Bishop Henderson Church of England Primary School, Taunton

Bishop Henderson Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Henderson Close, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 4TU

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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.  The achievement of pupils is good. They make good progress in developing their skills in reading, writing and mathematics.  By the end of Year 6, pupils attain broadly average standards. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are well supported; they make good progress and make up ground.  The teaching and learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage are strengths of the school. Children love learning and develop good independence.  Most teaching is good and some is outstanding. Teachers plan interesting work for pupils, making good use of the information they have about the performance of the pupils in their class.  Pupils become confident readers because the teaching of reading skills is well established.  Pupils have positive attitudes about their learning and are keen to do what they are asked. They seldom need reminders about what is expected of them.  Pupils feel safe at school. Adults care about

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

their needs. They know how to keep safe.  Senior leaders and governors have worked together to make sure that the school continues to identify any issues and that these are tackled quickly so that teaching improves.  Members of the governing body provide good levels of challenge alongside their support for the school, and make sure statutory requirements are met.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 A small proportion of teaching requires improvement and not enough is outstanding. Advice to teachers on improving teaching is not always specific enough.  Progress of pupils is inconsistent across year groups. Pupils do not always respond to teachers’ comments on work. At times, pupils rely too much on the teachers. 2 of 9

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection, inspectors spoke to senior leaders, teachers, pupils and governors about the work of the school, and reviewed documents about how the school evaluates its effectiveness. They also looked at teachers’ plans for lessons and information teachers have to keep track of how well pupils are doing.  Inspectors observed 25 lessons taught by 18 teachers, as well as sessions taught by teaching assistants, to support small groups of pupils. Some of these observations were undertaken together with senior leaders.  These observations were used to evaluate the work pupils were doing, discuss pupils’ views about the tasks they are given to do and their experience of school, and consider the progress pupils are making.  Inspectors considered the 63 responses to the online survey for Ofsted, Parent View, as well as correspondence received and parents’ views through informal discussions before school. The

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Information about this inspection

views of staff about the work of the school were gathered through discussions and their responses to a questionnaire.  At the time of the inspection, the Year 6 pupils were sitting their final assessments for the national tests. Year 2 were also involved in assessments. The Reception children were on a trip to a local farm on the second day of the inspection.

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Inspection team

Andrew Saunders, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Sue Horsnell Additional Inspector Nicola Hargreaves Additional Inspector 3 of 9

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Information about this school

 This is a larger than average school, with two classes in each year group.  Since the last inspection, there has been a change of headteacher, as well as several other changes in staff more recently. There have also been several changes among the members of the governing body.  Most pupils are White British. The very few other pupils come from a range of other backgrounds. Some of these speak English as an additional language.  The proportions of pupils supported at school action or at school action plus are below average, although these proportions are higher in some year groups.  The proportion of pupils who benefit from the pupil premium is below average. This is additional funding allocated by the government to ensure the good progress of pupils including those who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children looked after by the local authority and children of parents serving in the armed forces.

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Information about this school

 There is a nurture group in the school, supporting pupils with behavioural and emotional difficulties. The school runs a breakfast and after-school club. The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make sure that all teaching is good and that a greater proportion is outstanding, by:  more closely and frequently checking on the quality of teaching over time and giving teachers specific advice on what they need to do to improve  giving teachers more opportunities to identify and share the very best practice.  Increase the consistency of progress across year groups by:  making sure that all pupils get plenty of opportunities to respond to high quality comments in their books, about how to reach the next level of their learning  developing more effective ways of recording, checking and updating the targets set for pupils, and involve pupils more frequently in this process  making sure that pupils are more independent in getting on with their work as soon as they are ready to do so. 4 of 9

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The achievement of pupils is good

 When they join the school, pupils often have skills and knowledge which are slightly below those typical for their age, particularly in speaking and listening and in physical development. The good resources available and good teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage mean that they quickly become confident learners and develop their skills well.  During the inspection, observations and reviews of the work pupils have done in their books show that most pupils make good progress in English and mathematics. Pupils and parents also expressed the view that pupils learn well.  Until recently, progress had slowed in some year groups, most notably in Year 4. However, accelerated progress in Year 5 and Year 6 means that these pupils made up the ground, and reached standards which were broadly average. From their starting points, these pupils made good progress. Progress in Year 4 is now improving because of the support leaders have put in

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The achievement of pupils is good

place.  At times, the progress of pupils is too dependent on the teachers, because pupils rely on teachers to tell them when they have achieved their targets and what they need to do next. This means that some pupils are too passive about striving to reach the next steps in their learning.  The school has a well-developed approach to teaching the linking of letters and sounds (phonics) which means pupils become confident, enthusiastic readers. They have good skills in tackling ambitious vocabulary and this helps them in their writing.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs get good support from the teaching assistants so that they make good progress and are catching up with pupils elsewhere. Pupils with complex needs receive individual support from well-trained teaching assistants and are helped to overcome the barriers to learning they face.  In 2012 at the end of Year 6 pupils who were eligible for support through pupil premium funding

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The achievement of pupils is good

were some two years behind their classmates in English and some 15 months behind in mathematics. However, data show that pupils currently supported by this funding are making better progress than other pupils in the school. Compared to similar pupils elsewhere, their average points scores in reading and mathematics are above average. In mathematics they are making up ground, although more slowly, and their average points score is average.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The great majority of teaching is good because teachers know a lot about the subjects they teach and deliver lessons with enthusiasm and confidence that engage pupils so that they learn well. Teachers use the information they have about how well pupils are doing to plan interesting work for pupils to do. Pupils have good opportunities to use the skills they are learning, across a wide range of situations and subjects, because teachers plan the topics they study carefully.  Teachers share ideas about planning their lessons, and some teachers have had the opportunity to watch others teaching. However, this is not yet well established and has not had a full impact on identifying and developing the very best practice across the school.  Teachers are very confident with the approach to teaching phonics, insisting on accurate sounds for groups of letters. However, there are times when teachers spend too long explaining or

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The quality of teaching is good

demonstrating, which limits the time pupils have for the tasks set for them.  During lessons, teachers ask probing questions to check how well pupils have understood the work they are doing, and increasingly adapt the lesson as it proceeds in the light of this.  In the best lessons, pupils who are more able are given particularly challenging work to do, and the opportunity to get on with it quickly. Teachers expect a lot of these pupils. For example, many pupils in a Year 5 lesson were working at levels above those expected for their age, independently writing high quality pieces about the journey of a river. They were expected to 5 of 9

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The quality of teaching is good

help each other check their work carefully, and be prepared to prove to the teacher how they had met their targets.  Pupils in an outstanding lesson in Year 5 used their ‘polishing pens’ to improve their work and respond to the teacher’s marking, working hard to reach the next level of their learning.  There has been a recent emphasis on ensuring that marking in books tells pupils exactly what they need to improve, alongside the encouraging comments teachers write. In the best lessons pupils explicitly get time to respond to these comments, but this is not yet fully embedded in every class. Where it does not happen routinely, the progress of pupils is not as rapid as it could be.  Pupils receive appropriate homework which extends their learning, and they tackle this additional work enthusiastically. Parents commented on how much pupils enjoy the homework they are given.  The support for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is good, because

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The quality of teaching is good

teaching assistants are readily available and know the needs of the particular pupils they are responsible for accurately. They are well trained to help pupils through the particular strategies the school has chosen. Those who help pupils with particularly severe needs make sure that these pupils participate fully within the class and activities.  Very occasionally teaching is not as strong and requires improvement. This happens where teachers take too much time to explain what pupils need to do, or where pupils wait for the teacher to tell them what to do next. While these issues have been identified in the school, senior leaders have not always been challenging enough to make sure it changes for all teachers.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils enjoy the work they are given to do and feel that their teachers help them learn well. They know their targets and like it when they get the chance to respond to teachers’ comments in their books, although this is not often enough. Their behaviour is not outstanding because pupils rely too much on the teachers to know what they need to do next, at times.  Pupils said, ‘Teachers make it worth behaving for.’ Pupils feel that the approaches to manage behaviour work well and that everyone understands the agreed systems. If pupils are ‘over the top’ they get a red card and this is almost always enough to remind them to make better choices. However, pupils say that this is not often necessary.  Around school pupils are very polite and cooperative. Almost all parents agree that behaviour is good and that their children like coming to school. Attendance is above average.  The nurture group helps particular pupils to think about the issues they face and find ways to

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

overcome them, learning to play a more positive role in the school. This also helps create an inclusive ethos in the school so that pupils support each other.  Pupils are well trained about the dangers they might face and know what they can do to keep themselves safe. This includes being safe when they use the internet, on the roads, around water, when cycling or eating healthily.  They feel very safe at school because the adults care about them and there is always someone they can talk to if they feel worried. The use of the worry-box is overseen by the school chaplain, so that pupils are confident anything they raise will be dealt with quickly and sensitively.  Pupils say there has not been any bullying at the school for a long time because they know how to make sure it does not happen. Very occasionally there may be some name-calling but they feel this is taken very seriously and dealt with, so it does not happen again.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s emphasis on balancing the rights and responsibilities of all the pupils means that pupils are aware of how they can play a positive part within this community, and they are keen 6 of 9

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The leadership and management are good

 Since the last inspection some time ago, standards at the end of Year 6 have not remained as high as they were previously. However, the new leadership team has tackled the issues that have led to this, and standards of attainment are rising again. The framework around which teachers plan their work has been updated, and new, interesting topics have been chosen to engage pupils in their work.  Teachers who lead particular subjects across the school have brought about appropriate improvements, such as an agreed approach to how pupils’ work is marked, the use of special green pens for pupils to improve their work, and better use of targets to help focus pupils’ work. However, these changes are new and are not fully embedded yet.  Leaders across the school participate in checking on the quality of teaching, but these activities do not always happen often enough and teachers do not get enough opportunities to see what

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The leadership and management are good

the very best lessons are like. Teachers appreciate the ideas they get about how to improve, but this feedback is not always sufficiently focused on the very highest standards of teaching.  The topics around which teachers plan the tasks for pupils are carefully chosen to appeal to all the pupils. For example, using the theme of ‘Dr Who’ particularly engaged the boys in Year 5 in writing high quality work. Excellent use of technology and online resources also helps to make these topics exciting.  The senior leaders and governors show great determination to make sure that every pupil is given the chance to succeed and achieve as well as they can. Together with the focus on balancing rights and responsibilities, this demonstrates the school is effective in pursuing equality of opportunity for all groups of pupils and ensuring there is no discrimination.  There is a wide range of clubs and activities after school for pupils to choose from, and pupils

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The leadership and management are good

say these give them lots of things to do. The breakfast club and after-school club also help pupils whose parents are working to have a good start or end to their day.  The local authority keeps an eye on the progress of pupils and has, at the headteacher’s request, facilitated external advisors to help check on the quality of teaching and learning.  The governance of the school:  Governors work closely with senior leaders to make sure that all the statutory requirements to keep pupils safe are met, and that all the adults working with the pupils are appropriate to do so. Governors have challenged the headteacher to provide more detailed reports, and clearly explain what the data show about the progress of groups of pupils, which now happens. They have sought training to help them understand their responsibilities in this regard. They supplement the information they receive from the school through their own visits to lessons

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The leadership and management are good

and through talking to pupils and parents. This gives them an accurate view of the performance of the school, compared to other schools. They have made sure that the school’s self-evaluation is accurate, by using external advisors recommended by the local authority. Together with the headteacher they review carefully how teachers’ pay reflects the quality of their teaching and that financial resources are allocated carefully. Governors also keep a close check on how effective the pupil premium is proving in helping eligible pupils to catch up with other pupils. 7 of 9

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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. 8 of 9

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School details

Unique reference number 123852 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 412128

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 412 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Peter Joyce Headteacher Edward Gregory Date of previous school inspection 24 May 2007 Telephone number 01823 274770 Fax number 01823 325729 Email address sch.333@educ.somerset.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

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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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