.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are supported by well-trained teaching assistants which results in good progress for most pupils. The additional support provided to improve basic skills is managed effectively by the special educational needs coordinator and is well matched to pupils’ individual needs. However, their learning slows when activities provided directly by the main class teacher are not so well-matched.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achieve well in reading because all pupils, including those whose first language is not English, are taught well. They have a good grasp of the sounds that letters make (phonics) and most are competent readers. The large majority of pupils in Year 1 reached the required standard for the national screening test in phonics in 2012, which is above the national average.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 Parents and carers who responded to Parent View or who spoke to inspectors during the inspection believed that their children were making good progress. Many referred to the strengths found in the Early Years Foundation Stage and the effective transition links with the rest of the school.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has improved since the previous inspection and is now good. An increasing number of lessons are outstanding, although not all teachers have had the opportunity to learn from the examples of very best teaching in the school.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is not yet outstanding because the match of work to pupils’ needs is not always precise enough to ensure all pupils, particularly the more-able, make rapid progress over a sustained period of time. In a few lessons, teachers do not use their checks of what pupils know and can do to plan work at the correct level to move them on quickly enough.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have good relationships with pupils, although the number of adults in some classes results in a few pupils relying heavily on adult support and direction. These pupils are not yet confident when working on their own.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have high expectations and plan lessons that motivate pupils to learn. Pupils in Year 1 spoke enthusiastically about their study of ‘Toys’ following the visit of ‘The Toy Museum’ and Year 2 pupils were enthused by a storyteller and puppeteer. In the better lessons questioning is used well to deepen pupils’ understanding.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is effective across the Early Years Foundation Stage because teachers’ detailed and accurate records of progress help staff to plan activities which enable children to learn to read, write and count as well as developing their personal and social skills. For example the children were totally engrossed in their role play of ‘Blackbeard’ taking turns to make telescopes, look for treasure or have conversations as part of the crew.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, along with those who are eligible for the pupil premium, and those who are new to learning English are all well supported in their learning. Teachers and teaching assistants plan and work closely together to help these pupils make good progress in their learning.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils’ work is marked regularly and some feedback explains clearly what pupils need to do in order to improve their work further. However, pupils are not given enough opportunities to follow up on the suggestions given.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They have positive attitudes to learning.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Support for pupils and their families is well organised and effective. Parents and carers said that staff are very supportive and know their children well. Relationships with the local community are strong.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ respect for adults and each other, and their clear understanding of how they are expected to behave, ensure lessons proceed without disruption. Pupils like the rewards they get for good work and behaviour. School records confirm that pupils’ behaviour is good on a daily basis and has improved over time.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school has close working relationships with a number of outside agencies to support pupils and their families whose circumstances make them potentially vulnerable. Attendance has improved and is now broadly average, reflecting the effective work of the school’s support arrangements. However a small number of pupils are regularly late into school.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school ensures pupils are safe. They have a good knowledge of all forms of bullying that could possibly occur at their age and have great trust in the headteacher to solve any difficulties that may arise. They are taught to manage everyday risks for themselves, such as those associated with technology and road safety.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s energy and commitment are bringing about rapid improvements. Building on the school’s existing strengths, she has systematically tackled its weaknesses. Pupils, parents, staff and governors share her vision and have confidence in her leadership.  Leadership and management are not outstanding because there is still more to do to raise attainment, particularly in writing, and middle leaders, including the deputy-headteacher, are not fully involved in the monitoring of teaching, the tracking of pupils’ progress or the analysis of data.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 Self-evaluation is accurate and the development plans highlight the key objectives needed to move the school forward further. Recent improvements in achievement, teaching and attendance indicate that school has strong capacity for further improvement and reflect the effective support and training from the local authority.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 Rigorous monitoring of teaching by the headteacher has increased the amount of good teaching and almost eliminated that which requires improvement. Rigorous procedures for checking how well teachers are doing now enable leaders to hold teachers to account for pupils’ progress.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 Parent View and discussions with parents and carers during the inspection showed high levels of satisfaction with the school. The vast majority of those who talked to inspectors were full of praise for the school and staff.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 The Early Years Foundation Stage is well led. Transition is well planned and children quickly settle in to a vibrant learning environment. Good links are developed with parents and carers who contribute to the child’s ‘learning journey’, or personal record. Children are able to plan their next steps in independent learning through regular reflection in their ‘Golden Diaries’.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 The range of subjects and topics offered by the school contributes effectively to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Learning is enriched through a wide range of visitors to the school, including an artist in residence. Leaders have introduced a much wider range of interesting topics and learning activities specifically aimed at stimulating the pupils’ interest and motivation.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 The school works effectively with a range of schools in the local area, which provides opportunities for the comparison of work and for training. Close co-operation with the neighbouring junior school has ensured pupils’ transition between the schools operates smoothly and that there is consistency in teaching and learning methods. The school has received appropriate support from the local authority.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 Equality of opportunity is well promoted and teachers ensure that there is no discrimination.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 The school meets all statutory requirements for safeguarding.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school: Governors are effective in supporting the headteacher and holding her to account. They have been instrumental in moving the school forward and are not afraid of taking difficult decisions, for example in relation to staffing. Governors have received appropriate training and have considerable understanding of many aspects of the school’s performance, although they do not, as yet, compare the school’s performance with other schools or national data. They undertake detailed scrutiny of information about pupils’ progress and carefully check the impact of actions taken to improve teaching. This includes ensuring the management of teachers’ performance and salary progression are directly linked to their effectiveness and impact on achievement. Governors ensure effective budget management and use funding sensibly to bring about improvements. They are managing the pupil premium funding carefully

p.6

The leadership and management are good

and checking systematically to ensure it is having the desired effect.

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 103288 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 400603

p.8

School details

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

p.8

School details

Type of school Infant School category Community Age range of pupils 3–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 230 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair William McCafferty Headteacher Rosemary Horton Date of previous school inspection 4 November 2009 Telephone number 0121 4644266 Fax number 0121 4645395 Email address enquiry@brdmedoi.bham.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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

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’.

p.9

School details

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

p.9