Bainbridge Church of England Primary and Nursery School

Bainbridge Church of England Primary and Nursery School Bainbridge, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 3EL

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 Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils achieve well. They make particularly good progress in reading and writing.  Attainment in English is above average. The school’s test results in English at the end of Year 6 are in the top 20% nationally.  Nursery and Reception children make good progress. Outdoor learning is a strength in the overall provision for these age groups.  Teaching is of good quality in every class. Lessons are interesting and fun. Teaching assistants give very effective help to pupils.  Behaviour is exceptionally good. Pupils are polite, friendly and work hard. They have a lot of responsibilities, which they take seriously.  Attendance is in the top 20% of schools.  First-rate leadership and management by the executive headteacher have brought about many exciting improvements since the previous inspection. The school is better than it was.  Governors give very good strategic direction to the school. This is having a good impact on

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching in mathematics is good but not outstanding. Teachers do not always set pupils suitably different or challenging tasks, especially the more able pupils. Attainment in mathematics is close to average as a result.  The leadership of mathematics is not sufficiently strong to ensure that pupils learn new skills systematically so they build on what they know and can do. This means that some pupils have gaps in their knowledge.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed nine lessons or parts of lessons taught by three teachers and also by teaching assistants.  She observed lessons when pupils were taught how letters and sounds link together (phonics) and ‘guided reading’ lessons when she heard pupils read and discuss books.  A group of Year 6 pupils showed the inspector the work they had done in English and mathematics since the start of term and read some of their own writing to her. They talked about the books they were currently reading and discussed what helped them to learn generally and what they found difficult.  The inspector held meetings with staff, the Chair of the Governing Body and three governors, a representative from the local authority and a group of Year 6 pupils.  She looked at a wide range of documentation including information relating to safeguarding, school improvement and pupils’ progress.  The inspector took account of 14 parents’ views in the online questionnaire (Parent View).

p.2

Inspection team

Lesley Clark, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 This school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. Pupils are taught in three mixed-aged classes in the morning and in three different groupings in the afternoon.  The school offers nursery provision in the mornings for three- and four-year-olds. A minority of children leave at the end of the Nursery year to join Reception classes in schools nearer to their home. Some children start in Reception with no pre-school experience.  Most pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is above average.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is broadly average.  A below-average proportion of pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding in this school for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals).  The local authority, at the request of the governing body, brokered an executive headteacher to

p.3

Information about this school

work part time with the school for a year, from September 2012, in a collaborative partnership with her own school. From September 2013 the school joins a local school in a formal collaboration, run by one executive headteacher for both schools.  The governing body is also part of a joint development committee involved in the strategic planning for the forthcoming collaboration.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen teaching in mathematics and ensure that teachers: - teach mental and oral mathematics regularly - set tasks that are at the right level of difficulty for pupils’ different learning needs - give Reception children more opportunities to practise number skills - give more-able pupils work that gets the best out of them and gives them opportunities to challenge themselves.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the leadership and management of mathematics to ensure that pupils build up skills systematically and progressively across the school.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 Children achieve well in Nursery and Reception from their different starting points. By the end of the Reception year most are at the level expected of their age.  The children make especially good progress in communication, language and literacy, in gaining knowledge and understanding of the world around them and in using technology. They make slower gains in their mathematical development because they have fewer opportunities to practise number skills compared to other aspects of their learning.  The school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination well. There are no gaps between the performance of those known to be eligible for free school meals and that of others in school. Compared to similar groups nationally they also do well. This is because they have individual help to make sure they do as well as everyone else.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress. This is because

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

they are encouraged to work with other pupils but also have individual support. They develop into confident learners who ask for help when they need it.  Pupils achieve well in Years 1 to 6. Attainment is above average by the end of Year 6. Pupils make good, and sometimes excellent, progress in reading and writing. In mathematics most make expected progress. Across the school pupils’ progress has accelerated in all subjects since September.  Pupils are good at using and applying mathematical skills to solve problems but they are less confident in mental and oral mathematics. Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge because they do not build up skills progressively and more-able pupils have few opportunities to set their own challenges.  Pupils read well from an early age. They enjoy reading to each other and to themselves. Younger pupils make great strides in learning how letters and sounds link together to form

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

words. Older pupils have favourite authors. They read expressively and with good understanding.  Pupils write well. They write at length, spell words accurately and use an increasingly diverse range of punctuation as they grow older. More-able pupils write really good stories, using rhetorical questions for dramatic effect. Year 6 pupils were excited by the writing techniques they have learnt: ‘lots of new things such as subordinate clauses, semi-colons and onomatopoeic words!’

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good across the school, with particular strengths in teaching reading and writing. Marking is used well to encourage pupils and to indicate what they need to do to improve their work. Pupils say, ‘Our teachers are good at helping us when we get stuck and explaining until we get it. It’s easier to understand then.’  The very effective use of teaching assistants to help different groups of pupils to learn plays a significant part in accelerating pupils’ progress.  Much of the teaching ensures that pupils do practical, active, investigative tasks that draw on their literacy and numeracy skills. Pupils enjoy this and it helps to make learning fun. For instance, pupils in Years 2 and 3 pored over long-winded instructions as to how to make Easter nests, highlighting salient points, halving the suggested quantities, before drawing up simplified versions which they then followed.  Teachers ask searching questions to make pupils think and to see how much they have

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

understood. They encourage pupils to discuss and compare their work and to ask questions. Pupils confirm that this helps them to learn well.  Other strengths in teaching include a fast pace and slick use of up-to-date technology to make teaching points clear. These qualities are also reflected in the way that pupils learn, using different technologies for presentations or to practise specific skills, for example. This prepares them well for their future lives.  Teaching is not outstanding because aspects of teaching mathematics are not as strong as they should be. Teachers tend to give pupils tasks rather than teaching new skills that help them to build on what they know and can do. Sometimes tasks do not challenge different groups of pupils, especially the more able. Mental and oral mathematics is not taught systematically and so this sometimes slows pupils’ mental calculations.

p.4

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Behaviour is impeccable both in lessons and around the school. Pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning are underpinned by the school’s strong focus on spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils know what is expected of them and they have a clear moral framework to guide them.  Typically, pupils arrive early, keen to work and to see their friends. They like being in different classes in the afternoon because it means that those of them who are the only boy or girl in their year group can work alongside friends, and ‘it’s fun having different teachers’.  Pupils listen intently in lessons and get on quickly without fuss. They work together very sensibly, discussing quietly and helping each other.  Pupils are polite and courteous. They are kind to each other and their behaviour is invariably thoughtful. For example, Reception children noticed that a Nursery child was playing in his socks

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

and asked, ‘Is mummy bringing you some shoes? You need some shoes on’. They then made sure that he put them on.  Across the school pupils are self-reliant and confident because staff expect them to be independent. For example, when a small group was struggling to remember the word ‘apostrophe’ and volunteered ‘floating comma?’ they were already beginning to look it up in their previous notes.  Pupils take on a lot of responsibility around the school, including running the library. They apply for different jobs and are interviewed to see who will be the most suitable. Pupils agree that ‘the school council is our voice’. They are proud to be so closely involved in their school.  Pupils feel extremely safe. They like being in a small school because, they feel, ‘we get a lot of one-to-one attention and teachers take their time with you. We know everyone’.  Pupils are aware of different types of bullying, including cyber- and prejudice-based bullying.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

They are sure that there is no bullying or unkind name-calling. They candidly admit that ‘some people don’t think before they speak but then they say they’re sorry and it’s all sorted out’. The school’s behavioural records confirm their positive views.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has given timely and valuable support to the school. As a result of joint and innovative decisions with the governing body concerning the future of the school, the school has improved considerably since the previous inspection. The improvement is sustainable because the school has effective systems that clearly work well.  First-rate leadership by the executive headteacher has brought about significant changes in a short time. These include: revitalising assessment systems so that staff use them profitably to keep careful track of pupils’ progress; strengthening teaching across the school so that it is consistently good or better; deploying teachers’ skills more effectively by reorganising classes in the afternoons; and developing effective outdoor provision for Nursery and Reception children. As a result, pupils’ progress has accelerated rapidly since September.  Leadership and management as a whole are not outstanding because the leadership of

p.5

The leadership and management are good

mathematics to ensure systematic and progressive development of skills across the school is an underdeveloped aspect of leadership. This is why pupils tend to do less well in mathematics compared to English.  Performance management is used well to ensure that teachers are held to account for the progress that their pupils make. Teachers’ targets are linked closely to the school improvement plan and to the teaching standards, which give clear guidance to teachers as to what good- quality teaching should be and the criteria to achieve the next salary level.  Increased accountability, together with clear leadership of teaching, has had a noticeable impact on teaching quality. Strategies such as coaching and working alongside leading professionals have helped teachers to be more consistent in delivering good-quality lessons.  As a result of these initiatives, staff are fired with enthusiasm. They say, ‘We feel part of a team

p.5

The leadership and management are good

where hard work is appreciated. We value learning together.’ The large majority of parents think that this is a good school.  Safeguarding is of good quality. Vetting procedures for staff, governors and parents who work in school are stringent.  The governance of the school: - Governors are very well-informed. They have a good understanding of teaching quality and the data that tell them about the school’s performance. The governing body thinks and plans strategically. This enables governors to play a full part in shaping the direction of the school. Their decisions have had a major impact on improving the management of staff and developing a strong, forward-looking staff team. The result is improved rates of pupils’ progress across the school and higher achievement. The governing body targets funds wisely to support pupil premium pupils. As a result, these pupils do as well as everyone else in school

p.6

The leadership and management are good

and better than similar groups nationally.

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 121477 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 402030

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 Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 50 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Samantha Parfitt Headteacher Beverley Maxine Price Date of previous school inspection 15 October 2009 Telephone number 01969 650336 Fax number 01969 650818 Email address admin@bainbridge.n-yorks.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