Summerfield School

Summerfield School Downley Avenue, Bradwell Common, Milton Keynes, MK13 6PG

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Inspection dates 28 February–1 March 2013

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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.  Teaching is almost always good or better. There are some examples of outstanding teaching across the school that inspires pupils to achieve highly. Best practice is now shared across the school.  Leaders have secured strong improvements in teaching and in the rates of progress pupils make, since the last inspection. This is because leaders check the progress of pupils carefully.  Pupils make good progress from different starting levels across the school and reach standards above the national levels at the end of Year 6.  The teaching of reading is strong across the school. Pupils get a good start by learning their letters and sounds (phonics) well and go on to read in groups and undertake more challenging reading activities effectively.  The leadership team communicate their high expectations to all staff. Governors support and challenge the school appropriately.  Pupils’ personal development is a strength of

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

the school. Behaviour is never less than good. It is sometimes exemplary in assemblies and in lessons where teaching is outstanding. This is reflected in pupils’ highly positive attitudes and enthusiasm for learning. Pupils understand each other’s differences well so that pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent.  The good curriculum means that pupils have the chance to experience an extensive range of creative activities. These help pupils to enjoy learning and make good progress.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher have effectively created a well-motivated staff team where each person is striving to ensure all pupils learn as well as they can. Everyone is working to a common goal of becoming a better school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is yet outstanding.  Some of the most capable pupils in writing do not always reach the highest levels they could.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 21 lessons, of which two were jointly observed with the headteacher. In addition, there were a number of short visits to lessons.  The inspectors considered the 38 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and talked to several parents on the playground.  Inspectors listened to two groups of pupils read. They talked to pupils in classrooms and around the school. They attended two assemblies. The inspectors looked at the work in the pupils’ books and on the walls in school.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and other members of the school leadership team and some pupils. They also met with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Governing Body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors looked at other evidence, including the school’s self-evaluation of its progress; monitoring reports about the effectiveness of teaching and learning; the school’s data for

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Information about this inspection

tracking the progress of pupils; the documentation relating to teachers’ appraisals; the reports from the local authority; and the school’s documentation relating to keeping children safe, behaviour and attendance. They also looked at the minutes of the governing body meetings, and the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Susan Currie, Lead inspector Additional inspector David Westall Additional inspector Sue Cox Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium, which is additional funding provided by the government for children in local authority care, service children and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, is below the national average. There are no children looked after by the local authority nor any from service families.  The school meets the current floor standards, which set the government’s minimum expectations for attainment and progress.  The proportion of pupils identified as disabled and those with special educational needs that are supported through school action is just above the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below the national average.  Pupils come from a range of ethnic backgrounds. The largest group of pupils in the school are of

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Information about this school

White British heritage. The remainder come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, the largest group of these being of Black Somali heritage. The number of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is above average, as is the number of pupils who do not have English as their first language.  The school has been awarded Artsmark Gold, Activemark and Healthy Schools Award.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make sure the most able pupils in English make maximum progress in their writing by teaching them how to structure longer and more complex pieces of writing well.  Ensure that there is more outstanding teaching across the school by:  checking that teachers’ enthusiasm for their subjects does not mean that they talk too much at the start of lessons  checking that teachers make sure pupils fully understand what it is they need to do in the lesson by carefully questioning their understanding of the tasks set.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter Summerfield with skills and ability levels lower than those expected for their age. They all make good progress from their different starting levels in the Early Years Foundation Stage because of the good teaching and effective, systematic programme for the teaching of letters and sounds.  Pupils continue to make good progress through Key Stage 1 and reach the level typically expected for their age. There have been strong improvements in reading and mathematics. Pupils continue the trend of making good or better progress throughout Key Stage 2. As a result, attainment in English and mathematics is rising and in 2012 this was above average.  A high proportion of pupils made good progress in English. This can be attributed to better teaching and a more focused plan for those pupils at risk of not achieving as well as the others. The school has worked well to reduce the pupils’ slower progress in mathematics by making sure

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The achievement of pupils is good

they are given many opportunities to use their skills to solve problems. They have also reviewed the way arithmetical calculations are taught. As a result, progress in mathematics has improved.  Reading is a real strength of the school. There is a clear focus on improving basic skills, ensuring pupils know their letters and sounds. They can confidently read aloud alone or in a group and can understand more complex texts. This means pupils attain well and make good progress in reading across the school. Although some pupils attained just below the national average in the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1, these pupils have had additional teaching focused on their particular needs to improve their phonic skills and they are now progressing well. Pupils are now able to sound words out well and read difficult ones with increasing confidence.  Progress in writing is good. Although pupils enjoy writing, some of the most able do not reach

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The achievement of pupils is good

the levels they could because they do not learn to structure longer and more complex pieces of writing as well as they could.  The school carefully checks how well each pupil is progressing. Interventions are put into place to help those who are disabled or those with special educational needs and those who do not have English as their first language, including those of Somali heritage, who now all make good or better progress.  Pupils entitled to pupil premium funding make good progress. In 2011 these pupils were a year behind other children in their year group in English and mathematics. In 2012, as a result of careful targeting of the funding, the gap between their progress in both subjects and that of their peers is now eradicated. The school promotes equality of opportunity well.  Pupils’ English and mathematical skills are successfully promoted across the curriculum. Pupils are encouraged to talk about their writing across all areas of learning. There has been a focus

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The achievement of pupils is good

on checking that all pupils understand the specific vocabulary of different subjects.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching has substantially improved since the last inspection and is now predominantly good or better across the school. Many additional materials to aid teaching have been bought and training time has been invested in helping teachers to improve.  Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. The adults effectively support the learning of all children. There is a good range of interesting learning and play opportunities both inside and outside the classroom that encourage children to be independent and develop their language skills well. Children enjoy their learning and there are smiles and laughter throughout the classes.  Some outstanding lessons were seen across the school. In these lessons, lively and enthusiastic teachers planned interesting, creative lessons that ensured pupils make good progress. Teachers cleverly question pupils to assess their understanding of work and carefully match the work to

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The quality of teaching is good

the ability of the pupils. For example, in a Year 4 lesson, pupils were skilfully using a range of strategies to solve complex problems. Each pupil was effectively challenged to enable them to make rapid and sustained progress. In Year 2, high expectations ensured that high quality discussions between pupils developed empathy for the characters in the books and developed reading skills to a strong standard. However, currently not enough outstanding teaching of this kind is present across the school.  Work in pupils’ books shows they make good progress and teachers’ marking is good. There are clear, helpful comments in books which show pupils the next steps they need to take to improve further. Opportunity is given for pupils to respond. Pupils know their own targets for improving their work.  There is a strong focus on pupils’ speaking and listening skills to help their vocabulary and language development. Pupils are actively involved in the lessons by working collaboratively as a

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The quality of teaching is good

group. Good use is made of working in pairs so that pupils have the opportunity to discuss their work. This helps support those pupils who do not have English as a first language.  In a small minority of lessons, teachers’ enthusiasm and passion for their subject can mean that they talk for too long, usually at the start of the lesson. This means pupils have less time to develop their own learning. In a few lessons, teachers do not check whether pupils have clearly understood the task set and pupils can set off on a task being less sure about what to do. Very occasionally work is not accurately matched to the level of the pupils.  The strong team of teaching assistants give invaluable support both in lessons and in small intervention groups. This contributes to the good progress made by pupils with disabilities, those with special educational needs and those entitled to pupil premium. They progress as well as

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour is good and records show that incidents of poor behaviour are rare. Most pupils behave very well in and out of class. Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary in the outstanding lessons which fully engage all pupils. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning and respect and value their teachers. There have been no exclusions since the last inspection.  Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is typically good. Pupils are polite, helpful and get on well. Staff manage behaviour well and the behaviour policy is applied consistently across the school, leading to a positive working atmosphere. In a very small number of lessons pupils become a little fidgety or restless if teachers talk for too long.  Pupils relate very well to each other and value the opportunity to play and work with each other as a result. They value the faiths, beliefs and cultures of those pupils who have a different background from themselves. Racial harmony is strong and no discrimination on any grounds is

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

tolerated.  Pupils say they feel safe and have a good understanding of how to stay safe. They say bullying is rare. If there is any misbehaviour then pupils say staff deal effectively with this. Pupils have a good understanding of the different types of bullying such as racism or cyber bullying and were able to share information from anti-bullying weeks held in school.  Most of the parents that inspectors spoke to were positive about behaviour in school. However, a very small number indicated on Parent View that they were concerned.  Attendance is rising as a result of the focus on ensuring all pupils come to school and are on time, and is now broadly average. It is not yet higher because some parents take their children out of school on holiday in term time. The school has good procedures for following up if there is an unexplained absence.

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The leadership and management are good

 There have been significant improvements since the last inspection because the leadership team now relentlessly focus on raising pupils’ attainment levels and progress rates, and on improving the quality of teaching to good. The areas for improvement in the last inspection have been successfully improved. The headteacher has created a team who work together well and who want to continue to improve further. The staff questionnaire shows staff morale is high.  Leaders have raised pupils’ attainment and progress equally by improving the teaching of reading, training staff in use of letters and sounds, reading techniques and improving approaches to teaching mathematics. School leaders and governors now have an accurate picture of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.  There is now a clear focus on improving teaching by providing teachers with the opportunity to share best practice. Teachers are challenged by the leadership team and their work is checked

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The leadership and management are good

by regular and rigorous classroom observations and reviewing of work in books by the headteacher. This helps to pinpoint clearly how teachers can further improve. He is supported by enthusiastic and knowledgeable leaders of other subjects, who also keep a check on their subjects well. The leaders are using teachers’ appraisals to improve the performance of all staff, and progression through the pay scales is dependent on the quality of their work.  Parent View shows that while the vast majority of parents are happy with the performance of the school, as were the majority of those who spoke to inspectors, a very small number are not. The school forms good partnerships with other agencies in supporting pupils and helping them to progress well.  Leaders ensure that all resources, including those for pupil premium, are carefully used to the benefit of the pupils. As a result, these pupils progress well in English and mathematics.

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The leadership and management are good

 The good curriculum meets the needs of the pupils in school and fosters their personal development, focusing on the creative arts alongside developing skills in English and mathematics, strongly preparing pupils for the next stage of their education. This is reflected in the schools awards for art and sport. There is a good range of high quality artwork displayed in school. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a real strength of the school, fostered by the effective curriculum.  The school has responded well to support and challenge from the local authority to improve the school further and become a good school. The local authority now maintains light-touch support.  The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Governors have changed during the period since the last inspection and have taken part in more training opportunities, leading them to be better equipped to support and challenge the

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The leadership and management are good

school well. They have a good understanding of how the funding for pupil premium has been spent and that it has been effectively used to make sure these pupils catch up well. Some of the funding for this was spent on additional staffing and reading materials. They know about the quality of teaching in the school and the links to appraisal and pay progression. They understand well about how Summerfield performs in relation to other schools. Safeguarding is a high priority; safeguarding meets requirements and governors are training in how to recruit safely. The school site is secure and well maintained.

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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 110385 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 401122

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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 332 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sophia Kibirige Headteacher Graham Ellis Date of previous school inspection 23–24 March 2010 Telephone number 01908 662582 Fax number 01908 604360 Email address summerfield@milton-keynes.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

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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