Bailiffe Bridge Junior and Infant School

Bailiffe Bridge Junior and Infant School Victoria Road, Bailiffe Bridge, Brighouse,West Yorkshire , HD6 4DY

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Inspection dates 28 February 2013–1 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 Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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This is a good school

 The headteacher and senior leaders have transformed the quality of provision within the school leading to effective teaching and significant improvements to the pupils’ achievement.  Pupils reach high standards by the time they reach Year 6 and are well prepared for their secondary education.  Progress for most pupils is good. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress due to the effective teaching and special arrangements the school makes for them.  The majority of teaching seen during the inspection was good. Progress in the pupils’ books is at least good and outstanding in some classes.  Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary at all times. They are eager to learn and work diligently during independent activities. Older pupils help support younger ones in the playground. They say they feel safe in school and know that adults can always be relied upon for support.  The governance of the school is excellent. The

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This is a good school

school ensures money is spent wisely and that those pupils entitled to additional funding are well provided for.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Progress in writing across the whole school, whilst good, is not yet as strong as that found in reading and mathematics.  Teachers do not always provide pupils with enough opportunities to write in other subjects, or practice using more interesting vocabulary through discussion before they apply it to their writing.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 15 lessons. In addition, the inspection team made a number of shorter visits to lessons.  Meetings were held with pupils, three members of the governing body, a representative from the local education authority and members of the senior and teaching staff.  There were 40 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) to take into account in planning the inspection. Thirteen staff questionnaires were also scrutinised.  The inspection team listened to pupils read, spoke to them about their learning and looked at work in their books. They looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own tracking data on pupils’ current progress, planning and monitoring documentation, records relating to behaviour and those documents relating to attendance and safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Robert Pye, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Fiona McNally Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Bailiffe Bridge is an average-sized primary school. The overwhelming majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding allocated for pupils in the care of the local authority or known to be eligible for free school meals or whose family are in the armed forces) is below average.  The proportion of pupils whose learning needs are supported at a level known as school action is broadly average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The school meets the government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  Since the previous inspection, there has been a significant change to the teaching staff. There has also been a change in senior leadership with the appointment of a new assistant

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and the progress pupils make especially in writing by: - ensuring pupils have ample opportunity to plan and discuss their work with others before they start to write - ensuring that teachers introduce a wide range of vocabulary that will add greater interest, meaning and fluency to pupils’ writing - applying a consistent approach to writing in all other subjects so that pupils have more experience of writing in different styles and for different purposes.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the school with skills that are typical for their age. They initiate their own learning to explore the world around them in a well-organised Reception class: one group of children used their imagination to construct an aeroplane from building material, predicting when and why at some point it would collapse.  National assessments in Year 6 have risen sharply during the past three years and are now well above the national average. Reading and mathematics standards are high. In 2012 standards in Year 2 also rose significantly in reading and writing to above that found nationally. Mathematics also improved, but remains broadly average. Overwhelming evidence gained during the inspection from looking at the school’s own data, pupils’ work and lesson observations show a rapid improvement in all classes. Progress is never less than good and sometimes outstanding in some classes.  Pupils are accustomed to reading widely. They research specific subjects in their independent

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The achievement of pupils is good

learning activities, adding a richness and variety to their learning. The high importance given to reading ensures that it is a particular strength throughout the school.  Pupils quickly grasp the basics of mathematical calculation skills, including quick mental recall. They are well versed at applying them to solve problems. Some pupils are currently working at the highest available standards for their age. For instance, in a Year 5 lesson, pupils had to find the area of complex shapes, requiring several steps and challenging calculations to complete the task.  Progress in writing, whilst good, is not as evident as that found in reading and mathematics. This is because pupils do not have enough opportunities to improve their skills further by practising them in different subjects or by applying more-complex vocabulary and phrases to their work.  The pupils known to be eligible for pupil-premium funding make similar progress to other pupils.

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The achievement of pupils is good

This group includes those known to be eligible for free school meals. Their attainment is above the national expectation and progress is good.  The particular needs of the disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are addressed very well. The support these pupils receive from effective teaching assistants enables them to make good progress from their starting points.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is good overall and some is outstanding. This enables pupils to make good progress, and represents a significantly stronger teaching profile than seen at the previous inspection.  All lessons include good features, including positive relationships, ensuring that lessons run smoothly. Teachers have good subject knowledge and are clear about what they want to teach. Pupils respect them and appreciate the interesting lessons that teachers prepare, and their clear and supportive advice about how to improve their work. Pupils’ books are well kept and they take pride in all they do.  Teachers have become skilful in teaching pupils how to improve their reading. Teaching of the use of phonics (the knowledge of letters and sounds to help read unfamiliar words) is given high importance and taught exceptionally well. Older pupils apply their reading skills extensively during independent learning activities that require substantial research, often sourcing

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The quality of teaching is good

information from the internet. Consequently, they read with greater understanding.  Throughout the school pupils enjoy learning. For example, in an exemplary Year 6 literacy lesson, the teacher modelled how to modify and extend sentences by using an embedded clause. Their attitude to learning was marked by willingness at all times to raise their hands in order to participate and improve their own work.  The teaching of writing is successful at reinforcing accurate use of punctuation and grammar. However, teachers sometimes rely too much on pupils using their own words, rather than introducing them to more interesting ones. In some lessons, pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to plan and discuss their work with others before they start writing. Older pupils are able to write extensively across other subjects. This allows them to practice different styles. However, this exemplary practice is not yet consistently applied to all classes in the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants are skilled. They liaise closely with teachers, know the pupils well and provide good support. Support for those who find it hard to learn, or who may be falling behind, is delivered effectively by a specific team of teachers and guided by the school’s assessment records on the progress of individuals.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils thrive on the opportunities provided, rising with enthusiasm to the challenges put before them. Their above average attendance and punctuality reflect their commitment to school life.  They take pride in themselves and their school, making every effort to do their best. In lessons, about the school and on the playground, they are dependably polite and courteous to others. Excellent behaviour is reinforced from the outset: the use of the school’s ‘Diddy dots’, awarded to individuals and the community through the ‘house points’ system, congratulates pupils for their hard work and manners from an early age.  When working in class, pupils get on with each other when they work in pairs or in groups. They are aware that friendships may change and minor fallouts will occur, but say that pupils are never mean to others. Pupils say they use the well-developed peer mediation scheme run by pupils in Years 3 to 6, if they have a problem.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 They understand the forms that bullying can take and are aware of safety issues with the use of modern technology. They say they have no concerns about such things and have complete confidence that staff would sort out any problems that any pupils might have about experiences in school or beyond. The parents who responded to Parent View agree their children are safe and happy in school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher is ably supported by the deputy headteacher and assistant headteachers. They share a clear vision and have well-formulated plans for development. Senior leaders have been highly effective in maintaining staff morale, whilst ensuring improvements to pupils’ achievement.  The school’s leaders have put in place clear systems to improve the quality of teaching. They accurately assess all teachers’ performance and provide appropriate training to ensure they continue to develop their skills. Teachers have targets based on their performance and increases in salaries are based on achievement of these targets.  The school keeps an accurate track of the progress that individual pupils are making. The progress of those entitled to benefit from the pupil premium and those on the special needs register is checked regularly. Where there is a suggestion that a pupil has fallen behind, appropriate help is arranged, often by trained teaching staff. This has been most effective in

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The leadership and management are good

raising the progress of all pupils.  Leadership of the curriculum is good. As a result there are very clear and effective methods for teaching spelling, handwriting, punctuation and grammar. Likewise, a clear approach to teaching calculation skills from an early age ensures that pupils have the skills to apply to problem solving in mathematics. Pupils benefit from a range of interesting topics systematically taught throughout the school.  Pupils’ personal development is a strength. Through assemblies and a wealth of other activities, including gardening and ‘draw and sketch’ found within the wide range of after school clubs, pupils gain a reflective appreciation of life. They have respect for other cultures, taught through learning about other faiths and countries.  The local authority has provided effective support for the school through in-depth discussion with senior leaders and the monitoring of pupil-performance data.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body contributes extremely well to the management of the school. By reviewing data about pupils’ progress, governors have a clear overview of how the school is performing. Governors are very well informed about the quality of teaching and hold the headteacher to account for the actions taken to improve the quality of teaching through the professional training of staff. They take advice from outside agencies when setting the headteacher’s targets and check that other staff have ambitious targets linked to salary progression. Members of the governing body manage the budget well, especially checking on how effectively the pupil premium has been spent in order to raise achievement.

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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 107499 Local authority Calderdale Inspection number 405105

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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 205 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Catherine English Headteacher Helen Proctor Date of previous school inspection 17 March 2011 Telephone number 01484 713039 Fax number 01484 722870 Email address head@bailiffbridge.calderdale.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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